By now you know that 13 Reasons Why, the adaptation of Jay Asher’s hit novel, has premiered on Netflix. If you’re anything like us, you’re probably planning to binge the whole series this weekend while you ugly cry and eat ice cream in bed. It’s the kind of show that leaves you with a violent YA hangover, a deep emotional residue that makes you desperately want is more of those powerful, raw stories. We expect to have a book-shaped hole in our hearts, so in the spirit of planning ahead, here is a list of 12 books to read if you loved 13 Reasons Why! This isn’t just about finding stories of grief or trauma; it’s about discovering new voices that have the same unflinching honesty as Asher’s original novel.
If you loved the bestselling book 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher or the recent Netflix series by the same name, we have just the reading list for you. From bullying and violence to mental illness and death, these books like 13 Reasons Why explore a multitude of issues facing teens today. They’ll make you think as well as tug at your heart strings. Personally, after finishing the first season of the adaptation, I felt that familiar ache the need to process the weight of it all. You’ve now binged both seasons of the show (maybe more than once), and now all you want is more. Never fear, we’ve got thirteen great emotional reads to get you through your 13 Reasons Why book/Netflix hangover. We know you’ve read the book (haven’t you?!) and felt the true impact of the hit story. What makes these books special is that they don’t shy away from the devastating consequences of silence and secrets, offering a sense of depth and connection. Find Publisher’s descriptions included below to help you choose your next emotional anchor.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
The core heartbreak of books that will wreck you, much like 13 Reasons Why, often centers on secrets and the devastating silence that follows. This radiant, award-winning novel from the acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere explores that fracturing, but through the lens of twin siblings, Jude and her brother, Noah. At first, they are inseparable. Back then, Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude wears red-red lipstick, cliff-dives, and does all the talking for both of them. The early years are Noah’s to tell. However, the beauty of their bond doesn’t last.
Years later, they are barely speaking. Something has happened to change the twins in different yet equally devastating ways. I remember reading this and being completely consumed by how beautifully Nelson handles the fractured narrative. The later years are Jude’s to narrate, and then Jude meets an intriguing, irresistible boy and a mysterious new mentor new connections that might help her understand what broke their world. But they each have only half the story, a missing link of grief and confusion. If they can only find their way back to one another, they’ll have a chance to remake their world. You will not only be breathless and teary; you will also be laughing often all at once. This novel will leave you with a similar emotional hangover to 13 Reasons Why, proving that family secrets have just as much power as high school ones.
The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
If you’re seeking books like 13 Reasons Why that dissect the destructive power of high school gossip and the “who is telling the truth?” question, look no further than Jennifer Mathieu’s remarkable debut novel. In the relentless social echo chamber of Healy High, Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. This initial seed of gossip quickly becomes fact, especially When Healy High star quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash. The whispers intensify: it was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask anybody, and they’ll have an answer. Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It’s written all over the “slut stall” in the girls’ bathroom: outlandish claims like “Alice had sex in exchange for math test answers” and “Alice got an abortion last semester.” After Brandon dies, the rumors start to spiral out of control, demonstrating how quickly a story can eclipse the actual person.
In this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, four Healy High students tell all they “know” about Alice each voice adding a layer to the ugly, chaotic narrative. They reveal their own secrets and motivations, in doing so painting a raw look at the realities of teen life. The structure brilliantly mirrors the way gossip spreads, but with a unique twist: it forces us to confront how much we rely on second-hand information. But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there’s only one person to ask: Alice herself. This book, like 13 Reasons Why, expertly shows the consequences of social shaming and the multitude of perspectives surrounding one tragic event, making you question everything you thought you know.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
If the intense focus on mental health struggles in 13 Reasons Why resonated with you, you need to read All the Bright Places. Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Contrast this with Violet Markey, who lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. Their worlds collide dramatically. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a story about finding connection in the darkest places.
When they pair up on a project to discover the natural wonders of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries. I found myself completely invested in their journey, recognizing how truly transformative finding the right pair can be. It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. This novel is a beautiful, raw exploration of shared burdens, where Finch and Violet find an important kind of safety in each other, knowing they can finally be seen.
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
If the exploration of responsibility and fallout in 13 Reasons Why grabbed you, Hate List plunges even deeper into that terrifying aftermath. Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. The story’s genius lies in Valerie’s complex position: Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. This list of people and things she and Nick hated turned out to be The list he used to pick his targets. This detail immediately raises the stakes, making Valerie a crucial, yet tragic, witness. A list she helped create becomes an indelible scar on her life.
Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. I remember finding this book incredibly powerful because it doesn’t shy away from the messiness of grief and blame. Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, if she hopes to make amends and move on with her life. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val faces a hostile world. In order to survive, she has to face the horrifying knowledge that Nick used their private game to commit something unspeakable.
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
For readers who appreciate the heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest look at trauma that defined 13 Reasons Why, Girl in Pieces offers a profound parallel. Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people do in a lifetime. The novel’s emotional intensity comes from understanding what she’s learned how to forget: a father, a river, and her mother, who has nothing left to give you. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm a destructive coping mechanism born from a world that owes her nothing, and has taken so much.
