Halloween Book Club Review: “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix

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Back in the spring of 2018, I decided to combine my love of Halloween and reading by starting a book club.

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It’s undergone a little makeover this summer and is now called The Halloween Book Club. Our main hub is this Facebook group, but I’ve also created an Instagram account for those who don’t do Facebook. Learn more over here and join us!

We read books quarterly, and each quarter has a theme. For this summer, we read a book about vampires: “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix, in fact. Such an appropriate title for our group!

When I can manage it, I share reviews of the books we read. I also share the final list of discussion questions so anyone else who has read the novel can chime in!

 

 

For a bit of background, here’s what “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is about:

Steel Magnolias meets Dracula in this ’90s-set horror novel about a women’s book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town, perfect for murderinos and fans of Stephen King.
 
Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor’s handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind—and Patricia has already invited him in. 
 
Little by little, James will insinuate himself into Patricia’s life and try to take everything she took for granted—including the book club—but she won’t surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

 

 

What I Liked

Maybe it’s because I’m a southerner, but I am drawn to books set in this region of the United States which primed me to enjoy “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires”. It took about 50 pages for the story to get going, but once it did I had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to know what happened next!

I liked watching Patricia fight back against the patriarchy (well, as much as she could) as the story built and cheered her on at every step. I enjoyed the way James Harris’ story unfolded, for the most part. I appreciated the uniquely southern touches – I could taste those cheese straws the ladies munched on at the club meeting. I didn’t even mind the more gruesome moments of this book – like that cockroach or the bathtub scene at the end.

After recently reading the novelization of “Hocus Pocus” and being lost in the action in half the sequel, I also really appreciated how every action sequel was laid out. The writing is clear and concise without being overly simple.

 

 

What I Disliked

For as much as I enjoyed this book, it had its flaws. I wanted more. I wanted a better explanation of the vampire mythology – how James came to be, if there were others like him in the world, if he could truly be killed. I wanted more about Mrs. Greene and how James Harris terrorized her neighborhood – I honestly think the entire novel would have been more interesting from her point of view. I wanted that asshole Carter to pay for everything he put Patricia through. She deserved so much more than what she got.

And I wanted needed a clear statement that James was actually killed when the women hacked him into pieces in that bathtub and threw his body into garbage bags to be buried. There’s so way in hell he’s actually dead…right?

The longer I sit with this book and think about the end, the less satisfied I am with it.

 

 

Would I recommend it?

Yes. Satisfying ending or not, it was a fun, quick read – perfect for summer!

Plus, Grady Hendrix has another novel that also takes place in the same town called “My Best Friend’s Exorcism”. Looking forward to reading that next.

 

 

Discussion Questions

If you’ve read “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” before or read it for the book club, you can join the discussion in the comments of this blog post by answering one of these questions OR sharing your own mini-review of the novel!

  1. How do you think “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” stacks up in the vampire genre? What does it add to the genre? What does it get wrong? And what does it blatantly ignore, if anything?
  2. What do you think it is that sets Patricia apart from the other women and makes HER the one who unravels when it comes to James Harris?
  3. Is James Harris really dead? And, as a bonus, were you satisfied with the ending? If not, how would you have changed it?
  4. What did you love about this book? What did you hate about it?

 

 

The Halloween BOOK CLUB FALL 2020 PICK

The fall 2020 pick of the Spooky Little Book Club will be announced in the Facebook group and on the Instagram account on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Our theme for the fall is a graphic novel, which I’m excited about! I’ve already got one book I want to recommend…mostly because it’s been sitting on my nightstand all summer, begging to be read.

If you’re on Facebook, I encourage you to join us over there so you can also be a part of recommending and voting for books each season as well as join in the other book and Halloween fun we share!

 

Happy reading,

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, Spooky Little Halloween will earn a small commission for the referral at no cost to you. Read more about affiliates & disclaimers here. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 

Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween

Miranda is the Houston-based writer, blogger, and Halloween lover behind Spooky Little Halloween, the blog celebrating October 31st all year long. Her favorite Halloween things include pumpkin guts, chocolate bars in her trick-or-treat pail, real haunted houses (including the one she lives in!), and historic cemeteries.

4 Comments

  1. Reply

    jennifer

    August 11, 2020

    I need to get this one, sounds like fun. I’ve read “My Best Friend’s Exorcism” and liked it a lot. I started with his “Horrorstor” and recommend that too. Very creepy yet a fresh take on the haunted house, especially effective if you happen to have a little claustrophobia.

    • Reply

      Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween

      August 11, 2020

      I just got “My Best Friend’s Exorcism” but haven’t started it yet. Curious to hear how “The Southern Book Club’s Guide” stacks up to the other two for you, Jennifer.

  2. Reply

    Mer

    August 17, 2020

    Sad he’s a horrible jerk in real life.
    Love this site BTW. It’s been a dark blessing during this mess.

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