Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Bad Girls Don't Die
    Bad Girls Don't Die
    Bad Girls Don't Die
    Audiobook7 hours

    Bad Girls Don't Die

    Written by Katie Alender

    Narrated by Johanna Parker

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks she is just being her usual weird self. Things get weirder, though, when their house starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner blasts cold air.


    Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green, she starts using old-fashioned language, and she forgets chunks of time. Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister-but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJun 30, 2015
    ISBN9781494584177
    Bad Girls Don't Die

    More audiobooks from Katie Alender

    Related to Bad Girls Don't Die

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    YA Mysteries & Detective Stories For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      It Happened to Me…

      Nov 3, 2022

      It Happened to Me…
      7 min read

    • Article

      Night Light

      Oct 25, 2019

      Night Light
      3 min read

    • Article

      I Went to an ASMR Spa

      Jun 5, 2017

      I Went to an ASMR Spa
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Barn Door

      Sep 2, 2021

      Dusk looms over a small meadow in middle-of-nowhere Cheshire. It’s a still summer evening, silent except for the occasional car trundling up the road that borders the farm. These fields haven’t seen livestock for years, and docks and buttercup stems

      2 min read

    • Article

      How Not To Do The ‘How To Do It’.

      Mar 23, 2020

      I ’ve never believed in being idle when I’m not working, and this philosophy led to me to the start of a new hobby one Saturday afternoon. I was sitting with a ball of thick twine, which I had unearthed while scratching around in a cupboard, on my la

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Buzz In THE DARK

      Sep 16, 2020

      “When I say there was a lot going on in the master bedroom at Dear Towers one night recently, please don’t get the wrong impression. For a start, Mr D was snoring for most of the time. Perhaps that’s not fair. Mr Dear doesn’t snore as most people wo

      3 min read

    • Article

      FotoQuick

      Mar 1, 2023

      FotoQuick
      12 min read

    • Article

      AN EXCERPT FROM The First Line of Dante’s ‘Inferno’

      Dec 1, 2020

      Early forties, tall, self-possessed. Hiking in the woods in search of her missing sister. A young park ranger, late twenties. Pretty. Slim. Strong. The play is formatted like prose; however, it is intended for performance. If actors simply perform th

      15 min read

    • Article

      Caught On Camera

      Mar 1, 2023

      Caught On Camera
      2 min read

    • Article

      Now That I’ve Arrived

      Dec 30, 2020

      Now That I’ve Arrived
      5 min read

    • Article

      Why Do My Eyes Look Like Nipples?

      Aug 25, 2021

      Jem Clarke is in his very, very early fifties, is five foot zero inches tall and has never left the family home in Cleethorpes, which he still shares with his parents... ‘It’s a shame there’s not a nicer word for nipples,’ my Great-Aunt Jessie once t

      3 min read

    • Article

      A new START

      Aug 19, 2020

      A new START
      3 min read

    • Article

      Intelligent Creatures

      Jul 6, 2023

      Intelligent Creatures
      19 min read

    • Article

      Hunting With A Lens

      Aug 5, 2019

      Hunting With A Lens
      2 min read

    • Article

      Ready, Set, Let go!

      May 15, 2019

      Ready, Set, Let go!
      11 min read

    • Article

      THE WALLS Have Eyes

      Aug 6, 2019

      THE WALLS Have Eyes
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Barn Door

      Apr 15, 2021

      “So, have you got everything?” “Yes.” “Are you sure? All your books? PE kit? Hand gel, face mask, water bottle?” “Yep, yep, yep-yep-yep.” “Okay, you’re all set. Off you go then. Have fun!” “I will. Bye!” I close the front door and listen to the soft

      2 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Jan 1, 2021

      “Psst, I need to talk to you.” My best friend, looking super excited, is pulling me toward the nearest classroom. It’s empty, and she shuts the door. “This is really big. I made a time machine, and it can take our brains back in time if you know how

      7 min read

    • Article

      Room For A Little One

      Feb 11, 2021

      Room For A Little One
      2 min read

    • Article

      Timber!

      Mar 16, 2023

      Timber!
      5 min read

    • Article

      Timber!

      Mar 16, 2023

      Timber!
      5 min read

    • Article

      Let The Bones Talk

      Jun 16, 2021

      Let The Bones Talk
      6 min read

    • Article

      Let The Bones Talk

      Jun 16, 2021

      Let The Bones Talk
      6 min read

    • Article

      Time Is For The Birds

      Mar 3, 2021

      WHEN Alf announced that he hadn’t been in a car since Christmas Eve and I spent much of the night wondering why they’ve stopped making long Twiglets in a box, it seemed that our horizons have shrunk over the past year. Now they’re set to expand and a

      2 min read

    • Article

      STAIRWAY To Hell

      May 12, 2020

      STAIRWAY To Hell
      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Bad Girls Don't Die

    4/5

    347 ratings51 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      The first book in a series of ghost stories written for teens, Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender definitely brings the creepy moments – as well as some things we’ve seen before.

      When we first meet our protagonist Alexis, she is out on her front lawn taking photos of her house in the moonlight but is interrupted by her little sister Kasey. As they are talking in the yard, Alexis observes a strange blob of light resting in a tree near the house. She then notices the light in the yard when she and Kasey head back to the house – and that it seems to be following them. This glowing light is just the beginning of the horror that lies in store for Alexis and Kasey. From doors unexpectedly opening and shutting, rogue air conditioners, and mysterious dolls to Kasey’s eyes changing color, damaged car brakes and an elderly neighbor’s near poisoning there are a lot of strange and frightening things going on in this story. I definitely experienced the creeps several times while reading it, but there were also moments where I felt like I had seen things like this before – maybe at the movies, or in another book. There is a scene in the house’s basement between the sisters that especially gave me déjà vu; multiple elements in the scene seemed a bit cliché. It’s not a bad scene (in fact, it is pretty creepy), it’s just not very original.

      Alexis is just as erratic a character as a real teenager; she’s a big sister who is sometimes frustrated by her little sister and other times protective and caring. She could be supportive and sympathetic, or a little mean. She was selfish at times and giving at others. I liked that she was given a skill with photography, which is a bit different from most teen heroines; there were moments, though, where it felt like she was lecturing the reader a little too much on how photos were taken and developed. I didn’t really understand why she was such an outsider at school, hung with the crowd she did, and was a disciplinary problem. What happened to make her this way? Why is she so determined to be different that she doesn’t mind alienating others? Alexis did display some growth by the end, building friendships and putting her life on the line to save Kasey which I appreciated. Being an older sister myself, I found myself worrying about Alexis’ little sister Kasey and what was happening to her, but also appalled by some of the stunts she pulled when she wasn’t herself. She seemed so confused and scared at times. Alternating between sweet and deadly, Kasey was the center of the creepy storm and became darker and more threatening as the story progressed.

      Two secondary characters made solid impressions – Megan Wiley, the cheerleader who just may be able to help Alexis with her supernatural problems, and Carter Blume as the love interest. As Alexis got to know each of them, she discovered that even though they were outgoing and popular they had unexpected secrets of their own. The way Megan’s back story ended up intertwining with Alexis’ was the most surprising, while Carter’s seemed more random and was not really explained. I’ll be interested to see if it turns out to be pertinent in one of the other books in the series. Alexis’ parents were wonderfully normal, with mom working hard at the office and oblivious to what is going on at home while dad seems to be unhappy and pulling away from the family. Everything changes though when tragedy strikes, and the family has to pull together.

      The story was a bit uneven, with moments of swiftly building tension and others that seemed to get bogged down in details (normally occurring when Alexis moved into lecture mode). The mystery behind Kasey’s escalating behavior helped hold everything together, but the red herring thrown in by the author regarding the ghostly presence pulling Kasey’s strings felt a bit clunky. Even with its unevenness the story kept my interest, provided some chills, and had me wondering what would happen next. It is not as dark or violent as Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed In Blood, but it is a solid ghost story that can be enjoyed by pre-teens and up. It was intriguing enough that I will be checking out the next two books in the series.

      Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender sets the stage for a series of ghost stories aimed at the young adult crowd that features a teen heroine who is a bit of an outcast, her thoroughly creepy younger sibling, and a house with a bad reputation. It is a satisfying read over all so if you are a fan of light chills then be sure to check out Bad Girls Don’t Die.
    • 5/5
      Bad Girls Don't Die did not disappoint me and definitely gave me the scare factor I was looking for in a book. I absolutely enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The pacing was perfect and the "boo" moments really got me.

      I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys horror/thriller type books.

      Let's see if I have a hard time sleeping tonight. ;-)

      5/5 STARS!!
    • 4/5
      I was quickly drawn into this story of the typical high school student, struggling to fit in at school, issues at home because of a younger sibling, regular angsty teenage stuff. Until it’s not. It got creepy pretty quickly when Kasey changes and Alexis has to get out of her comfort zone and find a solution. I really enjoyed this super tense, fast paced story and look forward to the next.
    • 4/5
      An excellent supernatural dramatic thriller of a novel. Starts out slow but really gets moving 1/4th of the way in; certainly worth a read by fans of the genre. There's some romance too, but after a while it's thankfully overshadowed by the action and suspense (good for me because I can't bloody stand Alexis/Carter). Quite well-done considering it's a debut book.
    • 5/5
      (This review can also be found on my blog All the Ups and Downs).

      When I first came across Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender, I know I had to read this book!! The synopsis sounded right up my straight. I love YA and I love paranormal/horror books, so put them together, and I'm in literary Heaven!

