This book has been predicted to be one of the most successful books of the year and has been highly recommended by the Richard and Judy book club. Do I agree? Absolutely, without a doubt. I just knew from the very first pages that I was going to be hooked.

Milly is the fifteen year old daughter of a sadistic serial killer mother who has spent many years abusing and grooming her. Only when she feels that she can no longer deal with what her mother is putting her through does she go to the police. It is here where our story takes us on a journey with Milly as she undergoes her own personal battle of 'good me versus bad me' as Milly takes on a new life with a foster family.

Each chapter was full of tension and drama. In particular, Milly's relationship with her foster sister Phoebe had me on the edge of my seat. Due to Phoebe's bullying of Milly there was always an air of is something bad going to happen? The friendship between Milly and her younger friend Morgan was sometimes uncomfortable to read but this I feel linked well with the overall theme of the book.

At certain points the author alludes to Milly having done something that she is not proud of and is terrified of people finding out and as the book gathered pace it truly took my breath away when I realised what exactly that it was. The ending was perfect. I was shocked. I wanted more and even more unbelievable I wanted Milly to succeed in life.

I would 100% recommend this book to other readers who enjoy a good thriller and I certainly cannot wait to read more from Ali Land.

I thought the concept of this story was a good one, Milly's the child of a multiple child killer and is taken in by foster parents after she has told the police about her mother's murders - but all is not rosy in the foster family. Her foster father is also her psychotherapist, her foster mother's unable to cope with her own daughter and the daughter in question is a bully who goes out of her way to make Milly's life unbearable. There are bits about this book that are good, such as the way Millie's story and her character unfurl gradually, making the reader more sympathetic to her, but unfortunately there is too much that I questioned in the story (why did the school not pick up on the bullying if the foster parents didn't?) that made it unbelievable.

Utterly and chillingly gripping. From the get-go, this novel draws you in and doesn't let you loose even when the book's over.

Milly's mother is a serial killer, and Milly's just turned her in to the police. Now she has to adjust to a new life - and new name - and wait for the trial, all the while wondering - will she turn out to be just like her mother? Placed in what seems to be the perfect foster home, it's not long before cracks start to show in the family's dynamic. Mike, therapist and all-round good guy, does everything he can to help Milly settle into her new world, while stay-at-home mother and wife Saskia is obviously uneasy at having the daughter of a psychopath in her pristine home. And then there's Phoebe - the golden daughter, spoiled, jealous and definitely not okay with her parents fostering another child.

This is as much a thriller as it is a story of family drama and coming of age - not only does Milly have to overcome the nightmares that years of horrific abuse have left with her, she also has to learn how to navigate these insidious family issues and the campaign of bullying that Phoebe instantly begins at the school they both go to.

Ali Land portrays Milly so crystal clearly I felt like I was standing by her side through the whole novel. We see exactly how she tries to decipher the social minebombs around her and behave like a "normal" 15-year-old girl in an impossible world. At times, it did feel like there was too much going on - rehearsing a play for Lord of the Flies, dissecting a heart in Biology and a school trip to London dungeon felt a little like overkill for a girl trying to overcome so much trauma.

Good Me, Bad Me deals with some heavy, complex issues with a clever and insightful touch, and I think I went through the full range of emotions reading the book (in one sitting - I really couldn't put it down). The twists and turns were nearly impossible to predict and I loved that Ali Land didn't pull her punches when it came to shocking her readers. An absolutely brilliant debut, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers.

A brilliant read from beginning to end! I was hooked from the first page

What can I say? This book gripped me from the first page and though I found the Milly's voice disjointed to begin with, it draws you into her confused mind as she waits for the trial of her serial killer's mother and its aftermath. Placed in foster care under an assumed name she battles with the emotions of guilt of her past, love for her mum as well as trying to fit in. Throughout the book I was on tenterhooks unsure whether she was good, bad or somewhere in between. Well worth reading.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this strange book

a compelling story that you have to read to the end to find out what happens....its written in a style that i didnt quite like but its the actual storyline that reels you in...

9 murder committed and the murderer is dobbed in by her daughter...you are taken through the daughters life before the trial during and after

very thought provoking and just a bit scary

This read was well written,it was disturbing but good,couldn't put it down

Well written, but rather disturbing to read. If I had liked the subject matter a little more I may have given it another star, but I'm afraid it was just too uncomfortable reading.

