Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

55 reviews

jreason's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Alcohol

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense 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

5.0

You know how you watch a horror movie and you find yourself yelling at the characters on screen? “OH, SHIT! RUN, GIRL, RUN!” No… just me? Ok. Well, that was my experience reading this book as well lol It is SO GOOD and SO hard to put down! I am sad that I started it late in the day on Sunday because if I hadn’t had long days at work yesterday and today, I absolutely would’ve blown through this entire book in one sitting. It had me hooked from page 1! Easily my favorite Hendrix I’ve read so far. 

Since I recently read Final Girls by Riley Sager, I wanted to read TFGSG relatively soon after to compare the takes on the final girl premise. Both books explore a group of final girls under threat again, but that’s where the similarities end. Sager’s Final Girls was much more of a psychological thriller, where as Hendrix’s TFGSG is more action packed and campy-leaning horror. Though I really enjoyed Final Girls, TFGSG takes the cake for me. Both are five star reads, but I was more invested in and excited by TFGSG. I especially loved the added bonus material at the end of every chapter - interview notes, movie reviews, journal entries - it gave just enough extra information for context but in a fun and quickly digestible way. The titles of the chapters aligning with the progression of titles in a typical slasher film franchise was also a beautiful touch. 

One tiny critique - Dr. Carol needs a HIIPA refresher course. You cannot just go around introducing people as your patients, Dr. Carol! Jeez! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

bottlecaps's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Excrement, and Abandonment

andreatypesbraille's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Car accident

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Toxic friendship

jessthemess8112's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring 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

3.75

I've heard so much hype about this book, and I'm glad to say it was all *mostly* true. When I read a title that says "Final Girl Support Group," my first thought is, of course, "Well, how did they become final girls?" And I was slightly annoyed with how long it took to reveal each girls background story while still leaving some of their current information out. However predictable the first plot twist was, I was not prepared for the ending.  I think the author did a great job of making the reader really feel for these girls and root for them to succeed once more,  but if I'm being honest, although surprising,  the ending fell a bit flat when it came to execution. But what can you do? Can't have everything tied up with someone nice bow when it comes to thrillers now, can you? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

jadeejf's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

This one took me a bit to get into but once I did, it was an absolute page turner with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. The premise was so unique, too. 

Hendrix did a masterful job of creating an unreliable narrator (or is she?), and weaving in a lot of excellent horror movie Easter eggs. It did occasionally veer into the gory, but it's a book about final girls, so you have to kind of expect that. I really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

sstewart89's review against another edition

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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

gamerreaper13's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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

4.75

I was very unsure at the beginning whether or not I would enjoy this one, but then the plot very quickly drew me in, holding me in a chokehold for hours! I slowly came to love and adore the main characters after beginning to understand their experiences.

The plot is fast paced and thr book quickly becomes impossible to put down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cancer, Drug abuse, Gore, Police brutality, and Gaslighting

justmys's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Not sure if I'll actively search out to read any more by Grady Hendrix. This is only my second book and it feels a little...icky? For lack of a better term. He's so determined to have women go through such harrowing events and it's just starting to feel like...like every other man making a living off of women's suffering????? Maybe the others are different but for now I need a break.

letters_from_gabriella's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

0.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol