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hazychapters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
✩ 3,5 stars
✩ young-adult, murder mystery, thriller
✩ 417 pages
Sequel to AGGGTM, "Good Girl, Bad Blood" follows Pip in a new investigation after the disappearance of her friend’s brother, Jamie; while learning how to manage the growing hype around her true-crime podcast.
I found the pace of this second book a bit unbalanced. It started really well, but the investigation slowed down, hence the end feeling rushed. The mystery in itself felt a bit far-fetched sometimes. I had my own theories as I was approaching the last chapters (I was wrong, of course), but I felt a bit underwhelmed.
The first book was so busy I could feel the suffocation of crippling anxiety as I was diving into the pages. I didn’t feel the same with this sequel, at least for the first half. But I have to admit, I was taken by surprise by the "Child Brunswick" subplot, even though I’d have appreciated to hear about it earlier in the book so it didn’t appear out of the blue. The same goes for some characters.
The characters and their writing is the strongest aspect of this book. You can really feel connected to them as they are all going through difficulties in their lives: Pip, Ravi, Cara and Connor. They are a very interesting quartet. I’d have liked to see a bit more of Cara and Ravi and how they coped with the events of AGGGTM, so I can’t wait to read more about them in the next book.
However, I have mixed opinions about Pip in this book and honestly, I’m quite scared of what she’s going to do/become in the third book. I was here for her character’s development after the events of AGGGTM, and if I understood her at the very beginning regarding conducting a new investigation or not, I didn’t really feel connected to her by the end. Yes, she’s traumatised by past events and battles her insecurities, but she also has this flaw to never ask for help. I think this is an interesting situation to discuss, but at some point your character should evolve out their flaws. And I don’t know why, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the case in the last book.
In conclusion, mixed feelings for this sequel. It was good, but didn’t meet the expectations I had after the end of the first book. It felt to me like a filler sequel, while waiting for the third and last book of the trilogy (as it is for a lot of second books). I’ll take care to lower my expectations for the finale, even if I heard it was the best of the trilogy.
📌 Content/Trigger warnings:
arson, blood, catfishing, child abuse, death of a child, death of a sibling (past, recounted), drug dealing, drugging (non-consensual), grief, gun violence, kidnapping, murder, rape (past, recounted), violence.
✩ young-adult, murder mystery, thriller
✩ 417 pages
Sequel to AGGGTM, "Good Girl, Bad Blood" follows Pip in a new investigation after the disappearance of her friend’s brother, Jamie; while learning how to manage the growing hype around her true-crime podcast.
I found the pace of this second book a bit unbalanced. It started really well, but the investigation slowed down, hence the end feeling rushed. The mystery in itself felt a bit far-fetched sometimes. I had my own theories as I was approaching the last chapters (I was wrong, of course), but I felt a bit underwhelmed.
The first book was so busy I could feel the suffocation of crippling anxiety as I was diving into the pages. I didn’t feel the same with this sequel, at least for the first half. But I have to admit, I was taken by surprise by the "Child Brunswick" subplot, even though I’d have appreciated to hear about it earlier in the book so it didn’t appear out of the blue. The same goes for some characters.
The characters and their writing is the strongest aspect of this book. You can really feel connected to them as they are all going through difficulties in their lives: Pip, Ravi, Cara and Connor. They are a very interesting quartet. I’d have liked to see a bit more of Cara and Ravi and how they coped with the events of AGGGTM, so I can’t wait to read more about them in the next book.
However, I have mixed opinions about Pip in this book and honestly, I’m quite scared of what she’s going to do/become in the third book. I was here for her character’s development after the events of AGGGTM, and if I understood her at the very beginning regarding conducting a new investigation or not, I didn’t really feel connected to her by the end. Yes, she’s traumatised by past events and battles her insecurities, but she also has this flaw to never ask for help. I think this is an interesting situation to discuss, but at some point your character should evolve out their flaws. And I don’t know why, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the case in the last book.
In conclusion, mixed feelings for this sequel. It was good, but didn’t meet the expectations I had after the end of the first book. It felt to me like a filler sequel, while waiting for the third and last book of the trilogy (as it is for a lot of second books). I’ll take care to lower my expectations for the finale, even if I heard it was the best of the trilogy.
📌 Content/Trigger warnings:
arson, blood, catfishing, child abuse, death of a child, death of a sibling (past, recounted), drug dealing, drugging (non-consensual), grief, gun violence, kidnapping, murder, rape (past, recounted), violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Murder
spazzcats's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Drug abuse, Rape, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Stalking
kimberlynpeterson50's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Book two had a slower start, though the action at the end made up for the rest! Holly Jackson knows how to draw in the reader, slowly building tension, peppering in just enough false leads and regular life to keep you off balance, then slamming in front of you a twist that no one could see coming. 3.5 stars, but enough to make me anxiously seek out the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Didn’t love this one as much as the first. The podcast element didn’t take up as much space in this book, which was what really drew me to the first one.
This one is we even more heartbreaking and at some times a hard read. Also, the characterization of Pip seemed to me to diverge from the first, which I didn’t love too much. But I appreciate how the trauma of the previous case makes you feel like a live wire and how your reactions are just that much more intense than your normal.
I think the missing person element wasn’t as fast-paced as the first and I just didn’t feel as invested in comparison, but the last quarter of the book really unfurled at a breakneck speed that I just couldn’t put down.
Generally though, I do think this book benefits from having read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder right before this one because there are many references to the characters in the first book, which is helpful to have fresh in your mind.
This one is we even more heartbreaking and at some times a hard read. Also, the characterization of Pip seemed to me to diverge from the first, which I didn’t love too much. But I appreciate how the trauma of the previous case makes you feel like a live wire and how your reactions are just that much more intense than your normal.
I think the missing person element wasn’t as fast-paced as the first and I just didn’t feel as invested in comparison, but the last quarter of the book really unfurled at a breakneck speed that I just couldn’t put down.
Generally though, I do think this book benefits from having read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder right before this one because there are many references to the characters in the first book, which is helpful to have fresh in your mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
ccoral's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Plot was very interesting, and again Jackson is brilliant at weaving the tinniest of details into it that create the biggest of consequences. Didn’t like how Pip’s anger started to take over and how at the end she became very detached. Get that after what happened, but no mention of her going to therapy, which I think would have been helpful. Will see how it all pans out in the next books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Kidnapping
Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Rape
dkamada's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
cafelatte235's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I like this as a sequel to a good girls guide to murder, but I do prefer the first book to this one. The first half of this book was excellent, but I found the second half of the book really sad. Watching pips character start to turn into someone who is paranoid due to what she has experienced is really hard to see. I also found the Max Hasting's trial so disappointing, even if I saw it coming. . If you like the first one, then you'll like this one, but I found the plot to this one (and the ending) darker and sadder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual assault
Minor: Violence, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
viaviaggi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Child death, and Drug use
rosietoesies's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
norinchen's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
Very gripping although I would've enjoyed a more complex dive into certain ethical topics and questions but the story itself was very tense and well written
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Violence, and Sexual harassment