Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jenson returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. (Published: 2007/Pages: 352/Genre: Young Adult-Fiction)

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Hannah Baker is your typical new girl in school, yet the events that unfold are anything but typical. Hannah has a difficult time making new friends and fitting in, that is until a popular boy asks her out . . . An innocent date turns into something sinister. A rumor starts about Hannah that more happened on that evening out causing a snowball effect of events that ultimately lead to her suicide. Hannah leaves behind thirteen tapes of thirteen reasons as to why she decided to take her own life. This story is told by Hannah herself through her tapes exposing truths about gossip, lies, and rape, calling out each guilty person. Simultaneously being told through Clay's eyes as he follows Hannah's journey and tries to understand why he is on the tapes, learning secrets so many tried to hide and that he has one job . . . pass the tapes on to the next person completing the chain or the tapes will be revealed to everyone exposing so many truths. Asher touches on topics of rape, suicide, and gossip, showing the reality of how something so small as a lie can destroy someone. A powerful read that touches on real-life issues faced every day by young adults. A must-read novel that should be a mandatory read for all teens.

I am not much of a fan of young adult novels, yet this one captivated me. I enjoyed the two narratives going on at the same time, giving light to Hannah's life and events while unfolding Clay's experiences during the present time as hard truths are told through Hannah's tapes. The writing was simple and easy to follow, at no point was I lost or confused. This was a nicely paced storyline, giving each character a chapter with full detail of why they are on the tapes and what they have done to Hannah and others. The characters were well defined, giving a strong life-like feel to them. These characters are portrayed as typical average teenagers currently experiencing high school bullying, gossip, and the lesser talked about sexual abuse on young girls. What I loved most about this book are the topics it touches, showing just how serious gossip is and the tragic events that it can lead to. It shows that emotional torment can be just as damaging if not more damaging than physical. It portrays rape as situations that are relevant to teen activity and the growing pandemic of young suicide, showing just how easy it is to miss the signs of another's distress. Yes, this book speaks about heavy topics, yet these topics are relevant, real, and happening every day in young youths' lives.

There was not much I did not enjoy about this read. The writing is not award-winning in any way yet comes together quite elegantly. The flow is unmeasurable. I found this to be an overall enjoyable read that was easy to follow, simple, and honest. If you enjoy young adult novels, books that touch real-life topics, or are looking for something for your child(ren) to teach about the effects of bullying, lies, rape, and suicide this is a great choice. A must-read for everyone, especially those of the younger generation.

4/5 Stars