The Bad Ones

This book combines elements of multiple genres beautifully, heavily leaning on horror, mystery, and fantasy, while weaving in coming-of-age and paranormal themes to the story. Albert creates such rich and well-developed characters, both the main characters and the side characters. Readers get to see how the friendship develops between Nora and Becca, and changes over time as they both grow and mature and have different life experiences. While the story is told through Nora’s perspective in the present, readers also see the past through both Nora and Becca’s eyes.

The story focuses on some heavy emotional themes, and deals with parental death. While it happens off-page, readers do learn the circumstances of the death, and includes an exploration of grief. There are some other topics that are addressed as well which readers should be aware of, including sexual assault, self-harm, bullying, toxic relationships, murder, homophobia, and religious intolerance. This book is listed as appropriate for readers aged 14-18 years old, but might be better off for readers in this range who are more mature due to these themes.

Albert does a wonderful job of creating another multi-genre crossover success. There are multiple questions that arise which kept me flipping pages to find out what the answers were. There is so much to uncover, and there are surprises and plot twists at every turn. Characters have plenty of depth and room to grow throughout the story, especially as they process the wide range of emotions they are experiencing. This is a wonderful read, and showcases