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The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap
Ellen Marx used to talk to the dead. Now they’re ghosting her…
With her psychic gifts on the fritz, she’s been demoted to hawking discount crystals at third-rate paranormal conventions. But when she inadvertently solves a supernatural challenge at New Jersey’s Hooky Spooky Convention, she catches the eye of the event’s reclusive a washed-up horror author with a haunted mansion in need of a serious cleansing.
Reluctantly, Ellen joins his ragtag crew of psychic misfits (a near-death survivor, a paranormal tech bro, and a woman who may or may not be possessed) to investigate the mystery lurking inside his crumbling Hudson Valley estate.
But as the haunting escalates, Ellen realizes that to uncover the truth behind the manifestation, she must first confront some ghosts of her own…
From the bestselling author of The Nightmare Room comes a darkly humorous journey into a haunted heart.
With her psychic gifts on the fritz, she’s been demoted to hawking discount crystals at third-rate paranormal conventions. But when she inadvertently solves a supernatural challenge at New Jersey’s Hooky Spooky Convention, she catches the eye of the event’s reclusive a washed-up horror author with a haunted mansion in need of a serious cleansing.
Reluctantly, Ellen joins his ragtag crew of psychic misfits (a near-death survivor, a paranormal tech bro, and a woman who may or may not be possessed) to investigate the mystery lurking inside his crumbling Hudson Valley estate.
But as the haunting escalates, Ellen realizes that to uncover the truth behind the manifestation, she must first confront some ghosts of her own…
From the bestselling author of The Nightmare Room comes a darkly humorous journey into a haunted heart.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2025
26 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Chris Sorensen
66 books162 followersChris Sorensen spends many days and nights locked away inside his own nightmare room. He is the narrator of over 200 audiobooks (including the award-winning The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix) and the recipient of three AudioFile Earphone Awards. Over the past fifteen years, the Butte Theater and Thin Air Theatre Company in Cripple Creek, Colorado have produced dozens of his plays including Dr. Jekyll’s Medicine Show, Werewolves of Poverty Gulch and The Vampire of Cripple Creek. He is the author of the middle grade book The Mad Scientists of New Jersey and has written numerous screenplay including Suckerville, Bee Tornado and The Roswell Project.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 10, 2025
This review was originally published at FanFiAddict.
“Whatever happened to simple hauntings?” one character asks late in The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap. It’s a fair question, and one readers might find themselves asking too, as author Chris Sorensen twists the usual gothic ghost story and its central figures into irregular configurations. Not that Sorensen has exactly offered up anything in the way of simple hauntings before…
Ailing author James Utter has gathered together a misfit group of individuals with unique powers – we’ve got a psychic whose talents failed her the day her mother died, a reality TV guy who communes with the dead, a colorful lady with an intriguing case of multiple personalities, and another who briefly died as a child. Utter has brought them into his manse to corral and put an end to the dreadful spirit, The Dark Lady, who has brought utter hell to Utter Hall.
What at first feels like a far less-rapey retread of Richard Matheson’s Hell House soon goes into some unexpected directions as Sorensen finds himself back on familiar haunted grounds after writing a pair of fun, gory, B-movie-inspired creature features to follow-up The Messy Man trilogy. Sorrow’s Leap has a nifty hook that fans of those Messy Man books will appreciate – I sure did – but his attempts at filtering the darker elements of a serious-minded ghost story through the fun-loving mood of his much lighter Bee Tornado or Suckerville books make for uneasy bedfellows.
Our central tour guide through Utter Hall is the traumatized Ellen Marx, whom Sorensen puts readers directly in the shoes of with his first-person narration. While we’re mucking about in her head and dealing with insecurity and anger management issues, we get to learn about her strained, oftentimes abusive, relationship with her mother, and why her psychic talents failed her in the wake of her mother’s passing – only to reemerge at Utter Hall. Sorrow’s Leap is about facing and dealing with one’s trauma and the risk of letting that trauma consume you, and possibly those around you, with its all-encompassing darkness. Sorensen handles it nicely, but that in itself is the book’s central problem. Sorrow’s Leap is just too damn nice.
While there’s plenty of deep shadows within Utter Hall, Sorensen is careful not to step too closely to those dark corners. Which isn’t to say Sorrow’s Leap refuses to confront those issues, simply that it does so in a half-hearted attempt to keep things playful. Ellen’s background involving her dying, verbally abusive mother hit awfully close to home for me and perhaps clouded my view and expectations of her story. Having had an awful lot of vitriol hurled my way, as well as a number of hollow threats aimed at, and disgusting things said about, my wife and children by my own narcissistic, verbally abusive, dementia-addled, cancer-riddled father on his deathbed, not to mention all the years prior, I find some things are simply unforgivable and inexcusable. Now, I’m not about to get in a pissing match with Ellen about whose parental abuses were worse or who the bigger victim is, but my own inner rage demon was hoping for more of a cathartic victory than what amounted to some spectral gaslighting and victim blaming. I will simply say, instead, that it is not the job of the abused to forgive their abuser or absolve them of their sins in order for the abused to heal. This mindset is absolutely toxic, and I found Ellen’s reconciliations with her past to be not just a disingenuous Hallmark moment but downright ugly despite Sorensen’s efforts to paint it as a victorious and shining moment of Ellen being the bigger person.
I’ve been reading Sorensen since his debut on the indie horror scene back in 2018 with The Nightmare Room. I was such a fan of that book that, when asked by the author, I happily blurbed his second novel, The Hungry Ones. The familial grief at the heart of The Nightmare Room was honest and raw, but never saccharine, and I wish I’d been able to find more here with that same kind of potency. I dig Sorensen’s body of work as a whole, but I bounced hard off the mood generated in Sorrow’s Leap.
With its themes of trauma and grooming, Sorensen’s sprightly tone bellies the seriousness of these issues. He’s too focused on crafting a feel-good beach read populated with kooky characters that his refusal to truly plumb the dark depths of these topics is a disservice to the material itself and the end result lacks an appropriate gravitas. Sorrow’s Leap is too springy and airy for its own good, and the mood it generates is oftentimes at odds with the subject matter its confronting. While I liked Sorensen’s protagonists well-enough and found them charming in their own quirky ways, I never felt like they were in real peril due to both the overall tone of the book and the lack of consequences for either the heroes or villains. With each of their lives in his hands, Sorensen plays it too safe throughout, and I found myself wishing he was more ruthless and willing to raise the stakes in more permanent ways. There are serious issues at the heart of Sorrow’s Leap, but they aren’t handled with the seriousness they deserve.
That’s not to say this book needed to be unremittingly grim. There are ways of telling stories like this, where the darker subjects underpinning the narrative are explored in cozier fashion – TC Parker excels at this in her Hummingbird Universe books – but Sorensen doesn’t quite find the right balance here. Playful silliness works well in a book like Bee Tornado thanks to its riffing on SyFy Channel shlock, but it’s not a tone that carries over well to a book steeped in more grounded, earthly affairs. Sorrow’s Leap succeeds in its efforts at being an inconsequential popcorn kind of read that offers a neat wrinkle on a familiar trope, and will likely be welcomed by many, but I found it to be too weightless and too eager to kowtow to dangerous stereotypes regarding the relationship between the abused and their abuser when it should have been upending them entirely, preferably in horrifically violent ways and with more pathos than is given here.
“Whatever happened to simple hauntings?” one character asks late in The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap. It’s a fair question, and one readers might find themselves asking too, as author Chris Sorensen twists the usual gothic ghost story and its central figures into irregular configurations. Not that Sorensen has exactly offered up anything in the way of simple hauntings before…
Ailing author James Utter has gathered together a misfit group of individuals with unique powers – we’ve got a psychic whose talents failed her the day her mother died, a reality TV guy who communes with the dead, a colorful lady with an intriguing case of multiple personalities, and another who briefly died as a child. Utter has brought them into his manse to corral and put an end to the dreadful spirit, The Dark Lady, who has brought utter hell to Utter Hall.
