Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert follows Nora as she searches for her best friend Becca who went missing along with 3 other people in town in one night. Her friend has left her clues to follow as Nora delves into the past of the town to solve the mystery. All while dealing with her own emotions around her relationship with her friend and their past.
I loved the paranormal aspect of this thriller. It was subtle and almost nonexistent at first and only grew throughout the story. It had an eerie feel that I always love! It feels like a normal mystery at first until Nora starts to delve into her own background with her best friend. I want to say so much more but do not want to spoil anything. The dark transition the book takes was done so well.
I didn't connect as much with the characters but I didn't knock the book for that as I am an adult and this is meant for a young adult audience. I felt that the connections between the characters and their families were written well for the audience it was intended for and I was here for the paranormal horror.
Overall it was a great book! I would definitely recommend it if you still enjoy YA like I do or for the loved ones in your life who like horror and are in that age range.

A urban legend game, mysterious disappearances, and haunting folklore come together to create a suspenseful story. Becca has disappeared, although three other people strangely disappear on the same night. Due to these strange occurrences, there is renewed interest in The Goddess Game, a sleepover tradition for teen girls. As Nora, Becca's best friend works to find her, the town starts to reveal it's secrets. It's just as dark and twisty as the cover suggests.

I made the biggest mistake by starting to read this as it was getting dark because I was soon worrying about what was outside my window or in my closet. In the darkness was not the ideal time for this romance reader to start this YA horror fiction but let me tell you as soon as I started I needed to finish to be able to breathe. I am definitely a fan of small town secrets so this hit the right spot. I enjoyed this book even as it is VERY different from what I normally pick up. The suspense and the supernatural were perfection.

So many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

I saw this one and was immediately intrigued. I enjoyed this one, but it is definitely a slow burn unraveling the mysterious town disappearances. The relationships are definitely...complicated, and it's spooky vibes without giving me nightmares.

Four people go missing in the span of one night and Nora is left picking up the pieces on what could have happened to her best friend and what possible connection it could share with the other three. The story is rather slow and I personally had a hard time keeping engaged. The story overall though is interesting and has a good air of mystery surrounding the tease of the prologue and what could have possible happened to the people we meet in that first chapter.

Unfortunately though the story suffers at its slow pace and the characters felt kind of flat for me. The only time I actually really enjoyed the story is when we’re given a flashback on the origin of the goddess game and those characters in the story are so brief and were introduced to them at the near end.

What I did like though, despite not really caring for Nora was the way the author showed the toxic friendship between her and Becca. I wish it would have focused more on that, even if it meant more flashbacks to their childhood or whatever, then the forced romance between Nora and James. The romantic aspect felt super random and unnecessary for me and felt like it took away from the story more than anything. Normally I like a little romance sprinkled in books like these but this might be one of the rare ones where I feel it would have benefitted without. I wanted more friendship dynamics scenes. Those were probably the most interesting ones for me. James and Nora’s bored me.

I also wish we had more of the supernatural elements like we got at the very end. I think I went into this expecting more and feel a little disappointed by it.

I liked the ending, and the big reveal of what happened but the slow build up was hard for me to get through. I wish the ending wasn’t so rushed through and that the supernatural elements were explored more. Even though we’re given explanations about what happened I felt like we’re still kind of left with unanswered questions.

I really enjoyed this book just like I have all of Albert's previous books. This was the perfect blend of mystery, the dark & creepy. I also really like her writing. Can't wait for more books from her!

Four people vanish without a trace in a small town. One of them is Nora's best friend, Becca. As she investigates, she realizes something paranormal might be to blame.


I wanted to like this one based on the premise, but I was missing the horror elements I wanted. I also at times was a bit confused about when I was in the timeline. Maybe my ARC was missing time markers. But one chapter Becca was missing and the next she was there (which seemed like a flashback).

Oomph this was a rough one for me. I absolutely hate dnfing books but sometimes it just falls like that. I heard of this authour from The Hazel Woods and this cover was EVERYTHING. But that’s about where my praise ends.

I feel like so often certain genres get a bad wrap and Young Adult is definitely one of them and unfortunately this book isn’t helping. The genre is so often considered hollow with bad writing and man oh man this did exactly that but felt even worse to me. I thought I was reading a middle grade book and if that was the intent then it wouldn’t be so bad but that’s not the point.

This honestly dissuades me from reading anything by this authour because it was rough. It didn’t even read like they have an editor and I’m just vastly confused.

Oh my gosh I love this book so much!

It had all of the things that I enjoy in a good book. The mystery and suspense at times wa perfect to keep me turning the pages.

I also just really enjoyed the flow of the story. There weren't very many places that the pacing slowed down for me. And when reading a more
Horror based fantasy that is somwthing important for me while I read. I like the thrill and suspense, but not the slow pace. But this story delivered.


