Hendrix has used the final girl theme to create a gripping, clever horror story. The callbacks to classic slasher films are sure to appeal to any horror film buffs, but the exploration of trauma and resilience push it past a generic slasher tale. Once again, Hendrix provides us with a thrilling, character-driven journey.

As usual, this lived up to Grady Hendrix standards. Pleasantly amusing, and not at all predictable. I liked that the main character had some moral ambiguity, especially when it came to her survival. Highly recommend, even to non-horror readers.

The Final Girl Support Group started out intriguing and compelling to read, but somewhere it seemed to take a turn and in the end just sort of ended up being "meh" and just OK. Definitely think that I prefer Hendrix's early books to this one.

I wasn’t too sure about this book at first. I started it and then it was weeks before I came back to it.

I’m glad that I did.

While the beginning didn’t fully hook me, once the action got started, I couldn’t put this book down. The concept of the Final Girl is always one that I’ve enjoyed and Grady Hendrix found a way to make it feel new, while honoring all the final girl trope that’s come before. It felt incredibly meta and was a real love story to all the final girls of classic slasher films.

Overall, this book just felt fun. There were moments when I wasn’t entirely certain which direction it was going to head, but I was more than happy to be along for the ride. I can see this being a fantastic summer read for horror readers.

The Final Girl Support Group is made up of women who survived massacres that readers will recognize from classic horror films. Readers are introduced to the women several decades after their respective massacres, when the characters are considering ending the support group and moving on with their lives. When one of them is murdered and another attacked, the main character, Lynnette, challenges her own fears to figure out who is targeting final girls.

This is easily my favorite Grady Hendrix novel so far. I never thought I'd experience a jump-scare from a book, but somehow he nailed it. For the most part though, this is less a horror story and more a story for horror fans. There is a lot of tension that puts the reader on edge, but most of it does not quite reach the level of terror or dread that horror novels require. Most of my enjoyment came from understanding the references, which added another layer of storytelling without making the book 600 pages long.

A fast-paced horror novel that keeps you in suspense. Not Hendrix's best, but still a compelling horror novel. Some of the message gets muddled (effectively skewering some tropes while unironically employing some offensive ones when it comes to the one Black character.) Good read for fans of slasher films.

This is my third book by this author and I'm just not that impressed. It's a bunch of 80s camp horror. I felt like I was watching boring Halloween movies that weren't scary. It also reminded me alot of Riley Sager's Final Girls.

Author Grady Hendrix sets out to answer not only where those ever-popular slasher flicks originate, but also what happens to those ‘final girls’ who are so often the last person standing at the end of the movie. What sort of psychological damage has been wrought on those characters, and how many years of therapy might it take to recover from such horrific incidents? Lynnette Tarkington may have an idea, though some of the other women in her long time support group don’t even consider her a real ‘final girl.’ She has been meeting with the other final girls and their therapist, Dr. Carol, for years, but even now trust is a hard commodity to develop within the group. Lynnette, who has been living her life always looking over her shoulder with the certainty that someone is out to get her, is abruptly proved correct when someone attempts to murder her in her own apartment. Suddenly, she’s on the run, trying to unmask her adversary, and doing everything she can to save all the final girls along the way. Plucky little Lynette has a backup plan for this, though, and while they might verbally snipe at each other in group, the final girls will work together to defend each other against their monsters.

This fast-paced thriller will trap you with anticipation of what will happen next. There is a fair amount of violence, though for the most part the descriptions avoid getting too gruesome. I found the story to be exciting and even darkly funny at times, but with the extreme paranoia of the main character, some of the actions are almost unbelievably over the top – putting it solidly in line with the most popular classic slasher flicks out there. Recommended to anyone who enjoys their thrillers or horror with a touch of dark humor and a considerable amount of paranoia. Especially for those fans of movies such as Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream, Friday the 13th, and other such films. Anyone who is a fan of classic slasher flicks will feel right at home between the pages of this book.

This is your classic Grady Hendrix novel, so basically a movie in written form. It was just as fun as any of his other novels and this may be more of a hit than others, though the idea isn't exactly original in my eyes. The look into where a final girl comes from, the take from the old school movie franchises was interesting, but I would have liked something new, innovative, but still it was fun!

This is another great book by Grady Hendrix. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my chair, just like a good horror movie. My review for Monster Librarian is forthcoming.

I sadly didn't like this much & couldn't wait for it to end. I normally enjoy his books, but this one being more true to life, no supernatural/paranormal elements, felt too harsh & less fun. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't such a fan of his.

This was a very fun trope for a book premise, the final girl. Grady Hendrix books are always so fun for me. This one was a really good mix of fun and gore that somehow works.

I'm sort of torn on this one. I loved the premise and much of the writing, but I felt like a little something was lacking for me. Maybe it'll be a creeper where the more I think on it, the more I grow to love it. I know a whole host of patrons who will love it, so we will be purchasing a few copies for the library. Thank you!

Such a fun read! Everything Grady Hendrix writes creeps me out in a fun new way! A fast paced thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. There are several characters which can be tough to keep track of, but the more you read, the more you understand.

Are you a fan of the old slasher movies? Did you find yourself screaming at the teenagers not to go into the basement? The movies where there would be one line girl who survived the massacre by killing the deranged monster. She is what’s referred to as a Final Girl. This is their story!

Lynette is a final girl. Though some others have a hard time calling her that since she never actually killed her monster. But she is part of the support group with five other Final Girls. Though it seems that the ties that bind are quickly fraying.

