Stop Pretending Review

Title: Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy
Author: Sonya Sones
Publisher: HarperTempest
MSRP (Paperback edition): $7.99
Pages: 152 pp
Rating: * * * */5 starz

The title pretty much says it all- what happened when Cookie's sister went crazy.
It's written in poems, like all of Sonya Sones' books, which is the kind of books I like to read the most (besides ones in blog, chat, or text form- those are the best!)
It took about an hour for me to read, maybe less, and it's a quick vacation read, despite being sad and serious.

The girl writing the poems, Cookie (if her sister was named either Trixi, Bambi, or Muffin, Iwould be dying laughing right now!), whose big sister, the great sister she loved so much, has a nervous breakdown on Christmas Eve. I didn't really get into it the first few poems in, but once you get used to the different stlye you like it. Her friends, when they find out, are sympathetic for like FIVE seconds, then they turn on Cookie (MUAHAHAHA, I'm sorry Cookies of the world, but it's kinda funny :)). She also falls in love, and makes new friends- but no matter what happens, Cookie will definitely never "be in a room down the hall from her sister", in the psych ward.

The poems and characters were easy to relate to, almost as well-developed as a novel-in-verse can be, and sometimes hopeful. It was a bittersweet kind of read. For some reason, I really find mental illness interesting, which I know sounds weird but I mean reading about it.

It's based on somethign that happened to the author herself, Sonya Sones. Her older sister had a mental breakdown, and the only thing that helped her survive was writing in her journal.

I absolutely loved this book, and I definitely recommend it!