      Fifteen year old Alexis and her thirteen year old sister Kasey have always been close until recently. Kasey has started acting different. Even the house feels different; it just feels evil. Alexis questions her own sanity. Is she going crazy or is something actually possessing Kasey?

      Bad Girls Don't Die is such a refreshing title for a supernatural book. Usually they have the whole cliched scary title, but this book didn't. I didn't feel that it suited the book that well. I don't really want to go into it because of spoilers, but if you read the story, you'll see what I mean.

      How gorgeous is that cover!?! I absolutely love it. It looks a bit ominous. I don't think it really suits the book as gorgeous as it is though. Kasey is obsessed with dolls, so I would've liked to see some dolls on the cover. Perhaps a scarier cover would've been more suited to the book as well.

      The world building and setting were fantastic!!! I loved the description of the house. In fact, I'd love to live in a house like the one in the book! The author did a fantastic job of making the whole story come to life through the world building. Even the memories mentioned in the book are written really well.

      The pacing was amazing! I devoured this book like I would a pizza (I love pizza)! In fact, I finished this book in less than 24 hours. Every spare minute I had was dedicated to reading this book. It is very fast paced, and each chapter leaves you wanting to read more.

      As for the dialogue, there were a few words that I didn't think a 15 year old would use in everyday language, but that's probably more of a personal issue. Plus, it didn't happen often enough to take away from the book. There is mild swearing in this book, but it is very tame and not very often. The characters' dialogue flows freely making this book easy to read.

      The characters are all well formed. Alexis comes across as a normal, every day 15 year old girl. She's an outcast at high school, and I think the author did a good job of portraying this. The character of Kasey blew me away! Kasey was my favourite character due to how the author had written her in the story. She's definitely a very strong character. I also loved the character of Megan. I liked how the author didn't make her a stuck-up cheerleader like most authors do when writing about cheerleaders.

      All in all, I absolutely loved this book! In fact, after I finished reading Bad Girls Don't Die, I bought the next book in the series. I am definitely in love! This book did an excellent job of combining everything I love into one book.

