My Best Friend's Exorcism

Reviews

• Michelle

  Finished October 28, 2021

  I read this with a few people on Instagram for a buddy read. They helped make the reading enjoyable for me and also helped me because I’m a scaredy-cat. Having their assurance that it wasn’t a scary horror book like The Exorcist movie helped. My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix was fun and filled with so much nostalgia. I figured if I can survive watching the Fear Street movies on Netflix for the nostalgia than I could give the buddy read a try and I’m glad I did. There is some horror in this enough that I learned not to listen to this while walking the dogs late at night. I read the vhs paperback edition (loved that book cover the most) and also the audiobook whenever I was walking and such. The story is set in the 1980s so there is so much nostalgia for me. It’s really thick on friendship and I loved that. I’m looking forward to reading Grady Hendrix’s other books.

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• Laurynn

  Finished September 1, 2026

  ★★★★★ My Best Friend's Exorcism follows Abby and Gretchen, two best friends navigating the ups and downs of teenage life in the 1980s. But when Gretchen begins acting strangely after a night in the woods, Abby starts to suspect that something much more sinister might be happening to her best friend. I absolutely loved this book. It was nostalgic, disturbing, and campy in all the best ways. The horror, writing, characters, and hardcore '80s vibes all came together to make this such a fun reading experience. I also loved the little details Grady Hendrix included, like every chapter being named after an '80s song. The amount of effort that went into creating the atmosphere of this book really shows. The friendship between Abby and Gretchen was one of my favorite parts. I loved these characters even when they frustrated me or made me feel bad for them, and their friendship felt genuinely realistic. Their love for one another survives an *actual demon possession*, which is really the ultimate test of friendship when you think about it. The school setting also felt surprisingly nostalgic. Kids can be vicious, and I think Hendrix captured that weird period of life where we're all just slightly grown children trying to figure out who we are. Some people sit quietly on the outskirts while others are loud and right in the center. The descriptions of the social dynamics at school especially reminded me of how the popular kids always seemed to occupy the center of the cafeteria while everyone else found their place around the edges. Honestly, it feels like such a perfect analogy for what being a teenager is actually like. Grady Hendrix always knows exactly when to add humor, and the balance between the campiness, horror, and genuinely disturbing moments worked perfectly for me. The story was unsettling but equally entertaining, and I was completely engaged from beginning to end. His pacing, atmosphere, and ability to create such a specific vibe are always perfection. The ending gave me the emotional payoff I wanted, and overall, this was just a five-star experience from beginning to end. If you already love Grady Hendrix, you'll probably understand exactly why this one worked so well for me. And if you haven't read anything by him before, I honestly think this would be a great introduction to what he's all about.

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• Wispy

  Started January 20, 2026 · Finished January 22, 2026

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• Kinsey

  Started August 11, 2025 · Finished August 13, 2025

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• Charley

  Finished November 30, 2025

  4.5⭐️ This book was so good, I docked half a star for Max though, that was diabolical! He was such a good boy 😭

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