Book Review: Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die
Author: Katie Alender
Pub Date: April 21st, 2009
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Page Count: 346

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

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My Thoughts

The only advice I can give for readers of this novel? Don't read it at night.. oh and stay away from the mirrors because this novel will affect you and you'll love it. - Nova @ Musings of a Blogder

This book completely freaked me out. Yes, this is a good thing. For full effect of the creepiness of this book, read at midnight on a cold, winter evening in your bathroom with dimly lit candles as a light source. For me, I read it on Friday the 13th because of coincidence.

Bad Girls Don't Die is pretty much explained in the title. I thought it would be predictable based off how much is represented in the title alone, but it wasn't. Both I and the characters were wrong at times while the author was pulling a fast one. It was certainly something that I needed after all the romantic YA I had been reading. The only thing this book has is death and destruction... lots of it. Plus a doll; and yes, they are very frightening.

I actually didn't like the main character, Alexis. She just wasn't likable in my opinion and it wasn't one specific thing about her. I felt like she kept thinking of herself and how she wasn't popular. I couldn't connect to her because of how ignorant or stupid she could be. I tried not to let that deter me from the actual story but it did have a presence in he back of my mind. Of course, she was tolerable by the end of the novel.

 Back histories on these characters were also done brilliantly. The characters were one of the many strong points Alender demonstrates. Each character had some sort of development and distinct personality, so yes, I was able to connect with the majority of them. Even the antagonist had a chilling backstory that the characters got wrong while figuring out (excellent use of a red herring). And I love it when the characters get wrong information because it shows that the story doesn't have to run smoothly; it gives a sense of realism, even if this is a Paranormal story.

This novel is honestly terrifying. In a twitter conversation with the author, she mentions how she wasn't even aware on how creepy dolls could be. See, this isn't just an animate doll that kills people; this is a doll that uses mind control and human pawns to carry out its bidding. Its also done in a way where you don't know what's going on... until its too late. If you're looking for a story that will make you feel a lot of things, I suggest this one. Not only is it scary, it also warmed my heart with the display of sisterly bond and just how far Alexis went to help her little sister. 

Author Info

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Katie Alender (rhymes with “calendar”!) grew up in South Florida, which probably explains the recurring alligator dreams (one of which is documented in Bad Girls Don’t Die). She is the third of four children (three girls and a boy) and the child of three very loving and encouraging parents.

She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to her current hometown, a tiny hamlet on the West Coast known as “Los Angeles.”

She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), trying to grow plants, birdwatching in the backyard, photography, visiting friends’ blogs, and hanging out with her husband (known on the blog as “the husb”), her daughter, and her little brown dog, Scooter.

Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.