Okay. Okay, I didn’t love this book. At a push I’m not entirely sure whether I liked this book or not. It really says something that I came back to review this and I couldn’t remember a thing about what happened. It’s a good thing I’d written out notes after finishing it, or I don’t think I’d have had much to say here. It just wasn’t memorable enough for me to have any strong feelings about this book.

The writing was beautiful, but I didn’t like either of our main characters. As a character-driven reader, this just didn’t work for me. Luca was a complex character with lots of layers, but honestly? I found her kind of boring. She was complex but we didn’t get the depth in her that I would have needed to pull me through this story. I hated her attitude towards Naomi. Like, actually hated it. Naomi was a completely flat character, but she still didn’t deserve how Luca treated her. My favourite character in this book was Whitney, and the relationship between Luca and Whitney. Which obviously didn’t last long, with Whitney’s death being mentioned in the synopsis.

This book is sold as a murder-mystery/thriller. I’m not convinced on this. I think that it felt primarily like a contemporary, with a splash of mystery and thriller throughout. This didn’t help my enjoyment, as I don’t like YA contemporaries to start with. There’s very little ‘investigation’ in this for a mystery, and the mystery didn’t really impact anything. It had the character study feeling of a contemporary instead. For a mystery, I’d want more twists, and for a thriller more darkness or tension. This book was too much of a middle ground to work for me. The ending was unsatisfying, and I wanted more of a conclusion. We got enough information to kind of understand what the curse is, but I wanted to know more about what happened to Polly.

I did like that the book talked about the different forms that privilege can take, and how Luca acknowledged that while marginalised in some ways (plus-sized qpoc) she still had the privilege of her family’s money, but I honestly wish this whole book had been a novella focused on this aspect of the story rather than the ‘mystery’ we got.

I didn't really dislike this book, but I wasn't into it. It fell very flat for me. I liked the relationship between Naomi and Luca in the first half and I was shocked when certain things were revealed. But everything else I just wasn't feeling.

The main character annoyed me a lot at one point in the book. I felt she believed that a particular person had done it too quickly, even though there were reasons why I thought she should be less likely to believe it. It really put me off the character. I get the author's reasons for doing it and maybe it's realistic to life, but it annoyed me.

I don't have anything more to say really. There was nothing bad about this book, I just wasn't into it.

I have conflicted feelings about this story - the writing is beautiful, there is a good variety of characters and I was genuinely shocked by a couple of twists… however, ultimately I wasn’t grabbed by the plot for most of the time that I was reading. It’s described as a thriller but I can’t say that I agree with that genre selection, I didn’t feel particularly thrilled at any point. Some parts felt unnecessarily long and drawn out and I wasn’t hugely bowled over with the ending. This book will definitely appeal to a particular market of readers and I’m glad I read it but it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book but sadly it didn’t live up to the blurb. Perhaps it should be targeted to the YA readers as I felt no connection to the characters and was extremely irritated by many of them. The curse that kept being referred to was a nonsense and the way us readers are supposed to swallow the fact that the chief policeman’s daughter can easily access his computer files, even finding deeply hidden information is laughable. In a rich, privileged society where one of their daughters has been found murdered we are expected to believe these powerful people will sit back and do nothing, never hassling the police and the autopsy personnel. It just doesn’t ring true.

Well this was definitely one of those books where you become very antisocial! I confess to reading it within two days as I couldn’t put it down! Luca believes there is a curse on the island where she lives and this belief becomes stronger when her beloved sister is found murdered and the local police are having problems solving the case! Naomi comes to live in the house next door where her old school friend Polly used to live, Polly too drowned in mysterious circumstances! Luca is determined to find the cause of the curse and so her investigations begin with the help of Naomi who becomes more than just a best friend but who can she trust? I loved the vulnerability of Luca and her determination! Superbly written with great empathy, an excellent read! I am now back to speaking to people!

A tale about love, and loss, and grief, and privilege, and wealth, and poor mental health.... This book seems to be young adult fiction, I am not really the target audience, however, an entertaining read nonetheless

Bad Things Happen Here is a beautiful story with a lot of lessons to give. It has a little bit of everything and just enough to keep you intrigued and melt your heart!

Luca Laine Thomas has lived in Parris Island all her life. And one year ago, she lost Polly, her best friend. Now there’s a new girl that moved into Polly’s house and the curse that surrounds this island strikes again.

Young women keep being murdered and the cases remain unsolved. Now it’s Luca’s turn to do some investigating on her own and figure out what the hell is wrong with this island.

Luca is such a refreshing character. She is mixed-race, queer and plus sized, but most importantly, she’s hilarious, smart, and not afraid to stand up for herself. I was glad to see her embrace her mental health journey and show us how she is dealing with grief. She is not afraid to open about her feelings – and thank God for that – we need more Luca’s in our lives and on our pages, so that people start realising that talking about emotions is okay.

The story is intriguing and captivating. Meeting a log of characters and having those parties on the island gave me some “We Were Liars” vibes. The chapters are short and the way they end prompts you to continue. I stayed up until 2am, finishing this book.

“People lie about where they were when they don’t want anyone to know what they were doing and where they were doing it.”

I liked the mystery elements, although I think there were some flaws. Luca relied on just one source to give her clues, and if that source ceased for some reason, she wouldn’t have been able to reveal anything. Additionally, I think in real life, that person would never reveal anything at all, because of how it relates to them and the connection, in my opinion. And even though we get one reveal in the end, we don’t get answers to the old cases at all. There was supposed to be some connection between all the murders, and it was never entertained afterwards. It left me slightly disappointed from that point of view.

I liked the romantic connection Luca had, and how real it all was. Especially towards the end. It proves to show that you can love and care for someone so deeply, but still cannot forgive or forget if they hurt you bad enough. We don’t always get the happy ever afters. And maybe time will heal their wounds and destiny will guide them to each other again. We’ll never know, and we can only hope, and that’s the beauty of it.

Well written, and a good book for a young adult audience. Interesting characters and plotline. Certain a good book for the intended audience.

The title in it self makes you want to pick up the book straight away to found out what is it about Parris Island that makes it bad place. The chapters are very short which is good and the story is about Luca who best friend died three years ago and no one knows what happened to Polly and Luca thinks it’s the curse. Than another death happens close to home again for Luca and she trying her hardest to found out what happened and who the killer may be. It did not take me long to read this book due to me wanting to find out the mystery of the curse and if Luca has happy ending. There was couple twists I did see coming which was good. I definitely enjoyed reading Bad things happen here Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book

'Bad Things Happen Here' by Rebecca Barrow is set in the corrupt high society of Parris, where it seems tragedy always strikes the young women of the town, many of them dying in mysterious circumstances. Luca is convinced this a curse befalling the town, one day feeling this hit too hard and close to home when her sister Whitney is found murdered. Of course, Luca becomes an amateur detective (not quite as savvy as Pip in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but close), determined to unpick her sister's last movements and the corruption at the core of the police force who never seem to crack any of these cases.

We have a few chapters getting to know Whit before her untimely death, meaning that we have a lot more investment in the solving of her murder. Luca is also haunted by the tragic (accidental???) death of her best friend Polly two years prior. Violence underscores every plot point in this novel, with the truth gradually unravelling these people being rotten to the core.

The ending ties up some of the plot but much is let loose - are we due a sequel? Let's hope so.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To outsiders, Parris is a beautiful idyllic island. To those who live there, it’s cursed with recurrent deaths of young women. Luca’s best friend Polly was one of those women three years ago and she just can’t ignore the very real presence that there is something evil on the island. When the curse takes Luca’s sister Whitney, Luca takes on the investigation herself but more secrets than one are about to be uncovered. This twisty, atmospheric YA thriller features a fierce heroine and a very cute sapphic romance. I loved that everyone was a bit suspicious because it kept me guessing the whole time. The ending was both heartbreaking, hopeful and thoroughly satisfying.

I would definitely class this as a YA whodunnit thriller. I didnt really gel with any of the characters, I kept getting who was who confused which probably isnt a great sign. I did however enjoy the storyline and it kept me engaged and reading, and more importantly wanting to read more, so that deserves credit.

Bad Things Happen Here was a well written psychological thriller, full of action and twists. With that being said, I do feel it didn't connect with me in the same way it might with a younger audience. I did enjoy it, but felt somewhat disconnected from the characters and didn't feel invested in the story as fully as I would liked to have.

This book is set on the island of Parris. There is a mixture of families but the majority are wealthy . Luca and Witney live with their parents in a wealthy existence. Luca has many issues being overweight, coloured and lesbian. She has a mix of friends but her best friend, Polly, died and she blames herself as she was late to meet her and which causes issues with her mental health. She believes the island is cursed and this is why Polly died. He police did not get to the bottom of the tragedy and it was deemed accidental. Life continues, Luca is unhappy most of the time but college finishes and her sister comes back to the island. Polly’s house which is next to their house is now sold and a mother and daughter move in. Witney and Luca meet the new girl, Naomi, and they invite her to a party which invitation she accepts. Then the curse as Luca sees it steps up again. Witney is found dead and she is determined to find out what happened as the police are not making progress. Luca and Naomi start on their quest to find out why young girls are dying. I first of all found Luca an interesting character but eventually lost interest and none of the characters really filled me with empathy. I did finish the book but found it quite hard as I found it a little drawn out. I am not sure that the ending was satisfying – feel a sequel may be on the way

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I enjoyed this book, liked the characters and had a great storyline. Would recommend

Bad Things Happen Here

A Cursed Island. Unsolved Deaths of young Women. One girl desperate to solve the mystery.

I just didn't care ! It was very slow and nothing grabbed my attention and I was glad when I had finished the book. I had such high hopes for this book but it just fell flat for me and the ending was a massive disappointment.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and Rebecca Barrow for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review.

