The Blonde Dies First

A group of friends fight to choose their own fates when faced with a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in this trope-savvy, "script-flipping hair-raiser" (Publishers Weekly) from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it's a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early--The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don't ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by...a demon?

But while there's no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn't feel very demonic at all. In fact, it's downright human--going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle.

Devon has never liked playing by anyone else's rules though, not even a demon's, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?

Author: Joelle Wellington
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 07/30/2024
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.54h x 5.81w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781665922456
Audience: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.3
Point Value: 14
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 551596 / Blonde Dies First


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 04/08/2024
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2024
Booklist 06/01/2024 pg. 77
School Library Journal 07/01/2024 pg. 72

About the Author
Joelle Wellington grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Her love of the written word led her to a BA in creative writing and international studies. When she isn't writing, she's reading and when she's not doing that, she's attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge. She's the author of Their Vicious Games, The Blonde Dies First, and Girls Who Play Dead.