These women can never seem to completely move forward as there is always some fan who wants their moment of fame by bringing the past to life. Could one of these deranged Final Girl Buff’s now be hunting the remaining girls? Is Lynette the only one who believes they are in danger? Can she save her fellow survivors before it’s too late?

It’s difficult to put in words how I felt about this book. I thought the writing was great and it held my attention and kept me wanting to know how it all turned out.

So perhaps it was the subject matter itself. I was a fan of these movies when I was younger. But maybe not so much anymore.🤷🏻‍♀️. I do like my thrillers dark, but this seemed especially dark and somewhat gruesome as the massacres were detailed.

This was my first read by this author, and I am definitely interested to see what he comes up with next.

A buddy read with Susanne!

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing via NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Review also posted on the Blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Complete Insanity!

Women who’ve Survived the Unthinkable Only to Face it All Over Again.

They are “The Final Girl Support Group” and they meet in secret. They have always thought they were the toughest, most bada$$ women out there.

Turns out they were wrong.

That’s right: These women survived massacres and are now known as “Final Girls.” Once again, they are being hunted down and killed and this time there’s no stopping whoever is responsible, as the culprit wants every last one of them wiped out.

Folks, let me just say that this book is Bat-Sh&t Crazy. And I’m talking Completely Crazy with a side of Tartar Sauce. Throw in some Mayonnaise and a Cat-Fight and I would have run screaming.

What started as intriguing and wildly entertaining, bordered on somewhat ridiculous as the book went on, and soon became a little too much for me to handle.

For me, this book was kind of like Thanksgiving Dinner. Wholly enjoyable at first until you eat too much and then it’s simply too much.

If you like Totally Convoluted, Completely Bat-Sh&t Crazy Storylines, this book is Most Definitely for You!

A buddy read with Kaceey that left us both reeling.

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley for the arc.

Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.

After tackling haunted furniture stores, high school exorcisms, devilish rock n roll cults, and vampire slaying book club ladies, Grady Hendrix takes on the "final girl" trope in his latest novel. When one of the members of her therapy group misses a meeting, Lynnette Tarkington knows deep in her heart that something isn't right. Determined to prove herself, she goes on a crazy non-stop thrill ride, trying to piece together the mystery that's threatening to upend the lives of herself and the other group members.

That's about all I can say without spoiling anything. It's an entertaining and action-packed read. As violent and gorey as the slasher movies it's based on. Despite my absolute annoyance at the main character's personality and behavior, I finished it in one sitting. Slashers are my least favorite horror subgenre. However, Hendrix does a great job putting his spin on a trope that, in my opinion, has been done to death. It's not my favorite of his and it's not my least favorite- but it is consistent with Hendrix's theme of female empowerment, which you see throughout his novels. I've been a fan of Grady Hendrix since Horrorstör, and I'll continue to read anything that he writes.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens to the final girls in the horror movies after the credits roll? They join a support group.

If you like dark horror slasher novels with a unique writing style and subversive themes, then you might enjoy this book.

First off, I loved this book. I thought it was well-written and compelling, with a critical yet subtle examination of the inherent sexism underlying a lot of horror tropes, especially within the slasher genre. However, I don't think this book is suited for all readers, even those who typically like darker literature. For starters, this book is really dark. It isn't excessively gory or graphic, but it also doesn't shy away from delving into the physically and psychologically traumatic aspects of mass-killings. This could easily be triggering for some readers. Additionally, there are a lot of characters and their backstories are given in bits and pieces throughout the book, so it can be difficult to remember who is who (and what happened to who, etc.). Also, the writing style is very strong and distinct, which might be off-putting to some readers--for me, personally, it took a bit to really "get into" the writing style, but once I did, it was a home run. Finally, while there are mystery elements in the book, it is not a mystery novel; it is most definitely a horror novel that provides a modern perspective on 80s slasher movies.

Alright. Now, with all of those caveats out of the way, let's get into the things I enjoyed. As I mentioned above, this book was a modern take on 80s slasher movies. It took all of the aspects that made 80s horror so distinct and entertaining and critiqued it, turning it on its head, and implementing modern elements, bringing 80s horror into the modern era. I found its examination of modern mass-killings and the effects it has on both the survivors as well as society itself to be seamlessly worked into the fabric of the story. It investigates both personal and collective trauma, incorporates themes of female empowerment, and investigates the role that feminism plays in the horror genre. There were strong themes of sisterhood and found family throughout the novel, which I enjoyed. Even though the characters were sometimes hard to keep track of, they were all fleshed-out and distinct people that interacted with one another in believable ways. I loved the relationships that the characters developed throughout the book. Also, without giving too much away the ending was immensely satisfying (which was especially wonderful since a lot of horror books have sloppy, wrap-it-up endings that leave a sour taste in the mouth--not so with this book, which made you want to savor the ending like a chocolate cupcake).

Overall, this book satisfied my weird, niche horror tastes and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys 80s horror and female empowerment as much as I do.

Let me start by saying that I've LOVED all of Grady Hendrix's other books. His books got me into reading horror! I really wanted to love The Final Girl Support Group, but it just didn't hit home for me. The plot description sounded thrilling and horrifying, and I enjoy the "Final Girl" trope in books and movies. However, I couldn't really get into this. I felt disconnected from the characters. There were parts of the books that I enjoyed, including learning about the backstories of the final girls, Dani's relationship, and the encounter with Chrissy. Overall, this book was just okay (which was disappointing).

Grady Hendrix never ceases to amuse, entertain, and scare me. He is consistently one of my favorite writers. I loved his blend of horror and humor. The Final Girls Support Group is definitely going to be a new favorite of mine. All Hendrix's novels tackle a different horror trope and this one tackles the idea of final girls.