I suppose for 4th/5th graders who are just getting into the horror genre, this is a reasonable choice. There’s definitely a niche for this type of story. I get irked easily by this genre, because there isn’t a lot of quality writing out there. K.R. Alexander books, in particular, tend to be basic and cliched, with lots of plot holes. For introductory reading it’s fine, but for kids who appreciate better characters and a well crafted plot I would recommend Victoria Schwab, Katherine Arden, Ellen Oh, Dan Poblocki, and even Lindsay Currie.

Chelsea is a grieving twin who claims her dead sister, Angelica, still visits and talks to her as if she’s real. This has not been good for her social situation at school where she is bullied relentlessly by Riley. Then new girl Janette arrives offering unconditional friendship. Unfortunately, Angelica will have none of it. After all, she’s dead, bored, jealous, and getting meaner. Then, for reasons we never understand, she gains strength, becoming visible to people besides Chelsea. But as she grows stronger, Chelsea grows weaker. She won’t stop until she has Chelsea back, all to herself.

It’s a quick, mediocre read, straight to paperback, reminiscent of Goosebumps. Lots of kids love this. For those kids, I recommend.

I always wanted a twin but after reading this, I’m not so sure.

Chelsea has struggled to make friends ever since her twin sister Angelica died five years ago. But the thing is Chelsea can see her twin, Angelica wherever she goes. But after few circumstances Chelsea meets and befriends with a new student Janette, who helps her and is really understanding.

This, makes Angelica angry and she tries to dismiss the new girl and get her sister to walk away. When Angelica accuses her of forgetting her, Chelsea replies that she's not forgetting, she's just trying to live her life. Which Angelica can’t do because she’s trapped in a creepy gloomy underworld. But she needs her sister to be with her, only with her.

The creepy font and the plot is really good. Also the cover is super creepy as hell! I think that’s what draws me to the book.But overall I didn’t like ending because it felt abrupt. But this is a book for a middle grader so I’m okay with this.

This was such an awesome palette refresher/break from my usual reads.

This was a quick read and left me feeling very reminiscent of Are You Afraid of the Dark. The nostalgia was definitely strong but in its own unique way.

Readers find out that Chelsea, who is now thirteen, lost her twin sister at seven. Since her passing she has been able to see/hear Angelica. She’s grown up the last five years feeling very alone and ostracized from her peers. Things take a turn once a possible new best friend arrives and threatens Angelica’s bond with Chelsea.

The ending made it seem like there could be a sequel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC for review.

This book was definitely something. Yet it did not live up to all my expectations. The premise, again, was amazing but I feel it could have been fleshed out better. There were moments of creepiness that I liked plus that ending, but more could have been done to make the characters more relatable to the readers. All in all, it is a pretty average read and can serve as palate cleanser between more serious reads.

Holy cow this had me hooked all the way through! I love these types of ghost stories and K. R. Alexander has quickly became one of my top favorite authors. This was such a chilling book to read and experience! Definitely one I had a hard time putting down at times. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next so it kept my attention fully. The characters and the world building is phenomenal! Honestly I wholeheartedly believe this would be such a great book to film adaptation! I’m so grateful to have been given an ARC to read through Netgalley. Thank you for sharing your work with me!

Reviews have been posted on Instagram (@rainydaysmut), TikTok (@rainymarie01) and Goodreads (@Rainy Marie Butts) as of 11/2/2024

In Identikill (4.5 star read) we follow Chelsea after the death of her twin sister Angelica. In a new school trying to make new friends. When spooky things start happening, a sister kept in secret.

This was my first K.R. Alexander book and I rather enjoyed it. While at times it felt very sad and grief horror this book still had the spooky ghost vibes.

Chelsea was such a strong character and the friendship she had gained while not feeling guilty about Angelica was heart wrenching and beautiful. This book had a very nostalgic read to it and was atmospheric. Great pace and storyline. The parents did not overpower the story.

Overall I enjoyed this book rated it lower because it left some things on the table. Loved the ending and eery feeling of it all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic Inc for a digital copy for my honest review.

Identikill is an excellent age appropriate paranormal thriller. These are the kind books that made me the avid reader I am today, so I was honored when NetGalley and Scholastic allowed me to read this ARC. The suspense and fear you feel as a reader is fantastic and both sisters are very well written. My only disappointment was the ending which felt very abrupt. I also wanted more information about the sisters relationship prior to Angelica’s death.

Fantastic addition to the collection for one of of our most popular authors in our middle school library! As a Mom of identical twin girls, I appreciated the different voices of the main characters. Full of suspense and twists, readers are going to line up to read this new one.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic for the advanced reading copy!

This was a really fun story that kept me on edge throughout the entire time. I love what K.R. Alexander did with the premise, and overall, it felt like a twisted lost episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark.

Alexander tipped the premise on its head quite quickly, and I appreciate how we wasted no time jumping into the chaos. Immediately we establish that Chelsea still talks to her deceased twin, and after the first couple of chapters, we're thrust into both existential dread and eerie antics that never fail to slow down.

My favorite aspect of the book was the dual POV between the two twins (one who's alive, and one who's narrating from the other side). Although Angela's perspective could feel a bit redundant at times, being able to hear her scheming every other chapter added a chilling layer of suspense.

The book seemed to end abruptly (there are a few pages omitted from my ARC - not sure if that is an extended ending or a preview of the author's next work?) but I was still a fan of how it all wrapped up. Indentikill effortlessly blended great scares with themes of grief, jealousy, and overcoming toxic relationships for young readers. I'm really excited to see how fans of Alexander's other work will respond to it, and look forward to his future works!

Can a twin be your best friend and your worst enemy…even after their death?
This middle grade horror book answers that exact question.

Identikill highlights a young girl’s struggle with the death of her twin sister and recounts an odd, paranormal story that keeps you engrossed in the tale throughout the book. The book is a quick read and yet still full of detail. The ending…not what you would expect!

This is an excellent book for teens and young adults who enjoy a suspenseful story. There are excellent lessons to be learned about good and evil; really making you think. I highly recommend this book, which is read easily and truly enjoyable! Huge thank you to Net Galley and Scholastic for allowing me to review this amazing book!

This was such a good book! I do wish I'd realized it was the start of a series. At least it felt like the first of a series. I think a bit more showing of Chelsea and Angelica's life before one died, plus more story about the one twin's life without the other would have made this a 5 star read. As it is, I felt a bit ambivalent at the beginning. I was interested, but I didn't really care about the characters until much further in and then the story ended just as I was getting there. I feel like I missed an entire book before reading this one.

I really enjoyed this book, it had everything that I was looking for and had that spirit that I enjoyed from books from my childhood. The overall story worked well and enjoyed the suspense of the dead twin versus the one that lived. It had that plot and character development perfectly and worked with the story. K. R. Alexander always does a great job in a middle-grade horror novel.