It is fair to say this book was not what I expected but it was a riveting, thought-provoking read nevertheless. The protagonist is seventeen-year-old Luca Laine who has enjoyed a privileged childhood on Parris, an island reserved exclusively for the rich elite. The glamorous island setting is, however, spoilt by the recurring tragedies of young girls losing their lives in unexplained circumstances. Among the mysterious deaths of the last few years is Polly, who was Luca’s best friend. When Luca loses her sister Whitney in circumstances that look non-accidental and point to murder, Luca is ready to investigate the loss of her loved ones. She enlists the help of fellow teenager Naomi, who has just moved in next door. What will a long-time resident of Parris and a newcomer discover between them? Dealing with some complex topics including physical, sexual and psychological forms of assault, self-harm and grief, this is a thought-provoking mystery novel that is ready to transcend its label of ‘YA mystery’. I recommend it and would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the free ARC I received in exchange for this review.

Bad Things Happen Here is THE YA thriller of 2022. Perfect for fans of Riverdale and Karen M. McManus. The story is twisty, engaging, and fast-paced. The characters are well-developed and intriguing. Highly recommended!!

Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow was one of my most highly anticipated novels of 2022, and I've been so excited to read it! But while it was an interesting story, I found that I didn't really enjoy it overall.

Luca lives in Parris, a idyllic island, where the weather is always gorgeous, and the people wealthy. It should be a beautiful place to live, but Parris' has it's darkness. She has been haunted by the death of her best friend Polly four years ago. It was written off as an accident, but Luca knows there was more to it than that, and struggles with the fact that it wasn't properly investigated. Just like the deaths of other girls in Parris'. There has always been a morbid joke that the island is cursed, but Luca has always thought that it might be true. It hurts even more when, after four years, people move into Polly's house, but Luca is somewhat distracted by her pain by Naomi, the daughter of the family moving in. Luca can't stop thinking about her, but soon it's not quite distraction enough when her older sister Whitney is murdered. Weighed down by even more grief, Luca's belief in the curse is strengthened, and she's determined to figure out what happened to Whitney, not just for closure, but so she knows what not to do, to stop the curse coming from her.

I found it really interesting what Bad Things Happen Here has to say about the interest in true crime. It doesn't take long before Whitney's murder becomes the thing people gossip about. Luca and Whitney were extremely close, but as things are revealed that Whitney kept from her, and others hear about it, the gossip begins. There's a horrifying excitement as others talk about Whitney and her murder, and it's pretty disgusting. It becomes more obvious when Luca is briefly considered a suspect, and the talk switches to her. It's odd, because the island is relatively small, everyone knows everyone, but still there's this thrill from it all. It's just awful; I kept thinking, "This is someone you know! And she didn't just die, she was killed! How can you talk like this?!" It really made me uncomfortable.

Barrow also takes a look at privilege that was really fascinating. It looks at privilege in general, and how privilege breeds discrimination against those who don't tick the right boxes, even if they pretend like they're not prejudiced. Luca is Black, fat, and has a mental illness, and sees very clearly who she must be to avoid judgement. But it also looks at the privilege of those who have money, and the entitlement that comes with it. When you have the money to get anything you want, you start to believe that you deserve anything you want, and people should do - or not do - things you demand. It's all quite subtle, but it's really obvious, and it's actually quite shocking.

However, I just wasn't really a fan of the story as a whole. I didn't really understand Luca's fixation with the curse; this is a thriller, not a fantasy, so I didn't really understand the purpose of it. At first I thought it might be related to her mental health, but both seem to be almost separated as the story continues, and so I didn't really get it. There's also the fact that I thought Bad Things Happen Here was really slow. It's a very quick read, and you fly through it quite easily, but for all that, I expected more to happen. I just didn't feel there was the right vibe for a thriller, I was never on the edge of my seat, and I just honestly couldn't get behind Luca's theories. It didn't seem to take very much for Luca to suspect someone. Time moves quite quickly, weeks go by in a matter of pages, so it was also difficult to feel the romance, because Luca and Naomi seemed to get close very quickly, and we never really got to see their relationship develop. And I just didn't like Luca; she doesn't treat people very well, she's impulsive and makes silly decisions and mistakes, and I just didn't warm to her. But that in and of itself isn't a problem; I'm not someone who has a problem with unlikable characters. But with everything else, there wasn't much I liked about it.

I wasn't completely surprised by the reveal, but I was surprised by the ending. I didn't expect it at all. Initially, I was really annoyed by it; it's not the conclusion I wanted. But it's actually quite a clever ending, and makes sense alongside what Bad Things Happen Here has to say. It's a little look at fiction versus real life; what you, as a reader, want, and what is actually realistic. It's a fascinating and thought-provoking ending, as is the story as a whole. But I can't say it was a book I enjoyed reading.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, vomit, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, reference to drug use, masturbation, reference to arson, reference to someone burning alive, a corpse, fatphobia, racism, self-harm, reference to discrimination of those with mental illness, suicide ideation, and reference to rape.

Bad Things Happen Here was an enjoyable YA thriller which is perfect for Karen M. McManus fans.

It has an interesting plot, a f/f romance, plenty of misdirection and solid plot twists that I did NOT see coming. But even though I did thoroughly enjoy it, it felt a bit too slow at times and I found myself wishing the stakes were a little higher.