Erica M. Chapman

Drowning in depression and unable to cope with the death of her sister, Ellery loses hope and creates a detailed plan on how she will die, when she will die, and who will be invited to her funeral. The novel Teach Me To Forget by Erica M. Chapman covers a very sensitive and powerful topic that is very relevant to our society today. It is statistically shown that more and more teens are being diagnosed with depression and anxiety each year, causing those who are seemingly innocent, to consider suicide as an option. Luckily for Ellery, her classmate, Colter, notices her despair and tries to help sway her from this decision. This story conveys are powerful message regarding the hope that every teen should look for when feeling as if their world is ending. This novel immediately draws readers in by showing just how lost and powerless Ellery feels. “My breath feels like a solid mass as it travels from my lungs into a whisper” (1). Not only is this first line very well written and impactful, but so is the entire novel. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you like this book, I would recommend Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner.… (mehr)

This was a well-written novel dealing with teenage suicide. I liked the range of characters, especially Ellery, who I felt so sorry for, and Colter was absolutely swoon-worthy.

"Teach Me to Forget" gave a realistic account of a teenage girl suffering from self-loathing, depression and guilt after the death of her younger sister, and how she tried to hide her true feelings from those close to her by being 'happy Ellery". It frightened me how relentless and determined she was to kill herself despite her friendships and new love. In fact the first chapter was gut-wrenching. I was horrified me at how meticulous Ellery had planned her suicide, right down to the fact that she had organised cleaners to come in and fix the mess so her mother wouldn't have to deal with it.

However, although dark, thankfully there were lighter, more hopeful moments throughout the book, and I loved the different dialogues between Ellery and her friends. Ellery, especially was engaging, witty and sarcastic.

One aspect that did disturb me was the death of Dean. I think much more should have been done to try and help him, especially when Ellery know and understood his plans. She didn't want him to to die and kept an eye on him, but this was too little, too late. Troubled kids, especially with suicidal tendencies like Ellery and Dean, need long-term, professional help, and I think the author should have made this message stronger and clearer.… (mehr)

Ellery, a high school student, has a plan. Not a plan for after graduation, or for prom, or even how to pass her next exam. Ellery's plan is how she's going to kill herself. But when Ellery's plan fails, she finds herself at the local Kmart, trying to return the gun that foiled her suicide attempt. There she is confronted by the store security guard, a student in her English class. Colter Sawyer appears to be everything Ellery is not: namely, happy. But Colter has some skeletons in his past, as well, and he quickly deduces Ellery's plans. He gives Ellery an ultimatum: if she can hang on until Halloween, he won't reveal her intentions to anyone else. As Ellery tries to hide her depression from Colter, she also finds herself surprised to have a friend--and discovers herself potentially falling in love with Colter. But is love enough to save her from herself?

This novel starts with a line that immediately grabs your attention and it does a pretty good job of keeping it throughout. It's a quick read, but a heartbreaking one. The pain these teenagers are in is horrific, but overall Chapman does a fairly good job of capturing their real emotion. Your heart will hurt that these teens are dealing with such burdens in their lives.

Overall, I was mostly impressed with the realism in this novel; it truly captures why Ellery would want to kill herself, as well as her friend Dean, another mentally ill kid she meets at school. It is a pretty accurate portrayal overall of depression, and this comes from someone who has lost someone they loved to suicide and who suffers from depression. This book is certainly a good learning experience for those dealing with depression (and especially for those who love them), but it could be a trigger to those dealing with suicidal thoughts. Please keep that in mind.

While reading, I was initially annoyed because I thought this would be a "love can triumph over true depression" but the novel becomes more realistic as time passes. I also almost didn't give the book 4 stars as it seemed a bit of a "straw book": the characters and emotions are there, but I felt it lacked a bit of the depth of a [a:Rowell|15897936|Rowell Rainbow|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] or [a:Jennifer Niven|45592|Jennifer Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1332194516p2/45592.jpg]'s latest. Still, it contains such an important message, and I felt so strongly for Ellery and Colter by the end, that 4 stars seemed warranted. There's a depth in feeling in dear Ellery that cannot be ignored. (Also, there should be more Colters in the world.)

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 12/2/2016.… (mehr)