Reviews with content warning for Cancer - The Bad Ones

This book was kinda messy but in way I enjoyed! The time jumps were a little jarring with the perspective changes but once I got the handle of it (I listened rather than read the book) I could go with the flow better. I think there could’ve been more room for character development with the side characters because I enjoyed them and would’ve liked to see them more. I think James literally just served as a love interest (which I don’t dislike because lorde knows so many writers dump women in their novels as side characters just to serve as the MC’s LI) and I wish his role in things was a little more prevalent. I did really enjoy Nora’s extracurricular scenes because I really liked Ruth! With Becca, there was one line Nora’s sister said where it was made pretty clear Becca isn’t seen as good for Nora and (alongside a convo with Nora’s mom) implied that Becca’s too overprotective of Nora to the point that keeps Nora from making other friends. That felt like a big theme to have but it didn’t really go anywhere? Like all we see of their relationship is from Nora’s perspective but she spends 80% of the book only referring to their falling out and we only hear about the good parts really as they were when they were kids so that felt off. But! I had a good time and I’d read it again for sure!! I’m also happy it ended the way it did because Nora deserved some good things coming her way 🫶

Content Warnings

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

When 3 students and a teacher go missing one night, one of their best friends, Nora, and the mysterious boy James, get pulled into an old town myth, the Goddess Game.
Well, I found the book partly predictable. I figured out what was up with the connection to the old game, or who was now in the story was connected to it pretty easily.
There were some good parts, like the interesting twist as to why these particular people disappeared, and what exactly was going on with Becca being a bit harder to guess.
I didn't like the "evil Goddess" thing. It's an anti-Pagan trope that rubs me the wrong way, even though I do not identify as Pagan.
Overall, the book wasn't terrible, it was just a bit too anti-Pagan and predictable for me. Though at least it wasn't preachy it was more overall anti-religion.

Narrator Rating: 4 stars
The narrator was excellent but not spectacular. Her voice can also be a bit annoying at certain points; it just depends on her tone.

Elemental Levels: Heartfelt-3/5 Mystery-3/5 Predictability-3.5/5 Suspense-1/5 Tear- 2.5/5 Thrill-1/5

Content Warnings

rowanhill's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Features:

Slow burn supernatural thriller
Strong (if somewhat flawed) female friendship
Small town setting and urban legends
Chilling vibes and

“Goddess, Goddess, count to one, who will you pick when the day is done?” With a story centered around local urban legends and a double dutch rhyme, this book really delivers on the creepy vibes. Despite being a bit of a slow burn, I found I just couldn’t put it down. An uncanny feeling pervades every page from beginning to end as the mystery surrounding 4 disappearances unravels. Though I wasn’t a big fan of Nora or her missing BFF Becca as people, I think they were pretty well developed and provided an interesting lens through which the story is told. There are definitely some odd wording choices and some of the story elements don’t quite hit home. However, these didn’t prevent me from eating through the pages!

Summary

Nora and Becca have always been inseparable. At least…they used to be. Nora is trying to pick up the pieces after their big fight and figure out who she is without Becca while still hanging on to the hope that they will eventually be able to patch together what has been broken. Then, after 6 months of almost no communication between them, Nora gets a text from Becca in the middle of the night. The next morning, Nora wakes to discover that four people, including Becca, have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Though the other victims left no trace, Becca has left a series of clues for Nora tied to an urban legend and a childhood game that they used to play. But where will these clues lead?

Creepy and tense, but not nightmare inducing

This book is very atmospheric and definitely delivers on the uncanny vibes of a supernatural thriller. It is both a story about a complicated friendship shaped by loss and a mystery with an urban legend turned playground rhyme at its center. Though not the most unique, the use of the rhyme and how all of the pieces start to connect is brilliantly executed. That being said, it is definitely more of a slow burn.

I found that there was just enough tension to keep me reading, but there weren’t many moments that made me want to eat through the pages to find out what happens or make me pause to lower my heart rate a little. There are plenty of impactful moments that have stayed with me even after putting the book down. However, none were due to being scary or disturbing. Though I personally appreciate the lack of real nightmare fuel, it might be disappointing to more avid horror/thriller readers.

Solid characters, odd choices

Though we spend a lot of time getting to know Nora and her BFF Becca, there is a fairly large cast of characters that we are introduced to over the course of the book. Even though we don’t get to spend a lot of time getting to know all of them well, Albert does a pretty good job making them feel unique and authentic on the page. Even though I didn’t like Nora or Becca as people, their personalities were well illustrated and I was able to get invested in their story. This development made it all the more obvious when it gets undermined by some odd writing choices. Whether it’s an odd dialogue exchange or awkward descriptions, there are many small moments that either made me pause or just didn’t fit quite right.

In addition to a few odd details, the ‘romance’ element didn’t really work for me. I didn’t mind it being there, but it also didn’t really add anything to the story. I think if there was a slightly different approach to the relationship and how it develops, it might have fit a little better.

Overall

This was a solid read that kept me turning the pages. It is just creepy enough to give you the chills, but there is nothing extremely horrible or terrifying in this book. I love that it commits to being a supernatural thriller, but this also means there are some things left unexplained/unresolved. I personally loved being left with a little brain food when a book is done, but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If you are looking for thriller vibes without going too deep, this is a perfect book to pick up and enjoy. However, if you like things a little spookier, spicier, and/or neatly tied up in the end, this book may not tick all of your boxes.

Content Warnings

More...