When I heard that one of my favorite novels was coming to Netflix I couldn't have been happier. Jay Asher's "Thirteen Reasons Why" had been the novel I would always go back to and read in middle school. Discussing themes like sexual assault, bullying, and suicide it did what no other book had done for me. I was submerged in Hannah's world and as she explains her reasons and completely felt what she had been feeling. If a book could evoke such emotion from me imagine how I would feel while watching it.

I'm going to be completely honest and say I was still a little skeptical. While Netflix original series are usually great like "The Get Down," some book-to-screen interpretations are not as great. All of my worries went away after the first episode and I was content to know that the story was told with such significance.

The acting was phenomenal and while I found it hard to sit through some scenes I realized that this is what the director intended to do. Make you feel uncomfortable.

Sexual assault, physical abuse, and suicide are all uncomfortable topics that people don't want to talk about. But we have to because it happens.

"Thirteen Reasons Why" tackles issues that occur in real life and that's why I loved the Netflix series. It sheds light on what it's like to be a victim, to be the family, and to be the friend. I hope this is the fuel to our ongoing conversation on sexual assault, mental health, and abuse.