My Best Friend’s Exorcism By Grady Hendrix 
Reviewed by: Atlas Agunod, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Horror, Coming-of-age
Suggested age: Teens and Adults
What is This Book About? The year is 1988 and Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since the fourth grade. They’re in their sophomore year now and are in the middle of enjoying their adolescence when the unexpected happens. Gretchen goes missing in the woods during a sleepover. The two are reunited the next morning, but Abby notices that something is…off about Gretchen. She stops showering, she hardly speaks to anybody, and she starts talking about urban legends of a local cult like they really exist. As Gretchen’s health and relationships begin deteriorating, Abby concludes that Gretchen has been possessed by a demon. Of course, nobody believes her when she tries to seek help for her best friend. So how will Abby save Gretchen? Is she really possessed, or are they both just crazy? Most importantly, will their friendship stand the test of demonic possession?
My Review: I loved this book so much. I listened to the audiobook version on a road trip with my mom, who was born the same year as the main character. The amount of times she would say, “Oh my gosh, I haven’t heard that in forever!” when somebody mentioned a celebrity, a song, or some other random 80’s trend told me just how authentic this book was in capturing the 80’s. The story was encapsulating right from the start. I cried and laughed with the main character throughout the whole thing. The author did an excellent job in painting all of the characters as well as the small town they lived in. This book really filled out every space it was trying to cover. It was scary when it needed to be, funny when the moment called for it, and heartwarming when the time came.
Rating: 5/5
Three words that describe this book: silly, creepy, heartwarming
Give this a try if you like: Stranger Things, IT, comedic horror, 80’s nostalgia
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
