This was a great book with an unexpected twist at the end. I got shocked from the start, having to re-read the first few pages again to make sure what happened really happened-which was a first for me!

I watched the Bad Kids tv series when it first came out a few years ago and was shocked to see the English translation of the book available on NetGalley. The show was really popular and I was curious to read the work that it was adapted from.

The book involves a murder that is witnessed and inadvertently filmed by three kids. Each kid has gone through hardship in different ways and rather than report the murder to the police, they decide to blackmail the murderer for money in exchange for the footage. What could go wrong?

I binged the book on a plane ride and am still thinking about it. The writing style is simple and not particularly descriptive. I find it tends to tell rather than show. That said, the characters are where the book shines. I really like the title of the book because it makes us question are the kids actually bad or are they victims of circumstance? Perhaps both. I won’t spoil the book but it was an enjoyable, dark read with a bit of an ambiguous ending. There are some key differences in characters and the plot toward the end between the show and the book. The show I believe was modified due to Chinese censorship laws. I have to admit I kind of preferred the tv show’s ending and I’m looking forward to a rewatch now that I’ve read the book.

Bad Kids is an amazingly captivating story that will have you gripping for every single page. I am obsessed with it, the characters are complex and beautifully written, so much so, you cannot help but both love and hate the all. It covers a number of complex situations such as revenge, murder and more, and I highly recommend it for everyone who loves a captivating thriller!

I really liked the plot of this book. It was very unique in the writing style. It was very easy to follow; I finished it in a day! Did t want to put it down.

I liked this, the concept was interesting and the story flowed nicely. I was definitely interested to see what was going to happen the entire read. I wish there had been a little more suspense toward the ending and a few more plot twists.