Hi everyone! I know it’s been a little while since my last Standalone Sunday, so sorry about that! Things suddenly got very busy around here and I couldn’t seem to find a time to sit down and write this post until now.
Standalone Sunday is a weekly feature created by Megan @ Book Slayer Reads to highlight books that aren’t part of a series. This week’s choice was inspired by the Netflix series Thirteen Reasons Why. This series has gotten a lot of hype for showing the unintentional effects your actions can have on other people. As well as the series does it, though, I think the book does it better (don’t we always?) and is worth a read too.
(Also, I like the old cover more).
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
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.
I like this book because it is short but impactful and haunting. I honestly couldn’t put it down once I started reading, because each tape ended on a cliffhanger. Like I said, it’s recently come back into the public conscious because of the Netflix series, but one of the amazing things about the book is it’s ability to tell Hannah and Clay’s stories at the same time, and how their stories also parallel each other at points. Also, I haven’t finished the TV series yet, but I heard a spoiler about the ending, and I personally think the book leaves you with a better message at the end.
Fire and Rain Books 
I read this awhile back and I really enjoyed it and the message it sends to the reader. I only watched the first episode of the tv series mainly because I’d rather be reading than watching this series since I don’t want it to make me dislike the book. Have you heard of the new novel release with Hannah actually surviving? I haven’t read it but it makes no sense to me and I feel it could be a mistake.
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Yeah the book I bought actually had the alternative ending in it. It was a nice fantasy dream just to know what could’ve happened but wouldn’t fit the book theme. It wouldn’t have been right without Hannah dying. Have you heard of the conspiracy theory where Hannah is actually the coffee girl at Monet’s? I saw it on some Goodreads discussion and I can’t remember all the details but it actually made some sense. She faked her own death to see how her tapes affect everyone else, according to the theory. Interesting but probably not correct.
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Wow I actually never even thought about that! I mean I get the idea but people always have their conspiracy theories to try and make it more interesting. I think what the author wrote in the novel is the intended message but anyone can perceive it in their own way.
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Yeah exactly! It makes it more interesting to think of and pick up on small details but I think sometimes people read into it too much.
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So sorry for the delay in seeing this post!! I can’t believe I haven’t read this book yet. I do want to though before I watch the show. Thanks for the recommendation! I’m glad to hear you loved the book!
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