Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - Book Review

Amazon Description:
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 learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

My Review:
With all the hype over this book, I had pretty high expectations and I felt a  little let down. I thought the concept was interesting. Thirteen people in some way contributed to the reason Hannah committed suicide. Instead of a suicide note, Hannah gives the reasons on a series of cassette tapes that are to be passed from one person to the next on her list of those she holds responsible. If they don't pass it along, a second set of tapes that someone else is holding will be played for everyone to hear.

The book was told through Clay's perspective who is on Hannah's list and is currently listening to the tapes. The whole story would have been more compelling and impactful if told from the person who holds the second set of tapes. 

There's no urgency in the book. You know Hannah commits suicide, so her story is over. There's no saving Hannah. Some of the reasons she had people on her list were just ridiculous and was irritating that it contributed to the decision to end her life. Is this supposed to be a warning that people should watch what they say all the time? I didn't get it.

Overall, I rate Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, 3 stars. It was written well in that it does grab your attention, so I'd like to read something else by Jay Asher. This book just didn't hold up to the hype.

Hooked by Catherine Greenman - Book Review

Thea is just seventeen when she falls in love with Will and everything seems perfectly in place ith her upcoming graduation. hen she becomes pregnant, she chooses to have an abortion but can't go through with it and decides to keep the child.

I chose to read Hooked because I thought it would be a realistic look at what life is like when a seventeen year old decides to keep their child. It wasn't even close. The relationship between Thea and Will rings true as time goes on but I was disappointed that 290 pages didn't even begin to describe how hard it can be to raise a child.

There are a few problems that Thea had to face but the solutions were unrealistic and seemed to glorify a fantasy teen-pregnancy situation. I kept waiting for a real problem that her well-off parents wouldn't bail her out of -  but it never came. The solution that Thea comes up with to support her new family was so unrealistic it made me cringe.

Overall, I rate Hooked by Catherine Greenman 2 stars and I don't see myself recommending it.

Season of Lies by Monica Shaughnessy Book Review

Amazon Description:
Robin Calloway has always been "special"--a misfit who lives more in her own head than the real world. Some, including her father, even think she's crazy. So when her brother is found murdered, Robin's father suspects her of the crime and sends her to a mental institution for observation. With the help of Dr. G, Robin begins to untangle memories of the killing, but admits a terrible truth about herself in the process: she can both hear and speak to animals, and this cursed ability forces her to "sleepwalk"--or blank out--for most of her day.

Fearing both the local sheriff and the label of "schizophrenic," Robin escapes the hospital and flees into the Texas Hill Country. To survive hunting season in the woods, however, she must accept her unique senses and gain the help of a whitetail deer herd. But Robin soon finds herself in the path of a killer desperate to hide the truth.

My Review:
Robin can speak to animals in her head, or at least she believes she can. She is a resident in a psychiatric hospital and is accused of the murder of her brother while he was hunting. She knows she is innocent but can't prove it without escaping the hospital and using her gift of speaking with the animals to retrace her step of the night her brother was killed.

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. Although the bulk of the book is too peaceful for me to consider it a "thriller" it as definitely suspenseful. Robin is believably portrayed as an innocent soul. The way her gift is written felt so realistic I wondered (almost) if it were really possible to speak to animals like Robin.

The ending was filled with some twists which was surprising considering how straight forward most of the book seemed to be. It as a pleasant surprise to see how the characters were connected.

My biggest complaint was the slang that as used in the narrative sections. Words like "nekkid" and "woulda" really bothered me and made Robin come off as uneducated.

Overall, I rate Season of Lies by Monica Shaughnessy 4 stars and would recommend it to someone looking for a unique read.

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult Book Review

The Tenth Circle is one of my favorite novels by Jodi Picoult. The reactions of the town and students after Trixie accuses hockey star, Jason, of rape is honest and infuriating. Trying to piece together the evidence to determine if Trixie was violated was a big reason why I couldn't put the book down.

I loved the breaks in the storyline that have excerpts of Trixie's father's graphic novel. It is an interesting way to include his occupation and see how Trixie influences his work.

The best part about The Tenth Circle is the way all of the characters are connected. Everyone is involved in a complex web of circumstances which adds a great amount of interest to each character.

I rate The Tenth Circleby Jodi Picoult 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. This is one book I can read many times and find something new each time.