Book Review: The Sea of Tranquility

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Maillay

Blurb from Goodreads: 

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk. Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to. The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.


I read this book back in December after reading Slammed. Reading two epically awesome books in close proximity can take away from the other book. I think that was what happened with this book, but as the blurb says this is a slow building book and not only that, this book has stayed with me. I think that is why I am writing this review more than a month later, because this book creeps into my thoughts on more than one occasion.

The story between Josh and Nastya is, as the blurb says, slow building. That was one of my favorite parts. Many times in books the physical attraction is there and then it seems that they deal with the emotional after the fact. Not that I don't mind reading those books, but this one was so different. The quiet moments when they are hanging out in their garage are my favorite. The fact that by not talking, by simply just being next to each other working, is a calming aspect of their relationship in both of their hectic complex worlds. Their story is truly beautiful. I wish I could say more but it's hard without giving it away and this is one of those books that you discover, that with each turn of the page (or flip of the kindle) and you fall a little bit more in their world, the amazing and tragic aspects.

And the Last Sentence. Perfection.

So I say trust me, this book is a perfect storm of emotion, done in such a unique way. Read it!

And if have read it, let me know in the comments!