Kathleen Glasgow’s debut is A deeply moving portrait of a girl in a world where Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is exactly what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge. The book follows the journey she undergoes to put herself back together. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from, much like its topical predecessor. When reading, you recognize that you don’t have to think about your best friend, who is gone forever, or your sorrow, just a little at a time, until there is nothing but the promise of recovery.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
If the exploration of consequences and a life-changing event in 13 Reasons Why captivated you, then Before I Fall offers a compelling twist on that structure, focusing on redemption through a time loop. For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12 “Cupid Day” should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night. The narrative shifts dramatically from a tale of the seemingly effortless top of the social pyramid to a profound struggle for meaning. However, she still wakes up the next morning.
In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times. This repetition serves as her personal, desperate investigation, where she must re-examine everything. The core emotional impact comes when she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined. It’s a poignant journey of self-discovery, showing that even the seemingly cruelest fate can be altered by understanding that your actions matter. I loved how Lauren Oliver used the recurring day to show how much good and bad can come from one person.
By the Time You Read This, I’ll be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
If 13 Reasons Why left you needing more raw exploration of isolation and the cry for help, Julie Anne Peters’ novel provides a chillingly intimate look at a young girl’s final plan. After a lifetime of being bullied, Daelyn is broken beyond repair. She has tried to kill herself before, and is determined to get it right this time. Though her parents think they can protect her, she finds a Web site for “completers” that seems made just for her. She blogs on its forums, purging her harrowing history, essentially leaving behind her tapes online. This digital confessional is where the emotional weight of her story resides.
At her private Catholic school, the only person who interacts with her is a boy named Santana. No matter how poorly she treats him, he just won’t leave her alone. I found Santana’s persistent kindness and Daelyn’s resistance to it to be the central tension of the story. And it’s too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life… isn’t it? She has decided that her time is up, and it’s too late to be saved. The book makes you question if anyone can truly get to her just in time, or if her tragic decision has been made beyond repair.
Looking for Alaska by John Green
If the profound impact of loss and the relentless search for answers in 13 Reasons Why resonated with you, then Looking for Alaska offers a similar emotional depth centered around a sudden After. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words like those of Francois Rabelais, poet, who inspired him to crave the “Great Perhaps” even more propels him into action. He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. This transition sets the stage for the dramatic shift in his life.
Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then… After. Nothing is ever the same. The first time I read this, I was struck by how effectively John Green uses the “Before” and After structure to explore the devastating impact of one person. This novel makes you feel the immediate weight of tragedy, forcing the characters to grapple with what happened and why, mirroring the intense investigation and grief that makes 13 Reasons Why such a hit.
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
If the feeling of searching for answers and grappling with post-tragedy grief in 13 Reasons Why resonated deeply, then Hold Still offers a beautifully rendered look at survival. In the wake of her best friend Ingrid’s suicide, Caitlin is left alone, struggling to find hope and answers. The emotional landscape of this story is handled with incredible honesty and care. When she finds the journal Ingrid left behind for her, Caitlin begins a journey of understanding and broadening her horizons a solitary investigation that starts to change her perspective.
Nina LaCour brings the changing seasons of Caitlin’s first year without Ingrid to life with emotion, honesty, and captivating writing. I consider this novel a powerful portrait of how grief leads to new beginnings, much like the process of healing after a major loss. The journal acts as a profound gift that slowly guides her out of the wake of tragedy. She learns to find connection again, which leads her to new friendships and first love. It is a testament to the enduring life of the spirit, even when faced with the harshest loss.
Bang by Barry Lyga
If you’re drawn to books that explore inescapable tragedy and the long-term mental health consequences, like 13 Reasons Why, Bang offers an unflinching and honest narrative. The tragedy at the heart of the story is immediate: At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father’s gun. Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one not even Sebastian himself can forgive. The memory of a chunk of old life, adrift in a pool of blood, haunts him. Now, 10 years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. The book forces you to confront the reality that one moment in time cannot be reclaimed.
Now, he needs a gun to get out. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. This desperation is what makes the book as true and as relevant as tomorrow’s headlines. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend, Aneesa, to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. It took a gun to get him into this. The feeling that his entire life has been defined by that one gun is palpable. This is a story of one boy and his inner turmoil, a struggle against horror that many readers will find unforgettable.
It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
For readers who connected with the intense pressure and mental health crisis in 13 Reasons Why, Ned Vizzini’s semi-autobiographical novel offers a uniquely dark, yet funny, perspective. Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan’s Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job—Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That’s when things start to get crazy. This focus on relentless achievement ultimately becomes his downfall.
At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn’t brilliant compared to the other kids; he’s just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The life he built himself is collapsing. I remember reading this and recognizing that the pressure to be the best is a form of internal bullying. Craig realizes that all of his studies and getting the ticket to his future was a temporary fix. He is now faced with the terrifying reality of his new circumstances, where things are not even just difficult, but crazy.
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
If 13 Reasons Why left you with a feeling of overwhelming, concentrated grief, Marieke Nijkamp’s novel delivers raw, unflinching terror in real-time. The action begins precisely at 10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class at 10:02 a.m. This brief, mundane moment of transition is shattered at 10:03 when The auditorium doors won’t open.
From there, the intensity only builds. Told from four perspectives over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival. The rapid, multi-perspective structure where every minute matters captures the chaos that ensues, making the book feel incredibly immediate. When I read this, the sense of dread was suffocating, much like the feeling of impending disaster in the 13 Reasons Why tapes. It is a powerful, difficult story of how personal pain can lead to public catastrophe.
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