Girls*Heart* Books: Review: Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Bad Girls Don't Die

Bad Girls Don't Die Book #1

By: Katie Alender

Published: April 21st, 2009

Published By: Hyperion

When Alexis' little sister, Kasey, becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on the unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough for the girls to see their breath. Kasey is changing too. Her blue eyes go green, and she uses old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving 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?

'Automatonophobia is the fear of anything that falsely represents a sentient being. This includes, but in not limited to, ventriloquist dummies, animatronic creatures, and wax statues. This fear can manifest itself in numerous ways; every individual who suffers from the fear being different. Similar to automatonophobia is pupaphobia which is the fear of puppets. Since inanimate objects do not pose any real harm to people, this fear is considered to be irrational.'

"Inanimate objects do not pose any real harm," They say. "Irrational," They say. Yeah... Bite me, Wikipedia.

Automatonophobia, my friends, is something this book gave me. Now, it's not a panic-attack-inducing phobia, nor is faint-worthy, but I do get the creeps every time there is an "innocent" little porcelain doll hanging about. Weirdly enough, I used to love dolls. I had a bunch of dolls when I was younger- porcelain ones, Barbies, etc. But once I read this book, I decided it was time to pack them away...with duct tape...and stick them in the basement...and lock the door...I read this two years ago, and I still have issues. Ask my friends. Or my parents. I kid you not.

I was browsing Barnes & Noble (shocking, I know) one day when I saw Bad Girls Don't Die sitting on the top shelf of the New Releases section. Unfortunately, this was before I was employed and had to rely on my parents money, and when forced to choose between the sequel of a book I really liked, or this one, I got the sequel. But even as I read it, I was thinking of this one. I wanted to know what happened with Alexis and Kasey- I was curious. I was intrigued. I wanted this book. So, after meandering about for a while, I finally got back to the store and got it. And thank God I did...you know, even if I can't go in a dark room if I see pictures of dolls now, but THAT is beside the point.

This book is so beyond frightening, there isn't even a word terrifying enough to explain it. And yet, it started so normal... Well, as normal as it could be. Alexis has got to be one of my favorite heroins. She isn't whiny, she isn't totally bitchy, she isn't flat out stupid, and, to top it all off, she is NOT supernatural. Nope. No magical witch powers kicking in, here. Just a normal human girl, faced with a friggin' demon in her house... Do you know how awesome I find this? Just that our protagonist is a human, in a book with demons and possession, and she doesn't magically find out she's really a Ghost Hunter, or something? This in and of itself makes me happy.

Another thing I love; Alexis does have a sort-of-could-be-kind-would-like-to-be-with-him-boyfriend, but she is not CONSTANTLY thinking about him; "Oh, what would he do?", "Oh, what is he gonna think of me?", "Oh, I wonder what he's doing right now." None of it! I LOVE IT!

Ahem. Lost my cool there for a minute... Anyway.

Definitely one of my favorite books! If you like a good scare (and want an official "phobia") this is definitely something you'll enjoy.

My Rating:

Katie Alender (rhymes with “calendar”!) grew up in South Florida. 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), practicing yoga, photography, visiting friends’ blogs, and hanging out with her husband (known on the blog as “the husb”) and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Winston.

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