Bad Sister

Alexander, K. R. Bad Sister

January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this sequel to Identikill, Angelica (who died some time ago) has come back from the Underside and assumed her sister Chelsea's identity after terrorizing her and her friend Janette. Chelsea is trapped with Riley, but the two are unsure about who is taking Riley's place in the "real" world. Angelica (as Chelsea) is bullying Janette, publically embarassing her, and trying to align herself with Pia and Riley, who had always given Chelsea a hard time. Eventually, Janette manages to talk to Chelsea in Underside by going to her house at night with a pocket mirror. Janette isn't too surprised that Angelica is on the loose, especially after she posts an unflattering article about her all around school. There is an escalation of meanness, but eventually Chelsea and Riley figure out that there is a portal to Underside at the cemetary. They have Janette invite Angelica there, but can they figure out how to restore the balance and get everyone to their proper places?

Strengths: Alexander does a gerat job at balancing realistic horror (your former best friend stops speaking to you and spreads rumors about you) with supernatural elements, like your dead sister luring you into an alternative reality and trapping you there while she takes your place! This is a quick read, and has plenty of scary moments that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. A creepy cemetery make perfect for Halloween! 
Weaknesses: Even with the different fonts when perspective changed from Chelsea to Angelica, this was a bit confusing. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like the idea of people being haunted or stalked by ghosts in books like Brown's The Forgotten Girl or Strong's The Secret Dead Club.