Horror Book Spotlight: The Haunting of Sorrow's Leap By Chris Sorensen

Imagine losing your powers and then finding them again in the most unexpected ways. Do you even want them back at this point?

Of course, if these powers include being able to talk to the dead, maybe you would want to keep them?

This week’s book recommendation is THE HAUNTING OF SORROW’S LEAP by Chris Sorensen. 

The book was published in November 2025 by Harmful Monkey Press and has received positive reviews for its story and characterization. 

THE HAUNTING OF SORROW’S LEAP Plot

Ellen Marx used to have psychic powers that allowed her to talk to the dead. Now that her powers are on the fritz, she has had to take up a job hawking crystals at paranormal conventions. 

When she manages to solve a supernatural challenge at the convention, she is approached by a washed-up horror author who has a haunted house in need of deep cleansing. 

Ellen reluctantly joins a crew of paranormal misfits to uncover the mystery inside the estate, but soon finds that in order to uncover the truth behind the mystery, she will have to confront some ghosts from her past. 

THE HAUNTING OF SORROW’S LEAP Sample Review

Stuck in a dead-end job? Then this part may be relatable. 

As the book opens, Ellen is arranging crystals on a table when she is approached by a teenager who asks her about a book on display. She confirms that she was the author of the book and offers a reasonable price for it, but the teenager begins to check out the other merchandise instead. 

So much for selling books as a writer. 

Within a few paragraphs, we get a glimpse of Ellen’s life. She used to write books about her paranormal experiences. She can possibly talk to the dead. She is working at a convention for employers who are difficult. 

The opening also sets the tone of the book, which is dark humor and observational. 

The teenager eventually moves along without buying anything, and Ellen’s inner thoughts confirm that even she thinks that the merchandise she is selling is of low quality. 

Enter, the Halloween Queen, an influencer that Ellen immediately dislikes because of the pretentiousness associated with her entry. But she is momentarily distracted when her employers from the Weird Sisters: Mika and Jamie, call and complain about her not selling enough crystals. 

When she hears a crash, Ellen ends the call and goes to help another stall owner who sells DVDs. The Halloween Queen approaches him and, instead of helping the young man, makes fun of the stuffed toy he had. Ellen immediately jumps to his rescue and criticizes all those who, instead of helping, were fleeing the scene. 

After the crowd disperses, Ellen helps him collect his DVDs, and he introduces himself as JJ. The minute Ellen shakes hands with him, she hears voices. 

Clearly, interacting with him has resulted in Ellen’s powers returning. He manages to give her a free DVD with a QR code she can scan for free streaming. 

Ellen secures her stall later and heads to her hotel room, hoping to settle down for a quiet night. Instead, she is hit with more voices that make no sense to her. 

Alone in her room, she eats her cereal and manages to watch the DVD JJ gave her, which is about his near-death experience in a car crash when he was a kid. 

Later, Ellen falls asleep watching a movie and has nightmares that possibly connect to her past. She wakes up to knocking on her door. It’s JJ, and he invites her to a special recording of the podcast. 

We also learn that Ellen had lost her powers 8 years ago, and JJ is able to listen to her thoughts and doesn’t like her thinking of him as Chunky. 

At the show, a special challenge is announced, and JJ gets Ellen to participate in it as well. But Ellen experiences more strange visions and abruptly leaves. 

By the time the sample comes to an end, Ellen is in trouble with her employers because the video of her lashing out at the Halloween Queen has gone viral. 

READ OR SKIP?

The author has not only managed to write a compelling horror story but has also managed to inject humor into the narrative without it sticking out or breaking momentum. 

The pace is well-suited for this story, and the characters are distinctive and well-written. Perhaps the most interesting part is the way the author cleverly hints at the character’s past without going into lengthy details. 

This is a READ for sure. 

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