Teach Me to Forget

by Erica M. Chapman

Ellery’s grief over the loss of her younger sister is pushing her down a dark path in this heartwrenching story of loss and the journey to hope that’s perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and All the Bright Places.

Ellery doesn’t want to live anymore.

She’s unable to bear the loss of her sister, or face the rest of her broken family. So, she’s made a plan—bought the gun, arranged for her funeral, and picked the day. Everything has fallen into place. Then, on the day she intends to take her own life, she meets Colter, a boy who recognizes her desperation and becomes determined to stop her.

Ellery won’t be swayed so easily, but as she struggles with her hopelessness it becomes clear Colter has good reasons for his vigilance—deep, personal reasons. And whether Ellery likes it or not, he can’t let go.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Mental Health, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness

287 pages, Hardcover

First published December 2, 2016

About the author

Erica M. Chapman writes what she feels and doesn't hold back. She credits the experience of writing Teach Me to Forget to saving her life and believes every moment can have levity, even the saddest ones. Her speciality is smart-ass characters, short sentences, making her readers cry, and humor.

You can probably find her making a fool of herself on TikTok, typing her next story on her favorite MacBook, or posting videos of her cats or the ducks outside her window. Follow her @ericamchapman on social where she attempts to keep up with the newest channel that everyone is joining.

Listen to the kids. They know better than us.

it’s important to talk about mental health.

Reviews

[Erica Chapman]

Thank you so much for stopping by the TMTF page ;o) Please feel free to reach out. I love talking to fellow readers!

Please understand that while I add a good mix of humor and sarcasm into Ellery's character, TMTF does have triggers such as suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, depression, and loss of a loved one. Please read and discuss this topic with someone you love. Read other books that deal with similar subjects. If you or someone you know is thinking about harming themselves please get help. Click here for a list of resources or call or text 988 for the National (U.S.) Suicide Prevention Hotline

Music is a large influence in my life and in this story. If you're interested in knowing what songs I chose, take a look below! Be sure to share which songs you would pick too.

Heavy in Your Arms – Florence + The Machine: Ellery and Colter struggle through the book to love each other. She feels a burden to him on more than one occasion and this song beautifully represents that struggle.
Broken Hearted Girl – Misty Boyce: Pretty simple. Ellery’s heart is broken for a lot of reasons. This is a soft song that tells that story.
Mad World – Gary Jules & Michael Andrews: I’ve always loved this one. It’s so haunting and the lyrics have always affected me. Ellery’s world is a bit mad.
You Found Me – The Fray: Once she meets Colter she feels as though someone finally notices her, although she’s not happy about it.
Oblivion – Bastille: This is such a sweet song. I can see Colter singing this to Ellery.
The Lonely – Christina Perri: Ellery is very lonely, and this song’s lyrics are just so perfect for her. “I’m a shell of a girl that I used to know well.” It’s just so beautifully written.
I Should Have Known – Foo Fighters: This could work for either of them, really. It’s a song about regret which they both have painful reminders of constantly.
Breathe Me – Sia: This song. You can just hear the emotion in Sia’s voice and it so perfectly matches Ellery’s state of mind in this story.
Tourniquet – Evanescence: I love a good Evanescence song and this one really represents Ellery’s struggle with what she chose to do and the decisions that come along with that.
Wait – M83: “No Time” is the lyric that is uttered through this song and that’s just what Colter is afraid of. It’s such a simple song but it says so much.
How To Save A Life – The Fray: I listened to this song on repeat bawling my eyes out while I wrote this book. We just want Ellery to want to live but how do you do that?
Indifference – Pearl Jam: Ellery wishes she could care about what’s going on in her life but more than upset, she’s indifferent to it. When I discovered this song (and heard it live OMG amazing) I knew it was perfect for TMTF’s playlist.
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd: Ellery has a lot of moments where she just wants to be numb to the world. To forget everything that’s happened to her.
Black – Pearl Jam: Such a haunting song. The pain in Eddie Vedder’s voice mirrors that of Colter’s so much.
Untitled – Simple Plan: This is the perfect song for the tragedy that leads to Ellery wanting to die.
Trembling Hands – The Temper Trap: One scene in particular comes to mind when I hear this song. A very heated one with consequences that affect both Ellery and Colter.
Asleep – The Smiths: At some point Ellery just wants to sleep and get rid of the pain. Such a sad song.
Are You Really Okay? - Sleep Token: Oof Sleep Token has touched my heart in a way few bands have. This song is so haunting as is every song they create. The lyrics are terribly sad and raw, so trigger warning for sure for this one
I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab For Cutie: There comes a time when you have to choose to join or abandon someone in pain. I think this represents that choice.
Your Guardian Angel – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Colter wants nothing more than to protect Ellery and save her, be her guardian angel.
Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi: When I found out why Lewis wrote this song I knew I had to add it to this playlist. It's so beautifully written and sang with such emotion. I'm such a fan.

