Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

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

84 reviews

odrib'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

visforvirgo's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death, and Animal cruelty

annir'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Self harm, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cannibalism, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Vomit

riella_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

 Wow, that was a ride. I'm not totally sure what to rate it, because I was expecting a little more mystery behind it, and I felt like there wasn't really any. This had a lot of ick factors, and a couple characters I wanted to reach through the pages and slap. Overall this was really good. It was my second book by this author (first was BFF Exorcism) and I will continue to read more of his work. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Vomit

syfylauren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

This book is fun, for those who love a good horror movie set in the 80s and 90s. It is gory, and it there were moments when I had to take a break, but I loved this journey. At it's core, this is a story about a woman listening to her gut, being supported by her friends, and reclaiming her agency. Honorable mention to Kitty for bringing the most laughs. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Dementia, Gaslighting, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Murder, Medical trauma, and Medical content

Minor: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pedophilia

grifgirl's review against another edition

dark lighthearted tense 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? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Cannibalism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

lottelow's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Sexism, and Rape

thepaperwitch's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed Hendrix's Horrorstore and was looking forward to this book. I liked the idea of a book club taking on a vampire, but there was a lot more to the story that focused on the community, hypocrisy, and maintaining the faux image of perfection that I didn't expect. I wasn't totally put off by it, as it does show the willful ignorance and otherness that the community (and society at large) is built on, but I was hoping for a little more horror and momentum like the book starts with. Ultimately, I think the book was too long and that is what makes it feel very stop and go. I don't mind roller coaster novel movement, but it feels like the momentum stopped at the bottom of the hill a few times. The ending was good and I liked the twist Hendrix put on the vampire idea, but I would have loved to read more on that.

The truly ghastly take away is that this seemingly perfect, white neighborhood can be just as horrible as the monster they are trying to stop. The wife beater, the cheater, the child fascinated with Nazis, the sentimentality to turn a blind eye to what a strange white man does, especially to black (child) bodies, all reflects the social horrors that really do exist.

If you like vampire books, you will probably like this one. Hendrix is very good at writing horror and this has gore, creepiness, and wtf moments, but it may take some effort to move through the story once the adrenaline is done.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

lilasky's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm and Torture

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

shaples's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Vomit