Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Published: 22nd November 2011
Publisher:Harlequin Teen
Source: eARC thanks to Harlequin Teen and Netgalley

Everyone's sorry. But no one can explain why.
Harper Scott's older sister, June, took her own life a week before high school graduation, leaving Harper devastated. So when her divorcing parents decide to split up June's ashes, Harper steals the urn and takes off cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going—California.
Enter Jake Tolan, a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession…and an unknown connection to June. 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 Harper needs. Except…Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn her life upside down—again. - From Goodreads

I started reading this book with the expectations that is would be a mournful book about Harper's struggle to come to terms with her sister's suicide. Oh, how I love it when a book surprises me! I am not exactly sure how I would describe this book, at times I was laughing and (I admit it but shhh... don't tell anyone) at other times I cried like a baby. This was an emotional rollercoaster with a genuine and flawed character who drags you along on her journey to understand a profound loss.

Harper! What can I say? She was a wonderful kind of awkward, who puts her foot in her mouth on many occasions, but incredibly selfish. What made me relate to her was that she never apologised for the things she did. She had a reason to do or say whatever it was at the time and she was sticking to it! She also never felt overly sorry for herself or spent too much time dwelling on how she can't cope with the loss of her sister. I have very limited experience of loss on this scale, but when Harper talked about missing June and her pain, it felt genuine and often made me shed a tear in her place. Finally on Harper, I love her name. It was always one of my top names as I am a Harper Lee fan. I understand why Victoria Beckham named her daughter Harper.

The other shining light in this story was Jake Tolan and his fabulous and varied music taste. Jake is the misunderstood "bad boy", although he has put many of his, less desirable, habits behind him. Jake is the handsome scruffy boy with the beautiful green eyes. He was well written and interacted really well with Harper's best friend Laney. Ah Laney, so much fun, I want to know you in real life!

For me the music and the references link the book together. The best thing for me was that most of the music were songs I used to listen to in the car with my dad (I am also STILL a bit of a Stones fan girl). Music lit up the book for me and finding the track-list for the various soundtracks mentioned in the book at the end made me clap my hands with glee and wonder just how much music Hannah Harrington has. I am so putting some of these soundtracks together for myself.

The one thing that really was the thorn in my side for this story was just how selfish the main premise of the story is. It really irritated me that there was no thought towards her parents when Harper decides that she will take her sister's ashes away from them. Not only does she take the ashes she then takes it upon herself to decide how and where they are to be disposed. For me there was not enough dwelling on the selfishness of her actions and if I had been a member of her family and the decision had been taken from me, I'm not sure it's something I could get over. It was a great story, but this one point stuck with me for the whole book.

In My Mailbox (10)

Welcome to this weeks in my mailbox where we discuss all the new books we acquired through the week. This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren.

I tried so hard this week not to buy any books. That lasted for about a day before doing my weekly shop in the supermarket and picking up a couple books I had my eye on!! Also got Room for my kindle because my Mum and Sister will not stop talking about it and I want to join in the conversations! Oh and I got a CD I love already!

Title: Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Published: 21st January 2011
Publisher: Picador

In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is different in a big way--he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as Old Nick. For Jack, Room is the only world he knows, but for Ma, it is a prison in which she has tried to craft a normal life for her son. When their insular world suddenly expands beyond the confines of their four walls, the consequences are piercing and extraordinary. Despite its profoundly disturbing premise, Emma Donoghue's Room is rife with moments of hope and beauty, and the dogged determination to live, even in the most desolate circumstances. A stunning and original novel of survival in captivity, readers who enter Room will leave staggered, as though, like Jack, they are seeing the world for the very first time.   - From Goodreads

I have a feeling this book will make me sob!!

  
Title: Dark Angel
Author: Eden Maguire
Published: 4th August 2011
Publisher: Hodder Childrens Books
Series: Dark Angel #1

Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation? - From Goodreads

Hmmm... not sure about this one. I will need to see!!

Title: My Soul To Take
Author: Rachel Vincent
Published: 1st January 2011
Publisher: Mira Books
Series: Soul Screamers #1

She doesn't see dead people, but…
She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next… - From Goodreads

Sounds good.

Finally I just got this album. Plus (+) by Ed Sheeran and I am loving it so far. I don't talk to much about music, but I love it. I think the right song can bring you to tears, or lift you from a mood. My musical taste can vary drastically, in the space of a day I can go from listening to Classic, to Gaga, to Dolly Parton and top it off with some 30 Seconds to Mars. With this in mind, talking about what I am currently listening to can be a bit of a feat.

HOWEVER I think this is a great debut album. I was lucky enough to sit in on a radio session with Ed Sheeran and about 30 fans here in Edinburgh. It was just him and his guitar and it was brilliant. This album for me is a little bit of Damien Rice mixed with some Nizlopi and a dash Jason Mraz. Check out the videos below for A Team and You Need Me, I Don't Need You.

So what did you get in your Mail Box this week?

Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books
Published: 28th August 2008
Source: eBook

From Goodreads:
It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Review:
A life lesson I live by is that anyone who likes or can reference My So-Called Life gets my vote. Well this book had two!! I saw the film before I read the book and love it, so I knew the story before I picked up the book.

This is a story which takes place through the course of one evening and each chapter alternates between Nick and Nora. The writing style is fun and light and runs along bringing you with it. I found this very easy and compelling and managed to finish the book very quickly. I liked the book better than the film. The alternating aspects gave you a better view of the situations... however there were times when this insight did make me want to shake the characters and yell at them!

There are also lots of pop culture and music references peppered through this book. I know lots of books try and veer away from references so as not to age the story. I may have been just the right age when I read this, but I got all of the references (or maybe I missed some and didn't even notice) and I felt that this increased my enjoyment of the book and did not hinder it.

I liked both the characters of Nick and Nora and often at times I really related to Nora and felt that her actions were very similar to something I probably would have done myself. If you want a light and feel good read I would recommend picking up this book. I will leave you with some fantastic quotes and let you all know that I love Jordan Catalano!

I kind of hate Nick right now, too, but there's someone else higher on my list, someone I hate more than Saddam Hussein and any asshole named Bush combined, hate more than that fuckhead who cancelled My So-Called Life and left me with too-small boxed DVD set that does not answer the questions of whether Angela and Jordan Catalano ever did it, or if Patty and Graham got a divorce, or if there really was something to all that lesbian subtext between Rayanne and Sharon.

If Caroline were here, we could dissect Nick via My So-Called Life Script/ Jordan Catalano moments.