Why Me? [NOOK Book]

( 968 )

Overview

"Though the title, “Why Me?” suggests self-pity, the book is not a cry for pity but more about the author’s success in spite of her traumatic childhood." ~ Indiereader.com

Now a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller!

In the blink of an eye, Mom ran up behind me and pushed me into the fence. Instinctively, I reached out my arms to stop my fall and ended up grabbing the live fence. My hands clamped around the thin wires,...
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Why Me?

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More About This Book

Overview

"Though the title, “Why Me?” suggests self-pity, the book is not a cry for pity but more about the author’s success in spite of her traumatic childhood." ~ Indiereader.com

Now a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller!

In the blink of an eye, Mom ran up behind me and pushed me into the fence. Instinctively, I reached out my arms to stop my fall and ended up grabbing the live fence. My hands clamped around the thin wires, and my body collapsed to the ground as the electricity coursed through it. I opened my eyes and saw my mother standing over me with the strangest smile on her face. “Oh, my God, I’m going to die!” I thought in panic.
Imagine never being able to close your eyes and remember the feel of your mother’s arms wrapped around you. Now imagine closing your eyes and remembering your mother’s tears splashing down on your face as she is on top of you, crying as she is trying to choke you to death. My mother left me these memories and many more during my traumatic childhood.

After many years of struggling with trying to understand “Why Me?” I took back control of my life and started saying, “It was me, now what am I going to do?” The answer is my book, “Why Me?”. It is my childhood journey through the terrors of physical and mental abuse from first grade until the day I moved out. It is my way of letting the world know what was really going on behind closed doors.
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Editorial Reviews

Awesome - Cara W
The story is told in the author's voice. Her writing (while admittedly not Pulitzer Prize material) is real, emotional, and raw. She is simply telling us HER story. Working in a "helping profession" I am drawn to books in this genre.This is a survival story. One that turns the author from being a victim into a person who is control of her own destiny. The odds were certainly against this child. I hope that her message is received by those who are still suffering.It is never too late to seek help
Great book - Marie L
I read this book in one sitting tonight. It was that good. I thought it was very thought provoking, and my heart went out to that little girl who suffered so much at the hands of the one person in life who is supposed to love you the most. To the author, your reward in heaven will be huge. This book will forever change the way I parent my two kids.
Cara W
The story is told in the author's voice. Her writing (while admittedly not Pulitzer Prize material) is real, emotional, and raw. She is simply telling us HER story. Working in a "helping profession" I am drawn to books in this genre. This is a survival story. One that turns the author from being a victim into a person who is control of her own destiny. The odds were certainly against this child. I hope that her message is received by those who are still suffering. It is never too late to seek he
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Product Details

  • BN ID: 2940012017826
  • Publisher: Sarah Burleton
  • Publication date: 9/27/2010
  • Sold by: Barnes & Noble
  • Format: eBook
  • Sales rank: 9,916
  • File size: 66 KB

Meet the Author

This was an extremely difficult book for me to write as many of you can imagine. In order to make the reader understand how I felt at a certain age or a certain time, I had to relive experiences that I never wanted to remember again. Many times, I would write a few pages or an entire chapter and then not come back to writing it again for 2 to 3 weeks at a time.

I debated a long time on how much to include in the book. If I were to write about every horrific experience that I had growing up - it would have turned into a 500 page book. I do feel that the experiences I wrote about in the book were the ones that really affected me long term and were ones I wasn't willing to forget about over time. It is because of these incidents that I still struggle with an eating disorder, why I still can't look people in the eyes when I talk to them and why I have such a hard time trusting people. While there were other incidents that would have made my readers cringe and cry (like Mom making me brush my teeth with Comet) - as an abused child - incidents like that were so normal that it all seemed to run together and I couldn't remember how old I was when certain events happened or what house we lived in. I do know that when I talk about my abuse, the incidents I wrote about are the ones I can't let go of and that I remember as if they all happened yesterday.

