Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Quirk Books (2016), 337 pages
Description
Fiction. Horror. Literature. Thriller. HTML:Soon to be a major motion picture. This ENHANCED DIGITAL EDITION features TONS of TOTALLY AWESOME �??80s bonus materials�??including Satanic Panic educational pamphlets, a do-it-yourself exorcism cheat sheet, a Spotify playlist of awesome �??80s tunes, animated cover artwork, and much more! From the New York Times best-selling author of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, this unholy hybrid of Beaches and The Exorcist blends teen angst and unspeakable horrors into a pulse-pounding supernatural thriller. The year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act�?�different. She�??s moody. She�??s irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she�??s nearby. Abby�??s investigation leads her to some startling discoveries�??and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerfu… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LibrarianRyan
Sometimes cover redesigns get it right, just like the paperback cover of My Best Friends Exorcism. The original cover was a bit boring and didn’t really get at the fun to be found between the pages. This cover brings to mind Stranger Things, Monster Squad, and Firestarter. Those great 80’s (or
Do not go into this novel expecting a tale of horror in line with the original Exorcist. You will be sadly let down. Go into this book for it’s tale of friendship gone wrong. It takes no imagination to see yourself as the teen girl whose friends no longer want to be friends. Or the member of your squad who is boy crazy and pays crazy attention to her weight. And let’s not forget the friend who is hot for teacher. It is standard trope because it is so real life. If it wasn’t for the worm, the exorcism, and all the dead birds, this could have been my life, or that of my friends. And it’s those feelings that this book brings up that makes it so perfect.
First we have Abby. The poor child at an elite private school on scholarship. Her best friend Gretchen was serendipitous. A young Abby hosts a birthday party and the school “Barbie girl” decides to host a horseback riding party the same day. So no one shows up to her amazing skating party, except new girl Gretchen. Fast forward 10 years, and the two are thick as thieves. They have added two other wings to bring their squad up to 4. One night, the girls decide to drop acid. They will do it together for the experience, and be there for the other if things get to crazy. Well, things get crazy, and Gretchen goes missing. She’s not found until the morning and soon the changes start happening.
Abby is always there. While other friends, teachers, and even parents look the other way, Abby is trying to help her friend, even if it means losing everything. Its during this period of loss that I, the reader, lose my cool. It probably has to do with the Blasey-Ford/Kavanaugh thing, but there are similar moments in this book that made me want to throw it across the room. There was one point I almost wanted to add it to the DNF pile. I am glad I struggled on, just like Gretchen and Abby. The exorcism is such a small part of the book, yes it’s important, but the friendship and how it plays out is more important. That being said, pay attention to the exorcist. I’m pretty sure he was my social studies teacher when I lived in Alaska.
Grady Hendrix does such a good job of putting the reader not only in the friendship, but also in time period that it becomes a full immersion. So don’t go into this book looking for a blood horror, instead look for the horrors of friendship, and life in general. Either way, you are bound to have a good time. And BTW, Grady, thanks for getting all those songs stuck in my head.
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80’s wannabe) movies and shows. Do not go into this novel expecting a tale of horror in line with the original Exorcist. You will be sadly let down. Go into this book for it’s tale of friendship gone wrong. It takes no imagination to see yourself as the teen girl whose friends no longer want to be friends. Or the member of your squad who is boy crazy and pays crazy attention to her weight. And let’s not forget the friend who is hot for teacher. It is standard trope because it is so real life. If it wasn’t for the worm, the exorcism, and all the dead birds, this could have been my life, or that of my friends. And it’s those feelings that this book brings up that makes it so perfect.
First we have Abby. The poor child at an elite private school on scholarship. Her best friend Gretchen was serendipitous. A young Abby hosts a birthday party and the school “Barbie girl” decides to host a horseback riding party the same day. So no one shows up to her amazing skating party, except new girl Gretchen. Fast forward 10 years, and the two are thick as thieves. They have added two other wings to bring their squad up to 4. One night, the girls decide to drop acid. They will do it together for the experience, and be there for the other if things get to crazy. Well, things get crazy, and Gretchen goes missing. She’s not found until the morning and soon the changes start happening.
Abby is always there. While other friends, teachers, and even parents look the other way, Abby is trying to help her friend, even if it means losing everything. Its during this period of loss that I, the reader, lose my cool. It probably has to do with the Blasey-Ford/Kavanaugh thing, but there are similar moments in this book that made me want to throw it across the room. There was one point I almost wanted to add it to the DNF pile. I am glad I struggled on, just like Gretchen and Abby. The exorcism is such a small part of the book, yes it’s important, but the friendship and how it plays out is more important. That being said, pay attention to the exorcist. I’m pretty sure he was my social studies teacher when I lived in Alaska.
