Undone by Cat Clarke

* * * * 1/2

Jem Halliday is in love with her gay best friend. Not exactly ideal, but she's learning to live with it.

Then the unspeakable happens. Kai is outed online ... and he kills himself.

Jem knows nothing she can say or do will bring him back. But she wants to know who was responsible. And she wants to take them down.

A searing story of love, revenge and betrayal from a bestselling author.

When I start to read a book like this, it’s usually with trepidation. There’s no way to know without reading through it how it’ll go, if by the end you’ll be shred to bits or filled with a glimmer of hope. I found out that Undone did both.

Undone begins in such a dark and grief-filled place with Jem so distraught and unable to bring herself to face life without her best friend, Kai. She relives their many moments as she’s holed up in her bedroom shutting off the world. She sees her best option is to off herself as there’s no point in going on without him. The day she decides to do it, she’s interrupted by Kai’s younger sister Louise, who was instructed by Kai himself to deliver a package to Jem. Within it are 12 letters, one for each month that Jem is directed to open on the 23^rd of every month.

As unlikely as it seems, this whole exchange between Jem and Louise is rather funny. It basically wakes her up from her long grief stricken stupor. Jem’s internal monologue drips with sarcasm and dry humor. First, she’s deciding between the pros and cons of a sandwich or ordering Chinese takeout as her last meal, then her disappointment with her suicide attempt being thwarted and Louise cutting into her valuable suicide time. It all caught me off guard and I loved it.

So Jem reenters the world and unexpectedly becomes part of the in crowd or as she calls it, Team Popular at school. It’s at this point that she hatches a plan to seek revenge for Kai’s death. Of course, it’s not quite that easy but in Jem fashion which would be snarkiness and social awkwardness, she makes some serious headway with plenty of goofy moments too. There are also the somber moments when she reads Kai’s letters, filled with unconditional love, affection and jokes that come with a lifetime of knowing someone so well, that may have you reaching for a tissue. But even his letters can’t deter her from The Plan, as screwy and misguided as it may be.

The story proceeds through the next few months and Jem makes progress in her own personal life but revenge is never far from her mind even as her relationships with certain members of Team Popular get complicated. It's ironic that during this entire time she's finally participating in life as opposed to watching on the sidelines like she used to do with Kai and it doesn't even register with her. No, she's still planning her impending death. By the end, things come to a serious head and Jem is faced with choosing between what she has wanted for the past year and the potential for a future that she has never allowed herself to contemplate.

Undone is written so well and there were a few moments where I was reminded of another of my favourite books, Saving June, also about the aftermath of a suicide.  Whereas the latter’s story is much more heavy, Clarke manages to relate Jem’s story with compassion and humor. Things do get serious toward the finish and I was absolutely stunned silent by the end. Whether or not Clarke intended to, my personal belief is that the end is open to interpretation which I appreciate because I am still going back and forth between what I think happened, what I feel the author wants me to think happened and what I hope happened.  

Read Undone. It's outstanding and well worth it!

~ Bel

Bel's "Top 10 Books I'd Give A Soundtrack To"

I thought I won the lottery when Nat told me about this meme. Take two things I love – music and books – mix and stir and I’m in heaven! So let’s get underway shall we?

Book: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

“Catch and Release” by SilverSun Pickups

Most readers really responded to the chemistry between Adam and Juliette. She experiences a sensory explosion because of Adam’s simple touch.  Not only does the very seductive bass echo their underlying sexual tension between them but the lyrics also describe her awakening.

Book: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

“Afterglow” by INXS

This song always hits me hard. I can’t listen to it without thinking of Wren and Danny. And every time I hear it (on repeat), I fall in love with the book all over again. Wren desperately holding on to what’s familiar and reluctantly realizing that she has to let go. It really does make me teary-eyed... pass the tissue please …

Book: Matched, Crossed by Ally Condie

“Take The World” by She Wants Revenge

There’s something about the the tone of this song that reminds me of Cassia and Ky. The lines “Is this the life, the one you imagined? Is this the life, the one in your dreams?” sound like a challenge Cassia's grandfather would make to her.