      I'd definitely recommend this book to EVERYONE aged 13 . It is amazing!
    • 2/5
      This is one of those books that seems to have a lot of potential, but ends up disappointing. Alexis, the protagonist, has noticed her younger sister, Kasey, is acting stranger than usual. This leads to scary confrontations, intense research, and a lot of changes in Alexis' life.One of the main issues I had with this book is how annoying I found Kasey, before, during, and after the "event" that the back of the book pretty clearly alludes to. I know I was supposed to have sympathized with her, but since she annoyed me from the very first pages of the story, I just couldn't.Also, I've read a lot of books with similar themes, and they were better written, and better plotted. This book felt pretty juvenile, which a middle grade/young adult novel certainly does not need to be.There were some parts that had potential, namely in the relationships Alexis forms outside of the ones with her family. But the story itself just wasn't good enough. The ending especially, given the many, many pages of plotting that had gone on beforehand, just seemed way too pat.I was honestly very surprised to find out this book is the first in a trilogy. To me, it wasn't strong enough for one book, let alone three.
    • 3/5
      This was quite a creepy, little story, but it was too slow for my liking and was filled with cliches. As it lacked originality, the ending was very easy to predict.I did like Alexis, the protagonist. She was spunky and likeable, and I enjoyed her narration. However, her romance with Carter was unnecessary as the poor boy hardly made an appearance throughout the whole book.By far, the most interesting (a.k.a creepy) character in "Bad Girls Don't Die" was Alexis' little sister, Kasey. That kid had me on the edge of my seat whenever she was in the story and I was always fearful of what she would do next. She came across as a sweet little thing but you certainly didn't want to mess with her - the results could be devastating. Her obsession with dolls didn't help, and had me concerned from the start. What is it with dolls and clowns in novels that always sets my teeth on edge?Overall, an okay read but nothing memorable.
    • 4/5
      I have had this book on my shelf to read for some time. This ended up being a well done YA horror mystery with a heavy supernatural element to it. The story was engaging and I breezed through it in one night. Parts of it were a bit predictable but it was still entertaining. The story never gets too gory or scary but is pretty creepy at times.There are a lot of high school elements in the story as well (mean girls, bullying, etc). However the majority of the book does focus on the mystery behind what is happening to Alexis’s sister Kasey and the history of the house they move into. Alexis was easy to engage with as a character. The writing flowed really well and the dialogue was written in a way that was snappy and natural sounding. This was just an easy book to get drawn into and read. The story wraps up nicely and doesn’t leave the reader hanging; this makes a good stand alone book (even though it’s the first of a trilogy).Overall I enjoyed this YA horror mystery. I am not a huge fan of horror but I enjoyed both the mystery and supernatural elements to this story a lot. I would recommend to young adult readers who love creepy ghost stories and don’t mind some high school drama in their books. Right now I am uncertain as to whether or not I will pick up the rest of the books in the series; I enjoyed this book but I have a lot of other books to read right now.
    • 2/5
      Sisters live with parents in creepy old house in small town. 13 yr. old sister Kasey starts acting weird and oldest sister Alexis finds out that she is possessed with the spirit of a former resident who died there years ago. Alexis realizes something is up but it is the cheerleader Megan, who she never socializes with, who makes this discovery because Megan has paranormal abilities. Alexis and Megan bond over this drama, and Alexis is also pursued by Student Body Vice President, who finds her standoffish manner charming somehow. Ghost/possession story with a very little bit of romance/high school drama involved. Kasey is a whiny character and her transformation is marked enough that anyone should have seen it--her eyes turn colors. What's up with clueless parents? Plot to kill all the descendents of the the girls who killed Sarah, the evil spirit, feels ridiculous.
    • 5/5
      This book was great! It took a while for it to get scary but it was super creepy, and for a while I couldn't read it before bed. I saw there were some sequels but this story wrapped up nicely so I'm not sure what they are going to be about - time to find out though!
    • 4/5
      Alexis is an anti-social loner with a majorly dysfunctional family. But she has a soft spot for her younger sister, Kasey, despite her creepy doll collection. But when Kasey starts acting stranger than usual, Alexis knows something is up. And it takes a cheerleader of all things to tell her the truth. Kasey is possessed.I loved this creepy teen book. I like Alexis, the wanna be outcast. And I thought her family situation would strike a cord with lots of teens. Her not-boyfriend Carter is wonderful. And although it seem like the end is going to be a bit too HEA, it really isn't. I have the next book and am starting it tonight. Can't wait to see what happens.
    • 4/5
      In this novel there are two main characters named Kassie and Alexis;they are sisters. Alexis is interested in photography and Kassie collects dolls. In the beginning, their father gets hit by a car and is in the hospital for quite some time. Whenever Kassie talks to Alexis about their dad’s accident, she leaks a little bit of information at a time suggesting that she made him get hit. One night, Alexis tells Kassie a story and the words just flow out of her. Kassie gets really interested in the story she is telling and asks her to go on and on. While Alexis tells the story she realizes that it seems familiar and begins to question herself. At school even though Alexis and Megan are enemies, Megan finds out that Kassie isn’t acting normal and isn’t herself. Megan confronts Alexis about it and together they find out what is really going on and a little bit about Megan’s mother who died when Megan was little. Megan and Alexis find out that Kassie is possessed, by one of her dolls. The evil spirit makes their house go up in flames, but Alexis has to destroy the doll still. Alexis goes into the attic and is almost possessed herself, when she jumps out of the window onto a tree to save her life.Katie Alender did a fantastic job writing this book and kept the action going. I was never bored of the book, even the beginning had exciting events. I was never confused about what was going on, and the plot was unexpected. I think she wrote just enough and the length was perfect. I also liked how she ended this story because it made you want to pick up the sequel. I am looking forward to reading the next book and finding out more. I have never read a book like this before. I think it was unique and was a great quick read.
