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Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Thirteen Reasons Why: (TV Tie-in)
Jay Asher | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
8
7.8 (108 Ratings)
Book Rating
Really Makes You Feel Connected to the Characters (0 more)
Romanticizes Suicide (0 more)
Thirteen Reasons Why (Possible Trigger Warning)
This book is one of my favorites. I'm pretty sure I cried throughout the whole thing; it's such an emotional read. You really learn about the characters, but the downside is that this book really makes suicide seem like it's a valid option because all this other stuff will happen. People will finally feel bad, miss her, etc. To me that's the wrong message to send, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
  
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LadyDahlia (2 KP) Jun 3, 2018

I thought I was the only one who feels the same way about how the book romanticize the idea of suicide.

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Auburn (57 KP) rated Hello, I Love You in Books

Apr 10, 2019  
HI
Hello, I Love You
8
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you are looking for a KDrama mixed with a Hallmark movie and a soap opera then you have stumbled upon the correct book.
While I do warn of a trigger warning for suicide this book is so adorably written. The main characters have such darkness and reflect what you would normally find in a Korean Drama or Soap Opera that you can't help but think what this would look like as one. The love story unfolds just as it would in the show, adorable, awkward, and takes forever.
If you are looking for a sweet read I do not know if this is for you. There are a lot of dark parts and unhappiness but it does end in a HEA.
  
Flawless Witness
Flawless Witness
Merida Johns | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh, the feels

Trigger warning for this short, powerful book. There's abuse, emotional trauma, mention of suicide and stalking.

Flawless Witness is eye opening for both victims of a narcissist and people who have managed to avoid this kind of relationship. It opens the reader's mind to looking a little deeper when talking to people.
    It reminded me of a short relationship I had with a man like that, controlling, always playing the victim and self-centred......just like Jonathan.
    Suzanna is great, she's relatable and down to earth. The questions she asks herself and how she works her way through things shows the strength of character she has. Also how important a good support network is.

A thought provoking read that I'd recommend for daytime reading so there's plenty of thinking time. Also, book group worthy, would make for fantastic conversations.
  
Love Letters to the Dead
Love Letters to the Dead
Ava Dellaira | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
7
6.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great for fans of Perks of Being a Wallflower!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Trigger warning. This book deals with some deep stuff.

This was a super interesting idea. The story was deep, and it was the first book I've ever come across that told its story through letters to dead celebrities. So bonus points there for sure!
The overall story reminded me a lot of Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is one of my all time favorites.

I did not LOVE the POV/writing of the book but that wasn't because the author didn't do well. In fact I'd say that means she did amazing given the book is told from the POV of a teenage girl. She's young, and the writing reflects that. So while it wasn't my personal cup of tea, it made sense for the book. Bear that in mind when going into this one.

We follow Laurel venting to dead celebrities about her life and the loss of her sister. How did she die? Why does Laurel feel guilty? Why isn't her mom around anymore? Through letters to her idols she reminisces and vents, and we get to see her navigate life and relationships without her big sister.

*Potential trigger warnings for domestic abuse, rape, molestation, drug/alcohol use, and suicide.
  
The Astonishing Color of After
The Astonishing Color of After
Emily X.R. Pan | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Evocative descriptions (1 more)
Good characters
Just WOW. The Astonishing Color of After is about a teenage girl, an artist, dealing with her mother's depression and ensuing suicide. Part of what makes the book so fascinating is Leigh's constant description of colors. She uses color as shorthand for emotions - her grandmother might have a vermilion expression on her face, or she might be feeling very orange while staring at her mother's coffin at the funeral. Between colors-as-feelings and her insomnia-induced hallucinations (or magic - the book is deliberately, I think, noncommittal on whether some things only happen in her head or not) the entire book feels a little surrealistic. But grief and mourning DO feel surrealistic. The book is amazingly evocative and emotional and I absolutely adore it. This, along with City of Brass and Children of Blood and Bone, are definitely on my Best of 2018 list.

As an added bonus, the author is the American child of Taiwanese immigrants herself. So all the ghost traditions and folklore from Leigh's journey to Taiwan are from her ancestry as well.

This book was gorgeous. It may need a trigger warning for depression and suicide. If you can handle those themes, read it.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com