“One is none, and two is one”

Grady Hendrix has a knack for writing really weird books. I mean did you read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Vampire Slaying?? If you didn’t see my review HERE. If you did, than you know that while his books are classified as horror stories, they’re generally way more than your typical horror stories.

So what is a Final Girl? A Final Girl is a common trope in horror films such as Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The Final Girl is the last girl or women that is left alive and ends up confronting the killer, generally killing them in the process. In this book, Hendrix is exploring what happens to those girls and how they cope with and struggle to keep on living.

Lynnette Tarkington survived her monster 22 years ago. Nothing about her life is normal. Now she’s struggling with anxiety and counts on her monthly sessions with her fellow Final Girls to get through things. After 16 years of relaying on the other 5 girls within the group, Lynnette is going to need to face that the ties that bond them all together are quickly fraying. But when one of the girls ends up murdered and another attacked, Lynnette is positive that someone has it out for the Final Girls. Now if only she can get her act together, she might be able to save not just herself but the other final girls as well.

Y’all this book is crazy.

It’s a completely fast paced, page turning thriller. Each final girl introduced within the story is based off an old school movie.

Dani based on Halloween

Julia based on Scream

Heather based on The Nightmare on Elm Street

Adrienne based on Friday the 13th

Marilyn based on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

I really enjoyed the way Hendrix introduced each of the character’s stories and tied them to the plot line. I’m not a huge slasher/horror movie fan but even for me I felt myself pulled into the story. I’ll also say that while this book is entirely based on the classic horror movies, it’s less ‘scary’ than I thought it would be. There is definitely gore, violence, and murder within the story, so if any of those items are triggers for you I would advise not to read this book, but it isn’t ‘Can’t sleep without the lights on’ scary. I’d almost categorize this story as more Thriller than Horror, but that is just my personal opinion.

I know some people will think automatically of Riley Sager’s Final Girls which released a few years ago, but they are completely different. They both deal with the trope of ‘Final Girls’ but that is where their similarities stop. Sager’s is more of a classic whodunnit mystery/thriller, while Hendrix’s story is based solely upon the classic slasher films. Hendrix’s is by far a more entertaining and faster pace horror story.

In true Hendrix fashion, The Final Girls Support Group, is a mesh between a Thriller and Campy horror story. It’s incredibly fast paced, with lots of distinct characters. If you loved the era of slasher films, campy horror movies, and fast paced stories than this book is for you.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | ★★★★

The Final Girls Support Group comes out July 13, 2021.  Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books.