What at first feels like a far less-rapey retread of Richard Matheson’s Hell House soon goes into some unexpected directions as Sorensen finds himself back on familiar haunted grounds after writing a pair of fun, gory, B-movie-inspired creature features to follow-up The Messy Man trilogy. Sorrow’s Leap has a nifty hook that fans of those Messy Man books will appreciate – I sure did – but his attempts at filtering the darker elements of a serious-minded ghost story through the fun-loving mood of his much lighter Bee Tornado or Suckerville books make for uneasy bedfellows.
Our central tour guide through Utter Hall is the traumatized Ellen Marx, whom Sorensen puts readers directly in the shoes of with his first-person narration. While we’re mucking about in her head and dealing with insecurity and anger management issues, we get to learn about her strained, oftentimes abusive, relationship with her mother, and why her psychic talents failed her in the wake of her mother’s passing – only to reemerge at Utter Hall. Sorrow’s Leap is about facing and dealing with one’s trauma and the risk of letting that trauma consume you, and possibly those around you, with its all-encompassing darkness. Sorensen handles it nicely, but that in itself is the book’s central problem. Sorrow’s Leap is just too damn nice.
While there’s plenty of deep shadows within Utter Hall, Sorensen is careful not to step too closely to those dark corners. Which isn’t to say Sorrow’s Leap refuses to confront those issues, simply that it does so in a half-hearted attempt to keep things playful. Ellen’s background involving her dying, verbally abusive mother hit awfully close to home for me and perhaps clouded my view and expectations of her story. Having had an awful lot of vitriol hurled my way, as well as a number of hollow threats aimed at, and disgusting things said about, my wife and children by my own narcissistic, verbally abusive, dementia-addled, cancer-riddled father on his deathbed, not to mention all the years prior, I find some things are simply unforgivable and inexcusable. Now, I’m not about to get in a pissing match with Ellen about whose parental abuses were worse or who the bigger victim is, but my own inner rage demon was hoping for more of a cathartic victory than what amounted to some spectral gaslighting and victim blaming. I will simply say, instead, that it is not the job of the abused to forgive their abuser or absolve them of their sins in order for the abused to heal. This mindset is absolutely toxic, and I found Ellen’s reconciliations with her past to be not just a disingenuous Hallmark moment but downright ugly despite Sorensen’s efforts to paint it as a victorious and shining moment of Ellen being the bigger person.
I’ve been reading Sorensen since his debut on the indie horror scene back in 2018 with The Nightmare Room. I was such a fan of that book that, when asked by the author, I happily blurbed his second novel, The Hungry Ones. The familial grief at the heart of The Nightmare Room was honest and raw, but never saccharine, and I wish I’d been able to find more here with that same kind of potency. I dig Sorensen’s body of work as a whole, but I bounced hard off the mood generated in Sorrow’s Leap.
With its themes of trauma and grooming, Sorensen’s sprightly tone bellies the seriousness of these issues. He’s too focused on crafting a feel-good beach read populated with kooky characters that his refusal to truly plumb the dark depths of these topics is a disservice to the material itself and the end result lacks an appropriate gravitas. Sorrow’s Leap is too springy and airy for its own good, and the mood it generates is oftentimes at odds with the subject matter its confronting. While I liked Sorensen’s protagonists well-enough and found them charming in their own quirky ways, I never felt like they were in real peril due to both the overall tone of the book and the lack of consequences for either the heroes or villains. With each of their lives in his hands, Sorensen plays it too safe throughout, and I found myself wishing he was more ruthless and willing to raise the stakes in more permanent ways. There are serious issues at the heart of Sorrow’s Leap, but they aren’t handled with the seriousness they deserve.
That’s not to say this book needed to be unremittingly grim. There are ways of telling stories like this, where the darker subjects underpinning the narrative are explored in cozier fashion – TC Parker excels at this in her Hummingbird Universe books – but Sorensen doesn’t quite find the right balance here. Playful silliness works well in a book like Bee Tornado thanks to its riffing on SyFy Channel shlock, but it’s not a tone that carries over well to a book steeped in more grounded, earthly affairs. Sorrow’s Leap succeeds in its efforts at being an inconsequential popcorn kind of read that offers a neat wrinkle on a familiar trope, and will likely be welcomed by many, but I found it to be too weightless and too eager to kowtow to dangerous stereotypes regarding the relationship between the abused and their abuser when it should have been upending them entirely, preferably in horrifically violent ways and with more pathos than is given here.
Read
January 5, 2026Over the last number of years, I’ve devoured everything Sorensen has released – be it his wonderfully dark Messy Man series, to his two creature features, ‘Suckerville’ and ‘Bee Tornado’ – both of which you need to absolutely read!
Sometime in early 2025 – I can’t remember when – Chris reached out to me about beta reading his next novel. Unfortunately, I was swamped and couldn’t give it the time it would need. When the book was announced, I made sure to buy the Kindle edition, excited to dive in. *I will add here – unbeknownst to me, Chris actually sent me a physical copy of the book! So very kind and unexpected!*
Funnily, at least to this reader, I didn’t make any connections between this and the Messy Man series. But sure enough, upon cracking this bad boy open, there was Ellen Marx. Now, I will say – you can ABSOLUTELY read this without having read the Messy Man trilogy. In fact, I’d almost suggest if you read this one first, you’ll get a deeper experience if you pivoted and then read Messy Man, but either way, you’re in for a treat.
What I liked: The story picks up years after the end of the events in the Messy Man series. Ellen’s ‘gift’ has faded, her ability to see dead people and connect through touch with people diminished to the point where she questions if it ever was really much of a gift. She’s hawking product at a horror convention, selling candles and pictures and crystals and trinkets. It’s here where she has an odd encounter with a girl named Zivy, and from there, herself, Zivy and two other ‘gifted’ individuals are selected.
Their reward? To travel to a reclusive authors mansion. Why? They don’t find out until they arrive. And once there, they learn that they’ve been invited to try and un-haunt the mansion. Renovations have been hampered because ghosts and spooks are terrifying the workers, and James Utter, the author, is sick of the delays.
Sorensen weaves a multi-layered tale where things are never really as they seem and as we get more details from Utter’s right-hand-man Carter, we learn that there are off-limits areas. Then, an event happens, a gathering of shadows of sorts, which really opens up the story and gets those others chosen – JJ and Quan joining Ellen and Zivy – working as a team.
I’ll add – on their way to Utter Hall, Ellen purchased ‘Sorrow’s Leap,’ one of Utter’s last big bestsellers from a roadside convenience store. This comes into play in a number of ways, both with an world on the other side they need to deal with, but also with some nifty elements that I can’t share due to spoilers. But it gave it a really solid aspect of over here/over there that felt very 80’s-esque, but in the best way possible.
The lead up to and the finale itself were a lot of fun, with the group figuring out how to use their gifts as chess pieces, becoming moving pieces themselves to try and triumph over the ghost who has taken up residence in Utter Hall.
What I didn’t like: This actually relates back to the Messy Man series, but Ellen and her mom’s relationship morphed here. Whereas in the Messy Man series we dealt with Ellen’s mom’s horrendous behavior and narcissist ways, here it became an odd toxic reimagining where Ellen somehow appears to be the bad guy at times with how she treated her mom in key moments at the end of her mom’s life, while we know – and even see within the pages of this book – that her mom was a horrible, horrible person and treated her daughter with nothing but abuse.
Secondly, I found there was too many attempts at levity and humor within, especially when the ghosts arrive and things take a sinister turn. Every time something serious would begin to unfold, I’d expect a one-liner or set up for a joke to occur and it would. It was as though Paul Rudd was casted to be the comic relief. I could’ve handled far less of that – but I’m also a reader who doesn’t typically enjoy humor in his horror.
Why you should buy this: Overall, this haunted mansion tale was a ton of fun and another solid story from Sorensen, who has a knack of creating quickly relatable characters and dark, dark worlds.
‘The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap’ was a tense, fast-paced story that forced quirky, socially awkward characters to work together and overcome huge obstacles and that’s always something that makes for an entertaining read.
