Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Good Girl, Bad Blood

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK. I would definitely recommend this. Pip deserves the world. Max Hasting pissed me off. Ravi is just ❤️. Cara slayed. Jamie was kinda meh. I felt that he was a bit naive and he really really needs to get his life straightened out. I disliked him a lot and I feel so bad for his parents. Nat was portrayed wonderfully

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mishasbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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jayden_chancery's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

the first book in this series is my favorite book and this one did not disappoint either. Pippa is thrown back into detective work and this time its almost more emotional. (i did cry through the entirety of the last 3 chapters)

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crystal689's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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rebecathebookworm's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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librarymouse's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This novel is a fantastic continuation of the series. The main story line wraps up very neatly in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but Holly Jackson did such a fantastic job planting the seeds of future mysteries to be unraveled as the plot developed, that Good Girl, Bad Blood felt like a natural progression of the story. Just now, after finishing the book, it's hit me how short the timeline of the story is. Pip is still a high school student in this second book.

She discovers her best friend's dad (a second dad to her) is the man who murdered his oldest daughter's best friend, solving a five year mystery that the rest of the town had believed to be solved, and nearly dying in the process. In this novel, during the same school year, Pip is forced to reckon with who she has become, beyond the good student she's always been, while searching for her friend's missing brother in a town that thinks he just ran away.

In the prequel novella Kill Joy, Jackson plants the seeds for Ant to show his true colors. He's an asshole, poking fun at the murder of Andie Bell multiple times throughout the murder mystery birthday party they're attending and prank scaring his friends, disregarding his friends' feelings when they ask him to stop. In this novel, he is so wrapped up in his relationship with Lauren and he believes online comments, that he disregards Connor's pain, as does Lauren. He mocks Pip the day Max Hastings is pronounced not guilty, provoking her into attacking him by joking that she's hidden Jamie for more internet clout, calling his disappearance "convenient". I hope they're dropped from the friend group in the next novel.

This sets the stage really well for Ant's dad to be one of the people who protest the funeral. Jackson does a fantastic job depicting the negatives of small towns - the bigotry, and the closing of ranks. Ravi is the blueprint boyfriend, and his willingness to be there for Pip, supporting her through everything, is really beautiful. He understands what she's going through more than most. I'm also glad Pip was able to repair her relationship with Nat DeSilva.

I guessed the killer was Pip's neighbor, about 3/4 of the way through the book, but it was a feature of the clues peppered through the writing, and I'm not disappointed that I was able to guess it. The twist was still satisfying to read. Pip's suffering because of Charlie's actions, killing a man in cold blood, in front of her, is thoughtfully written. Her tenderness for a man she barely knew, and who most would say didn't deserve it, whether it be for his past and apologized for racism, or his part in his father's crimes as a child, juxtapose greatly with the reactions of the townsfolk who new and loved Stanley before his identity was revealed. Pip cares about the truth and the preservation of life, and her coming to terms with her new perception of right and wrong, and who she is as a person make for a very compelling subplot to this novel.

I'm excited for the next book, but I'm sad I have so little time left with these characters.

Great story if you love to read about feminine rage.

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efnelson12's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Immensely gripping and will leave you feeling conflicted and heartbroken at the end. A great follow up to the first book.

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whoever_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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