Bad Girls Don't Die: From Bad to Cursed [Hardcover]

Katie Alender (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 14, 2011 | Series: Bad Girls Don't Die

Alexis is the last girl you'd expect to sell her soul. She already has everything she needs--an adorable boyfriend, the perfect best friend, and a little sister who’s finally recovering after being possessed by an evil spirit, then institutionalized. 

Alexis is thrilled when her sister joins a club; new friends are just what Kasey needs.  It’s strange, though, to see how fast the girls in The Sunshine Club go from dorky and antisocial to gorgeous and popular.  Soon Alexis learns that the girls have pledged an oath to a seemingly benevolent spirit named Aralt.  Worried that Kasey's in over her head again, Alexis and her best friend Megan decide to investigate by joining the club themselves.  At first, their connection with Aralt seems harmless.  Alexis trades in her pink hair and punky clothes for a mainstream look, and quickly finds herself reveling in her newfound elegance and success.

Instead of fighting off the supernatural, Alexis can hardly remember why she joined in the first place. Surely it wasn't to destroy Aralt...why would she hurt someone who has given her so much, and asked for so little in return?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book made me wish I still slept with a night-light! A smart, scary ride." - Melissa de la Cruz, NYT bestselling author of the Blue Bloods Series

"FROM BAD TO CURSED sent a creepy, delicious chill up my spine. All I could think when I turned the last page was more, more, more!" - Heather Brewer, NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series

"In the classic tradition of Stephen King, Alender will have you sleeping with the lights on." - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, NYT bestselling authors of the Beautiful Creatures series

About the Author

Katie Alender is the author of the Bad Girls Don't Die series from Disney-Hyperion. She is a graduate of the Florida State University Film School and lives in Los Angeles. When she's not writing novels, she can usually be found in her sewing room, making things for her friends or her dog (or her friends' dogs). She enjoys reading, eating delicious high-calorie foods, and hanging out with her husband and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Winston.

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (June 14, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423134710
• ISBN-13: 978-1423134718
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Katie Alender was born and raised in Florida with her three siblings. She attended an arts high school, focusing on writing and video production, and continued her education at Florida State University, majoring in Film. She currently lives with her husband (her college sweetheart) and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Winston, in Los Angeles, CA, where she works as a freelance producer/writer. For several years, she produced televised dog shows, and she can probably tell you more about dogs than you would ever want to know. When she's not working, she can usually be found at her sewing machine, making quilts and other gifts for friends and readers.

Katie's first brush with publication came in 1991, when her article "So You Want to Live On Mars?" was published in Sassy Magazine's Reader Produced Issue. She loves dogs, the color red, good food, practicing yoga (emphasis on "practicing"), hanging out with her friends, and (of course) reading. She is a Gemini and would probably be a Ravenclaw if she went to Hogwarts. Her favorite authors include Amy Tan, Paula Danziger, Jane Austen, and Stephen King.

"Bad Girls Don't Die" is her first book.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly better than the first book! June 14, 2011

By Amanda Miller

Format:Hardcover

My first thought when reading the synopsis was "This family seriously has bad luck. How can they be getting mixed back up in something supernatural?" I loved the first book, Sarah creeped me out more than words can say...then again, as a child I had a fear of one of my dolls. I was convinced she'd come alive, but I'm not reviewing the first book.

The sequel holds that same scary factor. It's more of a gradual build-up. The whole time in my head I was going "No, Lexi, no no no no!" You'd think after the last book, she'd have learned not to toy with things of this sort. That aside, my inner teenage girl totally understands why there is an appeal to being perfect and getting everything you want. Who cares if you have to take an oath?

There was one line towards the end of the book that rocked me to my core. It was definitely one of the most frightening lines I've read in a book in a very long time. I read a lot of horror/thrillers that I don't review, so for me to say it's that bad is kind of a big deal. After that line, things sped up and went at a rapid, yet appropriate rate.

My heart ached for Carter and Kasey both. Moreso for Carter since he had no clue what was really going on. I have to admit, I kind of missed Carter throughout the book, but also would love to see more of Jared.

If you have read this review and haven't picked up the first book and love being scared/creeped out, pick it up! If you loved the first book you won't be disappointed with the sequel and then can join me in eagerly awaiting the third book. From Bad to Cursed will be in stores on 6/14.

I received From Bad to Cursed as an ARC from the publisher, Disney-Hyperion in exchange for my honest review on Letters Inside Out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars not that spooky February 19, 2012

By Deborah Sandford

Format:Hardcover

This is a good read--well written, with fairly memorable characters. Since I didn't read the first book, there was a great sense of the mysterious unknown which gave it a haunting quality. That was good. Overall, though, it's a bit cliched. I would recommend it for ages ten to fifteen.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars From Bad To Cursed by Katie Alender October 5, 2011

By Amber @ Down The Rabbit Hole

Format:Hardcover

Blending horror and humor, From Bad To Cursed is sure to be unforgettable. Taking all the amazing elements of the first installment and amping up the stakes for this newest addition, it is the perfect novel to read just after dark, with every single light in the house on. From it's characters to it's break-neck plot, From Bad To Cursed is original and yet, somehow, completely familiar.

