Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

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Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher
Genre: Young Adult / Realistic Fiction / Mental Health
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 27th December 2016
ISBN: 9780141387772
Stand Alone/Series: Stand alone
Pages: 336 pages
First Lines: "Sir?" she repeats.  "How soon do you want it to get there?"

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Synopsis:  
The #1 New York Times bestseller and modern classic that's been changing lives for a decade, gets a gorgeous revamped cover and special additional content.

You can't stop the future.
You can't rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen 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.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and as he follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

My Thoughts:
I did watch the tv show first.  See here for the quickie review on the tv show! Part of me always likes to read the book first.  You get so much more out of books than movies / Tv Shows!  The book is obviously different as well, because a tv show tailors to a wider audience of both readers and non -readers.

First thing: the way Hannah chooses to go is different.  I'm not going to say how because I don't want to ruin it for you but that's the first thing.  The other part is Clay listens to all the tapes in one night in the book as opposed to dragging it out in the tv show.  For the book, I think it was a better choice to have it play out in one night otherwise the book would have dragged on and became boring.

When the tapes begin in the book, I could hear Hannah Bakers voice from the show, because the tapes in the book seemed word for word.  It was good!  Though I can't help comparing the tv show to the book, I did like tv Hannah Baker that little bit more.

For me, I put the book down about halfway through.  I'm not sure whether it was because I knew how it was going to end, or whether I lost interest a little bit.  I'd like to think it was the first reason.  Obviously I did pick it up but there was a moment where I didn't think I was going to finish it.  I'm glad I did though.

Like the tv show, and most of you, I was itching to get to Clay's tape.  I think that's what drove me to pick the book back up.  I knew what it was going to say, but like any other story, you always take away something different each time you read a book.  This was also where I really fell in love with the other character Tony.  He's compassionate towards Clay and a genuinely caring person.  You also get to see the other side of Clay that is empathetic and sensitive.  All in all, if you've watched the tv show you should read the book.  Just remember books always hold more than a tv or movie can ever portray.  This was a great read.

Not sure I'd recommend it to anyone under the age of 15 though because it touches on things like suicide, bullying and rape.


Book received from:  Purchased.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Title: All The Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven
Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Publication Date: 7th January 2015
ISBN: 9780141357034
Stand Alone/Series: Stand Alone
Pages: 400 pages
First Lines: Is today a good day to die?

Synopsis: 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the 'natural wonders' of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It's only with Violet that Finch can be himself - a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.

My Thoughts: 
I received this uncorrected proof from Penguin Australia and I was pretty excited to read this.  When I read it was likened to John Green's novels and Eleanor and Park I couldn't wait to start reading.  As you can tell in the picture to the left, there was so much I loved about this book!  There were those lines that I wanted to savour, and come back to again and again.

I loved being in Theordore Finch's head.  I warmed up to Violet too after a little while, but Finch was my favourite character by far!  His changes in character and dress, his views on the world, his way with words.  They drew me in.  He would be the kind of person that could lift you up in a moments notice.  But he has these moods that pull him down, and make him "Sleep."  And all he wants to do is stay awake.  In the Now!

I was sad for Violet.  For surviving the crash but losing her sister and dealing with the aftermath.  To wake up and be on the ledge, have someone who was in the same boat save YOU, and then be portrayed as the hero.  For falling for Finch, and living again.  

The story itself was beautifully written.  For me there were no "lulls" or boring parts in the book. I enjoyed every bit!  I don't know whether I missed the signs,  but I didn't realise initially, that it was a story that includes mental illness until it is brought up within the book . I knew one of the main characters was fascinated with death, the other grieving for a loved one.  But there was so much more than just this!

There are so many things I want to do now.  Finch and Violet wander their state as part of a school project.  Their own rules being No phones, and leaving something at each place!  There is also mention of epitaphs in the book as well.  Another thing I'd love to have a go at.  I found after reading this that I wanted to do so much more with my life than just live.  I wanted to be something to someone and books like this really make you sit back and want to evaluate the things that you have done and want to do in life.  We are only given so many days in our life before it's too late.  Before we reach our own "Built-in ending" and I guess this has kick started the bucket list for me.

This story is about two teens who have ended up in the same place physically and emotionally and they fall in love.  It's about suicide, and survival, and grief, and love.  It's about finding the perfect day, and being the person you're supposed to be, and to matter!

This book is one that is well worth reading.

Fave Lines:  Just to pick one would be so hard!!
Page 41 - Maybe no one else will ever visit them and appreciate them or take the time to think they're important, but maybe even the smallest places mean something.
Page 315 - We do not remember days we remember moments.



Book received from:  Penguin Australia