"The bad ones" holds great promise, but it may test the patience of readers with its slow start. The initial chapters are filled with an extensive build-up, taking its time to set the stage for the main topic. While the writing is undeniably good and the world-building is rich, some readers may find themselves longing for a quicker entry into the heart of the story. However, patience pays off in this case. Once the book finally reaches the interesting parts, it becomes an unputdownable experience. The author's storytelling prowess truly shines as the narrative unfolds, and the intricacies of the plot begin to emerge. The character development, which was subtly established during the slow build-up, now comes into full play, making the reader feel deeply connected to the protagonists.

A serviceable YA horror mystery novel, The Bad Ones presents a sl0w-burn unraveling of the strange disappearances of several people on the same night from the same town. The protagonist, Nora, has a believable teenage personality, and the way that she handles the struggles presented throughout the book make a lot of sense. Her complicated relationship with her best friend Becca is well written and serves as a good foundation for central conflict of the story.

However, the pace was a little too slow for my taste. The plot doesn't really begin to pick up until about a third of the way in, so at times, I struggled to stay interested enough to press on. Once the plot does pick up though, it presents a few creepy twists and turns that, while not being especially scary, do add a fair amount of dread and tension to the disappearance mystery. Like with a lot of horror novels though, there's not much in the way of logic or rules in the way that the story concludes. The supernatural elements just....are, and the book doesn't give any explanation for why any of them are possible.

Overall, I though this was a decent book, but the plot could've had better pacing, and the horror elements could've been a little more organized.

I felt like this book had a lot going for it in the first half. It kept you on your toes and kept you guessing about the first chapter throughout most of the book. That being said, I didn’t love the ending. I felt like halfway through the book I was hoping for more clues and a snippet into what was going on but it came as a flood towards the end. I felt like it just rushed through the plot twists and didn’t make much sense. I did love the supernatural element of it though. That being said, I felt like the ending scene where Nora is drowning was out of character for the goddess. I feel like Becca coming back was weird and we never knew where the other people went.

The promise of this book was very interesting. I have mixed opinions on it. Some parts were good but some not so much.

This book was amazing. I'm still trying to form coherent thoughts....
I'm not usually one to foray into supernatural/fantasy novels, but it captured my attention and held it. I loved Nora, and reading from her perspective was nice.
The Bad Ones was dark, and full of vengeance and fantastical elements and a *whisper* of romance. I really appreciate the author leaving the romantic aspect of the main character until AFTER the resolution. The character thought to herself, even, that the person deserved to be more than a distraction at this traumatic time. I liked that.
Without spoilers, I loved the ending too. Great spooky story, I'm very happy that I got to read it in October!

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Four people vanish from a small town. Is it a coincidence or are they victims of a vengeful goddess from a jump-rope rhyme? This was the perfect read for autumn. It was very spooky and kept you guessing right up until the end. I couldn’t put it down because I just HAD to know all of the answers to the many dark questions. If you’re looking for a twisty, mystery-filled horror story, this one is for you!

A gripping dark fairy tale.

I want more stars to give this book. I love all of Melissa Albert’s books but this matches The Hazel Wood in being an all consuming page turner.
Nora’s best friend, Becca goes missing one night along with 3 other people. We follow along with Nora as she tries to find her estranged friend. It’s a supernatural thriller, a study in complicated friendship, with a dash of potential romance.
I love the characters- they’re all flawed & messy & complicated. The story is fast paced, switching between Nora & Becca in different time periods. A couple of very late nights because I could not stop reading. My favorite kind of book- you can’t put it down but are sad when it’s finished.

OMG MELISSA ALBERT IS AMAZING! She created a world where justice and vengeance are served, and girls feel powerful in a world that is often unjust or unfair. Nora's best friend, Becca, goes missing along with two other students from Palmetto High- all on the same night. Nora knows that Becca didn't just run away, and she couldn't have done something to hurt herself. As Becca uncovers what really happened to all of the missing students, she also uncovers a sad and twisted background of her school and community that led to the origin of The Goddess Game, a game where kids take turns putting their lives in their friends' hands and seeing if they survive.

