Notes to Self [Kindle Edition]

Avery Sawyer (Author)

Book Description

"I usually don't read many books in the Young Adult category, but I am glad I read this one - I seriously think this could / should zoom up the charts and be a huge bestseller and I could also see this one being made into a smash summer movie." ~Michael Gallagher

"I started and finished this book in about 2 days- something I only do when a book grabs me and refuses to let me go." ~Amazon reviewer

"Notes to Self is an emotional journey that any woman, teenager or otherwise, can relate to. It made me think about my own formative years and that connected me to the narrator on a deep level. I recommend Notes to Self to readers who appreciate honest contemporary fiction." ~Amazon reviewer

"I recommend NOTES TO SELF very highly. The story is both inspirational and real, which is a difficult combination to pull off. This is a very powerful novel." ~Top 500 Reviewer

      Two climbed up. Two fell down.
      One woke up.
     Robin Saunders is a high school sophomore with an awesome best friend, a hard-working single mom, and a complicated relationship with a sweet guy named Reno. She's coasting along, trying to get through yet another tedious year of high school, when Em suggests something daring. They live in Florida-- tourist central--and Emily wants to sneak into a theme park after midnight and see what they're made of.

     When things get out of control, Robin wakes up in a hospital bed and Emily doesn't wake up at all. Just getting dressed becomes an ordeal as Robin tries to heal and piece together the details of that terrible night. Racing to remember everything in the hopes of saving Emily, Robin writes a series of notes to herself to discover the truth.
      Gr. 8-12. Adult language.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This story is not just about a traumatic event but also about growing up. I strongly recommend Notes To Self; it is a quick and heartfelt story." ~Traci, The Reading Geek

"It reminded me a lot of If I Stay by Gayle Forman and Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott..." ~Jessi from Reading in the Corner

"I think Sarah Dessen fans would highly enjoy this book." ~Alison, The Cheap Reader

From the Author

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Product Details

• File Size: 379 KB
• Print Length: 266 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482352915
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006AY9UGK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,779 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 86 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book That Grabs You From the Start June 14, 2012

By Michael Gallagher HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I usually don't read many books in the Young Adult category, but I am glad I read this one - I seriously think this could / should zoom up the charts and be a huge bestseller and I could also see this one being made into a smash summer movie.

The author does a great job of almost instantly relating to the main character and you will feel a wide range of emotions while you are reading it (I did) - frustrated, sad, confused, happy, and angry. For you adults reading this book, and I imagine the young adults also, you will find yourself periodically drifting back in time to when you were in high school and some of the petty jealousies and all-around jerks - and nice guys - you may have group up with in your town.

This book also makes you think back and realize that life is full of choices and, unfortunately, you have to live with the choices you make: some of them work out great, some of them don't and you have to live with it for the rest of your life.

I originally picked this up for free during a Kindle promotion and, as I type this review, it is a whopping 99 cents in the Amazon Kindle store - grab it now and strap yourself in for an enjoyable read.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming tale that shouldn't be missed! December 7, 2011

By Charlotte Black

Format:Kindle Edition

There really aren't enough good words to say about this YA contemporary story. Notes to Self tells us about Robin Saunders who suffers a terrible accident and sustains a traumatic brain injury.

Our narrative starts from the accident to the aftermath in the hospital as Robin begins her life again having forgotten the accident itself. The only thing is she's forgotten portions of her life also, and the ability to form sentences, put her jeans on before her shoes, and deal with the kids from school. There's also all sorts of side stories that join the main theme so we get a full idea of who Robin was and who Robin is now post-accident. And, boy, has she changed!

I'm not one for contemporary fiction. Most of the time I think its generally boring but this story was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at times that I could not put it down. From the moment you start reading it you can tell that the Avery Sawyer has put her heart and soul into this story and given us all a gift on how to be better people.

