Good Me Bad Me

Mother doesn’t always know best. Milly has just escaped an abusive household and is preparing to testify against the monster that is her mother. Her new foster family tries to help her prepare, but they’re dealing with their own problems. Milly is nervous to go to court to confront her mother. She has lived through the horrors carried out in in what her mother called her playground.

The book is about a teenage girl grappling with the trauma she experienced while with her serial killer mom. She is dealing with normal teen struggles like bullying and navigating school. On top of that she is dealing with giving testimony at her mother’s trial. She also tries to foster a new friendship with a younger girl.

I liked the writing and pacing of this book. An undertone of dread runs through the whole book, culminating in a surprising payoff at the end. The characters were really interesting. The characters feel fully realized, each wrestling with their own struggles. They all had their troubles and were trying to help this girl that had much more severe trouble.

I usually have low expectations on stories that focus on teenagers. This teen was dealing some issues that were intense even for adults. The ending was unexpected yet perfectly fitting for the story.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Milly was a hurt and scared young girl throughout the book. There were small tears or cuts in that facade throughout. Then at the end you finally learn who Milly really is. The ending surprised me but I had a lingering suspicion it was coming.