stormcloud82's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
speterson47's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Mia is labeled as a 'troubled teen' and sent away to an academy in the middle of nowhere Minnesota that is supposed to help turn all that around. The book takes you on a journey with Mia as we figure out why her father and step mom have sent her there, what happened in her childhood, and what she is going to do once she is there. The other girls at the school all have different reasons for being sent to Red Oak Academy. Getting to know Mia and the other girls at the school really helps the reader to have an open mind about why people might be making very different decisions. I'd recommend to those that are looking for a read that isn't a 'neat and tidy' story that's predictable, it feels a little more raw and real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
lavaplant's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lise__'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
luckybydesign's review against another edition
4.0
This book was SO good. I know you’ve read about troubled girls before. You’ve probably read about boarding schools before - ones troubled teens are sent to as a very last resort. This is all that, to be sure. But it’s more, too. It’s a caring therapist who asks the hard questions. It’s a friend who is brave in lots of ways but also completely terrified. It’s a girl who doesn’t trust herself enough to let herself be defined by her own terms, not by those who use and abuse her. This is a hopeful read by a big talent in YA right now.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Quill Tree Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Quill Tree Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
thenorabird11's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good. Stories about teens in rehab tend to be overly and unnecessarily dramatic. This one is not. A quick, heartfelt read.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
5.0
I finished You Know I'm No Good in one day, however, that whole day consists of a couple of breaks because some chapters was such a punch, I had to put the book down and process. This book will definitely be close to my heart and I probably won't stop recommending it to readers who needs this books, which, in my own opinion, is everyone.
It all started when Mia punched her stepmother. Yes, you read that right. She punched her stepmother. But thats just one of the many things that she have done to be branded as "troubled teen" One day, she was woken up by a group of people dragging her somewhere and her family is not doing anything about it. And this is how she ended up in Red Oak.
I breezed through the whole book, in exception of some chapters that were a little difficult to read, NOT BECAUSE ITS BADLY WRITTEN in any way, only because its difficult. You Know Im No Good touches tough subjects such as sexual assault, OCD, and self harm. I don't want to use my review of this book to focus on my own trauma but I will just say that I am not unfamiliar with said disorders. The author did not shy away from the harsh realities of the possible struggles of some people who suffers with the same trauma or/and disorder. This book is through Mia's eyes and I must say that she's one of the most realistic "troubled teen" that I've encountered. The thing is, she knows what she's doing and she's calling out herself. It was painful and heartbreaking to read her thoughts sometimes, I'm not gonna lie. It was too real and too upsetting to read and think about. But this is reality. This is happening. And its not just to Mia.
Jessi Ann Foley penned characters that are too hard to let go. I want to know more about them because I felt so much for them. Is it because of what they've gone through or is it because they are all beautifully written? Scars and all. I'd say BOTH. Mias stay in Red Oak was terrifying but also an eye-opener. These girls aren't just "bad girls" who got sent away to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere due to bad behaviour. They all got their reasons and saddening back stories. I love how even though they are just secondary characters, they still got depth.
After reading You Know I'm No Good, I slept and thought if I have anything bad to say about this book the next day. I came up with nothing. The writing was engrossing, the whole plot was believable, engaging, at some times distressing but overall beautiful and necessary.
Now, who would I recommend this book to? Will you not enjoy it because you're an adult? Because you were not a "troubled teen"? I want to say, read it still. Read this book to gain empathy. To widen your compassion not only to other people, but also to yourself. To gain perspective. You Know I'm No Good is heartbreaking, but a poignant and powerful read. You won't want to miss it.
It all started when Mia punched her stepmother. Yes, you read that right. She punched her stepmother. But thats just one of the many things that she have done to be branded as "troubled teen" One day, she was woken up by a group of people dragging her somewhere and her family is not doing anything about it. And this is how she ended up in Red Oak.
I breezed through the whole book, in exception of some chapters that were a little difficult to read, NOT BECAUSE ITS BADLY WRITTEN in any way, only because its difficult. You Know Im No Good touches tough subjects such as sexual assault, OCD, and self harm. I don't want to use my review of this book to focus on my own trauma but I will just say that I am not unfamiliar with said disorders. The author did not shy away from the harsh realities of the possible struggles of some people who suffers with the same trauma or/and disorder. This book is through Mia's eyes and I must say that she's one of the most realistic "troubled teen" that I've encountered. The thing is, she knows what she's doing and she's calling out herself. It was painful and heartbreaking to read her thoughts sometimes, I'm not gonna lie. It was too real and too upsetting to read and think about. But this is reality. This is happening. And its not just to Mia.
Jessi Ann Foley penned characters that are too hard to let go. I want to know more about them because I felt so much for them. Is it because of what they've gone through or is it because they are all beautifully written? Scars and all. I'd say BOTH. Mias stay in Red Oak was terrifying but also an eye-opener. These girls aren't just "bad girls" who got sent away to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere due to bad behaviour. They all got their reasons and saddening back stories. I love how even though they are just secondary characters, they still got depth.
After reading You Know I'm No Good, I slept and thought if I have anything bad to say about this book the next day. I came up with nothing. The writing was engrossing, the whole plot was believable, engaging, at some times distressing but overall beautiful and necessary.
Now, who would I recommend this book to? Will you not enjoy it because you're an adult? Because you were not a "troubled teen"? I want to say, read it still. Read this book to gain empathy. To widen your compassion not only to other people, but also to yourself. To gain perspective. You Know I'm No Good is heartbreaking, but a poignant and powerful read. You won't want to miss it.
liralen's review against another edition
4.0
Nice. I've read my fair share of therapeutic boarding school books (I don't know, guys, I just like books about boarding schools), and they tend to lean towards either 'toxic environment of abusive toxicity' or 'miracle therapists are miraculous'. This falls (yay) somewhere in the middle: for the most part the school aims to be a genuinely nurturing environment, and the girls who attend are neither hell-demons nor innocent lambs brought to the slaughter. Rather, they're girls who have problems, some of which manifest more externally and some of which manifest more internally. They might make some progress on addressing those problems, but they're unlikely to solve them completely before they go back to the outside world.
For Mia, the school is less of a last chance than it is a desperate attempt by her parents at making sure Mia doesn't need a last chance. She's teetering on an edge, but she's also fiercely protective of the people she cares about, and not sure how to fix things, and unhappy but uncertain of how to change. There's very little here that is black and white—just a great deal that is shades of grey and figuring things out one step at a time.
For Mia, the school is less of a last chance than it is a desperate attempt by her parents at making sure Mia doesn't need a last chance. She's teetering on an edge, but she's also fiercely protective of the people she cares about, and not sure how to fix things, and unhappy but uncertain of how to change. There's very little here that is black and white—just a great deal that is shades of grey and figuring things out one step at a time.