Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Binding 13 - Alternative Cover

This book could be cut in half, if not more, by going through with a red pen and slashing out all the repetitive conversations. Every chapter feels like a reiteration of one of the same five interactions. If I took a drink every time Jonny went on about how he, "can't do this, it's wrong, I'm crazy over this girl, she's messing with my head", I'd have alcohol poisoning. Despite the large volume of words, the dialogue is choppy and underdeveloped at best.

And his friend Gibsie ALWAYS replies with the same thing. I was able to finish this thing in less than a week because of how much skimming I could do.

I picked up this book initially to have fun reading some poor writing, and I was rewarded. It just could have been so much shorter.

There was no character development. It felt like every character stayed the exact same as how they appeared on page 1, excepting some of the side characters, like Joey. But even then, it's barely.

I got the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition, and was annoyed/disappointed with how poorly the book was made. The plastic film covering the spine was peeling after a few days, and the front cover was curling into a U-shape after just a few hours of owning it. I haven't seen a single copy that doesn't do it. So maybe instead of Binding 13 they should put some effort into Binding Their Damn Book Better. Seriously, it's clearly cheaply made, showing little regard for their consumers. If you want to buy a copy, just get the regular edition. The exclusive content is just two short scenes that added nothing.

Also, I don't think this novel should be categorized as YA. I'm sincerely concerned about teen audiences reading this as a desirable relationship in any form.

Edit: After cracking open Haunting Adeline, I am looking back at Binding 13 with a much more gracious view. By god that book is disturbing.

Content Warnings

holliechristina's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Firstly I didn’t even know if I was going to like this series! I brought the American bloom books editions! (US Amazon) Present self is very happy about this because I love these editions! I love Mr Boom Boom and Miss like the river so very much 💕 I am fully submerged into my boys of Tommen era! I need bookmarks, jumpers and all the merchandise! It is now part of my brain!

Ok we’ve gone very off track here.. maybe we should go back to the book? Yeah? (I can be very easily distracted) Shannon is moved to Tommen after some rather traumatic times at her old school. (I was bullied at school, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever had to deal with. My heart went out to her) Shannon’s and Johnnys paths collide on her first day. I love the Irish accent! I feel you can easily picture the conversations between characters.

I have a personal hate for rugby, I know little about the sport. You pass the ball backwards?! But this book is making me like it! I blame Johnny and Gibsie. I just love all the character development, it has a sense of found family. I found myself giggling away at parts, crying my eyes out at others. This is such a rollercoaster of emotions.

I loved that she got a McFly CD! I’ve met them and seen them live so many times I’ve lost count! So that was an added bonus for me. I love how much music is related to in this book, especially for Shannon.

As soon as I finished this I ran upstairs to get Keeping 13! It is a difficult read in places so please read up on trigger warnings, I also loved the breakdown at the beginning about all the Irish slag words used throughout the book.

Johnny and Shannon you’ve both stolen my heart and I don’t want to leave this series anytime soon.

♾️⭐️

Content Warnings

sarahliz48's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.5

Content Warnings

tallglassofmandy's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Content Warnings

urgirljaylabug's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

janeroome's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

livquick's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

stateofrina's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

To start it all off, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. I didn’t know anything about this story, not even the fact that he was a rugby player or anything about Shannon. That made it the best experience possible because I wasn’t spoilt about anything at all and I got to see their relationship develop naturally. This book really captured the high school experience, it is actually insane how giddy I felt during their moments of trying to talk to each other, the awkwardness, the impulsiveness. AAAH. They felt like real characters you could hold onto in your mind, and it felt like I was watching a movie from the 2000s. Perfect 2000s vibes. The book also dived into much more than romance too, and I loved that this book made me care for much more than just the main two, but also about Shannon’s siblings, Johnny’s friends, their whole town. It felt so real and I rarely get to read books that feel like I’m being put into a world that already exists, and not a fictional plot. It was admittingly a long one to get through, took me way longer than my other reads, but the pace allowed me to take it in at a steady pace and I didn’t get overwhelmed by how thick this book is. It will be a pain to read again, but I would gladly do it because smt about it really makes you forget you’re reading and not absorbed into another life.

Content Warnings

More...