I hope you enjoy Ellery's story <3 I'm gonna let Dean tell you how thankful I am that you've come here because HULLO everyone wants a little more Dean in their life, AMIRIGHT?

[Zainab · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED BOOKS I'VE EVER READ!
The story is of a 17 year old girl named Ellery who has decided to kill herself. Her 6 year old sister had died a year ago and she blames herself for that. Ellery has decided the date and has saved up money for her funeral- now all she has to do is pull the trigger. But it turns out that the gun is broken. She goes to the store to replace the gun where a security guard of her age catches her. He turns out to be Colter,his classmate. Colter is now determined to help Ellery and does everything he can to stop her and even tells her a secret of his own. Ellery on the other hand is determined to kill herself. After that gun thing, she's planned her death some other way and has fixed a date as well.
This book had me quite a bit emotional and heartbroken when I found out why Ellery was so determined to kill herself.
I really liked Colter. He was selfless and did everything is his power to help others,especially Ellery.
This book will leave you overwhelmed and emotional and I don't even have the words to describe how much I loved it!

[Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a big meh for me . This was such a corny book and sometimes corny works but I don't think it did in this book, the main character wants to kill herself .... but suddenly a white knight comes to rescue her (basically) and voila now maybe everything could be different.... while I have criticized some books before for over complicating suicide , I think this book overly simplified it . We got no depth and no more .... and I think by now any author could write a better plot for a book than boy meets suicidal girl , boy wants to rescue her .... I'm not judging no one that likes those kind of books , it just wasn't for me .

[Vivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains spoilers!

I’ve been postponing to read this book for about half a year now. It came in an subscription box and I’ve never found it interesting to read. I don’t like reading about suicide and it felt like I could already predict the ending with an overhanging romance. But since I’ve been really in a mood to shorten my tbr and this only has 287 pages it seemed like the right time.

The first pages were really bland for me I didn’t like that I didn’t understand why she wanted to commit suicide. Later in the book I did understood why the author made this delay because it created a certain kind of tension, since I wanted to know so bad why and it kept me reading. But the beginning was just not that great because I didn’t connect with Ellery and I found that she made stupid decisions like with the gun. Later in this book the plot did pick up a little but overall I found this book a little slow. It wasn’t boring but it just lacked a little more action or something, I didn’t expect this book to be focused that much on the romance.

The writing style was okay. It was ok enough for this type of book and easy enough to follow. But sometimes I felt like it wasn’t descriptive enough probably one of the reasons why this book is so short. I don’t know how half the people look, the houses, the town, the school? It did make this book a quick read but for such an emotional book sometimes things didn’t come across in the way the author meant it, I think. Going into this book I expected to cry way more and I did only once actually and that was the first grave yard scene.
Okay don’t get me wrong but I still don’t understand Ellery’s decision to commit suicide. I understand that it’s a tragic loss about her sister and I understand that she feels guilty but I don’t understand that that’s something to lose your own life over. I mean she still has friends, people to life for; her mom and Jackson. I mean she loves singing and psychology. Why not do something with these hobbies? Some suicides I do understand when your home situation sucks, when your depressed and when your bullied on school, I understand because you don’t have someone to talk to or a safe place to be (not saying suicide is ok, but these situations I can understand). But in this case she has a friend she can talk to, she has an okay enough bond with her mom, she has a safe home, her school situation is ok and she has an future. And at first I thought maybe Ellery is depressed, because of some sentences like “happy Ellery laughs”. But I didn’t really believe that, because her thoughts where sarcastic and funny and almost happy at some points and she didn’t seem depressed.