Grady Hendrix does such a good job of putting the reader not only in the friendship, but also in time period that it becomes a full immersion. So don’t go into this book looking for a blood horror, instead look for the horrors of friendship, and life in general. Either way, you are bound to have a good time. And BTW, Grady, thanks for getting all those songs stuck in my head.
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LibraryThing member zmagic69
This book could have been so much better, if it had decided what it wanted to be. A campy horror story, a laugh at the absurdities of life in the 80's, an ode to the movies of the 80's. Instead it tried to be a little bit of all of it, with an emphasis on Heathers, and the book came up short. I
Sadly this book wasn't funny enough to be a parody, or interesting enough to be taken seriously.
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also don't know why a male author would chose to write about two female best friends, and their female friends.Sadly this book wasn't funny enough to be a parody, or interesting enough to be taken seriously.
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LibraryThing member roses7184
Fabulous 80's nostalgia, which was the biggest draw for me to this book! There were a lot of things I enjoyed about Abby and Gretchen's story, especially because their friendship started out so realistic. However as the book went on, and the possession came into play, things started going downhill
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for me. This book isn't really scary, so much as it is mildly gross at times. I NEVER forgave them for the sacrifice this book made towards the end. Plus, the ending itself was just too perfect for my tastes. So I settled this at 3 stars, and I'm happy with that. Show Less
LibraryThing member indygo88
Abby & Gretchen, best friends since the 5th grade, are now in high school. Following a night of questionable drug experimentation, Gretchen begins acting strangely. She becomes paranoid and her personality shifts. The girls initially credit this to it being a long-lasting bad drug trip, but when
I picked this up primarily because it was set in the 80's and I had heard that there were a lot of 80's pop culture references. And there were. This is somewhat of an oddball book as far as genre goes and is hard to classify. It's sort of a combination horror/drama/comedy/coming-of-age story. Parts of it were downright creepy & disturbing and parts of it made me laugh out loud. More than anything, though, it's a story of friendship. While I didn't necessarily love this book, I enjoyed it for the most part, and was impressed by the author's ability, despite the fact that he is male, to pretty realistically portray the angst and personality of teenage girls. The 80's references (fashion, movies, music, etc.) was an added bonus for me. This book would make an excellent, albeit somewhat cheesy, movie on the big screen. My only regret is that I read this on audio, and based on some of the comments I've read, I missed out on some of the pictures and artwork of the paper copy.
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things begin to get worse instead of better, Abby suspects something else is going on. I picked this up primarily because it was set in the 80's and I had heard that there were a lot of 80's pop culture references. And there were. This is somewhat of an oddball book as far as genre goes and is hard to classify. It's sort of a combination horror/drama/comedy/coming-of-age story. Parts of it were downright creepy & disturbing and parts of it made me laugh out loud. More than anything, though, it's a story of friendship. While I didn't necessarily love this book, I enjoyed it for the most part, and was impressed by the author's ability, despite the fact that he is male, to pretty realistically portray the angst and personality of teenage girls. The 80's references (fashion, movies, music, etc.) was an added bonus for me. This book would make an excellent, albeit somewhat cheesy, movie on the big screen. My only regret is that I read this on audio, and based on some of the comments I've read, I missed out on some of the pictures and artwork of the paper copy.
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LibraryThing member Veronica.Sparrow
I have been looking for a light style YA horror novel for my preteen daughter to read and I have definitely found it. I enjoyed the background story of the friendship between Abby and Gretchen and how far a loyal friend will go to help their best friend. The book seems like a cross between Fried
Three out of Five Stars
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Green Tomatoes (the besties)/ and a mild version of The Exorcist. It wasn't as deep or horrifying as The Exorcist but then this is a YA novel and I think it is perfect for people in that age range. There is a bit of humor in it that lightens it up a bit and I also love how the author gradually builds up the novel. The friendship between Abby and Gretchen is definitely a major key to the book and he takes his time developing their characters and their connection to each other. All in all, I found this to be a fun read and have mentioned it to my daughter's junior high school to add to their collection.Three out of Five Stars
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LibraryThing member irregularreader
Abby has been friends with Gretchen since they were ten years old. Now high school students, they have traded in their ET posters and roller skates for the mall and parties in the woods. After one such escapade, however, Gretchen begins to act strangely. Very, very strangely. With the peculiarities
Grady Hendrix is certainly one of the bright lights (if that phrase is appropriate) in modern horror fiction. His previous book, Horrorstör, was an intelligent, hilarious, and creepy haunted house tale. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, we find out what would happen if The Heathers also featured demonic possession. Here, Hendrix has again left his unique imprint on the genre, taking us into a friendship sundered by satan and adolescence, which really are much the same thing.
If you’re a horror genre fan, but have been looking for something a bit off the beaten path, something campy and fun while still maintaining creep factor, Grady Hendrix should definitely top your TBR.
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mounting and the weirdness surrounding Gretchen becoming more and more disturbing, Abby must face the truth: Her friend is possessed, and Abby is the only one who can help her.Grady Hendrix is certainly one of the bright lights (if that phrase is appropriate) in modern horror fiction. His previous book, Horrorstör, was an intelligent, hilarious, and creepy haunted house tale. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, we find out what would happen if The Heathers also featured demonic possession. Here, Hendrix has again left his unique imprint on the genre, taking us into a friendship sundered by satan and adolescence, which really are much the same thing.
If you’re a horror genre fan, but have been looking for something a bit off the beaten path, something campy and fun while still maintaining creep factor, Grady Hendrix should definitely top your TBR.
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LibraryThing member TobinElliott
I actually don't read as much horror as I used to, because I find either the plots are stupid, the characters do something remarkably stupid to advance the plot, or the horror just doesn't horrify. That's the bad stuff, and there's a lot of it. Then there's the passable horror, that gives you a lot
With the one-two punch of Horrorstör and then this one, Grady Hendrix just rocketed to the top of my favourite authors list.
Hendrix is able to distill the environment—whether it's a knock-off Ikea clone store or the 80s—with grace, humour, and tongue planted decidedly in cheek. His plots are deceptively simple. His characters are both incredibly real and insanely likeable.
But all this would only be okay if he wasn't able to bring the horror. And he's a fucking master at bringing the horror as well.
But most importantly, the two books I've read suffer from none of the maladies I mention above. None. Elmore Leonard once stated that it was important to cut out the sections of story that the reader would skip over. It's frustratingly important and stupidly vague advice...but Hendrix gets it. He cuts out all the bloat, all the fat, and leaves nothing but lean, mean story.
And the weird thing is, a year or so ago, I saw Horrorstör and was intrigued, but I also viewed it as a bit gimmicky—which, if I'm honest, it kind of is—but then I saw My Best Friend's Exorcism and was immediately turned off. Nope, I thought, this just looks stupid.
I'm really glad I decided to try it anyway.
I love this guy. Hendrix, unless you manage to pull a Chuck Palahniuk, you've just gotten a lifetime pass from me. I'll read anything you write.
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of what you want, but there's still something—a subplot that falls flat, an annoying character (that's not meant to be annoying), or a point where the story just kind of sags. I would have to say that even those I consider masters of the genre are guilty of this.With the one-two punch of Horrorstör and then this one, Grady Hendrix just rocketed to the top of my favourite authors list.
Hendrix is able to distill the environment—whether it's a knock-off Ikea clone store or the 80s—with grace, humour, and tongue planted decidedly in cheek. His plots are deceptively simple. His characters are both incredibly real and insanely likeable.
But all this would only be okay if he wasn't able to bring the horror. And he's a fucking master at bringing the horror as well.
But most importantly, the two books I've read suffer from none of the maladies I mention above. None. Elmore Leonard once stated that it was important to cut out the sections of story that the reader would skip over. It's frustratingly important and stupidly vague advice...but Hendrix gets it. He cuts out all the bloat, all the fat, and leaves nothing but lean, mean story.
And the weird thing is, a year or so ago, I saw Horrorstör and was intrigued, but I also viewed it as a bit gimmicky—which, if I'm honest, it kind of is—but then I saw My Best Friend's Exorcism and was immediately turned off. Nope, I thought, this just looks stupid.
I'm really glad I decided to try it anyway.
I love this guy. Hendrix, unless you manage to pull a Chuck Palahniuk, you've just gotten a lifetime pass from me. I'll read anything you write.
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LibraryThing member kmajort
This was a blast from my past. My folks moved to Mt. Pleasant SC when I was in college, so summer nights at the Windjammer, the "old bridge" across the Cooper River... Right about when all the ruckus of the 80s was happening, too... wow.....!
Even Franke House. Too much!
This was a wonderful story
Read it!
Even Franke House. Too much!
This was a wonderful story
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of absolute BFF, back in the pre-internet/immediate location days, when you lovingly created mixed tapes by ear from the radio, a time that while not more innocent than now, was simpler. Although you'd not know it by this tale!Read it!
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LibraryThing member sparemethecensor
I was a big fan of Hendrix's come-out-of-nowhere horror hit Horrorstor, and this was also a delight in the same vein. A great combination of horror and comedy, inventive use of multimedia, great art, and something more meaningful than the average horror-comedy, too. Recommended.
