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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
22 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Chris Sorensen
66 books157 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 - 26 of 26 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.
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 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 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.
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 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.
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.
January 11, 2026
I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could. The beginning of the novel, which takes place at a horror convention, was fun, but I felt a bit of the humor and interest were lost when the characters reached Utter Hall. Things began to stall a bit in the middle for me and lagged until the end, where it picked up considerably. There is a lot of blood in this book, so if you are squeamish, this is probably not for you. I could have done without the weird fat-shaming bent (a character is repeatedly called "Chunky" by the main character, even when he asks her to stop). Despite this, the story itself is really interesting and fresh, with enough suspense and twists to keep the reader interested.
January 3, 2026
What really drew me in about this book was the premise, I enjoy when there’s a ghost hunting element in haunted house books. Overall this ended up being an entertaining read, the plot was pretty well paced and I liked all of our characters. Ideally I would have liked to see all of the characters fleshed out a bit more, but I feel like the ending leaves room for future books with these characters and more potential to develop them a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2026
This book was such a unique approach to a haunted house story. I enjoyed the differing personalities of all of the characters and seeing their dynamics once they got to Utter Hall. Each individual had to use their strengths to battle the Dark Lady and I loved seeing how that ended up playing out at Sorrow’s Leap. Overall this was an unsettling and intriguing story that I’d recommend for people who want a book about a haunted house that will keep you intrigued and make you think but won’t make you lose sleep at night or want to sleep with the lights on.
December 11, 2025
Well, this was a fun surprise! I happened to find this book serendipitously and could not put it down.
No spoilers here, but while the cover and the title suggest a very hokey old-school romantic/horror story--this was not. Modern, fun, VERY engaging characters that were both well developed and likeable, the story took me to places I was not expecting. In my opinion, that is always a plus for this genre. Well done, Mr. Sorensen!!
No spoilers here, but while the cover and the title suggest a very hokey old-school romantic/horror story--this was not. Modern, fun, VERY engaging characters that were both well developed and likeable, the story took me to places I was not expecting. In my opinion, that is always a plus for this genre. Well done, Mr. Sorensen!!
December 11, 2025
Chris Sorensen's prose is crisp, his characters like old friends you just met, and his plots keep you turning. Like his Messy Man series, the Haunting of Sorrow's Leap engages you from first page to last. The turns are unexpected but rewarding and the horror plays out all the more effectively because of the flawed humanity of the characters themselves. It's a terrific read!
December 11, 2025
Sorensen mixes grief and horror in equal measure to create a tale worthy of a horror lover’s shelves. Dark humor and scares combine to make a heartfelt horror that will linger long after you read it. So good. I’m a fan!
December 11, 2025
I loved this! It is a page turning fun and scary ride. Great story and wonderful characters! I have read a few Sorensen books now and he does not disappoint. His imagination is incredible.
December 14, 2025
Great read! There's some wonderful humor in amidst the horror... and I was particularly fond of the eclectic band of misfits at the core of this story. Hope to see more of Ellen Marx in the future!
December 31, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This was quite a quick read actually. Good pacing and solid characters and a well constructed take on a familiar premise. Good stuff.
This was quite a quick read actually. Good pacing and solid characters and a well constructed take on a familiar premise. Good stuff.
January 18, 2026
Oh, I loved this. Read starting New Years in front of the fire - atmospheric, spooky, a perfect winter read.
January 9, 2026
I absolutely adore this book, it's most definitely in the top reads of the year for me! The writing flows so smoothly, characters are so well written and believable, and the creep factor is set to 100%! If you enjoy haunted houses/ghosts tropes, this one is such a refreshing and modern take!
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