Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

89 reviews

ajay913's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

russejenn's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Can’t believe that stupid puppet almost made me cry

This book surprised me because it wasn’t what I expected. Firstly, it’s a lot more violent than I expected, and certain plot points play out like a cliche horror movie. However, ultimately, I liked it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, and Self harm

maukingbird's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the most upsetting yet wonderful books I've read.

A rollercoaster of experiences. Sad, angry, scared, disgusted... It challenges what you think of the characters and what you think you know about the world they inhabit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Death

kaylasbewks's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

stars ,, 2.0
cawpile ,, 4.0

super disappointed. the only enjoyable factor in this book was the authors writing style, which i already knew i liked because of my last read, another of his books (which was actually super good). even though i wasn't necessarily bored or angry, i wasn't interested in the plot at all - the horror aspect didn't even truly begin until about ,, 250 pages in? even though you spend so long with the characters & their backstories, they still felt underwhelming and i had trouble feeling bad/scared for them, which then ruined the atmosphere. overall, didn't hate it, but certainly didn't love or like it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Body horror and Mental illness

Minor: Self harm, Alcohol, and Child death

thanksfrthemoomeries's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ve now read 3 of Grady Hendrix’s books and this one is my favorite this far. I actually thought as I read it “oh, so he can write a good book!”  Compared to the other two I’ve read, Final Girl Support Group and A Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, I found this book to be the most entertaining and well-written. It was still predictable, but I had more fun reading this and I believe the story played out better than the other books of his I’ve read. One thing Hendrix always manages to do is make me squirm and pause my reading, so at least that is consistent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Grief, Gore, and Death of parent

Moderate: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, and Vomit

Minor: Animal death

x_spookybooks_x's review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident

Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

johnnalasswell's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gaslighting, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Medical content, and Self harm

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

How to Sell A Haunted House tells the story of Louise and her brother, Mark, who are grappling with the sudden, violent death of their parents… and all of the many secrets they left behind. This is more than a horror story. It’s about grief, complex family relationships, generational trauma, secrets, and puppets. 

So much about this book surprised me in the best way. I wouldn’t say it was scary, per se, but it definitely made my heart race! Multiple times, my jaw dropped, my eyes bulged, and I pterodactyl-screeched at what I was reading. There is another chilling surprise around every corner, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Torture, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Self harm

caity_h's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Child death and Self harm

cal428's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

While this book was a super fast and compelling read but I bumped up against some rough patches. There were a few plot points that weren’t tied up and some decisions characters made that didn’t totally track. For example while the MC is characterized as having her life very much in control and together there several points where she’s treated like a loose cannon/irresponsible parent by her co-parent mostly to feed into her anxiety/drive tension in the plot. Despite all that it was a real fast moving read with some interesting plot points. One major note: I would read with caution if you are a parent.

A small child is in prolonged danger in the final act of the book and even though I am not a parent it made me feel anxious.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Car accident

Minor: Self harm