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The Sister Pact
A suicide pact was supposed to keep them together, but a broken promise tore them apart
Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide - and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.
Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.
But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.
Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide - and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.
Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.
But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
97 people are currently reading
7027 people want to read
About the author
Stacie Ramey
6 books213 followersStacie Ramey is the award-winning author of The Sister Pact, which was named a YALSA 2016 Popular Paperback and a 2015 PSLA Top 40. Her other novels earned Florida Book Awards as well as critical acclaim. Her short story “Without Being Asked” appears in the anthology Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories.Her newest project, Spellbound by Murder, a cozy mystery set in a magical New Englandbookstore and featuring a close-knit cast of intergenerational women, will be released in 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
December 10, 2015
Moment of truth : I will never restart this book, because flat characters + stereotypes overload + mental-illness poorly portrayed = DNF
Also, the whole I won't take my pills!! They're stupid!! trope is becoming a little annoying and can be damaging, to be honest.
Also, the whole I won't take my pills!! They're stupid!! trope is becoming a little annoying and can be damaging, to be honest.
December 23, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley.)
This was quite an emotional story about a girl whose sister had committed suicide.
Allie was quite a messed up girl, she obviously had issues about her sister’s suicide, but she also had issues with pills and cough medicine, and seemed to always turn to medication whenever there was something happening in her life that she couldn’t deal with.
The storyline in this followed Allie in the time after her sister’s death, and dealt with drug abuse and addiction as well as Allie’s pain over losing her sister. There was a little bit of romance, and a bit of mystery over why the girls had formed a suicide pact in the first place.
The ending to this was okay, and it did seem like Allie was on the road to recovery.
6.5 out of 10
“Small red pills. Bright pink Benadyls. Yellow Coricidins. Followed by bottles of cough syrups.”
This was quite an emotional story about a girl whose sister had committed suicide.
Allie was quite a messed up girl, she obviously had issues about her sister’s suicide, but she also had issues with pills and cough medicine, and seemed to always turn to medication whenever there was something happening in her life that she couldn’t deal with.
The storyline in this followed Allie in the time after her sister’s death, and dealt with drug abuse and addiction as well as Allie’s pain over losing her sister. There was a little bit of romance, and a bit of mystery over why the girls had formed a suicide pact in the first place.
The ending to this was okay, and it did seem like Allie was on the road to recovery.
6.5 out of 10
July 21, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
When I first started reading this book I couldn't put it down. The book is about Allie and Leah, sisters... but Leah committed suicide. She had a pact with Allie that if they were ever going to do something like that, they would go together....but Leah went....alone..
Like I said, when I first started to read the book I couldn't put it down, but then I started to get frustrated and irritated at the way Allie was acting. This is where my own mental and medical issues pushes all of that aside and I open my mind to what other people would do, how they would act, how they could get on your nerves. No one acts the same way. People do so many stupid things. People hate you. People love you. People DON'T understand you.
Allie is going through so much sadness over her sister's suicide that she is making decisions that are not good for her. She has friends, or what she thinks of as friends. There is Max, he's a big jerk. Emery, who you find out later is a big jerk. It almost seems you can't rely on anyone in the world any more.
Her mom is addicted to pills and has issues of her own, her dad is a jerk that left them all for another woman.
Allie finds solace in a nice guy named Nick. Allie is an artist and she finds out Nick is an artist as well and they have an art class together when she goes back to school. She also finds a good friend in the so called "bad boy" John Strickland. He is bad when he first comes into the scene with drugs etc. But she finds out all the answers she needs about her sister through John. She had no clue at all. And it is so very, very sad.
There are a lot of trials Allie has to go through in the book, but at the end so many good things just fall into place. I was so happy for her and I really loved this book. And like I say in books I read like this, so many things like this happen in the real world. I wish people would just listen a little more...watch a little more... care a little more.
**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
When I first started reading this book I couldn't put it down. The book is about Allie and Leah, sisters... but Leah committed suicide. She had a pact with Allie that if they were ever going to do something like that, they would go together....but Leah went....alone..
Like I said, when I first started to read the book I couldn't put it down, but then I started to get frustrated and irritated at the way Allie was acting. This is where my own mental and medical issues pushes all of that aside and I open my mind to what other people would do, how they would act, how they could get on your nerves. No one acts the same way. People do so many stupid things. People hate you. People love you. People DON'T understand you.
Allie is going through so much sadness over her sister's suicide that she is making decisions that are not good for her. She has friends, or what she thinks of as friends. There is Max, he's a big jerk. Emery, who you find out later is a big jerk. It almost seems you can't rely on anyone in the world any more.
Her mom is addicted to pills and has issues of her own, her dad is a jerk that left them all for another woman.
Allie finds solace in a nice guy named Nick. Allie is an artist and she finds out Nick is an artist as well and they have an art class together when she goes back to school. She also finds a good friend in the so called "bad boy" John Strickland. He is bad when he first comes into the scene with drugs etc. But she finds out all the answers she needs about her sister through John. She had no clue at all. And it is so very, very sad.
There are a lot of trials Allie has to go through in the book, but at the end so many good things just fall into place. I was so happy for her and I really loved this book. And like I say in books I read like this, so many things like this happen in the real world. I wish people would just listen a little more...watch a little more... care a little more.
**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
December 16, 2015
I don’t know what it is about this book, but I can’t seem to put together a coherent review that I like. This is my third attempt, second posted and the amount of effort it has taken better make it the best damn review I have ever written.
ONWARD HO!!!
**I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.**
Being upfront and honest, I did not start this book journey with high expectations. I read the blurb and was interested, but then flashed back to some of my recent YA reads and cringed a little. Why push through and click the button you ask? Because giving up on a whole basket of fruit due to a few not being quite ripe doesn’t make sense to me.
Now here is where I eat my words (surprisingly not a new concept for me). This story was so damn captivating that I devoured it all in one day! I always consider that to be a huge compliment for a book, when they are so enthralling that you can’t put them down. I was that person who couldn’t be bothered to be interrupted for even a moment, and if it did happen, you know my 'just one moment finger' shot up in the air faster than anything.
At first the writing style was a bit choppy, but after a few chapters I was able to catch the flow and submerge myself in it. The characters were of the type that didn’t have me completely attached but that wasn’t the point. It felt more like I was glimpsing a brief moment in a life, my buying in wasn’t meant to be permanent. Here it is, see it, contemplate it and then go away.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
ONWARD HO!!!
**I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.**
Being upfront and honest, I did not start this book journey with high expectations. I read the blurb and was interested, but then flashed back to some of my recent YA reads and cringed a little. Why push through and click the button you ask? Because giving up on a whole basket of fruit due to a few not being quite ripe doesn’t make sense to me.
