Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

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

19 reviews

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

emmmapayne'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Dementia, Sexual violence, Murder, Blood, Child death, Death, Chronic illness, and Violence

Moderate: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Classism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, and Medical content

Minor: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Animal cruelty

jhaneveauguste's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexism, Terminal illness, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Blood, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

kier__'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Dementia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Cursing, and Death

alicia_m_andrews's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Self harm, Violence, Classism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Gore, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Animal death, and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Excrement, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Dementia, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

poeths's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I am not going to give it 5 stars just because that rape scene was horrible. For me it didn't make sense. I am tired of men not knowing how to actually write a rape scene. But also, why it has always to be rape? Why it's always sexual violence against women? He was doing so well, you don't need that to make it more horrific. Nor to make someone a vampire, you don't have to rape them. Just as you don't have to drink from their thigh... In that sense, with violence against women and little kids that was pretty sexual, just like when he is basically having ¿¿sex?? with a minor... I don't know man but like, we have moved on past that. It made me disappointed on the author, as he talks about gaslighting and sexism and racism and he depicts very different and interesting female characters... I am just sad because of that, overall the writing it's amazing, the grotesque elements are chilling, the book is raw and you hate the villain so much.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Animal cruelty, Murder, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death, Gore, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Blood, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Child death, Body horror, Rape, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Racism, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Animal death, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Mental illness

jlye'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Despite giving a 3.75 rating, I really enjoyed this book! As a mom in a book club of moms, who also loves true crime books and podcasts, The Guide to Slaying Vampires hit a lot of right notes for me. I was particularly drawn in by Mrs. Greene's storyline and how her experience in the book mirrors real-life issues with wider society and police turning a blind eye to the safety of BIPOC children and families. 

James Harris is a truly sinister villain who embodies the nightmares of many women

. I would have preferred the story be told with Mrs. Greene as the main character, not Patricia, and for that I knocked my overall rating down by 1 star. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Rape, Suicide attempt, Blood, Murder, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Child death

aardwyrm's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Like having your teeth pulled out by barbed wire, but they're really polite about it. There is a very scary vampire, but, you know how all good horror is about the unnatural threat AND the real ones? There's more dread in a cocktail party with friendly acquaintances than in most of the scenes with, you know, vampirism. The book juggles its time and place, both as a setting dripping with dread and with a comfortable, sympathetic gentleness that never actually lets anybody off the hook (though Mrs. Green is really much too forgiving in the last act). Does a really interesting job with being horribly physical about the most mundane and most otherworldly manifestations of gore alike. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Self harm, Racial slurs, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

I liked this book, but it's billed as more horror comedy, and I do want to be clear, the horrible parts are gonna hit.

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

3.0

Grady Hendrix is a genre all on his own. As the title implies, expect a vampire... but not a sparkly or spooky one. This vampire is disgusting, terrifying, and actually scary. If you're into body horror, gross stuff, and super tense scenes - this is for you! There were some funny moments, some heartwarming moments, and good parts, but it was definitely a rollercoaster ride. I loved revisiting the 90's and seeing these suburban housewives pitted against pure evil. It was such a mix of funny and horrifying in a way that only Grady Hendrix can really pull off. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Dementia, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Suicide attempt, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

lesbegays's review against another edition

dark funny 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

4.75

for the first few chapters i almost forgot this was a horror novel because i was so invested in these housewives’ drama. but then things got dark FAST. i don’t think i’ve ever been angrier at a fictional character than i was at the husbands in this book. if i could have skinned them all alive i would have. i HIGHLY recommend the audiobook. 
side note: it is so nice reading a book set in south carolina????? like, i know the towns they’re talking about! they shop at bi-lo!!! the bit about the whole town being busy watching the clemson v. carolina game!!!!! is this what people who live in states that are more frequently featured in fiction feel like all the time??? 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Violence, Misogyny, Gore, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexism, Dementia, Torture, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Racism, Animal death, Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Pedophilia

Minor: Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Drug use