Shut Up by: Anne Tibbets

Publication Date: April 2012

Overview: Mary’s older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she’s also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up. Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off, The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport. Despite her brother’s advice to shut up, Mary can’t keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows. Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

My thoughts: This book is an emotional rollarcoaster. The whole family is dysfunctional and out of control. in the best of times things are really great. Life is amazing and everyone is succeeding, but when it gets bad it gets deadly. Gwen has been the source of all the families worst nightmares. A teenager with anger issues is normal, but someone who has been through hell and had no one to turn to is worse then anything else. Her parents don't believe her about her past, but she doesn't make it easy to believe. 
Mary is screwed up. I know this feeling having been there myself. You want to do great but at some point you give up, give in, and forget your dreams. You live in a world full of hate and abuse and there is no way out. This girl has been slapped around, verbally abused and let's face it Creep would have molested her if he could and in some ways he went to far already. Gwen is blinded by her love for him. 
These parents are in need of help themselves they have been poisoned and need to be set free. The only way they can is counseling, which happens, but is it too late? 
I cried reading this. My life was like this, not the same story but the feelings Mary had the thoughts and emotions of the family I had around me for 19 years. I left it and then walked into a different situation. Life is hard and this story shows us a side that most people never get to see. Help those who need help and punish those whose hurt others.

My rating: 5 stars