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The Messy Man #1
The Nightmare Room
A boy in a basement, a man in a booth and a darkness that threatens to swallow them both...
New York audiobook narrator Peter Larson and his wife Hannah head to his hometown of Maple City to help Peter's ailing father and to put a recent tragedy behind them. Though the small, Midwestern town seems the idyllic place to start afresh, Peter and Hannah will soon learn that evil currents flow beneath its surface.
They move into an old farmhouse on the outskirts of town—a house purchased by Peter's father at auction and kept secret until now—and start to settle into their new life.
But as Peter sets up his recording studio in a small basement room, disturbing things begin to occur—mysterious voices haunt audio tracks, malevolent shadows creep about the house. And when an insidious presence emerges from the woodwork, Peter must face old demons in order to save his family and himself.
Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
New York audiobook narrator Peter Larson and his wife Hannah head to his hometown of Maple City to help Peter's ailing father and to put a recent tragedy behind them. Though the small, Midwestern town seems the idyllic place to start afresh, Peter and Hannah will soon learn that evil currents flow beneath its surface.
They move into an old farmhouse on the outskirts of town—a house purchased by Peter's father at auction and kept secret until now—and start to settle into their new life.
But as Peter sets up his recording studio in a small basement room, disturbing things begin to occur—mysterious voices haunt audio tracks, malevolent shadows creep about the house. And when an insidious presence emerges from the woodwork, Peter must face old demons in order to save his family and himself.
Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
Audiobook
First published January 23, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 438 reviews
April 8, 2023
Peter (a narrator of audio books) and his wife Hannah are moving back to the place of his childhood. His parents are old and in a nursery home. When moving into an old farmhouse his father once bought Peter learns about a mysterious secret of his past. Why is the place haunted? How can he get rid of this ghost? What about his father? Is Peter slowly losing his mind? This was a very intriguing and eerie story from start to finish. You have new clue how the prologue is connected to the rest of the story until the twist at the end. Scary stuff indeed, told in a fast pace. Highly recommended read for every horror fan. Ideal for a movie or Netflix series!
October 20, 2020
4.5 Stars
This is my new favorite haunted house story!
Video Review: https://youtu.be/zNaocfVUOd8
From the first sentence, I was immediately pulled into this immersive narrative. The story had so much emotional depth, exploring themes of tragedy and grief through well developed characters. The scenes involving the audiobook recording in the basement were fascinating and unsettling to read. As an audiobook narrator, the author was able to bring first-hand experience to his story.
Well-written and well-plotted, this unassuming story packed quite a punch! This novel had one of the best endings I have ever read in a horror novel. Upon finishing this book, I immediately wanted to go back and reread the entire story. Even days, I am still thinking about The Nightmare Room.
Whether you love haunted house stories (or even if you don't), I highly recommend this gripping horror novel to anyone looking for a chilling, emotional read.
I receive a copy of this book from the author.
This is my new favorite haunted house story!
Video Review: https://youtu.be/zNaocfVUOd8
From the first sentence, I was immediately pulled into this immersive narrative. The story had so much emotional depth, exploring themes of tragedy and grief through well developed characters. The scenes involving the audiobook recording in the basement were fascinating and unsettling to read. As an audiobook narrator, the author was able to bring first-hand experience to his story.
Well-written and well-plotted, this unassuming story packed quite a punch! This novel had one of the best endings I have ever read in a horror novel. Upon finishing this book, I immediately wanted to go back and reread the entire story. Even days, I am still thinking about The Nightmare Room.
Whether you love haunted house stories (or even if you don't), I highly recommend this gripping horror novel to anyone looking for a chilling, emotional read.
I receive a copy of this book from the author.
February 5, 2018
When Pete Larson's father's health begins failing him, Pete and his wife Hannah head back to Pete's home town. They move into an old farmhouse his father owns and stir up some old demons, both figuratively and literally...
Chris Sorensen hit me up to read an ARC of this and I took the bait after reading the teaser.
The Nightmare Room is the story of both a haunted house and a haunted man. The house is haunted by the spectre of a grey man and the child he is tormenting. Pete and Hannah are haunted by the death of their son.
The book is a slow burn and I have to admit I had my doubts at first, though the abusive older man chasing a kid around was horrifying on its own. Things started popping for me around the halfway mark. I loved when Ellen Marx showed up and turned out to be not quite what Pete expected. The resolution to the haunting was fantastic and well worth the build up. Hannah, Pete's wife, wound up being my favorite character. Even though I knew it was a haunted house book, I had my doubts about Pete's sanity at times.
The writing is pretty slick and actually felt like a crime book at times. The book was relatively gore free and the few scenes of gore were used to accentuate what was going on, not gore for gore's sake.
Since this is a small press book, I'm going to point out that it was impeccably edited and not filled with typographical errors. It's a very professional-looking product. I shouldn't have to spell that out but we've all ran into small press books that looked like they were rushed into print.
The Nightmare Room is the best haunted house book I've read in a while. Four out of five stars.
Chris Sorensen hit me up to read an ARC of this and I took the bait after reading the teaser.
The Nightmare Room is the story of both a haunted house and a haunted man. The house is haunted by the spectre of a grey man and the child he is tormenting. Pete and Hannah are haunted by the death of their son.
The book is a slow burn and I have to admit I had my doubts at first, though the abusive older man chasing a kid around was horrifying on its own. Things started popping for me around the halfway mark. I loved when Ellen Marx showed up and turned out to be not quite what Pete expected. The resolution to the haunting was fantastic and well worth the build up. Hannah, Pete's wife, wound up being my favorite character. Even though I knew it was a haunted house book, I had my doubts about Pete's sanity at times.
The writing is pretty slick and actually felt like a crime book at times. The book was relatively gore free and the few scenes of gore were used to accentuate what was going on, not gore for gore's sake.
Since this is a small press book, I'm going to point out that it was impeccably edited and not filled with typographical errors. It's a very professional-looking product. I shouldn't have to spell that out but we've all ran into small press books that looked like they were rushed into print.
The Nightmare Room is the best haunted house book I've read in a while. Four out of five stars.
May 4, 2018
Thank you to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I wasn't expecting to be so emotionally invested in this story but just a few chapters in and I knew this was going to be a risky horror novel. I say that because my favorite element of horror is the risk. I love to fall in love with the characters so that when they are faced with challenges, in this case, an inherited farm house, ailing parents and grief from a previous loss--there is a lot of risk because we like our protagonists Pete and Hannah.
For me, the narrative had purpose and great flow--the pages turned effortlessly. I never once felt a drag or a lull-quite the contrary! There was build, tension and even a dark mystery that I found myself turning and inspecting in my mind constantly as I was reading...you'll see.
One of my favorite aspects of the narration is how it seamlessly pulled me from the past to the future and then back again. It was never jarring or confusing because I believe Sorensen has a firm grasp on his plot, timeline and characters. You could tell a lot of thought went into building layers into the protagonists and the timeline--everything had meaning and intention behind it which I feel is lacking sometimes in horror. I hate unmotivated behavior just for the sake of being weird or creepy but I didn't find that here. Just a really well written haunted house story that's easy to follow and scary enough to leave the light on or read during the day. I loved it!! This is a must have for your horror collection! Loving that this is a series, I'll be picking up the rest.
I wasn't expecting to be so emotionally invested in this story but just a few chapters in and I knew this was going to be a risky horror novel. I say that because my favorite element of horror is the risk. I love to fall in love with the characters so that when they are faced with challenges, in this case, an inherited farm house, ailing parents and grief from a previous loss--there is a lot of risk because we like our protagonists Pete and Hannah.
For me, the narrative had purpose and great flow--the pages turned effortlessly. I never once felt a drag or a lull-quite the contrary! There was build, tension and even a dark mystery that I found myself turning and inspecting in my mind constantly as I was reading...you'll see.
One of my favorite aspects of the narration is how it seamlessly pulled me from the past to the future and then back again. It was never jarring or confusing because I believe Sorensen has a firm grasp on his plot, timeline and characters. You could tell a lot of thought went into building layers into the protagonists and the timeline--everything had meaning and intention behind it which I feel is lacking sometimes in horror. I hate unmotivated behavior just for the sake of being weird or creepy but I didn't find that here. Just a really well written haunted house story that's easy to follow and scary enough to leave the light on or read during the day. I loved it!! This is a must have for your horror collection! Loving that this is a series, I'll be picking up the rest.
September 8, 2019
You can see my video review HERE, but here is a look at my written thoughts:
Haunted house stories, as predictable as they often are, never fail to show me a spooky good time on a dark and stormy night. Cliches and all, I enjoy their Gothic sensibilities and the way they reflect the divide between belief and skepticism, life and death, and how those things collide by the end of the story. But every so often, a book will come along and use that basic structure only to build onto it, making it something fresh. This doesn't necessarily reinvent the genre, but it shows that when a story deals with the mystery of death, it can have no limits.
Chris Sorensen's The Nightmare Room (not to be confused with R. L. Stine's The Nightmare Room from my own childhood) begins as most haunted house stories do; Peter Larson and his wife Hannah move into an old farmhouse in Peter's hometown to assist his ailing father. The couple is hoping this will mark a new start for them after a recent tragic event, but the evil forces inside the house have different plans.
Sounds like a pretty standard ghost story, right? But what author Chris Sorensen does here is add a personal flair. Aside from writing, Sorensen is an audiobook narrator and so is Peter, the novel's lead. Peter begins to use the basement as his new recording studio, and it is in this studio where some of the book's most chilling scenes take place. This makes for a unique twist that I've never seen before, and will also give readers a look into the process of narrating audiobooks. It is far more tedious than just sitting down and reading a book aloud, in case you had any doubts.
Grief is also a driving force behind The Nightmare Room. There is an echo of it throughout the story, escalating into a rather emotional climax. It is the grief we face for our loved ones, coupled with the grief of one's lost childhood. The Nightmare Room is a great metaphor for childhood trauma and the monsters that hang around long after.
I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys ghost stories and a slow, unnerving burn.
UPDATE: I recently received a copy of The Hungry Ones, Sorensen's sequel to The Nightmare Room, so I decided to listen to the audiobook of book one, just to refresh my memory before book two. I'm glad I did! Sorensen narrates the audiobook himself, which is appropriate considering the story. I loved it. His narration gave me an even better appreciation of the story, which I didn't think was possible. I'd bump my rating up to 4.5 stars if I could!
Haunted house stories, as predictable as they often are, never fail to show me a spooky good time on a dark and stormy night. Cliches and all, I enjoy their Gothic sensibilities and the way they reflect the divide between belief and skepticism, life and death, and how those things collide by the end of the story. But every so often, a book will come along and use that basic structure only to build onto it, making it something fresh. This doesn't necessarily reinvent the genre, but it shows that when a story deals with the mystery of death, it can have no limits.
Chris Sorensen's The Nightmare Room (not to be confused with R. L. Stine's The Nightmare Room from my own childhood) begins as most haunted house stories do; Peter Larson and his wife Hannah move into an old farmhouse in Peter's hometown to assist his ailing father. The couple is hoping this will mark a new start for them after a recent tragic event, but the evil forces inside the house have different plans.
Sounds like a pretty standard ghost story, right? But what author Chris Sorensen does here is add a personal flair. Aside from writing, Sorensen is an audiobook narrator and so is Peter, the novel's lead. Peter begins to use the basement as his new recording studio, and it is in this studio where some of the book's most chilling scenes take place. This makes for a unique twist that I've never seen before, and will also give readers a look into the process of narrating audiobooks. It is far more tedious than just sitting down and reading a book aloud, in case you had any doubts.
Grief is also a driving force behind The Nightmare Room. There is an echo of it throughout the story, escalating into a rather emotional climax. It is the grief we face for our loved ones, coupled with the grief of one's lost childhood. The Nightmare Room is a great metaphor for childhood trauma and the monsters that hang around long after.
I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys ghost stories and a slow, unnerving burn.
UPDATE: I recently received a copy of The Hungry Ones, Sorensen's sequel to The Nightmare Room, so I decided to listen to the audiobook of book one, just to refresh my memory before book two. I'm glad I did! Sorensen narrates the audiobook himself, which is appropriate considering the story. I loved it. His narration gave me an even better appreciation of the story, which I didn't think was possible. I'd bump my rating up to 4.5 stars if I could!
May 14, 2024
I wasn’t sure about this one when I started it. After the first scene it was a little too slow. But once things picked up, it got existing really fast! It made me appreciate the slower character build at the start. I think it will make for a better re-read experience.
The climax was out there! I’m not sure if it went to weird with not enough to justify that big jump. But on there other hand, I really didn’t see it coming and it made it very existing.
The climax was out there! I’m not sure if it went to weird with not enough to justify that big jump. But on there other hand, I really didn’t see it coming and it made it very existing.
April 25, 2018
I read this one so fast. It felt as if the pages were just turning themselves. This novel is totally my jam. It's a haunted house story with so much more than just scares. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of creepy moments in The Nightmare Room, but the story also has a lot of heart. By the end of the novel you really care about these characters.
Audiobook narrator Peter Larson and his wife Hannah need a fresh start, so the two of them pick up and move back to Pete's hometown of Maple City to care for his aging father. The Larson's have been through a tragedy, and they need something to focus on to help them put it behind them.
Peter and Hannah move into a dilapidated farmhouse on the edge of town, and even though the house needs a lot of work, it will at least give them something to focus on. However, soon after moving in strange things begin happening to Peter in the house, and soon he's hearing odd sounds in his audio equipment and seeing ghostly figures moving through the halls. Because something terrible happened in the Larson's new house. Something violent and evil that will have repercussions for Peter and Hannah both.
I really like the direction Sorensen took this novel. The characters are likable and really relatable. And just when you think you have figured out where the story is going, Sorensen pulls the rug out from under you. The end of the book was so surprising and suspenseful. I'm so eager for the second book in the series to come out. This is a really well done haunted house story with quite a few twists and turns.
Audiobook narrator Peter Larson and his wife Hannah need a fresh start, so the two of them pick up and move back to Pete's hometown of Maple City to care for his aging father. The Larson's have been through a tragedy, and they need something to focus on to help them put it behind them.
Peter and Hannah move into a dilapidated farmhouse on the edge of town, and even though the house needs a lot of work, it will at least give them something to focus on. However, soon after moving in strange things begin happening to Peter in the house, and soon he's hearing odd sounds in his audio equipment and seeing ghostly figures moving through the halls. Because something terrible happened in the Larson's new house. Something violent and evil that will have repercussions for Peter and Hannah both.
I really like the direction Sorensen took this novel. The characters are likable and really relatable. And just when you think you have figured out where the story is going, Sorensen pulls the rug out from under you. The end of the book was so surprising and suspenseful. I'm so eager for the second book in the series to come out. This is a really well done haunted house story with quite a few twists and turns.
March 8, 2018
The Nightmare Room lives up to its title. It is a slowly building creepfest fueled by nightmares for the first half then picks up speed in its later half.
Peter and Hannah need a new start after a devastating loss and move back to Peter’s hometown to help with his ailing parents and to heal themselves. They move into a property that Peter’s dad purchased that is huge, old and in disrepair. Hannah loves the idea of the old home but Peter’s not so sure.
"Hannah had gotten it wrong. This was not the sort of house featured on her home improvement show; this was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen."
Despite his misgivings, Peter, who is an audiobook narrator, sets up his studio in the dark, dank basement and soon realizes that he may not be alone down there! Is it real or is he starting to lose his marbles?
I just loved some of the descriptions of the house. It makes me long for an old haunted house of my own.
". . . he was facing a narrow, grey door. A basement door. His vision had steadied and the room no longer moved about him. But the door… It’s breathing."
This is a decent little horror tale that has a lot of layers that reach far beyond the haunted house trappings. It deals with aging, grief and past regrets that come back to haunt. The main characters come across as real and imperfect and as a reader who needs decent characterization I really appreciated this. I did want to learn more about Peter’s birth mother because I’m nosy and have so many questions but perhaps that will happen in a prequel or sequel? I can only hope.
Peter and Hannah need a new start after a devastating loss and move back to Peter’s hometown to help with his ailing parents and to heal themselves. They move into a property that Peter’s dad purchased that is huge, old and in disrepair. Hannah loves the idea of the old home but Peter’s not so sure.
"Hannah had gotten it wrong. This was not the sort of house featured on her home improvement show; this was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen."
Despite his misgivings, Peter, who is an audiobook narrator, sets up his studio in the dark, dank basement and soon realizes that he may not be alone down there! Is it real or is he starting to lose his marbles?
I just loved some of the descriptions of the house. It makes me long for an old haunted house of my own.
". . . he was facing a narrow, grey door. A basement door. His vision had steadied and the room no longer moved about him. But the door… It’s breathing."
This is a decent little horror tale that has a lot of layers that reach far beyond the haunted house trappings. It deals with aging, grief and past regrets that come back to haunt. The main characters come across as real and imperfect and as a reader who needs decent characterization I really appreciated this. I did want to learn more about Peter’s birth mother because I’m nosy and have so many questions but perhaps that will happen in a prequel or sequel? I can only hope.
August 20, 2018
I liked this book so much I read it twice! This time around I listened to the unabridged audiobook read by the author who just so happens to be a professional narrator himself. Since he's a pro and the material is his, his voice hits all the right notes. He's engaging, pleasant and unnervingly menacing when he needs to be and I recommend it highly! 4 1/2 Stars
Here's my review of the story:
The Nightmare Room lives up to its title. It is a slowly building creepfest fueled by nightmares for the first half then picks up speed in its later half.
Peter and Hannah need a new start after a devastating loss and move back to Peter’s hometown to help with his ailing parents and to heal themselves. They move into a property that Peter’s dad purchased that is huge, old and in disrepair. Hannah loves the idea of the old home but Peter’s not so sure.
"Hannah had gotten it wrong. This was not the sort of house featured on her home improvement show; this was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen."
Despite his misgivings, Peter, who is an audiobook narrator, sets up his studio in the dark, dank basement and soon realizes that he may not be alone down there! Is it real or is he starting to lose his marbles?
I just loved some of the descriptions of the house. It makes me long for an old haunted house of my own.
". . . he was facing a narrow, grey door. A basement door. His vision had steadied and the room no longer moved about him. But the door… It’s breathing."
This is a decent little horror tale that has a lot of layers that reach far beyond the haunted house trappings. It deals with aging, grief and past regrets that come back to haunt. The main characters come across as real and imperfect and as a reader who needs decent characterization I really appreciated this. I did want to learn more about Peter’s birth mother because I’m nosy and have so many questions but perhaps that will happen in a prequel or sequel? I can only hope.
Here's my review of the story:
The Nightmare Room lives up to its title. It is a slowly building creepfest fueled by nightmares for the first half then picks up speed in its later half.
Peter and Hannah need a new start after a devastating loss and move back to Peter’s hometown to help with his ailing parents and to heal themselves. They move into a property that Peter’s dad purchased that is huge, old and in disrepair. Hannah loves the idea of the old home but Peter’s not so sure.
"Hannah had gotten it wrong. This was not the sort of house featured on her home improvement show; this was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen."
Despite his misgivings, Peter, who is an audiobook narrator, sets up his studio in the dark, dank basement and soon realizes that he may not be alone down there! Is it real or is he starting to lose his marbles?
I just loved some of the descriptions of the house. It makes me long for an old haunted house of my own.
". . . he was facing a narrow, grey door. A basement door. His vision had steadied and the room no longer moved about him. But the door… It’s breathing."
This is a decent little horror tale that has a lot of layers that reach far beyond the haunted house trappings. It deals with aging, grief and past regrets that come back to haunt. The main characters come across as real and imperfect and as a reader who needs decent characterization I really appreciated this. I did want to learn more about Peter’s birth mother because I’m nosy and have so many questions but perhaps that will happen in a prequel or sequel? I can only hope.
December 11, 2021
i really enjoyed this one! i listened to the audio book, which the author reads himself. He did such a great job! I was not surprised at all to find out he's a professional narrator.
So we are told this is a ghost story. It is but so much more than just that. There is surprises along the way that are just OMG moments. Near the end i got worried. the author does something that really messes with my head sometimes but he pulled it off great and it wasn't complicated like it can sometimes be. I would definitely read the next in this series or listen to it.
So we are told this is a ghost story. It is but so much more than just that. There is surprises along the way that are just OMG moments. Near the end i got worried. the author does something that really messes with my head sometimes but he pulled it off great and it wasn't complicated like it can sometimes be. I would definitely read the next in this series or listen to it.
February 10, 2018
THE NIGHTMARE ROOM, by Chris Sorensen, is Book One of "The Messy Man" series. This was my first introduction to Chris' work as an author. When the failing health of his father--who is relocated into a nursing home--necessitates Peter Larson coming back to his hometown of Maple City in order to get affairs in order, he decides it's the perfect opportunity for he and his wife Hannah to move there and get a "fresh start". What they didn't expect was to find that his father had an old home--in addition to the one he used to live in--purchased secretly . . . and ready for Peter and Hannah to move into.
"Perhaps it was the size of the place or the vacant windows that stared down like dead eyes . . . Peter disliked the house immediately."
While Hannah is immediately sold on the dilapidated property, Peter is less than thrilled with the realtor's forced enthusiasm: ". . . The fact that she could present this sh@#hole as if it was Caesar's Palace while standing in piles of mouse turds had won her a modicum of his respect." From the very beginning, we get a comprehensive view of the key characters and their personalities. While Hannah is more of a happy, free-spirit, it is painfully obvious that something about the house is upsetting Peter's psyche in a profound way.
". . . this was every house in every horror movie he'd ever seen."
The build up for at least the first half of the novel is a slow burn. We get the characterization, and the atmosphere of the place--how vastly different it is in Peter's view. Other than a handful of minor events, there is not much to "show" overtly at this point. Most things can be construed as either a "supernatural" build-up, or else hallucinations brought to life only in Peter's imagination, as he appears to be the only one who feels anything is amiss.
"You want me to give you a story that makes sense . . . But I can't . . . "
The second half gets much heavier into the details, bringing in a new character, and a lot more insight into the house itself . . . particularly a small room in the basement that Peter uses as his recording studio.
The initial build up makes sense as this is the first book in a series, but I really felt that Sorensen's writing shone through better in the later half. The visualizations, nature of the house, and intense emotions came through so clearly that THIS is the point I felt the novel come "alive".
". . . you belong in this world. It doesn't. And it knows that."
Overall, I felt this was a very impressive debut from Chris Sorensen, and I am excited to see where he takes the storyline from here. This was a fine example of blending psychological horror with a more overt form, and I feel that it was done quite successfully. The novel had the ability to pull me into its world (particularly in the second half), and left me questioning the very nature of the "haunting".
"I tell. NOT YOU."
THE NIGHTMARE ROOM employed a very unique concept, that I will definitely be revisiting when the second book in the series comes out.
Recommended!
"Perhaps it was the size of the place or the vacant windows that stared down like dead eyes . . . Peter disliked the house immediately."
While Hannah is immediately sold on the dilapidated property, Peter is less than thrilled with the realtor's forced enthusiasm: ". . . The fact that she could present this sh@#hole as if it was Caesar's Palace while standing in piles of mouse turds had won her a modicum of his respect." From the very beginning, we get a comprehensive view of the key characters and their personalities. While Hannah is more of a happy, free-spirit, it is painfully obvious that something about the house is upsetting Peter's psyche in a profound way.
". . . this was every house in every horror movie he'd ever seen."
The build up for at least the first half of the novel is a slow burn. We get the characterization, and the atmosphere of the place--how vastly different it is in Peter's view. Other than a handful of minor events, there is not much to "show" overtly at this point. Most things can be construed as either a "supernatural" build-up, or else hallucinations brought to life only in Peter's imagination, as he appears to be the only one who feels anything is amiss.
"You want me to give you a story that makes sense . . . But I can't . . . "
The second half gets much heavier into the details, bringing in a new character, and a lot more insight into the house itself . . . particularly a small room in the basement that Peter uses as his recording studio.
The initial build up makes sense as this is the first book in a series, but I really felt that Sorensen's writing shone through better in the later half. The visualizations, nature of the house, and intense emotions came through so clearly that THIS is the point I felt the novel come "alive".
". . . you belong in this world. It doesn't. And it knows that."
Overall, I felt this was a very impressive debut from Chris Sorensen, and I am excited to see where he takes the storyline from here. This was a fine example of blending psychological horror with a more overt form, and I feel that it was done quite successfully. The novel had the ability to pull me into its world (particularly in the second half), and left me questioning the very nature of the "haunting".
"I tell. NOT YOU."
THE NIGHTMARE ROOM employed a very unique concept, that I will definitely be revisiting when the second book in the series comes out.
Recommended!
November 19, 2018
**Edit - already read this, but starting the audiobook on 7/10**
"But the door...It's breathing."
I LOVE THE NIGHTMARE ROOM. I read this as a buddy read with my friend Mindi, and this book was so good. It's unsettling and creepy, and I enjoyed the story the entire way through. There were even a couple times when I was looking around to see if someone was behind me. I think the suspense was done really well in this novel, and I was totally invested in this story. I finished it in about 24 hours because I was dying to know what was going to happen.
I liked the characters & their backgrounds. The book is short, so I didn't get to know them incredibly well, but they were pretty well-rounded. We've read some horror stories by men recently-ish that had little to no effort put into writing the female characters, and I personally appreciated that Hannah was actually written as a normal person.
In addition to all the fun spookiness, this book is also about family and grief. It's very layered, and I thought everything was woven together very nicely. This book is heartbreaking, but is still able to be hopeful in the face of all the bad things going on.
One other personal love from this book - all the country music played at The Blind Rock. This felt like home for me, and I enjoyed it.
Thank you so much to Chris Sorensen for sending me this book in exchange for a review. I adore this haunted house story, and I am dying to read books 2 & 3!
"But the door...It's breathing."
I LOVE THE NIGHTMARE ROOM. I read this as a buddy read with my friend Mindi, and this book was so good. It's unsettling and creepy, and I enjoyed the story the entire way through. There were even a couple times when I was looking around to see if someone was behind me. I think the suspense was done really well in this novel, and I was totally invested in this story. I finished it in about 24 hours because I was dying to know what was going to happen.
I liked the characters & their backgrounds. The book is short, so I didn't get to know them incredibly well, but they were pretty well-rounded. We've read some horror stories by men recently-ish that had little to no effort put into writing the female characters, and I personally appreciated that Hannah was actually written as a normal person.
In addition to all the fun spookiness, this book is also about family and grief. It's very layered, and I thought everything was woven together very nicely. This book is heartbreaking, but is still able to be hopeful in the face of all the bad things going on.
One other personal love from this book - all the country music played at The Blind Rock. This felt like home for me, and I enjoyed it.
Thank you so much to Chris Sorensen for sending me this book in exchange for a review. I adore this haunted house story, and I am dying to read books 2 & 3!
October 1, 2019
Even though I found this to be not very scary at all, I still enjoyed it for what it was. The Coyote Ugly scene in the middle of the spooky part really took me out of it. 😂
December 10, 2019
THE NIGHTMARE ROOM starts off as a great haunted house tale but then evolves into something else altogether. I loved it!
Peter and his wife Hannah return to Peter's hometown after a family tragedy. A fresh start in Maple City is just what they needed. Moving into an old farmhouse, disturbing things begin to happen, (as they often do in these types of tales), and from there, hang on tight because it's a crazy ride!
Fast paced with characters I could really root for, I found it difficult to put this book down. I know everyone says that, and I know that the week it took me to read this book doesn't seem that fast. However, with everything I had going on in real life over the last 2 weeks, it truly is a miracle I was able to read anything at all. This is a testament to the quality and pace of the writing.
Will Peter and his wife get to the bottom of what is going on in their old farmhouse? Will they survive it if they do? You'll have to read this to find out!
This was my first read from author Chris Sorensen and I'm starting part 2 in THE MESSY MAN series today. That should be another indicator of how much fun I had with this book!
Highly recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/35jCWmx
*Thanks to the author for the signed paperback copy he sent in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**I apologize that it took so long to read this book. I regret it!**
***I had already purchased the Kindle copy of this book when the author contacted me, which is why my review on Amazon shows as a verified purchase.***
Peter and his wife Hannah return to Peter's hometown after a family tragedy. A fresh start in Maple City is just what they needed. Moving into an old farmhouse, disturbing things begin to happen, (as they often do in these types of tales), and from there, hang on tight because it's a crazy ride!
Fast paced with characters I could really root for, I found it difficult to put this book down. I know everyone says that, and I know that the week it took me to read this book doesn't seem that fast. However, with everything I had going on in real life over the last 2 weeks, it truly is a miracle I was able to read anything at all. This is a testament to the quality and pace of the writing.
Will Peter and his wife get to the bottom of what is going on in their old farmhouse? Will they survive it if they do? You'll have to read this to find out!
This was my first read from author Chris Sorensen and I'm starting part 2 in THE MESSY MAN series today. That should be another indicator of how much fun I had with this book!
Highly recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/35jCWmx
*Thanks to the author for the signed paperback copy he sent in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**I apologize that it took so long to read this book. I regret it!**
***I had already purchased the Kindle copy of this book when the author contacted me, which is why my review on Amazon shows as a verified purchase.***
July 2, 2022
We meet Peter and Hannah. The young couple are still coming to terms with the tragic death of their son, Michael. Peter's mother and father are moved into a nursing home due to their failing health, and Peter and Hannah move back to Peter's home town to try and start afresh. Because of some details that I didn’t really understand, and red tape, they are unable to move into Peter's family home but are instead offered an old farmhouse that Peter's dad owned. Hannah immediately gets a job in the local bar. Peter is less excited by the prospect of living there and feels there is something definitely “off” about the place...as though his presence has awoken something terrifying... and has it ever!!! The first half of the story is a slow burn. We only see glimpses of the terror that we know is about to come. The scares really start in the second half. By now Peter is almost a bonafide basket case. He sees and hears someone walking around. Checking finds of course no one is there. He begins to have creepy dreams...but are they dreams at all? He sees someone literally coming out of the woodwork. It's all going downhill fast for our Peter, but he doesn’t want to worry Hannah. He has yet to speak about what he’s seen and heard or asked Hannah what, if anything she has experienced. This was a great piece of horror. The root of the story and the characters are clearly shown in a reality that the reader can easily place themselves into, making the frights all the more horrible and personal for the reader.
October 14, 2018
Review copy
At its heart, The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series Book 1) is a ghost story and a very good one to boot.
Here's a killer opening line for you...
"The boy woke to the sound of his screams."
The back story is that of an abused child, but part of the mystery is the child's identity.
"He hesitated...but why? He'd already made this run two times this week. Both Monday and Thursday, he's awakened screaming, bringing down the Old Man's wrath, and sending him here. To the penalty box. To time out. To the Night—"
Peter and Hannah Larson are moving back to Peter's hometown. With his mother passed and his father moving into a Nursing home, the plan was to take up residence in the family homestead, but when they arrive they find that the property has been promised to the home to help pay for his father's care. But there is an older property owned by Peter's father.
"...this was every house in every horror movie he'd ever seen."
Peter makes his living reading audio books and after he sets up his sound booth in the basement of the property, the fun begins.
"'I saw something,' he said, laughing maniacally inside because he hadn't seen something, he had seen many many things, each more horrifying than the last. 'Inside, I saw something.'"
Suitably creepy, with plenty of "Oh, WOW!" moments. The author has a knack for chapter cliff-hangers that make you want to start reading the next chapter immediately. I loved the way Sorensen developed and moved his characters through the story. One character, Ellen, a sort of psychic/paranormal investigator was absolutely wonderful as was Peter's childhood friend, Riggs, owner/manager of the local watering hole.
A comfortable if not comforting read. Little touches, universals, make reading this book a pleasure, but at the same time, the author is creating a sense of unease.
Although I was a bit thrown by the ending, I'm hoping for some clarification in book 2 of The Messy Man series.
Chris Sorensen is a relatively new author, although he's been telling other's stories as an audiobook reader for years now. His own work is well worth reading. I finished reading this book the same week I saw Winchester in the theater. Of the two ghost stories. I much preferred The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series - Book 1)
Recommended.
The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series Book 1) is published by Harmful Monkey Press and is available in both paperback and Kindle formats. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Chris Sorensen spends many days and nights locked away inside his own nightmare room, having narrated over 200 audiobooks (including the award-winning Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix ). He is the recipient of three AudioFile Earphone Awards, and AudioFile singled out his performance of Sent as one of the ‘Best Audiobooks of 2010.’ The Butte Theater and Thin Air Theatre Company of 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 screenplays including Suckerville, Bee Tornado and The Roswell Project.
At its heart, The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series Book 1) is a ghost story and a very good one to boot.
Here's a killer opening line for you...
"The boy woke to the sound of his screams."
The back story is that of an abused child, but part of the mystery is the child's identity.
"He hesitated...but why? He'd already made this run two times this week. Both Monday and Thursday, he's awakened screaming, bringing down the Old Man's wrath, and sending him here. To the penalty box. To time out. To the Night—"
Peter and Hannah Larson are moving back to Peter's hometown. With his mother passed and his father moving into a Nursing home, the plan was to take up residence in the family homestead, but when they arrive they find that the property has been promised to the home to help pay for his father's care. But there is an older property owned by Peter's father.
"...this was every house in every horror movie he'd ever seen."
Peter makes his living reading audio books and after he sets up his sound booth in the basement of the property, the fun begins.
"'I saw something,' he said, laughing maniacally inside because he hadn't seen something, he had seen many many things, each more horrifying than the last. 'Inside, I saw something.'"
Suitably creepy, with plenty of "Oh, WOW!" moments. The author has a knack for chapter cliff-hangers that make you want to start reading the next chapter immediately. I loved the way Sorensen developed and moved his characters through the story. One character, Ellen, a sort of psychic/paranormal investigator was absolutely wonderful as was Peter's childhood friend, Riggs, owner/manager of the local watering hole.
A comfortable if not comforting read. Little touches, universals, make reading this book a pleasure, but at the same time, the author is creating a sense of unease.
Although I was a bit thrown by the ending, I'm hoping for some clarification in book 2 of The Messy Man series.
Chris Sorensen is a relatively new author, although he's been telling other's stories as an audiobook reader for years now. His own work is well worth reading. I finished reading this book the same week I saw Winchester in the theater. Of the two ghost stories. I much preferred The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series - Book 1)
Recommended.
The Nightmare Room (The Messy Man Series Book 1) is published by Harmful Monkey Press and is available in both paperback and Kindle formats. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Chris Sorensen spends many days and nights locked away inside his own nightmare room, having narrated over 200 audiobooks (including the award-winning Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix ). He is the recipient of three AudioFile Earphone Awards, and AudioFile singled out his performance of Sent as one of the ‘Best Audiobooks of 2010.’ The Butte Theater and Thin Air Theatre Company of 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 screenplays including Suckerville, Bee Tornado and The Roswell Project.
March 16, 2018
A narrator of more than 200 audiobooks and author of the middle-grade book, The Mad Scientists of New Jersey, Chris Sorensen make his horror novel debut with Book 1 in The Messy Man series, The Nightmare Room.
After moving back to his hometown to care for his sick father, Pete and Hannah Larson move into an old farmhouse with more than its fair share of problems. The stairs going to the second floor are slightly crooked, the third step to the basement poses a hazard, and rowdy teenagers have been using the abandoned homestead for raucous parties. It's also inhabited by an unwelcome occupant Pete comes to know as The Grey Man, a malevolent spirit with a sinister past.
Sorensen draws from his own experiences as a narrator with Pete, who assembles his recording booth in his new home's basement and begins to notice strange artifacts in the audiobook files he's working on. Having a horror author as the everyman at the center of a horror novel is a common, well-worn trope, and I have to admit that having a children's audiobook narrator as our main protagonist is a nice change of pace, and a timely one at that given the rise in popularity of services like Audible. Sorensen gives us a nice insider's glimpse at narration without getting bogged down in the details.
The heart of The Nightmare Room, though, is one of tragedy and loss. On top of dealing with a sick father and a mother stricken with dementia, the Larson's are struggling to cope with the recent loss of their son. Sorensen weaves various strands of familial grief throughout his narrative, tackling each of its different permutations with an honesty that is sometimes raw but never saccharine.
The human component of The Nightmare Room is strong, and it's because of this that the elements of horror work so well. Sorensen fleshes out the Larson's so well, Pete in particular, that we can't help but feel for his plight when the surprises start coming and the farmhouse begins to awaken. Simply put, The Nightmare Room is a surprisingly strong haunted house story and a heck of a horror debut for Sorensen. This is an author with some serious chops, and he paints a number of vivid scare scenes. It's safe to say I won't be able to look at a child's drawings quite the same way after some of this book's segments.
The Nightmare Room was a gripping read, one that kept me glued to my Kindle, Kindle app, and Kindle Cloud Reader the whole way through. I finished this book in two days, a genuine rarity for me these days given all the constraints on my time and limited hours I have for reading anymore. Once I sank into this book, though, I made the time and got sucked into it rather deeply. It's one of my favorite reads of the year thus far, and Sorensen is officially on my list of authors to watch out for. I'm not sure how much elasticity the central conceit of The Messy Man series ultimately has or how many books are planned, but I'm definitely game to find out.
Filled with a number of well-drawn characters and several terrific fright scenes, The Nightmare Room impressed the hell out of me. This is a lock all the doors, keep all the lights on creepfest that will keep you reading late into the night.
After moving back to his hometown to care for his sick father, Pete and Hannah Larson move into an old farmhouse with more than its fair share of problems. The stairs going to the second floor are slightly crooked, the third step to the basement poses a hazard, and rowdy teenagers have been using the abandoned homestead for raucous parties. It's also inhabited by an unwelcome occupant Pete comes to know as The Grey Man, a malevolent spirit with a sinister past.
Sorensen draws from his own experiences as a narrator with Pete, who assembles his recording booth in his new home's basement and begins to notice strange artifacts in the audiobook files he's working on. Having a horror author as the everyman at the center of a horror novel is a common, well-worn trope, and I have to admit that having a children's audiobook narrator as our main protagonist is a nice change of pace, and a timely one at that given the rise in popularity of services like Audible. Sorensen gives us a nice insider's glimpse at narration without getting bogged down in the details.
The heart of The Nightmare Room, though, is one of tragedy and loss. On top of dealing with a sick father and a mother stricken with dementia, the Larson's are struggling to cope with the recent loss of their son. Sorensen weaves various strands of familial grief throughout his narrative, tackling each of its different permutations with an honesty that is sometimes raw but never saccharine.
The human component of The Nightmare Room is strong, and it's because of this that the elements of horror work so well. Sorensen fleshes out the Larson's so well, Pete in particular, that we can't help but feel for his plight when the surprises start coming and the farmhouse begins to awaken. Simply put, The Nightmare Room is a surprisingly strong haunted house story and a heck of a horror debut for Sorensen. This is an author with some serious chops, and he paints a number of vivid scare scenes. It's safe to say I won't be able to look at a child's drawings quite the same way after some of this book's segments.
The Nightmare Room was a gripping read, one that kept me glued to my Kindle, Kindle app, and Kindle Cloud Reader the whole way through. I finished this book in two days, a genuine rarity for me these days given all the constraints on my time and limited hours I have for reading anymore. Once I sank into this book, though, I made the time and got sucked into it rather deeply. It's one of my favorite reads of the year thus far, and Sorensen is officially on my list of authors to watch out for. I'm not sure how much elasticity the central conceit of The Messy Man series ultimately has or how many books are planned, but I'm definitely game to find out.
Filled with a number of well-drawn characters and several terrific fright scenes, The Nightmare Room impressed the hell out of me. This is a lock all the doors, keep all the lights on creepfest that will keep you reading late into the night.
July 30, 2018
The Nightmare Room is such a great haunting tale. I have been mostly reading crime fiction lately and this paranormal horror novel was a fresh change of genres for me. I am a lover of great cover art and this one was really creepy and fit the story perfectly.
The author's writing style hooked me right from the beginning and kept me interested throughout. The dialog was realistic between characters. The story progressed smoothly and I thought I had figured out the ending but I was surprised (and wrong). The Nightmare Room is definitely a spooky read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!
Thanks to the author for sending me an autographed copy of this awesome book. I can't wait to see what is to come in this series. Highly recommend!
The author's writing style hooked me right from the beginning and kept me interested throughout. The dialog was realistic between characters. The story progressed smoothly and I thought I had figured out the ending but I was surprised (and wrong). The Nightmare Room is definitely a spooky read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!
Thanks to the author for sending me an autographed copy of this awesome book. I can't wait to see what is to come in this series. Highly recommend!
March 2, 2023
The book starts right off with a creepy, uneasy feeling. It lets up once in awhile only to plunge back into the darkness. Great characterization that pulls you into really caring for these people and hoping for the best. Then you start progressing to the end and the story takes a crazy turn that I sure didn't see coming. Definitely looking at getting the next book in the series.
April 14, 2018
It has been a while since I've sped through a book that fast! Chris Sorensen is a gifted storyteller because this was absolutely gripping. This seems like a normal haunted house story starting with the couple that move into an old house for a new beginning after a tragedy. There was more than that. I liked the hope in this story, that and the setting. There was something unsettling about a soundproof booth in the basement that is genuinely creepy. Recommend to fans of haunted house stories!
March 12, 2021
After a personal tragedy strikes Peter and Hannah Larson, they find themselves picking up their lives and moving house. Said house isn't what it seems - something lurks within, seeming to originate from the dark and gloomy basement. As the presence continues to focus upon the two, its determination only grows, causing obvious and damaging rifts between husband and wife. It appears to already know Peter in some intimate way, and shocking, deeply hidden secrets soon come to light.
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Chris Sorensen for giving me the opportunity!
2021 re-read: I have to agree with my past self, it was fun, but I think it was a bit rough around the edges. I still liked the twist though, I had forgotten all about it!
This turned out to be an extremely difficult book for me to form a solid opinion on and subsequently rate. After a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that I didn't really consider this one an outright horror novel, at least in regards to my own personal taste. When I instead thought of it as a supernatural tale with some horror elements, it made better sense in my mind. You see, in no way did I at all feel that uncomfortable, yet riveting unease that comes with something that ticks all the right boxes in the scary department. The typical tropes were there; the ghostly encounters, the ominous house, but something also felt missing and I had one hell of a time trying to figure out what. It could've been the absence of a sufficient build up, where time is given to properly establish a sense of dread, or maybe the haunting scenes merely didn't offer anything frightful. Essentially, it wasn't my sort of horror, I'd even go so far to say it was relatively tame in the scheme of things, yet I did appreciate the storytelling - twists included.
Peter and Hannah Larson were the sort of married couple you'd roll your eyes at - they were sickeningly perfect for each other. Their chemistry jumped out from the page, and despite dealing with the anguish of great loss, they found strength. They, of course, had their faults, which became evident throughout, but that only made them more relatable as people. I liked them, and I especially liked what Sorensen did with Peter. What revolved around Peter were secrets heavily linked to his past, and whilst the revelations kept coming, I too shared in Peter's shock. The two other characters that had a significant presence - that being Riggs and Ellen Marx, added a pleasant sprinkle of entertainment. I notably enjoyed Ellen's legitimacy at being an expert; she was no quack. If I could, I'd read a book all about her.
Despite the cleverness of some aspects, I can't deny that I felt that the story dragged at times. For me, there's nothing worse than feeling the onset of boredom, and there were moments that came dangerously close to that. I felt that the first half in particular could've used more time with the couple in the house, and less time in the Blind Rock bar for instance, which is where my interest really waned. I understand such scenes were for the benefit of character development, but my engagement primarily lay with Peter.
Sorensen's imagination certainly took me by surprise as I reached the end of Peter and Hannah's ordeal. Granted, the conclusion was all rather complicated, perhaps a little too complicated to understand right away, but it surely had a distinctive quality. It's rare that I come across an ending that changes everything so drastically, to the point where I need to pause and ponder over what I just read. I applaud the bold approach to implement such a memorable outcome.
In conclusion - Whilst the horror elements didn't do it for me, I mostly liked the story and background. It definitely had its ups and downs, but Sorensen is one author I'll be keeping my eye on.
Notable Scene:
The woman rushed toward him, and for a second he thought she was going to strike him him. Instead, she took his head in both of her hands and pressed her mouth over his. Peter felt her inhale abruptly - a reverse resuscitation.
© Red Lace 2018
Wordpress ~ Booklikes ~ Twitter
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Chris Sorensen for giving me the opportunity!
