My Best Friend’s Exorcism, by Grady Hendrix

This was my second time reading a Grady Hendrix novel and I’m quickly becoming a big fan! I love the cover of this book so much - and the entire book is filled with references to pop culture in the 80s - even if you didn’t grow up at that time (like me) it still feels so familiar and nostalgic. The story is about two young girls who meet at a sad birthday party and become best friends that grow up together. One night in their teens, one of the girls ends up alone in a forest all night, lost and unable to find her friends. In the following months she starts to change how she acts, and her friend realises something is wrong, but no one believes her. The book definitely ramps up in intensity and becomes a pretty gruesome and stressful supernatural thriller, but I think it is ultimately a coming-of-age story about friendship and not being believed by others. It was a surprisingly moving story and the end was so bittersweet! I have heard that this book is set in the same world as The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, but in this book it is from the teens POV where the adults are problematic. I am excited to read TSBCGTSV soon which is told from the POV of adults.

How accessible is it?

I think Grady Hendrix’s writing is clear and very understandable! The book has super large text, a clear font with wide spacing and was really lovely to read.