Saving June by Hannah Harrington - PUBLIC

Harrington, Hannah  Saving June, 322 pgs.  HarlequinTeen, 2011.  $9.99  

Content: Language: R (126 swears; 27 F; 27 God); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13. 

Harper’s seemingly perfect sister, June, committed suicide and Harper doesn’t know how to deal with it.  She finds a mix CD that her sister was listening to when she died and decides to investigate who made it for her.  That is how Harper finds Jake.  Harper isn’t sure how June and Jake knew each other, but Jake is willing to help Harper get to California where she hopes to throw June’s ashes into the ocean.  Harper’s best friend Laney also joins them for their crazy road trip where Harper and Jake help each other deal with June’s death. 

 I actually enjoyed this book and I liked the characters.  The mature content (drug use and sex) and language are a bit much for a school library, but I think this book has value because the characters learn how to find strength within themselves even when they feel like there isn’t any hope.  Overall, watching the character growth was worth wading through the inappropriate content.  

HS-PUBLIC ONLY.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson.