What would you do if you got a package on your doorstep? What if you opened the package and it was filled with cassette tapes - cassette tapes from someone who was dead? And what if these tapes could change your life? This is exactly what happened to Clay.

Thirteen Reasons Why was published in 2007 by The Penguin Group in New York, and is the first of the two books to be written by Jay Asher. Jay has worked at many different bookstores, helping to inspire his love for writing. This triggered his idea to write Thirteen Reasons Why, a thrilling mystery about a bashful, teenage boy named Clay Jenkins, living in the modern day world. Clay hides his feelings about everything, especially when it comes to Hannah Baker, who he has had a crush on for years now. When Hannah commits suicide unexpectedly, it leaves him wondering why she did it, and more importantly, what he did to hurt her?

One day, Clay opens his door to discover a package from Hannah Baker. The only problem is that Hannah has been dead for weeks. Inside the package are cassette tapes, each listing the reasons she decided to commit suicide. The tapes are labeled one through thirteen, saying the thirteen reasons she committed suicide. But they aren’t just reasons. Each tape explains a story about a person who helped in pushing Hannah right over the edge.



As Clay desperately waits for his name to come up, he wonders what he did to upset her. What could he ever do to upset Hannah Baker, the girl he loved - or the girl he thought he loved? As each cassette tape is played and each secret is exposed, Clay learns more and more about the Hannah no one knew, the Hannah she wanted to be. He discovers that there was more to Hannah Baker than anyone else had thought.

In my opinion, I would give Thirteen Reasons Why, a nine out of ten stars because of it’s engaging voice and unforgettable characters. Jay Asher writes in a unique and creative way as Clay discovers the matters of life, love, friendship, and loss. Hannah’s tapes changed Clay’s life forever, and Thirteen Reasons Why has the ability to change many other people’s lives as well.