The Borderland

Black Acres, Book 2

By: Ambrose Ibsen

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

Something is wrong with the Beacon estate.

Kim and Julian try to adjust to their new home, but reminders of the previous owners are many. For Kim, it's difficult not to fixate on the mysterious disappearance of the house's last tenants and she quickly grows obsessed with learning more about them. All the while, the house's quirks and flaws become more than just an annoyance. They're becoming frightening.

The strange door in the basement, which had been wallpapered over so as to keep it hidden, has opened of its own accord. The dead woods outside, though barren of animal life, seem to come alive at night with curious, masked onlookers. Kim feels like she's losing her mind, and Julian is unsympathetic. What is it that ails her? Is the stress of the move merely wreaking havoc on her mind, or is she being plagued by something more sinister?

Kim begins to gather clues, digs deep to find answers to the questions that keep her up at night. The more she pieces things together however, the less she wishes she knew.

The Borderland is the second novella in the Black Acres serial by Ambrose Ibsen. It is approximately 23,000 words and contains adult language, scenes of horror, and a cliffhanger ending. Listener discretion is heavily advised.

©2015 Ambrose Ibsen (P)2019 Ambrose Ibsen

Decent story with great narration

I have come to expect creeptastic stories from Ambrose Ibsen and this one is a bit of a let down. Definitely not as scary as most of his books are. I really wish this series had been combined into one audiobook. Julian drove me absolutely bonkers in this book. I really wanted something ultra creepy to pop up in his face! lol Even though this wasn't as horrific as I like... it's still enjoyable and I listened to all 3 in a single day... I relistened to book 1 since it had been so long since the original listen.

Joe Hempel... my shower man... he's the one and only narrator I can hear clearly while I shower. I really appreciate it because I'm in there a good 30 minutes. But besides that, he has this voice that's just enjoyable to listen to even when he's telling my scary stories.

When Your Borderlands are Dead, You Need to Move

The second book in the Black Acres series is a direct continuation of the first book so you need to listen to the that in order to know what it is going on. I strongly suggest you listen back to back as well so you are fresh on previous events.This series is more of a single book cut into three pieces with abrupt endings. This picks up exactly where the last book left off and provides a great second chapter.

Where the first story was more about setting the scene for this haunted house story, this one explores the haunting more and introduces you to the haunt itself. The tension in this book is ratcheted up quite a bit and the suspense is more heavy than the horror is. I feel like the entire time I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for full Amityville Horror style hauntings to take off. I definitely was holding my breath throughout much of this chapter fearful of what was going to appear right around the corner.

This chapter has been about the plot itself and not so much about developing the main two characters. They play the similar role you see in most haunted house stories were the husband is a skeptic, rationalizing everything that happens. The wife is the one being directly affected and is looking for resolution while her husband appears to slip into madness. The characters that really make you curious are the original house owners. There is a lot going on with them now and some mysterious circumstances that I can’t wait to get resolution on.

As always, Joe does a fantastic job. The tension and anxiety you feel listening to this would not be achieved without him. His voice and emotion seemed to pick up a bit in this chapter and really made for a great suspenseful and frightening chapter. Can’t wait for the next one.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Great sequel to In Absentia!

The Borderland by Ambrose Ibsen in a great sequel to In Absentia, which is book 1 in the Black Acres series. I would definitely recommend listening to In Absentia first if you haven't. This book could stand alone, but you'll really get a better overall picture and better listening experience if you go in order. Kim and Julian move into a new house and crazy strange things keep on happening to Kim. She quickly learns that the previous owner of the house had some secrets and that both the previous owner and Kim both had longings to be a mother...I don't want to give too much away in this review!

Joe Hempel, as with all of his performances that I've listened to, does a spectacular job narrating Kim and Julian's tale. The expressiveness of his voice adds depth and dimension to the listening experience and, as one of my favorite narrators, I always know that I'll have a positive listening experience, allowing me to really get into the story and not be distracted by poor narration. If you're a fan of good, solid horror/supernatural tales, then I'd definitely recommend The Borderland and the whole Black Acres series. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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The Borderland

Book 2 in the series,Kim and Julian move into a new house.They don't know the history of the place,but soon realize things aren't quite right. Joe Hempel is the perfect narrator for this series.Ambrose Ibsens writing is A+,once again. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

The tension is palpable

This book continues the story of Kim and Julian, who recently purchased a house whose previous owners were declared dead in absentia. The book starts with their finding of a nursery in the basement of the house and continues with the strange events and nightmares affecting Kim. There is an old diary belonging to the woman who lived here, but her writing and what their friends tell don’t coincide.

Ambrose Ibsen is the king of creating ghostly personalities for houses, and this series is no different. The tension is palpable in the atmosphere in and around the house, and Kim is such a relatable character that it was impossible not to suffer for her. I also wanted to get to the bottom of things, and Julian’s matter of fact attitude towards the whole thing and Kim in particular made want to shake him and tell him a couple of things.

Joe Hempel’s narration was absolutely fantastic. Not only he brought the characters to life, but his inflected strong emotions in the narration, assisting the listener in connecting more closely with the characters and the story.

This is again a short audiobook, just shy of two hours and a half. I listened to it almost in one sit, and it left me wanting for more.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Awesome Continuation!

This book, like the first, continually grabs your attention and nerves and doesn't let go! This book also ends on a cliffhanger, so if that's not your cup of tea then you should wait until the series is complete before listening. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, just as much as the first one. This series is not a "jump out of your skin" suspense mystery but it will have you on the edge of your seat nonetheless. I found myself perched on my seat with my stomach in knots throughout this book. The only complaint I have is the same as the first...I do not like Julian!! He doesn't redeem himself in this installation! I love Kim though and feel for her in her torturous adventures with Beacon House. Ambrose Ibsen is a master at the subtle scare the bejesus out of you. The narration was excellent as well and I can't wait to listen to the next part! If you love suspenseful paranormal stories then you really should check out this series.

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

scary beyond belief

loved this second book by Ambrose Ibsen
read by Joe Hemphil.
cliffhanger indeed.
very creepy and im glad I purchased the 2nd book in the Black Acres Series!