Audiobook Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Title: The Sea of Tranquility
Author: Katja Millay
Narrators: Kirby Heyborne, Candace Thaxton
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: June 4, 2013
Length: 13 hrs, 10 mins
Source: Galley via Publisher/Purchased audio

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.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Okay guys, I can tell you right now, my review will not do this book justice.  This book has soared to "Best Books Ever Read" heights.  It's seriously THAT good.  If I had more than 5 stars to give this book, I would.  If you're reading this review to figure out if you should read this book yourself, you can stop reading right now.  READ IT!  NOW!

If you know me at all, you know I struggle with audios at times.  A fabulous narrator can make a book insanely good, while a poor narrator can really ruin even the best stories for me.  I've often wished I hadn't gone the audiobook route when it's a very popular book that most people love, and I just didn't see what all the fuss was about.  Well, I'm happy to say this book was NOT in that category at all.  This audio was amazing.  Truly amazing.  Like "loss for words" type of amazing.  I actually finished this book last week, but I just haven't been able to find the words to write a review.  Often times my layman words just can't do a story justice.  This is definitely one of those times.  I feel like I'm not adequate to write a review for this book.  So sorry in advance... but I'll do my best.  ;)

Nastya was a hard character for me to figure out at first.  I wasn't sure if I liked her or wanted to slap her.  Maybe a little a both.  But it became obviously very quickly that she underwent a horrific event that forever changed her.  Josh Bennett had a tragic story of his own.  Everyone he loved had died or been taken from him.  He knew loss to an extent others can only dream of.  The two meet unexpectedly, and this meeting with change both of their lives completely.

The story... wow!  The characters... wow!  The narrators... WOW!  Candace's and Kirby's performance of this book was superb! (Okay, now I sound old... :P)  They had me wrapped around their little fingers right off the bat.  I wasn't going anywhere.  I had to know what was going to happen next.  My heart was pounding, my pulse raising, and my ears were at full attention.  I actually took it upon myself to completely ignore the outside world for extended periods of time because I couldn't hit stop on my audiobook.  So. Good.

Well, if you're still not convinced you should read this book, I'd say head on over to Goodreads and check out the 4.55 star rating and other rave reviews for yourself.  I can't even fathom the idea of someone not enjoying this book.  Oh, Katja, please tell me there will be more in the very near future.  I feel a bit bad for the next few books I read after this one, as I feel none will live up to this awesomeness.  Please write more... I NEED it!

“Daylight won’t protect you from anything. Bad things happen all the time; they don’t wait until after dinner”

“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.”

“We're like mysteries to one another. Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other. Maybe that's what I need. Someone to explain me.”

Katja Millay grew up in Florida and graduated with a degree in film & television production from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has worked as a television producer and a film studies and screenwriting teacher. The Sea of Tranquility is her first book.

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