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DORMANT
Marcy and Owen Parker, young newlyweds eager for a fresh start, have finally found a house they can afford. At first glance, it seems like the perfect starter home. But as they try to settle in, they notice flaws beyond the needed renovations—scratching noises at the bedroom windows at night, inexplicable things hidden behind the walls, and a garden that seems to move with a mind of its own.
Tensions flare as they try to salvage their dreams of a life together. Owen becomes obsessed with unearthing the house’s mysterious past. As his fixation deepens and the strangeness spreads beyond their white picket fence, Marcy faces an impossible try to save her husband from himself and whatever lives behind the walls, or get out before the secrets beneath the house consume them both.
They wanted to grow together, but something else is growing between them... and it’s darker than they ever imagined.
Tensions flare as they try to salvage their dreams of a life together. Owen becomes obsessed with unearthing the house’s mysterious past. As his fixation deepens and the strangeness spreads beyond their white picket fence, Marcy faces an impossible try to save her husband from himself and whatever lives behind the walls, or get out before the secrets beneath the house consume them both.
They wanted to grow together, but something else is growing between them... and it’s darker than they ever imagined.
- GenresHorror
Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2025
3 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 8, 2025
ARC for review. Published February 25, 2025.
The most terrifying story I have ever read…a couple buys a fixer-upper on a Florida swamp and it has no air-conditioning. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
2 stars
Marcy and Owen Parker are newlyweds and, like all young couples, are looking for a house they can afford. But they are dreaming the impossible dream the end.
No, seriously, these nutjobs DO buy a fixer upper on a Florida swamp with no air-conditioning (and Owen conveniently neglects to tell Marcy he kind of crapped out on the whole “job� thing he was pursuing, so, you know, this is all going to end in a bloodbath of SOME kind, and not just because this is a horror book.) And not only are there a million and one things on the renovation list, it’s also, yay!, haunted.
Seriously, this is pretty much all Owen’s fault because they moved to this hellhole to care for his grandmother who then died right before they closed and THEN he becomes obsessed with the could-have-been-interesting-but-surprisingly-rather-dull history of the house, which we see just a tiny bit of in VHS tapes. Marcy tries to save Owen’s stupid ass from himself, but there’s some boring backstory which goes nowhere, plus, you know, they just got married…she’s not THAT attached.
I try to take chances on books from small publishers, (this one is from Raven Tale, I do believe) and sometimes you get lucky, (I just read a self-published book called THEO OF GOLDEN that was lovely) but this just wasn’t very good. There was no real insight as to what was happening or why, or, further, why anyone should care.
The most terrifying story I have ever read…a couple buys a fixer-upper on a Florida swamp and it has no air-conditioning. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
2 stars
Marcy and Owen Parker are newlyweds and, like all young couples, are looking for a house they can afford. But they are dreaming the impossible dream the end.
No, seriously, these nutjobs DO buy a fixer upper on a Florida swamp with no air-conditioning (and Owen conveniently neglects to tell Marcy he kind of crapped out on the whole “job� thing he was pursuing, so, you know, this is all going to end in a bloodbath of SOME kind, and not just because this is a horror book.) And not only are there a million and one things on the renovation list, it’s also, yay!, haunted.
Seriously, this is pretty much all Owen’s fault because they moved to this hellhole to care for his grandmother who then died right before they closed and THEN he becomes obsessed with the could-have-been-interesting-but-surprisingly-rather-dull history of the house, which we see just a tiny bit of in VHS tapes. Marcy tries to save Owen’s stupid ass from himself, but there’s some boring backstory which goes nowhere, plus, you know, they just got married…she’s not THAT attached.
I try to take chances on books from small publishers, (this one is from Raven Tale, I do believe) and sometimes you get lucky, (I just read a self-published book called THEO OF GOLDEN that was lovely) but this just wasn’t very good. There was no real insight as to what was happening or why, or, further, why anyone should care.
