Suicide Notes: A Realistic Portrayal of Teen Suicide and Recovery

Suicide Notes was a read forced upon me for a YA lit course I'm taking this semester at NCSU. I have never been so happy about an assigned reading in my life. This read was sooo fast, I read all 300 pages in two nights, but had I not had an early morning class the next day, I could have easily done it in one night. Four hours is my total investment in the book, I forced myself to quit reading on day one just so I could have something to look forward to the next day. It is a must read! This book first off is not intended for super young kids (I'd recommend anyone in high school or college is probably the best audience). There is a bit of language (5+ uses of "f" and a few "gd" and a few others). Another thing to keep in mind is the subject matter is dark, being about a kid who attempted to commit suicide. The basic storyline is kid wakes up in a hospital's psyc ward, but doesn't think he belongs (despite having wrist slashes to say otherwise). Every chapter is another day of his 45 day sentence as he has daily sessions in therapy and begins to develop relationships with the four or five kids with him. Through these kids, Jeff is able to learn from his mistake and begin thinking about making some healthy changes in his life and working through some feelings that every teen has from time to time. This read is so important, and should be required for students 9th grade or above, simply because Michael somehow manages to get in almost every theme you can think of in reference to dealing with life as a growing teen. He talks about substance abuse, suicidal tendencies, sexual awakenings and trying to find one's identity, all major issues in today's teens. This book is powerful and hits home especially if you have a friend who is facing suicidal thoughts, or trying to find themselves. Heck, maybe you're trying to find yourself, and this book will help you see that things have a way to work out in the end with a little perseverance. It is a book that starts off sort of dark, but then develops into something very emotional and witty. Ford did a fantastic job, because even if you don't identify with Jeff, you will find some theme somewhere in this book that hits home, there are so many, heck I could easily name 10 right here but some may be spoilers so I won't. Anyway, if you're going through a hard time, read it, it will pick you up. If you have a friend going through something, read it, it will help shed light on things. Also, if your a teenager in general, read it to understand that there are other people going through the same phase you are and find themselves completely lost like every teen feels at some point. Or maybe you're like myself and are a 21 year old kid who just loves a easy read that you actually walk away from feeling inspired. No matter who you are, there is something in this book you can get out. READ THIS BOOK! I didn't want to read it but after I did, I'm putting it in my top 10 :) (this is significant considering I read at least one novel a week)

I started reading this novel yesterday and I finished it yesterday. That usually means I loved the novel and that is true in this case. Suicide Notes is an easy and entertaining read. It's a mix of all kinds of different things: it's funny, sad, entertaining, and maybe a little disturbing. But I think it paints a picture of troubled youth that is probably more realistic than not. As far as the issue of suicide goes, it's a very complex issue. A lot of people think about it in terms of black and white, but I think it's the very definition of gray. There are those who try to commit suicide out of momentary despair (like Jeff, the main character in the book), but there are also those who have severe depression, and then there are those that choose to end their lives for rational reasons. People who are terminally ill, people who feel that they've lived a good life and are ready to die, and then there are those who are just disillusioned with life (nothing brings any joy to them no matter how hard they try, so why stick around?). This novel did not deal with the complex issue of suicide in our society, but instead it focused on one teen's personal experience. Jeff's experience is not a universal example of why people try to kill themselves, but within the context of the novel, I think that's a good thing. While to some of us the reason for why he attempted suicide might seem a bit lukewarm, it is a fact that it does happen, especially among the teen population. Overall, I liked this novel. It was the story of one teen, and the whole book was from his point-of-view. Having said that, I also liked learning about some of the other characters that were in the psych ward with Jeff. I found Sadie to be an especially interesting character, and I wonder what kind of novel would this be if she had been the main character. All in all, a pretty good read. Recommended.

“and just because your life isn’t as awful as someone else’s , that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.” yeah ... that line and honestly everything about this book had me tweaking out. it’s insaneee how protective this book made me feel over someone i’ve never met. i went into this completely blind and it surprised me in all the right ways. despite the title and the premise , it’s not dark or heavy in the way i’m usually used to reading. it’s honest , funny , messy , and painfully real. jeff is fifteen , convinced he doesn’t belong in a psych ward , and stuck in a mandatory 45 day program he absolutely does not want to be in. i loved everything about jeff , especially how the chapters are structured by days , almost like notes or diary entries. jeff’s voice is what makes this book work. he’s sarcastic , defensive , at times frustrating , and genuinely funny , but there’s enough vulnerability underneath it all to keep me emotionally attached till the end ( and let’s be real , probably long after ) i think part of why this hit so hard is because i see a lot of myself in jeff. in how he processes things , how he deflects , how he deals with stuff before he’s ready to face it. we all had to start somewhere , and this book felt like a rehash of that place for me on a personal level. this book balances humor and heaviness incredibly well. i laughed , and i teared up more times than i want to admit. it isn’t just about suicide. it’s about loneliness , family , identity , and being trapped inside your own head while everyone demands answers and tries to shove you into a neat , predefined box they find acceptable. the growth feels slow and earned. nothing feels rushed. nothing feels fake. this completely made up for my rough bookish start to 2026. emotional , thoughtful , and quietly devastating in the best way , anddd book 2 is already in my cart - 4.5 ✨

I’m not really a reader it’s hard for me to get into books but this one I really got into and I loved

Saw a video on social media about the book, so thought Iwould try it. Finished it in a day! Sad topic, but very well written, and touching

Que livro, meus amigos! A gente vai descobrindo as paradas junto com o protagonista... Muito bom quando um livro não entrega muito na sinopse e te surpreende positivamente assim.

I'm not a person to review anything at all but this book is somewhat an exception. The book was really nice in the first half and it really picked up pace in the second. Couldn't keep it down once it picked up and up until then it was a leisure read. Loved it and it talks about a very difficult situation many people in our society face. A Must read

I bought this book for my daughter and she has been so thrilled with this novel. At first, I was sceptical because of the title and was slightly worried about what she may be exposed to, however she was amazed by the novel and has looked into new things by Michael Thomas Ford. She tells me that the story is extremely captivating and is about a boy called Jeff who awakens in a psych ward and is put onto a 45 day programme where he unveiled what happened to him and why he did what he did to end himself there. She also mentioned that it was actually a very funny book and isn't really another book that is stereotypically about a mental health patient.

This was one of the best books I ever read, it’s written really beautifully and it mirrors a realistic psych ward experience. It can be triggering though.