Now here is where I eat my words (surprisingly not a new concept for me). This story was so damn captivating that I devoured it all in one day! I always consider that to be a huge compliment for a book, when they are so enthralling that you can’t put them down. I was that person who couldn’t be bothered to be interrupted for even a moment, and if it did happen, you know my 'just one moment finger' shot up in the air faster than anything.
At first the writing style was a bit choppy, but after a few chapters I was able to catch the flow and submerge myself in it. The characters were of the type that didn’t have me completely attached but that wasn’t the point. It felt more like I was glimpsing a brief moment in a life, my buying in wasn’t meant to be permanent. Here it is, see it, contemplate it and then go away.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
December 31, 2015
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
I've been in quite a book slump at the moment - probably due to being back at university, and thrown into my final year - and was in need of a book to get me out of it. The Sister Pact, though not what I expected to help, has done the job perfectly. I had a few issues with this book - which I'll mention below - but at the same time, loved every moment of it.
In The Sister Pact we meet Allie, just days after her elder sister, Leah, has killed herself. Allie is spiralling into a meltdown, as she and Leah had had some sort of 'pact' that they would deal with their problems together, and pay the ultimate price is necessary. Allie feels abandoned, and guilty. When she wants to be left alone, to deal with her grief in her own way, everyone hovers. She doesn't have many moments alone, and when she does, she self medicates to get through the day. By doing this, she sees Leah everywhere, and doesn't actually process her emotions in a healthy way.
Allie was a character I really liked, which was a good thing considering I hated just about every other character in the book. I felt like Allie was a real person - the author never shied away from showing the spiralling, the bargaining a depressed might go through. Though she felt like she needed to take the drugs, take the cough medicine etc., she knew it was wrong, and knew it wouldn't help her cope with the loss of her sister. Allie's search for herself was truly wonderful to read, and I am unbelievably happy with what position she was in at the end of the book.
To get onto the other characters, I felt like slapping the majority of them at least once in the book; and that's including Leah, the dead sister. All of them walked all over Allie, and treated her like she was some sort of burden. I mean, Leah would regularly call her 'sloppy seconds' - supposedly as a sign of affection - and forced Allie to do anything Leah wanted her too. The father has got to be the most hateful character I have met in a very, very long time. He was the cause of a lot of the family's issues, and acted as if he was above everyone else, as if he was inconveniencing himself to deal with his only surviving child, after his eldest has just committed suicide. Nothing about him redeemed himself throughout the entire story.
Allie's best friends were problematic, and I felt like every time they were close to Allie, she got a little worse. They needed to simply leave her alone, or else they'd harm her.
The only characters I sort of liked were John Strickland, and Allie's mam. Allie's mam was a problematic parent, but she did redeem herself. We saw that she was as much a victim as Allie or Leah were, and was simply struggling trying to help herself, while at the same time helping everyone else around her. John was a very surprising character. I'm glad he wasn't a love interest for Allie, but was the perfect friend she needed to get her through this trying time. John knew Leah, and they could both tell each other their 'Leah' stories, in order to grieve, properly.
This book deals with a very controversial subject, and I feel as if it did that very, very well. Ramey should be so proud of her debut, and I honestly can say I am looking forward to more of her work. I knew I was reading a book as I was reading this, but it felt like a real, non-fictional book - as if it was a biography or something. I was a part of the story, and was invested in Allie's well-being. Allie was the best thing about this book, and I think a lot of people would love her as much as me. I definitely recommend this book, especially for lovers of angsty, real contemporary books.
I've been in quite a book slump at the moment - probably due to being back at university, and thrown into my final year - and was in need of a book to get me out of it. The Sister Pact, though not what I expected to help, has done the job perfectly. I had a few issues with this book - which I'll mention below - but at the same time, loved every moment of it.
In The Sister Pact we meet Allie, just days after her elder sister, Leah, has killed herself. Allie is spiralling into a meltdown, as she and Leah had had some sort of 'pact' that they would deal with their problems together, and pay the ultimate price is necessary. Allie feels abandoned, and guilty. When she wants to be left alone, to deal with her grief in her own way, everyone hovers. She doesn't have many moments alone, and when she does, she self medicates to get through the day. By doing this, she sees Leah everywhere, and doesn't actually process her emotions in a healthy way.
Allie was a character I really liked, which was a good thing considering I hated just about every other character in the book. I felt like Allie was a real person - the author never shied away from showing the spiralling, the bargaining a depressed might go through. Though she felt like she needed to take the drugs, take the cough medicine etc., she knew it was wrong, and knew it wouldn't help her cope with the loss of her sister. Allie's search for herself was truly wonderful to read, and I am unbelievably happy with what position she was in at the end of the book.
To get onto the other characters, I felt like slapping the majority of them at least once in the book; and that's including Leah, the dead sister. All of them walked all over Allie, and treated her like she was some sort of burden. I mean, Leah would regularly call her 'sloppy seconds' - supposedly as a sign of affection - and forced Allie to do anything Leah wanted her too. The father has got to be the most hateful character I have met in a very, very long time. He was the cause of a lot of the family's issues, and acted as if he was above everyone else, as if he was inconveniencing himself to deal with his only surviving child, after his eldest has just committed suicide. Nothing about him redeemed himself throughout the entire story.
Allie's best friends were problematic, and I felt like every time they were close to Allie, she got a little worse. They needed to simply leave her alone, or else they'd harm her.
The only characters I sort of liked were John Strickland, and Allie's mam. Allie's mam was a problematic parent, but she did redeem herself. We saw that she was as much a victim as Allie or Leah were, and was simply struggling trying to help herself, while at the same time helping everyone else around her. John was a very surprising character. I'm glad he wasn't a love interest for Allie, but was the perfect friend she needed to get her through this trying time. John knew Leah, and they could both tell each other their 'Leah' stories, in order to grieve, properly.
This book deals with a very controversial subject, and I feel as if it did that very, very well. Ramey should be so proud of her debut, and I honestly can say I am looking forward to more of her work. I knew I was reading a book as I was reading this, but it felt like a real, non-fictional book - as if it was a biography or something. I was a part of the story, and was invested in Allie's well-being. Allie was the best thing about this book, and I think a lot of people would love her as much as me. I definitely recommend this book, especially for lovers of angsty, real contemporary books.
October 26, 2015
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Allie is a mess during this book, as anyone would be after losing their sister. But, Allie's pain is made even worse by the fact that she and her sister had always told each other that they'd never end their lives without the other one doing so too. So she now is dealing with the pain of losing her sister, and also wondering why her sister has left her behind. Throw in some really crappy family dynamics and the love life from hell and well.. you have one girl with a lot of problems.