Currently reading
April 10, 2025Pre-read update � I tried googling ‘Ecological horror� and still don’t really know what it means.. killer plants? Natural disasters? I’m already lost.
April 9, 2025
This review is for an ARC copy received through NetGalley.
A young couple, Owen Parker, an out of work ecologist, and Marcy, a nurse now working at a retirement home, have recently bought a fixer-upper house in Florida. Though they hoped for a nice, fresh start, tensions are starting to build as the move, the repairs, the recent death of Owen's aunt, Owen's lack of a job and the fact that he's a recovering alcoholic, are straining their marriage. On top of all that, Marcy wakes up one night to the distinct sensation that something abnormal is going on with the house. When Owen then discovers a metal lock box hidden within the chimney full of old VHS tapes, things only get weirder.
For a debut novel, the writing was pretty solid. Somewhere I think I saw a comparison to The Ring, but the only thing the book and that book/film have in common is a video tape. NetGalley's description mentioning the film Sinister and Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation are exactly what came to my mind, even though I forgot it was mentioned here first, as the book definitely has some elements of both. But the story within is pretty original, with some unique takes of its own.
A young couple, Owen Parker, an out of work ecologist, and Marcy, a nurse now working at a retirement home, have recently bought a fixer-upper house in Florida. Though they hoped for a nice, fresh start, tensions are starting to build as the move, the repairs, the recent death of Owen's aunt, Owen's lack of a job and the fact that he's a recovering alcoholic, are straining their marriage. On top of all that, Marcy wakes up one night to the distinct sensation that something abnormal is going on with the house. When Owen then discovers a metal lock box hidden within the chimney full of old VHS tapes, things only get weirder.
For a debut novel, the writing was pretty solid. Somewhere I think I saw a comparison to The Ring, but the only thing the book and that book/film have in common is a video tape. NetGalley's description mentioning the film Sinister and Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation are exactly what came to my mind, even though I forgot it was mentioned here first, as the book definitely has some elements of both. But the story within is pretty original, with some unique takes of its own.
April 8, 2025
This is eco and body horror like you have never seen before, and I am so here for it!
I'm a big fan of the "moving into a house and everything going wrong" trope in horror, and this was no exception. I liked that this wasn't the typical creepy old house and instead was much more modern, including the horror aspect. I think it would have been nice to have more interaction with their neighbors, but it didn't make or break the story by any means. I really felt that the couple was written in a fantastic way. Their personalities and even arguments felt natural and made me want to root for them even more.
I really liked the basis of the horror aspect, though I wish there was a deeper dive into the building of it. It's left pretty open for interpretation which might be some people's thing just not mine. I will say that the shock factor is a 10 out of 10 and my jaw remained on the floor from about 50% of the way through till the very end. I just kept telling myself I couldn't believe what I was reading!
I'm a big fan of the "moving into a house and everything going wrong" trope in horror, and this was no exception. I liked that this wasn't the typical creepy old house and instead was much more modern, including the horror aspect. I think it would have been nice to have more interaction with their neighbors, but it didn't make or break the story by any means. I really felt that the couple was written in a fantastic way. Their personalities and even arguments felt natural and made me want to root for them even more.
I really liked the basis of the horror aspect, though I wish there was a deeper dive into the building of it. It's left pretty open for interpretation which might be some people's thing just not mine. I will say that the shock factor is a 10 out of 10 and my jaw remained on the floor from about 50% of the way through till the very end. I just kept telling myself I couldn't believe what I was reading!
March 26, 2025
Think "The Ring" meets ecological horror. SO GOOD!
March 31, 2025
Dormant is a short, chilling ecological horror that blends “nature fights back� vibes with a creeping sense of “do I even know my husband?� Packed with eerie forbidden footage and gorgeous but unsettling imagery that sticks with you. Perfect if you like your horror a little weird, a little beautiful, and totally unshakable.