Sometime in early 2025 – I can’t remember when – Chris reached out to me about beta reading his next novel. Unfortunately, I was swamped and couldn’t give it the time it would need. When the book was announced, I made sure to buy the Kindle edition, excited to dive in. *I will add here – unbeknownst to me, Chris actually sent me a physical copy of the book! So very kind and unexpected!*
Funnily, at least to this reader, I didn’t make any connections between this and the Messy Man series. But sure enough, upon cracking this bad boy open, there was Ellen Marx. Now, I will say – you can ABSOLUTELY read this without having read the Messy Man trilogy. In fact, I’d almost suggest if you read this one first, you’ll get a deeper experience if you pivoted and then read Messy Man, but either way, you’re in for a treat.
What I liked: The story picks up years after the end of the events in the Messy Man series. Ellen’s ‘gift’ has faded, her ability to see dead people and connect through touch with people diminished to the point where she questions if it ever was really much of a gift. She’s hawking product at a horror convention, selling candles and pictures and crystals and trinkets. It’s here where she has an odd encounter with a girl named Zivy, and from there, herself, Zivy and two other ‘gifted’ individuals are selected.
Their reward? To travel to a reclusive authors mansion. Why? They don’t find out until they arrive. And once there, they learn that they’ve been invited to try and un-haunt the mansion. Renovations have been hampered because ghosts and spooks are terrifying the workers, and James Utter, the author, is sick of the delays.
Sorensen weaves a multi-layered tale where things are never really as they seem and as we get more details from Utter’s right-hand-man Carter, we learn that there are off-limits areas. Then, an event happens, a gathering of shadows of sorts, which really opens up the story and gets those others chosen – JJ and Quan joining Ellen and Zivy – working as a team.
I’ll add – on their way to Utter Hall, Ellen purchased ‘Sorrow’s Leap,’ one of Utter’s last big bestsellers from a roadside convenience store. This comes into play in a number of ways, both with an world on the other side they need to deal with, but also with some nifty elements that I can’t share due to spoilers. But it gave it a really solid aspect of over here/over there that felt very 80’s-esque, but in the best way possible.
The lead up to and the finale itself were a lot of fun, with the group figuring out how to use their gifts as chess pieces, becoming moving pieces themselves to try and triumph over the ghost who has taken up residence in Utter Hall.
What I didn’t like: This actually relates back to the Messy Man series, but Ellen and her mom’s relationship morphed here. Whereas in the Messy Man series we dealt with Ellen’s mom’s horrendous behavior and narcissist ways, here it became an odd toxic reimagining where Ellen somehow appears to be the bad guy at times with how she treated her mom in key moments at the end of her mom’s life, while we know – and even see within the pages of this book – that her mom was a horrible, horrible person and treated her daughter with nothing but abuse.
Secondly, I found there was too many attempts at levity and humor within, especially when the ghosts arrive and things take a sinister turn. Every time something serious would begin to unfold, I’d expect a one-liner or set up for a joke to occur and it would. It was as though Paul Rudd was casted to be the comic relief. I could’ve handled far less of that – but I’m also a reader who doesn’t typically enjoy humor in his horror.
Why you should buy this: Overall, this haunted mansion tale was a ton of fun and another solid story from Sorensen, who has a knack of creating quickly relatable characters and dark, dark worlds.
‘The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap’ was a tense, fast-paced story that forced quirky, socially awkward characters to work together and overcome huge obstacles and that’s always something that makes for an entertaining read.
January 14, 2026
The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap left me with decidedly mixed feelings. There were moments when I was genuinely absorbed by the story and impressed by the atmosphere the author created, particularly when the novel leaned fully into its supernatural elements. The eerie realms and otherworldly touches were, for the most part, engaging and enjoyable, and they gave the book a haunting tone that worked well.
The author’s strength lies in description “The woman appeared at the landing, a figure dark in both demeanor and dress. She wore the night about her like a wrap, as if the darkness were a jealous lover.” helping draw me into the unsettling world of Sorrow’s Leap. That said, the novel didn’t always maintain this level of immersion. There were several moments where the plot pulled me out of the story and left me thinking, “Really?” Despite this, it offered enough strong atmosphere and supernatural intrigue to make the experience worthwhile. Readers who enjoy dark, paranormal stories may find much to appreciate in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmful Monkey Press for the opportunity to review this book.
The author’s strength lies in description “The woman appeared at the landing, a figure dark in both demeanor and dress. She wore the night about her like a wrap, as if the darkness were a jealous lover.” helping draw me into the unsettling world of Sorrow’s Leap. That said, the novel didn’t always maintain this level of immersion. There were several moments where the plot pulled me out of the story and left me thinking, “Really?” Despite this, it offered enough strong atmosphere and supernatural intrigue to make the experience worthwhile. Readers who enjoy dark, paranormal stories may find much to appreciate in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmful Monkey Press for the opportunity to review this book.
January 12, 2026
As someone who’s visited Hudson Valley (especially the Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown area) I can say there are many estates like this up there. Utter Hall immediately reminded me of a more rundown version of Lyndhurst Mansion, which made the setting feel especially vivid and authentic.
This was such a unique take on the haunted house story, and I loved how each character had their own special gift that blended so well with the others. I’d absolutely love to see more of these characters in future books (especially Zivy). The little nod to Suckerville at the end was also a great touch.
This was such a unique take on the haunted house story, and I loved how each character had their own special gift that blended so well with the others. I’d absolutely love to see more of these characters in future books (especially Zivy). The little nod to Suckerville at the end was also a great touch.
February 1, 2026
This is a 3.5 rating
Y'all, this was a really fun ride and I've never read a haunted house story like this.
This book flowed really well and I immediately liked our cast of main characters. I loved the banter and dialogue and was actually LOLing a lot.
I loved the supernatural elements in the book. They were dark, creepy and just plain crazy!!!
Ellen Marx used to talk to the dead but now they're ghosting her. With her psychic ability on the fritz, she has been working paranormal conventions hawking crystals and whatnot. But when she accidentally solves a supernatural challenge at her latest convention, she catches the eye of a horror author who has a haunted mansion that needs cleansing. Ellen joins a ragtag crew of psychic misfits to try to solve this haunting. But when they get to the mansion, they're in for more than they bargained for. Can they cleanse this house before it's too late?
Y'all, this was a really fun ride and I've never read a haunted house story like this.
This book flowed really well and I immediately liked our cast of main characters. I loved the banter and dialogue and was actually LOLing a lot.
I loved the supernatural elements in the book. They were dark, creepy and just plain crazy!!!
Ellen Marx used to talk to the dead but now they're ghosting her. With her psychic ability on the fritz, she has been working paranormal conventions hawking crystals and whatnot. But when she accidentally solves a supernatural challenge at her latest convention, she catches the eye of a horror author who has a haunted mansion that needs cleansing. Ellen joins a ragtag crew of psychic misfits to try to solve this haunting. But when they get to the mansion, they're in for more than they bargained for. Can they cleanse this house before it's too late?
January 20, 2026
This was a fun little read, and it was very action-packed in terms of a ghost story. I enjoyed the rag-tag group of characters and their interactions.
I would have loved more time for tension to be built up on this, but I know that is just personal preference. I love when a bump in the night that may just be an old house settling escalates into a full haunting, but The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap had its foot on the gas from page 1.
That being said, the pacing was still solid. The book kept me intrigued throughout and I thought the main ghost was very compelling, particularly her origins.
The idea of a parallel universe that is a construct from a fiction novel is fascinating, and I thought that made for a really neat twist on the traditional haunted house story.
Reading this definitely has me intrigued with Sorensen's work, so I may have to pick up some of his other books and delve further into his writing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for this ARC!
I would have loved more time for tension to be built up on this, but I know that is just personal preference. I love when a bump in the night that may just be an old house settling escalates into a full haunting, but The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap had its foot on the gas from page 1.
That being said, the pacing was still solid. The book kept me intrigued throughout and I thought the main ghost was very compelling, particularly her origins.
The idea of a parallel universe that is a construct from a fiction novel is fascinating, and I thought that made for a really neat twist on the traditional haunted house story.
Reading this definitely has me intrigued with Sorensen's work, so I may have to pick up some of his other books and delve further into his writing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for this ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Men in horror need their ability to write women taken away. From the beginning, it’s fake goth girl this, fake goth girl that. One of the characters is referred to as Bitch Queen. I also really disliked how light and almost silly the tone is throughout the book because it didn’t transmit the severity of the themes, which tackled abuse, trauma, and grooming. It just didn’t feel like a real horror story, it was too upbeat.
Men in horror need their ability to write women taken away. From the beginning, it’s fake goth girl this, fake goth girl that. One of the characters is referred to as Bitch Queen. I also really disliked how light and almost silly the tone is throughout the book because it didn’t transmit the severity of the themes, which tackled abuse, trauma, and grooming. It just didn’t feel like a real horror story, it was too upbeat.
January 30, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
When Ellen is asked to join a group of psychic misfits, JJ, a near-death survivor, Quan, a paranormal tech bro, and Zivy, a woman who may or may not be possessed, to investigate the mystery lurking inside crumbling Utter Hall, she has no idea what the hell she and the others will find. What they do find is a ghost who is willing to stop at nothing to protect what is hers and seek revenge on those who try to stop her. Ellen and the others, must find a way to solve who the Black Lady is, and why she is haunting this place. Unfortunately for Ellen, the Black Lady is not her only problem, her mother, who is dead will not stay buried, which only complicates things more for her, and the rest of the investigators.
This had me hooked from the first chapter, with its witty characters and well written story, it was a ghastly, ghostly fun time. I haven't read a lot of horror books, but I can say, that this one had just the right amount of horror, that was not overly gory, the fact that it has a strong story to back up the horror elements makes all the difference.
When Ellen is asked to join a group of psychic misfits, JJ, a near-death survivor, Quan, a paranormal tech bro, and Zivy, a woman who may or may not be possessed, to investigate the mystery lurking inside crumbling Utter Hall, she has no idea what the hell she and the others will find. What they do find is a ghost who is willing to stop at nothing to protect what is hers and seek revenge on those who try to stop her. Ellen and the others, must find a way to solve who the Black Lady is, and why she is haunting this place. Unfortunately for Ellen, the Black Lady is not her only problem, her mother, who is dead will not stay buried, which only complicates things more for her, and the rest of the investigators.
This had me hooked from the first chapter, with its witty characters and well written story, it was a ghastly, ghostly fun time. I haven't read a lot of horror books, but I can say, that this one had just the right amount of horror, that was not overly gory, the fact that it has a strong story to back up the horror elements makes all the difference.
January 29, 2026
Personal rating: ★★★☆☆
Overall rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: Horror, paranormal.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is not your typical horror book. It this book the author gives us a different approach to the "haunted house" sub-genre where: yes, you do find a powerful and violent ghost/spirit (and a small horde of ghosts/spirits under her command) and the house adds some charm by being almost completely inhabitable (and thus, creepier), there are characters that hide a truth that is eventually the key to solve the mystery (or is it?) and a group of psychics/mediums that tries to solve whatever the hell is wrong with Utter Hall (motivated by a large sum of money in reward). What could ever go wrong? Apparently, a lot.
And I'm not talking about the book because we have a set of different characters with very unique personalities, so you never get a dull moment. Some shine for their wits, others as comedic relief but you get charmed by them all and the plot is honestly something I've not read about before (it took me by surprise, to be honest, because of how creative it is in my opinion). It is dark but it has some humor in it too.
There's character development but also some serious topics to consider before reading the book, such as: self-harm, violence, terminal illness, mental illness, mentions of sexual assault and suicide, active alcohol consuming and fatphobia.
Do I recommend it? YES!
Just take a look at the previous content warning list!
Overall rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: Horror, paranormal.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is not your typical horror book. It this book the author gives us a different approach to the "haunted house" sub-genre where: yes, you do find a powerful and violent ghost/spirit (and a small horde of ghosts/spirits under her command) and the house adds some charm by being almost completely inhabitable (and thus, creepier), there are characters that hide a truth that is eventually the key to solve the mystery (or is it?) and a group of psychics/mediums that tries to solve whatever the hell is wrong with Utter Hall (motivated by a large sum of money in reward). What could ever go wrong? Apparently, a lot.
And I'm not talking about the book because we have a set of different characters with very unique personalities, so you never get a dull moment. Some shine for their wits, others as comedic relief but you get charmed by them all and the plot is honestly something I've not read about before (it took me by surprise, to be honest, because of how creative it is in my opinion). It is dark but it has some humor in it too.
There's character development but also some serious topics to consider before reading the book, such as: self-harm, violence, terminal illness, mental illness, mentions of sexual assault and suicide, active alcohol consuming and fatphobia.
Do I recommend it? YES!
Just take a look at the previous content warning list!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
What strikes me most about Sorensen’s writing is that, beneath the horror and the scares and the mystery, lies a streak of genuine heart and humanity. You can’t help but root for his misfit protagonists. I hope (and trust) we will see more of Ellen Marx in future books. And the sooner the better, as far as I’m concerned.
I devoured this book. Finished it in two sittings. It’s taut, surprising, and incredibly well- written. I look forward to whatever comes next.
I devoured this book. Finished it in two sittings. It’s taut, surprising, and incredibly well- written. I look forward to whatever comes next.
January 31, 2026
The lure of this novel came down to the promise it made in the description to be an addition to the Gothic literature cannon:” But as the haunting escalates, Ellen realizes that to uncover the truth behind the manifestation, she must first confront some ghosts of her own…” A beautiful convention of Gothic literature is that yes there are actual ghost, but the ghost are also metaphorical. This has all the makings of good gothic literature: supernatural elements - check, isolated setting - check, decrepit mansion - check. There was even a gothic lit. reference: “Back at Utter Hall, the Dark Lady had appeared as a garden-variety ghost, all Wuthering Heights and shit. Here in her domain, she was something else entirely.” As far as Ellen confronting the “ghost of her own,” there was a tiny moment that spoke of a resolution that would have had more of a impact had it been fleshed out in earlier ways. The mask of redemption felt hollow because when it happened, it felt like a convenient resolution to a high-tense moment. The shift was too sudden. The reason was lacking. There must be at least a hint of sunshine in the clouds alluded to earlier on. You can’t just have a storm of a person and then they are sunshine. If this seems vague, it is. I don’t want to give away too much in case you want to read this.
The biggest issue comes with what I consider to be a major plot hole. There is a deviation from reality that must be maintained with gothic literature. If the narrative requests, I can believe in ghosts, psychics, names carried along the wind, etc. However, I cannot believe a ghost holds so much power that they can create an alternate dimension through which people may be imprisoned and when our main characters find out about it, they’re just like, “okay.” No skepticism. No discussions of “how could this be possible?” Just pure acceptance. If this gives away too much, it might – but not enough that it would spoil the whole thing for you.
Ironically, the best lines I can use to describe my confusion come in the form of quotations from the book:
“That’s why I hate fiction. The lack of rules is appalling.”
“The ‘whys’ overwhelmed me. Why the self-inflicted injury? Why the spirit’s sudden reluctance to advance? Why—"
So, why did I give it three stars? I really like Ellen as a character, and so much of the language in this novel was beautiful or entertaining. Even with my questions, even with my confusion, I found a lot of value in this novel.
Here are some of my favorite quotations:
“The trees along this road curled overhead, interlacing their branches like prayerful hands” – beautiful visual imagery
“Reptilian hiss of static” – beautiful auditory imagery
“The moment we passed the threshold, the great doors closed behind us with the finality of a coffin lid slamming shut. ‘I give you a D for originality,’ I told the empty room, despite having jumped at the sound.” – Ellen in a nutshell.
Is it a perfect read, no. But is it a worthy read? Sure. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
The biggest issue comes with what I consider to be a major plot hole. There is a deviation from reality that must be maintained with gothic literature. If the narrative requests, I can believe in ghosts, psychics, names carried along the wind, etc. However, I cannot believe a ghost holds so much power that they can create an alternate dimension through which people may be imprisoned and when our main characters find out about it, they’re just like, “okay.” No skepticism. No discussions of “how could this be possible?” Just pure acceptance. If this gives away too much, it might – but not enough that it would spoil the whole thing for you.
Ironically, the best lines I can use to describe my confusion come in the form of quotations from the book:
“That’s why I hate fiction. The lack of rules is appalling.”
“The ‘whys’ overwhelmed me. Why the self-inflicted injury? Why the spirit’s sudden reluctance to advance? Why—"
So, why did I give it three stars? I really like Ellen as a character, and so much of the language in this novel was beautiful or entertaining. Even with my questions, even with my confusion, I found a lot of value in this novel.
Here are some of my favorite quotations:
“The trees along this road curled overhead, interlacing their branches like prayerful hands” – beautiful visual imagery
“Reptilian hiss of static” – beautiful auditory imagery
“The moment we passed the threshold, the great doors closed behind us with the finality of a coffin lid slamming shut. ‘I give you a D for originality,’ I told the empty room, despite having jumped at the sound.” – Ellen in a nutshell.
Is it a perfect read, no. But is it a worthy read? Sure. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 4, 2026
The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap by Chris Sorensen ⭐⭐⭐⭐
In The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap, Ellen is recruited to join a team of unique psychics tasked with investigating a paranormal mystery at the estate of a famous horror writer. Alongside her are a near-death survivor, a tech-savvy paranormal investigator, and a woman who may—or may not—be possessed. The team must work together to uncover the truth behind the strange manifestations, all while key information is kept from them. Can they solve the haunting without losing any of their team?
I really enjoyed the dynamic of the ragtag team of misfits—their personalities were so different, yet they shared similar psychic gifts, which made their interactions fun yet a bit messy. The mystery of the job itself was a highlight; Mr. Carter’s refusal to answer questions or fully explain the assignment made it all the more intriguing. Plus, what was up with this elusive Mr. Hall?!
Ellen’s character really stood out to me. I loved watching her grow from someone who bit her tongue to someone who confidently stood up for herself. Her journey through grief was especially powerful—chef’s kiss—and I connected deeply with her feelings of loss and lingering guilt.
I appreciated that the ghosts weren’t centuries old. Too often, paranormal stories rely on 1700s or 1800s spirits, so it was refreshing to see something more modern. The mystery and twists kept me guessing right alongside the characters, which made it hard to put the book down.I finished it in one sitting.
My only wishes: I wanted more background on Ellen and the rest of the psychic team, and I wish the danger had felt a bit higher-stakes. It just felt a little “safe” in that aspect.
For me, the only difference between a 4-star and a 5-star book is whether it made me physically or verbally react—laughing, crying, gasping, etc. While The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap didn’t hit those moments for me, it doesn’t mean it won’t for others. I will definitely reread this book because I really did enjoy it.
In The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap, Ellen is recruited to join a team of unique psychics tasked with investigating a paranormal mystery at the estate of a famous horror writer. Alongside her are a near-death survivor, a tech-savvy paranormal investigator, and a woman who may—or may not—be possessed. The team must work together to uncover the truth behind the strange manifestations, all while key information is kept from them. Can they solve the haunting without losing any of their team?
I really enjoyed the dynamic of the ragtag team of misfits—their personalities were so different, yet they shared similar psychic gifts, which made their interactions fun yet a bit messy. The mystery of the job itself was a highlight; Mr. Carter’s refusal to answer questions or fully explain the assignment made it all the more intriguing. Plus, what was up with this elusive Mr. Hall?!
Ellen’s character really stood out to me. I loved watching her grow from someone who bit her tongue to someone who confidently stood up for herself. Her journey through grief was especially powerful—chef’s kiss—and I connected deeply with her feelings of loss and lingering guilt.
I appreciated that the ghosts weren’t centuries old. Too often, paranormal stories rely on 1700s or 1800s spirits, so it was refreshing to see something more modern. The mystery and twists kept me guessing right alongside the characters, which made it hard to put the book down.I finished it in one sitting.
My only wishes: I wanted more background on Ellen and the rest of the psychic team, and I wish the danger had felt a bit higher-stakes. It just felt a little “safe” in that aspect.
For me, the only difference between a 4-star and a 5-star book is whether it made me physically or verbally react—laughing, crying, gasping, etc. While The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap didn’t hit those moments for me, it doesn’t mean it won’t for others. I will definitely reread this book because I really did enjoy it.
December 31, 2025
🦇𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬’𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙥 // 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯
This is the book I needed that I didn’t know I needed. I was immediately sucked into the story of Utter Hall and Sorrow’s Leap and allllll the vibes.
There were plenty of parts that reminded me of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 by the one and only Shirley Jackson. Sorensen certainly took some notes on the dark creeping dread that Jackson can create and then raaaaaan with it! He certainly knows how to write a haunting that is the perfect amount of ominous apprehension and fear while making it wholly his own. There is darkness, lurking creepy crawlies and specters, and even some parts that will make you laugh. I love a good dark horror that can find a way to intersperse some humor!
𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰…𝘩𝘰𝘸’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘨𝘰? ⬇️
“Ellen Marx used to talk to the dead. Now they’re ghosting her…
With her psychic gifts on the fritz, she’s been demoted to hawking discount crystals at third-rate paranormal conventions. But when she inadvertently solves a supernatural challenge at New Jersey’s Hooky Spooky Convention, she catches the eye of the event’s reclusive sponsor: a washed-up horror author with a haunted mansion in need of a serious cleansing.
Reluctantly, Ellen joins his ragtag crew of psychic misfits (a near-death survivor, a paranormal tech bro, and a woman who may or may not be possessed) to investigate the mystery lurking inside his crumbling Hudson Valley estate.
But as the haunting escalates, Ellen realizes that to uncover the truth behind the manifestation, she must first confront some ghosts of her own…”
Youuuu guys…I absolutely loved Ellen and the rest of her “crew of psychic misfits”. They were the perfect bunch to bring together to solve whatever is going on behind the walls of Utter Hall! I just loved every one of them.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
Put this one on your radar and in your cart, STAT!
*𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 @christopher_sorensen 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥!!!
This is the book I needed that I didn’t know I needed. I was immediately sucked into the story of Utter Hall and Sorrow’s Leap and allllll the vibes.
There were plenty of parts that reminded me of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 by the one and only Shirley Jackson. Sorensen certainly took some notes on the dark creeping dread that Jackson can create and then raaaaaan with it! He certainly knows how to write a haunting that is the perfect amount of ominous apprehension and fear while making it wholly his own. There is darkness, lurking creepy crawlies and specters, and even some parts that will make you laugh. I love a good dark horror that can find a way to intersperse some humor!
𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰…𝘩𝘰𝘸’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘨𝘰? ⬇️
“Ellen Marx used to talk to the dead. Now they’re ghosting her…
With her psychic gifts on the fritz, she’s been demoted to hawking discount crystals at third-rate paranormal conventions. But when she inadvertently solves a supernatural challenge at New Jersey’s Hooky Spooky Convention, she catches the eye of the event’s reclusive sponsor: a washed-up horror author with a haunted mansion in need of a serious cleansing.
Reluctantly, Ellen joins his ragtag crew of psychic misfits (a near-death survivor, a paranormal tech bro, and a woman who may or may not be possessed) to investigate the mystery lurking inside his crumbling Hudson Valley estate.
But as the haunting escalates, Ellen realizes that to uncover the truth behind the manifestation, she must first confront some ghosts of her own…”
Youuuu guys…I absolutely loved Ellen and the rest of her “crew of psychic misfits”. They were the perfect bunch to bring together to solve whatever is going on behind the walls of Utter Hall! I just loved every one of them.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
Put this one on your radar and in your cart, STAT!
*𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 @christopher_sorensen 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥!!!
January 12, 2026
I've been really enjoying Sorensen's most recent line of releases. I'm a mixed genre type of reader, and I love an author who mixes it up every now and then, which seems to be exactly what Sorensen is doing while maintaining the "horror" aspect. The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap is definitely different from the last two creature features this same author published, but I still found it to be another great read.
What I like most about this book is the layering of an entertaining storyline and corky characters. The author does a great job melding the character growth and development along with the intensity of the story itself. And while all the characters have their own personalities, talents, and things to work through, they all come off as authentic and not just caricatures to fit the plot.
While there are some creepy parts, I'd say this one is on the lighter side when it comes to "horror". It's not exactly what I would consider psychological horror, nor is it a bloodbath. This is brain candy in the way you can just sit and enjoy a good smooth chocolate bar, not so much hard candy that takes a while to get through.
If I were nitpicking, I'd say the end gets a little confusing and somewhat dreamlike, which isn't something I always like. But I enjoyed the book as a whole so much it's still a 4.5 star read for me, rounded up to 5 stars. I already can't wait for the next release!
What I like most about this book is the layering of an entertaining storyline and corky characters. The author does a great job melding the character growth and development along with the intensity of the story itself. And while all the characters have their own personalities, talents, and things to work through, they all come off as authentic and not just caricatures to fit the plot.
While there are some creepy parts, I'd say this one is on the lighter side when it comes to "horror". It's not exactly what I would consider psychological horror, nor is it a bloodbath. This is brain candy in the way you can just sit and enjoy a good smooth chocolate bar, not so much hard candy that takes a while to get through.
If I were nitpicking, I'd say the end gets a little confusing and somewhat dreamlike, which isn't something I always like. But I enjoyed the book as a whole so much it's still a 4.5 star read for me, rounded up to 5 stars. I already can't wait for the next release!
January 8, 2026
This book definitely had its ups and downs. I really enjoyed the humor and the banter among the group. It made the characters feel fun, and it kept things from getting too heavy early on. The creepy house exploration was also a highlight, even though I sometimes struggled to fully picture the house itself due to the lack of description. I got the vibes, just not always the visuals.
Zivy was my favorite character. Her story, her ability, everything about her stood out and actually made me want more pages focused on her. Also, calling what they went through a “haunting” feels like an understatement because that ghost was violent as hell. There’s a huge twist with what’s really happening, and I genuinely liked that part. It added an extra layer that made the story more interesting and helped pull everything together.
That said, I wasn’t totally sold on the writing style. It’s a little too YA for my taste, which pulled me out of the story at times. The beginning also felt slow, especially with the convention and recruitment process. I was starting to worry about the pacing, but once the recruiting wrapped up, the book finally hit its stride, and that’s where all the good stuff happens. The book cover was also quite misleading. The “haunting” plot root cause happened in the 2010s, and the book cover looked very vintage.
Zivy was my favorite character. Her story, her ability, everything about her stood out and actually made me want more pages focused on her. Also, calling what they went through a “haunting” feels like an understatement because that ghost was violent as hell. There’s a huge twist with what’s really happening, and I genuinely liked that part. It added an extra layer that made the story more interesting and helped pull everything together.
That said, I wasn’t totally sold on the writing style. It’s a little too YA for my taste, which pulled me out of the story at times. The beginning also felt slow, especially with the convention and recruitment process. I was starting to worry about the pacing, but once the recruiting wrapped up, the book finally hit its stride, and that’s where all the good stuff happens. The book cover was also quite misleading. The “haunting” plot root cause happened in the 2010s, and the book cover looked very vintage.
January 26, 2026
Being that I've been a fan of Chris Sorensen for quite a while now, when he asked if I would like an ARC of The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap, I accepted and here we are!
A young woman with psychic skills is working a dead end job selling "witchy" things to rubes. During a convention she meets two other people who have skills of their own. Together all three are given the opportunity to come to Sorrow's Leap to help solve a ghostly problem. As the tale progresses we learn the "skills" of all three and while they are powerful, will they be strong enough to survive Sorrow's Leap? You'll have to read this to find out!
I liked Ellen, the main character. I identified with her, as my own mom was a bit of a narcissist, with a touch of bi-polar thrown in. Ellen's mom was much worse, however, and of course, that helped to shape Ellen's life. While this narrative didn't fully get into their relationship, it created a weird dichotomy between this....seriousness, and the lighthearted feel of the rest of the book.
That said, this was well written and fast paced. The imaginative feel and creativeness of the author resulted in some great passages and scenes of real horror that will stay with me for a while. I hope this isn't the last we see of Ellen!
Recommended!
*ARC from author
A young woman with psychic skills is working a dead end job selling "witchy" things to rubes. During a convention she meets two other people who have skills of their own. Together all three are given the opportunity to come to Sorrow's Leap to help solve a ghostly problem. As the tale progresses we learn the "skills" of all three and while they are powerful, will they be strong enough to survive Sorrow's Leap? You'll have to read this to find out!
I liked Ellen, the main character. I identified with her, as my own mom was a bit of a narcissist, with a touch of bi-polar thrown in. Ellen's mom was much worse, however, and of course, that helped to shape Ellen's life. While this narrative didn't fully get into their relationship, it created a weird dichotomy between this....seriousness, and the lighthearted feel of the rest of the book.
That said, this was well written and fast paced. The imaginative feel and creativeness of the author resulted in some great passages and scenes of real horror that will stay with me for a while. I hope this isn't the last we see of Ellen!
Recommended!
*ARC from author
January 14, 2026
This is the first Chris Sorensen novel I have ever read, and whilst I did enjoy it, there were numerous things that I found myself disappointed in.
A primary aspect that I found ruined a large portion of the story for me, was the dark and gloomy atmosphere, as well as grim topics paired with half-hearted humour and joyful moments. This is not to say I expect a book to spend its entirety in a sad world, but Sorensen unfortunately fails to channel the balance levity and humour against characters with negative pasts.
Sorensen's lively tone belies the gravity of the topics of grooming and trauma. His failure to fully explore the dark depths of these subjects is a disservice to the material itself, and the outcome lacks the proper seriousness because he is more preoccupied with creating a feel-good novel full with quirky characters. The ambience that Sorrow's Leap creates is frequently at odds with the subject matter it tackles, and it is too lively and breezy as a result.
Additionally, the dismissal of Ellen’s abuse she has endured from her mother did anything but sit right with me. It left me uncomfortable that her character ended up playing into the stigma that the abused must forgive their abuser, especially when they are family.
However, I must acknowledge that I really admired the novel’s take on a more modern likeness towards its ghosts and paranormal spirits. Many stories are heavily built on centuries old souls, so it was nice to see things slightly different for a change.
Whilst this book has its ups and downs for me, that doesn’t go to diminish that there is obviously a strong story here, it just needed a slightly better execution.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
ᯓ ☆ ˚ ⋅ 3 stars
︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶୭ৎ︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶
ʚɞ pre read › .•
╰ started ⋆ 1, January, 2026
A haunted novel? What a great way to start the new year.
A primary aspect that I found ruined a large portion of the story for me, was the dark and gloomy atmosphere, as well as grim topics paired with half-hearted humour and joyful moments. This is not to say I expect a book to spend its entirety in a sad world, but Sorensen unfortunately fails to channel the balance levity and humour against characters with negative pasts.
Sorensen's lively tone belies the gravity of the topics of grooming and trauma. His failure to fully explore the dark depths of these subjects is a disservice to the material itself, and the outcome lacks the proper seriousness because he is more preoccupied with creating a feel-good novel full with quirky characters. The ambience that Sorrow's Leap creates is frequently at odds with the subject matter it tackles, and it is too lively and breezy as a result.
Additionally, the dismissal of Ellen’s abuse she has endured from her mother did anything but sit right with me. It left me uncomfortable that her character ended up playing into the stigma that the abused must forgive their abuser, especially when they are family.
However, I must acknowledge that I really admired the novel’s take on a more modern likeness towards its ghosts and paranormal spirits. Many stories are heavily built on centuries old souls, so it was nice to see things slightly different for a change.
Whilst this book has its ups and downs for me, that doesn’t go to diminish that there is obviously a strong story here, it just needed a slightly better execution.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
ᯓ ☆ ˚ ⋅ 3 stars
︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶୭ৎ︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶
ʚɞ pre read › .•
╰ started ⋆ 1, January, 2026
A haunted novel? What a great way to start the new year.
January 21, 2026
This is the second book that I have read by this author, and I have to say I continue to be impressed. The first book I read was called Suckerville and it was nothing like this one. Suckerville was more comedy horror. This book appears to be a sequel of sorts to another book The Messy Man, I think this can still be read as a standalone.
James Utter is a very sick man looking for a few unique people to help him with a problem at his estate, Utter Hall. Ellen Marx is a washed-up former psychic whose talents have seemingly disappeared. She's been working at your local paranormal conventions and bored out of her mind. While there she manages to solve a supernatural puzzle and is then asked to join some other......misfits.
The others in the group include a woman Ellen just met who acts really strange, almost possessed, a man who had a near death experience and a guy who has a paranormal show. Together they are taken to Utter Hall to see if they can help him with his problem.
Overall, I really loved this story. The setting and the character development are fantastic. With fast pacing and tension to keep you reading this is one story that you cannot pass up. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
James Utter is a very sick man looking for a few unique people to help him with a problem at his estate, Utter Hall. Ellen Marx is a washed-up former psychic whose talents have seemingly disappeared. She's been working at your local paranormal conventions and bored out of her mind. While there she manages to solve a supernatural puzzle and is then asked to join some other......misfits.
The others in the group include a woman Ellen just met who acts really strange, almost possessed, a man who had a near death experience and a guy who has a paranormal show. Together they are taken to Utter Hall to see if they can help him with his problem.
Overall, I really loved this story. The setting and the character development are fantastic. With fast pacing and tension to keep you reading this is one story that you cannot pass up. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
February 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmful Monkey Press for an eARC copy of The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap by Chris Sorensen.
The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap by Chris Sorensen was neither here nor there for me. While it was a quick read and serviceable as a haunted-house tale, it was neither especially chilling nor disappointing.
Ellen, a psychic whose abilities have fizzled out, scraping by at New Jersey's delightfully tacky Hooky Spooky Convention, suddenly finds herself recruited to clensea crumbling Hudson Valley mansion owned by a reclusive, washed-up horror novelist. The novel is setup brimming with potential - especially with a supporting case that includes a near-death survivor, a tech-minded paranormal investigator, and a possibly possessed teammate. The character work is its best strength, with Ellen working through her insecurity about her fading gifts and the processing of internal struggles. However, this does take away from the external haunting of the house and leaves you wanting more from what you'd expect of a haunted house story. If your looking to be entertained, it's a good read. However, if you're looking for something scary and gets you into that gothic horror vibe, you'll be left disappointed.
The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap by Chris Sorensen was neither here nor there for me. While it was a quick read and serviceable as a haunted-house tale, it was neither especially chilling nor disappointing.
Ellen, a psychic whose abilities have fizzled out, scraping by at New Jersey's delightfully tacky Hooky Spooky Convention, suddenly finds herself recruited to clensea crumbling Hudson Valley mansion owned by a reclusive, washed-up horror novelist. The novel is setup brimming with potential - especially with a supporting case that includes a near-death survivor, a tech-minded paranormal investigator, and a possibly possessed teammate. The character work is its best strength, with Ellen working through her insecurity about her fading gifts and the processing of internal struggles. However, this does take away from the external haunting of the house and leaves you wanting more from what you'd expect of a haunted house story. If your looking to be entertained, it's a good read. However, if you're looking for something scary and gets you into that gothic horror vibe, you'll be left disappointed.
December 11, 2025
With The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap, Chris Sorensen has created a taut, steadily engrossing, haunted thriller, that brings his band of relatable, just off-center characters, who happen to be saddled with psychic abilities, and uneven pasts, face to face with harrowing, unquenchable, demons and things. In his previous writings, and here again, Sorensen has the uncanny ability to dramatically draw opposing worlds, and his reader, closer and closer to the action, having his characters clash with their own fears, while he deftly has them dueling with frightening, other worldly, relentless, let’s call them spirited, and tenacious, aptly defined, Monsters. Fans of Sorensen’s Messy Man book series will be stoked to see his character Ellen Marx, squarely back in the driver’s seat. Like the underdog champion she is, Marx wills herself off the mat time and time again, pulling her uneven mates with her, as she battles and tangles with an array of haunters, worthy of the encroaching title of this book, that laps up against the heels of his very real, very human characters, and his reader’s alike.
January 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 STARS
The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap pulled me in with its wonderfully written atmosphere. The spookiness is clever, unsettling, and imaginative. Each of the four main characters carry their own trauma, which in turn shapes their psychic powers, making their interactions and growth both compelling and layered. I found the cast genuinely entertaining, and JJ quickly became my favorite. He’s sweet, memorable, and a real standout as the glue that holds the group together.
The writing is strong, the plot engaging, and the pacing keeps you turning pages with ease. That said, I wish the epilogue had offered a little more closure on The Dark Lady. Her anger is palpable, and while her presence is haunting, we are only given a glimpse as to why she became so hateful and vengeful. She deserved more attention and depth, which could have elevated her into a truly unforgettable figure.
Overall, this is a really good, character-driven read that I would happily recommend to anyone who loves eerie fiction with psychic and ghostly vibes.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harmful Monkey Press. and Chris Sorensen for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The Haunting of Sorrow’s Leap pulled me in with its wonderfully written atmosphere. The spookiness is clever, unsettling, and imaginative. Each of the four main characters carry their own trauma, which in turn shapes their psychic powers, making their interactions and growth both compelling and layered. I found the cast genuinely entertaining, and JJ quickly became my favorite. He’s sweet, memorable, and a real standout as the glue that holds the group together.
The writing is strong, the plot engaging, and the pacing keeps you turning pages with ease. That said, I wish the epilogue had offered a little more closure on The Dark Lady. Her anger is palpable, and while her presence is haunting, we are only given a glimpse as to why she became so hateful and vengeful. She deserved more attention and depth, which could have elevated her into a truly unforgettable figure.
Overall, this is a really good, character-driven read that I would happily recommend to anyone who loves eerie fiction with psychic and ghostly vibes.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harmful Monkey Press. and Chris Sorensen for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 29, 2026
This is the 2nd book I've read by Sorensen, after enjoying his book The Nightmare Room a couple years back. It seems he's found a niche area of writing atypical haunted house books and this definitely falls in that vein.
This story follows a group of people with special gifts that enable them to see into the "other side," with the main focus being on Ellen who has been without her abilities since her mom died. Together, they are tasked with ridding the haunting spirits of a retired horror writer's mansion.
The characters are quirky, but make a likeable team; the house holds many types of spirits that they're surprised with. Where Sorensen excels is in the descriptions of the house and the other realms that the main four fight against throughout. Where it creeps down to 4 stars from 5 is that I'm not sure all the character notes are entirely successful. The ending is bonkers, and I'm not quite sure it's entirely earned, but I enjoyed it regardless. Once again, I'm entertained by Chris Sorensen offering up something new to the beloved haunted house trope.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ebook that was lent to me for an honest review.
This story follows a group of people with special gifts that enable them to see into the "other side," with the main focus being on Ellen who has been without her abilities since her mom died. Together, they are tasked with ridding the haunting spirits of a retired horror writer's mansion.
The characters are quirky, but make a likeable team; the house holds many types of spirits that they're surprised with. Where Sorensen excels is in the descriptions of the house and the other realms that the main four fight against throughout. Where it creeps down to 4 stars from 5 is that I'm not sure all the character notes are entirely successful. The ending is bonkers, and I'm not quite sure it's entirely earned, but I enjoyed it regardless. Once again, I'm entertained by Chris Sorensen offering up something new to the beloved haunted house trope.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ebook that was lent to me for an honest review.
January 29, 2026
THE HAUNTING OF SORROW'S LEAP, by Chris Sorensen, is a novel that brings together a "misfit" crew of psychics of varying abilities to Utter Mansion--where a supernatural entity has made life a literal, living hell.
Ellen is the character whose POV tells the narrative. She was deeply involved in helping people with ghostly phenomena, until the death of her narcissistic, abusive mother. When she meets our other characters at a convention, and is brought to the attention of Mr. Utter, her psychic abilities suddenly flair back to life.
The group of psychics were a good mix, and despite their different personalities, I really enjoyed their banter and how they became "close" with their shared experiences. The haunting had some good creepy scenes (walking through an weed ravaged lawn at night is NOT on my list of things to do at this point), and the origin of the "Dark Lady" was fitting, in my opinion. The horror ramps up more in the last half, but I did enjoy the scenes before it with all of the characters getting to know each other.
I'm looking forward to the author's next novel.
Recommended.
Ellen is the character whose POV tells the narrative. She was deeply involved in helping people with ghostly phenomena, until the death of her narcissistic, abusive mother. When she meets our other characters at a convention, and is brought to the attention of Mr. Utter, her psychic abilities suddenly flair back to life.
The group of psychics were a good mix, and despite their different personalities, I really enjoyed their banter and how they became "close" with their shared experiences. The haunting had some good creepy scenes (walking through an weed ravaged lawn at night is NOT on my list of things to do at this point), and the origin of the "Dark Lady" was fitting, in my opinion. The horror ramps up more in the last half, but I did enjoy the scenes before it with all of the characters getting to know each other.
I'm looking forward to the author's next novel.
Recommended.
March 17, 2026
This book was a very imaginative story for a horror. I liked the creativeness and it made me want to explore all those individual stories mentioned. I like that the story gave a nod to the midwest. The story was fast moving and kept me page-turning. I was intrigued with the larger story and I managed to read this in a couple of days. It also had a good bit of mystery/investigative sleuthing, but could have done with different main characters.
I want to give the story 4 stars but the main characters really annoyed me to the point it’s a 3.
As a woman in my mid-thirties, I found the females annoying and very immature. Characters were supposed to be pushing 30/early thirties but instead they read as brooding teenagers rather than adults.
All characters read as alcoholics, even went to great (ridiculous) lengths to get booze every time they got a tiny bit stressed to tell a semi-difficult story. The booze got repetitive and made me dislike them more.
Going from strangers to BFFs only after 24 hours also wasn’t tracking for me. Maybe should be marketed as YA.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I want to give the story 4 stars but the main characters really annoyed me to the point it’s a 3.
As a woman in my mid-thirties, I found the females annoying and very immature. Characters were supposed to be pushing 30/early thirties but instead they read as brooding teenagers rather than adults.
All characters read as alcoholics, even went to great (ridiculous) lengths to get booze every time they got a tiny bit stressed to tell a semi-difficult story. The booze got repetitive and made me dislike them more.
Going from strangers to BFFs only after 24 hours also wasn’t tracking for me. Maybe should be marketed as YA.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 9, 2026
When Ellen Marx's mother died, it seemed so did her psychic gifts. She's been trying to make ends meet by being a vendor at cheesy spooky conventions. Her powers are triggered when she helps a young man who has some odd gifts himself, and they're offered to cleanse a haunted manor for a nice paycheck. Ellen doesn't like to work with others, but she's going to have to learn when the haunting becomes violent. Together they must find out what's haunting the estate and how to defeat it.
This is a fun haunted house story with a twist. It has a wonderfully gothic setting made real with lovely details. The haunting itself starts off fast and hard and doesn't relent, which is unusual for this trope, but it hooked me. There are some deep themes tackled, but the author didn't dive deeply into them wanting to keep the story more fun than depressing. The cast of characters was fantastic. Ellen with her psychic medium powers, JJ who is a near-death survivor, Quan is a technical ghost hunter, and Zivy who has a blood demon. Quirky and weird, and they somehow really mesh well together.
This is a fun haunted house story with a twist. It has a wonderfully gothic setting made real with lovely details. The haunting itself starts off fast and hard and doesn't relent, which is unusual for this trope, but it hooked me. There are some deep themes tackled, but the author didn't dive deeply into them wanting to keep the story more fun than depressing. The cast of characters was fantastic. Ellen with her psychic medium powers, JJ who is a near-death survivor, Quan is a technical ghost hunter, and Zivy who has a blood demon. Quirky and weird, and they somehow really mesh well together.
January 7, 2026
I love a good haunted house story, and The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap definitely delivers on that front! There are familiar beats of the standard haunted house narrative, but also a pleasant number of surprise twists in the story and characters that kept me on my toes. The haunting and all of its trappings were really scary and well done. I thought the descriptions gave enough details for a clear picture and left enough to the imagination for you to make it worse for yourself. I really enjoyed the way the haunting played out, and the fast paced last third or so of the book!
My main complaint would be the frequent use of Chunky as a nickname for an overweight character. I don't like that personally, and I got the impression that you're not supposed to like that.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be looking up other books by Sorensen. A good haunting narrative can be hard to find!
My main complaint would be the frequent use of Chunky as a nickname for an overweight character. I don't like that personally, and I got the impression that you're not supposed to like that.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be looking up other books by Sorensen. A good haunting narrative can be hard to find!
January 10, 2026
I was completely drawn in at the beginning — I really loved the setting and the early events of the novel, and I could tell right away this was building into a gothic story unlike anything I’d read before.
I did struggle to fully connect with the main character at times (the repeated reference to an overweight character as “Chunky” pulled me out of the story), though I genuinely enjoyed the journeys of the side characters.
The plot itself is highly original and becomes increasingly layered as the story unfolds. This is not a simple haunting story, and not a classic gothic either. While I appreciated how unique and ambitious the narrative was, I did find myself wishing occasionally for a slightly simpler storyline, just to give some breathing room.
That said, I can absolutely see this book resonating with readers who love complex, thoughtful horror that dares to do something different.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via NetGalley.
I did struggle to fully connect with the main character at times (the repeated reference to an overweight character as “Chunky” pulled me out of the story), though I genuinely enjoyed the journeys of the side characters.
The plot itself is highly original and becomes increasingly layered as the story unfolds. This is not a simple haunting story, and not a classic gothic either. While I appreciated how unique and ambitious the narrative was, I did find myself wishing occasionally for a slightly simpler storyline, just to give some breathing room.
That said, I can absolutely see this book resonating with readers who love complex, thoughtful horror that dares to do something different.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via NetGalley.
January 24, 2026
When a group of people are gathered together they think they are supposed to find out what and why the owner of the home is being haunted. There have been many people that have tried but failed. That is because they are not given the full story. Fortunately this group has people with very different gifts than the others before them. Ellen’s gift is the most puzzling of all the gifts and quite terrifying. Not only can she see and hear ghosts but she can make them do what she wants them to do. When she encounters the dark lady, at first, the reader thinks Ellen is doomed but that is not the case. The first time Ellen exhibited her powers I was completely shocked. No wonder she wanted nothing to do with spirits. As the group began to put things together and realized there was more to the story than Mr. Utter led them to believe. The author used all the right words to create a truly world full of atmosphere and some truly terrifying creatures.
January 26, 2026
In this one we get a story of paranormal investigation that goes ( not surprisingly ) very wrong for those investigating. The haunting was quite original and was executed well. The pacing was well done and the author was able to create a haunted house with real teeth. As a reader who is very character driven, I appreciated the back stories provided for the characters .....just enough details without becoming bogged down. The one exception was the main character/ narrator. She is introduced and immediately just rubbed me the wrong way. She is not a likable character ( I don't need to like a character to appreciate them), but I really struggled to understand her motivation. Overall an enjoyable read that will resonate with those who want a haunted house story...with a twist!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/ publisher for allowing me access to this title free of charge. I'm leaving my honest review voluntarily.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/ publisher for allowing me access to this title free of charge. I'm leaving my honest review voluntarily.
December 26, 2025
Best read of 2025.
This one takes on several genres and does them all masterfully culminating in a great haunted house/ghost tale.
It becomes a page-turner very quickly--about halfway through Chapter 1, in fact. The main character rapidly became a favorite of mine, but the rest of the characters in her immediate circle were all fleshed out extremely well and their quirks were both interesting and humorous.
Speaking of humorous, Sorensen drops the most hilarious throwaway lines I've read in a long time. It seemed like every chapter had at least one and they were added to dialogue so deftly that they never intruded on the story but nevertheless always got a snort out of me.
His best yet--don't miss it.
This one takes on several genres and does them all masterfully culminating in a great haunted house/ghost tale.
It becomes a page-turner very quickly--about halfway through Chapter 1, in fact. The main character rapidly became a favorite of mine, but the rest of the characters in her immediate circle were all fleshed out extremely well and their quirks were both interesting and humorous.
Speaking of humorous, Sorensen drops the most hilarious throwaway lines I've read in a long time. It seemed like every chapter had at least one and they were added to dialogue so deftly that they never intruded on the story but nevertheless always got a snort out of me.
His best yet--don't miss it.
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