Title: The Chaos of Standing Still
Author: Jessica Brody
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: November 28th 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn con-fronts her shattered past thanks to the charm of romance, the uniqueness of strangers, and the magic of ordinary places in this stunning novel from the au-thor of Boys of Summer.
Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it’s been there for almost a year.
She hasn’t tried to read it. She can’t. She won’t. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died.
But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death, fate literally runs into her.
And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysteri-ous strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspira-cy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can’t get her brialliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head.
Ryn can’t move on.
But tonight, for the first time ever, she’s trying. And maybe that’s a start.
As moving as it is funny, The Chaos of Standing Still is a heartwarming story about the earth-shattering challenges life throws at us—and the unexpected strangers who help us along the way.
The Chaos of Standing Still is an interesting contemporary by Jessica Brody. It deals with a teenager who is not only struggling to deal with grief but is also experiencing survivor's guilt. She has lost someone that she considers the better half of herself so she is stuck in this cyclone of emotions she can’t find a way out of.
I loved the setting of the book. Ryn is trying to get home and his flying a cheapo airline which makes stops in Denver. She ends up stranded at the airport due to a snowstorm that has completely shut down not only the planes, but the entire area. While I was reading I actually looked up things about the airport. I’ve been there before but Brody does such a great job of describing different things about it. Especially the artwork that I didn’t even notice in the times I’ve passed through there. (only on connecting flights). I loved how she made the airport come to life in my mind
I actually read an adult book where the main character was dealing with the grief in a similar way to Ryn. By that I mean the way she chooses to keep Lottie alive. The thing that is interesting is that being in her head you start to understand how she sees things this way. I really like that we learn more about Lottie and Ryn by the flashbacks she has. You see how Ryn really felt like she needed to take care of Lottie, it’s almost like that gave her a purpose and once Lottie is gone. She can’t find her place anymore, she doesn’t really understand where she belongs in the world. I think that also influences the guilt she feels because she doesn’t see herself as being someone who is worth anything on her own. She needs to figure out who this new Ryn is and she doesn’t really want to.
Xander is such a fun guy and even though he has his own things going. I like the way that he doesn’t just leave Ryn. He was just cute all around.
I love the other characters in the story as well. The various people they meet at the airport who have their own stories as well. It made the book fun, even though it deals with a heavier issue. Also it kept me drawn in. I felt like there was always something interesting going on.
I love a YA romance that reminds me of my own high school experience. I felt like this one gave me the same feels and it was easy to get on board with the cuteness of it. Of course it’s not perfect, Ryn is still dealing with some heavy stuff. I like the way Xander and Ryn come together and at times think they are going their separate ways but end up in the same place again.
I really enjoyed The Chaos of Standing Still. I loved Jessica Brody’s writing, she is able to keep a story interesting and moving. I liked the characters and setting. Of course this is the perfect time of year to read it with New Year’s just around the corner.
Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self “publishing” her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples, and electrical tape.
After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author.
Since then, Jessica has sold over twelve novels for teens, tweens, and adults in-cluding 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, The Karma Club, My Life Undecided, and the three books in the Unremembered trilogy, the first of which is currently in development as a major motion picture by the producers of The Vampire Academy, Zero Dark Thirty, Life of Pi, and Slumdog Millionaire. In 2016, she will release two new contemporary novels, A Week of Mondays (August) and Boys of Summer (April), and in 2017, her debut middle grade novel entitled, Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up, will hit bookstore shelves.
Jessica also writes books for the Descendants: “School of Secrets” series, based on the hit Disney Channel Original movie, Descendants!
Jessica’s books are published and translated in over twenty foreign countries. (Click here for a full list of foreign sales and publishers.) She currently splits her time between California and Colorado.
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• Prize: 1 copy of THE CHAOS OF STANDING STILL by Jessica Brody
• Starts: November 27th
• Ends: December 7th
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