I thoroughly recommend it for teenagers and adults alike.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking February 6, 2012

By The Book Runner TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This story is about friendship, family ties and first love and in one way, it reminded me of If I Stay by Gail Forman in that one of the girls (Emily) is in a coma and we see her and Robin's life through Robin's memories. Unlike If I stay, this story is the friendship of two best friends and the consequences of being without each other for months.

Robin and Emily fell from a 30 feet of off a maintenance ladder at a theme park. Robin walked away from the hospital, but Emily hasn't awakened from her coma. Emily is the more forceful personality of the two, and Robin can't find her place without her. Robin is also suffering from her brain injury which means she has some amnesia and difficulty doing mundane things like speaking correctly all the time. Both Robin and Emily have difficult home situations that help the reader to understand why they are having such a hard time and to feel compassion for them.

Reno used to be Robin's best friend, but when they entered the awkward teenage years, it ended. After the accident, Reno re-enters Robin's life and she re-evaluates her feelings for him and what she means to her life. Reno helps, protects, listens and supports her and the reader can't help but love him.

This is a hard story to read since the girls are so traumatized by their parent's actions and you want to just shake their parents. I don't know what Robin would have done if not for Reno when Emily wouldn't wake up. I don't think she would have healed or been able to move on since the kids at her school were so mean to her. The story is definitely a commentary on where children are today and the effect of home life and school life on who they become....

There were parts of this story that were a little too slow, but by the time I came to the ending, I was glad I had persevered and that it was a free download. If you liked Blue by Lou Aronica, or Forget You by Jennifer Echols than you may like this short story Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Quick, enjoyable read June 5, 2012

By Hannah @ Paperback Treasures

Format:Kindle Edition

I was pleasantly surprised by Notes to Self! To say I had low expectations for this book would be and understatement, since I'd heard absolutely nothing about it and, even though I feel bad about, I'm always a little wary of self-published books. And even though it's far from perfect, I ended up really enjoying Notes to Self!

I loved the characters in Notes to Self - they're what make everything work. I loved Robin from the first page on. She's easy to relate to, and seeing how helpless she is after the accident is heartbreaking. Robin's best friend Emily is a good character, too - I didn't like her as a person, but I really liked reading about her. Robin and Emily's relationship is so interesting to read about - I love complex friendship stories like this one! Then there's the romance. The romance is cute, but I appreciate that the author didn't try to turn it into the main focus. I also loved the family dynamics - they're unique and interesting to read about it as well.

The mystery aspect of trying to figure out what happened is also great. The brain-injury aspect is only okay, though, in my opinion. I found some of what Robin remembers and what she doesn't remember a little too convenient. The little details that are unnecessary for the story, like how to shower or how to open her locker, Robin doesn't remember, but she does remember every little thing about the characters - she can explain to us who's who, because otherwise the reader wouldn't understand the story. I get why the author made these choices, since she needs to show somehow that Robin lost parts of her memory but the readers still needs to get the story, but I just thought that was a little too convenient to be realistic.

***This paragraph is a little spoiler-y!***
I'm not a fan of the ending.... At all. I'm sorry, but I don't like happy endings when they're forced. I want the story to develop in a natural way - a sad ending or a happy ending or an open ending all work, as long as it fits the story and is realistic. But the ending in Notes to Self does not develop naturally and does not feel realistic. I'm just not a fan of happy endings that seem forced, and that's the case in Notes to Self.

If you're worried about Notes to Self not being well-edited because it's self-published (like I was), don't be. The copy-editing is just as good as it is in any published book.

Notes to Self is a sweet coming-of-age story with some unique survivor's guilt and mystery aspects. It's a quick, enjoyable read that I ended up liking a lot more than I'd expected! Read more ›

More About the Author

Under the pen name Avery Sawyer, Laura Schaefer is the author of Notes to Self, a young adult novel about a teen with a traumatic brain injury.

Schaefer is also the author of The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster 2009), The Secret Ingredient (Simon & Schuster 2011), and Planet Explorers Travel Guides for Kids. Learn more about her by visiting http://www.teashopgirls.com and http://www.planet-explorers.net. Laura is also on Twitter: @teashopgirl