Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Good Girl, Bad Blood

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

902 reviews

theetherealelf's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious tense fast-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

Has more epistolary elements than the previous book, and I do like those elements. It felt a bit like I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts (Rotten Mango) with the podcast transcript updates on Max Hasting's trial. The maps are similar to the previous book, but there were additional photos and text screenshots which was fun.
I liked it a bit less than the previous book, but it was still good. The reveal of

Charlie Green at the end as the suspect was a bit unexpected, I didn't really think it was him and I wasn't expecting the catfisher to be revealed at that moment so it felt a bit rushed but it's also possible I just didn't put stuff together. I wasn't really expecting Jamie to be alive at the end, or for Stanley to die instead.

I like that this book had a different mystery, but it still somewhat connected back to the events of the previous book. I'm really looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Content Warnings

sophydowie's review against another edition

4.5

hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns. Characters very loveable

Content Warnings

minimicropup's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

If you liked the investigation from the first book, I think you’ll probably like this one too. A slow start but once the case started it got interesting. Great for fans of clue-stacking mysteries with depth.

Energy: Dark. Sad. Morose.

🐕 Howls: There are quite a few “uh..maybe it’s time to tell the police??” moments but fixable with some suspended disbelief. The writing sometimes read flat to me (not bad, just kind of monotone?). The first few chapters draggggged, I almost DNF’ed. It starts off with a bunch of characters being thrown at us during the memorial that I didn’t remember (or maybe were new?) and reminding us about a dead dog.

🐩 Tail Wags: The helpful recap article about Pip’s podcast since I’d forgotten some of the original book details. The twisty mysteries. Getting to see the clues, interviews, and evidence on page. How things from the first book took on new meaning and were connected without it feeling contrived or lazy.

Scene: 🇺🇸 Near Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

Perspective: Pipp is turning 18 and just released the podcast based on the case she researched in the last book. While attending a memorial ceremony, the older sibling of a friend goes missing and she’s asked to help the family when the police dismiss it as voluntary disappearance. Also gets snippets of photo evidence, Pip’s case notes, podcast interviews.

Timeline: Linear. 2020. April.

Narrative: Invisible in the room, armchair sleuthing/theorizing (third person limited + epistolary moments).

Fuel: Missing person mystery and character development. What happened to Jamie? Is he in danger? Will Pipp take the case? How is she changing as she grows up and sees what people are capable of doing to each other?

Cred: Plausible

Mood Reading Match-Up:

Podcast recordings. Case files. Cafe conversations. SnapChat. Facebook. Abandoned farmhouse.

Detailed, gritty, observant writing style
Troubled, morally good, and responsible characters
Podcast sleuthing
Catfishing schemes
Wholesome YA romance
Plot-driven conflicts, confrontations, and stakeouts
Race-against-time missing person mystery
Red herrings and clue trails
Courage, goodness, growth, injustice, obligation, perseverance, morality

Content Heads-Up: Animal death (dog; recall). Blood. Catfishing. Confinement. Drug use (mention). Drugging. Fire (trapped, building). Gun violence. Loss of job (with cause). Loss of parent (mention). Missing person. Murder. Rape (trial). Suicide (mention).

Rep: American. Mixed race (Black, White). Cis. Hetero. Pale, freckled, brown, dark, tan skin tones.

📚 Format: Paperback

My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶

Content Warnings

call_me_nash's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

I listened to the second book of the trilogy also while working. It was just as fun and entertaining, but darker in some aspects - which is not a bad thing, at least not for me. It did not hit me with the Power Of A New Book, which is why it 'only' receives 4☆ from me instead of 5☆ like the first book. Nevertheless, very entertaining and I can definitely recommend reading it.

Content Warnings

rhiannekx's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

notnaomie's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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: No

Content Warnings

lostinfictionaluniverse's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

HOLY FUCK!!! THAT LAST 30% WAS CRAZY. LIKE I DIDNT THINK IT WOULD GET THAT CRAZY. 😳😳

Ngl I struggled for months to finish this and now that I finally did, I did like it. The things r really taking a dark turn and I can't wait to read the next book, which according to my friends n cousin, is the best book in the series, so let's see.

also PipRavi, MY SHAYLAAAAAAS 🤌🏾🤌🏾

Content Warnings