    • 5/5
      Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie AlenderLexi is just your average girl. She goes to school, has friends and hobbies. However, when she starts to notice something strange going on in her house, her whole life is turned upside down. She Discovers the horrifying evil sealed within the walls as she attempts to learn what has been causing the chilling, bumps in the night. The dark secrets surround her as she is forced to play a dangerous game. Lexi was out one night when she saw a strange light following her. She decided to ignore it and move on with her life. However, she was soon to find out that it would be back and it wasn’t very friendly. At school, Lexi is kind of an outcast but she does have a few friends. She nicknamed her friends the doom squad because of how they act and how they look. Her friends are the kind of people who dress in all black and lurk around the school attempting to avoid social contact. At home she has a workaholic mother and father and a younger sister named Kasey. After a while, Lexi realizes that she's being haunted by a ghost and Kasey is being possessed by it. In a strong effort to try and get rid of the ghost, she has to become friends with… just wait for it… a popular. Thats right. Ew. A popular. Lexi had quite a strong opinion on the populars because they have bullied her and people she knew in the past but this girl was different. Her name was Megan and she knew a ton of information on ghosts mainly because shes been around them all her life. So together, they decided to team up and drive the ghost away. As all of this is going on, Lexi starts to fall for a popular named Carter. She then dated him for a bit and was forced to break up with him due to the fact that the ghost situation was taking up all her spare time. She then learns about the story of the ghost haunting the house: There was once a little girl with a doll. The kids at school bullied her for carrying the doll everywhere she went till one day they chased her up a tree where the little girl named Sara fell to her death, clutching her beloved doll. She now plans to kill all of the daughters and granddaughters of the bullies who killed her. After learning this, Lexi finds a mysterious charm that fit Megan’s. It was given to her by her now dead mother Shara. Lexi and Megan found the doll and broke it. Thus releasing the spirit from Kasey. As they escaped the house, it burned down in flames causing Lexi and her family to move all the way across town to a new house. When they were settled into their new house, they continued their life as a normal,happy family. In my opinion, this book was great. I have no complaints at all. Each event caught me off guard and had me on the edge of my seat. I had trouble putting the book down. It was unique and extremely interesting. It had a happy ending which I loved and it also had that creepy feel. I thought each event was explained in a great way, it wasn’t too easy and it wasn’t too hard either. So in this fantastic book, Lexi and her family went through a lot of trouble but in the end everything was ok and they continued living a normal life. I strongly recommend this book for girls who enjoy paranormal activity and fictional stories with a creepy twist such as this one. I suggest ages 11-14.
    • 5/5
      Alexis is a troublemaking teenager with pink hair and loves photography. One day while outside of her house taking picture she notices a strange glow coming from her sister Kasey's window. But Kasey was with her watching the same glow. A few days later Kasey is crying in the basement and wants Alexis to tell her a story. When she starts telling her a story she can't control what she is saying. Kasey has always been a little different. She collects beautiful glass dolls and has no real friends only her dolls. But lately Kasey is acting very strange. She steals from School and she cut the breaks in her dads car. Alexis teams up with head cheerleader Megan to find out whats wrong with Kasey an help her. It turns out Kasey is possessed by the same spirit that possessed Megans mother. The spirit had her mother trying to kill her and when her mom died was just the begging. In the end they kill the spirit, save Kasey and Megan and Alexis become life long best friends. This book is amazing. It is super intense. Bad Girls don't die is defiantly a 5 star book. It should defiantly become a movie. I really want to read the next book. For some people this book might be scary for some. But i recommend it for everyone else.
    • 3/5
      Not a bad read. I enjoyed the main character's outsider personality, along with the romance subplot. The main thing that bothered me was her implausible obliviousness to the growing danger she was in.
    • 5/5
      Bad Girls don't Die is about a teenage girl named Alexis. She is your average troublemaker , she even looks the part with her pink hair and punk clothes. One night she finds her sister Kasey crying in the basement. Kasey asks Alexis to tell her a story, then out of nowhere words start spilling out of her mouth about a little girl and her doll. After the basement incident Kasey begins acting strange. Stealing projects from school then lying about it. Alexis starts to suspect things are seriously wrong when she gets a call her dad's car has been vandalized and he has been in an accident. Kasey starts getting weirder her eyes turn from blue to green , and that's not even the weirdest part. Alexis discovers her yearbooks in Kasey's room and some of the girls have Xs on their faces. Alexis , with a new found friend Megan, find out that Kasey has been possessed by the ghost of a little girl who wants revenge. Alexis and Megan manage to find the spirits power source and destroy it before its to late. I really enjoyed the book , Bad Girls don't Die, by Katie Alender. Bad Girls don't die might be a scary book for others but not me I loved it. I like the way the story all plays out. Alexis is probably my favorite character. She shows strength even though her sister is possessed. This book had me on the edge of my seat , waiting for what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this book.
    • 5/5
      I thought that this book was very well written because of the intensity. I also thought that this book is very well paced. It is a satisfying book to read and has some chills throughout the book. The suspense level was amazing and how Katie Alender started the book off easily explained and end with horrifying tragedies. I also liked this book because I like creepy scary books. I also liked how Katie Alender the author put a picture in my mind of what was happening. Katie Alender is also one of my favorite authors so I like all the books she writes.
    • 4/5
      How do I start a review for this book?

