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Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
Jay Horne’s The Hamper of Horrors is the story of thirteen-year-old Tanner, a normal teenager struggling with babysitting duties, family friction, and the embarrassments adolescents endure every day. What begins as the ordinary annoyance of Tanner leaving dirty clothes on the floor takes an unexpected turn when her mother brings home a free wicker hamper from a secondhand shop in the local Art District. The hamper starts swallowing clothes; Pixie, her cat, emerges from it reeking of the shop’s owner; and her little brother, Gabe, is swallowed by the hamper. Tanner is in serious trouble now and must retrieve her brother. She heads for the unfamiliar Art District, armed with sheer sibling love and a unicorn onesie. Her mission is to confront the sinister shop owner, and along the way, she discovers an eccentric world she never even knew existed.
Jay Horne’s novel is told in Tanner's voice, which is self-deprecating, sharp, and authentically teenage. It infuses humor into the horror and keeps the pacing brisk. The characters come alive through young Tanner’s perception of them, even minor characters like the luminous Mott and her partner, Spock, and Mrs. Partridge, whose presence is initially menacing. The Hamper of Horrors pulls the reader in with the details, including the underground gem mine, the interconnected shops, and the portal mechanics rooted in an old magic act. I was captivated by how well the author discusses the themes of loneliness, the power of community, and the magic that happens when people start believing in each other. This transforms the story from one about a haunted object into a coming-of-age adventure for Tanner. Horne delivers everything I expected: humor, horror, and heart, making the story surprisingly gripping.
