Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

99 reviews

kimberlina82's review

dark funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kellygracejackson's review

dark emotional 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? N/A

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

yesica's review against another edition

dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

What I liked:

I liked the way Gretchen's parents reacted to the hearing about their daughter possibly being raped. Its a way of showing how not all parents react the same.

Thought out the story we see how much Abby cares about Gretchen's well being I also like how realistic her reactions to what was going on were. You sadly doing find a lot of realistic reactions in Horror novels.

What I didn't like:
What immediately took away 2 stars for me was

how casually the group of friends talked about one of the brothers drugging  and raping girls in the back of his car.

Overall:
Overall this book made for an okay audiobook to listen to while in the car or while doing chores but I could not bring myself to actually sit down and read the actual book.
Even though I did not always enjoy the book and reading it felt like a chore at time I will admit that it did have a very satisfying and realistic ending. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

triggs4780's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

lexbox's review

adventurous dark hopeful sad 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

3.75

Fun feels like the wrong word to use, but this book was a fun, quick read, not too dark (as far as exorcisms and demons go). If you’re looking for your standard exorcism fare with 80s nostalgia flair and a cast of mean girls, this is the book for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Vomit

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Domestic abuse and Gun violence

amelia_horseman's review

challenging dark funny sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

hailey_horror's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ninubean's review

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.75

There were some really corny moments, but sometimes the 80's are corny. I've been reading some duds lately and this book made me realize those books have bad editing/writing. Gary Hendrix made me feel like I was watching an entire movie and by the third act, I couldn't put it down. I'm a big fan of 80's/90's horror movies and you could probably spot the tropes a mile away if you are too; it never took away my enjoyment of this book, though! Hendrix's blending of horror and teen drama tropes of the time kept me totally hooked.

Many bizarre characters and moments had me laughing out loud. At the same time, many moments felt so real that they made me teary - Abby's helpless discovery that the world is unfair and, despite it all, doing all she could to fight against it, not for herself but for her best friend. Some of Abby's panicked, misguided decisions had me cringing, but then I thought to myself 'What else could she do?' 

It's everything I want in a horror comedy - absurd, tummy-twisting, and just enough heart to bring it home.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Gun violence

fromtheyellowchair's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Religious bigotry

heyjaneysmith's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Self harm, and Vomit

Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail