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cozy_soul_reads's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Mystery
Urban legend "goddess game"
Suspense
DUAL POV (timeline past/present)
Female Rage
Unreliable narrator
Small Town Setting
Friendship Gone Wrong
Paranormal
Trigger warning: Death of a parent, missing child
Favorite Qoutes
"Who's love I won with lies."
"I know you."
"You really don't."
"A sinner always wants another bite of apple."
"It looked like a bad thing rising out of water."
"Goddess goddess count to 4 is that you knocking at my door? Goddess goddess count to five who is alive?"
"No one had made a goddess for things we were going through right now."
"There was an intruder in my house. They were wearing my skin."
"Her power grew when no one was watching. In the dark."
My Review
From the very first chapter this novel had my attention. I've gone to many sleepovers while in school, so the idea that you go downstairs and find something haunting waiting. Or a angel statue in the shadows haunting a town. Missing people and rumors at school. This book builds on your fears and isolation creeps in every page. I read this as an audiobook and highly reccomend it. I loved the mood of the urban legend in this small town.
The goddess series really was creative. Since Becca was a photographer the artistic and haunting vibe around her felt real. The goddess game the bad version caught my attention. I also liked Melissa Albert's floral and poetic writing style, but when the darkness and reality of the crimes in this book hits you its truly like a bad dream.
Urban legend "goddess game"
Suspense
DUAL POV (timeline past/present)
Female Rage
Unreliable narrator
Small Town Setting
Friendship Gone Wrong
Paranormal
Trigger warning: Death of a parent, missing child
Favorite Qoutes
"Who's love I won with lies."
"I know you."
"You really don't."
"A sinner always wants another bite of apple."
"It looked like a bad thing rising out of water."
"Goddess goddess count to 4 is that you knocking at my door? Goddess goddess count to five who is alive?"
"No one had made a goddess for things we were going through right now."
"There was an intruder in my house. They were wearing my skin."
"Her power grew when no one was watching. In the dark."
My Review
From the very first chapter this novel had my attention. I've gone to many sleepovers while in school, so the idea that you go downstairs and find something haunting waiting. Or a angel statue in the shadows haunting a town. Missing people and rumors at school. This book builds on your fears and isolation creeps in every page. I read this as an audiobook and highly reccomend it. I loved the mood of the urban legend in this small town.
The goddess series really was creative. Since Becca was a photographer the artistic and haunting vibe around her felt real. The goddess game the bad version caught my attention. I also liked Melissa Albert's floral and poetic writing style, but when the darkness and reality of the crimes in this book hits you its truly like a bad dream.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
sonygaystation's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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
Moderate: Death, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Alcohol
goodwitchs's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings: death, murder, death of a parent, toxic friendship, blood, drowning, violence, brief descriptions of sexual violence, grooming
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!
Love and devotion, while similar, are not exactly the same. Their definitions run alongside one another, sometimes overlapping, their edges bleeding together. In that dark, blurry space where they meet lives Melissa Albert’s The Bad Ones.
Over the course of a single winter night, four people within the same city vanish into thin air. One of the missing is Nora’s best friend, a talented photographer named Becca. Becca and Nora haven’t spoken in three months, until the night that Becca texts Nora “I love you” out of nowhere.
By the time Nora arrives at Becca’s house to talk, her friend is nowhere to be found.
This is a story that starts out creepy and gets a whole lot creepier. The sense of dread was wonderful; it was impossible to look away. The more I learned about the missing people and the city’s dark past, the more questions I had. All I wanted was to stay up all night and finish the book in one sitting.
I enjoyed the characters a lot more than I usually do with YA books. As a narrator, Nora was a character I could empathize with, and who I couldn’t help but root for. She was believable and likable, which is not always the case with teenage protagonists. The glimpses of Becca were even more interesting to me; I would love to read a version from her point of view. And all the side characters — James, Ruth, Sloane, Cat — stood out in their own ways.
The magical aspect is deliciously done. This is not sparkly, Disney-fairy magic. This is dark and primeval and quite possibly not of this earth. It is magic with a taste, a texture. It is feral little girl magic, amplified a thousand times over.
If any of this sounds up your alley, make sure to check out The Bad Ones. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!
Love and devotion, while similar, are not exactly the same. Their definitions run alongside one another, sometimes overlapping, their edges bleeding together. In that dark, blurry space where they meet lives Melissa Albert’s The Bad Ones.
Over the course of a single winter night, four people within the same city vanish into thin air. One of the missing is Nora’s best friend, a talented photographer named Becca. Becca and Nora haven’t spoken in three months, until the night that Becca texts Nora “I love you” out of nowhere.
By the time Nora arrives at Becca’s house to talk, her friend is nowhere to be found.
This is a story that starts out creepy and gets a whole lot creepier. The sense of dread was wonderful; it was impossible to look away. The more I learned about the missing people and the city’s dark past, the more questions I had. All I wanted was to stay up all night and finish the book in one sitting.
I enjoyed the characters a lot more than I usually do with YA books. As a narrator, Nora was a character I could empathize with, and who I couldn’t help but root for. She was believable and likable, which is not always the case with teenage protagonists. The glimpses of Becca were even more interesting to me; I would love to read a version from her point of view. And all the side characters — James, Ruth, Sloane, Cat — stood out in their own ways.
The magical aspect is deliciously done. This is not sparkly, Disney-fairy magic. This is dark and primeval and quite possibly not of this earth. It is magic with a taste, a texture. It is feral little girl magic, amplified a thousand times over.
If any of this sounds up your alley, make sure to check out The Bad Ones. You won’t regret it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Self harm, Mass/school shootings, and Car accident