I purchased a used version of "Bad Girls Don't Die" by Kate Alender from Indy Reads Books last week. I had never heard of the book, but the synopsis on the back intrigued me. I'm a horror writer and typically read books within that genre, so "Bad Girls Don't Die" sounded like it was right up my alley: Horror book, ghost story, ghost possession theme, and the first couple pages I read in the store introduced a protagonist that reminded me of myself. I purchased the book and immediately began reading.
The book was published in 2009 by Scholastic, Inc. The book is about Alexis, a high school student and photographer with pink hair and an anti-social attitude. One night while out in the front lawn photographing her family's 100-year old house when her 13-year-old sister Kasey comes outside to join her. They spot a light that emanates from what they thought to be the basement window, but after photographing the orb, Alexis realizes the orb was releasing its own light.
After a family fight, the sisters begin bonding. That's when Alexis realizes Kasey has changed. She begins stealing project folders from classmates and becomes engrossed in a "school" project; she speaks in old-fashioned language; her eyes change from blue to green and she doesn't remember doing things, which spurs Alexis to begin checking in on her sister. After their father's near-death car accident that puts him in the hospital, Kasey goes from bad to worse. She makes threats on her life and forces Alexis to turn to co-captain of varsity cheerleading Megan Wiley, a girl with a knack for the supernatural who proclaims Kasey is possessed. With Megan's help, Alexis confronts the demon residing inside her sister even though it puts everyone around her at risk.
If I had to rate the book, I'd give it four stars. Alendar is a fantastic writer and she gave me chills multiple times throughout the book. While I do not believe in ghosts, there were a couple scenes that even made me afraid to turn off the light. Her detail is fantastic and her writing appeals to all the senses: Seeing, smelling, feeling, and hearing. "Bad Girls Don't Die" doesn't slow down either: Alendar's writing keeps the reader on their toes throughout. There's even a small love story tied into the book that gives it another element of emotion other than fear.
The reason I would give it four stars is because the last couple chapters seemed to end too quickly. The ending, while good, made me want to scream at the same time. The climax of the book was rushed and could have been drawn out just a little bit longer. The fight scene was sudden and could have been written with a little bit more detail to make it meatier. I also thought the jump to seven months later without mention of the fall Alexis took from the tree also felt rushed.
Despite a rushed ending, I really enjoyed reading this book. I 100 percent recommend it to anyone who is a fan of young adult literature and horror fiction. I'm personally excited to read the two sequels in the "Bad Girls Don't Die" trilogy and will write about them when I get the chance.
