Speechless by Hannah Harrington

E-ARC, 282 Pages
Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Standalone
Source: NetGalley*
For fans of: Chick-lit, Realistic Fiction, YA, GLBT

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret


Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.


Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.


But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.



*MY THOUGHTS*
     After reading the synopsis, I was a little like “ehhh” kind of sounds like a weird premise. I mean really, what high school girl you know would really decide to take a vow of silence? But then after reading and finding out the event that caused it, I see exactly why. What happens is heart breaking. Many people don’t see the effect that society has on teens, but this story shows just that. This story tells just how “important” your peer’s opinion is. 
     Chelsea has had the biggest mouth in her grade since she can remember. Any news she got, she spread it. Which is the reason her best friend is the most popular girl in school. But then one night something happens and Chelsea is scared into silence. Because she did the one thing that no one else would do…. She was brave. 
     I can absolutely relate to this book because being only 23 I still remember being in high school and how everyone acted. I can truly say it was portrayed as a modern day high school. For this reason, I LOVED the characters. They were easy for me to connect with and I understood they were acting that way because of immaturity.tt
     As for the romance in this novel, it kind of unexpected for me. I knew it to be a contemporary romance and that eventually she would fall for someone, but I honestly thought it would be someone else. It was actually a bit of a surprise when the secret came out. It was quite refreshing to have it be them. 
     Speechless is a tale of growth, friendship, and love. It will leave you thinking about the bigger issue it covers long after you turn the last page.