Scan barcode
ehoustonmyatt's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Confinement
lemons_and_uwus's review
dark
emotional
informative
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, and Xenophobia
fanboyriot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
♡ Missing Person
♡ True-Crime Podcast
♡ Amateur Detective Work
Again, much like the last book I loved the extra details in the formatting. The little details like that are really lovely.
This book started out a bit cliché, I mean asking a teenager to help find your missing (possibly dead) brother seems totally full proof. However, I did get invested after a while and the plot really went in a different direction than I was expecting. The “who did it” was a bit random but it was entertaining to read about the journey.
Pip having a true-crime podcast totally fits her vibe. If she doesn’t become a detective after this I’m going to scream because she’s doing the whole police departments job at this point.
Spice Level: n/a
POV: First Person
Release Date: 02, March 2021
Rep: BIPOC (Main and Side Characters), LGBTQIA+ (Side Character)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Addiction, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gore, Car accident, Body horror, and Hate crime
Minor: Sexual violence, Suicide, Rape, Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Vomit, Stalking, Cancer, Sexual assault, Animal death, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship
juanrubin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Car accident, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, and Gore
Minor: Confinement, Self harm, Terminal illness, Cancer, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Car accident, Alcohol, Suicide, and Medical content
rinku's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Violence, Confinement, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death and Car accident
gemstonejasper's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I read this at the same time as my boss. We had a long conversation about our theories, but in the end we were both wrong. I gave the first book a 4.25. This book was still good, but I didn't find it as good. In the first book, while a stretch, it made sense why a high school student would be trying to solve a cold case. In this book, it felt a little more "convenient" that her friend's brother happened to disappear soon after she solved that cold case.
I don't like Pip. I don't see her as a smart or ethical character. That doesn't ruin the story for me because I don't necessarily think she's supposed to be likable. She makes a lot of dumb mistakes and still has the self-righteous attitude she had in the first book. She doesn't understand why people wouldn't like her. She acts like the victim, but she literally aired other people's dirty laundry on a podcast about the cold case she solved. I'd hate her too. As she was trying to find Jamie, she released podcast episodes about it as she went. I was waiting for this to backfire. Realistically, someone would get angry and confront her about talking about their business to millions of people. But that never happens.
I think it also would have been interesting to explore how Pip makes the second season of her podcast about her ongoing investigation so much more dramatic than the situation warranted then. She used the disappearance of her friend's brother to get more people interested in her podcast. Sure, she may have thought she had good intentions of getting tips. But she still used it for views. I think that was a missed opportunity that could have been interesting to explore. The first book seemed to focus more on her obsession with the cold case. But I don't feel it was fully explored. I was hoping to explore it more here but was disappointed.
The story was all over the place. I don't think there was any way I could have figured out what was going on before the climax. I don't feel like the clues were strong enough to lead the audience to the result before it was officially revealed. It was still a fun ride and introduced some interesting ethical conflicts. I enjoyed how this book had pictures of some pieces of evidence. I don't think the first book did. But these pictures didn't give any extra clues, so there wasn't much of a point to them.
There were a few plot points that didn't get tied up by the end. Maybe they will be dealt with in the next book, but they felt like they were never resolved.
I feel like more needs to happen with the Max stuff. The trial is over and he was found not guilty. So Pip vandalized his home and posted a sound recording online. But nothing came of this other than Nat starting to trust her. Would Max not suspect it was her or one of the other witnesses who vandalized his home? But even then, he would surely know that Pip posted the recording. Maybe he would sue her for defamation or something. I don't know how that works or if that would even be possible. I'm just spitballing. I think more needs to happen with this plot line because it felt like an after thought and was never resolved.
Did Tom actually lie? I don't think she had any real confirmation of this. There were other possibilities besides either Tom or Nat lying. Jamie could have gone to Nat's house after she had gone to bed or later than expected or when she wasn't home. Or maybe there was another house in the area with a blue door. If he did lie, what was his motivation? I understand that high schoolers are mean and cruel, but this is a mystery book and I feel there should have been some motivation for him to lie. Whether he lied or not, I can't imagine pouring a drink all over him would have no consequences. He would be angry. Maybe he or a friend would confront Pip. Maybe a teacher or school staff would say something. This just wasn't tied up.
Also, why does Nat's brother (the cop) hate Pip so much? I understand being angry about her solving a cold case that he was involved with and airing his dirty laundry on her podcast. But he literally threatened her, which seems more extreme than is appropriate for the situation. Is there something going on with him, or is this just another loose string?
