Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

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

60 reviews

ajfast's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Classism, Body horror, Blood, Animal death, Child death, Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

snowforest's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia

donotfeedthebirds's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Gore, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Racism

girlwiththeheadphones's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Rape, Sexual content, Animal death, Death, Body horror, Gaslighting, and Gore

Moderate: Antisemitism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual violence

Minor: Domestic abuse

marthadude's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

I was absolutely hooked on this book. I abandoned all my responsibilities and got through it in two days. The title absolutely gives away the plot, but the tension makes up for it and keeps you guessing on what's going to happen next.  I would definitely check the trigger warning because it hits a lot of them. I will also say that there are parts where the author relies a lot of stereotypes and archetypes, which isn't necessarily always handled well in my opinion. I also think that

the sexual assault and the way the vampire feeds goes too far. Instead of going for the neck, as traditional vampires do, he goes for a vein in the inner thigh. It really makes it sexual for what seems like just shock value, which is especially concerning given the fact that most of his victims are underaged. Likewise, the rape that occurs in the book, while not needlessly graphic, was wholly unnecessary in my opinion. Apparently, this is what is required to turn a person into a vampire, and, honestly it doesn't make a lot of sense. It felt like it didn't need to go in that direction. In addition, I don't understand why Patrica's son was obsessed with nazis and why it wasn't really addressed in any meaningful way. It was just an odd choice.

Overall, this book was a fun and faced paced read and I had a good time reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Dementia

A main character is raped by a supernatural creature. While the rape itself isn't graphically discussed, the aftermath of it is. Because of this, the character is sick for a long time and eventually dies. There is also a jarring scene where the same supernatural creature (who is a grown man) feeds off of a high schooler. This scene is almost sexual in nature, as both of these characters are naked in bed. No actual sex happens but it's very suggestive as the creature feeds on the inner thigh. The creature also feeds on a 9 year old, but this scene is much less suggestive in nature.

nerdynatreads's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 ☆☆YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram | Storygraph ☆☆ 

Literal Children -- Author Taste Test: Grady Hendrix 

I'm not sure I've ever been so angry while reading a book and yet can't put the damn thing down. This was not what I went in expecting. I was thinking more along the lines of a fast-paced thriller with some horror scenes. I definitely got the horror though, very visceral, cringey, gag-worthy horror, but that wasn't the scariest part. The amount of abuse and gaslighting and dismissal of minorities was the worst. 

Making the mcs all middle-aged SAHM in the nineties was a unique choice that made this book stand out. On the surface, they're all simple, superficial and docile, but I love that they utilize their strengths to bring down this man harming their community. No, they're not going to read him to death, but they certainly know how to cover up a crime. 

The event in the middle caught me so off guard that I nearly screamed at the book in shock and anger, but had to continue to find out where this would go. The breakdown of the book into what the club was reading was also a fun choice! Obviously, loved all the true crime mentions and the fact that this book also highlighted how crimes that take place in lower income areas or areas populated by minorities often go under the radar and are less likely to be investigated with the same rigor as that in more affluent neighborhoods. 

Biggest complaints were why tf were there so many surprise descriptions of naked women? Those shocked me more than the horror scenes. And that our MC could be so dumb and slow at certain points. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

writtenbydnicole's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Mental illness

jenniferpalmblad's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

syfylauren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.5

This book is fun, for those who love a good horror movie set in the 80s and 90s. It is gory, and it there were moments when I had to take a break, but I loved this journey. At it's core, this is a story about a woman listening to her gut, being supported by her friends, and reclaiming her agency. Honorable mention to Kitty for bringing the most laughs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Dementia, Gaslighting, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Murder, Medical trauma, and Medical content

Minor: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pedophilia

delilahreads's review against another edition

dark

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death, Biphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, Murder, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Car accident