A review by genny
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

I loved this! I rated the first book 3.5/5 stars - it was enjoyable but I didn't think it was anything special...I am so glad I decided to read GGBB anyway. The characters are still dealing with the aftermath of the first case. Pippa is much more self-aware compared to the first book; I used to find her a little annoying but now I just want to hug and protect her. I felt for her in the scenes where she let her rage take over, unapologetic.

I also enjoyed that the mystery was set in the present and centered around a missing person instead of someone already dead; it gave a palpable sense of urgency that the Andie Bell case did not. The interviews with witnesses were more believable as well - not everyone was open to divulging information, and not everyone who did partake was trying to be helpful. Some readers didn't like the integration of social media here, but I thought it fit. Where else would a resource-lacking teenager find information but on the internet?

I could barely hear the audiobook narration over my heartbeat during the climax. Like in the first installment, we get a
cliche villain tell-all in the climax, where he explains how he enacted his plan
but I didn't mind, because I was too busy
getting teary-eyed over Stanley. Who would've thought the rude journalist from Book 1 would end up like this?!
I highly recommend the audiobook, it works especially well in the podcast/interview segments. Can't wait until As Good As Dead is released!
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