Binding 13

It may be a bit of a cliché, but it is a really, really good one. She is a shy wallflower, he is a popular rugby player. So far so good, but what nobody knows is that she is a victim of abuse, and he has a serious injury. So the book tells this clichéd love story we all know, but it also tells a story about a girl, a girl with really big, daddy has a bad day and hits you if he's drunk (and not so drunk), problem. The book is very emotional, very deep, and really not for anyone looking for a light read. Violence is a big topic, physical violence as well as psychological violence. I like the book because it is not this typical, I am so poor everyone hates me and wants me bad story, (you know, these stories where the protagonist is drowning in self-pity) it is much deeper. You will see sides of domestic violence you never thought of if you didn't experienced it yourself. With 861 pages it is not exactly a small book (and there is also the second volume “keeping 13”), but believe me it is worth it.

Ich gebe zu – anfangs war ich skeptisch. YA-Literatur ist nicht unbedingt mein Ding, und ich dachte, das Buch könnte an mir vorbeigehen. Aber ich wurde positiv überrascht. "Binding 13" hat mich mit seiner emotionalen Tiefe gepackt. Die Freundesgruppe ist so lebendig gezeichnet, ihr Banter so authentisch, dass ich trotz fünf Jahren nach meiner eigenen Schulzeit völlig darin aufgegangen bin. Das Setting fühlt sich persönlich und real an – man merkt, dass Chloe Walsh diese Geschichte aus dem Herzen geschrieben hat. Ein wichtiger Hinweis: Lest das Buch im englischen Original, wenn ihr könnt. Die persönliche Note der Autorin kommt dort unmittelbar durch und verliert in der Übersetzung an Kraft. Das Buch ist nicht nur für Teenager geeignet. Auch als ältere Leserin, die die unbeholfene Schulzeit längst hinter sich hat, habe ich gelacht, bin gerührt worden und konnte mich in den Charakteren wiedererkennen. Der BookTok-Hype ist vollkommen berechtigt – das ist ein Buch, das bleibt.

This book series is an absolute masterpiece and had me in a constant chokehold. While reading, I lived and breathed these characters and their gut-wrenching stories. Irland, 2005: Shannon has never had it easy. Raised in an abusive household and bullied at school. But everything changes after she transfers to a private school. There she meets Johnny - the rugby star and the rising hope for the Irish national team. She doesn't know it yet but her whole life is about to change. As Shannon´s life, and that of the whole Tommen friend group begins to shift, mine did too, at least for a while. I did nothing but read these books and I think that says it all. I think the heart and soul of these series is not only the raw and sensitive portrayal of dark topics, but the unwavering hope that is woven through every page. It shows that through love, understanding, friendship and "found family" you can overcome even the hardest obstacles and come back stronger than ever. Although I'm an Aoife and Joey girly at heart, I deeply appreciate Shannon and Johnny´s journey as well. And let's be honest Johnny and his parents are the greenest of green flags.

My Book Bestie loves this series so much and recommended I read it. So, I decided to finally give this book a chance. And honestly? It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Binding 13 is hands down one of my absolute book-highlights of the year! Chloe Walsh, this book is an absolute masterpiece, THANK YOU!!! And we need to talk about Johnny for a second...He is THE greenest green flag of all book boyfriends out there and, in only a short amount of time, he managed to win me over!! But you know who else completely stole my heart?! Gerard f*cking Gibson, my absolute favorite character! NO one compares to him!!! He is so hilarious, chaotic and sassy — I swear, I laughed out loud so many times because of him. I just love him so much (∩˃o˂∩)♡! And the friendship between Gibsie and Johnny?? ICONIC. They’re the funniest duo ever, and their bond is everything. Both of them have a special place in my heart. Anyways, from the moment I started reading it, this book completely pulled me in. I was hooked right away and literally couldn't put it down. I was so into the story that I totally lost track of time. Seriously, I spent my entire Sunday reading this book and the next day I immediately bought the second one. There was NO way I could move on to anything else — I had to know how the story of Johnny and Shannon (like the river >⩊<) continues. These two… ughhh they are SO sweet together, I can’t!!! The chemistry?? Off the charts. Every time they talked, I had butterflies. They just click in the most perfect way, and I was rooting for them so hard. Ohhh and did I mention how heartbreaking this book is? Yeah, this book absolutely broke me. There were a few points where I had tears in my eyes. It was so heart-wrenching and sad, I just wanted to reach through the pages and give Shannon and Joey a big hug. Especially the end was so incredible heartbreaking. They both deserve so much better! Binding 13 is one of those books I can't stop thinking about ever since I finished it (or did it finish me (╭ರ_•́)?) and I absolutely recommend reading it. If you're looking for a book that has amazing and loveable characters with a story that is emotional, heartbreaking and sooo beautiful then this is your sign — pick it up. You won’t regret it. Trust me. •highschool romance•sports romance•slow burn•found family•

Shannon Lynch changes schools, meeting Johnny Kavanagh at an unfortune time. Hooked from the first page, I absolutely their story. How reflective the characters are for their age especially with this storyline. I felt so much empathy for Johnny and Shannon, seeing how much they fought with their inner demons. This romance is so much more, the friend group around Shannon and Johnny build a family and I fell in love with the whole book.