You Should Give This A Try: My Best Friend’s Exorcism

Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act…different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?

It is worth noting that I listened to My Best Friend’s Exorcism.  It was an enjoyable book to listen to because I could not just breeze through the disgusting parts. I really had to “experience” them. Yes there are some really disgusting parts in this book so I suppose this counts as your official warning!  My only complaint is that the reader sucks at yelling and/or hollering.  It was really a pathetic attempt in my opinion.  I cringed when I anticipated a need for yelling.  Aside from that tiny complaint, I liked listening.

So going into this book I expected it to be cheesy.  In the beginning it sort of was because the description of the girls’ friendship was wonderfully cheesy in a very eighties way.  Then it slowly began getting serious the further along I got.  Midway through I felt guilty for wanting to laugh because I knew that the references to demonic possession and eighties song lyrics were not meant to be funny necessarily.  I suppose dark humor rings true with this story.

Despite the topics of demonic possession, evil beings and exorcism, a beautiful female friendship shines through.  The friendship of Abby and Gretchen is really the main thread in this novel.  It was really an honest depiction of friendship experiencing hardships that is beyond your control.  One friend really wants to show their support and be there for the other.  However, what do you do when your friend is being a crazy bitch?  It makes it extremely difficult to be their friend.  That is an honest and true response.  You want to walk away and say F. U.  This is demonstrated in the book despite Abby being drawn back in to come to Gretchen’s aide.  It was refreshing to see a high school female friendship that was cheesy in a fun way and not focused on their interactions with boys.  Unless you consider a demon a boy.  Then I guess that is not a true statement.  Then again is demonic possession a real hardship? Call it what you want. I guess that is for you decide on your on!

While I would love to gross you out with all the details of the exorcism and horrify you with the bitchy actions of a possessed Gretchen Lang…I am not going to.  One of the things that I appreciated about this book was that I really did not know what to expect.  It was a fun surprise for me and I want you to have that experience as well!

I hope that you do give My Best Friend’s Exorcism a try.  Chances are high that you have  never read anything like it!