Stillwater
Rising by Steena Holmes
Published:
November 11, 2014
Format: Copy
via Booksparks
Publisher: Lake
Union Publishing
Synopsis
After losing her son in an elementary school
shooting that devastates the tight-knit community of Stillwater Bay, Jennifer
Crowne finds herself unable to settle back into her role of perfect
stay-at-home mom and committee organizer. Meanwhile, her best friend, Mayor
Charlotte Stone, struggles to keep the town together, and Charlotte s husband,
the school principal, may not be the hero everyone thinks him to be.
As they try to heal from this irrevocable trauma,
Jenn and Charlotte find themselves at a crossroads within the town and within
their friendship. For Jenn, broken and grieving, there is no going back, and
she demands that the school be closed so that she can bury the past. Yet
Charlotte is equally desperate to hold the town together, fighting the school closure
and helping the shooter’s mother regain her place in the community. Jenn and
Charlotte s relationship is put to the ultimate test as each weighs her own
interests against the bonds of their friendship.
My
Thoughts
Talk about a touching story that will grip your soul!
Stillwater Rising is the story of a community trying to recover after a recent
school shooting. I love how in this story we get the points of view of the
aftermath from different residents and how it affected them all differently. We
hear from Jenn who has lost her youngest child and how certain people want her
to move on, like her husband as if nothing has happened. There’s Charlotte the
mayor who is trying to help and heal her town while trying to deal with her
husband the principal of the school all while being pulled into different
directions from the citizens, some want closure while others are mad and can’t
seem to forgive. Lastly there is the shooters mom whom it seems has taken the
most hits from people in town.
This story hits home with all the sadness that
has taken place with school shooting around the country. While we always feel
sad and heartache from the family victims, we sometimes forget about the
shooters family. While what he did was horrible and unforgettable why are
these people sometimes forgotten. I’ll be honest I’m one of those people who doesn’t
really think of them after the tragedies. Don’t these people grieve just like
all others? We tend to blame and look down on the parents when in actuality can
we really blame them? No one has control over anyone else; sadly putting the
blame on others doesn’t help in what happened.
No matter how you feel about the subject there is
no denying that this book will touch you no matter what. The bottom line isn’t
blame or hate what I took away is forgiveness and compassion. Although it is
easier said than done no hurt is greater than another. I’m a strong believer in
forgiving not so much for others but for you. You will never be able to move on without
forgiving. I can’t say enough great things about this book even though it’s a tough
subject matter it’s one that’s poignant in the world today.
About the author
With a passion for storytelling, Steena Holmes took her dream of being a full-time writer and made it a reality, writing her first novel while working as a receptionist. She won the National Indie Excellence Book Award in 2012 for her bestselling novel Finding Emma. Steena currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband, three daughters, and two dogs. She likes to celebrate completing each new novel with chocolate.
Connect with the author
Facebook / Twitter / Website / Goodreads
About the author
With a passion for storytelling, Steena Holmes took her dream of being a full-time writer and made it a reality, writing her first novel while working as a receptionist. She won the National Indie Excellence Book Award in 2012 for her bestselling novel Finding Emma. Steena currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband, three daughters, and two dogs. She likes to celebrate completing each new novel with chocolate.
Connect with the author
Facebook / Twitter / Website / Goodreads
I am almost finished with this one Monica and I've really enjoyed it, much more so than I even expected. Great review!
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