I also didn’t understand that when the gun didn’t work why she went back to the store, why not swallow a hand full of pills or jump from a building. If you want to die that bad? Why go to all the trouble of waiting for a special date and a special place?

These above points made me not understand Ellery and that made that I didn’t connect with her. And for this category book I really think that was necessary, I wanted to crawl into the main characters skin and become her in this situation, but that didn’t happen.
I really appreciate the friendships in this book. I liked Janie, and Jackson and Colter, but also Dean. I love the clique that forms at the ending of this book, and I really liked to read about when they hung out.

The ending was way too predictable. And can I just say that looking back on this story this book was a little bit corny. A girl in trouble and this guy just comes along and saves her, and they fall in love..

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 1 out of 5]

When Ellery's plan to commit suicide are thwarted by a broken gun, her classmate Colton tries to change he mind. He couldn't save his his brother from killing himself, and vows to do better.

TEACH ME TO FORGET is an irresponsible, possibly even dangerous story about what teenagers should absolutely not do if they are concerned about a suicidal friend.

When Ellery notices similar suicidal tendencies in a childhood friend, she tries to talk to Dean and checks up on him when he misses school. Folks, this is NOT how you try to prevent suicide.
Driving by a house or restaurant to make sure someone is still alive is NOT suicide prevention.
Worrying is NOT suicide prevention.
Asking someone not to kill himself is NOT suicide prevention.

The only way to help a suicidal friend is to get them help by telling an adult, a teacher, school counselor, parent, aunt, friend's parent. Call a hotline for advice. A suicidal friend is too much for a friend to handle. Even if your friend promises you to secrecy, tell an adult. Having an angry friend is so much better than having a dead one. You even can offer to go with your friend to talk to the school counselor or her parents.

Back to the book. I enjoyed Erica Chapman's engaging writing style. She gave Ellery enough sardonic humor to have personality, while not too much that I didn't buy into Ellery's suicidal depression.

I liked Ellery, but thought Chapman over did the angry teen trying to push everyone away. In real life, friends and potential friends don't chase after people who are repeatedly unkind to them. This dynamic is overused and not true to life.

Colton was a bit too perfect with the GLARING exception of trying to change Ellery's mind about suicide. I saw the insta-love coming from a mile away. When people are so depressed they're suicidal, they generally don't have access to the emotional range to fall in love.

Chapman did a great and responsible job with the ending of TEACH ME TO FORGET.

The one star is not a reflection of my enjoyment of the book or of Chapman's writing. I will look for other books by her. I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend TEACH ME TO FORGET to any clients, which is a shame because the parts of the book that shine sparkle loudly.

[Brenda Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an early version of TEACH ME TO FORGET. Erica can write emotion and multi-layered characters so well. I found myself crying and laughing while reading. This story has so much heart and all the feelings. I couldn't put it down until the end. So amazing!

[HelEinir · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wouldn't have a plot if someone had cared to get Ellery a good grief-counselor and made sure she stuck with him/her until they were certain she was alright (The fact that someone as transparent as this girl managed to fool her therapist into thinking she was "fine" is beyond me).

It's been a while since I last read a book that tried so hard it gave me second-hand embarrassment so badly that I almost gave it two stars out of pity. The writing, the characters, the plot (which although not terribly original had the potential to go places and was the sole reason I picked this up), everyyything.

I got halfway through the book and I had over 80 notes on my kindle along the lines of "wtf is this" because I just couldn't believe some of the dialogue and scenes. At that point, I just gave up. I have other books I'm still reading and this book wasn't worth putting them aside just to give it more of a chance to get me to take it seriously. I skimmed through the rest because I kind of liked Colter's character (although what he saw in Ellery is beyond me) and wanted to see where that would go but... yeah.

This book is awful. The attempts at humor are lame, the "banter" isn't funny, the writing tries too hard with metaphors that sometimes make no sense, the MC's POV is cringe worthy. It feels like all her thoughts should have Evanescence's "My immortal" (great song, but you know what I mean) playing in the background. This isn't "Dark" or deep. The subject matter isn't even handled properly.

The author focused more on trying to get the reader to believe this girl

Every touch, sound, smell, feeling is a thousand times more intense to Ellery than it should. And I get that MAYBE the author was trying to show us how her grief had affected her entire life. But God, it was sloppily done, repetitive, and sometimes even kind of ridiculous.

"I slam my locker closed, distracted. It echoes, so I cover my ears, dropping my book on the ugly, blue-tiled hallway floor." (Good god, why don't you put your hand to your forehead and faint right there)

"The laughter bubbles up in me like a scream." (huh...)


"He reaches for my hand. Needles. It feels like needles are coming out of his fingers, piercing my skin." (it's just skin contact, calm down)

"The tones continue to crescendo into a thunderous wake, the room shaking underneath me." (this is a freaking choir she's describing)

"My steps on the cement echo in my head like I'm stepping on steel drums."(ugh)

"My stomach jerks with the loud music and my head spins at the miffled voices and bass jammed together" (it's a damn HS party, chill the hell out)

Sometimes though, her thoughts are just stupid and ridiculous and way too self-involved. (This is what I'm referring to when I say even the writing tries too hard.)

"He's always been a quiet guy, surly, kind of crusty around the edges, like burnt toast." (lmao, burnt toast)

"The way everyone looks at me like I'm an elephant in the middle of a glaggle of geese" (In this scene literally nobody is paying her any special attention, but there you go anyway)

"The phone crackles with his breathing. It sounds intimate, like something I shouldn't be able to hear" (now breathing is intimate)

"The ride is smooth, like we're riding on piles of money." (wuuut? hahaha)

Ellery's character is so ridiculous it gave me hard flashbacks of 2006, when the Emo culture was at its peak and people thought it was cool to get tattoos of music lyrics (this girl, btw, almost gets an entire song tattooed on her back). She is all the stereotypes of a super emotional, special snowflake, nobody gets me, I'm a tortured soul, surely nobody's ever felt the pain I have, the world would be better without me, oh btw I'm not your regular girly-girl, teen.

"She's dragged me to the mall. I know. I know. I'm a girl. I'm supposed to love the mall."

"The three slutketeers are not going to welcome me into their party." (Not even remotely funny)

"Most girls probably want to kiss guys."

"He's not my type at all. He's not rough around the edges. He's a goody-goody."

Lmao, that last one was particularly amusing because she says it as if every girl liked good guys and she's special because she wants somebody "rough around the edges" or whatever. AHAHAHAHA. Her head is so far up her special ass she doesn't realize her 'bad boy' type is literally a trope.

Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk to her character. I get it, she lost someone important, she felt guilty, she was sad. But man, she was a selfish, super dramatic jerk who kept thinking she was special and that nobody else could possibly imagine what she was going through.

Everything in her life is bleak. Everything sucks. Everything bad is her fault.

This girl, btw, has a best friend who absolutely adores her; a mom that tries her hardest to show her how much she loves her and worries about her; a cute guy who, against-all odds, somehow has taken an interest on her; and a new friend who is trying her damnedest to figure her out.

Like, she has people, she's not alone. But I get it, grief and guilt are bitches. And just because you have people who care doesn't mean your problems disappear and everything's good.

That still doesn't justify why she has to complain about everything and be a bitch to those closest to her. At one point she says she's sure her mom would rather have her dead than her sister. When her mom has done her utmost to show her love. That really pissed me off. She just tries to find ways to play the martyr.

"When my heart's mission is to stop beating, I can't let anything get in the way, not even Mom and her big words I never thought she'd use."

It also didn't help that the book was choke-full of all the hated tropes in YA that give this genre a bad rep and some more.

Slut shaming.
Girly girl shaming.
Good guy shaming.
Parent shaming.
Cute guy is always leaning against something, making him look extra cute. (rolls eyes)
Cute guy is somehow attracted to this girl who has been nothing but an ass to him. (because we're all masochists.. wait... this is kinda true. Huh.)
Cute guy has a relatable tragic past.
Still, don't try to understand the main character. Nobody can.
I'm too speshul and much of a tortured soul to be with anyone.
"I'm trying to figure you out but I can't."
Everything in the world is my fault.
I hurt myself because it's the only way I can feel. (Literally says this)
Cuts her head SOMEHOW on a headstone, curls up on the ground and sleeps next to a grave, so someone can find her and she can be all "Leave me alone, I'm fine."
I have a crush. These feelings are somehow unfamiliar to me. Could it be true love?
"Don't you fucking say her name!" (Don't-say-dead-loved-one's-name-out-loud trope)
Dad walked out on her family.
Can't get over daddy issues.
Googles dad so she can feel even more sad and cry herself to sleep.
"I'm not a fucking charity case."
"I can't lose you too."
Nothing anyone ever does for me is good enough.