      Well, I guess I can start by asking..How pretty is that cover? But yet, kind of creepy isn't it?

      How do I describe it without giving anything away?

      Well....let's just say, there is some possession going on...evil & craziness!

      This book starts off like any creepy type of book or even movie for that matter...Going on with normal life...with a little bit of...hmm..something strange is going on but brushes it off as my imagination kind of thing...then... for a while, they go on with life, school, work, etc...then a little bit into the book, the creepy begins to, well, creep in! (In about 7-8 chapters or so)

      I knew that there was a good chance that I would like this book just by the summary and the first few sentences of this book....I really wanted to love this book, but it just turned out to a very, very strong liking!

      I liked Alexis a lot...She could be a very sarcastic, funny, strange & straight forward person. I found myself laughing quite a few times because of her sarcasm (if you're not one who doesn't like sarcastic people, you probably won't like her too much, but seeing that I can be very sarcastic, I liked her! lol...she isn't over the top, evil sarcastic, but just enough to let you know she doesn't play well with stupidity).

      In some parts of the book, it got kind of cheesy, and maybe even could see some things coming, but once you get past those parts, it really is a good book.

      This book has two others following it...Not sure if that was intentional when she wrote this one, but at the end of this book, it ends at a point where if you chose not to go on, you don't have to. But, I will try the second book at least and hope I like it. Lately, I have been finding books with sequels, that I liked the first book a lot, I hated the 2nd or 3rd book. Hopefully it won't be the case with this one.

