BONUS – NOTE TO SELF is FREE today on Amazon!
What makes a book sell? What is that “thing” that has readers swarming to the stores to buy it? What attracts them to begin with? Is it the cover? The summary of the plot? Great reviews? The price? The author?
Again this week, I’d like you, the readers, to give your opinion on this book. I’d like to know–as does the author–what works for you and what doesn’t. We’d like an honest gut reaction to everything we present to you here to make sure the author is headed in the right direction or if there are things that can be tweaked to make this book the bestseller it has the potential to be.
If you choose to supplement your poll responses with personal, honest constructive comments, you will be entered to win a book from my ever growing stash of books. 
Thank you in advance for your time and your honestly. I know it’s valuable and I do appreciate it.
NOTE TO SELF
Author: Avery Sawyer
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 168
Digital Price: $3.99
(free for Prime Members)
Publisher: Avery Sawyer
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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.
Reviews
“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
~*~*~
SAMPLER – First 10 lines of NOTE TO SELF
I don’t know if the lightning was actually there or if my brain added it afterward, when I searched it over and over for what Emily had said that night.
It was cold and dark—darker than we thought it would be. I remember wishing I was younger so I could admit I was too scared to climb. Or older, so I could say, “Not my thing, no thanks, let’s get out of here,” and not care if Em thought I was lame. She said we were supposed to go a little crazy once in a while; it was practically our duty. Pretty soon it would be too late.
But I knew it was already too late.
~~~
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This is not a genre I enjoy, so I’m not going to offer much feedback, but the cover is striking me as odd. It looks fine in the smaller size but in the larger size, the head and body don’t seem to fit. I suppose that could work with the plot but I keep looking at it trying to figure out what’s going on.
I don’t read YA even though the book sounds interesting. The cover is fine, but doesn’t really grab my attention.
I’m not a YA reader except in rare cases, so I wouldn’t buy it, and I agree with Willaful, there’s something a bit odd about the cover. Maybe it’s that she seems older – I might believe her as a high school senior, but not a sophomore. Also, the book description was not great. The phrase “a hard working single mom” is awkward in this context, as is the use of both Em and Emily back to back. In the second paragraph, I thought Emily had died until I read further, and finally, why would she be writing notes to herself to figure out what happened?
I read some YA, so I wouldn’t be opposed to reading this book if it got good reviews. However, it would need to be cheaper. The cover isn’t attractive enough. The book blurb doesn’t read smoothly. I also thought Emily had died until I read the last sentence of the blurb. I suggest deleting the book’s first line. It’s long and doesn’t hook me like the second sentence.
The way the book is presented is appealing to me. The quotes from reviews is smart because I am always looking for a great story, one that really sucks me in. I think the high school student who is unhappy and feeling trapped is something that relates to a lot of people. I think excerpts should be short but I think this one was too short. Also, they need to show me why I want to read this book.
Maybe something my daughter would read, but no I don’t particularly read YA unless my daughter says mom you have to read this story and usually it’s a skim read so if she wants to discuss the story I have some idea. I purchase YA ebooks for my daughter on my ereader but I don’t think I have ever read one even from my must read authors who do write in that genre. I am not a fan of “fad” books either, that is enough to turn any interest I may have had.
I actually saw this book yesterday. I looked at it, but it just didn’t catch my attention.
This is not a genre I normally read, but the title was intriguing 🙂 However, I was confused by the blurb. At first I was wondering who Em was? Is she the best friend that is mentioned? If so I wish her name would have been introduced much like Reno, and I also wonder why Reno’s name is in the blurb when he doesn’t appear to have much of a role in the book when the blurb focuses so much on Emily and Robin. If he plays a part in Robin’s recovery I wish his role would have been explained more in the second paragraph.
After being confused a bit by the blurb, and reading such a short sample I wouldn’t buy this book even if it had tons of favorable reviews. And I don’t think the cover really represents the genre and readers that it was meant to attract. While it seems like a serious book, the cover isn’t very youthful (other than the fonts).
I also don’t read YA books very often. The cover didn’t catch my attention, but I was intrigued with the story. It made me wonder what happened that night, that made everything go so bad. I also wondered why the boyfriend was brought up and not Emily in the first part of the blurb. I have to be honest I won’t be reading this book. Whether it’s free or not. Not because I don’t like it, but because I like some spice in my books and you don’t get that with YA books. I think a young girl who likes to read would be more then willing to give this book a try, but not for $3.99.
I don’t read YA generally, but I buy YA as I have several great-nieces in their teens. This book seems needlessly depressing – from the grayish cover and the blurb to the sample paragraphs. There are many great YA books out there with stories with sad things in them. This book doesn’t project much besides defeatism from what is shown here.
I’m a huge fan of YA books but this just sounds too depressing for me. I was hoping there was a romance involved but it doesn’t appear there is. I read fiction (mostly romance) to escape. And stuff like this is what I’m escaping from.
Too many self-published books have generic covers that say nothing about the contents. I’m afraid this cover falls into the generic category.
I also thought the blurb and excerpt needed some professional editing. For example, the first sentence of the excerpt was grammatically incorrect. If the first sentence has structural problems, then I would worry that the rest of the book has similar errors.
I wouldn’t mind reading the book, if the price right. I’m a sucker for love stories but I don’t mind the occasional depressing story, the story might have a good point to prove.
I just am not a fan of the cover. I’m always open to trying new reads, but honestly I would never even think of reading this or even reading the blurb. The cover just doesn’t appeal to me. Sorry.
And the first ten sentences just don’t seem to flow for me. The first sentence seems super clunky (maybe just to me).
Right now the book is free on Amazon, but I have so many other to be reads on my list that this isn’t a priority. I’ll prob get it while it’s still free and make it a “just in case I have nothing else to read read” and hope I’m pleasantly surprised.
The cover didn’t really catch my eye. I didn’t realize that was the title of the book. I thought it was a note to the person posting the blog post. Not sure if this book is part of a series.
I typically do not pick up YA. Though I like the sound of the plot line, it sounds like an emotional book.
Not my genre, but the story sipounds good
My main issue is also with the cover — the title and the name of the author aren’t displayed prominently. I think it’s also the choice of font.
As for the story: it’s interesting. It reminds me a bit of Memento (the movie) — I don’t normally like the first-person POV but, in this case, because of the premise, I think it is appropriate.
I was more intrigued by the blurb and the title of the book, rather than the cover. The cover is kind of bland.
YA and contemporary are not on the top of my list so I’m afraid my opinion is biased to begin with. I have read the occasional YA but only a few and they were best sellers and recommended by my daughter. I will read contemporaries but, again, usually if highly recommend. The cover makes me think this is for a young reader which is appropriate but being a new to me author, not something I would pick up. I do think it fits though for those who are looking for that type of read.
Since I read a variety of genres this was one that piqued my curiosity. While I am at an age where it is difficult for me to “relate” to the age personally, I can relate vicariously as I have a daughter approaching that age group and a step son approaching that age group and they are both subjected to major peer pressure to act impulsively.
The cover of this book is interesting but it doesn’t really jive with the title or the topic of the book, I know that if I were in the targeted group of consumers that it would not grab my attention because it looks far too vanilla.