Bad Girls Don't Die

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die 
Author: Katie Alender
Publisher: Disney, Hyperion Books, 2009
ISBN: 978-142310876-4
Pages: 346

Why I choose this particular book: I was looking for more books to read and came across this one during a library catalog search. It seemed like a quick, creepy book. I requested this through my library's catalog and received it through inter-library loan.

Started reading: June 29, 2012 at 1:01 AM.

First impression: This may not be as creepy as I thought. It's published by Disney. Then again, you never know. The cover art is kind of disconcerting, though. 

Finished reading: June 30, 2012 at 8:32 AM.

Bad Girls was alright. It's definitely a Young Adult book who's target is teenagers. The story was simplistic and the main characters weren't really developed; they were very reactionary and didn't question what was happening, they just went along with the plot. The adult characters in the book are stereotypes - the mother an overbearing workaholic, the father a man-child, the high school teacher a petty creature who treated the 'outcast' students poorly but who played nicely with the popular kids. There was almost no deviation from the stereotypes set out. Once an adult was cast a certain way that's how they stayed throughout the book.

So for the good stuff - Alexis, the protagonist, isn't your typical rebellious teenager. She's not acting out to get attention, she's not rebelling against all the wrongs done by adults, she's just found her true self early and isn't tolerant of the teens around her who are still acting like... well, teens. This isn't to say she's completely mature but she's more self-possessed than the normal teen. I liked that the source of her rebellion was knowing where she stood on issues that affected her. I was an early bloomer and can identify with waiting impatiently for those around you to grow up and see that there was more to the world than who won the homecoming game.

The story, while simple, did have its disconcerting moments. The author tries maybe too hard to set the mood but it works for the story. Actually, I was reminded of some television shows from my childhood - Erie, Indiana and Are Your Afraid of the Dark? Those shows were full of mood lighting, ominous music, and odd camera angles; they pulled out all the stops to make sure you knew you were supposed to be scared.

This book is the first of a series and so long as you don't raise your expectations too high, I'm sure they'd be a great way to get a quick, fun, slightly paranormal read. I'm willing to try the next book - From Bad to Cursed. 

Now for the bad - Alexis' reaction to the odd things happening around her - doors closing on their own, random cold spots in the house, weird lights, smells, and her little sister's extreme changes in behavior - doesn't seem like how someone would react. She doesn't tell a single adult about what's going on (though with adults like the ones in the book maybe you can't blame her). Alexis, who hangs out in the school's library but puts off doing any sort of research on these happenings, finally goes online and searches for about five minutes, doesn't get any results, then goes to the librarian for assistance but she's not much help (more on this in a minute). Alexis eventually heads over to the public library but ends up in the microfiche section instead of trying a more thorough online search. It's odd to me that technology doesn't factor into the story more when it's so prevalent. I'm not saying all research should be online but I am reasonably sure that most people do some Googling when they're curious about a topic.

Alexis' attention is also divided because there's this boy. She thinks he's cute but out of her reach, he hits on her like there's no tomorrow. Also there's this cheerleader who, shocker, isn't completely evil (as all cheerleaders in books with outcast protagonists must be) and makes Alexis question her outcast integrity because, oddly enough, these girls start developing a friendship. How can someone possibly focus on her baby sister being possessed by a malevolent spirit with all of this going on? Even after Kasey, the younger sister, tries to kill, or at least severely injure, their mother but ends up putting their father into the hospital, Alexis just can't seem to focus.

Okay, now it's time for my library rant. The high school library internet filter is apparently set up to block not just what you'd expect - terms dealing with sex, maybe drugs - but also the paranormal. Alexis searches for possession, exorcism, ghost, and poltergeist but those terms are all restricted. After a fruitless search of the shelves to find a book Alexis eventually goes up to the librarian (who has so little to do with her time that she's at the desk reading a romance novel) and asks for books on demonic possession. Alexis is told that the Concerned Parents Association (CPA) has banned those books and had the school pull them from the shelves. The librarian goes on to complain that the CPA sent in a 'mole' last year to get a book on witchcraft which landed the librarian in hot water. She then recommends that Alexis try Harry Potter. So, the CPA wanted all the non-fiction books dealing in paranormal subjects off the shelves but left Harry Potter alone? Okay. Alexis then shows the librarian injuries she's received from her demonic little sister, cuts and burns on her arms and hands, and the librarian "sighed and opened her desk drawer and pulled out a book, plopping it on the counter" (p. 169). It's called Cutting Through the Pain: Helping Teens Who Harm Themselves. So, in the face of a possible cutting teen the high school librarian sighs and tosses a book at the problem. Wow.

On to the public library. Alexis and Megan, the non-evil cheerleader, walk into the library, they just walk in, and already the head librarian, Miss Oliver, gives them a stern look over her reading glasses. So dragon-lady older maiden librarian. Stereotype, check. The paranormal books, all of them, are kept in a special collection out of the reach of any patron under the age of 18 unless there's a parent present. Because, as we all know, public libraries exist to restrict information. The girls head over to the microfiche section and dig into the newspaper records. Megan leaves but Alexis searches on and Miss Oliver, heartened by the sight of a teenager actually researching, gives Alexis access to the special collections for about 25 minutes before the library closes. Alexis steals some of the microfiche and one of the special collection books (Why are these books in a special collection? Did the CPA pressure the public library? Is the town a paranormal center?). The book doesn't set off any of the library alarm sensors and the librarian, who diligently lowers the library's security gate, doesn't check Alexis' bag for pilfered library materials. Yeah, that seems legit. End rant.

I have some more pet peeves (unanswered questions mostly and some more illogical happenings) but I'll let them go. This book wasn't meant for deep thought or consideration. It is what it is - a light read for teens into the paranormal genre but not looking for a Twilight rip-off.  

Similar Reads:

Goosebumps series
Fear Street series
Cirque du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan series

Links to More Information:

Katie Alender
Bad Girls Don't Die series
Possession

Discussion:

Would you rather read a scary book or watch a scary movie? Which frightens you more? Would you rather books move away from overused stereotypes and come up with unique characters or are stereotypes a shorthand way for an author to get a point across? Do you think the use of technology in a modern book dates the book or better anchors it in reality?