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bookedbymadeline's review
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved the attention to detail and
It really looks like an IKEA catalogue!!
Took a bit to really get into because it was repetitive and info dumping the first chapter or two. But by about 40 pages I was sucked in. Horrorstör is a unique story and format. It was scary, creepy, but more like a haunted funhouse which is perfect for anyone (like me) who scare easily 👻
I would’ve liked to get to know the characters a bit more but overall an entertaining read which I really enjoyed! I’m looking forward to reading more from Hendrix 😍
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide and Torture
markieh's review
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
Before I start this, I want to say, if you have the chance to get the physical copy, do, because the design of the book alone is worth it. I grabbed the Kindle version from the Libby App, and it still had the elements, but I think it would have been better in print.
Overall Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
This book is like if Saw had a baby and then graphically delivered that baby on a bed display in an Ikea. It's gross. I'm not usually bothered by gore and all that, but there were a few times I had to take a break from this one because it was 🤢. That's probably the main reason I didn't rate it higher.
The story itself is a masterclass in horror trope. You get the five stereotype personalities. The no man left behind attitude. A reluctant hero. A terrifying villain. Eldritch Location style building layout (Nothing is where it should be, and the paths change. The building also disappears from maps and view to the outside). And so much darkness. I mean, literal, the lights are out, our flashlights are dead, darkness. If jump scares while reading are a thing for you, I'd skip this.
All in all, I loved it once I got past the gore. I mean, I can only read about swimming in oily filth so many times. Also. There are a lot of 🐀. It got a little heavy handed in its "We are just cogs in a machine" narrative, but I think that was intentional.
The ending and epilogue made me feel like I was reading R.L. Stine all over again. It spoke to me. And bonus points for the chapter titles and beginning pages.
Before I start this, I want to say, if you have the chance to get the physical copy, do, because the design of the book alone is worth it. I grabbed the Kindle version from the Libby App, and it still had the elements, but I think it would have been better in print.
Overall Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
This book is like if Saw had a baby and then graphically delivered that baby on a bed display in an Ikea. It's gross. I'm not usually bothered by gore and all that, but there were a few times I had to take a break from this one because it was 🤢. That's probably the main reason I didn't rate it higher.
The story itself is a masterclass in horror trope. You get the five stereotype personalities. The no man left behind attitude. A reluctant hero. A terrifying villain. Eldritch Location style building layout (Nothing is where it should be, and the paths change. The building also disappears from maps and view to the outside). And so much darkness. I mean, literal, the lights are out, our flashlights are dead, darkness. If jump scares while reading are a thing for you, I'd skip this.
All in all, I loved it once I got past the gore. I mean, I can only read about swimming in oily filth so many times. Also. There are a lot of 🐀. It got a little heavy handed in its "We are just cogs in a machine" narrative, but I think that was intentional.
The ending and epilogue made me feel like I was reading R.L. Stine all over again. It spoke to me. And bonus points for the chapter titles and beginning pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Torture, Blood, Gore, Death, and Murder
Minor: Addiction
kickitupanotch7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Torture, Gore, Body horror, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Physical abuse
meowster18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Just wasn’t my vibe I guess. Everything moved to quickly and nothing seemed properly flushed out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, and Bullying
devowynn's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Suicide, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Physical abuse, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
chaoticnostalgia's review
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Death, Torture, Excrement, Self harm, Suicide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
thegayestghost's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Gaslighting and Suicide
mburnsides's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Hendrix’s novels tend to start slow and end fast as the action begins. The characters in this book are constantly being thrown into a new and life threatening situation that fails to allow the reader to breathe. Overall, I liked the book (and the formatting of the physical editions) but disliked the characters.
They are so dumb and make infuriating decisions. No one cares that much about coworkers they aren’t friends with to endure torture, injury, and almost death, when given the chance to leave. Amy could have left and gotten help when she had escaped and the whole thing would have been over quicker. There was no reason Amy, of all characters, would have gone back so determined to save everyone on her own because some asshat ghost tortured her. She didn't even succeed in saving most of the cast! And Basil *insert eye-rolling emoji* got on my nerves so bad. Despite the contrary, he continued and continued to deny the reality of their situation until he could no longer “logic brain” Amy and the others. And his d*ckriding of Orsk… I hate that there was any attempt to justify his desperation to be loyal to the company.
Other than the annoying characters, the horror was decent. I wasn’t a fan of the Warden and his torture of the cast because it felt so cheesy and took me out of the scariness of the body horror. The rest of the ghost stuff was scary though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide
ambenicole418's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Immediately, this book gets a 10/10 for concept and design. I mean this book about a haunted knock-off IKEA store is literally designed to look like an IKEA catalog!
However, the story was lacking a little for me. While I loved the characters and the storytelling, and the book definitely had a lot of good comedic moments, the story just didn’t grip me like I wanted it to. There was never a moment where I was on the edge of my seat and contemplating losing sleep so I can read more. This is a very personal thing though, and like I said I loved the characters, the ending, the humor, and the storytelling so just because it didn’t grip me doesn’t it won’t grip others. Another criticism I do have of the story is that there were 2 things that Mr. Hendrix left unexplained that I really wish he would’ve explored, minor spoilers ahead i.e. Carl’s blackouts and the help texts employees were receiving.
Unrelated, but I love how after reading Episode 13 I somehow immediately read ANOTHER book that features a couple that wants to do a ghost hunting reality tv series, where one of them approaches it from a scientific perspective while the other is a firm believer in ghosts. Also, let’s not forget that in both couples the guy’s name is Matt 😂. Matt and Trinity from this book was 💯% the more likable couple though!
However, the story was lacking a little for me. While I loved the characters and the storytelling, and the book definitely had a lot of good comedic moments, the story just didn’t grip me like I wanted it to. There was never a moment where I was on the edge of my seat and contemplating losing sleep so I can read more. This is a very personal thing though, and like I said I loved the characters, the ending, the humor, and the storytelling so just because it didn’t grip me doesn’t it won’t grip others. Another criticism I do have of the story is that there were 2 things that Mr. Hendrix left unexplained that I really wish he would’ve explored, minor spoilers ahead i.e. Carl’s blackouts and the help texts employees were receiving.
Unrelated, but I love how after reading Episode 13 I somehow immediately read ANOTHER book that features a couple that wants to do a ghost hunting reality tv series, where one of them approaches it from a scientific perspective while the other is a firm believer in ghosts. Also, let’s not forget that in both couples the guy’s name is Matt 😂. Matt and Trinity from this book was 💯% the more likable couple though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, and Torture
Moderate: Death
tazemu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Genuinely interesting setting , especially with the homogeneous retail hellscape playing as the natural continuation of a haunted prison/labor camp site . Also, the inclusion of the "Orsk" store materials is a fun bit of flair!
BUT...flat and unlikeable characters and super mid pacing + prose are both made objectively worse by the "edgy white horror guy" standard sensitivity pitfalls--super flat POC who are the two most annoying side characters, random fatphobia, reference to holocaust themes as shock value etc.
Generally, the book is a miss and best case strong adaptation fodder.
BUT...flat and unlikeable characters and super mid pacing + prose are both made objectively worse by the "edgy white horror guy" standard sensitivity pitfalls--super flat POC who are the two most annoying side characters, random fatphobia, reference to holocaust themes as shock value etc.
Generally, the book is a miss and best case strong adaptation fodder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Body horror, Confinement, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Fatphobia