Speechless by Hannah Harrington

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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.

It’s absolutely no secret at all as to how much I adore Harrington’s debut novel Saving June. When she had mentioned to us in her interview last year that she was working on Speechless, I knew that she’d be sharing something fabulous with us again.

Speechless deals with the hard topics of bullying and gossiping. Chelsea lives in the upper echelon of her high school’s social hierarchy. I didn’t like her at first. We’re not supposed to. She represents everything that is awful about high school. Gossiping is a way to maintain her status though I will say she is most definitely a follower here as she’s always under the influence of her best friend, Kristen. At Kristen’s New Year’s Eve party, she gets drunk and unwittingly becomes witness to a very private moment between two boys. Unable to keep her mouth shut as usual, she blurts out what she’s seen to everyone resulting in a disgusting act of violence that lands the victim in the hospital. Realizing that her gossiping was responsible for the violent act, she decides to refrain from speaking for as long as she can. The way she sees it, nothing good can come from her talking so why not for ?nce be silent?

The tables turn on Chelsea swiftly after she comes forth to the authorities with the truth about the perpetrators. It is a long, painful fall down to the bottom tier. She’s completely isolated and removed from her former friends. At this point you expect the author to throw in some grand life lesson learned. She doesn’t. Instead Chelsea very stoically accepts her “sentence”. She understands that her actions have hurt people and that they all need time to calm down. She's very simplistic about this at first. She’s under the notion that things will blow over soon and that things will be normal again. Not so much. Everyone is downright vile towards her including her former best friend.

What makes Speechless outstanding is the honesty with which Chelsea approaches her new status. She doesn’t experience any immediate epiphanies. It’s a gradual learning curve. She misses her old life, especially Kristen. Now that she’s exiled from the cool crowd, she does meet other kids at school, people she admits she was completely unaware of. She examines her decision to turn her former friends in to the police but it’s surprising that she doesn’t necessarily see it as doing the right thing – just something she had to do. Her vow of silence starts out as a way for her to assuage her guilt but becomes an opportunity for introspection. She gains remarkable insight by simply being silent. It’s as if her other senses have kicked into high gear and she’s truly listening and seeing people for the first time. Her new friends Asha and Sam are among many delightful highlights in the book. Their friendship gives Chelsea a whole new lease on her high school life.  

There’s so much more I want to add about the story itself but I’ll refrain from giving it away.  I cannot begin to describe how this story has wrapped itself around me. Hannah Harrington is a very gifted storyteller with an amazing ability to just capture your heart by diving into these very real moments with such authenticity and compassion. You get into the mindset of these individuals and understand what’s motivating them because you’re living vicariously through them.  Harrington’s writing evokes strong feelings because her characters are genuine and you trust the direction she’s taking them in. They’re very much alive and heartfelt because of the voice she gives them.

Another reason to love Speechless — it features a young girl who matures into a strong young woman. I don't come across enough of them in contemporary YA fiction.  It's about becoming a better person after having gone through all the crap and nonsense life throws at you. It’s about finding a voice that has purpose. 

~ Bel

 

 

A Peek in the Biblio-Bin (45)

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the Biblio-Bin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This is what we have in our bin this week. Tell us what's in your Biblio-bin!

Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Speechless by Hannah Harrington


 

Bel's Top 10 of 2011

Coming up with my favorite 10 reads was no easy task, especially since I've been reading like a fiend for most of the year. But here’s my stab at it and in no particular order …

The Mortal Instruments Series

Like Nat, I have to cheat here because I just couldn't narrow it down. It's like picking out one puppy from the litter - it breaks your heart to separate it from its siblings. Not only do I enjoy the storyline and all the characters immensely, I just simply love Cassie Clare’s writing.  She is so good at writing snark and so good a writing non-smutty smut that we BiblioJunkies would just die if Ms. Clare decided to write an adult series. Can you begin to imagine how far she'd go? In all seriousness, I’ve said this before, this series opened the floodgates for me and because of it I’ve experienced a whole new genre.

Hush Hush & Crescendo

On the subject of snark – I do believe that people are familiar with my, um, deep, deep appreciation (read: lust) for Patch Cipriano. In fact, I'm a wee bit disappointed (gutted if I wanted to be melodramatic about it) that I didn't find him in my Christmas stocking. And I know I'm "cheating" again here by naming two books but seriously, it's Patch! Both are filled with plenty of great one-liners and images that make you want to scream in a good way. And that wicked ending in Crescendo had me all strung up. I simply can't get enough!

The Maze Runner

To me, The Maze Runner is the best of the series. James Dashner upped the ante by removing every one's memory and giving them a blank slate. How do you move forward from that with no reference points and no idea who to trust? Everything from the hellish environment to the relentless action left me banging my head for answers and utterly exhausted.

The Iron Knight

The Iron Fey series is one of the most spectacular and intricate out there but The Iron Knight is the one had the most effect on me. Ash is the ULTIMATE knight in shining armor. The trials he goes through make you ache. His resolve to be with his beloved Megan make you pine for him even more. It's no wonder he has such a rabid legion of fans. And with Puck and Grimalkin as travel companions, how can this not be a thrilling adventure?

Thirteen Reasons Why

My niece recommended this book saying it was one of her favorites.  I have to agree with her. I clung to every page of this story and felt a myriad of emotions because it had of its sensitivity and straightforward bluntness.  While the ending doesn’t exactly make you jump up and cheer, you still feel its quiet but hopeful impact. And sometimes subtle works best. 

Saving June

After having read Thirteen Reasons Why I thought, one - I’d be doing a comparison between these two books and two - I’d be spending a very depressing couple of weeks. I was sooo wrong because this turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read in years! Harrington’s effortless blending of humor and sarcasm balanced perfectly the serious side of the story. And adding to its awesomeness, this book came with its very own soundtrack.

  

The Likeness (non YA)

I love a good psychological mystery and Tana French delivers in this Irish thriller. The mixture of murder and suspense had me on edge throughout.  But what I enjoyed most was how each little plot twist had me gasping. Plus, it's set in Ireland where good things like U2, Snow Patrol, Two Door Cinema Club and Michael Fassbender come from ... not that they had anything to do with the book.

Firelight

Thank you, thank you Sophie Jordan for putting something different out there! I was already on a slight vampire/werewolf overload when I stumbled upon this Romeo and Juliet style dragon tale (ha! see what I did there?). I was so caught up in Will and Jacinda's connection and worried for them non-stop. And the cliffhangers for Firelight and its follow up, Vanish, left me hungry for more.

Clockwork Prince

Oh my! Cassandra Clare you really love to make us suffer. Aside from the excellent story, there are the gorgeous Will and Jem and that poor girl Tessa who has to look at both of them. Through all the publicity we were all made well aware of the DSBS. But boy was I a bit giddy with that other DSBS that came before it! I'm not ashamed to say that those pages have been bookmarked and I've re-read them a few times times. Oh Jem …

Cold Kiss

Morbid, creepy, morbidly fascinating - it didn’t hit me until recently how much I liked this book. It happened when I was listening to my iPod and a gorgeously haunting song came on that encompassed the book's entire theme - sorrow, loss and letting go. I instantly thought of Wren and Danny. It was one of those moments that made me shiver. While the storyline is set in a paranormal arena, Wren's deeply personal loss is one that anyone can understand.  

So there we have it.  Hope your New Year is filled with plenty of good books, surprises and much, much more!

Cheers!

~Bel

Interview With Hannah Harrington Author Of "Saving June"

Yesterday we featured a review of Saving June, the first novel from Hannah Harrington.  Today we’re very thrilled to present an interview with the brilliant Hannah herself as she talks about her book and other topics of interest ...

Congratulations on your smashing debut!  Saving June is one of the best sursprises of the year.  What was the genesis of it?

Thank you so much!  I first had the idea for Saving June while I was in high school.  When I was seventeen, I’d lost a relative of mine to suicide and the “splitting the ashes” thing was something that actually happened.  The summer after I graduated, I was living out of my car and working as a pizza cook.  The radio would always be on in the kitchen, so I was spending a lot of time listening to music and kicking the idea around in my head.  A few years later I found some of the bits and pieces I’d written back then, and decided to sit down and write out a full first draft.  So some of it comes from my personal experiences, and of course some of it is inspired by music I love.  It all ended up tying together!

I have to be honest, I was kind of nervous about reading it because obviously suicide is a hard topic and I assumed it would get very depressing.  Instead the story unfolded so differently from what I expected and I found myself laughing aloud many times.  Was it your intention to avoid getting too dark or did the humor just evolve on its own?

Part of it just evolved from having two characters, Harper and Jake, who both resort to sarcasm pretty regularly, but I definitely did want to keep it balanced so it wasn’t an endless angst fest from start to finish.  I felt like having moments of lightness helped the parts where Harper is more actively confronting her own grief have more impact.  And since Harper’s journey is about gaining a greater appreciation for life, I wanted her to have times where she was able to enjoy herself and her experiences rather than being weighed down too much by what she was going through.

Saving June is very heavy on the music which being a music junkie myself, I appreciated.  You even included a soundtrack at the end of the book.  (Very cool by the way.)  So which came first – the story or the music?

Both, sort of?  I knew as soon as I had the idea that the mix CD June was listening to was going to play a part.  I think when I was shaping Jake’s character I made the decision to have music be the bigger focus.  It was a great hook for his character and also really easy to carry through the story. 

One scene in particular, which references an Eric Clapton song, was very touching and it’s one of my favorite scenes.  Were there moments when you found the song directing the course of the scene?

Actually, the specific mention of “Tears In Heaven” in that scene was only written pretty late into the editing process; I just went back and thought it worked to include it there, since I knew the origins of the song and it seemed relevant to what Jake was saying.  I don’t think there were any scenes I wrote intentionally to shoehorn in a song or band or music history anecdote – most of it just came from what I felt was naturally fitting as I was writing the scene.

All three of your main characters, Harper, Laney and Jake are wonderful and equally impressive.  What was it like creating their various dynamics?

They’re all very strong personalities, but in thinking them up, a lot of it was about how they played off Harper, since it’s her story.  Laney being very vivacious and impulsive helped me bring a lot of light into all of Harper’s darkness.  It was important to me to have their friendship be very reciprocal in support, even though a lot of it is Laney putting Harper first since she’s the only one not so wrapped up in her own grief and problems.  With Jake, I liked the idea of him and Harper having a somewhat antagonistic dynamic that allowed them to challenge each other.  He’s the one who doesn’t hold back from pushing her in ways she needs to be pushed, and Harper pushes right back.  As far as Laney and Jake – I definitely wanted to avoid any love triangle shenanigans, so I think as Laney picked up on the vibe between Harper and Jake, she was never going to go there; and with Jake, him butting heads with Laney a bit but eventually coming to care for her too was nice, because it really was the gesture he makes toward her that ultimately wins Harper over.  And in turn underlined how much Laney matters to Harper.

I LOVE Jake.  He’s like VH1’s “Behind The Music”.  I think he may have his own fan club after this.  Do you think he can throw a mix CD together for me?

I love when people love Jake!  It’s always fun to write the snarkier, more blunt characters.  I’m sure Jake would make anyone who asked a whole stack of mix CDs.

That song Jake writes for Harper is, as my fellow BiblioJunkie Nat accurately put it, “achingly beautiful”.  Will there ever be a recorded version of it that we can hear?

I don’t have any plans to do it myself, but I’d be thrilled if someone wanted to try and arrange it!  Plus, trust me, you do not want to hear any of my attempts at singing.

Aside from Saving June have you written other songs?

I haven’t!  I can play a bit of guitar, but I’ve only done cover songs, nothing original.  And like I said, I really cannot sing.  I was a little apprehensive about writing a song in the book, since I’m not a poet, and songwriting seems similar to poetry to me.  I’m glad people thought it worked well!

What are you currently working on?

Right now I’m preparing for my second book, SPEECHLESS, which will be released September 2012.  It’s the story of Chelsea Knot, a girl who takes a vow of silence after her gossip mongering has unexpected consequences.

I have to ask this question because here at BiblioJunkies we like to regress every so often, so here goes: which fictional character would you like to go on a date with?

Troy Barnes from the TV show Community!  He’s adorable, and I have a ridiculous crush on Donald Glover.

You’re at a restaurant and decide to order in reverse – dessert first.  What would that delicious treat be?

I could give you like ten different answers for this since I have such a sweet tooth, it’s ridiculous.  But right now, I think I’d have to go for a slice of yellow butter cake with chocolate frosting and a glass of milk.

So what’s your top 5 on your iPod right now?

“Someone Like You” – Adele

“Little Lion Man” – Mumford & Sons

“Maybe This Time” – Liza Minelli

“Worn Me Down” – Rachael Yamagata

“Love You ‘Til The End” – The Pogues

Finally, can I raid your music collection…please?

Any time you want, as long as I can raid yours!  I love sharing my music and hearing about other people’s tastes.  It’s the best way to discover new artists!

Thank you Hannah for taking the time to answer our questions –  even the silly ones!  And we look forward to more exciting things from you! 


And thank you to everyone who stopped by!  Follow Hannah on Twitter @hhharrington_


Saving June will be available November 22.  Read it!

~ Bel

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

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Available November 29, 2011

"If she'd waited less than two weeks, she'd be June who died in June.  But I guess my sister didn't think of that.

When Harper Scott's sister, June, takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen year-old Harper is devastated.  Everyone is sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split up her sister's ashes, she decides to take matters into her own hands.  She'll steal the urn 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 and a classic rock-obsession ... and an unknown connection to June.  So when he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him.  With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor, and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.  Except ... Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper's life upside down -- again."

Saving June is a stunning debut from Hannah Harrington who tenderly balances the gravity of suicide by injecting moments of humor.  

I was immediately captivated from the first few words that Harper Scott uttered. She's a straightforward person who says what she means and doesn’t sugarcoat things.  She’s at a loss for how to process her sister's death.  A few things compound the situation – June didn’t leave behind a note, their parents had just recently finalized their divorce and they’re emotionally useless. 

Harper is heavy with guilt and anger that she had no inkling about what was happening with her sister.  They had drifted apart in recent years with their differences becoming more apparent.  June was the golden child, seemingly happy and successful at whatever she did.  Harper accepted that she could never live up to her and never sought to emulate her.  This is where I find that she's a breath of fresh air. There’s no mystery surrounding why she behaves as rebelliously as she does.  She's the polar opposite of what June was.  Where June was the more polite, thoughtful daughter, Harper is the abrasive one.

In going through June’s room, Harper comes across a couple of things that puzzle her.  First, June had originally been planning on going to college in California but that fell through.  So Harper is baffled when she finds a post card of California with June’s handwriting on the back suggesting that she was heading out there anyway.   Second, there was a mix CD in the car that June was listening to when she died.  The content of the mix CD was a surprise because it wasn’t exactly June’s taste in music, at least as far as Harper was aware of.  The stark realization that she genuinely didn't know who her sister was really hits her hard. 

As reparation for their lack of closeness when she was alive, Harper decides to fulfill June’s dream of going to California by taking her ashes out there.  She’s accompanied on this trip by her best friend Laney and the mysterious Jake who has a connection to June that Harper is determined to solve. 

Most of the book takes place with them on the road and I have to say that there were times when I literally laughed out loud.  Harper’s dry humor and self-analysis can be very insightful and amusing.  I loved the road trip! Harper’s best friend Laney is fun and thankfully not the annoying kind of best friend.  She’s doing her best to be there for Harper even though she’s not entirely sure what she should do.  While she has her own issues to deal with, it’s clear that Harper is a very important person in her life and she’s there at her side no matter what.

But my favorite dynamic is between Harper and Jake.  They easily rub each other the wrong way but they also refuse to back down from each other.  Jake is a music geek, a very good-looking music geek, and it’s music that plays a pivotal role in this book.  He introduces the girls to a wide array and happily relates the stories behind the bands or the songs. Surprisingly, music provides the much-needed catharsis for Harper to navigate through her confusion and guilt.  And even more startling to her, she finds herself drawn to Jake as she learns to deal with moving on.

Saving June is such a poignant story about how each person deals with tragedy in their lives and learning to accept the different ways they come to terms with it.  It’s also about how unlikely people help one another recognize themselves and offer a different perspective.  Harper's own self-revelation is bittersweet yet also a reason to rejoice.  The characters are so tangible that I believe readers will find something in each one that resonates with them.  And as someone who has always felt like Jake does about music, I’m so impressed with how effortlessly Hannah Harrington entwines it with the story, particularly in one chapter when the recounting of an old Eric Clapton song evoked such heartbreak that I did shed a few tears.  

I give Saving June our highest rating.  I thoroughly enjoyed everything about it and I was actually reluctant to pick up another book so soon because it left such an indelible mark on me.  It’s strange - considering what it's about that you'd think I'd be left feeling somber.  Instead, it left me feeling joyful and I can't help but smile every time I think about it.  Every once in a while you come across something that just blows you away and Saving June is that for me.  It's easily one of my favorites of the year! 

~ Bel

A Peek in the Biblio-Bin - #1

We have been wanting to take part in The Story Siren's In My Mailbox for a while now but have been stumped on a very important requirement.  The name of our weekly post.  We wanted to switch it up a little.  After a fun evening of meeting Sophie Jordan and Tera Lynn Childs, (who by the way were totally AWESOME!!!) Bibliojunkie Bel blurt out in the car "Biblio-Bin!"  And there it was.  The stroke of genius we were waiting for.  

This week Bel is giving you a peek into her section of the Biblio-Bin.  

Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum.

But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker hates her, the geeky local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, the sailor she's dating is more shipwreck than dreamboat, and Camden Harbor might be haunted.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

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.

When Harper Scott’s older sister, 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 up her sister’s ashes, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She'll steal the urn 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 an unknown connection to June. So when he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs. Except...Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper's life upside down—again.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will's memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family's. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride's heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan's dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

Number Six—when John meets her in I Am Number Four she’s strong, powerful, and ready to fight. But who is she? Where has she been living? How has she been training? When did she develop her legacies? And how does she know so much about the Mogadorians?

In I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six’s Legacy, discover the story behind Six. Before Paradise, Ohio, before John Smith, Six was traveling through West Texas with her CÊpan, Katarina. What happened there would change Six forever….

How about you?  What books did you acquire this week?