Marian is divorced from Briella's dad Tommy and now remarried to Dean. They are living happily and madly in love. Happy that is except for the problems with Briella. Maybe there hadn't always been something "wrong" with her but she never was quite like other little girls. Different enough in fact that her paternal grandmother found her to be an embarrassment to the family, Different enough that her current school thinks there is just nothing more they can do with her. Briella is a little genius, but sadly that genius runs towards the evil side. She is too smart for her own good and does not seem to feel any empathy or much emotions at all other than the fake ones she can wear like a mask.

If the Bad Seed had been a mad scientist she would have been as scary as Briella.

I Loved this book!
5 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy for review.
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This is a hard one to categorise. Certainly dark. Definite horror elements, suspense, even a touch of sci-fi. It's not what I would call a fast paced book but it is interesting and does leave you wondering what's going on and what will end up happening.
The characters are relatable, and the various familial relationships are portrayed with raw realism. The ending is certainly not something I saw coming.
The overall mood of the book is unsettling, but it's not so bleak as to be depressing.
Many thanks to Flame Tree Press for the ARC. ( )