Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

185 reviews

ruthmoog's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

4.75

This gave me chills. Once I was invested I whizzed through the story, whisked up by the relentless challenge to overcome the vampiric.

The group use their women's work skills to fight, but this was a bit cliché for me - and you could play content warning bingo with it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Car accident

Nazism

maggierish's review against another edition

Got 80% of the way through this book despite the racist tropes and misogyny. Had to stop due to the multiple sexual assaults in the last part of the book. 

One of the sexual assaults is that of a minor. She is being attacked by the vampire and it is described in a way that is purely sexual and her reaction is as if she’s “in ecstasy”. Completely unnecessary for this story to go that far

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gore, and Rape

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Racism

Minor: Physical abuse

clawrence345's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

It was a good book with an interesting take on a classic monster/trope. While there were a few plot points I wish had had more/less focus. What made the book interesting to read was mostly the character dynamics of the traditional southern housewife having to take the lead on a monster fight while also balancing the life and image she wants to maintain.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting

soyboi's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aardwyrm's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Like having your teeth pulled out by barbed wire, but they're really polite about it. There is a very scary vampire, but, you know how all good horror is about the unnatural threat AND the real ones? There's more dread in a cocktail party with friendly acquaintances than in most of the scenes with, you know, vampirism. The book juggles its time and place, both as a setting dripping with dread and with a comfortable, sympathetic gentleness that never actually lets anybody off the hook (though Mrs. Green is really much too forgiving in the last act). Does a really interesting job with being horribly physical about the most mundane and most otherworldly manifestations of gore alike. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

I liked this book, but it's billed as more horror comedy, and I do want to be clear, the horrible parts are gonna hit.

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

Grady Hendrix is a genre all on his own. As the title implies, expect a vampire... but not a sparkly or spooky one. This vampire is disgusting, terrifying, and actually scary. If you're into body horror, gross stuff, and super tense scenes - this is for you! There were some funny moments, some heartwarming moments, and good parts, but it was definitely a rollercoaster ride. I loved revisiting the 90's and seeing these suburban housewives pitted against pure evil. It was such a mix of funny and horrifying in a way that only Grady Hendrix can really pull off. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Dementia, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

caitbrat's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse

nwellington's review against another edition

dark funny fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racism, Rape, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Physical abuse and Violence

lesbegays's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

for the first few chapters i almost forgot this was a horror novel because i was so invested in these housewives’ drama. but then things got dark FAST. i don’t think i’ve ever been angrier at a fictional character than i was at the husbands in this book. if i could have skinned them all alive i would have. i HIGHLY recommend the audiobook. 
side note: it is so nice reading a book set in south carolina????? like, i know the towns they’re talking about! they shop at bi-lo!!! the bit about the whole town being busy watching the clemson v. carolina game!!!!! is this what people who live in states that are more frequently featured in fiction feel like all the time??? 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Infidelity

amylynnknitsreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad medium-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? No

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Physical abuse and Rape

There is a graphic description of a bug crawling into a character's ear that made me squirm