Destiny and Cassidy are sisters, but in many ways, Destiny is more like Cassidy’s mother. That’s because their mother is different from other mothers; she mostly yells at them and their father and sometimes hits them. Their mother has been this way for a long time, and now it seems like it’s getting worse. Destiny’s dad doesn’t want people to know that their mother behaves this way. He depends on Destiny to take care of Cassidy and her mother, and run the household. Then one summer when Destiny is in high school, her mother’s behavior reaches the point where secrecy is no longer possible...

This is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a long time. The theme of children living in a home in which one parent is mentally ill and the other is blind to the seriousness of the problem is an unusual one for young adult literature. That the story is told from the viewpoint of the children is even more unusual. I was impressed by the author’s ability to get into the mind of the teenage narrator and to communicate her thoughts and feelings to the reader. The characters come alive on the page, drawing the reader into the story. Destiny’s confusion, worry, and helplessness in the situation were palpable and emotionally touching. To say that I enjoyed the book is not quite accurate -- rather, I was engrossed in it and unable to put it down. Bad Girls Club has the potential to help teens understand a problem that they might be too embarrassed to talk about.

Reviewed by: Jean