I did enjoy the ethical dilemma that was introduced towards the end. My boss and I have different opinions on the ending, but that's okay. I'm glad the ending made us think. Click below if you want a tangent about ethics surrounding the ending that isn't specifically related to the quality of the story.
My personal opinion is that Stanley was just as much a victim of his father as Charlie and his sister. He was a child who was manipulated and abused by his father. It ruined his life. He never stood a chance. He spent the rest of his childhood in an institution, then had to move around and change his name and everything. He had to constantly be looking over his shoulder, waiting for someone to murder him. I don't think Charlie was justified in killing him. My boss, on the other hand, thinks that Charlie was justified. While she agrees that Stanley was a victim as well, she says that the trauma of the events justified Charlie's actions. I disagree. Charlie's circumstances were horrible and traumatic and he very much has the right to be angry. I would be too. He felt like the justice system had failed him. I get it. But I don't think that trauma justifies murdering another victim of the same person, even if you see them as being responsible. Get some therapy and work through the trauma. Lots of people are traumatized by others and don't end up murdering the ones responsible, let alone other victims that they associate with the trauma. Anyway, that's just my opinion.
I don't like Pip. I don't see her as a smart or ethical character. That doesn't ruin the story for me because I don't necessarily think she's supposed to be likable. She makes a lot of dumb mistakes and still has the self-righteous attitude she had in the first book. She doesn't understand why people wouldn't like her. She acts like the victim, but she literally aired other people's dirty laundry on a podcast about the cold case she solved. I'd hate her too. As she was trying to find Jamie, she released podcast episodes about it as she went. I was waiting for this to backfire. Realistically, someone would get angry and confront her about talking about their business to millions of people. But that never happens.
I think it also would have been interesting to explore how Pip makes the second season of her podcast about her ongoing investigation so much more dramatic than the situation warranted then. She used the disappearance of her friend's brother to get more people interested in her podcast. Sure, she may have thought she had good intentions of getting tips. But she still used it for views. I think that was a missed opportunity that could have been interesting to explore. The first book seemed to focus more on her obsession with the cold case. But I don't feel it was fully explored. I was hoping to explore it more here but was disappointed.
The story was all over the place. I don't think there was any way I could have figured out what was going on before the climax. I don't feel like the clues were strong enough to lead the audience to the result before it was officially revealed. It was still a fun ride and introduced some interesting ethical conflicts. I enjoyed how this book had pictures of some pieces of evidence. I don't think the first book did. But these pictures didn't give any extra clues, so there wasn't much of a point to them.
There were a few plot points that didn't get tied up by the end. Maybe they will be dealt with in the next book, but they felt like they were never resolved.
I did enjoy the ethical dilemma that was introduced towards the end. My boss and I have different opinions on the ending, but that's okay. I'm glad the ending made us think. Click below if you want a tangent about ethics surrounding the ending that isn't specifically related to the quality of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, Grief, Violence, Sexual violence, Death, Confinement, and Gun violence
Minor: Child abuse and Child death
sahramahtab's review against another edition
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
"Good Girl, Bad Blood" by Holly Jackson delivers a gut-wrenching ending that left me reeling and heartbroken. The last few chapters were an emotional rollercoaster, and finding words to describe the impact feels nearly impossible. The unexpected turn at the conclusion took me by surprise, defying all initial expectations.
The character development, especially regardingStanley Forbes , was masterfully executed. Jackson skillfully made me feel for his character within just a few pages, transforming my indifference into genuine emotional investment. His death, difficult to read, left a lasting impact, and I secretly hoped for a miraculous survival that never came to pass.
The evolution of Holly Jackson's writing in this sequel impressed me, and the anticipation for the third book is palpable. While the ending was a bitter pill to swallow, it speaks to the author's ability to evoke deep emotions. A break from the intense feelings might be necessary, but the prospect of what the next installment holds is equally compelling.
The character development, especially regarding
The evolution of Holly Jackson's writing in this sequel impressed me, and the anticipation for the third book is palpable. While the ending was a bitter pill to swallow, it speaks to the author's ability to evoke deep emotions. A break from the intense feelings might be necessary, but the prospect of what the next installment holds is equally compelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Medical content, and Sexual violence
maybe_perhaps's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement and Child death
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
allydoessomereading's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
2nd book in the good girls guide to murder series! A great page-turner with suspense and mystery. I'm constantly trying to figure out the case with Pip which is great fun. This one was quite sad in the end though :'(
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Murder, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Bullying, Blood, Grief, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
chellery's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Violence