Review of Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Title: Speechless
Author: Hannah Harrington
Published by: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 268
Source: HarlequinTeen/NetGalley
Format: ARC ebook
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: 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.

Hannah Harrington does it again.  This author knows how to capture an audience and turn a simple topic into an powerful story.

Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea...this chicka doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut.  It's all fun and games until she lets out two secrets that leads one boy to a coma and another two in prison.  She goes from being the popular girl that people love to hate to literally being hated by many many people.  She is ostracized and decides to take a vow of silence to learn the power that words hold.  Chelsea is a good person that I think has been led astray by the lure of popularity.  At times, I wasn't sure what to think of her and I was often surprised (both good and bad) at some of her thoughts and actions.  I think as crazy as the vow of silence was, it was something she needed.

Besides Chelsea there is a delightful group a characters that work at Rosie's, small town diner.  They are each unique and a bit of social outcasts, but they are truly fabulous people and friends.  Asha is one of the nicest and most thoughtful characters I have encountered.  Sam is just genuinely a good guy and he will easily find a place in your heart.  These supporting characters are some of the best I've read in a while.  They are complex, rich, and make the novel that much better.   

This is not only a great read, but Speechless also has some powerful messages.  How often do we not realize how much our words can hurt others?  Or how powerful forgiveness can be?  Only after I was finished reading this novel did I realize the impact it had.  Sometimes doing the right thing is not easy and, in fact, may be hurtful and scaring, but it's still the right thing to do.  I hope this book's lessons stick with me for a while and make me think twice before I speak.