The thing about this that I liked really was the realism. Because at first, a lot of people were concerned about Allie. And eventually... they became less so, as people do. As much as you'd like to think that the world grinds to a halt when you're dying inside, it does not. And it is so, so clear in this story. Allie's mom has her own demons, including struggles with pills and some mental health issues. Allie's dad has his struggle with assholery happening, which makes him worse than useless, because he is basically a bully. Allie's crush, Max, likes to pretend he cares about her until some new girl comes around for him to try to hook up with. And the new love interest in her life, Nick, seems to be very nice to Allie, until he starts being Judgy McJudgerson and instead of helping Allie, he decides to make her feel like crap about her decisions. And sadly, this is the most personality Nick has in the whole book.
So yeah, Allie's on her own, trying to unravel the secrets of Leah's life in an attempt to get a bit of closure. Alone, except for her pills. And here is where things started to break down for me a bit. You have a girl with a history of mental health issues, and a huge (and fatal) family history of drug abuse. But let's offer her pills! ALL the pills, of course. And other drugs. And when you see her chugging cold medicine, let's just turn a blind eye. Look, I do understand that the world is not going to stop for Allie's loss and grief, but for goodness sake, do people have to throw all the pills at her?
Which brings me to another problem: WHY does everyone in this book use drugs? Like, what kind of fresh hell is this? Allie gets made fun of for not using drugs, not having sex, and it doesn't make any sense to me. Is this my age showing? If this is what high school is like now, my children will be homeschooled. At a convent. Even the boy. I digress, but seriously, this is not real life. Nor is there any reason given for why all the drugs have to be used by every single person. So it was both annoying and confusing.
Bottom Line: I don't know. On one hand, the story was certainly emotionally gripping, and I couldn't help but feel for Allie in so, so many ways. But the lack of sense of any other character left me scratching my head. I understand that there will be people in life who let you down, but all of them? Had that been the case, I would have assumed Allie's story would have taken a much uglier turn.
Allie is a mess during this book, as anyone would be after losing their sister. But, Allie's pain is made even worse by the fact that she and her sister had always told each other that they'd never end their lives without the other one doing so too. So she now is dealing with the pain of losing her sister, and also wondering why her sister has left her behind. Throw in some really crappy family dynamics and the love life from hell and well.. you have one girl with a lot of problems.
The thing about this that I liked really was the realism. Because at first, a lot of people were concerned about Allie. And eventually... they became less so, as people do. As much as you'd like to think that the world grinds to a halt when you're dying inside, it does not. And it is so, so clear in this story. Allie's mom has her own demons, including struggles with pills and some mental health issues. Allie's dad has his struggle with assholery happening, which makes him worse than useless, because he is basically a bully. Allie's crush, Max, likes to pretend he cares about her until some new girl comes around for him to try to hook up with. And the new love interest in her life, Nick, seems to be very nice to Allie, until he starts being Judgy McJudgerson and instead of helping Allie, he decides to make her feel like crap about her decisions. And sadly, this is the most personality Nick has in the whole book.
So yeah, Allie's on her own, trying to unravel the secrets of Leah's life in an attempt to get a bit of closure. Alone, except for her pills. And here is where things started to break down for me a bit. You have a girl with a history of mental health issues, and a huge (and fatal) family history of drug abuse. But let's offer her pills! ALL the pills, of course. And other drugs. And when you see her chugging cold medicine, let's just turn a blind eye. Look, I do understand that the world is not going to stop for Allie's loss and grief, but for goodness sake, do people have to throw all the pills at her?
Which brings me to another problem: WHY does everyone in this book use drugs? Like, what kind of fresh hell is this? Allie gets made fun of for not using drugs, not having sex, and it doesn't make any sense to me. Is this my age showing? If this is what high school is like now, my children will be homeschooled. At a convent. Even the boy. I digress, but seriously, this is not real life. Nor is there any reason given for why all the drugs have to be used by every single person. So it was both annoying and confusing.
Bottom Line: I don't know. On one hand, the story was certainly emotionally gripping, and I couldn't help but feel for Allie in so, so many ways. But the lack of sense of any other character left me scratching my head. I understand that there will be people in life who let you down, but all of them? Had that been the case, I would have assumed Allie's story would have taken a much uglier turn.
September 16, 2017
My first summer reading choice was "The Sister Pact" by Stacie Ramey. This book is about two sisters, Allie and Leah, who have been together through thick and thin, and some really hard times in their lives. But when Leah, Allie's older sister, commits suicide everything takes a turn in Allie's life. Her parents and friends try to support her in every way, and Allie wants to do it on her own, but she realizes sometimes she does need support, and some space at the same time. But their sympathy only makes the grief of her loss worse. When Allie starts "seeing" Leah in her everyday life, she feels like she might be going crazy... or maybe Leah really is there and trying to tell her something, giving her hints and clues why this happened.
My personal opinion of this book is 5/5 stars!! This book hooks me into it even more almost every page I turn. So many plot twists, and a lot of suspicion, which is what I enjoy! I love how throughout the book there is more to know, and not everything about it right off the bat, or the first chapter. There is nothing I would change to this book, I can tell this book has a lot of hard work put into it, it definitely paid off! Amazing book!!
My recommendation to this book goes to anyone (13 or so and up) who loves suspicion, chick lit, and realistic-fiction books. This is definitely for specific age, but anyone within that would enjoy the book as much as I did, guaranteed!
My personal opinion of this book is 5/5 stars!! This book hooks me into it even more almost every page I turn. So many plot twists, and a lot of suspicion, which is what I enjoy! I love how throughout the book there is more to know, and not everything about it right off the bat, or the first chapter. There is nothing I would change to this book, I can tell this book has a lot of hard work put into it, it definitely paid off! Amazing book!!
My recommendation to this book goes to anyone (13 or so and up) who loves suspicion, chick lit, and realistic-fiction books. This is definitely for specific age, but anyone within that would enjoy the book as much as I did, guaranteed!
August 8, 2015
I will put up my full review closer to the publication date.
August 15, 2018
“I think she gave everyone a small piece of who she was. So if any one of them left, no one would have taken all of her, she wouldn’t be completely broken.”
November 30, 2015
I like emotional stories that surround topics authors tend to shy away from, so I was really curious about The Sister Pact after reading the blurb. Initially, I had a tough time getting into the story, but once things started to move along it became more intriguing and more intense.
The book opens up with the aftermath of one sister's suicide. Allie is trying to cope with the fact that Leah has taken her life without telling her beforehand that she was going to do it. Her parents decide to have her see a psychiatrist because they're worried Allie will do the same. At first it seemed like Allie was okay, that she wasn't struggling with depression or even had the intention of committing suicide, but once we start to get inside her head and see how her life was, I realized she had a lot of issues like her older sister, and mostly it had to do with her relationship with Leah and the effects of her parents' failed marriage.
Like the reader, Allie had a lot of questions. She desperately needed to know why Leah took her life and why she broke their pact. Because of this, she even started seeing her older sister and we're given the chance to experience the kind of influence Leah had over Allie. It certainly wasn't healthy. I mean, some of the things Leah said and did had me wondering how Allie could idolize her so much. Leah even led Allie to believe that by doing something in particular, she would make her boyfriend pay more attention to her. That and the fact that she convinced Allie to start a suicide pact was enough to convince me something wasn't right with Leah. She seemed like a manipulator, along with having mental issues. And the only person oblivious to that was Allie, because she was too set on believing her older sister was perfect.
Throughout the story, Allie made some decisions that baffled me and the way she idolized Leah had me shaking my head. Allie clung to her older sister so much that it drove her further down a painful path, and it truly saddened me when her life continued to fall apart. I commend the author on delivering such realistic emotions and issues that others can relate to. Allie isn't a sweet and clean YA character, she dealt with a lot and aside from her dark art, used other methods to try and control her pain. Her character was raw and imperfect, the kind I like.
There were other aspects of the story that were interesting, like their parents' personalities and how the mom was with the father. I felt that if she depicted more strength and had shown her daughters not to stand for certain things, then maybe that would have helped in some ways, especially with Allie. She didn't consider her mom to be a strong person because of how her mom allowed the father to have control over her even when they'd split. Maybe Allie could have been stronger in facing her problems, had that been demonstrated by a mom she could respect in that way. I liked how they were able to resolve some tension in their mother-daughter relationship toward the end, though, and I was happy when the mom finally made a stand for herself.
Nick was a sweet addition and I liked how he treated Allie throughout the story. She was going through a lot so the way she was with him was understandable, and the fact that she was strung up on another guy who wasn't deserving of her feelings made things even more complicated for her and Nick. Thankfully, by the end of the book Allie started to come into her own, learned to handle her pain in a healthier way, and was finally starting to let Leah go.
Overall, a great story with an emotional subject. The writing was wonderful, very fluid. The storyline definitely made an impact on me and had me taking a deeper look at mental illness and how it's often overlooked. I implore you, please reach out to someone for help if you're going through what Allie and her sister were facing in this book. You are not alone. Suicide is never the answer.
The book opens up with the aftermath of one sister's suicide. Allie is trying to cope with the fact that Leah has taken her life without telling her beforehand that she was going to do it. Her parents decide to have her see a psychiatrist because they're worried Allie will do the same. At first it seemed like Allie was okay, that she wasn't struggling with depression or even had the intention of committing suicide, but once we start to get inside her head and see how her life was, I realized she had a lot of issues like her older sister, and mostly it had to do with her relationship with Leah and the effects of her parents' failed marriage.
Like the reader, Allie had a lot of questions. She desperately needed to know why Leah took her life and why she broke their pact. Because of this, she even started seeing her older sister and we're given the chance to experience the kind of influence Leah had over Allie. It certainly wasn't healthy. I mean, some of the things Leah said and did had me wondering how Allie could idolize her so much. Leah even led Allie to believe that by doing something in particular, she would make her boyfriend pay more attention to her. That and the fact that she convinced Allie to start a suicide pact was enough to convince me something wasn't right with Leah. She seemed like a manipulator, along with having mental issues. And the only person oblivious to that was Allie, because she was too set on believing her older sister was perfect.
Throughout the story, Allie made some decisions that baffled me and the way she idolized Leah had me shaking my head. Allie clung to her older sister so much that it drove her further down a painful path, and it truly saddened me when her life continued to fall apart. I commend the author on delivering such realistic emotions and issues that others can relate to. Allie isn't a sweet and clean YA character, she dealt with a lot and aside from her dark art, used other methods to try and control her pain. Her character was raw and imperfect, the kind I like.
There were other aspects of the story that were interesting, like their parents' personalities and how the mom was with the father. I felt that if she depicted more strength and had shown her daughters not to stand for certain things, then maybe that would have helped in some ways, especially with Allie. She didn't consider her mom to be a strong person because of how her mom allowed the father to have control over her even when they'd split. Maybe Allie could have been stronger in facing her problems, had that been demonstrated by a mom she could respect in that way. I liked how they were able to resolve some tension in their mother-daughter relationship toward the end, though, and I was happy when the mom finally made a stand for herself.
Nick was a sweet addition and I liked how he treated Allie throughout the story. She was going through a lot so the way she was with him was understandable, and the fact that she was strung up on another guy who wasn't deserving of her feelings made things even more complicated for her and Nick. Thankfully, by the end of the book Allie started to come into her own, learned to handle her pain in a healthier way, and was finally starting to let Leah go.
Overall, a great story with an emotional subject. The writing was wonderful, very fluid. The storyline definitely made an impact on me and had me taking a deeper look at mental illness and how it's often overlooked. I implore you, please reach out to someone for help if you're going through what Allie and her sister were facing in this book. You are not alone. Suicide is never the answer.
November 2, 2015
The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey is an emotional young adult novel that tackles some very difficult subjects such as teen suicide, grief, depression and drug use. It is a realistic and very compelling story that is thought-provoking and ultimately, healing. Due to some of its content, I recommend the novel to older teen (and adult) readers.
In the aftermath of her sister Leah's suicide, Allie Blackmore is grief stricken and haunted by her sister's death. They were incredibly close and as teenagers, they devised a suicide pact. Struggling to understand why her sister ignored their pact and killed herself, Allie begins a downward spiral of using cold medicine and eventually illicitly obtained prescription drugs in an effort to numb her pain. Although she is seeing a psychiatrist, she refuses to open up to her doctor and against medical advice, she stops taking her prescription for anti-depressants. Desperately trying to pick up the pieces of her life, Allie's efforts are hampered by her inability to paint, a toxic relationship with her longtime crush and ghostly appearances by Leah.
Allie is a likable yet incredibly exasperating character. Instead of being honest about how much she is struggling, she keeps insisting everything is "fine". Her relationship with her parents is fraught with tension even before Leah's death and now they are wrapped up in their own grief, Allie is essentially left to deal with her problems on her own. With all of her father's high expectations weighing on her, Allie resents his autocratic orders and dismissive attitude toward her and her mother. Her mom is of absolutely no help since she relies heavily on Xanax to get her through the day and continues to allow her soon to be ex-husband to steamroll over her. It is little wonder Allie chooses unhealthy ways to help cope with her crushing grief and her pain positively radiates off the pages of the novel.
As she tries to understand Leah's decision, Allie keeps going over the events of their last day together. Her memories of their final evening together at a party are hazy but bits and pieces begin to come back to her. Did something out of the ordinary happen to Leah at the party? Do the answers lie in the sisters' dysfunctional home life? The further Allie digs into Leah's life, she is stunned to learn that her sister was keeping many secrets and despite the information she uncovers, she may never discover the reason for Leah's inexplicable decision.
