Theres a quote on the front of this book from The Time “Mean Girls for the Instagram age”. This made me buy the book – not that I need much of a reason to buy one! I didnt look at the synopsis, or even skim the back of the book. I guess it was partially the buzz of being at YALC with so many books and so little time.
Having now turned the book over I have also learned it was voted one of the best YA books of 2016 by the Telegraph. I had never heard of it.
So, 13 Minutes, aka I was dead for 13 Minutes now I want to know why, is the story of a teenage girl, Tasha, and her group. The Barbies. She moved on from her ex bestie years ago but Becca misses her still. Becca spends her days at the bottom of the social ladder before hanging out with her older boyfriend to smoke weed. Tasha is blonde and beautiful just like her two friends.
At the start of the story Tasha has ended up in the river, dead for 13 minutes. pulled out by a dog walker who works with Beccas boyfriend. The stories are all linked and really the focal point of the book is chess. Its the long game, plan things. Tasha has memory loss and refriends Beccas to find out who tried to kill her. But beccas knows something isnt right, shes ditching her only other real friend to help Tasha, but is it worth it?
The rollercoaster that we travel with Becca is interesting, Sex, Drugs and Frenemies. She comes across as a teenager whos not coping with her school years too well, Failing to recognize that loyalty and trust work both ways. As head Barbie we shouldnt like Tasha, she the popular girl who can do what she wants. But for the most part her character is intriguing in its unpredictability.
I really enjoyed the book, and would happily suggest its a nice twisty YA story ( that warns is not for Younger Readers) for when you want a break from the Illness and witch/Demon books that are so common.
oh and as the number 13 is prevalent in the book I made sure that my review took just 13 minutes to write, Thats why theres no photo of the book!
One More Chapter 