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Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
90 reviews
cyntismiles's review
- 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
2.0
A side note that really has nothing to do with anything: I found it really hard to remind myself that this book was set in the 90's but may be a good reminder that we aren't too far from these "old" ideals and probably still need to watch out for them.
For the majority of this book, I was leaning towards at least a 3-star rating. I enjoyed seeing the housewives exploring interests outside their families and getting to hang out together and whatnot. There were gross/disturbing scenes but it's a horror book -- I didn't love them but I didn't think a lot of it. However, what really bumped this book down in rating for me was the handling of the sexual abuse scenes. I will put a spoiler over this part of the review so it can be skipped over. Long story short, the way they were written was too graphic in all the wrong ways (?) and felt very disingenuous to survivors/real people.
The ending was okay. There was some wrapping up of certain plot points that was good but it wasn't a satisfying ending. A particular scene of the ending that may have been supposed to have been triumphant was really long and drawn out and described...too much. It really ruined the book for me. I ended up not really caring what the characters did or how they ended up after the climax (it wasn't very climatic tho??). I just felt very apathetic towards the whole thing.
At no point in this book was it going to be a 5-star book for me but the second half of the book really dragged down the experience for me (especially the last 80%) and it was almost unbearable to finish. I enjoyed the first half and read it quickly. I'm not sure how I feel for the characters in the end??? Just left feeling kind of not interested in reading a similar book again.
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
kritika's review
- 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
3.5
I was quite unhappy with the turn this book took in the last third or so. There are ways to convey horror without resorting to violation and violence against women. There were plenty of horrific things already happening in the book, and rape just did not need to be one of them. It came out of left field and was deeply upsetting to me.
Graphic: Violence and Rape
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Drug abuse and Pedophilia
danscoada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
The title was a *bit* misleading. It was predictable to an extent, but I still found myself on the edge of my seat. This book had an interesting take on a vampire novel where there was only one who fit the "mould" of a classic vampire in some ways and didn't in others. The husbands were trash, the wives were frustrating but ultimately had each other's back.
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Child death, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use
aniwillow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Blood, and Drug abuse
Minor: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Addiction, and Domestic abuse
jordangddrd's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Dementia, and Vomit
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Animal death
Minor: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, and Alcoholism
obviouslyyuta's review
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, Child death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse
bkjoap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, and Drug abuse
francescabooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Rape, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, and Animal death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
harshibuvan's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
kait_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Dementia, and Violence
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Racism, and Self harm