The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey is a riveting young adult novel that is gritty and unflinchingly honest. What initially drives the story is learning the truth about Allie's family, the reasons for the suicide pact and why Leah committed suicide. However, by the novel's conclusion, it is Allie's journey of self-discovery that holds the reader's attention. All in all, it is a very moving novel that I recommend to adults and older teens.
In the aftermath of her sister Leah's suicide, Allie Blackmore is grief stricken and haunted by her sister's death. They were incredibly close and as teenagers, they devised a suicide pact. Struggling to understand why her sister ignored their pact and killed herself, Allie begins a downward spiral of using cold medicine and eventually illicitly obtained prescription drugs in an effort to numb her pain. Although she is seeing a psychiatrist, she refuses to open up to her doctor and against medical advice, she stops taking her prescription for anti-depressants. Desperately trying to pick up the pieces of her life, Allie's efforts are hampered by her inability to paint, a toxic relationship with her longtime crush and ghostly appearances by Leah.
Allie is a likable yet incredibly exasperating character. Instead of being honest about how much she is struggling, she keeps insisting everything is "fine". Her relationship with her parents is fraught with tension even before Leah's death and now they are wrapped up in their own grief, Allie is essentially left to deal with her problems on her own. With all of her father's high expectations weighing on her, Allie resents his autocratic orders and dismissive attitude toward her and her mother. Her mom is of absolutely no help since she relies heavily on Xanax to get her through the day and continues to allow her soon to be ex-husband to steamroll over her. It is little wonder Allie chooses unhealthy ways to help cope with her crushing grief and her pain positively radiates off the pages of the novel.
As she tries to understand Leah's decision, Allie keeps going over the events of their last day together. Her memories of their final evening together at a party are hazy but bits and pieces begin to come back to her. Did something out of the ordinary happen to Leah at the party? Do the answers lie in the sisters' dysfunctional home life? The further Allie digs into Leah's life, she is stunned to learn that her sister was keeping many secrets and despite the information she uncovers, she may never discover the reason for Leah's inexplicable decision.
The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey is a riveting young adult novel that is gritty and unflinchingly honest. What initially drives the story is learning the truth about Allie's family, the reasons for the suicide pact and why Leah committed suicide. However, by the novel's conclusion, it is Allie's journey of self-discovery that holds the reader's attention. All in all, it is a very moving novel that I recommend to adults and older teens.
June 14, 2018
I thought that this book was a meh - there was an interesting enough plot, but I didn't really like the characters or the story development.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK:
The author likes switching around scenes from the past and mixing them with current “real-time scenes”. I was able to learn more about Allie’s backstory, but it was also a very confusing technique, and I was sometimes unsure about whether i was reading about a scene from Allie’s memories or a scene that Allie was currently experiencing. The main reason why it was so confusing was because for a majority of the book, Allie feels like her sister’s spirit or ghost materialises and has conversations with her, so both scenes before and after her sister’s suicide would include both Allie and Leah.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK:
The book was pretty transparent about the fleeting nature of humans caring about other humans. In “the sister pact”, Allie receives a lot of initial support and attention from peers she previously never spoke to. However, as time when on, the some of the support dwindled, and Allie found herself mostly alone in her struggles. I enjoyed this accurate representation of how most people react to sudden tragedies, because I think it made the overall book characters seem more realistic.
Read my full review at my blog:
https://voraciousreader.wixsite.com/t...
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK:
The author likes switching around scenes from the past and mixing them with current “real-time scenes”. I was able to learn more about Allie’s backstory, but it was also a very confusing technique, and I was sometimes unsure about whether i was reading about a scene from Allie’s memories or a scene that Allie was currently experiencing. The main reason why it was so confusing was because for a majority of the book, Allie feels like her sister’s spirit or ghost materialises and has conversations with her, so both scenes before and after her sister’s suicide would include both Allie and Leah.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK:
The book was pretty transparent about the fleeting nature of humans caring about other humans. In “the sister pact”, Allie receives a lot of initial support and attention from peers she previously never spoke to. However, as time when on, the some of the support dwindled, and Allie found herself mostly alone in her struggles. I enjoyed this accurate representation of how most people react to sudden tragedies, because I think it made the overall book characters seem more realistic.
Read my full review at my blog:
https://voraciousreader.wixsite.com/t...
November 30, 2017
This is a really good but sad book. Please read.
September 12, 2017
The book is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
October 19, 2019
** Thank you Netgalley-- even though I'm reading this very late **
I can't tell if I like this and it just hasn't hit me yet or if it fell completely flat. I can tell what the author was going for here, but I just don't think it worked the way I personally wanted it to. Most of the book just felt like nothing was really happening.
At the same time, this is supposed to be a book about grief and loss and dealing with a sister who committed suicide. But at some parts I just felt like it was trying to be a regular contemporary with a hard hitting component, and it didn't work.
It almost feels like this book was ahead of its time. The writing was fantastic so I know the author has it in them to write a hard hitting contemporary, which is very popular right now, but when this was written, it wasn't as popular as it is now.
Overall, would I read this book again? No. Would I suggest it to people? Eh, if they like books with hard topics but don't really care about a deep plot. Would I continue reading this author? Absolutely. I'm excited to see the evolution of their writing.
I can't tell if I like this and it just hasn't hit me yet or if it fell completely flat. I can tell what the author was going for here, but I just don't think it worked the way I personally wanted it to. Most of the book just felt like nothing was really happening.
At the same time, this is supposed to be a book about grief and loss and dealing with a sister who committed suicide. But at some parts I just felt like it was trying to be a regular contemporary with a hard hitting component, and it didn't work.
It almost feels like this book was ahead of its time. The writing was fantastic so I know the author has it in them to write a hard hitting contemporary, which is very popular right now, but when this was written, it wasn't as popular as it is now.
Overall, would I read this book again? No. Would I suggest it to people? Eh, if they like books with hard topics but don't really care about a deep plot. Would I continue reading this author? Absolutely. I'm excited to see the evolution of their writing.
October 6, 2017
When devastating events happen to Allie she must find a way regain happiness. Allies go-to misery help is pills and Leah’s encouraging her. Leah has just committed suicide leaving a confused, depressed (kinda), and miserable Allie. As Allie struggles in high school, her parents being divorced, and a possible addiction she’s guaranteed a struggle while getting help from her “friends”. What most makes Allies journey memorable is that this happens all the time in reality to. People are constantly committing suicide and becoming an addict.
There is this astonishing and like all of us this kind of unfinished or unpolished vibe that makes it seem more like us, like human beings, not this robot finished book. It has a ton of imperfections that make it seem like it was made by a human. What I think is great about this book is it makes you look at your life and see that life is pretty good depending on who you are. I used to think that there were days where my life was terrible and then I read this book and realized now I have never experienced something such as terrible and heart breaking as this. I have to say that there are something’s I would have liked to here more of or got some more answers to but other than that I could not stop reading this or put this book down. How this book is written makes it almost addicting.
To sum it up this book was amazing with a bunch of backstabbing, broken promises, broken hearts, and finally some answers to her sisters death. I think that this book has a valuable life lesson ( you have to find it ) and it makes you look more to the positive side. This is a great book for 6th grade and above. And for anyone who wants a glimpse at reality this is a great realistic fiction book. For everyone who says they will never pick The Sister Pact up again give it a second chance. Rereading a book is like looking at the world with a whole new set of eyes. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I would recommend it to about everyone I know and that mean you to, yes you reader you to.
There is this astonishing and like all of us this kind of unfinished or unpolished vibe that makes it seem more like us, like human beings, not this robot finished book. It has a ton of imperfections that make it seem like it was made by a human. What I think is great about this book is it makes you look at your life and see that life is pretty good depending on who you are. I used to think that there were days where my life was terrible and then I read this book and realized now I have never experienced something such as terrible and heart breaking as this. I have to say that there are something’s I would have liked to here more of or got some more answers to but other than that I could not stop reading this or put this book down. How this book is written makes it almost addicting.
To sum it up this book was amazing with a bunch of backstabbing, broken promises, broken hearts, and finally some answers to her sisters death. I think that this book has a valuable life lesson ( you have to find it ) and it makes you look more to the positive side. This is a great book for 6th grade and above. And for anyone who wants a glimpse at reality this is a great realistic fiction book. For everyone who says they will never pick The Sister Pact up again give it a second chance. Rereading a book is like looking at the world with a whole new set of eyes. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I would recommend it to about everyone I know and that mean you to, yes you reader you to.
March 9, 2016
This is one emotional YA novel. The story picks up after Allie's sister commits suicide, breaking their suicide pact. Leah was the oldest, while Allie looked up to her sister, Leah had a lot of secrets. This is a story of a troubled teen trying to find her footing after her parents separation, her mom being addicted to prescription pills and the recent death of her sister, Leah. Allie is lost, her art is lost and she doesn't know what to do. She needs to grieve but is having troubles. She is seeing a therapist and is suppose to be taking medication but it leaves her feeling "numb". Allie is fighting the help from the therapist as she feel no one understands what she has lost. Leah wasn't suppose to leave her especially without Allie.
We watch as Allie makes a downward spiral, trying to find her art and understand why Leah did it. Allie sees Leah mostly when she takes pills that she gets from another older student. This story pulls on the heart strings, wanting to see Allie get help and not lose total control over herself and life. Allie says she doesn't want to die but everything she does is leading her down that path. I do feel that the characters were well developed and that the story line is written in a steady pace. I couldn't put this book down, and was full of emotions for Allie.
I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
We watch as Allie makes a downward spiral, trying to find her art and understand why Leah did it. Allie sees Leah mostly when she takes pills that she gets from another older student. This story pulls on the heart strings, wanting to see Allie get help and not lose total control over herself and life. Allie says she doesn't want to die but everything she does is leading her down that path. I do feel that the characters were well developed and that the story line is written in a steady pace. I couldn't put this book down, and was full of emotions for Allie.
I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2015
DNF at 40%. I did not care for a single character. This book contained an inaccurate representation of mental illness and mental illness medication. The main character . says her medication makes her feel numb and unlike herself, yet medication typically restores a person in a way and helps them recover if they find the right one. Her refusal to even take the medication also set a very bad example. I am very sad I didn''t enjoy this book because the concept was so thrilling and I thought I would love it.
June 21, 2019
A suicide pact was supposed to keep them together, but a broken promise tore them apart
Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide - and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.
Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.
But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.
Powerful. Emotional. Haunting. Beautifully written book about grief.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up the book, I haven’t read any books by STACIE RAMEY before. I was blown away, it was an emotional book to read, and at the same time you didn’t want to put it down. It did take me few pages to get into story, and once I did, I was hooked. There were times where it got hard for me to read THE SISTER PACT , and I had put it down. I wanted to wrap Allie in a hug and just hold her in my arms; I cannot imagine losing a sibling the way she lost Leah. My heart broke for Allie multiple times, and I found myself wishing that Allie was dreaming. Reading THE SISTER PACT , the emotions in the book, I felt them. I could feel Allie’s grief, heartbreak, confusion, anger. Even as I reached the ending of the book, I felt all of those emotions. THE SISTER PACT is a book where you should be prepared for your emotions being all over place, even as you finish the book. Despite being a hard subject to read about, a story that you won’t be able to forget. I knew it be hard book to read, but did not realize it how hard. It is one of the reasons that THE SISTER PACT felt so real.
Depression, Suicide, Drug use is something that a lot of people can relate to, and that is something that happens in real life. Depression is something I dealt with since I was teen, it might not got as bad as Leah’s, but I know how it feels like. I could relate how Leah felt like. I also had couple friends through years who attempted suicide, and that was as hard to me, so I could imagine how Allie was feeling. I felt that maybe it why I could relate to those characters more than any others that I read about. I am sure that I am not the only one. I was rooting for Allie, I was hoping for her to get better, but then how could you get over something so painful? But I was hoping that she would find a way. I hoped she would find a way to paint again. I was glad that her mom was there for her, even when she didn’t want her to. I had to force myself to put the book down and if it wasn’t for my hectic schedule this summer, I wouldn’t have. THE SISTER PACT was a breathtaking story. Not only the story, but did you see the cover? That was actually what caught my attention and I am glad that it did. I would highly recommend this book, but be prepared for emotional ride.
Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide - and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.
Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.
But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.
Powerful. Emotional. Haunting. Beautifully written book about grief.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up the book, I haven’t read any books by STACIE RAMEY before. I was blown away, it was an emotional book to read, and at the same time you didn’t want to put it down. It did take me few pages to get into story, and once I did, I was hooked. There were times where it got hard for me to read THE SISTER PACT , and I had put it down. I wanted to wrap Allie in a hug and just hold her in my arms; I cannot imagine losing a sibling the way she lost Leah. My heart broke for Allie multiple times, and I found myself wishing that Allie was dreaming. Reading THE SISTER PACT , the emotions in the book, I felt them. I could feel Allie’s grief, heartbreak, confusion, anger. Even as I reached the ending of the book, I felt all of those emotions. THE SISTER PACT is a book where you should be prepared for your emotions being all over place, even as you finish the book. Despite being a hard subject to read about, a story that you won’t be able to forget. I knew it be hard book to read, but did not realize it how hard. It is one of the reasons that THE SISTER PACT felt so real.
Depression, Suicide, Drug use is something that a lot of people can relate to, and that is something that happens in real life. Depression is something I dealt with since I was teen, it might not got as bad as Leah’s, but I know how it feels like. I could relate how Leah felt like. I also had couple friends through years who attempted suicide, and that was as hard to me, so I could imagine how Allie was feeling. I felt that maybe it why I could relate to those characters more than any others that I read about. I am sure that I am not the only one. I was rooting for Allie, I was hoping for her to get better, but then how could you get over something so painful? But I was hoping that she would find a way. I hoped she would find a way to paint again. I was glad that her mom was there for her, even when she didn’t want her to. I had to force myself to put the book down and if it wasn’t for my hectic schedule this summer, I wouldn’t have. THE SISTER PACT was a breathtaking story. Not only the story, but did you see the cover? That was actually what caught my attention and I am glad that it did. I would highly recommend this book, but be prepared for emotional ride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2019
I’m so conflicted about this book. On one hand it’s a painful read, in a lovely way, about grief. On the other it doesn’t really have enough connection to the mental health issues for me - especially proper conversations about taking pills/drugs or not with doctors.
Allie is somewhat unreliable as a narrator, as you don’t get information when you need it - it’s more dished out in mystery style when it benefits the plot. But because it’s not a mystery, it’s about a girl not dealing with the loss of her sister, that doesn’t really work. It makes it hard to connect with Allie. And it doesn’t help that she’s so disconnected from everything. All that said, it also comes across as a very raw pain and that is well done. I don’t like that she turns to dulling her pain so easily, especially as we learn more and more (both in the stuff Allie always knew and the stuff she learns) about why that is a terrible idea for her.
I also wanted more from the relationship with her father. He feels like a cop out - a character to blame things on without actually writing him much. More should have been made out of the fact he’s a bully. And her friends suck. They never seem supportive from the start, but Max especially is a giant douche throughout. Manipulative and callous.
Nick and Piper and even John to a degree are better, but it really hurt to read about Allie being in so much pain and not having any form of support system.
All of that made me want more on the mental health - for Allie and her Mum. And I wanted to connect more with the characters - this book should have made me bawl, but it didn’t. However, I do think it’s still powerful in its own way, and shows a side of grief rarely seen in books. 2.5 stars.
Allie is somewhat unreliable as a narrator, as you don’t get information when you need it - it’s more dished out in mystery style when it benefits the plot. But because it’s not a mystery, it’s about a girl not dealing with the loss of her sister, that doesn’t really work. It makes it hard to connect with Allie. And it doesn’t help that she’s so disconnected from everything. All that said, it also comes across as a very raw pain and that is well done. I don’t like that she turns to dulling her pain so easily, especially as we learn more and more (both in the stuff Allie always knew and the stuff she learns) about why that is a terrible idea for her.
I also wanted more from the relationship with her father. He feels like a cop out - a character to blame things on without actually writing him much. More should have been made out of the fact he’s a bully. And her friends suck. They never seem supportive from the start, but Max especially is a giant douche throughout. Manipulative and callous.
Nick and Piper and even John to a degree are better, but it really hurt to read about Allie being in so much pain and not having any form of support system.
All of that made me want more on the mental health - for Allie and her Mum. And I wanted to connect more with the characters - this book should have made me bawl, but it didn’t. However, I do think it’s still powerful in its own way, and shows a side of grief rarely seen in books. 2.5 stars.
October 30, 2017
I picked up Stacie Ramey’s THE SISTER PACT while on vacation. The timing may not have been the best because Ms. Ramey kept me turning pages, pulling me deeper into Allie’s despair. Truly, I had to force myself to shake off the strong emotions evoked by her story.
In THE SISTER PACT, we find out early that this is a story of loss, but Allie didn’t just lose her sister, she lost herself as well. It’s not until Allie weaves through the tangles of lies in her family, that she is able to begin to find herself. The biggest lies were those of her sister. Leah didn’t keep the pact. Leah left without her. Leah wasn’t fine. Leah didn’t have all the answers. And Leah was not the strong one.
An artist, Allie defines her world by colors. Everyone has a color, her sister, Leah, her parents, the love of her life, Max, her best friend, Emery, and even Nick. Ah, Nick, who encourages her to find her vision again, who really sees her in her paintings. It’s all so confusing, suffocating. Allie tries to cope with the aftermath by medicating herself with cough medicines, soon followed by pills, so many colors of pills.When she meets Leah’s special someone, the secrets start coming out. About Leah, about Max and Emery, and even her parents. Leah is with her always. Telling her what to do, what to think. And after Allie nearly goes too far herself, she realizes she has to do this on her own. Refusing all medications, even those her psychiatrist recommends, she faces the lies alone in her studio, just her, her paints and the blank canvas.
THE SISTER PACT is a powerful story, artfully told by Stacie Ramey. Expect to feel the raw pain and anger one must feel after someone so loved and admired throws everything away seemingly without warning. Feel the warm rays of hope and light when Allie finds the Allie she thought she’d lost. The Allie that is alive.
In THE SISTER PACT, we find out early that this is a story of loss, but Allie didn’t just lose her sister, she lost herself as well. It’s not until Allie weaves through the tangles of lies in her family, that she is able to begin to find herself. The biggest lies were those of her sister. Leah didn’t keep the pact. Leah left without her. Leah wasn’t fine. Leah didn’t have all the answers. And Leah was not the strong one.
An artist, Allie defines her world by colors. Everyone has a color, her sister, Leah, her parents, the love of her life, Max, her best friend, Emery, and even Nick. Ah, Nick, who encourages her to find her vision again, who really sees her in her paintings. It’s all so confusing, suffocating. Allie tries to cope with the aftermath by medicating herself with cough medicines, soon followed by pills, so many colors of pills.When she meets Leah’s special someone, the secrets start coming out. About Leah, about Max and Emery, and even her parents. Leah is with her always. Telling her what to do, what to think. And after Allie nearly goes too far herself, she realizes she has to do this on her own. Refusing all medications, even those her psychiatrist recommends, she faces the lies alone in her studio, just her, her paints and the blank canvas.
THE SISTER PACT is a powerful story, artfully told by Stacie Ramey. Expect to feel the raw pain and anger one must feel after someone so loved and admired throws everything away seemingly without warning. Feel the warm rays of hope and light when Allie finds the Allie she thought she’d lost. The Allie that is alive.
January 31, 2018
Allie is trying to deal with her sister's suicide in this story. Leah, Allie's sister, was not supposed to leave her! They had made a pact to each other that they would always be there for each other no matter what. How can her sister leave her? Allie is not dealing with her sister's death very well. Her parents are hovering over her, her friends are trying to be supportive and all of this just intensifies the grief that Allie is dealing with.
Allie has a problem of taking pills and cough syrup too to help her deal with situations that she would rather avoid. There is a little bit of romance with Nick in this book, but not too much. This story basically deals with Allie and how she reacts to and deals with things after her sister's death. I thought that the author did really well with making this one seem more real life than some I have read. We all would feel like Allie I am sure if we had to deal with the death of a sibling. These are real life issues that were dealt with in a real way.