A chilling thriller written from the. Victims perspective of her last present and future a good read although I found the ending a little predictable

One of the saddest books I've ever read. Also, the creepiest.

Good Me Bad Me is one of those books that I’ve been seeing all over social media with the general consensus being that readers found it hard to put it down – they were so right!

15-year-old Milly’s mother is a serial killer, and the only person who knows is Milly. It’s Milly who finally tells the police, Milly who is the sole witness and the only person who can see her mother brought to justice.

Milly isn’t her real name though. She’s been given a new identity to help to protect her from the huge media attention and contempt of the public. Only a handful of people know her history – his foster parents and her new headteacher.

She has been put in the care of Mike, a psychologist, and his family as she prepares for the upcoming trial. But Mike’s own teenage daughter, Phoebe, is less than pleased by Milly’s presence, even without knowing her history. Phoebe makes life even harder for Milly as she tries to forge a new life in a new city, a new school, a new family away from her mother’s abusive control.

This book is so hard to put down Told from Milly’s perspective we see a teenage girl trying to fit into a new life, a new school and make new friends. That in itself is a journey, a challenge for any teenager. But then we have the impact of Milly’s history, her battles not to miss the woman who has controlled her life, the woman who has murdered innocent children. We see Milly’s internal battle as she fears she is just like her mother and her preparation for trial, facing that woman again and doing all she can for her mother’s victims.

The writing style in this novel is very interesting and clever, Land adopts a style which seems to reflect the nature of Milly’s mind and further the reader’s experience.

There are so many issues packed into this book, I can in no way do them justice here – strained parental relationships, jealousy, self-harm, drug use, sexual abuse, bullying, all entwined within the story of one 15-year-old.

This is a truly gripping psychological thriller which, though it can be hard to read at times, and is maybe therefore not for everyone, is one that I can’t stop thinking about.

Milly has moved in with Mike, Saskia and their daughter Phoebe. She's their new foster daughter. But Milly is her new name because her mother is a serial killer and she'll be testifying against her in court. The book is from Milly's point of view and describes her time with the foster family in the run up to the court case against her mother. Gripping, dark, disturbing - a fantastic read from start to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin UK and Ali Land for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An interesting read, but there was something missing. The idea was brilliant but I couldn’t connect fully with the characters.

Honestly the publishers have gone way over the top with the marketing blurb on this one. Yes it's a decent thriller yes it has somee shocking elements but controversial etc etc? No not at all. Three stars because the ending was just too predictable.

Couldn't put this down......however it wasn't an " enjoyable"read. Very well written, seen from a child perspective - but an utterly chilling but strangely compulsive read. Would highly recommend

One of the best thriller of the year , I don't believe this Ali Land first book , I can see she have a degree in Mental Health which why I understand how she analysed everything but made it accessible for us .
The atmosphere is terrifying, Milly is in foster care and you hear all her thoughts ( fascinating and scary). She is witness in her mum case. We hear small stories about the past but we don’t know the whole story. you feel sorry for her,but you are scared the same time.
Just hooked , you cannot stop reading. Even you are aware that something bad will happen. every time I am thinking Phoebe "please stop!!!" . Please NO!!!!!!!!!

I even read all night ,just to finish the last part. I promise you , this book is the one you finish in day.

Quite an unusual topic for me, whilst I would recommend this book to friends, I am not sure that I would buy it for them. It is a murder mystery twisted around child/teenager perceptions of how they should behave and respond to adults, be they their parent or psychiatrist. It shows up what influences the parent has on a child, be that immediate or shaping their future behaviours. I did find this quite a page turner always wondering where it was leading too and leaving me wondering how much is nature and how much is nuture.

Written from the perspective of Milly, the main character, Good me Bad me is full of suspense and anguish. As Milly faces the anguish of giving evidence at her mother's trial she battles with her demons of the two sides of her character. The good side is influenced by her desperate wish to be accepted as 'normal' whilst her upbringing with her evil mother keeps haunting her. The relationships between the different characters in the book is portrayed so vividly it is clear that the author understands the cruel bitchiness of teenage girls and the ability of adults to choose not to see the cracks in their lives. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel from Ali Land and I hope we will be seeing much more of her work.

Very excited to read this book as I had heard a lot of positive reviews. Cannot say I was disappointed, a gripping thriller with a a brilliant stand out main character who had been through a great deal and has to deal with this throughout the book.