Poison Ink by Christopher Golden

I've been meaning to read Christopher Golden for a while and yes, I'll admit it, the cover called to me on this one.

To celebrate their friendship and unite them forever, Sammi, TQ, Katsuko, Caryn, and Letty decide to all get the same tattoo, one only they will have. But because they are under age (so need their parents’ permission), they are forced to go to a rather seedy place where Letty is sure they won’t ask to see ID.

But Sammi changes her mind when it’s her turn -- her parents are having problems and she’s worried about making things worse. She has no idea how much this decision will change her life. Her friends take her decision very badly, are far angrier than Sammi imagined possible, shun her, and then start to change. Really change. They pick fights, party hard, pick on other students, and finally attack Sammi (ultimately putting her in hospital). She is miserable and alone, desperate to work out what’s happened. When she sees that one of her friend's tattoos has grown she begins to wonder whether these changes are because of the tattoos. The question then becomes, can she do anything about it?

This is a MUCH darker and creepier story than I had expected, taking the girls far, far deeper into their predicament. This disturbing book gets under your skin completely, keeps you guessing through every twist, and is simply a nail-biter--you’ll never think of tattoos in the same way again!

And perfect for a movie adaptation. If you’ve read it, who can you see play Dante?