Thrift Shop of Terrors

by Blair Daniels

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2026

Reviews

[Saige Shine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another amazing read by Blair Daniel’s! One of my most comforting and favorite authors to go to!

This thrift store is more than meets the eye, this young girl and her friend work at her aunts “thrift” store but they’re not the only living things inside! Each item is an entity of its own and gets a little dangerous the longer they work there.

This book reminds me of an adult version of goosebumps in all the best ways! So nostalgic and such a fun read. I can’t recommend this book or any of her books enough!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pranav Bhatnagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrift Shop of Terrors grabbed my attention with such a strange and exciting idea that I quickly found myself wanting to know just how bad Nadia's summer could possibly become. Nadia is twenty and has already made a few choices that have left her parents disappointed, so being forced to work at her aunt's old thrift shop is hardly the summer she wanted. At first, the shop seems like nothing more than a dusty little place full of unwanted things, but Nadia soon discovers that the objects inside are anything but ordinary. That is where this book becomes seriously hard to put down. I loved the way each strange object brings its own question and its own danger, making the shop feel like a place where Nadia can never fully relax. One moment there can be humor and teasing between Nadia, Kira and Elias, and the next moment something happens that makes you wonder if anyone inside the shop is truly safe. Nadia herself makes the story even more fun because she has a sharp sense of humor and a very honest way of looking at everything around her. Even when she is terrified, she still has that voice in her head that makes you smile, which gives the darker moments an even stronger effect. Her friendship with Kira is also something I really enjoyed because Kira is not just standing around while Nadia deals with everything. She becomes part of the strange world and shares the fear, confusion and determination to figure out what is happening. Elias adds another layer to the story because there is clearly a complicated history between him and Nadia, and I kept wondering exactly how much she could trust him. The supernatural side of the book is what kept me most curious. The idea that ordinary thrift shop objects can hold terrifying secrets is incredibly fun, and I loved the feeling that every new item could completely change the situation. The book also does a wonderful job of making Nadia's personal life matter alongside the supernatural danger. Her family, her disappointment over college, her feelings about her sister and her complicated relationships all make her feel like a real person who happens to have found herself in an absolutely unbelievable situation. I especially liked that the story does not simply rely on monsters or scary moments. It also plays with fear, temptation, memory and the things people secretly wish they could change about themselves. That gives the strange events a much more personal feeling. Blair Danielson has created a story that is creepy, funny, unpredictable and genuinely entertaining. I never quite knew what kind of trouble Nadia would face next, and that uncertainty kept me turning pages. I do not want to reveal the things that make the later parts of the story so exciting, because discovering them yourself is a huge part of the experience. What I will say is that if you like supernatural mysteries, strange objects, dark humor, friendship, danger and a heroine who refuses to simply sit back and accept what is happening to her, this is a book you should absolutely put on your must read list.

[Lizzy Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was reading this, I had planned to give it four stars. And then the last two-ish chapters were so baffling that it dropped a star in my mind.

For some positives first:
- The general premise of this book was really great. I love the idea of a young woman and her friends suddenly running a magical thrift shop, and I think there's a lot to work with there to create an interesting narrative.
- The entities were so fun to read about! I really enjoyed the manual entries and learning about the different items throughout the book.
- I think the book is sort of perfectly set up for a sequel, and I really hope Blair continues this series. I think there's a lot more potential with the entities and manual and I would love to read more about this world.

For the downsides:
- I felt like the characterization was really inconsistent. There was absolutely character growth over the story for the narrator, if not the three main characters, but within individual scenes it felt like their motivations and actions weren't consistent.
- There was an overarching plot, but it wasn't really revealed until most of the way through the book. Up until then it really felt like a series of loosely related chapters, and I was struggling to see where the narrative was going for most of it.
- It felt like there were a lot of half-baked subplots that never really went anywhere (Elias' bookie situation, which I'm still confused about, Nadia's relationship with her mom and sister, etc.). This didn't really help the confusion about the overall plot.

And then the ending... I don't want to spoil too much, but a series of events happen that were completely at odds with everything that had already been established about the world, and then were justified via reasons that also didn't make any sense. It felt like the author forgot about the details they had included earlier in the book, and just wrote a rushed ending that was completely at odds with the rest of it.

With all of that being said, I did legitimately enjoy reading this book, even though I was really frustrated with the ending. I had read Blair's original series on r/nosleep, and it was cool to see that universe expanded. I would recommend it if you like internet horror/creepypastas, and I would absolutely read another book in this series if one were ever written.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely loved Thrift Shop of Terrors. In fact, my biggest complaint about this book is that it ended! Nadia is the kind of protagonist who is incredibly easy to get invested in. She starts out as a twenty-year-old who would really rather be doing almost anything other than spending the summer working at her aunt's weird little thrift shop. When she discovers the true nature of the shop and its contents; things get progressively more bizarre, dangerous, and wonderfully entertaining.

What makes this book work so well for me, though, is that the supernatural elements never overwhelm the characters. I loved watching Nadia and company navigate increasingly insane circumstances together. Their friendship gives the story a real emotional center and had me hooked.

Thrift Shop of Terrors was creepy, funny, imaginative, occasionally gruesome, and thoroughly entertaining. But most of all, it made me care about its strange little world and the people living in it. If Blair Daniels is ever tempted to revisit Nadia and the thrift shop... Please do! I’m in the market for another book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[F E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book immediately grabbed my attention with its bizarre, unsettling premise. A thrift shop filled with seemingly ordinary objects that are actually dangerous, living entities? Absolutely yes. The idea of a rug trying to bite someone, armor that breathes, and a painting whose woman keeps getting closer is exactly the kind of weird, atmospheric horror that keeps you turning pages.

