Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: May 11, 2011
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

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.

I am not big on tragedy novels. It’s probably because they don’t always work out. They either become too unrealistic, or somehow the author forces the romance so it sucks the sadness of the book away. There needs to be a balance, where everything isn’t depressing but you get how the person is dealing with it. It’s there. The main character isn’t just forgetting the loved one and is making out with someone else. It doesn’t work that way. Most people are broken by stuff like this. I may have wanted Harper to scream at her dad at some point because he sucks. I think I even understand why June did what she did and it’s okay. The author kind of knits these things together, you see how much Harper loves June despite how she is always rude. I also like how Harper becomes a bit more open. It isn’t that all of a sudden she feels like pouring her feelings out. Or that she readily trusts Jake and thinks well hey he is hot, he knew her so he is going to understand. No. It’s a gradual process and I love her for it. I like how Harper deals with things. Yeah she has issues and she isn’t close to perfect but I like how even during the trip she doesn’t forget June while having fun.

I am glad I read this novel. I really am because it’s so different from other one’s I’ve read (not that that’s a lot.)

I keep on comparing this with In Honor and I see what went wrong with In Honor, that Harrington here managed to perfect. I think it’s all the relationships. You see how her friendship with her best friend works out. How she absolutely loves her best friend despite how different they are and how her best friend loves her as well.

I love how her relationship with Jake is an gradual process. And how after discovering what he was hiding she doesn’t JUST forgive him. He made a mistake, mistakes cannot be easily forgotten. So when she DOES forgive him it doesn’t mean she isn’t angry it just means that she doesn’t want to not talk to him anymore. I love how realistic their relationship is.

I probably will read Speechless at some point and I really hope it’s as good as Saving June.