Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

52 reviews

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

chezler24's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

 I could not put this book down towards the end! My co-workers recommended this book, and it seemed like something right up my alley. Friendship, demons, and that nostalgic 80's setting - I mean it's a perfect recipe for a good ol' teen horror flick (nod to the cover for looking like an old VHS tape sleeve). As a reader, we are seemlessly dropped into the 80s and got to watch Abby and Gretchen's friendship start and grow over the years which makes the gut-wrenching, heart-breaking events hit even harder over the course of the the book. [Brief Side Note: I can understand why Hendrix touches on some of the casual racism present at this time so as not to create this fictionalized, sugar-coated 80s that I think so many of us are often presented with. That and the whole satanic panic set the scene for America at this time but, more specifically, this town whose residents are consumed by appearance, judgment, and "moral" superiority. It was shocking to read but I also felt like I should mention it here because it stood out while reading and added to the setting/background.] Friendship is an overaching theme the book starts and ends with. Abby and Gretchen as children often tried to determine best friends vs all right friends vs acquaintances, and, while they don't do this explicitly as they get older, the delineation bewteen fairweather friends and true friends is evident especially after the demon has wrecked havoc on their friendgroup. I was stressed for Abby as her friends, her family, the school, and slowly the entire town turned against her. That was part of the reason why I had to keep reading. I couldn't leave her when her life was slowly going into free fall. As far as endings go, I was pretty content with it. Honestly, I was just relieved it wasn't a sappy "and they all lived happily ever after" ending. It seemed relatively realistic even with the way their friendship continued into their adult years. Despite the supernatural elements, this book just felt REAL and relatable. Going to enjoy re-reading this book in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Vomit, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

jessicalarson125's review

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, and Vomit

Moderate: Violence, Medical content, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence

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

ootoom's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.0

What do Phil Collins, a 6 year old can of Coka-Cola, and Jesus Christ have in common? Guess you'll have to read the book to find out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Drug use

aseel_reads's review

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.75

This was a wild ride. It definitely felt authentic to the 80s, which was such an interesting (and not as great) time. I find it hard to rate the book any higher because of the subject matter but I did like the ending about friendship. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lostinworlds's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Drug use, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Medical content

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

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

tiernanhunter's review

dark emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Cultural appropriation