However, I found that with each word, sentence, paragraph and chapter I completed, it helped me come to terms with the abuse I endured. Actually reading what I went through myself helped me to realize that I really was the victim in the entire situation and that I wasted so many years feeling guilty for something I was not responsible for. If anyone can take anything away from this book - it is my hope that it is inspiration - inspiration for others to share their stories and hopefully get some peace in their lives. After every beating my mother gave me - it was so important to me to find something positive to cling on to - something to convince me to wake up the next morning. It may sound cheesy and silly to some, but that's how I got through it - day after day.
I pray for all of you suffering and I love you all
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 968 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(544)

4 Star

(209)

3 Star

(108)

2 Star

(57)

1 Star

(50)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 968 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 15, 2011

    Tragic

    This account of child abuse was so horrific that I became angry and disgusted as I read. How this woman lived to tell her story I have no idea. She is unbelievably brave and strong to relive the horrors of her childhood and to share it with the world. I could not put the book down, as I was so mortified by how this woman was treated by her mother and step-father.
    I would recommend this book only to those who can handle the sometimes graphic descriptions of the abuse. This book is an eye-opener to what can happen behind closed doors and a wake-up call to police officials and case workers. We need to be able to recognize the red flags and realize that we all have a moral obligation to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect.

    104 out of 113 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 11, 2011

    Amazing.

    This book was wonderful. It was short but really intresting and inspiring. The author did a great job and making it seem like you were her. I recommend this book it was fantasic.

    72 out of 85 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 19, 2012

    This could have been my story.....

    I am amazed at some of the opinions and observations by people about how it couldn't possibly be true, how it was embellished or it couldn't have been that bad or someone would have realized she was abused. I started to read this very emotional book and nearly word for word was my childhood. My mother was in real estate and seemed to be a "good and loving mom" to everyone on the outside. Behind closed doors I was constantly attacked for not cooking the right dinner, bringing her the wrong soda, not getting up to get her something fast enough, for anything and everything my brother or sister did, or for even looking at her the wrong way. We were so poor that my mother would take us out late at night to grocery stores to steal food while she waited in the car. If we begged her not to make us do it, not only would we go hungry but I'd be dragged down 2 flights of stairs by my hair,choked, kicked and slapped so hard the inside of my mouth would be covered in painful sores. I have had every finger broken (except one) multiple times, both arms, wrists, legs, feet, tailbone broken, teeth broken, black eyes, knee injuries needing surgeries and the very last time, Ended up in the hospital for 13 days due to a beating that fractured my ribs and bruised my kidneys. During the 80's and early 90's, people didn't get involved. Teachers didn't report things the way they do now. When people asked, I always said I was clutzy and slipped off a curb, fell playing soccer, my baby sister hit me with her bottle, fell out of a tree and anything else I could say to keep me from being abused more . I learned due to my mother being questioned about it by a Dr. That it would be worse if anyone found out. In my teens,not only did she put me in the hospital at 15, she was able to classify me as a runaway while in there and the police didnt do anything to her and I couldnt be placed in foster care because of my age. No one wanted a teenager so they sent me back. Luckily I had a wonderful family that took me in, got me an apt, and showed me what love was, even as they got in trouble for "Harboring a runaway". They suspected what was happening and changed my life by action. I didn't have anyone I could trust until 15 because they all believed she was a great mother and I was a troubled child. In all honesty, I was a straight A student who went to nightschool so I could graduate early so I could get a job to get out. Two years later, I had 3 jobs, my own apartment And custody of my brother and sister. For those who doubt these things do happen and her story cannot be real, I can attest that this is my story and it is almost word for word like hers. Unless you've been in an abusive household, you cannot fathom that this happens every day in homes you'd never suspect. Thank you for reading MY story in this review. Its only to show support for a survivor of childhood abuse and her amazing book.

    46 out of 46 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 16, 2011

    Very heartbreaking

    This book is very heartbreaking. I read this book in 6 or 7 hours even though it was only 60 pages. I would definitely recommend this book. It made me cry just at the thought that this was based on a true story. Being a parent myself, it shocks me that someone would treat their kids (their wonderful joy) this way. I was never beatened but i grew up with namecalling and being told im worthless and it kind of hit home with the namecalling part. The author was right....these experiences teach us what NOT to do. To the author, I hope this brought you closure to your rough childhood and you can start living your life that you deserve. With people who love you dearly. Hang in there.

    44 out of 57 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 4, 2011

    Great read

    I somewhat understand what she went through. Growing up in a home with an abusive father. But forgiveness is where she needs to go. I pray one day she will understand that to forgive will set her free, because the unforgiveness she holds toward her mom only hurts her. Because when she forgives her mom will have no more power over her.and the memories wont hurt like they did. God bless this young lady.Jermiah 29: 11-13.

    35 out of 50 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 5, 2011

    Great

    Great short read. Very heartbreaking what this poor girl went through. Definitely would recommend this ebook!

    33 out of 43 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 7, 2011

    Heartbreaking

    This is not an easy read and it is obvious that this girl had to relive things that she never wanted to again. There are parts that read rather childish; but I imagine that is because she was reliving a part of her life at a certain age...to me it made the story more authentic - like I was seeing it through her eyes.

    27 out of 35 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 28, 2011

    To last poster

    Your writing, mechanics, style, spelling, word choice, and unnessesarily unkind comments regarding this work were what prompted me to purchase it. Have a little empathy, please, and watch that first step off your pedestal; it's a doozy!

    25 out of 59 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2011

    Fight for freedom

    I feell like i was apart of sarahs childhood and im happy she found life better without that mean woman known as mom

    20 out of 25 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 26, 2011

    What a story ... a must read!!!

    I have to say that she did a great job telling her story, this was a book I couldn't put down.

    I recommend this book to anyone.

    19 out of 22 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 7, 2011

    Short is the best thing I can say about this book!

    I expected a sad story of abuse and that is what I got, however the book seems to have been written at a third grade level. The characterization is awful and the narrator does not credibly explain to us how no one ever noticed her abuse. When she talks about being forced to shoplift, I found her less than credible and self-serving. I found most of the book's events to be terrible in nature, but not completely believable the way the author explained them. I am not denying the events as she told them, but I am suspicious in the over simplicity of it all. The writing in this book is perhaps the worst I have ever seen in a published novel.

    17 out of 76 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 23, 2011

    AMAZING!

    I loved this book! It is very emotional but i like that she didn't spare any information no matter how heart wrenching it was! I think everyone should read thus book! I am so happy with how it ended!

    16 out of 21 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 22, 2012

    Really bad!

    I shudder to think how awful this was before an editor got hold of it! And that's just the writing... The story seems very contrived. The way the author tells us she behaved would be very out of character for an abused child. I'm frankly shocked this was published at all, and even more amazed to see it on any best-seller list.

    14 out of 39 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2012

    Good book

    I am a survivor of child abuse myself, and can relate to her sentiments, I can also understsnd her fear of telling the truth. I was in foster care from ages 3-11 and though I was abused in a majority of them, there is no reason to down talk foster care or be afraid of it. I did have one set of very nice parents, and I still talk to them! The book was clearly written by an experienced writer, and express purely in her raw sentiments, not professional educated words, but if you're willing to look past that fact it's worth the read.

    12 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 29, 2011

    Hmmm

    Very sad, but i also work with children who have attachment disorders, as this author MUST given her early child and infant development. Some experiences she describes and certain things jump out at me from my experiences with attachment kiddos, like her reaction to the teacher not letting her use the bathroom more then three times in the beginning of the book. I just started but im not sure id take everything as gospel truth. Im sure im not the popular opinion and im sure there is abuse but.......just offering an opinion, an educated opinion for discussion.

    11 out of 45 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 8, 2012

    Way to short

    It would be nice if they told you how long the book was before you bought it. Ot is a good read but only took me 45 min to read!

    9 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2012

    Great

    Makes me want to do something in child abuse prevention field. No one should feel unsafe in their home. Im glad the author put her story out for others to find hope. Didnt think she should have given the chance for her mother to be a grandmother though. Someone like that doesnt change but i understand her need for hope.

    8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 29, 2012

    Good abuse awareness piece

    This book sheads light on what it is like to live not only in a physically abusive home, but a home with the terror of unpredictable emitional abuse. Sadly the author would have benefited from a better editor and input from a therapist. I work with victims daily and a very typical coping mechanism is to shut off ones emotions. Unfortunately this does not make for a well written story. Part of what makes stories 'believable' is the emotional account of the events. The very coping skill that kept the author alive also made this read feel choppy and unattached. Very honest and raw portrayal of what child abuse can do through adulthood. Bravely written. Editor needed.

    7 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 15, 2012

    Michell

    I cried after reading the free sample then went and stood at my baby girls bed side and cried softly. How coulda mother be so cruel. I would never fix a meal i know my daughter didnt likee

    7 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 23, 2011

    Eye opening

    This book is very sad, heavy and disturbing, and the mother should be shot for the abuse she inflicted on her child. Hopefully this will give new meaning and hope for those that have suffered abuse and that life can still be happy and meaningful.
    Again, I reiterate, that mother should be locked up in a small cell for life without parole, or better yet, put out of her misery for good, what a worthless piece of garbage and pathetic excuse for a human being.

    7 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

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