Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

54 reviews

gen_wolfhailstorm's review

dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.0

The Details:
Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller
Unabridged 

This was such an entertaining read. The relationships, both toxic and pure, was such a fantastic study of high school life, but added in sinister atmosphere with the whole possession plot (which reminded me of Jennifers Body mid way through).

It wasn't really that scary but the scene with Good Boy Max the dog made me feel sick.

The manipulation of Gretchen as she became deeper consumed by her demon was interesting to see, especially when no one else could see what was happening other that Abby.

I thought the ending about friendship was so sad and true and it wrapped up perfectly, with closure, as I like my stories to do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

slimy's review

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

A solid mix of dreamy 80's high school drama and ... the literal exorcist. This book is super original, and moves quickly. Centers on friendship. Hard to say what atmosphere to best read this in... not a cozy, autumnal, halloween-y read, but I don't have another place to put it. 

I'd like to rate this book higher based on originality and great characters, but personally it's too far into the actual "horror" category for me personally. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

cwallace1005's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

 I really wanted a dark comedy/horror but I thought this was mostly serious with a few moments meant to be silly but walking the line with sweet and serious. I didn't love the shifting tone. The relationship between Abby and Gretchen was lovely and the pettiness of high school mean girls was harshly well done. The most climactic moment of the book was the moment I felt like Hendrix was trying hardest to add funniness and I just didn't think it was the right tone. I liked the story, I liked most of the characters, but I wanted more consistency in tone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Gore, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Drug use and Rape

seren's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

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

brianharrison's review

adventurous dark lighthearted 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? It's complicated

3.0

The ending ruined its own charm. It felt like the writer changed the ending to what he wanted not what was the style or niche. Like he wasn't committed to the gag. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Excrement

amarier's review

challenging dark emotional lighthearted sad slow-paced

4.5

I absolutely love (most of) this book. It’s campy and fun for the first half then gets seriously nuts in the second half. Like I almost forgot I signed up for a horror book.
It was giving very much campy teen horror movie think Jennifers Body x Stranger Things. The chapter titles being songs was a hugely welcomed addition I was getting songs stuck in my head left and right.
The half star reduction was for that one scene near the end

most books where the dog dies gets a reduction im a strong believer that the author could have made their point in another way rip max you were loved

but besides that I had no other major qualms with this book. 
I was a bit bothered at first by the way the author wrote and portrayed female friendships in teenagers but after a bit it definitely started to come off as a caricature and like it was being purposefully exaggerated not just a case of men writing women poorly. I was even able to relate to the girls and their friendships a lot although sometimes it did go a little far.
And lastly who said it was ok to make me cry at the end of a horror? That ending hit so much harder than I was expecting.
Would recommend if you are into the supernatural, 80’s, female friendships, coming of age. 
Would not recommend if you are looking for a straight up horror with no deeper meaning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug use, Car accident, and Death of parent

jbfletcher's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

It was a wonderful, wonderful ride. It's a story of friendship and love at any cost, despide all the odds. I really love Grady Hendrix stories, they usually stay with me for a long time. I also think that for my generation (i was born in the 80s), this is a more relatable representation of femal friendship than, for example, My brilliant friend. I'd just not inserted ableist and racial slurs (this just one), that for me were unnecessary, but a part from this i really loved this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, and Classism

bingo_banjo's review

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

jareadforfilth's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, and Slavery

Minor: Adult/minor relationship