I devoured this one and think I read it in two days as it was so compelling and I loved the psychological aspect of this novel. Of course Annie is taken into the foster care system and is now living under the new identify of "Milly" with her foster family. For Lindsay and Brenda they were unable to feel any creepiness or dread as they were so overwhelmed by the mean girls and everything this story touched on which was pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. The questioning she undergoes in court is astonishingly brought home how a child brought up with overbearing, mind turning parents can have an effect on your psychological mind when she is listening out behind a screen for just the breathing sounds of her mother.

After the last few years of hearing that every new psychological thriller is the "new gone girl", I became fed up of having my hopes constantly dashed. With doctor patient confidentiality, I just can’t get my head around a teenage girl opening up to her psychologist who also happens to be her foster dad. Which brings me to my second concern: because of my intense dislike for all involved, when the climatic deed happened I was actually glad as I'm sure many of you were or even will be! The style of writing lends itself well to the sharp pacey storyline and keeps you wondering what will happen next. After witnessing her Mother commit abuse and murder- abuse that is only ever alluded to and not detailed (so clever as it leaves your mind to wonder - and the mind of imaginings can be much more scary and brutal) Millie can no longer watch on and goes to the police - a decision she struggles with throughout the text- her love for her Mum, despite what she did to her and to the nine bodies, is still there.Land chooses not to delve into the story of this character in-depth, rather, she is described in a distant and dreamy sense by Annie’s recollections. The story’s told from the POV of Milly, the abused fifteen year old daughter of a serial killer mom. You are never sure if Milly is a reliable narrator, especially because she straight up admits she struggles with being good and bad. And if it's just a story, only fiction, then how do we explain the lack of compassion that is growing everyday as more people read this crap and watch this?

It might not be for everyone, but upon much reflection, I think the story is more troubling that it appears on the surface, which is weighty enough, but it also opens up a plethora of questions and endless ‘what if’ scenarios, that kept my brain buzzing deep into the night. Good Me, Bad Me is Ali Land’s debut novel and was published yesterday by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin UK. Ali Land’s debut novel Good Me, Bad Me has as its narrator a distinctive female voice, one that grabbed this reader from the very beginning as she tells her story of escape and survival. Her voice demands that we listen to her and it’s fascinating to hear about her coping mechanisms while adjusting to a new home, a new (albeit temporary) family, a new school at which she’s bullied, the tentative moves she takes towards making friends, preparing for and having sessions with her foster father/counsellor and giving testimony during the trial. SET TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY, CONTROVERSIAL AND EXPLOSIVE DEBUTS OF 2017 - for fans of quality psychological suspense and reading group fiction: once you read this book you'll want to talk about it.Now I know it's only just turned January, but I really do think this is going to be one of the big thrillers of 2017. It's gripping, takes you to dark and disturbing places inside people's innermost thoughts, can get pretty twisted, is well written, keeps you guessing and hits you with some huge surprises. Debut novelist Ali’s Land’s extensive background in child and adolescent mental health care has given her solid footing to craft her first novel, Good Me Bad Me.

There is a lot going on within this story and many topics touched on here that for us overshadowed the creepiness and distracted us from the struggles going on in Milly’s mind. 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. Right away, we are taken into a glimpse of the physical, sexual and emotional abuse that Annie experienced as a child. Whenever I read anything that predicts a book is predicted to be the next biggest novel of the year, I tend to not raise my expectations too much.

It takes a lot to well and truly wreak havoc with my psyche, to really give me a case of the shivers, and leave me feeling unsettled. Sorry to say that for me, this story gave off only minor heebie jeebs—no shrieks or goosebumps here.

That’s when I started thinking, Oh no, this is young adult fiction, not the controversial adult psychological suspense I was hoping for.When Annie informs the police of this at the tender age of only 15 you can gasp and feel her emotions. She’s in a foster home with a psychologist father; a stand-offish, absent mom; and a bratty, probably psychopathic daughter named Phoebe (who is Milly’s age). Told through Milly’s voice, little snippets of her relationship with her mother are revealed throughout.