My Best Friend's Exorcism

Continuing the trend he started last year with Horrorstor, a haunted house novel set in an IKEA-esque furniture store, Grady Hendrix’s new satirical horror novel, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, takes on another classic trope: demonic possession.

Hendrix describes My Best Friend’s Exorcism as Beaches meets The Exorcist, but it also reads like Heathers set in the world of Jennifer’s Body. The plot centres on BFFs Abby and Gretchen, whose lifelong friendship is tested when, after a crazy LSD-fueled night in the woods, Abby becomes convinced that Gretchen is possessed by a demon.

In the tradition of Young Adult horror properties like Jennifer’s Body and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, My Best Friend’s Exorcism is a riff on the old adage that high school is, indeed, hell. Anyone who has ever been a teenager will remember the hurt and confusion of watching friends transform before your eyes, becoming almost unrecognisable as they discover dating and sex, begin experimenting with alcohol and drugs, or give in to peer pressure to conform. Grady’s novel takes that idea to the extreme, but never stops being relatable as we root for Abby to save her friend.

Although not horror in the truest sense, My Best Friend’s Exorcism contains some creepy set pieces that are sure to please fans of the genre. Highlights include the events leading up to Gretchen’s “possession” (I won’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the book by confirming or denying that this is what happens) and one scene involving several pounds of tapeworm that shouldn’t be read if you’re planning on eating any time soon.

Non-horror fans who grew up in the eighties are sure to enjoy the book for its nostalgic factor, with Hendrix making frequent references to the music (Phil Collins), movies (ET), and TV shows (Moonlighting) of the period.

"Mean Girls" meets "The Exorcist", with a dash of "Heathers" thrown in. Grady Hendrix's "My Best Friend's Exorcism" is a tremendously entertaining story of Abby, a normal teenage girl whose best friend, Gretchen, is unexpectedly possessed by a demon. Hendrix makes the most of his 1980s, private school setting, and few details go to waste in the tight, fast moving plot. A hilarious, effective horror novel with a few genuinely touching moments.

I thought this would be a humorous read. It was actually a roller coaster ride of The Exorcism combined with Mean Girls combined with Heathers and I loved it! Abby and Gretchen are best friends from the moment they took to the roller rink at age 10. Through the years, their bond becomes unbreakable until the night that Gretchen becomes lost in the woods while under the influence. She slowly changes into a person Abby doesn't recognize. Abby isn't willing to throw away their years of friendship even when Gretchen commits acts of cruelty against Abby and others. Abby enlists an exorcist to help her win her friend back and soon finds that it's the power of 80's power ballads not religion that bring her friend back from the brink. Enjoyable quick read.

Loved this book! Very funny and scary as well, which was a treat. If I had to make a criticism, it's that the 1980s setting was a bit too relentlessly signposted, but that hardly detracts from the excellence. So much fun!

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down and read it all in just a few sittings. It was sad, touching, scary, and funny. Like other reviewers said, it reminded me of Mean Girls. I loved the many 80s references throughout the book. I think this will be a very popular book for young adults after its release. (Better review to come later).

This book pulled me in and kept me interested. All of the time period references were spot on and brought back memories.

review forthcoming on libtastic.wordpress.com

Review: MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix

I found the author's first novel, HORRORSTOR, singularly frightening and engrossing. His second novel, MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM, is emotionally wrenching. I felt as if I had been laundered on an old fashioned metal scrubber and wrung out to dry. The emotions in this novel are full-on intense, all the time. Granted, we are dealing with adolescents in turmoil, but the adults are just as emotionally overwrought. Everyone is tuned up, and since we are naturally subject to empathy, reading MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM was kind of equivalent to residing underneath a grid of electric power lines.

Whether the trouble is supernatural or psychological may be debatable. What is not in question is the room in this novel for human evil. From inherent selfishness, greed, and misuse of power and wealth, along the continuum, through deliberate psychological manipulation, to actual premeditated elitism, crime, and destruction, the human capacity for evil disturbed me more than did the possibility of demonic possession.

I began this book thinking it would be a silly novel about friends performing exorcisms and got so much more. I was so wrapped up in excitement/terror that I finished it in one sitting! I loved the 80's time period, bringing all the big hair and loud music into the story in a way I never imagined. I also enjoyed the amount of horror that existed. It wasn't overbearing because it wasn't the only theme, but I did flinch from weird noises as I read. This was a surprising yet brilliant read that I will definitely be recommending.

Great book! Even though it had its scary moments, I could not stop reading it!

My Best Friend's Exorcism is by Grady Hendrix, the same author who wrote Horrorstor, about a haunted Ikea wanna-be. This time, the story is about a posessed high school student and it's set during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. The story started out slowly, but by the end I was really scared for the characters -- that awful feeling where you don't want to keep reading because something bad might happen and you don't want to put down the book because you've got to know what happens. If you like scary exorcism stories, I definitely recommend this one.

Loved the 80s touches and the true to life characters.

This was SO close to being a 5 star book for me. The story was intense and suspenseful, funny and poignant. The characters were very well-written; complex, yet believable. The pacing was very good, and the twists and turns were well executed. I really enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. The only thing keeping it from that last star is the climax and ending. I thought the very end was a bit *too* nicely wrapped up and the climax was just plain silly. In the middle of a very tense scene, I found myself rolling my eyes. That's never good. I know there's a big trend in historical vanity when it comes to the 80's/early 90's, so I get why there was such an emphasis in it, but seriously, it's getting annoying. Books like Ready Player One and sites like BuzzFeed have gone to that well so many times that it's getting sahara desert-level dry. There's a difference between an homage and pandering. This book was just a *bit* too close to pandering for my liking (especially the climax).

But, as someone who normally avoids YA like the plague, I'm glad I gave this one a go. Thank you, Grady Hendrix, for proving that YA isn't completely devoid of good books.

**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book was truly disturbing. I can't think about it too much as it actually gave me nightmares. Excellent.

I read this because I'd read part of Horrorstör and liked Hendrix's style, but I wasn't as excited before I read it as I ended up being once I started it. Also, I worried it would be kind of goofy like Horrorstör. But it's not silly.

GH did two things really well:

1) He created a friendship and took us gracefully from its beginning to its end. It's hard for any author to write realistic teenage girls, and it's also hard to pass time in a novel without it feeling laborious to read. But he did both really well.

2) He wrote a possession story that was both scary and original. I've read somewhere between several and a bunch of them, and having read The Exorcist first, I hadn't read any since that surprised me. I've enjoyed some of them, but basically they've each felt like Another Exorcism Story. Until this one. Super fresh.

I received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review.
Alright so when I saw the title and read the blurb I said to myself that has got to be a good book it is going to be filled with horror, the devil and so much more. Was this considered horror for me no, no, no. It was far from it i.m.o.
For me it was just okay would I read it again sure would I recommend it yes. You have Abby who one day invited everyone to her birthday party and the only one who showed up was Gretchen this is how they became best friends. They were so close that they were practically sisters, then one decision ends up changing everyone for not only Abby but for Gretchen and those around her. It seems that Gretchen is being possessed by something but what exactly and can she even be saved. Now when we get to at least two of the scenes that I just was like umm okay I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Now I did like how the characters were written, the friendship that Abby and Gretchen have seems real and genuine and I love that. See how they have each other's backs is awesome that is something females need to do. I just couldn't believe with Gretchen's family seeming to be religious (that is how I felt they were) didn't pick up on anything like the smell a demon gives off or the coldness in the house. Though maybe that is just me. This book does take place in the 80's setting so that was really cool especially since I am an 80's baby and didn't get to experience it just by reading the story it seemed like a neat decade to be a part of. If you would like a light read, something that you know is not believable, memories of the 80's, friendship that has to withstand something then pick this up.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1617224008?book_show_action=false

Booklikes: http://anauling.booklikes.com/post/1390216/netgalley-review-my-best-friend-s-exorcism

A modern day "The Exorcist" set in the 1980s - it was enjoyable to revisit the culture of the 80s but also to see the true meaning of friendship. It was a great story because the author didn't dwell on the actual exorcism for the entire book. It was more about friends and the ties that bind them. Great book!

I adored the 80s references and the kind of friends Abby and Gretchen were. The exorcism and demon stuff freaked me out, which was the point. Lots of insanity in this book, which made it a quick read for me, I finished it in a day. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Gretchen and Abby have been best friends for years. They don’t share genetic material, but they could be sisters. They have an unbreakable bond despite class differences and a wicked entity residing in Gretchen.

When Gretchen’s body goes through numerous changes—one example is the projectile vomiting—Abby knows that something is up. The demon is a monstrous force, and what happens is that Abby gets into a boatload of trouble during her pursuit to help her best friend. The demon attempts to drive a deep rift between Abby and the body that is no longer entirely Gretchen’s, although her soul is somewhere in there. When Abby gets hold of an exorcist, there’s a grisly battle that will quench the thirst of any horror lover.

I liked the book, but had to take away a star because the 1980’s references were too much. Instead of being used sparingly, they were in your face. At some points I was filled with nostalgia and other times it was too much…yes, I get it, the setting is the ’80s. Also, I adore horror books, but I don’t like reading about animals being hurt or killed. Other than that, this is a solid book and one that I would recommend. I read it via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

I absolutely adored this novel! The 80's references added a nostalgic touch and they were brilliantly mixed with the horror aspect of the story. An adorable yet terrifying tale of friendship, will definitely be purchasing a final copy!

Story captured my attention, and the plot was good. However, I was somewhat disappointed in the ending because it seemed "rushed."

I read this advanced copy via Netgalley.

In the summer of 1988, something happens to Abby's best friend Gretchen. What started out as maybe a side effect of their LSD experiment becomes long term and sinister, as Gretchen changes and horrific things begin happening. In a time when everything can be blamed on satanists, Abby begins to believe that Gretchen is possessed.

I saw this title on Netgalley and requested it because the premise sounded awesome - and then I realized this is the same author who wrote and it all made sense. Quite honestly, I originally thought Grady Hendrix was going to be a one-hit wonder after Horrorstor but this novel shows that I was wrong! This is a unique blend of 80s nostalgia and gory, creepy horror. Yes, somehow this manages to be both scary and funny. Each chapter has an 80s song title ("I Think We're Alone Now" has a whole new meaning) but the nostalgia is deeply part of the plot... and for me, that's the nostalgia of how tight friendships were back in that time. As well as those horribly cheesy 80s horror movies.

This book was very similar to the movie Jennifer's Body.

I was browsing through NetGalley when I came across My Best Friend's Exorcism. It sounded pretty cool but what really sold it to me was the author - Grady Hendrix. He wrote one of the quirkiest horror books I ever had the pleasure of reading in the form of Horrorstör

I really liked Abby! She was gutsy, smart and it felt like she was a lot older than 16. Sure, she made mistakes and some questionable decisions, but I could accept them because it made her feel real rather than stupid.

The adults in this book were absolute morons. In my school, if any teacher saw what Gretchen was going through, they would have arranged a private meeting with her, involved the Head of Year, her parents and perhaps even the police. I almost wished Gretchen would morph into Satan so she could poke their asses with her pitch-fork.

Also, there was a part where a teacher talked about taking a trip to a lake and in my mind I could already see Gretchen go on a Friday the 13th -esque killing spree. Unfortunately I was disappointed to see it was only a book they were going to read.

I still got a nice dose of horror though, so I can't complain!

Overall, I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the author's next book :)

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 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.

Very entertaining for all 80s kids. Might be difficult for some UK readers to get the humor but it's a great read and one I'd recommend if you want a break from War and Peace!

Review forthcoming for Monster Librarian.
For now, I will say for anyone who grew up during the Satanic Panic of the 80s, like quirky books about growing up, and a healthy dose of humor, this book is for you. I really enjoyed reading it. I finished it in a day and a half. I could not put it down.

I was expecting a fun, mild B-horror story. I got that; however, I also was presented with very strong characters and a well-developed time-line and plot. With definite "gross-out" moments, endearing yet unreliable (at times) narrators, and a serious-whimsical vibe, I really enjoyed My Best Friend's Exorcism. I can see horror fans grabbing this up, as well as children of the 80's. This title also has cross-over appeal, making it marketable to young adult readers as well as adult readers.

Fun and horrific travel back in time to the 80's when life was carefree and all about which movie you and your friends were going to rent that weekend. This was a dark look at the possession of a teenage girl and her best friend when they were in high school. I found parts of this book making me wonder if perhaps I had a few possessed friends back then... HA! Overall, this story was well written with an authentic feel of teenage thinking without the stereotypes. I enjoyed learning about Abby and Gretchen's friendship and how it evolved over time as well as how strong their bonds were. I might have given this story 5 stars but I found it a little weak around the actual exorcism scene, not quite sure if it was intended to be sincere or funny. Either way, I really enjoyed this quick read as a teen of the 80"s myself. I think it would be liked by any generation who can appreciate having a true friend to the end.

This is an excellent tale of teenage friendship and demonic possession. As young girls, Abby and Gretchen become fast friends. As they hit their mid teens, Gretchen begins to change, sparked by a night of youthful experimentation that goes wrong. As you might expect, it takes a while for Abby to realise that her best friend has been possessed by a demon, but once the satanic penny finally drops, she becomes caught up in an all consuming struggle for Gretchen's soul.

A lot of other reviews mention the 80s nostalgia of the settting, and they're not wrong, but this also has a lot of the flavour of classic 70s religious horror movies like The Exorcist and The Omen. It's a fast moving engrossing book that kept me turning the pages. I really cared about whether or not Gretchen could be saved, and I found the portrayal of the all encompassing friendship between the girls quite moving. Other highlights of the book include a phone call that is genuinely spooky, a climax that is over the top in all the right ways, and a poignant final chapter. A special shout for the depiction of Charleston - Hendrix evokes a decaying swampy atmosphere that fits the narrative perfectly

I really loved this book, it was fun, scary, extremely suspenseful and refreshingly original. The characters were well developed, nothing was cliche and for most of it, I could not put it down. Because it was set in the 1980s, you can tell that the writer really reflected on his youth during that time, and was quite introspective. Plus, the ending was perfectly satisfying.

So much fun! The 80's references were on point without feeling like a parody or novelty book. Abby and Gretchen's friendship was beautiful, and there were several genuinely creepy moments. This book managed to do a lot and carry it all off in a massively entertaining way.

There were points in this book where I had no interest to continuing to read but after a slow start, I couldn't put this book down. Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since the 4th grade when Gretchen was the only girl that showed up to Abby's birthday party. The friendship fell apart after Gretchen goes missing one night and when she returns Abby could swear that she's possessed by a demon. Bad things happen to everyone close to Gretchen and Abby decides that she needs to take action against the horrible thing living inside Gretchen. One of the best things about this story are all of the 80s references.

I have received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

This book started off really cute. The friendship between Abby and Gretchen was so sweet, so adorable that I was smiling the whole time reading their childhood relationship. I also enjoy the 80s settings with girly teenage whimsies.

“Promise me you’ll always be my friend,” she said.
“DBNQ,” Abby replied. It was their shorthand for “I love you.” Dearly But Not Queerly.

This Book is favorably easy and fast to read, the writing is so smooth, I flew through the pages like whooooot! The premise was very appealing when I first picked it out, and no setbacks whatsoever afterwards. There are many story details from the start I don’t even know if could manage to un-spoil the story. There are many music references too (which is cool).

And then the story turned from cute and adorable narratives into chills pretty instantly. I read the first one third of the book right before my bedtime and it gave me some childish creeps before actually dozing myself off. I might not consider the story as hardcore horror, but still I got intimidated by it - in a good way. Getting along with the characters was quit a ride… First I loved them, adore hem, then I was confused, annoyed, got tangled and twisted with them. It was especially very miserable to see the damaged relationship between Gretchen and her parents. Imagine having a rough time on your own without your parents support on your teenage years! And then, close to the end, I just felt all the characters turned stupid. It's not that I hated them for being stupid, but they are just stupid. If you know what I mean.

The story starts to get a little bit slower in the middle but things falls back into pace pretty quickly afterwards too. The ending was quite intense for me and so it kept me going and it made me want to finish the book as fast as I could. In fact I finished in in two sitting and it was satisfactory.

I'll have to say though, that the horror aspect of the story isn't really the highlight of the book. I mean, the story is pretty much the same, where someone got possessed, and then they got tied up on a bed, the demon appeared with creepy voices and all that... It all happened in every exorcism movie out there. But what made me love this book is the pure love-relation between this two girls, from the beginning to the end. It was beautiful. It made me remember my childhood best friends whom I rarely contact anymore, which made me feel quite sad.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoy mediocre teenage horror story, as I do.

I love love love this book, it really is about friendship, love, adolescence, experimentation and of course possession. There were some real twists and turns that I did not expect and it was a real page turner of a book. It was well put together and completely from a Abby's point of view.
I loved how Abby was tested again and again trying to save her friend and the ending was a superb ending to this book. Loved it :)

So I went into this book a little leery just because horror isn't really my thing, especially when it involves ghosts or demonic possession, but I figured it might be less scary for me in book form rather than movie (you won't catch me watching many horror movies unless they're about zombies or axe murderers...unless it's Ghostbusters. I can watch that anytime...and still be slightly creeped out by some of the ghostiness. But at least the Ghostbusters have a way to combat the ghosts unlike a lot of movies out now. I digress), but I did really enjoy this book. There were some creepy bits and some genuinely gross bits (poor poor Margaret) but they were never too awful for me (I did have to turn away from my screen a few times and collect myself but otherwise I was fine). And I loved the friendship between Abby and Gretchen and how hard she was willing to fight for her (she did fail her a bit midway through the novel when Gretchen first started going through everything but that was mostly understandable because Abby didn't know why her friend was acting so weird). I did love the twists at the end [how Abby saved Gretchen not with a traditional exorcism using Christian terminology but instead using the power of their friendship and life together. It was a bit cheesy but also really sweet. And also I loved how the author subverted my expectations for a good bit of the novel, making me think that Abby and Gretchen had lost touch with each other except through social media and occasional phone conversations, only to reveal that after Abby got divorced, Gretchen moved in with her to help her take care of her kid and stayed by her side until she died. That actually made me tear up a bit (hide spoiler)], and all of the 80s references and song titles at the beginnings of chapters were really fun (and constantly had new 80s songs running through my head with every chapter).
So for anyone looking for a somewhat fun and quirky YA take on a classic horror motif, I'd recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of horror and a child of the 80's, this book promised to be quite a good read. I wasn't disappointed. Though there were times that the 80's references went a little far, overall the story was well structured, the characters fleshed out, and the "horror" just creepy enough to make a reader a little nervous come bedtime. I can easily see this appealing to both adult and YA readers.