Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

132 reviews

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was an amazing read! The characters are fun, funny and loveable. The writing is captivating with loads of different elements like interview transcripts and text messages that make it feel unlike any other book I've read. I'm not a thriller person but this one was really well done. I really enjoyed Holly Jacksons writing and I already know I want to read more by her.

Now on to the plot and characters. I loved the banter between Ravi and Pippa. They are the heart of this story. I also enjoyed her friendship with Cara. The whole story was very thrilling and exciting to read. I read this book in one afternoon and I just could not put it down.

My main issue is with the reveal at the end. I do think it was well done but I just do not have it in me to believe someone who is a good father, kind and smart man and beloved teacher is also a pedophile, abuser, psychopathic murderer and kidnapper. Idk it just does not add up to me. Why would he sleep with a girl the same age as his daughter? Why would he threaten and blackmail his own daughter? Why would he lure a student who looks up to him and who he likes to his house to drug and murder him, stage it as a suicide and set him up as a murderer thus destroying this kind smart boys family and legacy all just so no-one would suspect him of accidentally killing someone he isn't even sure is dead!!? That's psychopathic! And I just cannot believe it. Also you cannot tell me this mans reaction to being confronted with what he did would be along the lines of 'it's finally over'. He is delusional! He would not see himself as a bad guy!

But it definitely was a shocking reveal I did not see coming at all. Beccas involvememt was figured out a bit too quickly for my liking. It's all just because she saw it in her eyes? While driving past her in a car?

Also this book is absolutely NOT YA!! I would never let my child read this. I think I would have been properly traumatised if I read this at 14.

Discussions of rape and date rape drugs are central to the plot as well as drug dealing, bullying, catfishing & sharing nude pictures online without consent, threatening messages, kidnapping & subsequent murder of a beloved dog, inappropriate relationship with a minor (with someone who is in a position of power over them), kidnapping of a minor and keeping them locked up in the attic for 5 years with only their kidnapper as a human contact who so thoroughly brainwashed them that they believe they are a completely different person now)

... I feel like there is more but those are the main things that stood out to me. This book is definitely not an 'easy read' is what I'm trying to say I guess.

But still I was very entertained and I really liked this book. I enjoyed that the story is finished and the big mystery has been solved. I definitely am going to keep reading this series though and I can't wait to read what happens next!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Dementia

insanebookperson's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

sadiaa's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

_mone_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, and Sexual harassment

mightyfrenchbookworm's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Vu la durée que ça m'a pris pour le livre je sais que ce n'est pas un 5 ⭐ page turner. C'était une bonne intrigue. Je n'avais pas l'impression que les indices lui tombaient entre les mains ultra facilement ou que c'était complètement impossible pour une ado. J'ai apprécié le fait qu'elle continuait d'aller à l'école et qu'elle préparait ses examens. Bref, la vie continue. Le meilleur selon moi était l'absence de romance entre les 2 protagonistes. Ça aurait vraiment été de trop. Globalement correct mais rien pour écrire à sa mère. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Vomit, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

ninahuynh's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-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

This rating and review is on the audiobook. The narrators were good, though some sound fairly similar or as if they were the male voice of Pip's narrator. There were parts where the writing was odd, unrealistic that it made me cringe out loud. The mystery was definitely enticing with an ending that was not expected. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Car accident

mlv97's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

THE DOG DIES

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Dementia

oceanbluetay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

cassidy_rain's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“From the ashes of her anger, something new was born. A feeling between terror and doubt, between chaos and logic. 

She said the words in her head so many times that they became rubbery and foreign-sounding. 

Stop digging, Pippa.”

This was a fun, quick mystery! If you liked Pretty Little Liars, I think you would enjoy this. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder follows high school senior, Pippa, as she works on her capstone project. She has decided to look into the disappearance of one of her classmates from 5 years prior. And EVERYONE is a suspect. 

This is a YA mystery so even though there’s a lot of heavy topics in here, it’s definitely on the lighter side. I liked the format a lot because you get to unravel the mystery at the same time as Pippa. I changed my mind so many times about the killer while reading this. It’s fun to see her interviews and journal entries as she’s researching. Because we’re investigating the mystery in real time, it’s not overly twisty but the ending was still unexpected! Everything wrapped up really nicely. Some parts were definitely far fetched but overall it was a fun read. I’m excited to watch the show and continue with the series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Stalking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Self harm