      I've seen quite a few people talking about "Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer" by Katie Alender, but never this one...This is probably a book that people strongly like/love...or hate it...At least the way I see it...But this is a book I think more people need to read if you like a little creepy in your books. :-)
    • 2/5
      "I can't help it, Alexis," he said. "I want to make you think too much...and then I want to hear the things you've been thinking...too much."
      - Carter Blume

      What?

      The "romantic" scenes between the heroine Alexis and her budding love interest Carter were all like that. They were awkward and cringe-worthy. They would utterly stopped the action for me. Every time Carter appeared, I would inwardly, and outwardly, roll my eyes and sigh out loud. I wish that was the only problem with Alender's Bad Girls Don't Die but it wasn't.

      Bad Girls...is mainly about Alexis, a alternative girl with pink hair and no friends, and her younger sister, Kasey, a sensitive and timid girl who is growing angrier by the day. Their parents are a little bit neglectful. Each sister has their obsessions: with Alexis, it's photography. With Kasey, it's very creepy antique dolls.

      The house they live in is chock full of bad juju. Doors close by themselves, burners turn on and off randomly, the house is ice cold, and there is that putrid rotten egg smell in certain pockets. Then, Kasey begins acting out: she steals other people's work, she skips school, uses old fashioned language, and talks to herself.

      What could this all mean? According to Alexis, Kasey is going crazy.
      That's right.
      She kept this point of view for a long time until Kasey used her possessed superhuman strength to slam Alexis into a dresser.

      But even then she was like: Maybe it's a mental breakdown?
      Jeez.

      It's a bit of a shame because underneath all of the blatant stupidity and awkward angst there was a decent ghost story with some genuine creepy scenes. I know this is part of a series but I have no idea if I even want to continue it. I actually don't understand how two new books could be possible.
    • 4/5
      I liked it. It's jumpy and sparse but it's to the point and enjoyable. Predictable. But easy and fast read. The characters had their own personalities.
    • 5/5
      I really loved this book from the start and happy that I picked this one in the first place. I admire ghost stories and this one blew me away.I loved Alexis like hell and ofcourse all the characters. It didn't scare me scare me much but I couldn't stop reading. The plot is extremely good and it is fast paced.The good thing is, romance with Carter doesn't have much space, which makes the reader to concentrate on the scary part.I honestly recommend to someone who likes scary books. I am definitely going to read the next books.
    • 5/5
      This and other reviews can be found on Reading Between Classes

      Cover Impressions: The colors here are beautifully muted and soft. The scrollwork adds a delicate detail and reflects the lace curtain. The image of the little girl hiding in lace is just creepy enough to set the tone, without over-doing the "freak out" factor.

      The Gist: Alexis lives in the quintessential Halloween Haunted House. She has always liked it, until her sister starts acting strangely. Suddenly the house appears much more sinister and Alexis must enlist the help of those she least expected in order to save her sister and banish the evil that surrounds her.

      Review: This is my second time reading Bad Girls Don't Die. Even so, I could only read it in bed if my husband was there. Katie Alender does an excellent job of creating that delicious sense of suspense that only truly great scary stories can achieve. She is also incredibly skilled at writing scenes that begin with the easily explained and end with the truly terrifying.

      The story falls on the shoulders of Alexis who is, at best, a deeply flawed character. She is usually callous and sometimes mean. She often goes out of her way to spread rumors about those who have hurt her in the past. This is not the character you root for from the beginning. This is the character that you realize has a lot of growing up to do and hope that she does. I have encountered these types of character before, but I am very pleased that in Alexis' case, all of her growing up does not occur within the first book. She continues this development and I hope by the third book in the series will have become a character I can be proud of.

      Alender also does quite a good job of painting realistic relationships, between Alexis and her "arch enemy", her crush and her sister. The cheerleader is not all villain, there is no insta-love and the sisters do not bond over boys and shopping. Instead, we see these relationships grow and develop (albeit under extreme circumstances) and Alexis begins to see the value in each, especially the love for her family.

      There are far too few truly creepy YA books out there. We tend to gorge ourselves on this genre in younger years, with Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark, but we seem to lose it as we get older. Thank you Katie Alender for bringing me back to those childhood moments of sneaking a flashlight into my room and reading beneath the covers.

