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Boogerman's House
Boogerman’s House has a history – murder, mayhem, suicide. All who live there fall victim to its deadly hold.
When Teagan, Ryan, and Will go after a killer article for the school paper, they figure staying one night can’t hurt. And what better night than the anniversary of the first slaying?
But the boogerman plays fiendish tricks. The three face deadly ghosts, past demons, and a house that is unforgiving of their former sins.
When Teagan, Ryan, and Will go after a killer article for the school paper, they figure staying one night can’t hurt. And what better night than the anniversary of the first slaying?
But the boogerman plays fiendish tricks. The three face deadly ghosts, past demons, and a house that is unforgiving of their former sins.
74 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2015
10 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
About the author
Dax Varley
27 books78 followersDax Varley is the author of SLEEPY HOLLOW, RETURN TO SLEEPY HOLLOW, BLEED, and NIGHTMARE HOUSE. She loves humor, horror and all things paranormal.
When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows, or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures, and about a dozen imaginary friends.
When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows, or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures, and about a dozen imaginary friends.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 5, 2019
Rating: 4.0/5.0
I enjoyed this horror novella. It is about three high school students who decide to go into a haunted house called Nightmare House to write a report for their school. But that is not the sole purpose. One of them is hiding something. Once they are inside each one of them is confronted with his personal nightmare.
Each one of them has a story or a past experience that haunts him/her in that house where many crimes happened earlier. The writing was thrilling and enjoyable. I won't say this was very creepy but was a fun read.
I enjoyed this horror novella. It is about three high school students who decide to go into a haunted house called Nightmare House to write a report for their school. But that is not the sole purpose. One of them is hiding something. Once they are inside each one of them is confronted with his personal nightmare.
Each one of them has a story or a past experience that haunts him/her in that house where many crimes happened earlier. The writing was thrilling and enjoyable. I won't say this was very creepy but was a fun read.
March 29, 2015
You can find my review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/boog...
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/boog...
February 9, 2017
Boogerman's House by Dax Varley is a ghost story plus. The old farmhouse has a bad reputation and as such, it acts as the main character in this novella, a place of murder and suicide. There are three prior occurrences - a murdered family by the hands of the father and his suicide after, the death/suicide of two sisters, and finally, the suicide of a famous horror writer who hangs himself in the barn. Three teenagers - Will, Ryan, and Teagan - set off to the house to spend the night gathering information for an article they plan to write for their school paper. One of the teens has an alternative agenda. Will they survive the night? Or will Boogerman's House claim three more lives?
Although this novella can be a quick read, it does not mean that Varley denies the reader of well-developed characters. The house, Will, Ryan, and Teagan all come to life before your eyes with their own distinctive personalities and the ghosts will definitely scare you. The setting, a notorious haunted house, is so well-described that at times it left shivers down my spine. And the plot is well thought-out and followed through until the very last line (which will also leave chills!).
I love the ease of the storytelling in this novella. Varley doesn't mince words. There are very few suspenseful build-ups. Instead, she mostly ops for the real-life gotchas, which put the readers right there with each of the characters in the moment of their attacks. I also enjoyed how the author, using both the personal and the impersonal, allowed the house to get inside the heads of the characters. If you love a good ghost story, then this is the story for you.
Notes: This novella has been renamed and now characterized as a short story - The new title is Nightmare House, so if you are looking for it on Amazon, use the new title. I received a copy of the originally titled novella from Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Although this novella can be a quick read, it does not mean that Varley denies the reader of well-developed characters. The house, Will, Ryan, and Teagan all come to life before your eyes with their own distinctive personalities and the ghosts will definitely scare you. The setting, a notorious haunted house, is so well-described that at times it left shivers down my spine. And the plot is well thought-out and followed through until the very last line (which will also leave chills!).
I love the ease of the storytelling in this novella. Varley doesn't mince words. There are very few suspenseful build-ups. Instead, she mostly ops for the real-life gotchas, which put the readers right there with each of the characters in the moment of their attacks. I also enjoyed how the author, using both the personal and the impersonal, allowed the house to get inside the heads of the characters. If you love a good ghost story, then this is the story for you.
Notes: This novella has been renamed and now characterized as a short story - The new title is Nightmare House, so if you are looking for it on Amazon, use the new title. I received a copy of the originally titled novella from Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 15, 2015
I received a copy of this title through the LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Three teens visit the local haunted mansion in an attempt to get a scoop for the school newspaper. This was a less-than-stellar plan.
