Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

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

87 reviews

huldasif's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book is kind of like The Stepford Wives meets Salem's Lot meets Fried Green Tomatoes, but it was funnier.  The first chapter was hilarious in fact. I was laughing my head off, it was so funny. I was a little disappointed the book didn't continue on like that, but the book was still good. It became less funny as the horror built up, naturally. It would have been too much of a reprieve and taken away the suspense if it had kept on being so funny I guess. Plus, it just doesn't do to be laughing while children are dying on the next page. It was more creepy than scary though. The husbands were just as creepy as the vampire actually, which I thought was pretty clever of the author. I almost wanted to do them off too, they made me so mad. I'll definitely be reading My Best Friend's Exorcism too! But I sure hope Grady Hendrix writes a comedy if she hasn't already, because she is the funniest writer I ever came across. That first chapter was the best.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Death, Gore, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Animal death, Drug use, Excrement, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Grief, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Hate crime and Infidelity

thiskelsey's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Blood, Addiction, Sexism, Infidelity, Classism, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Death, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death

Minor: Abortion and Vomit

stiletto_snake's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

Not enough vampires

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Gore, Rape, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Addiction, Vomit, Dementia, and Genocide

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

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, and Child death

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Alcohol

purplatypus's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Gaslighting, Grief, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Dementia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Addiction, and Vomit

daffodilcherry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

Really enjoyed this book that took a new perspective on the horror of the vampire through the eyes of the domestic housewife. It took me a little to get into this book, but about 20% of the way in I got hooked and devoured the rest of the book. I loved the way the plot zigged and zagged just when I began to think things would go the way I expected them. I liked how realistic the characters were, they were all truly flawed and fleshed out.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Insect based horror, rat based horror,

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark funny 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Ableism, Alcohol, Classism, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Drug use

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

dark funny 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

4.5

This book is INTENSE. Kinda hit all of the trigger warnings on the way down. I was surprised how much I liked the author's characterization of the women, though.

But damn, I was so ready for Patricia's husband to bite the dust. He was on my last nerve.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Racism, Dementia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Stalking, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Bullying, Pregnancy, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Body shaming, Confinement, Excrement, Grief, and Vomit

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, and Drug use

trippalli's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective 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

4.0

A good solid monsters story, feminist and yet also gruesome

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child death, Blood, Murder, Suicide, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, Stalking, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racism, and Xenophobia