2021 re-read: I have to agree with my past self, it was fun, but I think it was a bit rough around the edges. I still liked the twist though, I had forgotten all about it!
This turned out to be an extremely difficult book for me to form a solid opinion on and subsequently rate. After a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that I didn't really consider this one an outright horror novel, at least in regards to my own personal taste. When I instead thought of it as a supernatural tale with some horror elements, it made better sense in my mind. You see, in no way did I at all feel that uncomfortable, yet riveting unease that comes with something that ticks all the right boxes in the scary department. The typical tropes were there; the ghostly encounters, the ominous house, but something also felt missing and I had one hell of a time trying to figure out what. It could've been the absence of a sufficient build up, where time is given to properly establish a sense of dread, or maybe the haunting scenes merely didn't offer anything frightful. Essentially, it wasn't my sort of horror, I'd even go so far to say it was relatively tame in the scheme of things, yet I did appreciate the storytelling - twists included.
Peter and Hannah Larson were the sort of married couple you'd roll your eyes at - they were sickeningly perfect for each other. Their chemistry jumped out from the page, and despite dealing with the anguish of great loss, they found strength. They, of course, had their faults, which became evident throughout, but that only made them more relatable as people. I liked them, and I especially liked what Sorensen did with Peter. What revolved around Peter were secrets heavily linked to his past, and whilst the revelations kept coming, I too shared in Peter's shock. The two other characters that had a significant presence - that being Riggs and Ellen Marx, added a pleasant sprinkle of entertainment. I notably enjoyed Ellen's legitimacy at being an expert; she was no quack. If I could, I'd read a book all about her.
Despite the cleverness of some aspects, I can't deny that I felt that the story dragged at times. For me, there's nothing worse than feeling the onset of boredom, and there were moments that came dangerously close to that. I felt that the first half in particular could've used more time with the couple in the house, and less time in the Blind Rock bar for instance, which is where my interest really waned. I understand such scenes were for the benefit of character development, but my engagement primarily lay with Peter.
Sorensen's imagination certainly took me by surprise as I reached the end of Peter and Hannah's ordeal. Granted, the conclusion was all rather complicated, perhaps a little too complicated to understand right away, but it surely had a distinctive quality. It's rare that I come across an ending that changes everything so drastically, to the point where I need to pause and ponder over what I just read. I applaud the bold approach to implement such a memorable outcome.
In conclusion - Whilst the horror elements didn't do it for me, I mostly liked the story and background. It definitely had its ups and downs, but Sorensen is one author I'll be keeping my eye on.
Notable Scene:
The woman rushed toward him, and for a second he thought she was going to strike him him. Instead, she took his head in both of her hands and pressed her mouth over his. Peter felt her inhale abruptly - a reverse resuscitation.
© Red Lace 2018
Wordpress ~ Booklikes ~ Twitter
April 11, 2025
I think We Used To Live Here has ruined haunted house tales for me. I think of how creative and original that book was and how much fun it was to read, and I get bummed out that nothing since has compared; especially ones that are as average as Nightmare Room. There was no real tension or scares, most of the characters were quite flat, and the "ending" was a cop out. I enjoyed the fear-free and mad-loveable protagonist's wife, Hannah, but she was not enough to raise this yarn above a two star rating.
Blurg.
2 Sterile Stars
Blurg.
2 Sterile Stars
June 14, 2019
This one didn't really work for me, which is probably why it took me so long to finish it. The writing is good, the audio is OK, but the story line didn't work well for me and while there were a few surprises I didn't see coming, there were also a number of cliches that took me out of the narrative.
March 7, 2018
I love it…Don’t go in the basement. LOL Bad things happen in the basements of horror novels and I must admit, at least through words, I want to be one of the first to venture into the dark, dank depths of the abyss.
Once you read The Nightmare Room, you will realize how appropriate the tag line is to the story.
As soon as Peter Larson returned to his home town, Maple City, I knew…it’s on. The scenario made me think of Steven King and I am eager to see if Chris Sorensen can meet my expectations.
Peter’s life is messy and it’s not getting any better since the move. One problem after another. Isn’t that life for all of us? Peter is the thinker, Hannah is the doer.
Hannah thinks positive, when she sees the house:
A broke place we can put back together.
I wonder how long she’ll be saying that. LOL
Peter thinks:
This was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen.
He saw the padlock and I thought, walk away dude. Don’t open that door. Don’t do it….then I thought, DO IT. DO IT. DO IT, as a big smile lit up my face. Oh yeah, some call me Scary Sherry and I’m proud of it!
A haunted house, yes, but it is so much more than that. Peter meets it up close and personal, while Hannah is along for the ride.
The suspense and anticipation kept me flipping the pages. Plenty of chills, thrills, and bumps in the night. First I feared for Peter, then Hannah, who would not let him face IT alone.
The story seemed familiar, but, it didn’t stay that way. I love the spin Chris Sorensen gave The Nightmare Room, and the ending…Well done. In the last chapter, each page unfolded giving more delight than the last. Surprised me and I dare say it will surprise you too.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Room by Chris Sorensen.
See more at fundinmental
Once you read The Nightmare Room, you will realize how appropriate the tag line is to the story.
As soon as Peter Larson returned to his home town, Maple City, I knew…it’s on. The scenario made me think of Steven King and I am eager to see if Chris Sorensen can meet my expectations.
Peter’s life is messy and it’s not getting any better since the move. One problem after another. Isn’t that life for all of us? Peter is the thinker, Hannah is the doer.
Hannah thinks positive, when she sees the house:
A broke place we can put back together.
I wonder how long she’ll be saying that. LOL
Peter thinks:
This was every house in every horror movie he’d ever seen.
He saw the padlock and I thought, walk away dude. Don’t open that door. Don’t do it….then I thought, DO IT. DO IT. DO IT, as a big smile lit up my face. Oh yeah, some call me Scary Sherry and I’m proud of it!
A haunted house, yes, but it is so much more than that. Peter meets it up close and personal, while Hannah is along for the ride.
The suspense and anticipation kept me flipping the pages. Plenty of chills, thrills, and bumps in the night. First I feared for Peter, then Hannah, who would not let him face IT alone.
The story seemed familiar, but, it didn’t stay that way. I love the spin Chris Sorensen gave The Nightmare Room, and the ending…Well done. In the last chapter, each page unfolded giving more delight than the last. Surprised me and I dare say it will surprise you too.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Room by Chris Sorensen.
See more at fundinmental
May 5, 2024
3,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
July 17, 2024
Peter and Hannah Larson, a grieving couple from New York, are moving to Peter's hometown- Maple City. With this parents failing health and his family home now up for grabs; the couple decided to take the plunge and leave city life behind. Excited for a fresh start, and to begin renovations on their new fixer upper, the pair embark on what's supposed to be new beginnings.
However, as a malevolent force makes its presence known, Peter soon feels he was better off in the city.
I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. Was it scary? Not at all. Did it keep me entertained? Meh, kinda. The story of itself is slow. Not much happens for the better half of the book. A few odd occurrences here and there but, for the most part nothing super spooky. The couple's behaviour was not that of one who just lost a son by any means and I struggled to connect with both their characters.
The remaining characters didn't really draw me in either, and I could've smelled the rat from the time Riggs entered the story. Like I knew how things were gonna play out with him. There just wasn't enough horror in what was supposed to be a horror book.
When things picked up in the last 20% or so of the book, I wasn't super blown away either. I was just content that the entity finally made its self visible. The final chapter is what really pushed up my rating. The obscure ending, despite me not loving this book, has piqued my interest as to what happens in the second book of this series.
Overall, it was a decent read but lacked the level of spook that I love in my horror novels.
However, as a malevolent force makes its presence known, Peter soon feels he was better off in the city.
I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. Was it scary? Not at all. Did it keep me entertained? Meh, kinda. The story of itself is slow. Not much happens for the better half of the book. A few odd occurrences here and there but, for the most part nothing super spooky. The couple's behaviour was not that of one who just lost a son by any means and I struggled to connect with both their characters.
The remaining characters didn't really draw me in either, and I could've smelled the rat from the time Riggs entered the story. Like I knew how things were gonna play out with him. There just wasn't enough horror in what was supposed to be a horror book.
When things picked up in the last 20% or so of the book, I wasn't super blown away either. I was just content that the entity finally made its self visible. The final chapter is what really pushed up my rating. The obscure ending, despite me not loving this book, has piqued my interest as to what happens in the second book of this series.
Overall, it was a decent read but lacked the level of spook that I love in my horror novels.
July 25, 2018
This was a very fast read.
The obvious reason for this is that it was under 300 pages, but I also ripped through this because his characters were very well developed and the story moved along
at a very tight pace.
This is the second haunted house story I read this year, the first being the fantastic Kill Creek, and this one was quite good.
Like Scott Thomas, Chris Sorenson has put his unique spin on the haunted house idea. At one point I muttered "wow, how clever..." at a certain development.
There is one thing that is kind of bugging me, though:
Small potatoes, that.
A strong 4-star read for me.
The obvious reason for this is that it was under 300 pages, but I also ripped through this because his characters were very well developed and the story moved along
at a very tight pace.
This is the second haunted house story I read this year, the first being the fantastic Kill Creek, and this one was quite good.
Like Scott Thomas, Chris Sorenson has put his unique spin on the haunted house idea. At one point I muttered "wow, how clever..." at a certain development.
There is one thing that is kind of bugging me, though:
Small potatoes, that.
A strong 4-star read for me.
August 19, 2022
Okay, well that's that.
July 24, 2019
I read The Nightmare Room and its sequel The Hungry Ones in a two-day crazy haze of nightmare-fueled goodness. Sorensen is taking the haunted house trope to the next level, and I couldn’t be more here for it if I tried. Lucky for me, he is winding out the series with a third book, coming soon!
The set-up seems like a common one: a young couple battling a recent tragedy move back to the husband’s hometown and into an old house. Of course, as horror readers, we know that an old house is certainly not JUST an old house, especially for people going through great trauma and emotional turmoil. And we all know not to go in the basement—but of course, that’s right where Peter goes.
Sorensen builds excellent, creeping tension throughout. Every time I thought I had a handle on what exactly the supernatural disturbance was and why it was manifesting, a new revelation would come about, shuttling the story down a new dark and creepy rabbit hole.
I loved the additional details of main character Peter’s job as an audiobook narrator (informed by the author’s real-life job as just that). It was fascinating not only to learn how that works, but to see how he wrapped the haunting into it and how it became a crucial part of the narrative.
If you are a haunted house connoisseur like me, this one is a must-read. Sorensen has done something completely unique with the idea of haunting in a gripping and emotional read.
My thanks to the author for sending me this one to read and review.
The set-up seems like a common one: a young couple battling a recent tragedy move back to the husband’s hometown and into an old house. Of course, as horror readers, we know that an old house is certainly not JUST an old house, especially for people going through great trauma and emotional turmoil. And we all know not to go in the basement—but of course, that’s right where Peter goes.
Sorensen builds excellent, creeping tension throughout. Every time I thought I had a handle on what exactly the supernatural disturbance was and why it was manifesting, a new revelation would come about, shuttling the story down a new dark and creepy rabbit hole.
I loved the additional details of main character Peter’s job as an audiobook narrator (informed by the author’s real-life job as just that). It was fascinating not only to learn how that works, but to see how he wrapped the haunting into it and how it became a crucial part of the narrative.
If you are a haunted house connoisseur like me, this one is a must-read. Sorensen has done something completely unique with the idea of haunting in a gripping and emotional read.
My thanks to the author for sending me this one to read and review.
October 29, 2022
It's taken me a while to work out why this book didn't work for me. It has a lot going for it. It's written about an audiobook narrator by an audiobook narrator, which adds some authenticity and gives some creepy ways of being haunted in a small box in the basement. It has an original and very clever twist on the haunted house trope. The story of who is haunting whom and why is very different from the standard haunted house trope. The resolution is equally innovative. The plot is soaked in that unique distress that comes from bad things happening to children.
And yet, I could not get into this book.
I was listening to the audiobook version, which is narrated by the author, who is a professional and prolific audiobook narrator but who I didn't enjoy listening to To me, the main character sounded too old and too weak to fit well with the text. The narration didn't add to the tension and sometimes detracted from it.
I didn't like the main character, which is often an OK thing but, in this case, I didn't believe in him either. For all sorts of reasons, he wasn't a very reliable narrator but even so, I couldn't match his motives to his actions,
I especially didn't believe in the relationship between the husband and wife. They'd recently lost a child, survived an attempt at self-harm and uprooted themselves from their support network and moved across the country without having a good understanding of what they would find when they arrived. I think this would put most couples under huge stress. There would be fights, guilt, recriminations, tensions and emotional distance. There was a little of this at the beginning of the book but we were soon treated to cloyingly sentimental dialogue that both people seemed to old for and a sugary, second-honeymoon romance type of relationship that I couldn't believe in.
Then there were the convenient 'experts' who helped our hero solve his problems. They seemed like a plot device with a little bit of Goth-girl eccentricity thrown in in lieu of a personality. It was too pat for me.
Some of the scenes, especially before I knew what was going on, were quite scary and the mixture of dream and memory was well done.
Then there was the ending. It worked. Or at least the logic did. And it was original. But it also felt too nice and too easy - a sort of cop-out for a horror book.
Perhaps my problem was that I went in expecting a clever haunted house horror book and got a clever fairytale instead.
I'm sure lots of people would have fun with this but I won't be reading the rest of the series.
And yet, I could not get into this book.
I was listening to the audiobook version, which is narrated by the author, who is a professional and prolific audiobook narrator but who I didn't enjoy listening to To me, the main character sounded too old and too weak to fit well with the text. The narration didn't add to the tension and sometimes detracted from it.
I didn't like the main character, which is often an OK thing but, in this case, I didn't believe in him either. For all sorts of reasons, he wasn't a very reliable narrator but even so, I couldn't match his motives to his actions,
I especially didn't believe in the relationship between the husband and wife. They'd recently lost a child, survived an attempt at self-harm and uprooted themselves from their support network and moved across the country without having a good understanding of what they would find when they arrived. I think this would put most couples under huge stress. There would be fights, guilt, recriminations, tensions and emotional distance. There was a little of this at the beginning of the book but we were soon treated to cloyingly sentimental dialogue that both people seemed to old for and a sugary, second-honeymoon romance type of relationship that I couldn't believe in.
Then there were the convenient 'experts' who helped our hero solve his problems. They seemed like a plot device with a little bit of Goth-girl eccentricity thrown in in lieu of a personality. It was too pat for me.
Some of the scenes, especially before I knew what was going on, were quite scary and the mixture of dream and memory was well done.
Then there was the ending. It worked. Or at least the logic did. And it was original. But it also felt too nice and too easy - a sort of cop-out for a horror book.
Perhaps my problem was that I went in expecting a clever haunted house horror book and got a clever fairytale instead.
I'm sure lots of people would have fun with this but I won't be reading the rest of the series.
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