We’re at it again, folks. The Night Worms reviewers got together for another #nightwormsbookparty and read THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES by Grady Hendrix. Our friends over at Quirk Books were kind enough to send us each a copy of the book and let me just say: You all do not want to miss this one. This is the first book party that we have ever done where every single reviewer gave 5 stars. ALL OF US. Some of us put it in the top reads of 2020. If that doesn’t scream at you to read this book, then check out these blurbs so they can scream at you even louder.
We have more book parties coming your way really soon, so stay tuned!
PREORDER HERE
“The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a solid 5 stars for me. It’s the perfect mix of horror and humor with characters that will take you on a trip through every last emotion you have. This book is clever, heartwarming and it will definitely put some true crime books on your radar. It’s a joy to read and watch the transformation of each character as they come to their senses or get what's coming to them. It’s a fun book to read and one that I could have easily read in a single sitting if I had the time to do so. I recommend it to all horror fans who like a bit of humor in their books and who also could use a good cry. Just wary, this book is going to give you a huge book hangover. You won’t know what to do with yourself when you’re done.” -pageandparlor
“Horror lovers who enjoy era-specific pop cultural references and a smart blend of vivid character-driven horror and humor will be well pleased. Its everything Hendrix fans have come to expect from his exclusive brand of storytelling: Clever, compelling and plenty of chills. A new favorite!
Full review coming to Cemetery Dance”-mother.horror
“This book is everything I didn't know I wanted it to be. When I started it I convinced myself that it was going to end in a campy way, and I was here for it. But then things got real, really fast, and the story went in a direction that I didn't expect. Hendrix offers up plenty of humor here, but there is a lot more heart than I was expecting, and the more I became entrenched in the life of the protagonist, Patricia, and her book club friends, the higher the stakes became. Mid-book I was fully invested in their lives and sitting on the edge of my seat. Not only that, but there are some amazingly tense and squirm-inducing events in this story. Hendrix knows what makes us scared or uncomfortable, and he expertly inserts those things. By the end of the book, everything has changed, and you feel as if you've been through it with each character. I was shocked to find I had tears in my eyes.” - gowsy33
“I have read and LOVED every one of Hendrix’s books! Maybe it’s his nod to pop culture? I mean nobody writes the 80s and 90s era so well. Or maybe it’s because of his incredible talent to fuse horror and satire so perfectly? Could it be his well-developed characters that you swear you’ve made friends with? Or maybe, it’s because I can relate to his stories in some way and that he’s a damn clever writer? I say it’s all of the above. This is a bloody vampire horror story, but it’s also a sweet story about a group of Southern ladies that read true crime.” -shereadswithcats
“Okay, wow... I daresay I LOVED THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB'S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES MORE THAN MBFE! It's true. Maybe it's just because I'm getting fucking old and it felt more relatable? I don't know but it made me smile so hard. It had so many elements that I look for in a horror book. Scenes so unsettling you feel uncomfortable in your own skin, true crime, BOOK CLUBS, motherhood, supernatural shit and friendships that tested and REAL. I loved this book SO MUCH.” -bookishmommy
“I rate THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB'S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES by Grady Hendrix 5 / 5 stars. The book has everything you come to expect from the author. If you're looking for a throwback story filled with dread and deceit, you get it here. Once you read this book, be prepared to empty your wallet at a local bookstore because once you start reading Grady Hendrix's work you will not want to stop.” - thebookdad
“As a product of the ’80s, this book was chock-full of nostalgic moments for me. It will make you laugh, without feeling like comedy and you will be thrilled without feeling like you need to turn more lights on. While you read, the anticipation will be thick enough that you can cut it with a knife. I was a little intimidated by the heft of this book when I picked it up but, holy hell was this hard to put down!” -keelyfuse85
“This is a solid and easy 5-star read... and it is probably going to land in my top 5 reads of 2020. Being able to make that claim while it is only March is bold, but it is absolutely believable.” - findingmontauk1
“I loved this book. I loved everything about this book, the story, the dialogue, the way that blood runs cold in people's veins, the funny parts, the scary parts, and especially the characters. I've enjoyed the other Grady Hendrix books that I've read, but none of those grabbed me by the throat the way The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires did. I struggle to imagine that I will thoroughly love another book this year like I love this book. I read this 400 pager in about 36 hours because I could not put it down. I read it at night, at meals, and at work (shhh).” - teamredmon
“This was a rollicking good time and just what I needed to get out of my reading funk! Blood, books and baked goods all in one and darker than the cozy mystery it could have been in anyone else but Hendrix's hands.”-readswithdogs
“This was such a wonderful read, and definitely a book that takes you on a journey to a faraway place. I emerged from this feeling a little like Patricia, and wishing to live out some of the tales that are told in books.”-marcyreads
“Let me just say, if you’re a fan of Grady Hendrix, this one is right up your alley. The nostalgia is there, the satire, the humor, gross-out scenes. Everything you’d want from Grady is here. The writing is excellent and easy to follow. Something about Hendrix is just immensely readable, and this one is no different.” -steelrainreviews
“THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUBS GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES had me laughing one minute and scared to turn the page the next. It’s a perfect blend of horror and comedy and by its end, I was so satisfied I felt like I had just finished a plate of biscuits and sausage gravy. This is literary comfort food. Bon appetit, my friends.” -thehorrorhypothesis
“I enjoyed this book tremendously. It has become my favorite Hendrix book. True to form, it is absolutely terrifying yet hilarious. The characters are all well developed and nothing is sugar-coated. Most of the characters in this book are housewives and mothers, just like me. I really identified with them, even though they had wildly different personalities. The husbands were sexist assholes. The children were ungrateful brats. Like I said.... very realistic!” - mrsbeverlygibbs
“With fresh gore and ew inspiring moments, we also have some levity and fun with the vampire/monster tale. Spanning almost a decade, we truly get to see how a monster can truly get his fangs into the meat of this small town. With Hendrix's unique style in the horror genre, we are blessed with another winner of a read.”-wherethereadergrows
“It has been a very long time since I’ve been so wholly consumed and whisked away by a narrative. Lack of time be damned, this book demanded attention. Like being baptized in the middle of a river, a river that is swollen and raging after the storm of the century, that defines my first Grady Hendrix reading experience pretty well: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.” -zakk.madness
“This is a book about a book club slaying vampires, as the title suggests. But it’s also a book about family, about being a wife, about motherhood. It’s a book about forming friendships from unlikely circumstances, and forging bonds that withstand anything life throws at us. It’s about overcoming things that go bump in the night, but also overcoming societal expectations, social norms, and shitty marriages. It’s about being a woman, and women are badass. I can’t recommend it enough!” -holo.reader