I thought this was a great read by Stacie Ramey and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for her readers next!
Allie has a problem of taking pills and cough syrup too to help her deal with situations that she would rather avoid. There is a little bit of romance with Nick in this book, but not too much. This story basically deals with Allie and how she reacts to and deals with things after her sister's death. I thought that the author did really well with making this one seem more real life than some I have read. We all would feel like Allie I am sure if we had to deal with the death of a sibling. These are real life issues that were dealt with in a real way.
I thought this was a great read by Stacie Ramey and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for her readers next!
October 27, 2018
Allie´s beloved older sister is dead. By suicide. And Allie is devastated, not just because by the horrible fact that her sister had ended her own life - but because she does not understand, too. They had promised each other that if they ever were to do that, they would do it together. So why Leah had not ever communicated her intentions? Allie feels betrayed, alone in the cold world without the most protective person she ever had in her life. So she tries everything to block her pain - the trouble is, that the pain does not stop, and so are the Leah´s (imagined?) moments of reappearance.
And what had really happened at the party that day?
This one is so sad and impactful book! How horrible can the high school life be - and what is more terrible is the fact that the book just feels very realistic. The cold world without trustworthy adults (because however nice teachers and psychiatrists cannot replace the parents/family), the false friends, the self-obsessed handsome boys, the cruel IT girls. How can one ever find the light? Ugh.
I was impacted by this the most - the cold, lonely world where we live.
And how easy is to try to silence the pain by ready-to-go replacements - alcohol, drugs, sex! Just they are really not the solution, they work just for that moment.
So one should be happy for the seemingly bad boy, who truly cares. And the nice boyfriend who is flawed, but who cares in his flawness, too. And the nice art class classmate. And the one teacher who sees your art talent. And the mother who might start to fight to get her own life back. Because the love, even if not picture-perfect, not like the picture the suffering ones paint for the world to see instead of their pain, might still be here.
And what had really happened at the party that day?
This one is so sad and impactful book! How horrible can the high school life be - and what is more terrible is the fact that the book just feels very realistic. The cold world without trustworthy adults (because however nice teachers and psychiatrists cannot replace the parents/family), the false friends, the self-obsessed handsome boys, the cruel IT girls. How can one ever find the light? Ugh.
I was impacted by this the most - the cold, lonely world where we live.
And how easy is to try to silence the pain by ready-to-go replacements - alcohol, drugs, sex! Just they are really not the solution, they work just for that moment.
So one should be happy for the seemingly bad boy, who truly cares. And the nice boyfriend who is flawed, but who cares in his flawness, too. And the nice art class classmate. And the one teacher who sees your art talent. And the mother who might start to fight to get her own life back. Because the love, even if not picture-perfect, not like the picture the suffering ones paint for the world to see instead of their pain, might still be here.
November 11, 2017
The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey is a must-read, young adult fiction book about a girl who is devastated by her sister’s suicide, but also betrayed because they made a pact that they would always be together. Allie must find out why she broke her promise. The book was published in 2015 by Stacie Ramey who is mainly known for her many other young adult fiction novels. Many people can relate to the main character, Allie, who is a teen that is struggling to keep up with her social life, school, friends and family, which makes for a stressful teenage life. The plot is not very clear throughout the story and constantly transitions between memories and reality. This book is very similar to the last book I read, We Are The Ants by Shaun Hutchinson that is also about a young teen who is stressed about his life and is searching for the reason why his friend committed suicide. The Sister Pact could also be compared to the book Paper Towns by John Green because it shows a guy searching for his friend who leaves hints about where she went and why she went there. All of these novels share the same plot line of a teen who is searching for something that has impacted their life. The Sister Pact contains the misuse of drugs, which may be an issue for some readers. The point that the author wanted to make was to find your own colors stray away from what others want you to be. I would recommend this book to teens, but I think anyone would really enjoy it.
November 3, 2017
The book The Sister Pact is a very good book and I would recommend it to any friend or young adult. The author Stacie Ramey was very good at making the book seem like a movie and I could always picture what was going in the book. The story is filled with things that could happen to an everyday normal family. The book could teach people the right and wrong to do in these certain situations. This book is a very good book for anyone who is going through or has gone through any hard situations with family.
May 9, 2024
"Sometimes it felt like she was drowning, even though she wasn’t in the water.”
I wholly feel this statement, and as an older sister who struggles with her own mental illness, I felt for Leah and Allie. I loved the closeness between the two, and I hated the gut-wrenching feeling when Allie was struggling to understand why her sister would break their pact and leave her behind.
I won't lie; for me, the beginning of the story starts off slow, and just about every character I was suspicious of, as I wasn't getting great vibes from a lot of the characters, especially the parents. Her friends tried to be there for her, but in my opinion, they were also kind of bad friends for keeping secrets and not letting her parents or any other adult know that Allie was struggling, and they were worried about her.
In the end, I found the story well written and easy to read, and I was able to relate to the main characters, Allie and Leah. I'm open to reading future works from Ramey and would most likely recommend this book to other readers if they were looking for this kind of theme.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
I wholly feel this statement, and as an older sister who struggles with her own mental illness, I felt for Leah and Allie. I loved the closeness between the two, and I hated the gut-wrenching feeling when Allie was struggling to understand why her sister would break their pact and leave her behind.
I won't lie; for me, the beginning of the story starts off slow, and just about every character I was suspicious of, as I wasn't getting great vibes from a lot of the characters, especially the parents. Her friends tried to be there for her, but in my opinion, they were also kind of bad friends for keeping secrets and not letting her parents or any other adult know that Allie was struggling, and they were worried about her.
In the end, I found the story well written and easy to read, and I was able to relate to the main characters, Allie and Leah. I'm open to reading future works from Ramey and would most likely recommend this book to other readers if they were looking for this kind of theme.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
November 5, 2018
The ones we love never really leave us. Although, Allie may have lost her sister, she never really lost her colors. She may have almost committed suicide, lost who she was, and lost the ones that she loved, but she found them again. This story shows how a girl can find who she is again through rough times in the end.
August 9, 2017
Captivating. The point of view are powerful and the emotions are raw. Left me feeling exactly how Allie was feeling. Also I am appreciate that no matter how much guilt is felt by the Allie, the book holds to the point that the only person responsible is the one who made the choice to kill herself.
July 17, 2018
*Review copy received from publisher
I really didn't like the main character, Allie and this impacted my impression of the book as a whole.
I really didn't like the main character, Allie and this impacted my impression of the book as a whole.
February 1, 2019
Amazing read
I couldn't this book down it just spoke about how hard mental illness is and how destructive it is. Very powerful story.
I couldn't this book down it just spoke about how hard mental illness is and how destructive it is. Very powerful story.
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