Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

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

91 reviews

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Excrement, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism

pinto_los_flores's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

I really appreciated how the author touched on very relevant and problematic social issues through the lens of vampires (Gender roles, socioeconomic structures, biases, elitism, racism, sexism, assault, infidelity, greed). Despite this, I laughed out loud multiple times and empathized with the characters during their struggles. They were very real and very lovable, even if they suck sometimes. Ha. Get it?

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

loveandolive's review against another edition

challenging dark funny inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

hauntedantiqueshop's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

Grady Hendrix, you absolute buffoon. There is indeed a book club, the ladies are southern, but there is one solitary vampire and he certainly wasn’t slayed. How did he goof the damn TITLE?

Dislikes:

• All the characters + the weird choices they made. Has Grady Hendrix ever met a woman?Inquiring minds want to know.
• The misogyny and racism. It’s just so casually there and not addressed properly. Grady always misses the mark on these topics. Almost as if he isn’t qualified to be writing about them. Weird!
• James is just a shit vampire

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, and Death of parent

Minor: Terminal illness and Antisemitism

Tagged with antisemitism due to the son being OBSESSED with nazis. It’s weird and no one addresses it correctly.

sar_she_her's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Entertaining, angering, and gory.

~ Entertaining at x1.2 speed. 

- Fyi LOTS of gore and Trigger Warnings for many themes. In addition to numerous ones cited below, also creepy/crawly/gross out factor. (Albeit, worst gore is mostly in isolated parts of book: earlier in book as impetus for some call to action, and 1/2-2/3 through book with family endangerment, and 3/4-end with more of the same.)

+ I used to have to skip any books narrated by the much celebrated Bahni Turpin bc her performances of immature, catty, or complaining/whiny characters was too grating. But her array of performances for this book's variety of personalities and ages really impressed me and even converted me as a new fan. impressive performance!

~ While surely part of the author's intentional commentary, his representation of the male partners and how dismissive, condescending, and unaware they were was enraging. His tipping of the scales, whether feeling odds were against certain characters, or the resolution of certain conflicts, felt too steep and stacked, left unfinished or too tidily wrapped up.  I wish these scenarios or interpersonal conflicts were more mixed and balanced.

~ Similarly, for better or worse, predictable. which can be helpful with scary horror, depends on readers' preferences.

+ That said I REALLY enjoyed the main protagonist, appreciated the representation of different aged women and black women, and glaring commentary around racism and classism and their effects. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Dementia, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

torismazarine'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

amandaacat's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It’s been a long time since I read a book that kept me engaged, entertained and anxious the whole time. I was reading fast to get to the end because I was so excited to see how it finishes.

This story touches upon a lot of topics- female friendships, fragile masculinity, sexism in the household, but at the end of the day it’s a fun story about a book club taking down a monster.

I have not felt so much anxiety until I read the scene

with the cockroach going into Patricia’s ear. Big yikes!!

I’d recommend this to folks who like monster hunter, mystery, female forward stories! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racism, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

m43m43's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I loved this book. I could seriously analyze the experience of motherhood all day from this! It truly has me reflecting on my own actions and what I’m willing to do. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicide attempt

carbinara's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

3.5

How did our girl Miss Mary raise a bitch like Carter? I enjoyed this book as a whole, but there were quite a few slower paced moments which made sense, but dragged on a little bit. Specifically, with everyone taking so long to believe Patricia. That being said, some of the gory scenes made up for it; there was some fantastic horror locked away in here.

I’ll say two of my favourite scenes were the rats killing Miss Mary (RIP queen fly high) and Patricia hiding in the attic and the cockroach crawling in her ear. Made me physically cringe (and reminded me of that one lady on I’m a Celebrity who got a cockroach up her nose). That being said, I think the women of this storys suffering was broadcast in a very explicit way, compared to the main villains death. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not signing up to be taken apart, but the book writes it in a way that seems more palatable than the other two instances. That being said, I loved the detail of Patricia saying she still felt like she could hear his body moving in his grave. P.S I didn’t only read for the gore lol!

I also wish they had more clarity on the vampire lore of this book, as we have our one villainous vampire and seemingly thats the only insight we get, with very little confirmed on what his vampiric nature allows him to do. I say this specifically as the ‘feeding’ scenes are so different to what we imagine for a classic vampire novel, and I wish it was expanded on more, although it makes sense as it’s from the perspective of Patricia, who has no way to know.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Physical abuse and Forced institutionalization

xtrasmallsnail's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

Utterly revolting. Had to struggle to finish this book. Maybe I should not have since the last 50% of the book is absolutely crazy. Never had I read a book and putout a review with this many trigger warnings.

It's terrible to use rape in such a casual way to propel the plot. The inappropriate relationship the vampire has with the children were never commented on beside the fact the children killed themselves. It leaves a bad taste in myouth for a book that's supposed to power those who society looks down upon.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism