Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

210 reviews

angelfoodcakes's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Vomit, and Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Body horror, Drug use, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

lostinworlds's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Drug use, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Body shaming

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Homophobia

Minor: Medical content

msbedelia's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia

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)

grunbean's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A great read for the spooky season. I found myself lost in the story and figuring out where it was going next. 

Though I wouldn’t pick it up if you don’t like bugs! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Car accident and Drug use

claire_b322's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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: Blood, Body horror, Eating disorder, and Suicide attempt

teresavanc's review against another edition

dark tense

• 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? It's complicated

2.0

In all honesty, I got this book because of the beautiful cover, and I was wanting to read something spooky for October. I did not realize that the author is the same one who wrote the southern book clubs guide to slaying vampires, a book I hate vehemently. I even wrote in my review of that book that I would not read anything by this author again and if I had made that connection earlier, I would not have bought this book.

As much as I hate his writing, the first half of the book gave me hope. I found the parallels between sexual assault and demon possession to be an interesting take and very poignant. And then he just lost all this momentum. The actual exorcism fell flat, cheesy, and lazy. Body horror has a time and place, such as with Margaret, it feel disturbing but appropriate. Within the exorcism, it felt cheap, just added in for the shock value. 

In the end, I didn’t hate the book as much as his other, but I am deeply disappointed. He had so much going for him in the first half of the book and fumbled it. He chose the lazy way out and used a generic exorcism template instead of doing something unique and creative. And the very end where they began listing major pop culture moments from the 80s - cringey and a cheap shot at nostalgia. 

I have learned from my mistake. 
Fool me once, fool me twice, there will not be a third Mr Hendrix. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Vomit, and Torture

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug use, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Rape

Minor: Racism

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

sea_sea'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