LibraryThing member ecataldi
After reading Grady Hendrix's brilliantly ridiculous, Horrorstor, I knew I had to read whatever he came out with next. In the same ridiculous vein as his other works this tongue and cheek over the top 80's tribute was just what I was in the mood for. It's 1988 and everything is going great for Abby
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and her best friend Gretchen. High school is their playground and they just tried acid for the first time. The only problem is Gretchen isn't quite herself after taking it. She disappeared in the woods and came back a different person. Is it just the drugs affecting her or is something really wrong? Surprisingly dark at times, this book had a lot of great moments and the 80's nostalgia was awesome. A fun fast read. Show Less
LibraryThing member titania86
* spoilers *
In 1988, Abby and Gretchen have been friends since elementary school and inseparable ever since. To be rebellious teens, the pair and their friends take acid. All of them feel no effects except for Gretchen who runs out into the forest. They find her in the morning, but no one knows
My Best Friend's Exorcism is a uniquely packaged book. It looks like a yearbook complete with messages from friends in the book cover and family ads at the end. Each of the chapter headings is the title of an 80's song. It put me in the right state of mind for the story that is equally different. Based on the title, I had a lot of expectations. Most possession stories draw directly from The Exorcist and don't do much that's different. It's why I'm usually bored with these types of stories, but this one manages to break the tropes and stand as something different.
The possession starts fairly typically with Gretchen exhibiting strange behaviors and claiming to hear whispering and being touched by something unseen. Her appearance suffers and all of her friends except Abby shun her. Abby feels helpless because nothing she does can help her friend. She's tried talking to authority figures, but seems to just make it worse. When Gretchen finally seems to improve, Abby is now shunned. Gretchen's appearance and demeanor have improved, but she's a completely changed person. She's suddenly so helpful to her friends, helping one lose weight with mysterious shakes and passing along another love letters from a teacher. No one realizes anything is wrong until both girls' lives are destroyed irreparably. I love that the possessed girl actually does evil things. She doesn't hurt herself or exhibit grotesque sexuality as is usual. The aftermath of her actions are horrifically memorable.
As with most possession stories, an exorcism is used to try to draw out the demon from the afflicted. A religious exorcism is tried for hours, but it doesn't really work. Abby finds a guy who spoke about body building for Jesus to do it, but he has no real experience. He eventually abandons them, leaving Abby with a tied up Gretchen. Abby exorcises the demon herself by calling upon things significant to them like artifacts from their friendships and songs they love. I found this to be the most refreshing because religion didn't save them. Things they actually had faith in and meant something to their every day lives saved them. Abby and Gretchen didn't need a priest or anyone else. Abby saved Gretchen by herself. The aftermath is suitably realistic.
Overall, My Best Friend's Exorcism is a unique story that actually has the demon hurting people around them. The exorcism and the aftermath cemented it as the best possession story I've seen or read. The novel throws off a lot of horrible tropes invented by The Exorcist and copied in every other possession movie. This book shows that you don't have to follow the same formula over and over to be a part of the genre. I hope more stories follow suit in the future and I will be looking out for more books by Grady Hendrix.
In 1988, Abby and Gretchen have been friends since elementary school and inseparable ever since. To be rebellious teens, the pair and their friends take acid. All of them feel no effects except for Gretchen who runs out into the forest. They find her in the morning, but no one knows
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what really happened to her. Afterwards, Gretchen starts to act strangely. First she stops sleeping then she stops bathing and insists people are whispering around her and touching her. Abby investigates into it and decides that Gretchen's possessed, but can their friendship be strong enough to save her best friend?My Best Friend's Exorcism is a uniquely packaged book. It looks like a yearbook complete with messages from friends in the book cover and family ads at the end. Each of the chapter headings is the title of an 80's song. It put me in the right state of mind for the story that is equally different. Based on the title, I had a lot of expectations. Most possession stories draw directly from The Exorcist and don't do much that's different. It's why I'm usually bored with these types of stories, but this one manages to break the tropes and stand as something different.
The possession starts fairly typically with Gretchen exhibiting strange behaviors and claiming to hear whispering and being touched by something unseen. Her appearance suffers and all of her friends except Abby shun her. Abby feels helpless because nothing she does can help her friend. She's tried talking to authority figures, but seems to just make it worse. When Gretchen finally seems to improve, Abby is now shunned. Gretchen's appearance and demeanor have improved, but she's a completely changed person. She's suddenly so helpful to her friends, helping one lose weight with mysterious shakes and passing along another love letters from a teacher. No one realizes anything is wrong until both girls' lives are destroyed irreparably. I love that the possessed girl actually does evil things. She doesn't hurt herself or exhibit grotesque sexuality as is usual. The aftermath of her actions are horrifically memorable.
As with most possession stories, an exorcism is used to try to draw out the demon from the afflicted. A religious exorcism is tried for hours, but it doesn't really work. Abby finds a guy who spoke about body building for Jesus to do it, but he has no real experience. He eventually abandons them, leaving Abby with a tied up Gretchen. Abby exorcises the demon herself by calling upon things significant to them like artifacts from their friendships and songs they love. I found this to be the most refreshing because religion didn't save them. Things they actually had faith in and meant something to their every day lives saved them. Abby and Gretchen didn't need a priest or anyone else. Abby saved Gretchen by herself. The aftermath is suitably realistic.
Overall, My Best Friend's Exorcism is a unique story that actually has the demon hurting people around them. The exorcism and the aftermath cemented it as the best possession story I've seen or read. The novel throws off a lot of horrible tropes invented by The Exorcist and copied in every other possession movie. This book shows that you don't have to follow the same formula over and over to be a part of the genre. I hope more stories follow suit in the future and I will be looking out for more books by Grady Hendrix.
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LibraryThing member dcoward
This was an interesting blend of horror story, female friendship tale, coming of age story, with a little class warfare added in.
LibraryThing member AnnaBastos
Thanks to Netgalley, this ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Abby and Gretchen have known each other since fifth grade and been the best of friends until one night when Gretchen jumps in a creek and disappears for hours until their group finds her close to a very weird
Narrated in third person almost all from Abby's point of view, this focuses more on friendship than on horror. Someone had mentioned this in a review, and I thought it had to do with how beautiful the two girls' bond was but the author does focus more on it than on freaking the reader out. Which doesn't mean some parts didn't freak me out. I'm not big on horror, so I can't tell how original she was but the atmosphere following you through the story was certainly eerie. The narration style was endearing, nonetheless. I did think the 80's references were a little overdone. Maybe someone was a teenager in the 80's might have enjoyed it because I had this smile whenever she mentioned something with which I could identify myself. However, being the YA-genre, I would say she wasted time. We really didn't need so much proof they were in the 80's...
As I mentioned, horror isn't my favorite genre, as in I hardly read it, so it could be the reason I didn't like how much of the "scary" moments were plainly gross. The supernatural factor, for which I had the strongest expectations, was very light in the story. On the other hand, lots of the "devil possession" acts could have been performed by any (mean but still) human. In fact, that contributed to what gave me goosebumps the most, the way Abby's perfect social life crumbled could have happened even without any demons working against her.
I enjoyed reading, and I couldn't stop once I started. The style is nice and so is the story, for it doesn't take itself too seriously. It didn't give me nightmares, though; I was a little disappointed in that sector. I don't know if I liked the characters but I surely didn't hate them. The climactic scene wasn't bad, but a little weird. The ending itself was satisfactory, and yet I thought the author was too keen on having something sad happen. I won't give away what, of course, take this as a teaser and at the same time, know I wouldn't have done it the same way.
Also, this is not recommended to those who like animals. There were many dying right and left. There was one I couldn't agree with however expected it was.
Far from being a bad book, it stays around a 3.5. This was piercing and got me stuck but not exciting when delivering.
Abby and Gretchen have known each other since fifth grade and been the best of friends until one night when Gretchen jumps in a creek and disappears for hours until their group finds her close to a very weird
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construction in the woods. The next day, she's having flashbacks, hearing voices and with time, she can't sleep or clean herself. Although everyone walks away, Abby knows she has to protect her friend, no matter what had happened that day. She just didn't know the stakes when accepting the challenge.Narrated in third person almost all from Abby's point of view, this focuses more on friendship than on horror. Someone had mentioned this in a review, and I thought it had to do with how beautiful the two girls' bond was but the author does focus more on it than on freaking the reader out. Which doesn't mean some parts didn't freak me out. I'm not big on horror, so I can't tell how original she was but the atmosphere following you through the story was certainly eerie. The narration style was endearing, nonetheless. I did think the 80's references were a little overdone. Maybe someone was a teenager in the 80's might have enjoyed it because I had this smile whenever she mentioned something with which I could identify myself. However, being the YA-genre, I would say she wasted time. We really didn't need so much proof they were in the 80's...
As I mentioned, horror isn't my favorite genre, as in I hardly read it, so it could be the reason I didn't like how much of the "scary" moments were plainly gross. The supernatural factor, for which I had the strongest expectations, was very light in the story. On the other hand, lots of the "devil possession" acts could have been performed by any (mean but still) human. In fact, that contributed to what gave me goosebumps the most, the way Abby's perfect social life crumbled could have happened even without any demons working against her.
I enjoyed reading, and I couldn't stop once I started. The style is nice and so is the story, for it doesn't take itself too seriously. It didn't give me nightmares, though; I was a little disappointed in that sector. I don't know if I liked the characters but I surely didn't hate them. The climactic scene wasn't bad, but a little weird. The ending itself was satisfactory, and yet I thought the author was too keen on having something sad happen. I won't give away what, of course, take this as a teaser and at the same time, know I wouldn't have done it the same way.
Also, this is not recommended to those who like animals. There were many dying right and left. There was one I couldn't agree with however expected it was.
Far from being a bad book, it stays around a 3.5. This was piercing and got me stuck but not exciting when delivering.
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LibraryThing member kamoorephoto
*2 nights! Didn’t want to put it down!! Sooo good. Review when it’s not the witching hour.
LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
Grady Hendrix's tale of two high school besties, coming to grips with mean girls/bad drug trip/demonic possession. Hard book to categorize and even more difficult, for me at least, to keep engaged and finish. Young adult? Coming of age? Fantasy? Horror? Nostalgic trip to the '80's? Supernatural? In
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the end, it didn't fit any one genre enough to keep me intrigued. I've read other glowing reviews, so I am clearly in the minority. Show Less
LibraryThing member irregularreader
Abby has been friends with Gretchen since they were ten years old. Now high school students, they have traded in their ET posters and roller skates for the mall and parties in the woods. After one such escapade, however, Gretchen begins to act strangely. Very, very strangely. With the peculiarities
Grady Hendrix is certainly one of the bright lights (if that phrase is appropriate) in modern horror fiction. His previous book, Horrorstör, was an intelligent, hilarious, and creepy haunted house tale. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, we find out what would happen if The Heathers also featured demonic possession. Here, Hendrix has again left his unique imprint on the genre, taking us into a friendship sundered by satan and adolescence, which really are much the same thing.
If you’re a horror genre fan, but have been looking for something a bit off the beaten path, something campy and fun while still maintaining creep factor, Grady Hendrix should definitely top your TBR.
Show More
mounting and the weirdness surrounding Gretchen becoming more and more disturbing, Abby must face the truth: Her friend is possessed, and Abby is the only one who can help her.Grady Hendrix is certainly one of the bright lights (if that phrase is appropriate) in modern horror fiction. His previous book, Horrorstör, was an intelligent, hilarious, and creepy haunted house tale. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, we find out what would happen if The Heathers also featured demonic possession. Here, Hendrix has again left his unique imprint on the genre, taking us into a friendship sundered by satan and adolescence, which really are much the same thing.
If you’re a horror genre fan, but have been looking for something a bit off the beaten path, something campy and fun while still maintaining creep factor, Grady Hendrix should definitely top your TBR.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MinDea
This book was everything I was hoping it would be and more. It was 80s nostalgia. It had just the right amount of horror/exorcism in it. Total throw back to my childhood. I loved it!
LibraryThing member MontzaleeW
My Best Friends Exorcism: A Novel by Grady Hendrix, the audible book, I borrowed from the library and listened to in one sitting. It was so intriguing! Friendships, coming-of-age, suspense, social class, and the paranormal all rolled up in a terrific plot and great characters. The narration was
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spot on and I feel was better than if I had read it myself. A roller coaster of emotions! Great book! Show Less
LibraryThing member Tiffy_Reads
"Hot Damn we got ourselves a demon!"
A coming of age story with a demon involved. I really liked Grady's Horrorstör and this one was just as good. This one kept me up reading late into the night.
A coming of age story with a demon involved. I really liked Grady's Horrorstör and this one was just as good. This one kept me up reading late into the night.
LibraryThing member Shelby_Kuzma
Set in the late 1980’s, Abby and Gretchen, now high school sophomores, have been best friends since a disastrous birthday party in 4th grade. One night, Gretchen gets lost in the woods and although she is found a few hours later, her behavior becomes more and more strange. She stops bathing or
After being introduced to Grady Hendrix’s work through his novel Horrorstör, I expected to like this book. What I did not expect was the heartwarming message about friendship, some excellent 80’s pop culture references, and surprisingly sentimental ending. I believe that the mark of a good book is when something stays with you after you are finished reading, and in the horror genre I like that something to be eery or creepy- I like to be scared. What made My Best Friend’s Exorcism so memorable for me is that while I was definitely “creeped out” by parts of this story, what really sticks with me is the ending, and not because it was creepy! I am a firm believer in not giving spoilers in my reviews so I won’t tell you all how it ends, but what I LOVED about this book is that despite all the scary parts, I walked away feeling good.
