Reviews tagging 'Torture'

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

26 reviews

megancrayne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Animal death, Car accident, Blood, Self harm, Body horror, Torture, and Violence

Minor: War

ktdakotareads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, and Death

faduma's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Alcohol, Gore, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Torture, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, and Forced institutionalization

jackieyvette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. I can say that a million times over about this book and never get tired of repeating it. Wow.
I've read a book by Grady Hendrix before and loved it (The Final Girl Support Group), and thought might as well pick up the next one to see if it was a one off or if Grady Hendrix. I can say with my whole chest, Grady Hendrix is the real deal. This book is exciting, dark, cryptic, loving, etc. The list goes on.
Louise and Mark are a perfect pair. They are what siblings are. They're loud and antagonistic, but also soft and caring and most of all forgiving. I didn't expect the book to open on fighting siblings and not end with a sweet reunion, but the way this was done left a warmth in my heart that might never leave. The family love doesn't stop there though. This family is filled with strong and amazing women who rally to any occasion that comes their way. At the heart of this book is a true look at a family dynamic that I think every one can relate to. Every family has their secrets; it's just a matter of time before they come to head.

Now let's talk a little about Pupkin. He was the perfect antagonist. Creepy and ghoulish and vindictive and I rooted against him again and again until I didn't. He gave his all. The things he did were dreadful (Louise at the Calvins', Mark at BU, Poppy) but when you find out where this all roots from you feel his little puppet pain. His little voice saying 'Not fair' will stick with me and linger on for a while. I hope Pupkin feels at peace in Tickytoo Woods.

This is a book I can see myself reading over again in a couple of months, but always wishing I could read again for the first time.


Crying score: Yeah. Horror can be sad, don't I know it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Alcohol, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Cursing, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Fatphobia

shontellereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense 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? Yes

3.0

I think I can probably assume that all Grady books will be the same for me; slow at the start, really entertaining in the middle, and a drag of an ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Vomit, Medical trauma, Child death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Physical abuse, and Body horror

bookishcookiemonster's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.0

As far as horror stories go, it qas predictable, but still unnerving and some moments were definitely downright terrifying. 
I enjoyed it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Self harm, Child death, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence

daringreader13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

If you aren’t good with body horror, creepy dolls/puppets, or possession- this book won’t be for you.


However if you’re good with that, you’ll probably love it like I did but also be ready to sleep with a light on and burn any puppet you ever see… speaking for a friend obviously 😂

The only thing that left me wondering is the note in the acknowledgment. About the funeral in the fellowship hall and any tips for the police? What am I missing there?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Torture, and Toxic relationship

cc_shelflove's review

dark mysterious 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? No

4.0

Well, that was something. This week, I learned what a radical puppet collective is, and I really wish I hadn’t. 😅 This book was CREEPY! Grady Hendrix is a mastermind. I was instantly transported into a world reminiscent of that in a classic King novel; Pet Sematary, anyone? For me personally, the story didn’t actually begin to pick up until about 200 pages in. I am totally okay with never reading the phrase ‘Kakawewe!’ again. Shit was terrifying. Also, why was the ending of this book so emotional? I mean that in a good way… it was an element that I had not expected from a horror novel. My fourth Hendrix read and while it was not my favorite, it was definitely worth my time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Medical content, and Violence

Moderate: Car accident, Self harm, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Mental illness

daffodilcherry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

I loved this horror book! It was a perfect mixture of family drama that leads into supernatural horror, the characters felt very grounded and real, I loved the twists of the plot. While some aspects were predictable, everything was written in a very pleasing way. It takes about 1/3rd of the book for spooky stuff to begin happening, but when it kicks off it kicks off. The narrator is amazing at doing a very spooky puppet voice.
How I would sell the book to someone: Single mother main character has to go back to her home town to fix up her parent's house after they suddenly die in an accident, arguing over everything with her estranged brother. Except her mother was *really* into puppets and dolls, and let's just say that the puppets aren't happy that the mother is dead. It deals with like family secrets and grief and motherhood .... And it has creepy as fuck puppets 🤡
Wheelhouse items: female main character with agency, family secrets, unreliable narrator, returning to small home town, puppet horror, doll horror, haunted houses.
Horror items (spoilers):

car crash, COVID symptoms, taxidermy animals, squirrel attacks, PUPPETS, dolls, possession, self-harm under possession, harm of others under possession, in-depth amputation gore, dog attack, exorcism, drowning, hallucinations, dead children.

no sexual violence (which is always a win for me!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Death, Violence, Gore, Medical content, Domestic abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Car accident

lisasilv's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Torture, and Stalking