I was so excited to read Aisle Nine, and it didn’t disappoint. From the very beginning, this book has you laughing out loud, and desperate to read more. Jasper’s checkout clerk job isn’t quite the experience you expect, and the arrival of demons not only brings some excitement to his days, but also has you as a reader completely hooked.

The idea of a hell portal in the middle of a supermarket aisle is absolutely hilarious, but it’s fantastic! I’m actually so glad that this was the setting for the book. If you take away the portal element, the author got what it’s like to work in retail perfectly. The horribly rude customers, the customers who are the complete opposite but talk your ear off, the monotonous every day aspects of the job, the annoying music and little jingles that get put on repeat and drive you insane… Anyone who has worked in retail can relate to those things!

There were so many interesting characters in this story, with a real mix of personalities. Kyle was my person favourite. She’s fierce, strong, but also has a sensitive side. Jasper’s memory loss is intriguing, and has you desperate to find out what actually happened to him. It also makes you question him as a person, especially because of the way Kyle originally responds to him. However, I loved the relationship between Jasper and Kyle, and seeing how it developed throughout the story. There were also some very clever elements to their journey too. As for the monsters, there were so many different types, most of which at first sight were more funny than intimidating, but then turned out to be extremely dangerous. It made the book have a little comedy alongside the horror.

The final showdown was explosive, and edge of the seat reading. It had some twists that completely shock you, and make you rethink a lot of what has previously happened in the book. It was a brilliant way to wrap up the story, but I would love to see more of these characters in the future.

This book was super fun, exciting, and at times rather gory. It’s like the TV show, Superstore, but with a YA horror twist, and I loved that! If you’re looking for a horror that’s going to terrify you, then this isn’t it, but if you want a more lighthearted horror that will also make you laugh, then this is certainly for you.

Think superstore meets Hot Fuzz meets inside out. I mean that sounds a bit crazy now that I think about it but oh well.

This book is really fun and creepy and strange and weird and I kind of love it. Hell portals apocalypse with the most bizarre demons, one of them being the really cute Lara.

I really enjoyed this one!

I did really enjoy the humor woven into this story, very dark at points, but I found myself wishing for more of it. The beginning especially was packed with humor, but as the story went on it seemed to fade a little bit and I wanted it to be more consistent throughout the story. That being said I really enjoyed the near-apocalypse world that was created and the stab at apocolypse+retail and can appreciate the blend the author was going for. Some elements were predictable, but I liked the effort that went into worldbuilding and character development, those were definitely well done. I did want more from it, but it was still a fun read.

An original story that surprised me with its creativity and world building. A lot of the characters felt like 'manic pixie dream girls', there were a lot of moments where it felt like the characters had plot armor, and the book's message really bashes the reader over the head. Even still, Aisle Nine is a fun quick read for the right person.

I'm not going to lie I was disappointed by this book. This was one of my biggest releases for the second half of the year and I it just wasn't what I thought. I knew this book being ya meant it wouldn't go as hard as other horror books but this book hardly did anything. I was really hoping for a Sean of the Dead style story that was campy and gory but with demons instead of zombies. Instead we got this lukewarm story with way to much exposition that just got lost. All of the fun bits of this story were overshadow by just how boring it was. I probably wanted to much but this author literally gave me nothing.

This book is ridiculous and hilarious and I love it. I think the world building was well done, the characters are enjoyable to read about and the writing style is written in a way the book is consistently engaging and makes the book easy to get through in no time. There’s some fun twists, adventure, and a lot of satire - I think it’s particularly amusing to anyone who’s worked in retail! The book doesn’t take itself too seriously and as a fun read, it definitely did entertain me.

Huge Black Friday sale coming up, don’t mind the Hell portal in Aisle Nine.

This is a really fun and unusual spin on post-apocalyptic times, centered around an orphaned teenager working at a Walmart-like discount big box store that harbors one of the many hell portals left behind after an apocalyptic event.

Something akin to corporate rule is in effect, and while the tone of this book is light and a lot of it is really funny (you wouldn’t believe the hilarious stuff that spews forth from the hell portals), it’s also gives us some very poignant commentary on the idea that people can and do get used to and adapt to anything, and not necessarily in a good way.

The overconsumption stuff doesn’t do it for me at all, but the ideal of mass passivity after catastrophe is something I think about a LOT, and Cho has done an exceptionally good job of showcasing how that might work while still keeping the tone of the story fun and spirited.

I love that this is more adventure than dystopian novel in all the ways that matter, and it should appeal to a pretty broad demographic age-wise. In all, an excellent debut from an author I’m now eager to hear more from in the future.

This novel needs more hype! It's ridiculously good. The dark humor of retail drudgery in a post-apocalyptic setting is delightful. Perfect balance of humor, action and heart.

3.5 🌟

This was a different kind of story for me. I don't usually find myself in the book realm of demons, gore, and the apocalypse, but I'm always open to new journeys. This particular journey included dealing with rude customers at work, a tragic case of amnesia, and trying to find your new normal after hell portals pop up at your place of employment and also around the world.

I will admit that it took a little time for me to really get into this story, but once I did, the pages flew by. I liked the characters, the humor, and I thought the hell portal monsters were pretty creative (special shout out to Lara who shines far above the rest). I also liked that this story had heart and touched a little bit on overcoming your personal "demons". Overall, I liked it. I thought this was a fun and unique (at least for me) read.

Thank you, HarperCollins Children’s Books, NetGalley, and Ian Cho for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

“Maybe sometimes you need to go a little crazy to stay a little sane.”

Jasper is a checkout clerk at a discount mart in a world where demons randomly appear through portals to hell, including one in aisle nine of the mart he works at. Plagued by amnesia from an accident in the mart a few months ago, Jasper has no idea who he was or what his purpose in life is. Demons come through the portal almost every shift, and Vanguards like Kyle are the ones tasked with killing them before they hurt the public. She seems to dislike Jasper for reasons he can’t remember, but when they both start having visions of the coming apocalypse, they have to work together to discover the truth and stop it from occurring on Black Friday.

While the premise of Aisle Nine sounded intriguing, it fell flat in execution. I usually like when a book lets itself be a little ridiculous and an author leans into their humor, but I just didn’t enjoy it in this instance. This novel is labeled as young adult; however, I felt that the maturity level would be more suited to upper middle grade if it wasn’t for the use of foul language throughout. The style of humor reminded me somewhat of Rick Riordan, but the characters seemed to lack the depth and connections that those in a Riordan book have. The concept of an apocalypse on Black Friday was comical and compelling, especially when paired with the commentary Cho was making on consumerism. Unfortunately, very little of the novel took place on Black Friday, and the ending felt rushed as a result. There were a few twists at the end, but they were fairly predictable. I did like some elements of Jasper’s character, particularly the amnesia and the mental health struggles he had to overcome. Kyle, on the other hand, had the opportunity to be a great character, but for some reason she felt incomplete. Aisle Nine simply missed the mark for me.

This was most excellent sci-fi post-apocalyptic novel that I devoured in two sittings. This one, unlike other stories in the genre, shows that the population just picks up and continues once the threat is contained and it wasn't a mass extinction event (now the ramifications are coming in slower waves).

The protagonist is Jasper, a 17-year-old kid who lost his parents to Hell Portal Day and has been drifting through life ever since. He somehow becomes an even further shadow of himself when a workplace accident leaves him with no memory of his life prior to the accident. He has some random snippets of trivia but cannot recall even an inkling of any memory after his head injury. I should mention the important bit, that Jasper works at a slum version of a cheap big box store that also houses one of the Hell Portals. Despite the "low threat" from said portal to people's safety, bargains are to be found and what's a little demon terror if you can get cheap toilet paper?

Despite Jasper's precarious mental status. he feels he has to do something to stop the visions he is having, which he is sure are going to come to fruition. He finds that some people he works with are having similar visions and he somehow becomes the DeFacto leader to stop the coming end of humanity even if he cannot remember why his and others' lives are worth saving.

A delightfully frightful and funny novel that keeps the pages turning. I especially liked the monster descriptions. Oh and Jasper's roommate, who I will keep as a surprise.

Many thanks to HarperCollins Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Aisle Nine is set in a world transformed by the sudden appearance of portals that spew out monsters. In response, a company called Vanguard Corporation emerges as humanity's protector, taking up the daunting task of guarding these portals and fighting off the monsters, and giving virtual points to any civilians caught up in attacks. Earn enough points, get some free candy! The story follows Jasper, a retail worker in a Walmart-like store that has a portal conveniently located in Aisle Nine. Although the portal occasionally releases monsters into the store, Jasper is more preoccupied with the unsettling visions he's been having about the end of the world. Maybe the new Vanguard trainee, Kyle, has something to do with it?

The book leans into its wackiness, creating a narrative that's both clever and inventive. There are some genuinely surprising twists that keep the reader engaged, even as the story explores the more mundane aspects of life in retail. (I can't talk about my favourite character for spoilers, but she is absolutely brilliant.) One of the novel’s strengths is how it captures the monotony of retail work and the human capacity to adapt to even the most bizarre circumstances.

While the concept might seem a bit out there, the book’s charm lies in how it blends the extraordinary with the ordinary. It manages to create a world that’s both surreal and relatable, reflecting on the absurdity of everyday life in a context that’s anything but normal.

My high school readers will find this funny as heck. The dry wit is appealing, and the world built is plausibly close to our own.

Initial thoughts: This book had me thinking of a Simon Pegg movie, The End of the World, mixed in with a bit of Black Mirror. It was hard to take serious but understood there were some serious undertones about humanity underneath it all.

Aisle Nine by Ian X Cho is a very fast paced dystopian, YA book. Jasper is stuck working retail in store that is a host site to a portal that shoots out monsters and demons, conveniently located in aisle nine. The book takes place in a world where a couple of years ago portals all over the world opened, and the Vanguard company stepped up to the plate to save them all. Over time, society has tried find a "normal" around these monster portals. Jasper finds himself feeling that he doesn't feel like quite fits into the world around him. He finds himself partnering up with Kyle, a Vanguard empl0yee, to piece together his past, present and possibly even the future, as the Black Friday of Doom looming right around the corner.

Me thinking possibly deeper than I need to be, enjoyed that the author kept it rather light despite speaking about the human emotions of hopelessness, gluttony, and, rage (may have missed the mark on that one). It was the human condition wins out above all type of situation. It did make think about how society can be ugly, with its overconsumption, hate towards each other, feelings of depression, and how we may feel like we are being navigated by social media/big corporations. There is some truth in all these movies and shows that "joke" about the ugly side of humans, but that we shouldn't lose hope and that people can change the situation they are in. Four stars.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins, Netgalley, and the author for this opportunity in an exchange for an honest review.

I will be posting to Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

This book just really wasn’t my cup of tea. Seemed a bit silly and couldn’t connect with the main character.

Publication: September 24, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ian X. Cho’s Aisle Nine is a surprisingly moving story about our connections in the most ordinary places. The novel follows characters in a supermarket whose lives unexpectedly intersect in the aisles. Cho does a great job capturing the little details that make these moments feel real and meaningful. While the pacing drags in a few spots, the book’s heart and relatable characters more than makeup for it. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you, making you appreciate the small, everyday encounters in your own life. I never read a book like this and I found it very interesting how it was told and the storyline.

Thank You Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5☆

I really enjoyed the premise and thought the whole hell postal aspect was really well done, I struggled with Jasper as the main character, his blackouts were frustrating to read. I thought that Vanguard was well fleshed out and loved the addition if the VC point system too.

Thr story was let down partially by Jasper, and partially by how rushed the ending was. Overall an okay read, suited to the older end of YA readers due to language, gore and violence.

I loved Lara, and Pete was hilarious too.

This is a tongue in cheek apocalypse story, hell portal day happened, opening millions of portals worldwide that spew out demons. Our MC works in a supermarket complete with its very on demon portal and the story is set in the leadup to the Black Friday sales. This books reminds me of hitchhikers guide to galaxy but with demons, its got the same humour. I had a fun time reading this, the story did fizzle out a bit once we started to leave the supermarket but its a quick read so that held my interest. I loved Lara as a character and wish we got more about her back story and how she came to be. This is a quirky, fun short read and I think its worth a read.

This was a fun book to read. It was a good twist on dystopian/horror with some humor thrown in. I don’t like this 100 word minimum - I try to write minimalist reviews

This was such a fun read! I love a one off crazy story and this hit the mark perfectly. The main characters are fun, especially Lara, and the premise was fresh and new. It did lose me a bit at the ending but overall very enjoyable. I finished it in one sitting.