Mainstream-Mini Review: Horrorstor By Grady Hendrix

Horrorstor By Grady Hendrix

September 23, 2014 From Quirk Books

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Columbus, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring wardrobes, shattered Brooka glassware, and vandalized Liripip sofa beds clearly, someone or something is up to no good.

To unravel the mystery, five young employees volunteer for a long dusk-till-dawn shift—and they encounter horrors that defy imagination. Along the way, author Grady Hendrix infuses sly social commentary on the nature of work in the new twenty-firstcentury economy.

A traditional haunted house story in a contemporary setting (and full of current fears), Horrorstör comes conveniently packaged in the form of a retail catalog, complete with illustrations of ready-to-assemble furniture and other, more sinister accessories. We promise you’ve never seen anything quite like it!

My Review

*A copy (ARC) was provided by the publisher (Quirk Books-part of the Random House family) in exchange for an honest review* 

You can always expect the best from Quirk Books, when it comes to unusual and highly entertaining works of fiction. Horrorstor is just that. Satirical and slightly creepy; it had me turning pages all night. The cover is awesome and one of my favorites this year. Designed to resemble the cover of an Ikea catalog, it features some furniture bestsellers and a sneaky entity that took me several looks to catch. Throughout the pages are informational inserts on Orsk products and some more diabolical mechanisms as well. The setup is the perfect amount of clever and makes the story that much more enjoyable as you read. 

Orsk is a store that promises, “A better life for everyone,” customers and employees alike. But lately things have been weird. Someone—or something—is making a mess and corporate is not going to be happy. Amy is a floor partner at Orsk with one mission; to avoid her boss until her transfer request goes through. Unfortunately, due to the strangeness in the store, this is not possible. Amy—along with her boss and a fellow partner—gets roped into an overnight shift to search for the culprit. They all get way more than they bargained for and end up tangling with ghosts… If you have ever worked for a big-box retail store or in retail at all, this plot and the characters will definitely hit home with you. The jaded attitude of the MC, Amy, was all too familiar. As was her overzealous and far too store-dedicated boss, Basil. Orsk itself is a great representation of what retail life has to offer. Right down to its creep factor, once everyone has gone home and the lights go out. This is, for the most part, a haunted house warehouse story. It’s a fast paced, easily enjoyable read. Readers that enjoy a little bit of horror and humor will find Horrorstor right up their alley. [The author] Hendrix has delivered a one of a kind book that will appeal to YA and adult readers alike. Looking for something out of the ordinary? This is it.