I honestly liked the characters too. I felt this kinship with Nora as she investigates Beccas disappearance. And I felt for her as the story unfolded. I don't always relate well with FMC. But I actually liked Becca and was so engrossed in her journey as she unraveled things.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flat Iron Books for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric and spooky, this story has some of my favorite elements in a supernatural novel: a friendship on the rocks, a school setting, a dark urban legend, and unexplained disappearances.

Nora and Becca are best friends who bond over an urban legend of a “goddess” who is their protector in a world where they feel powerless. A series of events leads to their estrangement and Becca’s disappearance. Then, three other people disappear from school. Nora is left devastated as strange things begin to occur, and she begins to think Becca has left clues behind to help her figure out what happened.

Dark, atmospheric, there is a sense of dread and urgency as Nora searches for answers to what happened to her best friend. I couldn’t stop turning the pages and really enjoyed the urban legend and supernatural elements of the story.

It was fine. I liked the aesthetic and the darkness of it. The general plot was good. I was just fine. Like very middle ground not super special nothing crazy.

Multiple girls are missing, but one of them is Becca, so her best friend Nora needs to figure out what's going on. Nora has some clues that make her think Becca disappeared willingly, but Nora had no clues leading up to the events.
This book made me feel nostalgic -- it has a kind of older Goosebumps feeling. There are mysteries, supernatural happenings, and drama from the past. I was surprised by the ending, which I enjoyed.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

What a wild ride! I liked this book tons more than the Hazelwood series, it almost seems to be a different author.

Nora and her BFF Becca are on the outs when Becca and three people at their high school going missing. It seems Becca left behind clues for Nora who also starts having weird visions of the missing. It's all linked to the town's Goddess Game, and Nora needs to go on a self discovery journey to see how.

A good high school YA mystery with horror vibes.
My comment to improve the score would be to make it a bit shorter, it dragged at parts.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

"The Bad Ones" by Melissa Albert is a haunting blend of mystery and supernatural intrigue that kept me captivated from start to finish. While it may not be my favorite from Albert, it still delivers a gripping tale filled with atmospheric tension and eerie moments. I found myself hooked by the slow unraveling of the central mystery, as Nora delves into the town's dark secrets and uncovers the truth behind her friend's disappearance. Albert's attention to detail, particularly in the historical scenes and character dynamics, adds depth to the narrative, immersing readers in a world where reality and myth collide. While the pacing may be a bit slow for some, I appreciated the meticulous build-up that culminated in a chilling climax. Overall, "The Bad Ones" is a must-read for fans of Albert's work and anyone seeking a compelling YA horror mystery.

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert is one of my most anticipated reads of February. It was pretty great even if I would say that it's not a favorite from Melissa Albert (that still goes to The Hazel Wood and Our Crooked Hearts). That said it's quite atmospheric and eerie. It took a bit for it to really reel me in, but I found myself hooked by the mystery at the center of this horror story. I appreciated the history scenes and the research the characters had to do - even searching microfiche at the library. Overall, if you're a fan of this author, you can't miss this new release.

An entertaining YA horror mystery novel. The pacing was a bit slow for my taste but overall the characters felt whole and the interpersonal relationship / interactions felt realistic. There’s no real explanation for the “horror” aspects but I didn’t mind that.

I read an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

i would have liked this book even more if i didn't know what level of creepy dark gorey evil girl witch fairytale gritty glamorous magic melissa albert was capable of. but i do, so this was a level below.

i liked some things about this — evil girls, friendship, possession — and didn't like others — abrupt ending, eh relationships, kind of inconsistent logic around the magic. but i like melissa albert everything so it all works out!

This book revolves around two friends Nora and Becca. One is missing, and the other is searching and finding clues to her absence.
I'm not normally a big fan of YA, but this one was a mesmerizing combination of horror and fantasy that I found very alluring.

The Bad Ones deals with themes of revenge, friendship, and how far someone will go for those they love. It's an intense emotional and intriguing mystery with just enough of the supernatural.

Overall, this was creepy and gothic. I enjoyed the small town with its secrets and Legends.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

THE BAD ONES by @melissaalbertauthor is a very atmospheric, dark mystery wrapped up tight in local folklore. There are layers here that slowly unfurl to reveal the stepping stones to unravel the mystery. Missing children, dark magic, nefarious adults and unsettling devotions abound.

Read this one if you like dark YA fantasy, layered mysteries, folk horror themes and loyal friendships.

Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @flatiron_books for the audio-ARC.

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Thank you, Flatiron and Netgalley, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. I DNF'ed at 50% and tried to continue to read it, but I decided to move on. I will try returning to this one in the future and giving it another chance.

My main reason for DNF'ing is that the story is SLOW and tedious. I keep finding myself zoning out while reading.