The Bad Ones

I love the power that radiates from the characters in this book.

 Even our main character Nora, who feels like she's always being pulled in the current of her best friend, actually bulldozes her way through the story without letting anyone push her where she doesn't want to go.
The book starts like a lot of crime/mystery novels set in high schools, but little by little the details become more unsettling, until eventually the reader realizes the supernatural elements aren't Nora's mind unraveling but an attempt by her mind to put the puzzle pieces together. I thought Nora's character was really interesting-- laced with the very real social and emotional perils of being 17 and in over your head, trying to live down a childhood reputation your small town won't let you escape, looking through eyes you aren't sure you can trust. It was engrossing.