The main character was ridiculously emotional, everything was a hyperbole, everything was sooo freaking extra it made me think back to le old days of Myspace. That's right. Myspace. Where people would take pics of themselves crying, mascara running down their cheeks, next to posts of "relatable & deep" lyrics or cringe worthy poems about how hard life is, how they're broken and nothing could fix them.

Ellery gets a a tatto with these lyrics.

"Now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything"

"All the love gone bad turned my world to black."

*Screams* Give.me.a.breaaaak.

But no, seriously, the book tries so hard to be deep and dramatic and angsty, it's hard to take it seriously. And this is a serious subject.

It's not that she CONSTANTLY says/thinks stuff like:

"I try to ignore the empty feeling that descends on me."

"I want it to hurt. I want to feel the pain."

"The chill feels good. I deserve to be cold."

"The more pain the better."

"It's all my fault."

"I'm selfish and I deserve to die."

"The bridge loomed in the distance. Mocking me with its height" (*snorts* now bridges mock you)

But she also thinks of another classmate/friend who is struggling with the same issues as a kindred soul, a case study, maybe he can help her figure out a way to do this, at least somebody understands her, gasps, maybe they can go together, but oh, if he dares go before her. No. No.

Also, it doesn't tell you straight away what happens. It tiptoes around the subject with flashbacks. The MC keeps telling you it's all her fault, there was an accident, somebody died. Oh, where have I seen this before? We learn pretty fast who is dead, of course, but the actual accident is this thing that keeps coming to her in flashbacks so half-assed they didn't cause any sympathy from me. It was also, of course, not really her fault but yet she acts as if she had actually taken a knife to her sister.

I've read YA books that deal with suicide, bullying, rape and other hard subjects in a way that makes you actually feel for the character without the need of repetitive and overly dramatic scenes.

Want some personal recs off the top of my head?

I Swear by Lane Davis

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Some Girls Are or any other book by Courtney Summers (she's an amazing YA author, her books deal with hard topics and she's actually able to pull off humor quite easily)

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters (Basically the MOSTLY THE SAME plot... but you know, better executed.)

Just... Honestly, don't waste your time unless you love a good trope fest and a super annoying main character.

[hillary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, this wasn’t for me.

I’m actually struggling to find the words to describe why exactly I didn’t like this, but I think this shows how bland the book is.

I’m not surprised I got bored even before getting to the halfway point. All the characters have literally no depth, therefore they only do what is expected of them over and over again, especially the protagonist. Her only personality trait is the fact that she wants to commit suicide, and I don’t think that’s the right way to handle this difficult topic. The entire book is just her going back and forth with everyone she knows, so that wasn’t exactly fun to read for 300 pages. I’m also very concerned about the Dean thing because it’s brushed off a little too quickly and honestly that doesn’t sit well with me since Ellery knew. She only waited for it to happen.

Don’t really have anything to say about Colter. I liked him at the beginning and then he started to feel flat like the other characters. He also has only one personality trait, which is his determination in saving Ellery. I’m sad that the only good character was also ruined for me in the end.
I can’t believe I was excited to read this book for two long years and then it didn’t deliver at all.

[Karen Hattrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

TEACH ME TO FORGET is a poignant and unflinching look at Ellery, a teenage girl who has suffered serious trauma and wants to take her own life. Written with honesty and care, it’s a story that is deep with compassion and sympathy for its protagonist, even as it examines – through other characters – the repercussions that suicide has on those left behind. This is dark and difficult subject matter, but it’s handled with a deft touch, and, best of all, is driven by a wonderful narrator. Ellery is walled off and hurting in the worst of ways, but she is also so damn smart. Super sarcastic. Bitingly funny, often in the most dire of circumstances. I loved her even when she was caustic. I loved her Nicholas Sparks jokes. I loved seeing her open herself again to the kindness of others, however hard and painful it was.