I mentioned before in my review of the first novel, Bad Girls Don't Die, that horror novels are tricky to pull off without strong leads. Alexis's got that covered and then some. She's never been the girl that runs blindly into something because the plot calls for it. She strives to know what she's dealing with and is brave enough to do something about her situation. As a newly reformed bad girl, making amends for her dark days, she is likable. She still tells it how it is but is trying hard to be nicer to people. Her voice in this next installment felt even more authentic than the first one. As she slowly changes after joining the Sunshine Club, you can feel the things you love about her starting to slip away. Suddenly, she is becoming unreliable which is complete change from her strong, stable self in the first book. Seeing her fade into something completely other really does make you realize how incredibly strong she was in the first and by the ending, you are clamoring for her to find that strength again. Her journey doesn't disappoint.

Ms. Alender is a master in the art of subtly. You'd think a character completely changing who she is would be a huge red flag and easy to detect but I can't pinpoint when Alexis went from bad to cursed.... Even though this is a first person narrative, her priorities and tone changing is so subtle that before you know it, she is a completely different narrator with only hints of the girl we know and love. Still using sight, sound, and sense to play with emotions and amp up the fright level, this novel is scary in an entirely new way. Though there isn't a physical presence of an antagonist, the fact that it was coming from within was enough to make it really truly scary. And just when you feel like you can't take anymore tension, a line jumps out to make you laugh before layering a new threat on thicker.

One of the most interesting aspects of this novel once again was the dynamic between Kasey and Alexis. Freshly out of the mental institution and hopping right into high school, Kasey is not the same girl she was in the beginning of the series and Alexis really doesn't know how to deal with her. I loved watching Kasey mature through this novel and to see Alexis's learn to lean on Kasey a little bit more. With their relationship always being Lexi taking care of Kasey, it was nice to see Kasey stepping up to the plate to show Lexi that she can carry some of the burden. There is a scene where Kasey cleans up Alexis in a bathtub that is partly touching and partly horrifying. It brings an entirely new layer to their complex relationship as sisters.

Generally speaking, I'm not big on plot since I'm willing to go for most things if I like the characters enough. And I really like these characters who continue to break through from their stereotypes in order to come alive on the page. But this story had a complex plot that will have you flipping the pages faster just to figure it out. The clues are sprinkled in so well that you don't really know what's happening until it does and I didn't even have time to try and reason out what was going to happen because I was so addicted to the words on the page. I caught the twists and turns only when the character did and I felt compelled to read "just one more chapter" until the 400+ pages melted into nothing in my hands.

Alexis's voice is believable, her journey long and winding but it doesn't feel like it. The ending reaches out for one final scare and will have the reader clamoring for the next novel. Even better than the first, with an entirely new kind of enemy and the same cast of familiar characters, From Bad To Cursed is a masterpiece. From its first fright to the last, it's scary good! Read more ›

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing & Creepy Addition to the Series July 14, 2011

By The Allure of Books

Format:Hardcover

From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alender is the second book in the Bad Girls Don't Die trilogy. I found a lot more depth and meaning in this novel than I expected to find! Beyond just containing a really creepy ghostly mystery, I think the characters' experiences added extra layers to the story.

Teenagers have a long history of searching for a way to feel beautiful and popular. The lengths some will go to (especially girls) can get really out-of-hand. That is definitely true in this novel! Kasey, who was possessed by a vengeful ghost in the first book of the series, accidentally gets herself roped into another situation where she finds herself possessed. This time she drags her older sister Alexis and Alexis' best friend Megan along with her.

Alexis goes to a meeting of The Sunshine Club intending to put a stop to it to keep Kasey safe - but before long finds herself pledging loyalty to the god Aralt. The members start showing up to school looking much prettier...before long they realize they are also acing quizzes they didn't study for and attracting attention from the popular crowd that had ignored them in the past. Exactly what is Aralt doing with their lives?

I found the plot really engrossing - it is definitely a twisty-windy journey to find out exactly who/what Aralt is and how he is managing to control their lives. The plot is 100% contained in the novel, you definitely don't have to read the first book of the series to keep up with it (although I recommend doing so just so you have more background on the characters - and because this series is entertaining and creepy).

Putting aside the supernatural, the girls learn that sometimes being popular and gorgeous isn't worth all the trouble it takes.... I'm not sure if Katie Alender meant readers to find so much depth in this part of the plot or not, but it definitely struck a chord with me. I thought the book overall gave a really great message.

I never stopped feeling like I was reading a book about characters - the writing didn't make me feel like a part of the story or like I was reading a book about real people. So, while the writing didn't quite live up to the plot - I definitely still recommend this series overall. Very interesting and very different from everything else on the shelves. Read more ›