Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

11 reviews

lilyreadsthings's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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: Grief, Vomit, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, and Bullying

sshpurple1's review against another edition

dark sad 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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Blood

Moderate: Gore, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, and Death

Minor: Car accident

ladygray_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, and Torture

Moderate: Gaslighting, Bullying, and Child death

thatoneguyjm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-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

3.5

Half Sam Raimi-esque spook-a-blast and half family drama about the secrets we keep and the thing we (mis)remember, How to Sell a Haunted House might be Grady’s most emotionally affecting book. Not that it’s all feelings and family - there’s also attacking taxidermied squirrels, puppets shoving needles where needles shouldn’t go, and emergency amputations. While you may or may not resonate with the characters, the moments of horror carry the book quite ably for those who are into that sort of thing. (And I am.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Gaslighting, Violence, and Gore

elizafiedler's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

Much creepier than I thought it would be!  Very much liked the last three hours of the audiobook; I wasn't paying attention to how far I'd gotten, and assumed the story was wrapping up, but NOPE! It got creepier and more dangerous, AGAIN. Brilliant. The family reconciliation is also nice; not perfect, not saccharine, pretty believable. 
Avoid if you have difficulty with dolls and puppets.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Violence, Gun violence, and Blood

puppet horror

kshertz's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

What a weird wild ride? I guess that’s Grady’s specialty. It gets really twisted with dolls, clowns, and puppets. I almost threw up once. I had to put the book down a few times. Im very happy my house had none of these things. Read it if you want to be grossed out and horrified by puppets and dolls and clowns. I liked it but also, probably something i’m going to need to bring up in therapy next week🙃

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Child death, Gaslighting, Body horror, Cannibalism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Medical trauma

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.25

Meh…
I usually love G.H.’s books, but not this one. Slow, mostly unlikeable characters, not scary… I could keep going, but it would be a moot point. I did have a soft spot for the great aunt. She reminded me of Roz from Monsters, Inc. His sense of humor helped the rating. I wouldn’t recommend this one, but I’ve enjoyed several of his others & have every intention of reading his next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Car accident, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore

Minor: Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Animal death

brandilovesbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.25

This haunted house is filled with dolls, puppets, and even a stuffed squirrel Manger scene.  One of the puppets is the cause of all the weird stuff that happens.  Don't put the puppet on your hand!  Louise and her brother Mark have to deal with years of built up sibling resentment before they can start to unravel the family secrets and lies.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse

Do not read if you have a fear of clowns, puppets, or dolls.

jaedia's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

Wow, I could not put this book down. How to Sell a Haunted House follows Louise as she returns home following the sudden death of her parents, only to find herself feeling frustrated by her brother Mark who has already taken control of all of the funeral arrangements and she's not happy. The entire book is about grief and family, and just happens to include a haunted house as its backdrop, although this one is not exactly as you would expect. And I will say no more because the way this story unwinds is so good. As I said, could not put it down. All this did was remind me that I need to pick up his other books because this is the second time I have fallen in love with his writing! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Car accident, Blood, Gore, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Self harm, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

Minor: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Gun violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Gaslighting

kkalicky94's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Violence, Car accident, Death, and Grief