Also (LIGHT SPOILER) there is some really excellent kissing in this book.

A bold and emotional debut.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Yaiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha sorprendido mucho esta historia. No pensaba que me fuese a gustar tanto como lo ha hecho y me he quedado muy conforme cuando lo he acabado.

Es una historia dura, así que si esperáis que todo sea súper bonito, este no es vuestro libro.

[Melanie Hooyenga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early version of this book and my first reaction was "everyone needs to read this." Erica has an amazing ability to create characters who make you laugh and cry and want to hold them close. This story has stayed with me long after I read it and I encourage anyone who wants a book that will knock them off their feet to give it a try.

EDIT: I've now read the final version and love it even more. THIS IS A MUST READ.

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most heart wrenching, funny, beautiful, dark, swoon-worthy, and hopeful stories I've ever read. This masterful debut features cracks of light that not only shine through, but shatter the darkness of depression and living through loss. I loved and rooted for Ellery the entire book. Chapman's writing is poignant and infinitely readable. I will be fangirling over this for a long time to come. This is a must-read, now and always.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger warning: self-harm, suicide, suicidal ideation
**I started adding these trigger warning to my reviews when I noticed other people adding them as a way to help those who are sensitive to those topics. I never put much stock in it until now. These trigger warnings are very real. If you are even the slightest bit sensitive to self-harm, suicide, or, suicidal ideation do NOT read this book.


Teach Me to Forget is not what I thought it would be. I was expecting a story about a girl's failed suicide attempt and her emotional/spiritual recovery throughout the rest of the novel. That is not what happens. The main character, Ellery, is still plagued with suicidal thoughts throughout the entire novel. Teach Me to Forget is told from Ellery's perspective. The reader gets intimate details about the way she views herself and how she thinks the world perceives her. She's plagued by guilt and shame that is enhanced by the fact that she's a teenager trying to discover her own identity. Ellery’s struggle with the pain she experiences, her struggle with joy only to have it eclipsed by her guilt, and her conflicting feelings feel genuine.

The strongest aspect of this novel is that the romantic elements do not overshadow Ellery and her struggle with depression. The romance was featured just enough for it to feel organic. Ellery's story isn't a romance novel with mental illness as a plot device. Her story highlights mental illness and how it affects not only her, but also everyone around.

Chapman's writing resonated with me in a way I haven't thought about for years. You know, those times in high school where your emotions are heightened and everything seems difficult with no end in sight? I went through a dark period in high school where I thought a lot about the point of my life. This novel brought me back to that place within the first few pages. I thought it was a chapter in my life that has been dealt with and closed, but Chapman was able to open it with ease. I was able to identify with Ellery on a level I thought I left in the past. Most of this novel felt as if Chapman opened my own mind and used what spilled out as inspiration.

I enjoyed living vicariously through Ellery as she discovered what it feels like to make friends and experience young love whilst fighting the urge to live. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking novel that displays the tragedy that is depression at its worse.

Usually novels of this nature feature a page at the end with information about suicide and phone numbers to call, etc. However, Teach Me to Forget didn't, which I believe is a huge misstep that needs to be corrected in future printings. That information is valuable, especially after a novel like this. So….


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Numbers for other countries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/unde...
Other various hotlines: http://www.teenhealthandwellness.com/...

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read and appreciated Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, this is a book that to me is just as good. It's about a girl who is going to commit suicide. It's done from a different aspect than Asher's book. This is told as the girl is going through her actual plan.

This book is so good. The way Ellery feels is described very well. Her being so set on the whole idea was heartbreaking, but you could kind of see her reasoning, or at least why it made sense to her. I have had my own issues with depression, so many parts in this resonated with me. While I totally understood her reasoning and thoughts, I think getting to know Colter and the things he did for her really helped me to see the other side of the issue. While I haven't had those types of thoughts in a while, it was definitely a good thing.

To read my full review, go to Lisa Loves Literature.

