Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Book: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Preview on Amazon 

Book Description: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

 I don't really know where to begin. For me this book was like driving past a car accident. You know it is going to make you feel terrible, that what you are going to see is awful - but you have to look anyways. I was completely and utterly engrossed with this book. I simply could not put it down, I needed to see how Hannah's life kept snowballing out of control. Everything was beautifully written, and I loved how all the stories were intertwined. I do not want to give anything away - but Hannah's story really made me think about how a seemingly small act can really affect a person. I also really appreciated how realistic the events were - nothing was particularly far fetched. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to fans of books like the Virgin Suicides or The Perks of Being a Wallflower.