March 26, 2025
Marcy and Owen have just moved into an old house in Florida, but it's not just the walls that are showing cracks—their relationship is starting to fracture, too. As tensions rise between them, something sinister lurks within the house, threatening to unravel everything.
I really enjoyed this book! As someone who has also just bought an old house and is constantly dealing with DIY projects—not to mention strange noises—I’ve never related to 2 characters more. There were a few moments that genuinely scared me, which is rare since I’ve read so many horror books.
The writing is really great, and it's not a particularly long book so I finished it quite quickly. Highly recommend!
I really enjoyed this book! As someone who has also just bought an old house and is constantly dealing with DIY projects—not to mention strange noises—I’ve never related to 2 characters more. There were a few moments that genuinely scared me, which is rare since I’ve read so many horror books.
The writing is really great, and it's not a particularly long book so I finished it quite quickly. Highly recommend!
April 5, 2025
This is quite the creepy story, combining eco horror with cosmic horror and a dash of folk horror to round it out.
A couple buys their first home in a quiet retirement area in Florida. Close to a swamp and teeming with flora, it's a fixer upper but it's what they can afford. Owen is an indie documentary film maker and Marcy is a nurse.
Although they have a good relationship, it's marred by past events which will be revealed over time. One day Owen finds a lockbox filled with old VHS tapes which had been encased in bricks for some reason. Soon, he becomes obsessed with them despite Marcy's insistence that they take them to the police.
What he'll find on these tapes is something which starts out a bit creepy but soon turns into true terror. And he will never be the same again as whatever lies dormant on their property is ready to come out. And it's extremely hungry.
This author does a great job of building the horrors while we see the slow unraveling of this couple. The hot humid Florida swamplands provides a fantastic backdrop for the narrative. The creepy things keep getting more intense as the book progresses and you get the feeling that things are not going to end well for either Owen or Marcy.
This is a banging short novel which you'll definitely want to read. I highly recommend it.I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
A couple buys their first home in a quiet retirement area in Florida. Close to a swamp and teeming with flora, it's a fixer upper but it's what they can afford. Owen is an indie documentary film maker and Marcy is a nurse.
Although they have a good relationship, it's marred by past events which will be revealed over time. One day Owen finds a lockbox filled with old VHS tapes which had been encased in bricks for some reason. Soon, he becomes obsessed with them despite Marcy's insistence that they take them to the police.
What he'll find on these tapes is something which starts out a bit creepy but soon turns into true terror. And he will never be the same again as whatever lies dormant on their property is ready to come out. And it's extremely hungry.
This author does a great job of building the horrors while we see the slow unraveling of this couple. The hot humid Florida swamplands provides a fantastic backdrop for the narrative. The creepy things keep getting more intense as the book progresses and you get the feeling that things are not going to end well for either Owen or Marcy.
This is a banging short novel which you'll definitely want to read. I highly recommend it.I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
April 8, 2025
I received this book through NetGalley.
I was drawn in quickly, especially with the noises and occurrences that Marcy and Owen experience once they move into their new house. With the discovery of the tapes I LITERALLY couldn’t put this down. There is enough scare factor in this story that I got scared when my son walked in from school.
Overall the story flows together at a quick pace and keeps you intrigued until the very end. This is something I’ll gladly read again when I’m in need of a scare.
I was drawn in quickly, especially with the noises and occurrences that Marcy and Owen experience once they move into their new house. With the discovery of the tapes I LITERALLY couldn’t put this down. There is enough scare factor in this story that I got scared when my son walked in from school.
Overall the story flows together at a quick pace and keeps you intrigued until the very end. This is something I’ll gladly read again when I’m in need of a scare.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2025
Not my normal cup of tea but I liked it alot
March 31, 2025
Short scary and sweet!!
As someone whose house flooded almost as soon as I got it this felt personal. However, I didn't have to deal with any monsters, just my insurance company...
As someone whose house flooded almost as soon as I got it this felt personal. However, I didn't have to deal with any monsters, just my insurance company...
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