Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

65 reviews

cecinamo's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I did enjoy the book a lot, but sometimes it was a little to gory for my taste. Still it was really well written and a great book for spooky season! 🎃 

I didn’t really get how they exorcized the demon in the end? It kinda just seemed like “yay! The power of friendship saved the day” ? Idk maybe I’m being nitpick-y 
Also Abby and Gretchen were definitely more than friends ;)

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Ableism

sarahtoepfer's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

lizziaha's review against another edition

2.75

Ultimately, the focus on Abby and Gretchen’s friendship is this book’s saving grace. Some aspects of the horror were well-done as well, but I was annoyed that some things seemed to be put in for pure shock value, without ever being explained. This was also slightly more low-stakes than I expected it to be. And I disliked Hendrix’s cavalier bigotry for the sake of the “authentic” setting (the south in the 80s). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Animal death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, Slavery, Sexual assault, Ableism, Abortion, Child abuse, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Mass/school shootings, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Homophobia

introvertsbookclub's review

dark emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

So much fun! I didn’t think it could live up to the cover, but it definitely did. The perfect mix of ‘80s pop culture (and a little but of social critique), girlhood friendships and satanic possession.

If you love depictions of intense but powerful friendships, camp horror and nostalgia for a decade you didn’t grow up in, you will love this novel.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Violence

mistercrow's review

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.75

Thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Just FYI; this is a horror book set in the 1980s, in a southern high school. The author didn’t shy away from that authenticity.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Animal death, and Body shaming

Minor: Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Slavery, Blood, Homophobia, Body horror, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Racism

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Classism, Body horror, Animal death, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, and Drug use

Moderate: Kidnapping, Racism, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Gun violence, and Child death

Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

nessafurtado's review

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

If I could give 10 stars I would. I finished it in one sitting; I could not stop reading I needed to know what happened - “will Gretchen be ok? I can not believe Abby made such a rookie mistake omfg!!! IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? “ were some of the things I caught myself saying while immerse in this story. I highly recommend this book; made me feel nostalgic for a time I wasn’t even born (80s), made me feel happy, confused, sad and a longing to have a friendship like Abby and Gretchen. 
Ps. It’s about demonic possession - the demon does some crazy not family friend stuff so be aware there’s may be something triggering for you.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Vomit, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Abandonment, Blood, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol

muireebrown's review

adventurous 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? Yes

2.75

This story had so many green flags for me. Set in the 80s, dark humor, coming of age, female protagonists, demonic possession, and pop culture callouts. When I started reading, though, I was distracted by the author’s style. Personally, I thought the dialogue and some of the descriptions didn’t meet the quality of the plot. This story had a lot of potential, but was hard to get through due to the lack of believability from the dialogue. The teen girls were sometimes unconvincing as teen girls. That said, I think there was something cinematic about this story and I would love to watch the movie of it. Not really a must read, but definitely some fun for horror fans. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Body horror, and Eating disorder

beepbopbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, Drug use, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Homophobia and Racism

thehhugg's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Vomit, Child death, Animal death, and Confinement

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug use, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Classism, Violence, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Addiction