Book: City of Glass

“Ride” by Carey Brothers

I cannot express to you how special this song is to me. I have loved it for so long and it still gives me goosebumps any time I hear it. It’s so simple and yet it’s a potent punch to the gut. “You saw all my pieces broken, this darkness that I could never show…” This is Jace by the end of the book, shattered and vulnerable as he tries to come to terms with the truth about his childhood. And there’s Clary by his side anchoring him.

Book: The Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner

“We’re In This Together” by Nine Inch Nails

Yeah, this very disturbing and relentless romp through hell and back needs a gritty song. In fact, if The Maze Runner should ever become a movie, they should have Trent Reznor do the entire musical score. Just sayin' ...

Book: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

“Cough Syrup” by Young The Giant

Many of our readers know how much I love this book being that it was in my Top 10 of 2011. It’s really unnecessary to add another song to a book that already has its own massive soundtrack provided by the author, but I included this one because it’s about pain and healing.  It’s so beautiful, sad and yet hopeful – just like how Harper, Laney and Jake evolve by the end of the book. (Funnily enough, Young The Giant used to be called The Jakes … and there I go sounding like Jake!)

Book: Wither (Book 1: The Chemical Gardens Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano

“Possession” by Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan first wrote this song about a stalker. The song just like the book hides a very dark and sinister undertone beneath it's beautiful melody and lyrics. It just struck me as fitting for Rhine who is kidnapped, married off and kept against her will, devising her plan for her freedom. 

Book: Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

“Anyone’s Ghost” by The National

This is one of Nat’s favorite books and I hope I don’t disappoint her. I picked it because I think it captures Adam’s emptiness without Mia. And if you listen to the lyrics, "I had a hole in the middle, where the lightening went through it, told my friends not to worry", you can picture him walking around the streets of Manhattan a bit lost, confused, hopeless – and with his headphones on.

Book: The Iron Knight

“Don’t Take Your Love Away” by VAST

A powerful, sweeping story needs an equally powerful song. One of the things I love about VAST is that his songs are lyrically and musically dramatic. This beautiful song is perfectly matched for The Iron Knight ‘s majestic landscape and epic love story. Oh Ash ... *sigh*

Book: Fallen

“I Follow Rivers” by Lykke Li

Out of the series, I like Fallen the best.  I like the mystery of Luce’s inexplicable pull towards Daniel. I think that idea is conveyed in the song’s lyrics. Plus it has such as an ethereal feel that I associate with the book. 

Honorable Mentions:

I had so much fun doing this that I ended up having difficulty narrowing down my choices to just ten. There are also ones we’ve mentioned before but they’re so worth revisiting.  :)

Book: Hush Hush, Crescendo by Becca FitzPatrick

“The Big Bang” by Rock Mafia

Seriously? Do I need to explain this? If you’ve read my love letter to Patch, this should come as no surprise to you. 

Book: Hunger Games Trilogy

“Crossfire” by Brandon Flowers

Taylor who? Puhleese girl … step aside and let the Master (of Nat’s heart) sing this song that so perfectly captures the series.

Book: Silence by Becca FitzPatrick

"Need You Now" by Cut Copy

Okay I'm just looking for reasons to talk about Patch. This song just came to mind at the end of Crescendo and it happens to work for Silence. Plus, he does say "hush" a few times ...

Book: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

“We Found Love” by Rihanna

I picture this during that clandestine rave scene where the kids are reveling in the chaos and their brief freedom. Lena is there, exposed to all this for the first time as Alex encourages her to step out of her comfort zone. There’s no real deep meaning in this song for me. It’s just the rush and vibrancy of the music that connects for this one scene. 

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

* * * * *

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?