I have not read a lot of horror and wanted to improve my reader’s advisory ability in this genre. This is the first title I read based on the summary on Net[Galley. Although set in the South, I kept picturing a neighborhood similar to the one found in the TV show Desperate Housewives where everything appears perfect but you never truly know who lives next door and what is going on behind closed doors. I really enjoyed the characters and rooted for the book club members as they navigated their daily lives, husbands, children and a vampire. It was creepy at times as well as funny and kept me turning pages until the very end.

If you took "Steel Magnolias" and "Fright Night" and mixed them together, you would get THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB'S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES. Once again Hendrix has managed to make a very fun and quirky idea both quite funny, and greatly upsetting. Patricia is one of his best protagonists, with her determination and spunk that combines with vulnerability and flaws to make a complex and relatable character. I also really liked a number of the book club members, especially Kitty, as they were a varied bunch that managed to move past their given stereotypes. And on top of that, I loved how the villainous role wasn't relegated to the vampire mythos (more on that soon), as Hendrix made some very hateful characters of the ladies's husbands, who don't take their wives seriously and would believe a man they've just met over their wives. Patricia's husband Carter almost beat out James the vampire for the character I hated most. Hendrix's vampire mythos was both rooted in some of the classics, but had some original and unique elements to it that I really liked. James is both frightening but also very appealing in a lot of ways, and I think that the appeal is what you need to make a great vampire villain. Also, props to Hendrix for trying to talk about social justice issues, as the children that the vampire targets are those from a poor, predominantly black neighborhood, so outside of their community no one is really paying attention (there were some clunky things with this side plot, however). I will also say that there was a scene that involved an implied rape and the aftermath, that to me felt unnecessary. There were other ways that we could have hit home the dangers of certain characters, so that didn't sit too well with me as someone who is sick of seeing rape and sexual assault used as a way to up the stakes within a plot.

All that said, I did enjoy "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires". Grady Hendrix is such a stand out horror voice because his ideas are so original.

WOW what an excellent book!! I love the idea of exploring the world built by My Best Friend's Exorcism. the characters were so flawed and beautifully real, and I haven't read a female protag written by a man this well in a long, long time. Well done Mr. Hendrix!!!

I went into this book expecting a campy tale of vampire destruction, e.g. the Buffy the Vampire Slayer film. What I got was a horror-filled psychological thriller with some humorous and heartwarming moments.

A Charleston suburb in the early 90's is the perfect setting as characters begin to question “How well do you really know your neighbor?”. Rats and other creepy crawlies feature prominently. However, the most chilling part of this book is how the vampire exploits the existing power dynamics in the community, whether it is a husband’s power over his wife or the white community’s power over the black community. Hendrix’s has written a thought-provoking and entertaining page-turner.

The way this book is written gives the reader such an easy path through a brilliant story.
I found myself excited to get back to it whenever I could.
Whilst the thought of another vampire book might put some people off, it shouldn’t. Not cheesy or twee in the slightest, this book for sure deserves to be read.

It's early in the year, but "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires" might be my favorite book of 2020. I was absolutely riveted the entire time, and couldn't stop turning pages! One moment, this thrilling new novel feels like chick lit set in the humid south, complete with the palpable pull and obligation of southern manners and hospitality, and descriptions of the region so vivid you can smell the marshes. On the very next page is a jolting left turn into classic vampire horror in all its bloody glory with exciting new twists. Grady Hendrix's characters are equally relatable, frustrating, and lovable in turns, and the novel's commentary on justice, class, race, and the societal milieu of the 1990s is spot on. Expect thrills, chills, commentary on the dark side of "domestic bliss," and plenty of southern charm in this surprisingly empowering book about women's unshakable will and ability to "go the distance."

I read this book in 24 hours. What a wonderful and eclectic mix of vampire horror, Southern social commentary, and true crime references!

Grady Hendrix is able to combine elements of true horror with scenarios bordering on TV sit com — and it always works. The Southern Book Club’s Guide is kind of like the Ya Ya Sisterhood by way of Sam Raimi — entertaining, suspenseful, and gore galore, the way Hendrix does it best. Loved it.

