Title: Saving JuneAuthor: Hannah Harrington
Published: November 22, 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads
‘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.
A Darkfallen Review of immense squees!
Ok people...this is one of those books that no matter what...no mater the screaming 3 yr old, the hungry husband, the emails, the phone calls, the work...you just simply can't put it down! This is a book that demands to be devoured in one sitting.
Harper's voice grabs you from the very first page. The book is titled Saving June and it is about a girl named June that commits suicide. About the road to recovery in the wake of her death. But I'm here to tell you that I got so much more out of this than that. In fact I don't really think it was about June at all. It's about a girl that lives in her sisters shadow. I girl that hears one too many "Why can't you be more like June, Harper?" type statements in her life. About a girl that will never be as pretty, smart, outgoing, or anything as her older sister June. A girl that lives in the pessimistic wastelands many choose to ignore even exist.
Then the perfect sister June shows the world that she is not so perfect after all with a bottle of sleeping pills and car exhaust.
As everyone tries to make sense of why the perfect June would kill herself Harper finds herself on one hell of a journey across the US in an attempt to find answers and lay her sisters ashes to rest. But the beauty of this book is what happens to Harper over this trip. You hear the inner turmoil inside her head. You feel the way she blames herself for what happened with June. And the way she hold everything inside. The way she always has...even before the "after." Layer by layer you watch as Harper breaks. Until finally she has broken into bits of nothing. But that's the beauty of it all. You can't fix something until it's broken. And in Harper's case you can't heal a broken girl until there is nothing left to break. Lucky for Harper she has something June never had...she has strength. In the end this really is about saving Harper.
And ok so there is also I really hot guy named Jake. He smokes, has shaggy hair, wears lots of black, works in a record store, sings & plays guitar, and is basically a walking music guru....give him a few tattoos and I would be boarding the first train to irresistible. Jake is snarky and pretty much a dick in the best possible way. Really...I say it with love. The way him and Harper interact the entire book is perfect. I loved their banter. I love how both of them were quick to put the other one in their place. At the same time Jake's ability to say the right thing when it needed to be said, to be her rock when Harper needed a rock, but also understanding that Harper doesn't want to be saved...and then he saves her anyways? Perfection.
And just when you think this book couldn't possible be any better. That I couldn't possible rave about it anymore than I have...The music throughout the entire book makes it all that much more better! And in the back of the book you even get all the song lists in case you want to make your own Saving June mixed tape...ok well CD;)
Could this book been better? Let me ask you...can you improve upon perfection? Because that is what this book is...Broken Perfection.
Harper's voice grabs you from the very first page. The book is titled Saving June and it is about a girl named June that commits suicide. About the road to recovery in the wake of her death. But I'm here to tell you that I got so much more out of this than that. In fact I don't really think it was about June at all. It's about a girl that lives in her sisters shadow. I girl that hears one too many "Why can't you be more like June, Harper?" type statements in her life. About a girl that will never be as pretty, smart, outgoing, or anything as her older sister June. A girl that lives in the pessimistic wastelands many choose to ignore even exist.
Then the perfect sister June shows the world that she is not so perfect after all with a bottle of sleeping pills and car exhaust.
As everyone tries to make sense of why the perfect June would kill herself Harper finds herself on one hell of a journey across the US in an attempt to find answers and lay her sisters ashes to rest. But the beauty of this book is what happens to Harper over this trip. You hear the inner turmoil inside her head. You feel the way she blames herself for what happened with June. And the way she hold everything inside. The way she always has...even before the "after." Layer by layer you watch as Harper breaks. Until finally she has broken into bits of nothing. But that's the beauty of it all. You can't fix something until it's broken. And in Harper's case you can't heal a broken girl until there is nothing left to break. Lucky for Harper she has something June never had...she has strength. In the end this really is about saving Harper.
And ok so there is also I really hot guy named Jake. He smokes, has shaggy hair, wears lots of black, works in a record store, sings & plays guitar, and is basically a walking music guru....give him a few tattoos and I would be boarding the first train to irresistible. Jake is snarky and pretty much a dick in the best possible way. Really...I say it with love. The way him and Harper interact the entire book is perfect. I loved their banter. I love how both of them were quick to put the other one in their place. At the same time Jake's ability to say the right thing when it needed to be said, to be her rock when Harper needed a rock, but also understanding that Harper doesn't want to be saved...and then he saves her anyways? Perfection.
And just when you think this book couldn't possible be any better. That I couldn't possible rave about it anymore than I have...The music throughout the entire book makes it all that much more better! And in the back of the book you even get all the song lists in case you want to make your own Saving June mixed tape...ok well CD;)
Could this book been better? Let me ask you...can you improve upon perfection? Because that is what this book is...Broken Perfection.
Questions from a Greta
How would you rate the music?
Well, considering their ages, I kinda thought the music was a bit too old fogey for teens, But also considering that Jake works in a record store then I think the music was perfect.
How was the plot?
Pretty perfect. I have to admit that I kinda got a bit bored around the last 100 pages but I think that's just me. I'm sure others would find it awesome.
What age do you think would be appropriate for this book?
Well, there's some smoochy booching and a bit of tongue wrestling and some Pg-13 fade to black stuff, and a couple of F bombs... but I think a 14 year old would be ok with this book.
For boys or girls?
That's a good question. I would say GIRLS would totally dig this book because of the BFF Factor and the boy. I'm not sure about a boy. I can tell you that my son would NEVER read this book. Maybe a sensitive boy would enjoy it.
There were a ton of God question in this book. How did that make you feel?
Seriously, I thought it was awesome! I really dug how they pushed that card. Not many books will do that... at least not the ones that I've read. I wish it was pushed even further but I'm not sure how that would have been done.
Well, considering their ages, I kinda thought the music was a bit too old fogey for teens, But also considering that Jake works in a record store then I think the music was perfect.
How was the plot?
Pretty perfect. I have to admit that I kinda got a bit bored around the last 100 pages but I think that's just me. I'm sure others would find it awesome.
What age do you think would be appropriate for this book?
Well, there's some smoochy booching and a bit of tongue wrestling and some Pg-13 fade to black stuff, and a couple of F bombs... but I think a 14 year old would be ok with this book.
For boys or girls?
That's a good question. I would say GIRLS would totally dig this book because of the BFF Factor and the boy. I'm not sure about a boy. I can tell you that my son would NEVER read this book. Maybe a sensitive boy would enjoy it.
There were a ton of God question in this book. How did that make you feel?
Seriously, I thought it was awesome! I really dug how they pushed that card. Not many books will do that... at least not the ones that I've read. I wish it was pushed even further but I'm not sure how that would have been done.
Overall?
A most awesome book that is sure to stick with you!
A most awesome book that is sure to stick with you!
In the book they played a game called Top 3 so we came up with our own Top 3 inspired by the book.
And the question is...
Top 3 songs to overdose too?
Darkfallen's picks
Darkfallen's picks
I love a book that grabs you..and makes the rest of the world fall away and fend for themselves..LOL. This looks really good. Thanks for sharing it:)
ReplyDeletehttp://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewer.blogspot.co
Oh my GOD! !I keep seeing freaking awesome reviews about this one. I REALLY have to read it soon if I can just get through a few review copies first. AAAAH
ReplyDeleteGiselle
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