[Florencia Navarro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho, es un libro crudo, de a partes duro de leer ya que nos cuenta la historia de una chica que intenta suicidarse, pero algo sale mal y tiene que posponer sus planes. Asi que cambia la fecha de su suicidio, pero sigue con la misma idea. Y al ñosponer la fecha, tiene 28 días para volver a tener ganas de vivir, para conocer a nuevas personas, amigos, enamorarse... Pero no importa quién aparezca, ella quiere suicidarse y piensa que todos van a estar mejor si ella.
Como mencione antes, por momentos es duro por los pensamientos que tiene nuestra protagonista, pero logró engancharme completamente y quería saber cómo iba a terminar todo.
El final me gustó mucho, es muy realista y eso suma muchísimo.
Algo que no me gustó (por eso le bajé una estrella) fue que a mi gusto, las cosas iban un poco rápido y quizá faltó un poco más de desarrollo en cierta cuestiones... por lo demás me gustó, te hace pensar mucho en diferentes cosas, situaciones y momentos...

[Adriana Mather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heart wrenching story of a high school senior is beautifully and delicately written. Chapman is masterful in her treatment of 17-year-old Ellery and her struggles with guilt and depression following the death of her younger sister and the breakdown of her parents' marriage. Ellery captured my heart and I found myself pulling for her to heal from her trauma. Brava!

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully haunting novel, with a funny & smart narrator. I read this back in 2012 and I still think about Ellery and Colter to this day, three years later!

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

** Books 42 - 2017 **

2,9 of 5 stars!

The premise looks promising but I dunno why this books is not really captivating me. It is just about story who finally didn't suicides herself since love is saving her. i'm kinda wondering is it an author fans of Nicholas sparks? I found "The Notebook" being wrote down in this pieces.

[Jay G · Rating 3 out of 5]

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3.5 Stars

When Ellery had her suicide all planned out. She knows the day, she hired a cleaning crew she even made funeral arrangements. She definitely was not anticipating that her gun would break. She tries to return the gun, only to find that she has the wrong receipt. Just her luck, the security guard who stops her is a boy from her English class, Colter Sawyer. Realising what she was planning to do, he decides to try and change her mind. Colter has secrets of his own and may be one of the few people who really understands Ellery's pain, but is that enough to change her mind?

I liked Ellery, she was witty and sarcastic. You can really feel her pain and grief while reading from her voice. Although, I do feel at times she tried a little bit to hard and seemed to be written like the 'I'm not like other girls' trope. Colter was sweet and caring and I did enjoy him as a character. I was worried in the beginning that this would be just another boy saves girl from mental illness book but it was so much more than that. Ellery had a plan and she was going to stick to it, boy or not. Although in the end it did turn into that trope, it at least took a while to progress to it.

Overall I did enjoy the book, it was engaging and interesting and I wanted to know what would happen next.

[Lily Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 / 5 stars

I savored the words, processed the phrases and slowly fell deeper into the characters. A moment separated her from life and death and in-between those moments, I stood at the edge alongside her.

Trembling hands held firmly onto sanity that occasionally mixed with reality. My pulse danced alongside my heart as the ache from Ellery's heart pierced into mine.


Instances of humor lit my face on fire with bursts of laughter.



Colter and Ellery were each others opposites as well as each others equals; the balance they had with one another started off with an unfilled wish to protect the other but now, it evolved into so much more then simply that...


This book was automatically one of my favorite reads this year and maybe all time. I can clearly state that I have and will re-read this extraordinary tale in years to come.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

if your friend is going to commit suicide and you know it, don't just drive past his house 50 times a day to 'keep an eye on him' because it will do nothing and you will feel bad.

[Lesincele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro cuyo inicio es muy duro, los pensamientos de la protagonista son muy muy oscuros ya que piensa solo en suicidarse y la verdad es que pone los pelos de punta. El final me ha encantado porque es muy realista, nada fantasioso y se agradece. De hecho, por ese final casi le doy las 5 estrellas.
Como dato curioso, esta novela fue escrita como vía de escape de la protagonista para poder entender el suicidio de su padre.
Una historia que me ha emocionado y me ha hecho sufrir a partes iguales.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really really really really good!

[Teenreadsdotcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most teenagers look forward to their birthdays, proms and vacations. Ellery looks forward to the day she has chosen to commit suicide. After battling depression for a year, she has decided she just wants it all to go away. But when the gun breaks during her attempt to use it, all her plans go down the drain. Frantic, she drives to the Kmart nearby in order to return the defective gun for a new one. Only one problem: she has the wrong receipt and is caught by the security guard who just happens to be in her English class.

Astonishingly, Colter knows why Ellery bought the gun. After watching his brother fight depression and lose, Colter is determined to save Ellery. What begins as a rescue mission develops into something more as Ellery and Colter both struggle through the events of their past. But what Colter doesn’t know is that Ellery already has another plan in place to end her life, and it’s just a matter of time until she follows through.

TEACH ME TO FORGET by Erica M. Chapman will leave readers thinking about the characters’ stories long after the last page. Ellery, the main character, is morbid at times, but humorous. She has a dark backstory that would have anyone struggling to see the good in their lives. Colter Sawyer, the security guard who takes on the role of ensuring Ellery’s safety, appears tough at first. Readers soon learn he’s a goofy, endearing and protective boy who has had his own struggles but has risen above them. Both Ellery and Colter are insanely stubborn about their views, which creates conflict between them.

Erica M. Chapman keeps the plot rolling with scenes that delve deeper into the characters and their motives. It is impossible to get bored with Ellery and Colter’s story. With the question of whether Ellery will follow through with her planned suicide plaguing readers throughout the novel, it will not take long for individuals to get to the end. Erica M. Chapman manages to tackle a very difficult topic in this novel, but does so tactfully and inserts bits of humor that help to lighten the mood. Overall, TEACH ME TO FORGET is a must-read novel from debut author Erica M. Chapman that will have readers cherishing the lives of the people they love just a little bit more.

Reviewed by Kate F., Teen Board Member

[Tabitha Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellery Stevens plans to kill herself. Her sister’s tragic death, for which she blames herself, still haunts her, and the weight of guilt and loss seems never to abate. But Ellery’s plan fails, and she’s forced to live just a little longer. Laced with equal parts tragedy and humor, Teach Me To Forget compassionately and bravely tackles the subject of teen suicide. Ellery’s voice is authentic and her pain heartbreaking. But the book also finds hope and joy blossoming amidst the angst. Read my interview with Erica Champman on Book Club Babble here: http://bookclubbabble.com/interviews/....

[Kira Simion · Rating 2 out of 5]

You don't need romance; you need love.

I'm sorry, but that's just it. A romantic partner won't solve your problems. You can, though that doesn't mean it'll be easy. And along the way you'll need help, but you don't need to kiss, you don't need sex, you don't need romance. You need someone who holds you, who tells you it'll be okay because you can do it, even if you don't believe it yourself. Maybe they're not a romantic partner, but love is an important factor of life (mush, I know) be it in family, friends, or just in pieces of life itself.

Please don't romanticize harm. It's not sexy, it's disheartening.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a vital book for any high school library. Honest and raw this book explores grief, guilt and depression. However, it is also an intensely focused story which covers little else which I think limits its effect on a wider audience.
The cover is very unappealing and I think this also negatively affects its popularity.
@crushingcinders

[Amber Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this stunningly brave and necessary debut, Erica Chapman takes us on a journey to the edge and back—exploring grief, depression, and suicide with candor, insight, and above all, hope.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that Ellery killed herself in the end. But yeah, she didn't thanks to her knight and shining armor who rescued her.

Dean, You may rest in peace. I hope you enjoyed your life in heaven. You make me cry because of you choose to die even though they're a lot of possibility that you're well be worthy but i know that you made a choice.

I happy that i finished reading this novel. I know to my that it takes 1 week to finished it so yeah. After 4 days i finished it. I cried a lot when dean died and also the blaming thing.

To Ellery live a happy with your love ones specially to Colter. He is good man you know that. And to your father who blamed you because of the accident happen, forgive him Ellery. That all ❤️

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one that hooked me right away.

The last 13 chapters had to be in one sitting because it became so intense and emotional.

Ellery is in a deep depression throughout this entire book, and despite all the "normal" teenage antics in this story and the ebbs and flows of the plot, this fact doesn't change and that's one thing I really respect about this story.

The side characters steal the show in this one...Colton, Jackson, Dean....they flesh out the many facets of Ellerys complicated personality.

This book is sophisticated yet approachable as it discusses suicide in a frank yet passionate manner, detailing its impact on the living while also respecting the power of the disease to take what it will.

This has a predictable ending, yet the path there is well-written, you'll enjoy the ride.