Although this story does have a “feel-good” ending, many parts in the middle were not as fun to read. I think many people fear being rejected and Grady Hendrix definitely applies that fear to My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I found myself literally cringing during some of the interactions between Abby and Gretchen as Gretchen goes deeper and deeper into her “episode.” I could imagine that someone with social anxiety would find these parts even more cringe-worthy.
I really loved this book. I went in expecting another mildly creepy, run-of-the-mill possession story, but this turned out to be so much more. My Best Friend’s Exorcism has become one of my top recommendations for horror lovers looking for something a little more non-traditional.
I liked Grady Hendrix after reading Horrorstör, but I came to love him after reading My Best Friend’s Exorcism.
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changing her clothes, and bizarre things start to happen when she is around. Her parents, teachers, and even her other friends blame it on drug use or depression- but Abby thinks differently. The story subtly intensifies into something truly disturbing as Abby attempts to help Gretchen, while desperately clinging to what remains of their friendship.After being introduced to Grady Hendrix’s work through his novel Horrorstör, I expected to like this book. What I did not expect was the heartwarming message about friendship, some excellent 80’s pop culture references, and surprisingly sentimental ending. I believe that the mark of a good book is when something stays with you after you are finished reading, and in the horror genre I like that something to be eery or creepy- I like to be scared. What made My Best Friend’s Exorcism so memorable for me is that while I was definitely “creeped out” by parts of this story, what really sticks with me is the ending, and not because it was creepy! I am a firm believer in not giving spoilers in my reviews so I won’t tell you all how it ends, but what I LOVED about this book is that despite all the scary parts, I walked away feeling good.
Although this story does have a “feel-good” ending, many parts in the middle were not as fun to read. I think many people fear being rejected and Grady Hendrix definitely applies that fear to My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I found myself literally cringing during some of the interactions between Abby and Gretchen as Gretchen goes deeper and deeper into her “episode.” I could imagine that someone with social anxiety would find these parts even more cringe-worthy.
I really loved this book. I went in expecting another mildly creepy, run-of-the-mill possession story, but this turned out to be so much more. My Best Friend’s Exorcism has become one of my top recommendations for horror lovers looking for something a little more non-traditional.
I liked Grady Hendrix after reading Horrorstör, but I came to love him after reading My Best Friend’s Exorcism.
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LibraryThing member JaredOrlando
I will begin by saying that this book should not be this good.
Not only does it have enough for the modern horror lover, it is also highly intelligent, deliciously nostalgic, and has a ton of heart.
I love this book so much and will find myself throwing it at anyone I meet.
Not only does it have enough for the modern horror lover, it is also highly intelligent, deliciously nostalgic, and has a ton of heart.
I love this book so much and will find myself throwing it at anyone I meet.
LibraryThing member veeshee
Where do I start with this novel? This book was ridiculously fantastic and I just can't praise it enough!
I love the '80s vibe that the author went with. I was a '90s child but hearing my mom talk about how life was in the '80s always made me wish I had grown up during that time - even though the
The author did a fantastic job in merging the absolute terror that accompanies any story about possession with school clique drama. At times comic, at times terrifying, this story was perfectly woven together to incorporate all aspects and make for just a great read. I could not put this book down and loved every minute of it! If you are looking for a creepy, weird, and utterly amazing read, then look no further than this book right here! Now excuse me, while I go out and get myself a copy of this novel ASAP!
I love the '80s vibe that the author went with. I was a '90s child but hearing my mom talk about how life was in the '80s always made me wish I had grown up during that time - even though the
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'90s were pretty cool, too! Having it take place in this time frame made the story a little preppy and funny, it gave it a teen novel feel. And I loved that. It made it funnier, more ironic, more weird, and just overall amazing. I don't think I have ever said this about any other novel but the author chose the perfect setting for this story.The author did a fantastic job in merging the absolute terror that accompanies any story about possession with school clique drama. At times comic, at times terrifying, this story was perfectly woven together to incorporate all aspects and make for just a great read. I could not put this book down and loved every minute of it! If you are looking for a creepy, weird, and utterly amazing read, then look no further than this book right here! Now excuse me, while I go out and get myself a copy of this novel ASAP!
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LibraryThing member jess_reads_books
Abby and Gretchen are high school sophomores. They’re inseparable and have called each other best friends since Abby’s birthday party in 4th grade. One night the girls are hanging out with their close friends, Margaret and Glee, and everything changes between them. Gretchen ends up lost and
Abby has made it her mission to find out what has caused this drastic change with Gretchen. Convinced there is no way the night in the woods could do all of this to Gretchen, Abby makes the only logical conclusion and decides that Gretchen must be possessed. No one around Abby believes her. Just how far will Abby go to save her best friend?
MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM has been on my radar for quite a while now and when my birthday rolled around in April, I figured it was time to buy it! Well clearly I’m a distracted reader because it is now August. I’m actually glad I selected this one as a summer read because it was the perfect mixture of campy, 80’s loving nostalgia, and horror to transition my reads to the fall season.
Abby and Gretchen are living their best 80’s teenager lives! One of my favorite scenes has to be when they’re busted for hijacking Gretchen’s mom’s cross necklaces and dancing around to Madonna’s Like a Virgin. Pure perfection! Unfortunately, Abby and Gretchen’s friendship gets turned upside down. Gretchen is losing her mind and taking those around her down with her. After a series of strange and downright terrible happenings Abby decides her hunch that Gretchen is possessed is real and she must fight the demon inside her friend. Hendrix does a superb job of mixing the gross, creepy, funny moments together with a hefty dose of 80’s nostalgia to create a memorable read! If you haven’t already read this one, go buy a copy and put it on your immediate TBR!
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alone in the woods and when she finally emerges, something is clearly wrong. Suddenly Gretchen is no longer herself. She’s started acting moody, has stopped taking care of herself, and strange incidents are starting to happen all around Gretchen.Abby has made it her mission to find out what has caused this drastic change with Gretchen. Convinced there is no way the night in the woods could do all of this to Gretchen, Abby makes the only logical conclusion and decides that Gretchen must be possessed. No one around Abby believes her. Just how far will Abby go to save her best friend?
MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM has been on my radar for quite a while now and when my birthday rolled around in April, I figured it was time to buy it! Well clearly I’m a distracted reader because it is now August. I’m actually glad I selected this one as a summer read because it was the perfect mixture of campy, 80’s loving nostalgia, and horror to transition my reads to the fall season.
Abby and Gretchen are living their best 80’s teenager lives! One of my favorite scenes has to be when they’re busted for hijacking Gretchen’s mom’s cross necklaces and dancing around to Madonna’s Like a Virgin. Pure perfection! Unfortunately, Abby and Gretchen’s friendship gets turned upside down. Gretchen is losing her mind and taking those around her down with her. After a series of strange and downright terrible happenings Abby decides her hunch that Gretchen is possessed is real and she must fight the demon inside her friend. Hendrix does a superb job of mixing the gross, creepy, funny moments together with a hefty dose of 80’s nostalgia to create a memorable read! If you haven’t already read this one, go buy a copy and put it on your immediate TBR!
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LibraryThing member mstrust
A group of four teenage friends, Abby, Gretchen, Margaret and Glee, are running around in the woods one night when Gretchen becomes separated. Her best friend is Abby, who finds her after searching the woods for hours. Gretchen's behavior is strange, but it becomes more bizarre as the weeks pass.
I assumed from the title and the cover, styled after a 80's horror VHS tape, that this word be a dark comedy. For the most part, it's a straight story of teenage possession. The girls dress like Madonna, wear Benetton and Liz Clairborne perfume, watch Miami Vice, while one of them becomes more sinister.
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She stops bathing and wears the same clothes every day. She tells Abby she was attacked in the woods but won't say who attacked her, but when Abby tries to find help for Gretchen, the community turns on Abby. She brings in the only person who believes her weird story of Gretchen's behavior, a young bodybuilding preacher from a family of Christians performing on the high school assembly circuit.I assumed from the title and the cover, styled after a 80's horror VHS tape, that this word be a dark comedy. For the most part, it's a straight story of teenage possession. The girls dress like Madonna, wear Benetton and Liz Clairborne perfume, watch Miami Vice, while one of them becomes more sinister.
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LibraryThing member sophroniaborgia
I read this book mainly because I found the cover amusing, and for anyone who remembers young adult novels from the days before Twilight and Harry Potter, this horror parody is worth a read. The story is exactly what you would expect -- two suburban girls, Abby and Gretchen, grow up as best
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friends, but in high school Gretchen starts acting strangely. Is it possible that she's possessed?! Intrepid Abby sets out to save her, with the assistance of an exorcist straight out of a Patrick Swayze movie. The horror elements are not extreme, although there is at least one very disturbing scene. But mostly I found myself surprisingly moved by the strength of the girls' friendship. This book was definitely much better written than a book with such a silly cover had any right to be. Show Less
Awards
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Horror — 2017)
Premios Kelvin 505 (Finalist — 2023)
Language
Original publication date
2016
ISBN
9781594748639