Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

115 reviews

loveandolive's review against another edition

challenging dark funny inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, and Death

arukeni's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

emilywemily6's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I really enjoyed this book and found it to have many more layers than I originally expected. It started off campy and hilarious, but turned more dark and serious. There is definitely both paranormal and more domestic-style horror elements and it felt like I read two different books between the first half and the second. I really appreciated the messaging about how no one listens to POC (specifically black people in this book), women, or children. And no one cares what happens to the black people in this book, many characters turn a blind eye and just say “oh well, that’s too bad” without giving it more thought. I feel like this book could have been a 5 star if it had been written by a black person and seen from Mrs. Greenie’s perspective. She was my favorite character!! I felt like the author did a pretty good job portraying Patricia in this book, but a lot of the other characters were more superficial. This book inspired a lot of unsettled feelings, both related to the paranormal and the relationships between the characters. It felt a little long and drawn out though, especially with Patricia getting back into the James Harris issue. I wish there had been more actual book club time throughout the book and that the friends could have been better friends to each other. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Classism, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Dementia, Sexual assault, Rape, Self harm, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Infidelity

deshanejt's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

This book definitely has some dark themes that might not be for everyone's taste, but I absolutely devoured this book. 

I loved it. It felt like a satirical horror and dark comedy. Hendrix put all the vibes of the 90s, good and bad into this story.

Picture the Goonies, meets Golden Girls & Designing Women, meets the Lost Boys.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Murder, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, and Animal death

Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Racism

saradoxical's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

This was an enjoyable take on vampire canon, with the author's quirky sense of humor present throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Gaslighting, Animal death, Dementia, Child death, Racism, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

torismazarine's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gore, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Dementia, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Rape, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Stalking, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

darlingunknowing's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

1.0

Not a good book, very shallow characters with a un-nessacary, Rape plot point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Sexual content

kaifragnito's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood

thingwithfeathers's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I loved this book, Grady Hendric always writes female characters so skillfully but I found this to be his best work by far. The characters are complex and full of their own issues and biases and it paints such a realistic view of womanhood and girlhood. The scene where Patricia looks at her daughter then her ill mother in law and thinks oh god will that be me will my kids be fighting over who has to watch me was just such a gutwreching moment of recognition. The book covers class, sexism, racism, grooming, and you can't help but feel so deeply for the characters. Really a great read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Classism, Death, Sexual violence, Suicide, Body horror, Death of parent, Blood, Racism, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Gore, Pedophilia, Murder, and Suicide attempt

browneyesblue84's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I’m familiar with author Grady Hendrix because I read his novels The Final Girl’s Support Group and How to Sell A Haunted House. I truly enjoy reading his novels. 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampire is not the story that I expected it to be. It is a more complicated story than I imagine.  It starts as the story of a housewife named Patricia Campbell who is annoyed that her husband Carter volunteered one summer to take care of his ailing elderly mom. He knew good and well that he was not going to do it. She would. One evening while taking out the trash she’s bitten and attacked by a neighbor. Through that experience she meets a man named James Harris who claims that he is the neighbor’s nephew. Patricia has a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that he is not who he seems to be.

I’ve read quite a few tales about vampires. I think this one is unique.  Initially, I assumed that this story would be similar to a Buffy the vampire scenario with Patricia joining her fellow book club members. They would take on vampires and such. Well, that situation happens but the circumstances are much different than I imagined and more sinister. 

I give this book four stars out of five . The writing was familar to me because I’m a fan of the author. The pacing was medium. There are a few unsettling scenes of gore , drug references and sexual assault. I was satisfied with the ending  and didn’t want to say good bye to Patricia or the rest of the main characters. Even the antagonist was interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dementia, Death, and Body horror

Minor: Gaslighting and Self harm