Friday Face Off : Books with ‘book’ in the title
16 July 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Grady Hendrix, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
This week’s theme:
Books with ‘book’ in the title
Hopefully there are plenty of books out there that fit this week’s theme. I’ve gone for a fairly recent book that I really loved. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. Here are this week’s covers:
I think in this instance I’m going to have to plump for the original:
The middle book (top row) did make me laugh. The book on the left (top row) I quite like but it doesn’t seem to fit as well as the original somehow. The cover with the cupcakes made me feel squicky (thanks Bookforager for finding me a new word that sounds exactly like it makes me feel – a combination of squeamish and icky) and, I like the final cover, it’s similar in style and colour to the first – but I prefer the layout of the first.
Do you have a favourite?
I’ve updated the list now to include themes for next year. If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next week – A Black Hole – could be in the universe or going deep into the ground
2021
July
23rd – A Black Hole – could be in the universe or going deep into the ground
30th – Chaos – maybe too much going on in this one
August
6th – “They cluck their thick tongues, and shake their heads and suggest, os so very delicately!” – The Motel
13th – A favourite holiday read
20th – Dressed to kill (could be literally someone dressed to kill, or someone dressed up for a big night out
27th – Sunbathing or on the beach
September (RIP event)
3rd – 1920s feel, noir detective
10th – I’m Henry the Eighth I am – let’s look at Kings or other Emperors/rulers
17th – Books with ‘Murder’ in the title
24th – A favourite thriller
October
1st – A Halloween read
8th – Chills – anything at all that almost makes you too scared to pick up the book (your own pet hate)
15th – Your favourite book of magic
22nd – Books with ‘Queen’ in the title
29th – Must be gothic
November – Sci Fi Month
5th – Your earliest sci-fi read or the first sci-fi you reviewed
12th – A book with ‘star’ in the title
19th – Futuristic vista
26th – A Black Hole – in the universe or going deep into the ground
December
3rd – Windswept, the classic figure, stood majestically, with wind blowing out in a fetching way
10th – A fairytale retold
17th – Winter Solstice approaching – anything cold and seasonal
24th – All things fire – red hair, red covers, fire breathing dragons, simply fire?
31st – What’s your catnip – if it’s on a cover you have to pick it up
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
8 June 2020
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Grady Hendrix, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
My TL:DR Five Word Review : Southern bookclub meets supernatural horror.
I loved the idea of TSBCGtSV as soon as I read the description and decided to pick up a copy in audio – which turned out to be a great choice. The narration was excellent and I had a really good time with this one.
Patricia Campbell is a mom and housewife in this 90s South Carolina tale. Her life is chaotic as she rushes from one thing to the next in her busy day but at the same time she longs for a little something more, which is how she finds herself joining a book club and making friends. Life seems to be good right up to the point where a neighbour attacks her and tries to bite off her ear, after that, well, things are never quite the same again.
A new neighbour has moved into town, James Harris. James came to look after his elderly aunt and ends up sticking around and Patricia seems strangely drawn to him and to helping him find his feet, even inviting him to take part in the monthly book club meetings, going even further and inviting him into her home. Things are peachy until children start to go missing and Patricia and her friends begin to join the dots and wonder whether the new arrival to town and the disappearing children are coincidental or not.
Dubbed ‘Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula’ – this was an entertaining ride, although to be clear, the only resemblance to Dracula is the inclusion of a vampire and a few other supernatural tidbits – which isn’t to say this wasn’t a good read because frankly I had a ridiculously good time with it. Very entertaning. Downright bloody in parts, without doubt creepy as hell on occasion, very creepy in fact, and with an ick factor ending that I never envisaged, and I am talking Ick.
Now, to be sure there are a few little things that I would point out. Annoying things – not deal breakers for me but definite irritants. I all but wanted to punch Patricia’s husband in his face – seriously this guy, and a few of the others annoyed the bejesus out of me. Like I said though, it didn’t stop me being hooked. There was also a bit of a surprising time jump at one point in the story. I really didn’t see that coming and it was a little perplexing at first. But, as mentioned, this book definitely kept me hooked.
In terms of characters, Patricia is the main person we get a feel for and probably the most well rounded although I had no difficulty forming a picture of the others. James is a creepy character, not just because of the fundamental monster that he is but because he’s so self assured. He knows how to play people, how to recognise them, their needs, desires and dreams and he is a player, a con man who basically manipulates people and makes them think he’s the good guy.
What really worked for me with this particular book was that it’s so very different from what I expected. On top of that there is this whole element of crazy, entertaining fun. It might not be perfect. I had a few issues here and there but eagerness to continue with the book was never one of them.
I bought an audio copy from Audible. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars




