Skip to the content Skip to the main menu
MuggleNet Book Trolley
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
  • Blog Tour
  • Giveaways
  • Interviews
  • MuggleNet
  • Bookshop.org Shop
  • Amazon Shop

Ask Madam Pince

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: “All the Hidden Monsters” by Amie Jordan May 9, 2025
  • Book Review: “The Last One” by Rachel Howzell Hall December 5, 2024
  • Author Interview: Randy Ribay, Author of “The Reckoning of Roku” July 23, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Reckoning of Roku” (“Chronicles of the Avatar” #5) by Randy Ribay July 23, 2024
  • Book Review: “We Shall Be Monsters” by Tara Sim June 29, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Cursed Rose” (“The Bone Spindle” #3) by Leslie Vedder February 6, 2024
  • Book Review: “Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth” by Natalie Haynes January 8, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Blood Years” by Elana K. Arnold November 17, 2023
  • Book Review: “Check & Mate” by Ali Hazelwood November 7, 2023
  • Series Review: “Catwings” by Ursula K. Le Guin, Illustrated by S.D. Schindler October 24, 2023
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Bookshop.org Shop
  • Amazon Shop
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
  • Blog Tour
  • Giveaways
  • Interviews
  • MuggleNet
  • Bookshop.org Shop
  • Amazon Shop

Ask Madam Pince

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: “All the Hidden Monsters” by Amie Jordan May 9, 2025
  • Book Review: “The Last One” by Rachel Howzell Hall December 5, 2024
  • Author Interview: Randy Ribay, Author of “The Reckoning of Roku” July 23, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Reckoning of Roku” (“Chronicles of the Avatar” #5) by Randy Ribay July 23, 2024
  • Book Review: “We Shall Be Monsters” by Tara Sim June 29, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Cursed Rose” (“The Bone Spindle” #3) by Leslie Vedder February 6, 2024
  • Book Review: “Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth” by Natalie Haynes January 8, 2024
  • Book Review: “The Blood Years” by Elana K. Arnold November 17, 2023
  • Book Review: “Check & Mate” by Ali Hazelwood November 7, 2023
  • Series Review: “Catwings” by Ursula K. Le Guin, Illustrated by S.D. Schindler October 24, 2023
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Bookshop.org Shop
  • Amazon Shop

Book Review: “I Don’t Want to Be Crazy” by Samantha Schutz

The memoir I Don’t Want to Be Crazy, by Samantha Schutz, is a harrowing true story that chronicles the struggles of a girl with anxiety disorder during one of the most pivotal stages of her life – college. Like many young adults, Samantha was excited by the possibilities and new experiences that college would bring. She meets new friends, meets some boys, goes to parties, and dabbles with recreational drugs. However, anxiety and panic attacks quickly consume her life. Throughout the book, we learn about the symptoms she experiences and follow her journey of seeing various therapists and taking a variety of medicines that only seem to work for a little while before she has to try something new.

“My whole life has changed, or at least I think it has. It’s hard to tell what would have been, what I would have been, if I never had anxiety disorder.”

I loved the free-verse poetry style that this book was written in, and it was unlike any other memoir I’ve ever read. I felt like I was reading Samantha’s personal journal, and it is a very easy read. It was an absolute page-turner, and I was gripped by the story from the beginning. I finished this book admiring Samantha’s courage to tell her story and her honesty. As someone who struggles with anxiety, this book was extremely relatable, and I found myself underlining quotes and dog-earing pages. I think my favorite thing about this book is it helps to reduce the stigma of mental illness and shows the reader that it is okay to ask for help. It also illustrates the importance of having a support system like Samantha does with her friend Rebecca.

Even though the experience of anxiety disorder is not the same for everyone, I recommend this book to anyone who suffers from anxiety or knows someone with anxiety or panic disorder and wants to better understand what they are going through.

Like Samantha, millions of people are affected by various mental health conditions. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this book helps illustrate living with the Dementors brought on by anxiety. We at MuggleNet are working to cast Expecto Patronum and rid ourselves of Dementors.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Scholastic, for review.

  • Post date
    May 22, 2019
  • Posted by
    Nicole Olmsted
  • Posted in Book Reviews
  • Tagged with Anxiety, I Don't Want To Be Crazy, Mental Health, mental health awareness month, mental illness, Samantha Schutz
Previous post: Audiobook Review: “What to Expect the First Year” by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel Next post: Book Review: “Stepsister” by Jennifer Donnelly

Related Posts

Book Review: “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm – The Official Movie Prequel” by Greg Keyes

  • Post date
    May 30, 2014

Graphic Novel Review: “The Cobalt Prince” (“5 Worlds” #2) by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel

  • Post date
    July 31, 2018

Book Review: “Heartless” by Gail Carriger

  • Post date
    June 9, 2014

Book Review: “Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke

  • Post date
    September 15, 2020

Theme by Anders Norén