Good Girl, Bad Blood

Yes! And another home-run by Holly Jackson! Even though this book in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series wasn't my favorite it was still phenomenal and I couldn't put it down for the life of me. I read this book late into the night for all three days that I was reading it because it was fantastic. I loved how Pip changes as a main character in this one and the only thing that was a bit of a letdown was that I guessed the bad guy really early into the book and that never happens to me so the ending wasn't as exciting as I'd wanted it to be. Otherwise, it was an amazing sequel in my favorite YA thriller/mystery series of all time! Not disappointed!

To begin with, Good Girl, Bad Blood, the second book in the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series, follows Pip, who solved a cold case in the previous novel and has sworn off her detective days for good. However, when her close friend's brother goes missing and the police don't do anything to find him, Pip is thrown back into playing detective, only this time a person's life is literally at stake. I loved the plot of this one and I thought it was a very creative way to go from the first book to the second one so I have no complains there. It was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. However, the ending wasn't as exciting and thrilling as it could have been because the bad guy was rather obvious to me a few chapters into the book and I was hoping that I was wrong so I could be blown away by something I did not see coming. I didn't guess all the nuances of the ending though, so there was still plenty I was surprised by. Can't wait to see what she does with the series next!

Secondly, the characterization is superb in this one specifically. Pip goes on such a transitional and life-changing journey in this book and the events of it that I really grew very attached to her and she feels especially real to me. I love that she has molded from everything that has happened to her because that's what happens in real life to us. She is also witty and as daring as can be and one of my all-time favorite heroines of all time. I should add that the side characters in this book are also very quirky and memorable and they all complement each other brilliantly. I just love their friend group, wish I could have had a friend group like this back when I was in high school.

Finally, the writing was even better than in the first one. Even though it was a YA genre, it definitely did not read like a YA and that made for a very entertaining read that I absolutely raced through. It was simple and straightforward and yet felt somewhat sophisticated and fluid at the same time. The pages just kept turning in my hands and it was a joy reading this novel. Bravo!

In conclusion, I am a lover of adult thriller novels and yet I absolutely loved this YA mystery series so far! Take that however you will but it is definitely by far my favorite YA series of all time, at least so far. I haven't read many yet but the ones I have read did not hit the spot like this one has. I would recommend to anyone who wants to get lost in a mystery where each chapter is full of twists and turns and the action is also not lacking at all. Also, the quirky and lovable heroine doesn't hurt either.