Review of I'm Not Her

I'm Not Her

Janet Gurtler

Sourcebooks Fire

ISBN 9781402256363

   Kristina is athletic and beautiful. Her sister, Tess, is the complete opposite. She is smart, so not athletic, and has mediocre looks. Then, the unspeakable occurs. Kristina is diagnosed with cancer and their entire world comes crashing down. Kristina withdraws into herself and will allow no one to see her except for Jeremy. He is the first person to actually see her and speak to her like she is someone. Tess becomes the center of attention at school and all the popular kids now know her name. All she wants is to withdraw to the woodwork where she has always been.

   As times goes on, the idyllic world that Tess once knows is crumbling before her eyes. Her mother and father are in denial about Kristina and Tess has to become the grown-up at the young age of fifteen. Her mother copes by shopping and insisting that Tess spend increasing amounts of time with her sister, no matter the aspirations of the Honor Society that Tess has. Her father spends more and more time at the university, playing golf and retreating into his shell of oblivion. The worst scenario for Kristina takes place and Tess has to hold the family together. If she doesn't, who will?

   Janet Gurtler is being compared to Jodi Picoult with YA fiction. True or not? That is for you to decide. Either way, the author paints a wonderful story of family struggle, pain, sisterhood and friendship that will keep readers engrossed until the end. Young and old alike will not be able to put this book down without sheding some tears of pain and frustration. The love between the sisters is quite evident even with the differences that are more then obvious. Your frustrations will mount with the parents of these young girls as they try to cope with the turmoil of their lives. See what it means for a true friendship between a young man and a critically ill young woman. I highly recommend this debut novel to anyone who just loves a wonderful story.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to review.

I give I'm Not Her 5 out of 5 stars