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Sunday, June 24, 2012

[Review] Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Published: November 22nd 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads summary:
‘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.
*thanks to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this ebook (via Netgalley)*

Emma's thoughts:

How do I even begin to tell you about Saving June? Saving June is one of those book you won't really ever forget. I mean, it makes you appreciate life. And just being here, writing this, being somewhat happy is more than most people can say.

The story is exactly what it says it is. Harper, her best friend Laney, and Jake Tolan drive through state after state to deliver June's ashes to the shores of California. There's no big, huge twist (not really), and no mystery that keeps us on the edge of the seat, and yet, I couldn't stop reading! Just quite simply, the way Hannah Harrington writes is beautiful. Harper's thoughts were meaningful and completely relevant to everything in general. I could relate and I loved reading about Harper. She was a likable character and she never annoyed me! (Because plenty of MCs do!)

Her relationship(sort of) with Jake... ASDLKJHSGJKGFSKJLF.

You know it's going to happen, but it's not insta-love. It's geniune. And Jake, he's the true depiction of a boy. Always avoiding the things he doesn't want to talk about, extremely frustrating, and yet, you cannot help but to love him.

Their journey to California is an unforgettable one. They meet people, they do these crazy things, and it's just one of those things, I'd die for. To be so free, and just to go in and out of states, weaving from place to place. And on this journey, I became one of them. I experienced everything with Harper, Jake, and Laney. It's a spectacularly strange journey, but every up and every down, I was with them, and that's what made this book so utterly magical. Reading Saving June, I wasn't reading about a girl with a dead sister, I was Harper missing June.

I love the musical influence in this book. Not really the songs themselves, but to me, music is life. I'm glad Harper and Jake understand :)

I know I'll definitely be reading whatever Hannah Harrington writes next simply because her writing is absolutely beautiful.

Overall: 4.5 stars~ Unforgettable ♥
First:
 According to the puppy-of-the-month calendar, hanging next to the phone in the kitchen, my sister June died on a Thursday, exactly nine days before her high school graduation.
Favourite:
 "You keep being... nice. And then you do a total dickhead move, and then you redeem yourself by doing something stupid like letting yourself get punched in the face."
Teaser:
 “Careful, Harper. Someone might think you're actually enjoying yourself."
I can't suppress a smile. "Huh."
"Huh?" He quirks an eyebrow, "What was the 'huh' for?”

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