Review- Saving June by Hannah Harrington

 BOOK SUMMARY:

If she'd waited less than two weeks, she'd have been June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that. When sixteen-year-old Harper’s sister June, the perfect, popular, pretty one to Harper’s also-ran, commits suicide just before her high school graduation, nothing in Harper’s world makes sense anymore. With her family falling apart, Harper has a plan – steal June’s ashes and take her sister to the one place she always wanted to go: California. Embarking on a wild road trip of impromptu gigs and stolen kisses with mysterious musician Jake, the one person who could hold answers about June, Harper’s determined to find peace for her sister. But will she find peace for herself along the way? ‘fresh, fun and poignant’ - Kody Keplinger ‘tender, funny and moving’ - Courtney Summers ‘raw, powerful, and absolutely spot-on’ - YA Reads.com

Release date: June 1st 2012

Published by: Mira Ink

Page numbers: 336

REVIEW: 

I had been wanting to read Saving June since it was released a few years ago. But knowing me, I take all the time in the world to actually pick up a book and read it. When I released that I had covered up all the Young Adult reads on my shelf, I turned to Janhvi and asked her for a few recommendations when she reminded me that I wanted to read Saving June and she, very kindly, let me borrow her paperback.

Saving June is the story of Harper who loses her sister June because she commits suicide. Harper tries as much as she's able to, to figure out exactly what was wrong with her sister, but turns out, it is too late. So instead, she decides to do what her sister always dreamed of doing: going to California and embracing freedom. She then goes on a road trip from Michigan to California with her closest friend Laney and mysterious boy Jake. More than being a way to free June, the road trip ends up being necessary for Harper.

I love books about suicide, but I always have this one issue because I want a suicide to be justified in order for me to accept it. Now when it comes to Saving June, I have mixed feelings a about the suicide because we barely got a glimpse into June's life, let alone knowing her in and out. But on the other hand, the way she was portrayed and Harper's description of her sister did make some point which I could accept.

All that aside though, considering as this is Harper's story, Saving June was a very nicely written book which takes up an important issue in a very interesting and straightforward manner. Author Hannah Harrignton has written a lovely book that is a must read for fans of coming of age Young Adult reads, because this isn't a book you read, it's an experience you live.

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Review- How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowksi and Lauren Myracle

How to Be Bad on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Three bestselling authors--E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle--bring you on the road trip of a lifetime in this dynamic novel packed with fun, friendship, and feminism.

Jesse, Vicks, and Mel each has her own reason for wanting to get away from their nowheresville Florida town. Add in a hot (and harmless) hitchhiker, an impending hurricane, and a close encounter of the gator kind, and the result is one sizzling road trip where the journey is far more important than the destination. Now in a fresh new package, How to Be Bad will take even more readers along for the ride. 

Release date: April 28th 2015

Published by: HarperTeen

Page numbers: 352

REVIEW: 

I was gifted a copy of How to Be Bad by my family, and somehow, whenever I saw that it was written by not one, not two, but three authors, I thought it was a collection of three short stories. When I finally decided to read the book in the hopes that it would break my very long and very boring reading slump (which it did, by the way), I realised that it is a road trip book written in three points of views, and my God, what a fun book it is!

How to be Bad is the story of three young girls who work at the Waffle House and are each facing their own problems, when one day Jesse convinces her friend Vicks to go on a weekend road trip to Miami and somehow new girl Mel becomes a part of the gang as well. Over the course of the book and everything the girls went through, I found myself growing fond of them, and both admiring and appreciating them because they are so real, raw and relatable.

The three girls were so different from each other, and somewhere, that is what made the book so fun to read. On the one hand, we have Jesse and Vicks, who have been close friends and even though they are the complete opposites, they complete each other in a certain way. Then we have Mel, who I thought was most relatable, and she just adds that extra something to not just the entire road trip, but to the lives of Jesse and Vicks.

There's so much that happens in this book over the course of one weekend during the road trip that it's hard to summarise everything. The authors E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle have written a spectacular book with a very fun yet moving and touching story. I've previously read E. Lockhart's We Were Liars, which was a very unique and heart-warming read and Sarah Mlynowski's Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) which again, I loved. So only Lauren Myracle was new to me, but man, was I impressed with the way this book was written!

All I will say is that How to Be Bad is a lovely coming of age story that is done so brilliantly. Coming of age stories are always a hit, and this one is no exception. I am in complete awe of this stunning and engrossing read that has so much to offer and teach, that has nothing to do with being bad, but learning how to accept both sides and live with it. I read this book over a weekend, and I had a great time doing it, so I would highly, highly recommend it, especially to fans of young adult contemporaries.

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