After I'd stopped giggling at the title of this novella (teehee, Booger!) I entered a very atmospheric and genuinely disturbing YA horror/paranormal jaunt. While this is a pretty well-traversed plot line - a group of teens stay overnight in a haunted mansion and get more than they bargain for - Varley has done a good job of making the horror bits appropriately shudder inducing.
I suspect it won't satisfy hardcore fanciers of the horror genre, but for your common or garden paranormal reader who likes to be a bit spooked, there's bones, spooky visions, mental torment, local urban legends and an ending that goes off with a bang. The three main characters all have proverbial skeletons in their respective closets and these play a big role in the unfolding drama. The story finishes a little bit up in the air so any feelings of uneasiness incurred during the action-packed climax are likely to linger for a little while after finishing the tale. There's also a mysterious character who may or may not be pulling the strings that we don't find out much about, so there is plenty of room for unpacking the tale afterward and trying to figure out where this character might fit in and what might happen after we leave the teens to their fate.
Overall, this was a tight, satisfying read for when you want to feel the breeze through the hairs on the back of your neck.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Three teens visit the local haunted mansion in an attempt to get a scoop for the school newspaper. This was a less-than-stellar plan.
After I'd stopped giggling at the title of this novella (teehee, Booger!) I entered a very atmospheric and genuinely disturbing YA horror/paranormal jaunt. While this is a pretty well-traversed plot line - a group of teens stay overnight in a haunted mansion and get more than they bargain for - Varley has done a good job of making the horror bits appropriately shudder inducing.
I suspect it won't satisfy hardcore fanciers of the horror genre, but for your common or garden paranormal reader who likes to be a bit spooked, there's bones, spooky visions, mental torment, local urban legends and an ending that goes off with a bang. The three main characters all have proverbial skeletons in their respective closets and these play a big role in the unfolding drama. The story finishes a little bit up in the air so any feelings of uneasiness incurred during the action-packed climax are likely to linger for a little while after finishing the tale. There's also a mysterious character who may or may not be pulling the strings that we don't find out much about, so there is plenty of room for unpacking the tale afterward and trying to figure out where this character might fit in and what might happen after we leave the teens to their fate.
Overall, this was a tight, satisfying read for when you want to feel the breeze through the hairs on the back of your neck.
August 1, 2017
Short story, teenagers running amuk in a creepy old house.. Could have been better.
December 12, 2019
Boogerman's House by Dax Varley Boogerman's House, A Haunting Novella by Dax Varley is a frightening story. I gave it four stars.
A group of young people are going to "Boogerman's House, one of the most haunted spots in America and Thornback, Texas's famous landmark." They are there on the anniversary of the first murder-suicide. Teagan is writing an article for The Paw Print, her high school newspaper. Ryan and Will are with her. They have a competitive 'eyerolling' type of relationship with each other.
There is something unsettled about Boogerman's House. It's isolated. It infected you with despair. There were multiple murders and suicides over the years.
I received a complimentary kindle copy from booklikes. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/150...
A group of young people are going to "Boogerman's House, one of the most haunted spots in America and Thornback, Texas's famous landmark." They are there on the anniversary of the first murder-suicide. Teagan is writing an article for The Paw Print, her high school newspaper. Ryan and Will are with her. They have a competitive 'eyerolling' type of relationship with each other.
There is something unsettled about Boogerman's House. It's isolated. It infected you with despair. There were multiple murders and suicides over the years.
I received a complimentary kindle copy from booklikes. That did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/150...
August 15, 2019
A DV. Present Day Action Adventure (NH)
DV. has. penned a novel of evil, with many secrets that should have stayed buried. There young men accept a different are to spend a night in a haunted house. Their problem is there is more to this than meets the eye. A young lady shows up and the three boys try to protect her, but they are no match for a killer. As the four unravel the mystery someone begins to kill them. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
DV. has. penned a novel of evil, with many secrets that should have stayed buried. There young men accept a different are to spend a night in a haunted house. Their problem is there is more to this than meets the eye. A young lady shows up and the three boys try to protect her, but they are no match for a killer. As the four unravel the mystery someone begins to kill them. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
October 1, 2019
I finished this long ago and forgot to post.
As always Dax Varley is a sensational writer. She doesn't disappoint in this short, suspenseful read. The premise might be a familiar one - teens spend the night in a house of horrors, ha. ha. ha. - but she really does a good job with adding the appropriate amount of twists to the story.
