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Bad Girls Don't Die by Kati Alender Here is a great and creepy story for middle grade readers.
Alexis is a high school student who doesn't quite fit in. She portrays herself as an anti-cheerleader, pink haired, troubled teen who is living in a dysfunctional family. She lives in an old and (she soon discovers) haunted house where the stove can boil water without being turned on, doors randomly open and close, and evil is in the air. She has a babysitter/child relationship with her 14 year old sister, who often acts younger than her years - so when Kasey begins displaying bizarre and angry behavior, Alexis needs to get to the bottom of it and help her at any cost. Alexis ends up being offered help from two of the most popular kids in school, Carter and Megan, class president and cheerleader pretty girl respectively. There are many things to like about this novel. The characters are easy to relate to, their relationships are interesting and well-rounded and the writing is very descriptive. The story itself is a page turner! It's simple, fairly short and appropriate for virtually all age groups. The romantic portion of the book is more implied than realized, and the violence is not at all graphic. We have all seen or heard stories about a sinister doll before, and this one is a fresh take on the theme. It's not complicated, but it is creepy! There are some continuity problems that I easily overlooked because the book had me so involved (for example, Alexis' love interest pops in and out of the story with explanations that don't really fly. Alexis' friend Megan lives with her Grandma whose function is not fully realized. Alexis' parents are not very involved with the family, but is this the fault of the ghosts? etc). Although I enjoyed this novel, I doubt I will read the other two books that now comprise the trilogy. Bad Girls Don't Die stands well on its own and that's good enough for me.
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AuthorThis book lover's blog is brought to you by the Learning Commons at Vincent Massey School, Calgary. Specifically, Ms. Gammon and various student book reviewers. We want to share our favorite titles with you! Archives
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