Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

14 reviews

jj_whatsherface's review

dark funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

any book containing the phrase "Tommy Cox, defend us in battle," is an automatic win.

And then defeating the devil with a soda can, an eighties song, and the power of love is just the cherry on top.

Beautiful book, perfect cast, made me feel both happy and a little disgusted at the same time. A beautiful encapsulation of the 80s satanic panic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Religious bigotry, and Car accident

glorifyed's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

wolfism's review

dark emotional sad tense

4.25

I can't relate to the book in some ways. I was not born in the 80s and I'm not from the US. So I'll have to trust Grady Hendrix it was like that. Many sentiments, attitudes and behaviors were appalling to me, although not unfamiliar, even growing up in the 90s and 2000s. In a way I liked that he did not sugarcoat anything, seeing as in recent years the 80s have been pretty romanticized a bit too much without balancing it out in mainstream media. 

I wouldn't call it an enjoyable book. Just seems the wrong word for it. But I liked it. I was definitely emotionally invested starting half way in. It was also rage inducing. It was infuriating, especially the adults. It didn't even have anything to do with refusing to believe someone was possessed by a demon. We didn't even get that far with them. I did consider if the demon might have warped their senses, but I'm not entirely sure. 

It deals with a lot of heavy shit. It's very dark and I rarely could find the fun in the story that some mentioned. There were a few slightly funny moments, but for me it was very overshadowed. I would not tell anyone "Here read this book, it's a fun, nostalgic read set in the 80s". Sometimes it was painful to read. It made me really emotional. The light in this book was Abby and her friendship with Gretchen. If you have a Abby in your life, man, hold on to them. She made mistakes (some she can't be blamed for because she is a child, was desperate and thought naturally grown-ups could be trusted with things), she wasn't always nice, she did wrong. She was a teenager. Such a good character in my opinion. It was impactful which is always good. I can imagine reading it for a second time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

daniraewrites's review against another edition

dark tense 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

5.0

Easily one of the best horror novels I've ever read, one of the best novels of any genre in fact. Grady Hendrix writes the intensity of female friendships with such intimacy and realism. Coupled with sickening body horror and genuinely terrifying demonic possession I could barely put this book down, especially in the final third. Well worth reading, but a read of the trigger tags wouldn't hurt if you are sensitive to any horror themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

sydneynorman's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

TRIGGER WARNINGS: SEXUAL ASSUALT AND MURDER OF PET DOG

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Racism, Blood, and Alcohol

nokibay's review

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Slavery, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

lovelydeadgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Alcohol, and Classism

the_comfy_cosy_corner's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookishgoob's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

nikogatts's review

dark emotional hopeful tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent