Lynnette is apart of a support but this isn’t your ordinary support group. All the members are Final Girls, which are the last woman alive after a violent attack.

The group consists of five women who all managed to survive an attack at the hands of psycho men. They meet weekly to discuss their experience and have become like family.

After many years members of the group are finding themselves under attack once again. Lynnette goes on the run to try and save her friends and find out who is trying to kill all the Final Girls.

This was my second book by this author and I was very excited to get the chance to read it. The premise is really different and I found this one hard to put down. I think you need to suspend your mind a little as there are parts that are somewhat unrealistic. I would say my only knock on this one might be the ending. It didn’t ruin the overall enjoyment of the story but I just found it hard to believe. Lynnette is a pretty interesting main character and is super querky. I could definitely see this book being turned into a movie in the future. I highly recommend this one especially if you are a horror movie fan

Hello all! This week’s review is going to be a bit different from my typical reviews – instead of love and romance, we’re talking about some slashers and horror. When people ask, “What do you like to read?”, I’m forced to answer with the very bizarre and worrying, “Oh, romance and horror primarily.” Very strange combination. But they are indeed my favorites, and Grady Hendrix is the master of the genre (and yes, I’m counting Stephen King!).

The Final Girl Support Group follows Lynette, one of six girls who survived a serial killer and is now hashing it out in a monthly therapy appointment. Finals girls fight back, but are left haunted by their experiences and all that comes after. Over the years, the group has begun to fall apart, but the death of one of their members starts in motion a clear attempt on all their lives. Lynette is determined to stop it.

I’m like a Grady Hendrix superfan, to be honest. I’ve read all the fiction he’s put out, and it’s my understanding that his academic study of the horror genre through the 80’s is what makes him so fantastic. This book is no different. Hendrix inspires fear through connection to his characters and their psyche, not through situations. It’s like the difference between seeing a psychological horror movie that leaves you reeling, and watching a slasher film with jump scares – for lack of a better example. Lynette isn’t always loveable, but she’s relatable. You understand and her and what motivates her, which is why this story frightens you to your core (additionally, an anxiety diagnosis may increase fear levels while reading).

One thing I absolutely have to drill into here is Hendrix’s understanding of women. It’s been a privilege of mine to discuss with my fabulous library coworkers what it is to tap into women’s fear, after we all read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires last year (an absolute must read, if you haven’t). We’re pretty much all in agreement that Hendrix is either the most in-tune man in the world or his books are ghost written by women. And I say this because, horror movies, and really the whole genre (again, looking at you Stephen King) don’t focus on women other than as objects of violence and sexuality. Essentially, many modern horror tales create rape fantasies that romanticize the violence and don’t leave you thinking about women as people, or what comes after this moment on the screen. They are faceless, nameless, and abused by cinema and literature. Think Rob Zombie’s Halloween. While this is still blood-curdling and disturbing for female viewers, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth on the repercussions of this media in the real world, and the minds of its makers. And I think, particularly after reading his two most recent novels, Hendrix gets this, and is dissecting it for us all to watch. These books are terrifying because Hendrix dares to give the women a name and ask “What happens now? What happens after?”…and it’s even more horrifying than meaningless slaughter on a big screen.

Now, the reason this book is four stars and not five, was simply that I liked Southern Book Club’s Guide better. I’ve previously read Final Girls by Riley Sager, which is a completely unfair comparison here, but I think it turned me off to the idea of a Final Girl and the kind of story we’re telling in this book. Southern Book Club’s Guide lived in my head for months after, haunting me with the thought of “What if you knew there was danger, but no one would listen?”…it’s the kind of book where the ideas are part of you now, but it’s not always a happy thought. This one taps into that too, but not in a way I so connected with. I hope others find a different experience, as my issue may be one of personal preference.

The Final Girl Support Group hits shelves next week, July 13, and I highly implore you to grab a copy. I hope you find a new favorite author, and find yourself reading all the way back to My Best Friend’s Exorcism. You won’t be disappointed. A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Seven years in the making for the author to discover what horror has done to him--and indeed, what it has done to us all. I loved the way this book was put together with excerpts from interviews and books between each chapter So slyly done to pay tribute at the same time you poke fun at and skewer all those horror films we have watched and loved over the years. To see how our obsession with violence destroys the lives of these women and how they keep fighting on anyway is empathetic and insightful. Another not to be missed book by Hendrix.

I enjoyed this book. It was a page turner, and I couldn't put it down! If you like classic slasher horror movies then you will enjoy this book.

I was stuck between 4 and 5 stars for this book but in the end I had to go with four. It’s an action-packed story about six women who were the last left standing after unthinkable horrors (aka Final Girls). This book is suspenseful and will give you chills and might have you checking your locks. Although it dragged a little at the end, most of the story was fast-paced thriller. Some parts of the story were a bit over the top and unbelievable (kind of like slasher films can be I guess). Also, some parts toward the end were a little too disturbing for me and may be too much for some readers.
Overall though, this was a great book that I think thriller lovers, and especially horror lovers, will like.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “Final Girl,” it is a horror movie trope that refers to the last living girl at the end of a massacre, who goes on to confront and defeat the killer. Basically, a totally badass survivor, who made it through all the terror to tell the tale.

The Final Girl Support Group is a story that takes a look at trauma and survival in a compelling way - through being a Final Girl. It analyzes this concept and brings up some interesting (sometimes bizarre) thoughts on the matter of violence against women.

Despite being survivors, this group of Final Girls are a hot mess. I was so disgusted and entertained by them all. They all had major issues and came together once a month to share in their struggles, but then become a target for a new killer who seems to be a few steps ahead of them. Will they survive again?

READ THIS IF:
•You enjoy classic horror movies like Halloween, Scream, Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc.
•You’re ok with not knowing if you want to hug or punch the main character
•You think campy horror stories and shows like Scream Queens are fun

I loved how I did NOT know where this story would go. There were so many unexpected elements and it kept my wheels spinning as it hurtled me through loops and turns. I had no idea who to trust or what to think the entirety of the novel.

This book is unrealistic, but most horror stories walk the line of “possible” and “ain’t no way in hell”, so I think it works. If you’re looking for a book that’s believable, it’s not this, but that’s what makes fiction fun, so I went with it.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC to review! I would very much like to see this one become a movie.

This was my first Grady Hendrix book and I was instantly intrigued by it because I love slasher films (and every true slasher fan knows about final girls).

This book is marketed as horror but it is definitely more of a horror-based thriller/suspense story.

I loved that all of the Final Girls in this book were based on real slasher films: Scream, Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc. It was a clever idea that they meet regularly all these years later in their support group.

Though, it was a bit difficult to keep all of the characters straight. A legend at the front of the book with each woman’s name, year of their attack(s), and associated movie franchise would have been really helpful. Dare I say, I might even like this book more as a movie? It’s perfectly written for film and it would be easier to keep track of all of the characters if we had faces to put to the names.

I liked that this book kept me guessing. It was difficult to get a read on Lynnette (our MC) and at one point, I thought everyone was in on something. A few times I yelled, “I knew it!” when I, in fact, knew nothing 🤣 (okay, I did have a few solid guesses). It was suspenseful and creepy but not scary like the horror genre might suggest.

Of course, a book like this has some intense subject matter including cancer, death, sexual abuse, cannibalism, and more. That being said, I wouldn’t have minded knowing more details about each of the women’s attacks that made them each final girls. I felt like that was lacking for everyone except Lynnette.

I did read this book in pretty much one sitting because I really did enjoy it.

Another great book by Hendrix! This story is a mix of a mystery, suspense, and fast-paced slasher. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Each character had their own story of being a Final Girl and each had their own way of coping which made them individually interesting and their dynamic together was entertaining.

I’ve only read one other Grady Hendrix book (My Best Friend’s Exorcism), which I enjoyed. But this one was definitely more my cup of tea. The idea of the “final girl” seems to be something in the air , in terms of its current popularity as novel material. But this one is quite different from the Riley Sager book.

I really enjoyed the fact the author makes you consider the boundary between crime and entertainment (true crime podcasts, movies, etc.) In this particular case, the final girls have been exploited or exploited their own stories for money, with varying degrees of success. I think it holds a mirror up to our fascination with crime as entertainment while also taking readers on a breathless and harrowing journey that also makes you laugh sometimes even you feel guilty about laughing.

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This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was such a fun ride! Hendrix explores a world where the '70's/80's/90's slasher films we all know (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silent Night, Nightmare on Elm street) were based on real events with real final girls. We are transported to modern day where these women find themselves the target of a monster yet again fighting for their lives.

The story is told from the perspective of Lynnette who has turned the last 30 years into exercises for survival over actually living her life. It is told in a way only Grady Hendrix could pull off with wild action scenes and super unlikeable characters that you still somehow root for. I think Fine might have been my favorite character haha.

As a horror movie lover, I burned through this book. I felt like I was in a slasher film from the '80s and it was so twisty and exciting! I recommend to all the fellow slasher flick lovers out there!

Final girls are a staple of slasher film franchises. They are the sole survivors of bloody massacres who's story typically ends right after the do the impossible and kill the crazed murderer that's been pursuing them.
Grady Hendrix picks up where these movies left off, several years in these final girls futures where they meet in secret to support each other living with the aftermath of their ordeals.
I was hooked within the first couple pages. Hendrix's writing is engaging and he knows how to keep you interested. Even where the story seemed to lull I was compelled to keep reading.
The world of The Final Girl Support Group is often speculative. In this universe, slasher film franchises are based on actual massacres. The final girls are hounded repeatedly by people wishing to profit off their trauma, fans obsessed with their exploitation, and the constant resurgence of their pasts. While I enjoyed the world-building, a lot of backstory got muddy early on. While I eventually was able to remember which origin story belonged to which girl it felt like a lot of names (especially those of the killers) were thrown around much too often before I managed to grasp who they were.
Overall, this was a fun fast-paced read with lots of plot twists. I went into this book expecting something a bit more serious and didn't anticipate some of the more goofy and ridiculous parts of the story but I decided to just go with it and I'm happy I did. I have to say my favorite part was the absolute banger of an ending. I probably would have rated this book at 3 stars but the last 30 or so pages definitely bumped it up. 3.5* rounded up.

As someone who thoroughly loves the slasher horror genre, THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is a book that just feels like it was written for me. I've enjoyed Grady Hendrix's other books, as they have the perfect mix of quirky/wry humor and genuine horror, and this book is no exception. I feel like a number of books have tried to deconstruct the Final Girl trope in the past five to ten years, with kinda mixed results, but this one works because it feels like it's deconstructing and critiquing the trope (as it does have its problems) while still really loving it. All of our Final Girl characters are recognizable as some of the best of the genre, and Hendrix explores what their lives would have been like after experiencing such a trauma (the new HALLOWEEN movie did that really well, by the way, but otherwise it hasn't really been a thing). Lynette is the character we follow, her character based on Linnea Quigley's SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT character, which is a great choice because in the inspiration material, that character DIDN'T survive. So Lynettte has an insecurity as a member of the group who played possum and never had her 'confront the monster moment' that the others had. So instead of following someone like Heather (NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET) or Dani (HALLOWEEN- this was also genius, as instead of Jamie Lee it's a nod to Danielle Harris, who was a Final Girl later in the franchise), we follow a character who feels out of place from the others, but needs their companionship. The plot of who was targeting the remaining women was fine, but I was far more interested in the easter eggs and the exploration of trauma and misogyny. Oh, and i just have to say, my favorite was Marilyn (the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE analog); she is a hoot. Hendrix makes me laugh quite heartily in his stories, and Marilyn had her moments.

If you love slasher horror movies as much as I do, definitely check out THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP. It's a blast.

This was just a fantastic experience. And yes, experience is the right word for it — how else to describe a novel that draws upon a deep well of nostalgia in regard to the horror movies of the 80s and 90s? I remembered each and every one of the references with glee — I couldn’t wait to find out which final girl belonged to which franchise. This was just so damn clever.

What a thrilling ride through this slasher-to-end-all-slashers where the Final Girls are put to the final test. I was constantly trying to figure out the reliability of narrator Lynette, the only Final Girl in the support group who didn't actually kill the killer (so she's not a true final girl). Unexpected twists abound and the killers always come back for final girls in this story which was easily visualized as a horror film in my head.

#TheFinalGirlSupportGroup #NetGalley

Something that always surprises me about Grady Hendrix books is just how well it captures the feeling of being in a movie theater watching a horror film. The Final Girl Support Group is no exception in how it draws on the slasher films like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, and others. But what I have always loved about Grady Hendrix's books is that they take these horror movie settings and use them to really make the reader think about some of the greater themes going on.

In the case of The Final Girl Support Group, it really is a story about violence against women, about the obsession the media can have giving their trauma its fifteen minutes of fame, but not doing anything to really stop further pain, and about women having to worry about when the next terrible thing is going to happen to them. I do think it is one I would recommend with caution. By its subject matter and embrace of the slasher genre, it is a very violent book from start to finish. The violence really replicates what you would see from Jason, Freddy, or Michael Myers. However, it is also a book that does not hold back from discussing the trauma experienced by these "Final Girls" who have surivived these monsters and then had to deal with the aftermath. In that respect, quite a lot of this book was difficult to read for me as someone who was raised female and has many female friends who have experienced violence.

I was truly afraid for these characters from start to finish. I did not know who was going to make it out. I will say the tension does ease up around two-thirds of the way into the book in a similar way to the shift horror movies go through when our protagonists rally, stop running and start fighting. Despite it being a difficult read for me, I found it difficult to put down because I was invested in what was happening to these characters and needed to know what happened to them.

Ultimately, I think this is an excellent horror novel. If you are a fan of classic slashers from the 80s, you will likely love this book and all of the references layered in. If you like other works by Grady Hendrix, you will likely also enjoy this one. But, if you are not interested in that kind of a setting or if you have experienced or someone you love has experienced violent trauma, this might be one to skip. In many respects, the fear these women experience and the ways they cope after are well written to the point that they can hit a bit too close to home.

This had all the trademarks of a Grady Hendrix novel: smart, referential scares; interesting and dynamic groups of women; unflinching bouts of violence and gore; and, above all, a respect and enthusiasm for the history and emotions that underpin the genre. It's both humorous and incredibly dark, also a hallmark of his work, but the gross-out bloodfest elements of his other books are less present here. While titles like My Best Friend's Exorcism and The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires rely on the tropes and cues of 80's pulp horror, this book opts for a more straightforward send-up of the Final Girl, pulling thinly veiled references from the most famous slasher franchises to populate the support group. It's an unsettling and surprising book, and I think it's a half-step in a new direction for Hendrix, which is exciting to see as a huge fan of his other work.

Final girls are not just the sole survivors of mass killings: they are the heroines who brought them to a bloody halt. Final girls kill their would-be murderers, but only after their friends, their entire families, and everyone they love have been slaughtered. What is life like after enduring the trauma of saving yourself from a homicidal monster but not being able to save anyone else? How does a final girl move on? Dr. Carol's Final Girl Support Group is the therapeutic outlet six final girls desperately need to move forward with their lives after tragedy strikes for over a decade, and the members of the group become sisters in post-traumatic stress. But when one of the Final Girl Support Group is murdered in her home during group, agoraphobic final girl Lynette realizes a maniac is trying to pick her sisters off one by one and sets off aiming to singlehandedly save her and the other final girls' lives. Grady Hendrix brings all his usual twists and turns, and his commentary on true crime culture and serial killer obsessives is at the same time on point and darkly comical. Expect the unexpected in "The Final Girl Support Group" from start to finish.

As a huge fan of Grady Hendrix and his other books, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. What I wasn't counting on was the fact that I'd devour the entire thing in one night--or that I'd relate to the characters so much. The book is unflinching, funny, scary, and one of the best things I've read this year. I'm glad I'm not a Final Girl...but I do wish I could hang out with them.