Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

12 reviews

shaunashares's review against another edition

dark tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Gore, Blood, Animal death, Gaslighting, Abortion, and Body horror

Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, and Homophobia

Minor: Mass/school shootings

lizziaha's review against another edition

2.75

Ultimately, the focus on Abby and Gretchen’s friendship is this book’s saving grace. Some aspects of the horror were well-done as well, but I was annoyed that some things seemed to be put in for pure shock value, without ever being explained. This was also slightly more low-stakes than I expected it to be. And I disliked Hendrix’s cavalier bigotry for the sake of the “authentic” setting (the south in the 80s). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Animal death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, Slavery, Sexual assault, Ableism, Abortion, Child abuse, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Mass/school shootings, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Homophobia

arielroots's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.0

This was a super fun read! It was fast paced but it had the perfect amount of build up for the pay off, and I felt satisfied by the ending. A true book for bestiea. There were some parts that may be triggering to some readers so be cautious as there are some darker themes present but they are covered tastefully....at least as tastefully as it can be in a book about exorcism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Torture

Moderate: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Abortion

frankieclc's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Fatphobia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abortion, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, and Racism

mickraine's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Classism, Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Violence, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Animal death

Moderate: Excrement, Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Abortion, Torture, Gore, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, and Bullying

Minor: Rape, War, Blood, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

theyannibannireads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

2.75

extra stars for the depiction of female friendships, that bit felt real the rest if the book was fine, kinda scary but that might just be cuz i read it alone at night. characters were stereotypical. i hated everyone who wasn't the girls but kinda got that was vibe the book was going for. like it was fine, a good distraction 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Body shaming, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Blood, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

juliamb's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Vomit, Abortion, Bullying, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, and Murder

owenwilsonbaby's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

"The devil is loud and brash and full of drama. God, he's like a sparrow."

This was camp and fun! I loved it. Scary enough to be a quick, compelling read but not so disturbing that it interfered with my love for the characters. Hendrix's depiction of teenage isolation and anxiety was at times painful to read but delicately amplified the wider horror plot and tropes at work. The real demon is high school!!

Not going to articulate this very well but I think this book's willingness to tackle both the joy and terror of growing up in the eighties is its primary strength. There's a romance and excitement to the setting and time period but it avoids indulging a simplified, homogenised version of the American past that Myke Bartlett identifies in media like Stranger Things. Its exploration of class, racism, ableism and rape culture works to create an uneasiness at the heart of this horror story. Abby has to face down the devil whilst also battling prejudice and a lack of understanding from her peers and the adults in her life.

I don't have many criticisms, and those that I do have I think I can put down to the fact that this book is first and foremost oriented towards young adult readers and therefore written with a different demographic in mind. I did at times wonder if the story may have benefited from the complexity of exploring queerness (hence Abby's penultimate 'dearly and queerly!' confession) but I can appreciate the centring of platonic love and female friendship when recent nostalgic outings like Stranger Things and the IT movies seemed to, at least initially, explore male friendship. All that said, I really enjoyed this book. It made for a good break from long reads, and the pacing, prose and imagery were particularly fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Ableism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Bullying, Sexual violence, Car accident, Classism, Alcohol, Self harm, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Vomit, Death of parent, and Gun violence

lucinda_lee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

despite how bad the trigger warnings make it sound, i actually really enjoyed this book. it was well written and it kept me engaged enough to finish it in two days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Animal death

kaylee1957's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Campy, dramatic, hilarious, thrilling horror novel about the power of friendship and demonic possession. The 80s theme is hilarious and well done. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit