Review: Speechless

Author: Hannah Harrington

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: 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.

Review:

"Running my mouth has hurt enough people already—the least I can do is shut up."

Speechless was so much better that what I've expected. I might have read a few books about bullying, but it never touched the issue of keeping secrets. Hannah Harrington just taught me how important it is.

I honestly hated Chelsea. The moment I read the first scene with Kristen, I started to hate her despite not knowing her yet. She was part of the popular crowd and was obviously running around without thinking of the consequences of her actions. But that was until the consequence bit her. After the incident, the real Chelsea was slowly revealed. The one hidden beneath all those pink wardrobe, cosmetics and partying. Although my opinion about her did not easily changed, I slowly saw her in a different light.

One of the best things in this book is that the author made me feel like I was part of the crowd—the crowd that was judging Chelsea. I was there, present at the exact place where the characters were. It didn't feel like I was just reading. I didn't took Chelsea's side just because she's the protagonist and honestly, as a reader, I tend to do that. Harrington wrote her in amazingly and convinced me that she was worthy despite of what she did.

Each character was packed with their own problems and flaws. No one was perfect and it made everyone tangible. Even the secondary characters made a great difference. Every character's personality balanced everyone else's even though some of them didn't have much exposure compared to others.

I wish Kristen's character was developed though. I wish it didn't end with her being the same stuck-up bitch she was in the first part. Other than her police statement, I can still see her as the shallow, selfish queen-bee. Although I liked how her friendship with Chelsea wasn't mended. I loved how there was no cheesy apologies and stuff.

Brutal truth about friendships, bullying, keeping secrets and betrayal. Speechless is honest, fierce and poignant but not depressing. I love that it wasn't really that mind-blowing and heart-wrenching. It was simple, sort of light but would not fail to make you feel. I just loved every part of it.

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This copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.