Nadia is a fun protagonist to follow, especially as she goes from expecting a boring job at her aunt’s thrift shop to discovering that practically everything around her could be trying to kill her. I loved the mystery surrounding the shop and Giselle, and the lore behind the different entities makes the world feel much bigger than it initially appears.

The combination of creepy horror, dark humor, strange supernatural mysteries, and unexpected twists makes this feel like a refreshing take on the genre. If you enjoy stories where ordinary places hide incredibly unsettling secrets, this one is definitely worth picking up.

[Milt Theo]

Although it outstays its welcome and gets too complex for a horror comedy, "Thrift Shop of Terrors" offers a nicely done perspective on the cursed objects horror trope: a shop selling objects inspired straight out of the SCP Foundation universe, falls on the hands of Nadia, who prove to be totally unprepared for what lurks in the corners of this shop. Yet, along with her friend Kira and Kira's creepy brother Elias, they manage to keep the shop and get past all hurdles created by their lack of experience in the area of the supernatural and the risky. I especially liked the "redacted " form of the entries about each object in the shop's ledger (or "manual"), though the descriptions are neither original nor terribly unsettling. Overall, an enjoyable read, with many twists and interesting situations.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Garnet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly had a great time with this book. Despite at first thinking that the characters could have been more fleshed out, I ended up thinking that they worked pretty well for what the story was. I still think there could’ve been a bit more depth, but overall, I was satisfied. what really Carrie this book for me, though, was the entities and their descriptions. They were very creative, and always interesting to read. overall, this was a very enjoyable book, and it was my favourite of the short stories adapted into novels so far.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrift Shop of Terrors by Blair Daniels is a fun horror story that takes the familiar idea of a secondhand shop and gives it a seriously creepy twist. The premise creates an unsettling atmosphere where ordinary-looking items can carry disturbing secrets.

I enjoyed the combination of suspense, eerie moments, and dark humor. The story moves at a good pace and keeps you wondering what strange discovery might come next. It's a quick, entertaining choice for readers who enjoy supernatural horror, creepy shops, and stories with a sinister edge.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[George L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot. The first few sections reminded me in a good way of the old "Friday the 13th" syndicated show with its cursed antiques. It then goes of in a very different and original direction. I liked the style of lots of connected object stories. The two main characters are both likable and flawed which makes them feel more real. It has a good twist ending. I especially liked the mannequins and the precious figures. A great read and another great book from Blair Daniels. Am a big fan and started out with her short stories but the longer form stories have been great.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michael Nickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic collection of short stories revolving around a shop specializing in supernatural objects with varying effects, à la shows like The Lost Room.

It is a lot of fun seeing what the different objects can do and the implications of using them. I especially like stories like that.

It is even more satisfying to have an overarching narrative that keeps the story moving, making sure the objects are never truly the focus.

Excellent collection and definitely worth a read if you like those kind of things! You won’t regret it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Enrico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniels once again delivers a collection of supernatural tales grounded by relatable characters, all pulled into the world of the paranormal through seemingly ordinary objects.

I like that the book threads the stories together using the titular shop instead of presenting standalone narratives.

All in all, another great read from Daniels, well worth the price of visiting this little store in a quiet alleyway!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Raynekitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like SCP? Did you like Warehouse 13? Do you like shopping for creepy spooky things. Well this book is definitely the book to scratch the itch. I am in love with the idea of paranormal antique stores, and items with abilities. This is a fun quick read and another reason that Blair Daniels is one of my favorite authors. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadia and Kira inherit the shop and as they encounter each item they learn to navigate the supernatural threats each one posesses. This was an insanely creative take on a thrift shop and i throughly enjoyed the book. I can see this easily turning into a series and maybe some of the unresolved subplots could be addressed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Doreen Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadia is sent by her parents to work in her Aunt Giselle's thrift shop. Only this is not a normal shop but the artifacts are entities and the buyers are weird. The horrific experience of Nadia and the description of the entities is graphic description of the entities are well depicted with death lurking in the background. A well crafted anthology which is riveting and mind-blowing.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me riveted!

I originally read the short story Blair Daniels shared on Reddit, and I loved it! I was so excited when I heard Blair wrote a whole novel based on that short story and got it published, and it was as amazing as I knew it would be! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the supernatural, thrillers, and strong female main characters.

[Chelsea Fickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Blair's writing style! The little intricacies make their reads so immersive and this one is no different! A fun read you can't put down!

[T.I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great read. It was very entertaining right from the start. I loved the characters and storyline so much. Awesome read.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
A very fun read, made me think of the SPC Foundation podcast

[Alanna Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review


This is Blair Daniels longest book and their best so far! I was a huge fan of the beginnings of this story in r/nosleep, so I was excited when I found out there was a full length book. I couldn’t get enough of this book and was sad when it ended. I hope we get a sequel! The book was thrilling and fast paced. Definitely a page turner. I just couldn’t wait to see what happened to our heroine and her friends next. I loved how each entity had its own journal entry, very Supernatural/Charmed like. (In the best way, I love those shows) If you’re a long time fan, you’ll find some Easter eggs like the mannequin entities, that are from previous short stories. 10/10, would recommend!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.