Such an iconic book! Love this.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy.

I read this ages ago and forgot to give feedback, but I did LOVE it. Hendrix is one of my favorite horror authors working today and this book is a fantastic intro to his work.

"It was a terrible plan, but Abby was all out of clever." (pg 263)

The effort to read books from my own shelves in August continue with an arc I picked up at BEA forever ago. My copy looks like a high school yearbook and Grady signed it, "Kristie, Only the Most Hardcore Librarians work the county system. Rock on! Grady"
My apologies to Mr. Hendrix in how long it took me to sit down and read this heavy brick of awesomesauce. I loved it. It wasn't just the 80's references, it was the way he nailed the relationship of two young best friends. All of the horror (and it's pretty horrifying) is just icing on this cupcake.
I was all in. I was also laughing so hard at some points coffee shot out my nose, but that's to be expected from Hendrix. I love his work and Quirk books sooooo much. I recommend [b:Horrorstör|13129925|Horrorstör|Grady Hendrix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1414314217l/13129925._SX50_.jpg|18306052] constantly.

This ended up being a perfect summer read too. Much of the action takes place in the summer, and the early days of fall.

So, my lateness is not personal, Grady. I've been really trying to focus for the past couple of years on diversifying my authors.
I bet this would have been an awesome audio book to listen to!

Another intriguing, quirky, and original horror/suspense novel from Grady Hendrix.
Hendrix has carved a very good niche for himself in publishing - each of his novels offers an original, engaging twist on a popular horror/suspense trope. MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM is creepy, funny, and gripping.
Well-written, engaging, and populated by interesting characters. Definitely recommended.

This was a fun read because of all the references to 80's culture. Anyone who was a teenager at that time will recognize the references, and probably cringe while remembering their own 80's experiences. I wouldn't recommend this for a book club, but would recommend this for independent reading and entertainment. A few sections in the book were pretty high on the ick factor and the detailed description made it even more gross. Great fun and kind of a coming of age book.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I loved the friendship between the two girls and really appreciated the 80s references

It took me a while to pick this up, but once I did I really enjoyed this book! It was fun and creepy, managed to make me laugh and cry, and thoroughly grossed me out.

Such a great book! And as a child of the 80's, all the 80's references just takes it to another level! This book takes place in 1988, and Abby and Gretchen are best friends. While experimenting with LSD, one weekend, at a friend's remote cabin, Gretchen is lost and found shivering and terrified in an abandoned old shack. Things start happening. And they all seem to be happening when Gretchen is around. Can 2 best friends prove stronger than a demon? With all the scares of a 80's B horror movie and all the 80's references, this is a win-win for me!!

So fun! High school besties from the right and wrong side of the tracks, some 80’s references, a demonic possession - what could possibly go wrong? I’m not a huge horror fan and got a great kick out of this.

I can't believe I forgot to review this book!

This was an October read for me, and a perfect one at that. Who would have thought a coming of age, friendship, possession tale could mix so well?

It had its rough points - there was some definite gross-out moments I could have done without (but this is also the first horror book I've ever read - I am typically not a horror fan), but there were also some shining moments that drew the whole thing together and made it worth the read.

The reason I had picked it up was because I was hoping it would skew more campy - the title had me hoping for it. It took itself more seriously than I was expecting; it did have its moments (a scene near the end will forever stand out to me), but overall it leaned more horror than camp, which I wasn't quite expecting based off that glorious title.

All in all, quite wonderfully weird, and I will definitely try more Grady Hendrix in the future.

This was a great read, as enjoyable as Horrorstor. Unfortunately, I neglected to review it at the time and I don't think I could do credit to it now.

I didn't have a clue what to expect when I went in to this book, but I sure as heck didn't expect this!

How to describe this book...? I think the best description is that this is a 'buddy book.' Take a look at the title, <em>My Best Friend's Exorcism</em>. The word "Exorcism" is likely to be the word that attracts attention to the potential reader, and certainly let's a potential audience know what they'll be facing within the pages, but it's the term "best friend" that defines the story.

It is the 1980's. Abby and Gretchen are best friends and have been since elementary school. But once they get to high school something changes. Gretchen isn't herself. She hangs with a different crowd. She teases Abby. She's clearly ... well, possessed. Why else would a best friend act so differently, right? But only Abby seems to see the difference in Gretchen ... the possession. Until, that is, a troupe of evangelists visit the school and the entire student body is required to sit and listen to their presentation and one of the troupe members points ... directly at Gretchen! ... and says that he knows she is possessed.

It's all the proof Abby needs to focus her attention on getting Gretchen - her best friend! - the help she deserves. But by doing so, Abby's grades drop. She is accused of malicious activities herself - activities that she has difficulty proving she didn't commit - and it is Abby who appears to have changed upon entering high school, and not Gretchen. Not only must Abby fight for her friend, she will suffer to do so.

The story rambles just a little bit as we wonder if this is a horror novel? A YA brooding story of lost friendships? Something else entirely? We spend just a little too much time getting the gist of Abby's obsession with 'fixing' Gretchen and the effect it is having on her own life. This probably could have been cut in half and had the same effect.

But the ending ... man, this ending is strong! Tear-jerker strong! And completely unexpected.

Grady Hendrix's writing is solid and let's the reader immerse him/herself in the world. Some lines may seem a little heavy-handed when read alone, but in the context of the story are just powerful:
<blockquote>"You keep rescuing me and I don't know why ... But every day I tell myself life must be worth something because you keep saving it."

...

"You're my best friend, and my mirror, and my reflection, and you are me, and you are everything I love and everything I hate, and I will never give up on you."</blockquote>
The scenes of the evangelist working to exorcise the demon from Gretchen are comic and heart-warming. I could only picture John Candy from the 80's playing this role. And Hendrix plays this perfectly because we needed a little comic relief at this moment, but it never loses the integrity of the story or the sense of drama occurring during the scene. It's a tricky bit of writing and Hendrix navigates it well.

This is easily one of the best surprises I've come across in my reading in some time. It falls just shy of five stars because of the too-long set-up of Abby being consumed by the need to save her friend.

Looking for a good book? My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix is a powerful, touching drama with a hint of supernatural that will have you reaching for tissues as you get to the end.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The genre for this title is a bit misleading because while it definitely had its share of frights, it most resembled a suspense/mystery. The book itself is a fun read that grabs the reader's attention right off the bat not just because of the plot, but because of the nostalgia factor. Regardless if one grew up in the 80s, it's fun to travel back in time and reminisce about what was popular then and the numerous trends. "My Best Friend's Exorcism" seamlessly weaves those minor details in a way that help drive the plot without inundating the reader with too much of it.

The plot and its characters were interesting and unique enough that readers are able to identify with some aspect of what was happening. I would say the real strength of the book lies in the friendship between Abby and Gretchen, not so much the "exorcism." Friendships at any age are difficult, but these characters proved that as long as you have one good friend who is willing to stick with you through it all, is all you need. It was nice to see that reflected in a book in such a humorous, yet courageous manner.

The book was not perfect by any means and the ending left much to be desired, but overall, it's a lighthearted read that I would recommend to my teen readers, especially during Halloween.

I have mixed feelings about this book so I am a little torn as to how to rate it. I found the opening chapters engaging and then it hit a bit of a lull for me. I returned after a short break and the narrative really picked up and kept my attention right until the end. However, I felt the story picked up to such a point that the ending was a little rushed. Overall, I enjoyed the story but had trouble with its pacing, this may just be me and I would still certainly recommend this to others who enjoy disturbing stories set in the 80's as it was great for a nostalgic read!

It's like a rollerskating, neon, TCBY flavored version of The Exorcist.

This was such a kick in the nostalgia. I was just a few years behind these girls, so it was super easy to relate to them. Absolutely loved the chapters/section being song titles and they definitely set the mood for each.

But, this isn't all fun & flashbacks. There's some adult overtones (possible sexual assault and drug use). As well as some completely gruesome/revolting scenes including a nice little nod to one of my favorite 80s horror films, The Stuff.

Highly recommend checking this one out!

*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher.

A fantastic mix of nostalgia, horror and old high school friends. This was on par, if not BETTER than Horrorstor!

Very creepy. Defiantly caught my eye. Great title and premise for a good story

I was REALLY REALLY freaked out by this one. I'm typically not a huge fan of the paranormal genre, but this one was definitely the exception.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions - it was such a surprisngly accurate take on what I think a teenager would have acted like in the 80's with a dash of Mean Girls and Stranger Things!. The characters were well developed and the plot was well paced. Would recommend.