Praiseworthy Pages

Reader Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (4/5 stars)

To my friends who (like me) have a tendency to judge a book by its cover: the title of this novel gives off a sort of bright, peachy, feel-good vibe (which, I freely admit, there’s a lot in this book that made me feel good, but mostly from a the viewpoint of my feminist heart going, “Heck yeah! Preach!”). However, if you’ve picked this book up expecting Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Twilight but where the vampire’s evil, you’re in for a shock. This book is not for the faint of heart.

That being said, I loved this book. I gobbled it up, even though it made me double-check the locks on my doors and avoid looking out a dark window at night in case some terrifying figure happened to be out there (my blinds stayed vehemently closed for over a week!). I reveled in the heat of the feminist rage the main character blazed in. The fact that this novel is written by a man makes me want to throw a party because he just gets it, and his work is so well done. I immediately recommended this book to a friend (one I knew would be able to handle it and likely appreciate it like I do). It’s an un-put-downable novel, to be sure, so don’t leap in unless you’re certain you’re up to the task!

Language: 7/10 (Occasional swearing).
Sex: 5/10 (Occasional references to and depictions of sex).
Violence and gore: 3.5/10 (Frequent violence, occasional depictions of gore, disturbingly detailed).

Plot: 10/10 (Five housewives battling against misogyny, a monster, and the fact that everyone ignores a growing threat? Sign me up!)
Characters: 10/10 (Patricia Campbell’s character captivated me with her utter humanness almost instantly. I loved that I could envision myself in her shoes so easily due to her relatable character. Also, the book club girls were all so unique, so fun, so different! Some characters infuriated me. Others made me laugh out loud. What an incredibly diverse and profound cast).
Writing style: 8/10 (Hendrix’s writing style could win–and has won–awards. This novel is the first I’ve read of his work, but it will definitely not be the last).

Genre: Adult literature, horror, fantasy fiction, realistic fiction
Potential triggers: Murder, pedophilia, gaslighting, betrayal, sexism, racism, rape, suicide, body horror, etc.
Is this book part of a series? No.
I would recommend this book to readers aged 21+.

Review written by: Abbie H.