Oh, wow, I have so much love for this book. It's everything I could want in a novel.
You've got your thrills...in a perfectly-plotted, page-turner of a story.
You've got chills...gruesome, skin-crawling, oh-I-don't-know-if-I-can-read-this kind of chills.
You've got humor...which easily holds up to the best of Christopher Moore.
And best of all, you've got friendship. It's not always perfect. It can get messy. But when the ladies of the Southern Book Club team up, their friendship is beautiful and powerful and quite simply a sight to behold.


Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc.

Book Review 📚 The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (Out April 2020)

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️(4.5)/5
Here’s the tea folks - Despite its fluffy title, this is a suspenseful, creepy, gruesome (oh god, the rats) addition to the vampire horror genre.
The @goodreads blurb describes it as "Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula." I would amend that to say "Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Stephen King." This definitely had strong King vibes (think 'Salem's Lot meets The Outsider) and a fun 90's nostalgic vibe.
Having been part of a book club for over a decade, I love that, at its heart, this book is about the relationships forged between the women in the book club and the lengths to which they'll go to protect their family, even their shit, gaslighting husbands! Seriously, they are the worst.
I was surprised by how gory and creepy this one was. For whatever reason, I wasn’t expecting that.
If you're at all squeamish about gore, probably want to skip this one!
But all you horror fans out there, you will NOT want to miss this! I can definitely see this ending up on my top books of 2020.
Thanks to @netgalley and @quirkbooks for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book somehow manages to perfectly capture 90's nostalgia, the social complexities of relationships between genders, classes and races in the southern US, all while telling an incredibly captivating and suspenseful story that I couldn't put down. Highly recommend!

There’s a reason why Grady Hendrix has become one of my favorite authors! Needless to say, he’s written another fantastic read! Once I delved into the story of Patricia and her book loving friends (and sometimes enemies) and the mysterious James Harris, I could NOT stop reading. Seriously, it’s 3:00 a.m. and I’m writing this review! Full of nostalgic 90’s moments with just the right amount of mystery, gore, and horror, this book is a must read!

Once again the incomparable Grady Hendrix mixes gothic and horror genre with flair and style. 10/10 would recommend

I'm always in awe of Grady's work, but this one genuinely terrified me. He's an absolute master at building suspense, and in the first third of the book did it perfectly.

OMG, I love Grady Hendrix! This book is full of terror, excitement & hilarity. I love the character development and you can almost see these southern women banding together. At this point, I will read anything Grady Hendrix publishes. And I have. :) All the stars for this one!

I was drawn in by the premise of this book, but what I came away with was a great appreciation for how Grady Hendrix portrayed the vampire in this story. He was such a weird and unpleasant figure, and the kind of influence he had on the town was frighteningly believable.

I was also impressed with the members of the Southern Book Club, whose exploits in starting and running a very cool book club were just as interesting as the excellent family drama and that whole "fighting a vampire" thing which brings more than enough horror to the table. Really this was just a wonderful read through and through.

Grady Hendrix has done it again. I love his writing so much and this newest book is just freaking awesome! Patricia is my hero, I adore Slick and Mrs Greene heck, the whole book club is just fan-freaking-tastic!
5stars all day long

I thoroughly enjoyed this updated feminist take on a classic horror novel. Well-drawn characters, a great pace, loads of nuance. Cringe-y at times (the cockroach in the ear!) and truly scary all the rest, this book has the makings of a new classic. Can’t wait to see what the author does next.

I loved the title of this book and was intrigued by the description. However, this was not the book I expected...it was so much better! It was also not your typical vampire, shove a stake through his heart and go about your day book. The writing was excellent and kept pulling me along.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This isn't your typical vampire novel. There's no shiny, sparkly undead. There's no romance subplot or existential angst. What you'll find is a book that paints a fairly accurate portrait of living in the South in the 90's if a vampire moved into a small town.