As always Dax Varley is a sensational writer. She doesn't disappoint in this short, suspenseful read. The premise might be a familiar one - teens spend the night in a house of horrors, ha. ha. ha. - but she really does a good job with adding the appropriate amount of twists to the story.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
June 1, 2015
Dax Varley says she writes “the kind of young adult novels she wishes were around when she was a teen.” If by that she means “short,” then her novella Boogerman’s House is certainly that. It can be read in less than an hour, and that is a plus, especially for reluctant readers. If she means, in her statement, “wildly inventive,” then Boogerman’s House is indeed that. Varley’s three teen characters decide to spend a night in a local dilapidated house noted for the deaths that have occurred there. Now, Varley could have taken the expected routes: teens scare each other; teens encounter unexplained happenings that soon are explained; teens’ friends rig up booby traps for their explorer friends; teens are so freaked out that they run screaming from the house. But Varley is anything but expected. The plot turns she comes up with are unequivocally unexpected. What happens in Boogerman’s House will blow you away! It’s like an episode of The Twilight Zone, and I’m not talking the vampire Twilights. No, I’m talking Rod Serling’s celebrated mid-twentieth century TV series where the unexpected and unexplained was a regular occurrence. And don’t be fooled by the title. This is no book for children. This book is definitely for teens, and it will likely scare their socks off. Dax Varley’s Boogerman’s House is scary, twisting and twisted, and most of all, fun.
February 28, 2015
This is a short novella in the horror genre. Three teenagers decide to spend the night in the local haunted house to write a piece for their school newspaper. Perhaps this is not the smartest thing they ever decided to do. The book covers the earlier parts of their night and all the spooky things they encounter. This is not just a “something goes bump in the night” tale. The author has tried to make it much more. Personally, I think he would have succeeded more had the story been longer. As it is, the reader encounters some action, person or event that is scary and without any further ado, the book moves along to something else. I liked the way the author tied the scary events, actions and persons to the legendary history of the house. Was it scary to me? Not really. As I said, if the book were longer, it may well have been. There was a lot of jumping around which made it a bit disjointed. Finally, the author interjected a fourth, unknown, mysterious person into the mix, but with little development. As I said, I think the book was too short to do the plot justice. However, it can provide a brief interlude to someone who enjoys these sorts of things and it is well written. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.
May 13, 2016
"Nightmare House" is about three teens that go to a house that is rumored to be haunted. They go thinking that it's for a story for the school paper, but it's not . One of them has an ulterior motive that he keeps to himself. What occurs can only be thought of as creepy and scary.
My rating for this book is a 3.5 stars. This is a short story or novella for the young adult but would be enjoyable for adults too. I enjoyed reading the story, but wasn't so creeped out I couldn't sleep. I did find one part a little disappointing, the ending. It's no so much as how it ended but the action at the end is a little confusing and I found myself having to reread it to understand what happened.
Here's the Amazon link for "Nightmare House":
https://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Hous...
My rating for this book is a 3.5 stars. This is a short story or novella for the young adult but would be enjoyable for adults too. I enjoyed reading the story, but wasn't so creeped out I couldn't sleep. I did find one part a little disappointing, the ending. It's no so much as how it ended but the action at the end is a little confusing and I found myself having to reread it to understand what happened.
Here's the Amazon link for "Nightmare House":
https://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Hous...
January 10, 2016
I picked this book as I wanted to read something more of the horror genre without scaring myself too much, seeing that this one was aimed at the young adult market and reading the description, I was excited to start reading it. I started reading it earlier on today and I've just finished, it was a pleasant read with quite a few twists and turns and I really enjoyed it. Not too hard hitting, a bit graphic at times but exactly what I needed and expected it would be - a good story.
February 16, 2015
I had the honor of reading this book right before Dax Varley published it, and I loved it. It is a great haunted house story that is reminiscent of Stephen King. I love how the paranormal activity plays on the paranoia and guilt of the teenagers invading the house for a night of ghost hunting. It is very clever and frightening. I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants a scare.
March 3, 2015
I loved this book! It was a very interesting and fun read. I love thrillers and this one is great too. I would recommend this one to anyone that likes short thrillers. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
June 2, 2015
Quick, well-connected horror story reminiscent of a Twilight Zone episode. Be prepared to flinch. Full review posts 6/4/15 on Hall Ways http://kristinehallways.blogspot.com/...
March 8, 2015
Short story of three young men who spend the night in a house where murder has occurred. I had a hard time staying involved in this book.
January 28, 2016
Interesting read
A little different would recommend not one of the best good for one time read would recommend to people who like this kind
A little different would recommend not one of the best good for one time read would recommend to people who like this kind
September 27, 2016
I'm not normally a horror person, but this one gave me chills quickly and they kept coming!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews