{my thoughts} – I have this neat little habit of not completely reading a books description before I decide if I want to read it. I do this so that the story can pull me in and not the description which in some cases with some books has completely torn me away from the desire to read them. This book was amazing that’s for sure and I can understand Hannah’s view on life.

This book is about teenage suicide. Hannah Baker kills herself by Overdosing on non-specified pills. When she finally decides it’s what she wants to do she goes about making a list of all the people that brought her to her decision. All the people that had made her feel like life was no longer worth living. All the people that had wronged her. Once she makes that list then she goes about making tape records for each of these people to listen to once she’s gone. She wants everyone to know what they did to her and how they helped shape the choice she made to end her life.

I have to admit the way this story is written is a little odd. It took a bit to get use to reading what Clay (the person listening to the tapes) is saying in thoughts – where Hannah is talking on the tapes and then there are the in between conversations of Clay with others around him as well. Once you are able to follow the format it makes for a really nice read.

{reason for reading} - Like most other books I read, I read them because I heard about them and though it might be nice to read. In this case it turned out to be a really nice read for me. I had a really hard time putting it down! ( )

{my thoughts} – I have this neat little habit of not completely reading a books description before I decide if I want to read it. I do this so that the story can pull me in and not the description which in some cases with some books has completely torn me away from the desire to read them. This book was amazing that’s for sure and I can understand Hannah’s view on life.

This book is about teenage suicide. Hannah Baker kills herself by Overdosing on non-specified pills. When she finally decides it’s what she wants to do she goes about making a list of all the people that brought her to her decision. All the people that had made her feel like life was no longer worth living. All the people that had wronged her. Once she makes that list then she goes about making tape records for each of these people to listen to once she’s gone. She wants everyone to know what they did to her and how they helped shape the choice she made to end her life.

I have to admit the way this story is written is a little odd. It took a bit to get use to reading what Clay (the person listening to the tapes) is saying in thoughts – where Hannah is talking on the tapes and then there are the in between conversations of Clay with others around him as well. Once you are able to follow the format it makes for a really nice read.

{reason for reading} - Like most other books I read, I read them because I heard about them and though it might be nice to read. In this case it turned out to be a really nice read for me. I had a really hard time putting it down! ( )

13 Reasons Why
Updated review on 5/31/2024:
At 16 a very close friend of mine committed suicide - left me till this day asking Why would he do such a thing? And guilt because at the time we were not on speaking terms now I will never get to to talk to him again, talk about music, or look into his amazingly blue eyes again.
In my 30's a family friend took his own life sending a shock to our entire family that no one quite understood why, leaving his mother in a state of pain she will never recover from.
At 48, a co-worker sent a goodbye to a few people and after hours of searching for him we got the devastating news that he took his life.

13 Reasons Why is a book that makes you realize that depression isn't to be taken lightly, we often question why someone chooses to go this route when so many of us are here willing to help, love and show support. As a person that suffers from depression and struggles daily with inner demons it's never just one thing, its never just one person, one hurt or one feeling. You rationalize all day and everyday about the amazing things to be thankful for but that doesn't make depression go away because depression is not sadness, it's every humanly emotion screaming at you from inside out all at once and some days they are so loud that you can't silence them. This is when it is important to have a good support system, seek help, and talk about it because the more you keep these emotions in a box the louder and harder to control them they become.

Although I read this book years ago ( I roughly estimated the dates below because I can't remember) but I do remember how it made me feel, I remember relating to Hannah on so many levels and being frustrated with everyone around her who just didn't realize how they all played a part in her finally silencing the noise in her head (my thoughts, not described in the book)

This book has serious trigger warnings - suicide, drugs, sexual assaults, teenage bullying, however I highly recommend it but please read and discuss with an adult your feelings after this.

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When I purchased this book, I hadn't read any reviews on it. I picked it up because it was on a friend's TBR list and I figured, since we had the same taste in books I would see what it was about. Whenever I pick up an older book (pre 2010) I refuse to check out any other reviews; I want all impressions to be my own and I don't want any one to influence my thoughts on the book.
Let me just say.... this book is a powerful one! I was a little confused at first, but quickly found out what was going on and I couldn't put the book down! I felt as though I was there with Clay listening to Hannah give her reasons.
Let me give you a little about the book before I go any further.. otherwise you might not see why I loved it so much.
We start off with Clay at the post office, he's mailing off a package wrapped in plain brown paper with no return address...Yeah, kinda confused me at first...Then we get brought back to the previous day to Clay arriving home to a similar package. Inside we find that there are 7 cassette tapes ( I know what you are thinking..cassette tapes?, yeah my thoughts exactly). The tapes are numbered 1-13, and feature the voice of Hannah; a classmate and crush of Clay's that has apparently committed suicide. Yes, SUICIDE!!
Not what I was expecting at all, but this got me more invested in the book. Not often do you find books written about this subject, even though it is a subject that needs to be talked about more.
Hannah goes on to tell us her reasons for choosing suicide, via these 7 cassette tapes. You learn that even though Hannah was the new kid, she was stronger than most for a long time. A couple of weeks was all it took for everything in Hannah's life to snowball out of control. Some of us may not realize that one simple thing, be it a rumor; a passing comment; or even a silly little high school list; can totally change the lives of not just one person, but many.
The things that happen in the book are eventually all connected, and that is the power behind this book. We may think that the off handed comment we said to the girl from second period didn't matter, but who's to say what may come of that comment? Who's to say that you didn't just change the path of someone's life?
Thirteen Reasons Why really makes you think back to how you have treated others. Has something you said or repeated snowballed into something so much bigger than you? Can you really say that you know how everything you have said and done has affected those around you?
We learn through Hannah, and even Clay; that while you may not be directly involved...You are ultimately involved in everything you are around.... Yes, you may not have written up that list, but you read it and passed it along...You may not have been driving the car that caused a wreck, but you helped those people, and you went to school with those that were involved; even if they never actually hit anyone.
Asher has written a compelling story, and drew me in from the beginning. I couldn't walk away from Hannah and her story...I cried throughout most of the book, and when Clay finds out just why he is on the list, it broke my heart. This is one book that I am PROUD to have on my shelves! ( )

Just awful. I think I'm too old to appreciate the things that were supposed to have pushed the main character to suicide. She just seems like a childish brat to me. ( )