Reviews with content warning for Torture - Good Girl, Bad Blood

I am keeping this review shortish because my brain is blah today! So I enjoyed Good Girl, Bad Blood (GGBB), still not as much as I enjoyed AGGGTM. AGGGTM focused on solving a murder case, and due to my love of true crime, I preferred that over a missing person's case, which is what Good Girl, Bad Blood focused on.

I will admit Holly Jackson does a great job of writing a mystery. Just like in AGGGTM, I really couldn't guess the whole ending. I put together some pieces early on, but that's it, and I am known for guessing a mystery very early on 😬.

Pip and her character development were interesting, to say the least. At first, you think that she has come out reasonably unscathed with solving the murder of Andie and Sal; however, the further you get into this book, you start to realize Pip is not all there, and she is slipping back into old and worse habits. She is so desperate for the truth that she is willing to do anything. However, with that being said Pip believes herself above the law. If someone else commits a crime, they are guilty. If she herself does something it's okay. Towards the end of GGBB, Pip becomes very hypocritical and self-centered.

GGBB could have been done without the "romance". The romance between Ravi and Pip was so silly and out of place. It's more of a best-friend relationship than a romantic one. GGBB isn't focused on romance and is all about mystery. So it's jarring when Ravi comes into a scene and you are reminded, "oh, that's right, they are together," and it happens every time. Also, Pip treats Ravi like trash in GGBB when he enters the few scenes he is in. She care's little for his thoughts and makes him feel like he is out to get her.

Finally, what really irked me about Pip was her taking away the voice of the sexual assault victims. She, herself, was never assaulted yet she makes the Max Hastings trial about her and only her. She pushes the true victims aside and tries to take the spotlight in the whole scenario. She took the victim's voices away, even if it was unintentional. That is NOT okay.

And when she finds out he is not guilty, she goes on this rampage as if her world was torn down around her and not the victims. Destroying his home and taking revenge for herself and not the girls that were assaulted by him.

Content Warnings

susiep87's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

enchantedtoreadyou's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? Yes

5.0

5 stars for this true crime podcast novel! I absolutely love true crime podcasts, and Holly Jackson’s second book did not disappoint.
This was a fast paced mystery trying to figure out what happened to Jamie, on of Pip’s friend’s older brother. She vowed she would never solve another crime, but she just couldn’t stay away.
I loved seeing everyone from the lady book come back. It’s crazy to see how far out Jackson has played this world. The mystery kept me guessing and I gasped when I saw it all come together.
This series is a must read for anyone who loves true crime.

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