This book was just creepy enough for early Spooky Season and had me hanging on every word! 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

I really love this author so this was a good enjoyable read. The twists and turns throughout the story were fun and had me on the edge of my seat. I adored the spooky vibes and how chilling the plot turns. Excellent read for this fall season.

3.5 - rounded up!

The Bad Ones is a spooky book with lots of twists. I really enjoyed reading it and I thought it was so fun! I've read this author's other books and I'd definitely recommend reading this one. My only complaint is that I feel like there are some plot holes that were never answered.

I chose this book because the front cover and the description but I couldn’t even get past chapter two. It’s all over the place. I don’t know who the main character is, there doesn’t seem to be an explanation of anything that’s going on or what exactly the problem could be. I’m also not even sure who the narrator is. I think the concept of the book was good, but the development and writing style ruined it.

Immediately upon finishing The Bad Ones, I pre-ordered it. It's a book that I want on my shelves. Melissa Albert is the queen of dark, magical stories that steal your soul and leave you hungry for more.

"I love you": three simple words that trigger a chain of events that change Nora's life as she knows it. Nora receives this text from her estranged best friend, Becca. When she wakes in the morning, Becca, and three other people from their town are missing. As Nora struggles to learn what happened to Becca, it becomes clear there is more to her disappearance than it seems.

The Bad Ones has everything a spooky fall read needs: vengeful goddess, mysteries, dark magic, horror. It's the type of book you can easily devour, but find yourself slowing down so you can enjoy it longer.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron books for providing a free arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is being marketed as a supernatural horror, but it felt more like an old school thriller, all slow burn. Nora and Becca are interesting characters, and I liked the shifting povs and use of flashbacks. It’s very well written, I really enjoy Melissa Albert’s writing style, but the pacing kept me from enjoying it as much as some of her other works. Still great overall,

This book is not my usual preferred genre, but I picked it up anyway because I like trying new things. I was hooked from page one and the story just kept pulling me forward until I had to take a break from reading for two weeks to focus on my coursework. That break was absolute t o r t u r e. I like how well-written this is and how chilling it was to read. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Wow - I loved this. I am not one to usually read horror books but this one was incredible. It will be great for any spooky / creepy displays. I hope there is a sequel!

I’m overall really enjoyed The Bad Ones, I would rate it around a 3.8. It’s a quick read and the story pulls you in from the start. I really liked the friendship of Nora and Becca, the ups and downs and how such a close friendship can also be damaging. The main aspect that kept me from rating it higher is the use of the side characters, I liked the side characters but they often felt like they were dropped in for a scene and weren’t really apart of the story, I wish that those relationships had been fleshed out more with a few more scenes of them together, I also would have liked a little bit more of the background story.

Melissa Albert books always leave me more than a little disturbed. The Bad Ones is exactly what you want out of a Melissa Albert novel. It's atmospheric, tension-filled, and feels only too real. I was never bored reading The Bad Ones. It was the perfect book to transition me into the spooky season. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while.

Spooky season must read!!! Gothic horror book with supernatural elements. There’s also a little bit of romance but not a full on romance book. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I’m so glad I started off my spooky season read with this novel. I’m exited to check out other books by this author.

The writing was, as expected, wonderful. This is a chilling, atmospheric, and haunting novel, with just enough suspense to keep you turning pages. While I finished this relatively quickly, I did have the feeling while reading that this is a story I've read before. Not specifically in one book, but in the formulaic blend of tropes and characters and deliberately-withheld information leading to a twist reveal that you know is coming. There were some moments and ideas that felt original, but the characters were so superficially sketched, and interacted so unmemorably, that I could have been reading about any angsty suburban teen and her classmates investigating a mystery. This book did everything it needed to, it just didn't do anything more.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the material. A good blend of horror, gothic, and mystery. The characters feel very much like teenagers that got swept up into a mysterious terror. It shows that everyone can be the villain or hero. It kept my attention the entire time and I loved every minute