Betty Carpenter was born in 1954 to a Cherokee father and a white mother. The sixth of eight siblings, the Carpenter household is full of adventures and laughter. But lying underneath Betty's seemingly carefree childhood is a world of poverty, discrimination, and violence. When dark family secrets are brought to light and threaten to uproot everything, Betty must shed her innocence and reckon with the brutal history lurching in the dark.

Inspired by the life of her own mother, McDaniel writes with care and compassion about Betty's coming-of-age story and the resilience of young women. McDaniel's storytelling allows us to see the world through Betty's eyes, and it's a painful and often heartwrenching journey interspersed with the joy of growing up listening to her father's story of the Cherokee people. Despite all the pain and suffering, Betty's heart is so big I just want to give her a big hug.

The book deals with themes of racism, sexism, and sexual abuse, and it doesn't shy away from the reality of what women, especially indigenous women, have to endure. For readers interested in BETTY, definitely check out the trigger warnings and take care of yourself before diving in.

What I love most about BETTY is how McDaniel crafts Betty's voice to become more layered and nuanced as she ages. We see her grow from an innocent girl to a resilient woman, and it's a journey that is both painful and beautiful. The story hurts so much that I found myself crying in the dentist's office, and not because of my root canal