Bad Things Happen Here
Rebecca Barrow
Hot Key Books, June 2022
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781471411243
Luca lives on Parris, a seemingly idyllic island with secrets to hide. The deaths of young women are scattered across it, including that of Luca’s best friend Polly. There’s also a shocking betrayal, an old friendship and a haunting curse.
Luca believes she can escape the threat of this curse until it claims the life of her sister. Luca embarks on a mission to investigate her sister’s death, uncovering lies and deception, while her relationship with her neighbour Naomi deepens.
This book is extremely inclusive. Luca is plus-sized, queer and mixed race, with a refreshing mindset. The mental health representation was excellent, with many emotional themes explored in a realistic and respectful manner. I was impressed by the depiction of Luca’s feelings, giving us a character to relate to and connect with. The theme of privilege was also woven into the book, Parris being a place of rich families who are almost oblivious to the murders in their area. I found this interesting, creating tension between characters and giving another layer to these murders.
I really enjoyed the small, fast-paced chapters with intriguing conclusions, prompting you to continue. The relationship between Luca and Naomi was captivating, and Luca’s complicated relationship with her old friend Jada left us wondering what happened between them.
Although the investigation was fast-paced and exciting, some parts were slightly disappointing. I never quite understood what Luca was aiming for or trying to achieve. She mainly focused on one source for clues, giving the book a rather narrow-minded conclusion. Something else I found disappointing was that the connection between the murders was never revealed. We get the solution for the death Luca is investigating but the others almost fade into the background. Sadly, I did not have that ‘gasp’ moment at the end. However, the inclusion, diversity, characters and beautiful writing were amazing and I really enjoyed it!
Lasairíona Scarff, 16
The only slight issue I found was the excessive amount of characters that were hard to keep track of, as I felt this took away from the development of other major characters, such as Detective Cafferty and Jared. However, this issue was easily overcome by brilliant character development of the main character Mina, adding quite a thrill to the novel, as I felt a sense of connection and relatability to her.
Harris’s story is bursting with colour – his own, and the psychology of what a favourite colour means. Bright and witty, this is a sweet novel with a very readable style. Through Harris, we learn the struggles of everyday life with a wheelchair. Informative, while effortlessly enjoyable. It opens a new perspective on how we view others, and the assumptions that we can make. Harris’s relationship with Nory unfolded beautifully, and Zander’s loyalty to their friendship left me smiling for ages.
Princess of Souls is incredibly fast-paced and hard to put down. There isn’t a lot of time to ponder on the meaning of the Festival of Predictions or breathe in this world before the status quo is overturned. Personally, I prefer when fantasy novels give me a stronger and lengthier introduction to the world before the main events begin. However, this could be better for younger readers to maintain attention and is definitely made up for later in the story.
The sections on taking care of your mental health and coping with all the stressful experiences were lovely to see and there are further resources at the back of the book. I do wish that the chapter on trans people was a little longer and included more trans voices and perspectives, but I understand the limitations that come with writing a book as broad as this.
As the pages do not include dates, this journal can be used at any time of the year, in no particular order. An attractive hardback, it makes a gorgeous gift for a friend or relative, or anyone looking to treat themselves. 
The book is very accessible and I would recommend it to everyone. I was blown away by Arnold’s writing and how eloquently she weaved both the hardships and beauty of her culture into this novel. The characters are complex and each adds a layer of depth to the novel. 
However, the pacing lacked, flattening the reading experience; cutting fifty pages would make for a stronger novel. Fully-realised friendships and plenty of drama are slowed down by pages of meandering, which kept this novel from becoming a great one.
