Good Me Bad Me Review

Synopsis from Flatiron Books:

Milly’s mother is a serial killer. Though Milly loves her mother, the only way to make her stop is to turn her in to the police. Milly is given a fresh start: a new identity, a home with an affluent foster family, and a spot at an exclusive private school.

But Milly has secrets, and life at her new home becomes complicated. As her mother’s trial looms, with Milly as the star witness, Milly starts to wonder how much of her is nature, how much of her is nurture, and whether she is doomed to turn out like her mother after all.

When tensions rise and Milly feels trapped by her shiny new life, she has to decide: Will she be good? Or is she bad? She is, after all, her mother’s daughter.

About: Good Me Bad Me is a thriller written by Ali Land. It was recently published on 9/5/2017 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing, paperback, 304 pages. The genres are mystery thriller, fiction, psychological, and crime.  This is the author’s debut novel. According to the publisher’s website, “Flatiron Books is committed to publishing intelligent fiction and nonfiction with commercial appeal by authors with distinctive voices.” It is “named after the historic building in which the company is housed.” Please see below for more information about the author and publisher.

My Experience: I started reading Good Me Bad Me on 9/16/17 and finished it on 9/22/17. This book is a fantastic read! Not everyday I get to read from the point of view of the serial killer’s daughter! This thriller gives readers a new angle to explore in psychological thriller and it’s every bit as good as reading from the killer’s perspectives. This book kept me hooked from the start. I love that the main character is smart! Even when she’s being bullied in school, she quietly has a come back to make them pay. The thrill in this book gives me the chills!

This book is told in the first person point of view following Milly (aka Annie) 15 years old high school student and daughter of the notorious child serial killer. Her mom uses Annie to get close to the kids at the refuge where she works. When her mom commits her heinous crimes, Annie is forced to watch through the peephole. Her mom’s last crime shook Annie to the core because it’s someone she knows well. That’s when she decided to go to the police and turn her mom in. Annie is then placed into foster care system with a new identity. Annie now becomes Milly. Her foster dad, Mike, is a psychologist prepping Milly for her day in court to testify against her mother. Phoebe is her foster sister and one of the mean girls at the school who torment Milly. Morgan is Milly’s only friend who Milly is afraid if she reveals about who she is, whether her friend will leave. Milly’s biggest fear is to face her mom at the courthouse and to relive her horrors all over again. Despite escaping her mom and starting a new life with a new identity, the memory of her mom still follows her and torment her. Furthermore, the kids that her mom hurt and whom she watched through the peephole haunts her everywhere she goes. The courthouse testimony is one that will shock readers!

This book is very well written and interesting to read. I like having the exposure of how victims deal with life after a horrific experience. I dislike mean girls so much and it’s so sad that with Milly’s ugly past, she still have to deal with mean girls. I admire Milly taking it upon herself to defend and revenge against the mean girls. I like her calm and collective demeanor. I like her sneaky ways to get back at the mean girls. She observes and harbor their secrets for future use. She excels in school which makes Phoebe looks bad in a smart way in dealing with mean girls. I like the twist at the end. This thriller is a book readers cannot pass up and I highly recommend everyone to read it!

Pro: page turner, first person point of view, suspenseful, intense, psycho, adrenaline rush, courtroom

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

Buy here for free shipping: Book Depository or Flatiron Books’ Website

About the Author:

Ali Land graduated from university with a degree in Mental Health and spent a decade working as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nurse. Land is now a full-time writer. Good Me Bad Me is her debut novel. (Photo and Info obtained from Flatiron Books website).

More Information about Flatiron Books

Website: https://us.macmillan.com/publishers/Flatiron-books | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flatironbooks | Twitter: https://twitter.com/Flatironbooks

***Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine