Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

74 reviews

fromtheyellowchair's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Death, Animal death, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Ableism and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry

beckyhalsey's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book!! Probably because I grew up in the 80s and grew up in the South. The whole journey was hard to put down.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Physical abuse

aseel_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

This was a wild ride. It definitely felt authentic to the 80s, which was such an interesting (and not as great) time. I find it hard to rate the book any higher because of the subject matter but I did like the ending about friendship. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Vomit, Bullying, Classism, Drug use, Physical abuse, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Violence, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Rape, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

black_cat_iiix's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Self harm, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Gore, Medical trauma, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, and Eating disorder

Minor: Racism

themissyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

This one Creeped me OUT. Made me CRY. Had genuine social commentary and did a spin on an old story in a way that felt New and Different. 5/5 would reccomend. Check the TW/CWs tho. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Body horror, Torture, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Kidnapping, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Classism, Mental illness, Self harm, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Animal death

Minor: Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Forced institutionalization

Restrictive dieting, parental neglect, discussion/referenced Satanic Panic, referenced divorce, Institutional violence, powerlessness,

Main Character Death (but not the way you think)

cwallace1005's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

 I really wanted a dark comedy/horror but I thought this was mostly serious with a few moments meant to be silly but walking the line with sweet and serious. I didn't love the shifting tone. The relationship between Abby and Gretchen was lovely and the pettiness of high school mean girls was harshly well done. The most climactic moment of the book was the moment I felt like Hendrix was trying hardest to add funniness and I just didn't think it was the right tone. I liked the story, I liked most of the characters, but I wanted more consistency in tone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Gore, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cursing, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Drug use and Rape

cecinamo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I did enjoy the book a lot, but sometimes it was a little to gory for my taste. Still it was really well written and a great book for spooky season! 🎃 

I didn’t really get how they exorcized the demon in the end? It kinda just seemed like “yay! The power of friendship saved the day” ? Idk maybe I’m being nitpick-y 
Also Abby and Gretchen were definitely more than friends ;)

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Ableism

sedwards1992's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.5

I laughed. I squirmed. I cried. Highly recommend this read if you like new twists on old stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Death, Rape, Self harm, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Eating disorder, Animal death, and Gun violence

seren's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Torture, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Rape

daniraewrites's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Easily one of the best horror novels I've ever read, one of the best novels of any genre in fact. Grady Hendrix writes the intensity of female friendships with such intimacy and realism. Coupled with sickening body horror and genuinely terrifying demonic possession I could barely put this book down, especially in the final third. Well worth reading, but a read of the trigger tags wouldn't hurt if you are sensitive to any horror themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Body horror, Blood, Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking, Infidelity, Alcohol, Medical content, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Alcoholism