A Review for Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Posted by Donna
Release Date: February 1st, 2013

Finished Date: January 25th, 2013

Publishers: Mira Ink
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle 

Pages: 288
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

The Review: “Running my mouth has hurt enough people already - the least I can do is to shut up.” 

This is my second book by Hannah Harrington and I have to say, I really love her work. As an author she has away with turning the hardest subject’s into something intriguing and beautiful. Her stories are proof of that and Speechless was nothing short of fantastic. 

Chelsea Knot is a popular girl who can never keep a secret. Whenever she hears a juicy piece of gossips she’s the first to tell everyone and,  her status as best friends with the school’s Queen Bee, she gets away with anything she wants. Well, that is until one night she finds out a huge secret and opening her mouth finally gets her in trouble. The consequences of this really is devastating and Chelsea feels like she needs to do something, and that something is taking a vow of silence, because her mouth is what got her in trouble in the first place. 

This for me was such a unique read. I’ve never heard of anyone taking a vow of silence and I’ve never read a book that was based around this sort of subject before. I did have a little bit of hesitant because I thought “Well, how well can a story be if the main character doesn’t talk?” Well, I was wrong because it worked so well for this story, and the reason it worked so well was because the author created some fantastic characters. 

Chelsea was a brilliant narrative. She wasn’t very likeable to start with but the events that happened within the story really bring her down to earth and it changes her. She learns to become a better person by not talking and really by taking a stand, she finds the true her. She was very vulnerable during the vow so I was glad she had help from  Sam and Asha. Their almost two people you wouldn't have thought would help Chelsea and befriend her, because their friends with the guy who was hurt the most by Chelsea.  But I also think there couldn't have been anyone better to bring Chelsea the peace she needed to move on. Sam brings light hearted jokes and fun times to the story, he's a good guy and although a bit geeky, that's what makes him so charming. He gives Chelsea the courage to do the growing she needs to do and the end results are perfect. Oh and it will really leave you wanting a Tuna Melt - sounds so yummy. I want Sam to make me one! 

“I love the way he says my name, like it’s something he wants to keep safe.”

And secondly, there's Noah and Andy - so cute  and such fantastic secondary characters. I twas touch and go with Andy at times because he finds it hard to forgive Chelsea but, Noah really is a great guy and he helps him. No matter what happened to them during the story, they remained upbeat and they were always looking forwards at the future. 

In the end, Speechless is a novel that can really leave you speechless. It's consuming, beautifully written and it brings so much awareness to people that I just love everything it stands for. A another fantastic novel from Hannah Harrington and not one that should be missed in 2013.