      Teaching/Parental Notes:

      Age: 13 and up
      Gender: Both, though leaning a little more toward the females
      Sex: A kiss
      Violence: Attempted poisoning, death by gas, fire
      Inappropriate Language: None
      Substance Abuse: None

      Notable Quotables:

      "Preps are like cheerleaders, only with less jumping"

      "A Kasey-size shadow as way back in the darkest corner of the room, near the long-abandoned tool bench, making clanking noises as it dug through piles of discarded junk. Werewolf, my brain said. Zombie!"
    • 4/5
      My ghost-story-loving heart loved this book. My brain found bits of it just a little too convenient. But oh, goodness, it was fun, and that's really all that matters, right?
    • 4/5
      The Good Stuff•Fast paced and spooky•Likeable heroine who reacts quite realistically•Darkly funny•Just one of those fun ghost stories that will keep you glued to the pages - & probably leave you sleeping with the lights on•Love story is cute and fun - the dialogue between the two is hilarious•Will be picking up the other two books in the series tomorrow•Fabulous opening chapter, really sets you in that spooky mind frame - I was hooked right away•Liked the bits about her photography, found it interesting and added some depth to her character•Usually not a fan of creepy doll stories -- because well -- dolls creep me out (hmm hence the first night after reading, I didn't sleep well) but I still couldn't put it downThe Not So Good Stuff•parents are sorta caricatures - not useless like in many YA books, but they still do not really have any personality or place in the story•A wee bit confusing at times•Librarian was a bit of a stereotype at first - but she redeemed herself - not really for this section but just want to get across that library staff are usually really cool people - so stop with the stereotypical rule obsessed librarian caricatures Favorite Quotes/Passages "I didn't know. If only there had been a poster in the clinic: HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SIBLING IS POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL OR JUST COMPLETELY MENTAL.""The official diagnosis was psychotic schzizophrenia, and we all went along with it because the insurance company won't pay for "made friends with the wrong ghost.""The corner of Mrs Ame's mouth twisted up into an almost-smile, and she cleared her throat. This was promising - this was "My day hasn't takene a nosedive yet, so this is kind of amusing," not "I've had it up to here." When you spend as much time around the principle as I do, you get to know her idiosyncrasies."Who Should/Shouldn't Read•Perfect for ghost story lovers of all age•A good one for younger YA readers as it is scary without being gory and there is nothing inappropriate for younger readers4 Dewey's I picked up a copy of this at the Chapters Shawnessy
    • 4/5
      This book was such a pleasant surprise! I bought it last year (another product of the panic that ensued when Borders closed) and forgot about it. While I was rearranging my bookshelves a couple of weeks ago I found it and decided to give it a go. I wasn't expecting much, and I couldn't have been more pleased that I was wrong. This was a fun and enjoyable read from the first to the last page. The characters were well-developed and diverse and the story, while familiar, was so well-formed that I finished the book in less than 24 hours. I love a good old-fashioned ghost story and Alender did a great job of bringing the classic haunted house to a YA book.LIKES:Alexis! I love the main character. She's such a sad character at first. Her parents don't understand her (welcome to being a teenager), her little sister is klingy and she has zero friends, in fact everyone at her school is afraid of her. As the book progresses she matures and begins to realize that the stigma she has attached to other groups of kids at her school (e.g. the cheerleaders, the preps and the jocks) may not be well-founded. The author uses Alexis to get across the message that people are not stereotypes, but individuals. There were times during this book where I forgot I was reading a horror story because the coming-of-age aspect of the book was so strong. That being said, Alexis maintains her weirdness and individuality through the book. She doesn't have to assimilate to be accepted and as cliche` as that may sound, that is not a message that got through to me all of the time in high school. Alexis's love and compassion for her obsessive, strange younger sister is also very sweet and that relationship and her need to save her sister drives the entire plot of the story. The supporting characters are also well-developed and those relationships don't seem forced or fabricated for the purpose of the message of the book. The best part about the book, though, is that it is actually really scary, and not in the headless-corpses-with-bloody-stumps-for-hands way, in the best way: psychological and subtle. There were times in the story where Alexis was talking to her sister and about half way through the conversation you realize it isn't her sister at all. Little things like that mad this book super creepy in the best possible way.DISLIKES:There really isn't anything that stands out to me as a dislike except maybe that the romantic aspect of the book could have been explored a bit more. There is an absolutely adorable guy, Carter, who doesn't get nearly the amount of page time he deserves, at least according to me. Maybe he'll play a bigger role in the next book (fingers crossed). The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because, while it was fun, it wasn't groundbreaking. It's just a good old fashioned ghost story. There aren't really any new concepts here and it isn't profound. But I think that's part of what makes it so enjoyable. It's a good lazy read. The over-arching concepts (family, acceptance, teen angst, etc.) aren't hard to grasp so the reader can kind of sit back and relax and get a little spooked.AND CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT THIS COVER FOR A MINUTE?Oh my god. This is one of the creepiest covers I've seen in a long time. You can't even see her face! I literally had to flip this book over so it was cover down on my nightstand at night (I'm a giant baby). But really, it's just so creepy and for some reason her feet are what creep me out the most! As a pasty white person myself, I can promise you we aren't all vampires or ghosts, but there's just something very ethereal about this image while feeling very aggressive at the same time. So basically, I haven't shut up about this book since I finished it and I probably won't for awhile. I also didn't realize until very recently that it is part of a series. This got me so excited that I nearly bought the second one right away before I realized I have a car payment due tomorrow and that money should really stay in the bank for the moment. I would definitely recommend this book to horror fans. And if you happen to be sitting in your giant old Victorian house on a gray day with nothing to do, you can't go wrong picking up this book.
    • 4/5
      Katie Alender's spooky novel tells of a girl who has to juggle the average high school drama with the possibility of a vengeful spirit possessing her little sister. Along with thrills of goosebump inducing scenes, I found myself laughing and connecting with the characters which made this novel a joy to read. Alexis has her world all figured out. She has bright pink hair and hangs out with who she calls "The Doom Squad." Although these black-clad goth students are not her favorite people in the world, Alexis decides that this is what the high school hierarchy calls for. Her days of glaring at cheerleaders and mocking class elections come to an end when her little sister starts using out-dated words and seems to be targeting random people in the neighborhood for something. Bad Girls Don't Die caught my eye with it's spooky cover and promise of an interesting ghost story and I was not disappointed! The novel opens up with Alexis taking pictures of her old house in the wee hours in the morning when she notices a glowing burst of light following her back into her house. There is never a lull in the story which I think is thanks in part tothe writing style. Alexis has such a witty and fun voice that she peaks the interest of the reader until the very last page. From the getgo I had decided who this mysterious spirit was but an interesting twist made me second guess my predicament which I think is what every good ghost story needs; if a plot becomes predictable it becomes boring. All of the characters were wonderfully in depth with as many flaws as you would expect. With absent parents, I sympathized with both Alexis and Kasey as they struggled to deal with be shunned by their peers for their personality quirks. Characters like Carter were charming and I loved every interaction between him and Alexis. I noticed that Alender built many walls around Alexis only to have some of the key secondary characters break them down which was refreshing given the world of high school cliches. Alexis also has a really spunky personality that I just adored and made me root for throughout the entire novel. She spoke her mind and was extremely dedicated to her sister, regardless of the evil spirit that was currently living in her body.Like I stated, the writing style really made this book for me. Alexis has this habit of repeatedly breaking the fourth wall by stating what would happen if this was a fictional event like in a movie or song which I thought was hilarious and entertaining. I also loved how Alexis was so open with her feelings, even though she has a "tough chick" exterior, her voice and thoughts tell an entirely different story which makes her even more interesting. Bad Girls Don't Die is a really fun and spooky read. Alexis really made the story shine with her wit fragility, and the ghost story adds a spooky edge full of mystery and history. I recommend this novel for everyone who loves a good ghost story with the right balance of light and entertaining moments.
    • 4/5
       This book was very interesting it really kept you on your toes. At fist the book seemed to move slowly it felt like they kept telling us usless information just to make the book longer but it wasn't it was all really usfull in the end. The ending really suprised me I didn't see it coming. All in all I would recomend this book for anybody that likes suspence and don't worry it's not as scary as the cover makes it look.
    • 5/5
      Amazing book! Kept me interested the entire time and I could never put it down.
    • 4/5
      An awesome book, it was a quick read for me because i just couldn't put it down. Alexis is an awesome character, a girl who doesn't fit in but doesn't care that she doesn't. I love her sarcastic humour she had me smiling the whole time. The book reminded me of when i was a kid and i'd get all caught up in an R.L.Stine novel and stay up all night with my flash light reading......it's a big kid ghost story. It was fun to try and piece the clues together and figure out what was going on. My only complaint is I wish Carter was around more, he was so charming and when him and Alexis were together their banter was a good laugh. I can't wait to read the next in the series. All in all i'm giving this book 4 out of 5.
    • 3/5
      Bad Girls Don't Die has this totally creepy cover, I love it! From the first time I saw it, I was intruiged then I was send the second (From Bad to Cursed) novel in the series and knew I need to read BGDD.I think I had high expectation for this book. I wanted it to be creepy and super scary. I mean, antique dolls? - I was expecting doll heads twisting around, dolls walking and talking but I didn't get any of that. I didn't even get the creepy feeling I look forward to when reading these books. It could be that I read most of this book while laying at the beach, not the ideal place to read this type of book - I know. But even the occasional nights I did read some, I wasn't freaked out or all that convinced that I was reading a "scary" book.I do love the idea of a girl who collects dolls, then gets possesed by one - it's neat and has potential to be great but unfortunately it wasn't executed well in Bad Girls Don't Die, in my opinion. I think the first few chapters were the best, but then the author seemed like she wanted to add a love interest to the story then almost forgot to take it anywhere, but the thought kept popping into the story. I found it a little all over the place to be honest. The writing was alright, I didn't have enough to paint the story or see the characters (or dolls) come to life in my head.Overall, the foundation of Bad Girls Don't Die is there, but I think it needed to be built up a little more. I will be reading From Bad to Cursed to see where Katie Alender takes us next though.