Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

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

295 reviews

randilion28's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I read this book in 3 days. I absolutely LOVED it. Love that its set in Charleston SC, my favorite city and close to where I live so I could Invision some of my favorite things about the city while reading. Also, growing up in the late 80's and 90's this definitely took me back to my childhood days. I love the new take on Vampires - how they are described is nothing like anything I've heard before and I LOVE anything vampire related. You may dislike some of the characters to start but they 100% become BADASSES and you will be rooting for them the entire way! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Violence, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Child death

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

dark slow-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

3.5

A book I couldn’t put down, but also one I’m not sure how I feel about. The writing and characters were phenomenal, however. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Medical trauma, Murder, Blood, Cannibalism, Rape, Sexual violence, Addiction, Medical content, Death, Stalking, Violence, Classism, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal death

matthewosborne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

This was one of the most terrifying books I have read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Blood, Classism, Dementia, Gore, Rape, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Sexual assault

lira_the_recluse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

I have mixed feelings about this book. The vampire is evil and manipulative, as one would expect. He worms his way into town and only a few people suspect him as what he truly is. His design, motivations and behavior is well done.

There are many morbid and grotesque scenes, many with a plethora of content warnings. 

I did not feel great about the climax of the book, and how much death it took to get all the white women to band together. I also don't like how the initial part of the book came off as very white savior, but I guess the book is about the flaws of the main characters and how they are finally driven to fight the vampire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racism, Murder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Rape, Dementia, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Body horror, Animal cruelty, and Adult/minor relationship

multiplyoctopi's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Dementia, Death of parent, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Police brutality, Alcoholism, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

ahopper7's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia and Rape

r_o_s_e's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Classism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Animal death, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence, Excrement, Stalking, and Vomit

apestforwrens's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? Yes

3.75

Grady Hendrix always makes you think with his writing. Sometimes that thought is " I wouldn't have made that narrative decision" and sometimes that thought is "this is a super creative take on the vampire story".
Hendrix is fantastic at pulling you into his main character's head and forcing you to see why they are reacting to their situation the way they are. This is a horror book and contains some potentially upsetting stuff. I'd definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings before starting if you're worried about that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Classism, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Vomit, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Dementia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Medical content, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, and Drug abuse

bookishchaos's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It was pretty good, not what I was expecting and I'm still questioning what I just read. It had a slow start but picked up after 50%. 
READ TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️ 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child death and Child abuse

Minor: Blood, Gore, and Vomit

cozycoterie's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

3.5

Read if:
-You want a creepy, gory, non-sexy vampire in suburbia in the 90s thriller

Don't read if:
-You expect camp, based on the title
-If you're squeamish about certain topics (check the content warnings please)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Body horror, Blood, and Animal death