Just Like Home is a prime example of a perfectly dark and creepy book! The plot is not particularly fast-paced and yet Sarah Gailey’s writing managed to keep me engrossed with its hauntingly beautiful style. During the first portion of the book, I was expecting the story to go in one direction and then it quickly swerved into territory I wasn’t anticipating. I love how it offered the full gamut of horror elements, including real world horror and supernatural horror, as well as elements from other genres. At times, it felt like a coming-of-age story and, at other times, a crime thriller or a family drama. Somehow, I found that all the moving parts worked and came together in a terrifying yet (oddly) touching way. I’m sure this book won’t be for everyone but I am already naming it as my favorite horror story of the year. Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley!

Can I just say that I LOVE the book cover???

This is a haunted house, serial killer father type of story, and I as a horror lover found it fun and entertaining.

This sounded interesting, but the book didn't quite work for me. The pace was slow, and there were many points that were predictable or repetitious. The pace is a bit better by the end, but it was too little, too late. The horror angle wasn't what I'd expect for the genre. There is a lot of focus on the characters' internal struggles, which made it hard to stay engaged. The ending fell flat for me, as well.

Disturbing. This book is incredibly disturbing.

…I think I liked it, though. It’s amusing to me that it has such an innocent looking cover, when the thing between the pages has claws.

I want to commend the author, because this writing was horror at its artistic peak. The similes and descriptions were so well done and I really enjoyed that aspect.

The way things are described in this book had me actually feeling queasy at times…ME! That’s no easy achievement. - I worked as a surgical nurse and have seen many many bloody procedures and some of the descriptions in this story made me feel more sick than watching corn get suctioned out from the open abdomen of a stabbed patient. (True story) I do not get grossed out easy, but this book was able to do it…so keep that in mind.

The story is about a girl who is called back to her childhood home by her estranged dying mother. She is asked to come care for the mom and sort out the house after she dies. She goes back, unsure of what to expect since things didn’t end well when she departed. The story flashes back and forth between her dark past and her haunted present.

At first, I was thinking why does this author make such a huge deal that the father built this house? We get it…he built it by hand. Then, when the end came, it all made sense why it was written this way. You will whisper WTF to yourself when it all comes around.

Also, speaking of the end, you may not want to eat the last 30 minutes. 🫠🖤 I do not think this novel will be for everyone, but if you’re a horror fan it may work for you like it did for me.

This was a super twisty haunted house story. The family dynamics added to the drama and creepy crawly feelings from the dark secrets inside the house.

You truly felt the love between Francis and Vera as well as the intense jealousy from Daphne,

I wanted more of Brandon’s after story but it wasn’t too big of a deal.

Would highly recommend to suspense and gore lovers, or anyone looking for something just a little different!

(I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review)

This is a haunted house book, but what's haunting it isn't necessarily a ghost, and it may not be malicious, even though what created it certainly was. That's a hell of a premise and Sarah Gailey follows though in a way that only they can. Masterful.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books, and Sarah Gailey for the advanced copy of Just Like Home in exchange for my honest review.

If I'm being 100% transparent I almost felt dumb while reading this. Even though it seems like everything is pretty transparent regarding Vera's serial killer father, it's like there's a secret everyone but the reader is in on, and I just couldn't make sense of what I was reading half the time.

I also didn't really connect to the story until about 80% in, but I may very well be an outlier.

I will say the ending was just whacko and creepy enough that I found I really enjoyed it. I definitely won't hesitate to read anything by this author again in the future.

Just Like Home will be on US bookshelves July 19.

A dark twisted ride of horror and suspense. Many times I thought I new were this book was going to go and i was pleasantly surprised and happily wrong, in a genre where so many things are expected i loved how different and fresh this was.

Monsters are the things in stories things that lurk in the darkness but what if the darkness isn't just hidden in shadows but in the person you love the most?

Darkness hides where we least expect to find it. If it can hide in a person does that reason it can also hide in a house.. What if a home was more then wood and plaster and pipes what if the memories and the blood took on a life of its own... What if your home your safe place became the place of nightmares, the place everyone fears..

Just like home... Where the ghosts of the past haunt the halls and the sins of the guilty will not be forgotten. Where houses Breathe and Monsters never sleep.

Dysfunctional parent/child relationships? Check.
Things that go bump in the night? Check.
A serial killer father? Well that was a box I didn't even know I had the option of checking before this, but I'm into it. Check.

It's hard to say too much about this book without spoiling something, and the less you know going into this one the more fun you'll have with it. It gave me everything I wanted and more, I couldn't put it down. It scared the pants off of me at some points, but I also found it so morbidly endearing at times. Sarah Gailey really knows how to describe innate fear and the various dark emotions that accompany fear. I was especially impressed by the ending and how things came together. I never would have guessed the twist, but it was perfect and I felt so satisfied with it.

Just Like Home is such an interesting look at the people we love who are monsters and the monsters we love who are people. Who is who in this book? That's up to you to decide.

Thanks so so much to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an eGalley of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I absolutely loved it.

Just Like Home started off pretty strong with the story being told from the POV of the main character, Vera. Sarah Gailey did an amazing job in describing the fear and angst that Vera felt with every little incidents. It felt visceral and genuine. But most of the focus was on Vera's feelings plus a glimpse into her past. Overall, the pace of the story was agonizingly slow. I enjoyed the plot twist at the end, it reminded me a lot of Babadook and Monster House. There were some inconsistences in the plot that bugged me a little bit. Overall, it was a slow burn with a fresh take on thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.

Rated 3 stars for my enjoyment of this book, but I think it could be a 4 or 5 star read for the right reader. Just Like Home is a haunted house story about Vera, whose father was serial killer, coming home to help her estranged (and dying) mother. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that explored the Crowder's family relationships. The creepy house stuff was well-written, but less interesting. The last section of this book was a wild ride full of very weird and horrible surprises. Recommended for supernatural horror fans.

I love paranormal horror and this is a strong creepy story. The first half of this started a little slow as there was a lot of ground to cover on the modern timeline and past timeline. I enjoy a multilayered protagonist with flaws and Vera was no exception. I would have preferred a little more information about her interview with the writer as it was referenced a lot but never really addressed. The second half was much stronger and was genuinely scary at times.

Thanks to Net Galley for the and Tor/Forge for the advanced copy of this book!

4.25/5

This book presents a very interesting horror genre blend of serial killer/true crime meets haunted house. While this could have been just another scary page turner, what makes this book really work is how it centers itself on family, family dynamics, and how the relationship we have with our parents changes when we get older.

The book follows our main character, Vera, who needs to go back home after years of being away to take care of her dying mother who still lives in the family home, the house her father built. Except her father was a serial killer and as the book goes we get the sense that there might be something else might be in the house too.

The book follows Vera both in the present as an adult as well as through flashbacks of her as a child while her father is still at home. Both sections of the book are interesting and both leave you wanting more when the perspective shifts. I found that the more I learned about younger Vera, the more I wanted to learn about older Vera and visa versa.

This book plays with its genres in a very interesting way. The true crime/serial killer element gets the reader in the mindset of looking for every detail and every implication because we already know Vera's father was a serial killer and are waiting to see just how much the family knew and just how much the book is willing to tell us. In contrast, the haunted house elements are often quick, mysterious, or unexpected. It's a horror genre contrast of methodical progression and sudden strangeness. These are both framed within Vera's perspective and Vera's life. In both timelines you learn a lot about Vera's relationship with both of her parents and as the book goes on, that perspective begins to affect how you approach both genres of horror present in this book.

I did really enjoy this book from start to finish but there were a few things that took its rating down a bit. There is an artist character mentioned in the blurb for this book. I found this character did not feel as well developed or as well used compared to all the other characters. I also found the final few chapters to be weaker for me compared to the rest of the book, specifically in regards to the haunted house aspect of the book. Wrapping up horror novels is always difficult in that way. There is also one other element that seems like it is going to be present throughout the book but gets left behind. I don't want to spoil anything before release so that's as much detail as I'll give.

All that being said, this was a really great read and a really interesting genre blend. I know I will be recommending this one a lot.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693472-just-like-home?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=REoC2MMci9&rank=1

I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover and then the synapsis further solidified my choice - Haunted house? Serial killer? Estranged family? Sign me up. There are so many elements of this book that I love, especially because it is NOT your typical haunted house/serial killer thriller story. Sarah Gailey's talent jumps right off the pages. Just Like Home is brilliant, dark and atmospheric.

"This house, the house her father built, the house where her mother would die - this place was safe. This place knew her. This place was where she belonged."

When Vera returns to her childhood home to take care of her dying mother, strange things begin happening. She hasn't been home in the years since she learned the truth about her serial killer father & coming home to a seemingly haunted house is not an easy decision. To make things worse, a creepy painter/artist is living in their guest house, adding to the tension and possibly responsible for the unexplained, weird things happening around the house. Just Like Home is a story about a house with a secret, the fears that haunt you in the dark, and how the people who love & raise you forever shape your life. But it’s also just fun for any horror lovers out there!

The first half of the book lays the foundation of the story, bit by haunting bit with all the creepiness and tension of a slow burn. The second half goes from 0-100 and turns into a wild ride I didn't see coming. You may think you know what to expect, but you will not be ready for what awaits you in the house that Francis Crowder built. The writing is detailed, dreamlike and surreal and the imagery is tangible. The way in which the Crowder House was personified into a living, breathing thing was perfection. It evoked so many feelings in me - good vs. evil, dark vs. light, love vs. hate -- Can you really experience love without hate? What is the true meaning of family? What makes a house a home? The ending took me by surprise and somehow strangely felt heartwarming as everything came full circle.

**Thanks to NetGalley, TorBooks and Sarah Gailey for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A really great horror read that also has an important theme with generational trauma. I recommend for any readers of horror out there!

This book scared the crap out of me and I don't scare easy. Once I go halfway there were moments where I actually jumped. My swearing became phenomenal while reading this book.

The writing is exquisite. Sarah Gailey has a way of describing something in ways you never thought of before.

Looking forward to reading more of her books. She's written several and I'm looking forward to future ones.

I am, unfortunately, one of those people who is rarely surprised by a book. When you read as much as I do, it takes a heck of an author the get me. Sarah Gailey and Just Like Home absolutely and truly got me. I had thought that this was going to be about the tangled emotions of a woman's relationship with her deceased serial killer father. And it was. I had thought that it was going to be about the grief and trauma of coming home for the first time in years to where her mother is dying, where her father did unspeakable things. And it was. What I didn't expect was the thing that had me staying up far past a sensible bedtime and yelling at my ipad. I will absolutely be tracking down Gailey's earlier work and adding them to my auto buy list.

I've been interested in everything this author has produced, and read and enjoyed several of their titles. I picked this up based entirely on the author name and started reading it without seeing even a hint of a blub. Now I know the author doesn't experiment only in sci-fi and paranormal, but now in horror. Horror is not usually my thing, but I made it through.

It was creepy, which is, as I understand, the point of the genre, so that was a success. I found the ending to be a bit rushed, with several loose ends; it felt like, maybe in the rush of the big reveal, it would be assumed the reader would gloss over these bits that don't add up.

People who actually and intend to read horror will have more useful comments, I'm sure. For readers experimenting in the genre, this isn't a bad place to start.

eARC from NetGalley.

This was a bizarre story about what true monsters are...and whether they live under the bed or not. Vera is a strange main character, who has had to build a shell of protection from just about everyone she encounters.

Vera is called home by her mother. Despite her reluctance she returns to the home where she lived with her parents - before discover that her father was a serial killer and is sent to jail.

A guest house in the back has been rented to a suspicious character. Soon, notes written in her father's handwriting appear around the house and it is up to Vera to get to the bottom of the mystery as well as to discover what the evil in the house is about