Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

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

89 reviews

kritika's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This was an interesting social critique of what rich white men can get away with, how women are never believed and are presumed "hysterical", and how Black folks are seen as expendable, and how their white neighbors can't be bothered to help with a community crisis until it affects them personally. I enjoyed the complicated lives of the ladies in the Southern Book Club, and found the vampiric villain to be truly terrifying. 

I was quite unhappy with the turn this book took in the last third or so. There are ways to convey horror without resorting to violation and violence against women. There were plenty of horrific things already happening in the book, and rape just did not need to be one of them. It came out of left field and was deeply upsetting to me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Rape

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Drug abuse and Pedophilia

danscoada's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This is my third Grady Hendrix book and I think it's my least favorite, although it was still very enjoyable.

The title was a *bit* misleading. It was predictable to an extent, but I still found myself on the edge of my seat. This book had an interesting take on a vampire novel where there was only one who fit the "mould" of a classic vampire in some ways and didn't in others. The husbands were trash, the wives were frustrating but ultimately had each other's back.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Child death, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

aniwillow's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Blood, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

jordangddrd's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

does grady hendrix write the female friendships in his books as kind of homoerotic or am i projecting my own interpersonal issues onto his work? i guess we'll never know

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Dementia, and Vomit

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Animal death

Minor: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, and Alcoholism

obviouslyyuta's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, Child death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse

bkjoap's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This book was a mix of emotions. Big trigger warning for racism, rape and sexism! Although the story was emotional hard to get through, I ended up enjoying it very much in the end. This will be a book, I’ll be reflecting on a lot.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, and Drug abuse

francescabooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Rape, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, and Animal death

Minor: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

harshibuvan's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt

kait_'s review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Dementia, and Violence

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Racism, and Self harm

ronnieb's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Trigger Warning: Rape, Child Abuse/Assault, Suicide, Death of Children/Close Family Members, Drug Abuse

This was my first Grady Hendrix novel and I really thought this was a well constructed novel. I will say it starts fast and strong but slows down a bit in the end. I will say I did grow frustrated in the middle of the novel but I think that was the point and kept you in the same headspace as the main character. Overall I do not have much to say other than this is a well put together story that is dark and gruesome but not overly grotesque or exploitative.  

I did want to touch on the portrayal of different races and genders in this novel. I have heard this criticized in some reviews and I am tempted to agree with them. The exploration of these themes felt very surface and not really nuanced in any way. As a white man I don't know if Hendrix was the right person to tackle some of these topics and as a white, man reviewer I am not trying to speak for any group I do not belong to but I can not deny these were feelings I had during the novel and took away from some of my enjoyment. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use