It’s Monday! What are you reading? #imwayr 2/20/17

13 Reasons Why Jay Asher| In this book, Clay Jensen receives a box of 13 audiotapes. On each tape, Hannah Baker tells the story of someone who contributed to her reasons for committing suicide. The first person mentioned on the tapes received them first, and they were to pass the tapes down the line to the next person that appeared in her story. Hannah warns that there is someone watching them that has a copy of the tapes. If any of the listeners choose not to pass the tapes on, the second copy will be exposed to the public. This would be unfortunate for many, as Hannah reveals some deep dark secrets of the people on the tapes.

I’ve been wanting to read this book for quite some time. I was hesitant to read it, because as someone who has experienced multiple events of suicide, I knew I needed to be in the right head space. I’ve never read a book that dealt with the topic of suicide, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Overall, I was pleased with the story. The overall message went back to how we should treat those around us. As Clay listens to the tapes, he makes excuses for a lot of the people that said or did mean things to Hannah. “If they knew how she felt, they wouldn’t have said/done that.” Or, “it was her fault for not speaking up.” The book was a very powerful reminder about how we must always treat people with respect, because you never know what they are going through. Through the story, the author also teaches the reader many of the warning signs of suicide. If you choose to read this book, be prepared for it to pretty much consume your life until you finish it (another that I read in 24 hours). Nonetheless, it will be time well spent.

City of Ember Jean DuPrau| On a lighter note, I finished the City of Ember this week! It was my book club’s first choice. The story is about a dystopian society that is self sustaining and runs of a generator. They have no sun, no fire, and no concept of a world beyond theirs. As supplies begin to dwindle and the generator starts causing more and more blackouts, many wonder what will happen to the city. In the second half of the book, main characters Doon and Lina make some discoveries that completely alter their lives, and (hopefully) the other citizens of Ember. This book doesn’t tie a lot of ends up, because it is the first in a series. My sister read this book with me and she is hooked! While we are going a different route to keep our book club diverse, she can’t wait to get her hands on the second story in this series. I feel like I’m starting to pass the reading bug I caught from this class onto my sister! It’s fun to see someone else get that excited about reading. 🙂