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. 

Blog Tour: A Review for Saving June by Hannah Harrington + Character Interview with Jake Tolan

Posted by Donna

Expected Release Date: June 1st, 2012

Finished Date: March 28th, 2012

Publishers: Mira Ink

Source: ARC For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 336
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why. When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California. Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs. Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

The Review: I went to a bloggers party hosted by Mira Ink way back in March and this is the first time I heard about Saving June. But as soon as I did I knew I had to read it and honestly, it’s a good read – one that deals with some very difficult times and love and friendship really bring this book to life. 
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One of the lines in Saving June is ‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’ and it really saddened me. This book deals with a Harper’s sister, June committing suicide. June has always been the over achiever, she study hard and she appears to be a happy teenager but if she was happy, why would kill herself? Harper wants to find out the answer to the question more than anything and she feels the only way to be at peace with her sister’s death is to scatter her ashes in the one place June always wanted to go – California. So with the help of her best friend, Laney and the mysterious Jake Talon; who knows more about June’s death than anyone, they try to help Harper find closure. 
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Saving June was a very enjoyable read. I hate how the word enjoyable seems so wrong for this book because of how saddening the story is but it was and enjoyable read. Hannah Harrington touches on a very difficult subject but she does it so beautifully, it really works. I immediately felt connected to Harper because there was so much character building and because of that when Harper went through the motions, I went through the motions and I loved that connection I had with her. She was so determined to do right by her sister that she defies and stands up to her parents and I really admire her for that. June, I liked her from the information that we got but I kind of wish that she had wrote more letters for Harper, so I could understand her reasons more. Now Laney and Jake all brought a certain quality to the book too. Laney is the partying and boy loving type, who really is everything a girl needs in a best friend. I really enjoyed Laney’s care free attitude but I have to say I felt her story, towards the end of the book (I won’t say what and spoil it for you) but I felt it was out of place for the story and I wasn’t really needed in my opinion. And Jake, I loved Jake. I did have mixed feelings about him to start with and all the while, I was reading the book trying to fit in how he knew June and I thought the author did a good job getting him involved with it.I loved how dedicated to music he is and how he writes songs etc. He’s one of them characters that you just go….sigh….with. He’s amazing! 
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Now the romance – I liked it but I wish there had been more. I know the story is more around June’s death but I still felt the romance could have been turned up a notch. However, when the romance started, it was good….just not enough. 
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All in all, Saving June is a book I’m glad I read, and I’d highly recommend it to you contemporary romance fans that are looking for something a little different. 
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A huge thank you to Mira Ink for giving me the opportunity to review this book. 

 Character interview with Jake Tolan and Jake’s top 10 songs.
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1)      Hi Jake - Welcome to Book Passion for Life. We wanted to ask you some questions and we hope you don't mind but they may be a bit personal. So to start with, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Uh, okay. I’m Jake. I work at my brother’s record store and live in the apartment over it, which is pretty cool. When I’m not working there, I’m usually playing my guitar, listening to albums, going to shows, or talking to people about my favorite artists, since music is basically my life.
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2)      Music is you're passion, so if you could meet one famous singer, who would it be and why? 
I would go back in time and meet Freddie Mercury, and then ask him to sing for me, because no one could rock a stage like that man could. He was epic.
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3)      What was it like for you meeting Harper at June's funeral?
It was really weird. I’d only heard a little about her from June, but she wasn’t at all what I expected her to be. Most people are kind of intimidated by me but she didn’t give a crap at all. It was sort of startling.
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4)      What are you're favourite qualities about Harper?
Harper can really hold her own. Like when we’re arguing, I kind of like how she doesn’t back down easily. And she really cares about stuff. About people. She sets aside her own crap to be there for others, and she doesn’t whine about it either. Not a lot of people are like that.
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5)      And lastly, can you describe how you felt after your first kiss with Harper?
It was intense. Everything about that day was intense. I’d thought about what it’d be like before then, but I had no idea how she felt, and I pretty much expected her to kick me in the head and run off. She didn’t, thankfully. All I knew was that even as screwed up as things were, what we were doing felt right. I could never regret it.
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JAKE’S TOP TEN SONGS:
1)      Mother – John Lennon


2)      London Calling – The Clash


3)      So What – Miles Davis


4)      My Blakean Year – Patti Smith


5)      Radio Radio – Elvis Costello


6)      Oh! Sweet Nuthin' – The Velvet Underground


7)      Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen


8)      Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie


9)      A Case of You – Joni Mitchell


10)  You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones