Vera Crowder needs to go back home. Her mother, Daphne, is dying, and soon the infamous Crowder House will lay empty for the first time in decades. According to the community, though, Crowder House should've burned to the ground ages ago, because of the monster that once lurked within its walls.

"Just Like Home" is simply an astounding piece of horror literature. This was my first Sarah Gailey, and certainly won't be my last. Her writing is descriptive, transportive, and unnerving most of all, and contributes so much to the steady undertone of dread in this story. The chapters flowed back and forth between adult Vera returning to Crowder House--and confronting memories of growing up in its clutches--and young Vera attempting to lead a normal childhood in the shadow of Crowder House.

To read and love this book will be to go in pretty blind--trust me on this! What I can't stress enough is that this book is viscerally horrifying, and it's not for the faint of heart. Mostly psychological horror with some definite points of shocking violence, this story will give you the feeling of walking on eggshells the entire time. Its characters are complex, tormented, and refreshingly realistic--and yet, a good portion of the story is still plot-drive as the truth of Vera's childhood unfolds.

For me, the ending of the book packs a huge punch and is extremely profound; I chose to interpret it one way, whereas other readers might very well interpret it otherwise. Just another reason to pick up this book, it'd make a spectacular discussion read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and TorBooks for providing me with my advanced reader's copy of this title*

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>Someday I will learn my lesson.</p>
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<p>Some subgenres of book that I don't like are far <em>more</em> upsetting when they're written by somebody highly skilled and good at their job, as Gailey is, because they are <em>more effective</em> at the things I don't like. Like highly psychological horror where people do loads of terrible things and treat each other badly. Like this book. It is an extremely, extremely well-done version of what it is. Also aaaaaah and I'm glad I finished it well before bedtime so I can try to think about <em>something else</em> now.</p>
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<p>For the first time in years, Vera Crowder has been summoned back to the house where she grew up. It's not for funsies--her mother is dying. And as little as anybody likes facing that reality, Vera has not only her mother's frankly rather disgusting physical decay to deal with--not only the detritus of her parents' life--but also the reality of the horrible things that happened in the house. (Oh, and a fame-seeking artist living in the shed, who thinks he's all that and doesn't respect her personal space, literally or emotionally, in this difficult time. <em>Charming</em>.) Gailey skillfully unfolds each twist of what happened and exactly how much this is supernatural and how much psychological horror--it's both, it's very both--so that things that look one way are illuminated with a very different--uh--flashlight when the next chapter rolls around.</p>
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<p>If you like creepy houses and the kind of books where you have a very long list of answers to "who's the real monster here?", this is one for you. I don't. But I read it cover to cover without putting it down to do more than eat my supper anyway. It's a very well-done thing that is not my sort of thing.</p>
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What the actual what?? Just Like Home made me feel like I was walking on a tightrope, 100 feet up in the air. It started out extremely slow and I kept wanting to stop and just jump to my death to end things. I was anxious and impatient with the baby steps of progress that I made until I finally reached the halfway point. Once there, my outlook started to change as I was getting closer to reaching my destination. So, I continued on with renewed interest, moving a little faster, step by step, until I reached the end and quickly stepped off the rope. I think that sums up my reading experience pretty well.

I didn't fully love nor hate this book. Except for maybe the beginning. It was boring and redundant for most of the first half. I couldn't stand Vera and her lack of a backbone either. Once it really caught my interest, I started to enjoy it more. The ending was phenomenal!! Even if I was slightly confused. It just took way too much time to captivate me to rate this book any higher. But that's just me. If you are a psychological horror fan and you don't mind the slow build, give this book a go!

Thank you to the author, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books and NetGalley for allowing me to preview this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

JUST LIKE HOME was my first Sarah Gailey, and I wasn't disappointed. I'm a sucker for a haunted house story and particularly love horror novels that critique the true crime exploitation industry. This novel feels like a more myopic, more supernatural SHARP OBJECTS in that the protagonist is returning home for the first time since her father was discovered to be a serial killer. Vera has a complicated relationship with her parent (or, rather, her dying mother Daphne, as her father died in prison long ago) and with the house her father built, site of her fondest childhood memories and her deepest traumas. The book is CREEPY in a delightfully spooky way -- I stayed up long past my bedtime reading and kept regretting my choice because many of the novel's scariest moments take place in a dark bedroom. Eek! The dual timelines were deployed well, though I found the end of the novel to be a bit unsatisfying -- I felt like I never got a firm grip on Daphne's character or what, exactly, the book wanted to do with her. Overall though, well paced and wonderfully scary!

This was a super creepy read with a ton of great twists! It reminded me a little bit of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, especially with the complicated mother-daughter relationship, but heavier on the horror. The pacing was really great despite there not being a ton of action in the first part because of the time jumps between present day and Vera's childhood.
Just Like Home brings up a lot of complicated topics, and no character is fully bad or fully good. Everyone was incredibly morally grey, which made it all the more difficult to work out their motivations. I definitely wasn't expecting the twist at the end, but I liked it a lot. After all the build-up, that twist was just what the plot needed. 3.5/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this. This is a very creepy, harrowing read that left me feeling very creeped out and somewhat disturbed. There were many twists I did not see coming, and the ending was satisfying. The only downside for me was that for me, this was a slow burn and didn't pick up until about halfway through.

As a fan of Upright Women Wanted and Magic for Liars, I was really excited to read Just Like Home. Gailey didn't disappoint; in fact, their writing is even more skillful and it's clear they've really mastered their craft.
This is the perfect haunted house story and a wonderful new addition to the contemporary gothic genre.

My first book by Sarah Gailey so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but I was itching for a good horror read and boy did this scratch. There’s something so eerie and claustrophobic about a haunted house story that always draws me in and pushes me to keep the lights on (grew up in a haunted house so it hits too close to home!). Just Like Home blends two timelines: Vera in present day and Vera when she was 12. The flashback scenes were where the story really shined and I loved the timely reveals about the Crowder family. It was a slow burn but there were subtle hints at where the story was going that definitely give this reread value if you’re like me and fancy yourself a Sherlock Holmes. The last 10% had me on the edge of my seat! It’s really hard to spook me but there was parts of this book that truly did. Gailey did a great job vividly describing the horror scenes. It’s hard to say much more without spoiling anything but if you’re a fan of horror, do not skip this book! I can’t say it was a perfect read, but it definitely captured and kept my attention.

Also, how fantastic is this cover?

Haha, oh my god this book was wild. It started slow, and I did not enjoy the abusive mom/adult's return home to family trauma (which was the intention, obviously), but once things got going this book MOVED. It's super creepy and the end...was definitely a surprise, I'll say. I slightly hated it, but I also loved it?! I'm not sure how Gailey managed it, but I'll definitely be thinking about this one for awhile.

Thank you, MacMillan-Tor/Forge, for allowing me to read Just Like Home early.

Aw, harrowing and creepy and I loved every page. This is how a thriller should be written. Unexpected plot twists and great characterization. I highly recommend this story.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

You won’t want to put this one down. It’s surprising interesting, enjoyable, entertaining and delightfully dark.

Vera’s mother asks her to come home after a long period of estrangement. Vera decides to follow her mother’s wishes even though the home she will return to is plagued with memories of her serial killer father. To make matters worse her mother has allowed an artist to move into the guest house in the back. When hand written notes (in Vera’s fathers handwriting) start showing up around the house, the artists swears that he is not behind that. What is going on in this tainted home?

The creepy factor is very high in the latest book by Sarah Gailey! If you like haunted house stories, then JUST LIKE HOME could be a big hit for you. I really enjoyed it. Told in present and past timelines and with so many twists along the way, it has it all. I would consider this slightly slow burn, but in the best way. Enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

I loved, loved, loved this book. It wasn't what I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I could not put the book down! As I read I could feel my eyes widen during each twist and it made me want to read more and more. I cannot wait to read more of Gailey's books!

Sarah Gailey is becoming a favorite of mine.
I really enjoyed The Echo Wife last year.
Just Like Home was 10 times better!
An exhilarating, interesting and heart-pounding read that will keep you guessing until the end.
Vera and her family are such interesting, intriguing characters you just feel like you have to keep reading to peel.back the layers that's going on in this house!
Its truly remarkable.
Her writing is something special for sure!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Tor Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

4/5 Stars
This review is spoiler free!

First off - I LOVED this book. It was weird and creepy and uncomfortable at times and twisted in every sense of the word. Sarah Gailey took this story in so many directions and it ended up in such a cool space I wasn't expecting. Their writing style is so well done and atmospheric. This was a one sitting read for me and I just cannot recommend it enough!

Just Like Home begins with Vera Crowder going back to the home she had left as a teenager to help care for her dying mother and settle her affairs. Vera's adult life had been spent trying to escape the Crowder house, as well as the legacy her serial killer father left behind. However, she is forced to reckon with the darkness of her past as she returns.

Told both in the present, and in snippets of Vera's youth, this book is absolutely riveting and terrifying. Pacing is always something I look at closely in horror, and can make or break a book for me. While this book is definitely a "slow burn," in terms of plot, unraveling the mystery, etc. Sarah Gailey's pacing throughout is very engaging, making this book easy to devour in a single session.

*I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and views in this review are my own.

Great thriller. Never heard of the author but gave the story a try and really enjoyed it, the plot, characters, all of it. Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Well that was harrowing! Excellently done if you have a stomach for horror, but definitely not for the faint of heart. Sarah Gailey is a force to be reckoned with in this arena! I’m almost scared to see what they’ll come up with next.

I recieved an eARC of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

When Vera's mom calls from her deathbed and asks her to come back home, she isn't sure she will even go. Ultimately she decides to go back to the house that her father, the serial killer, had built to set her mother's affairs in order.

I loved this book. There were several times where my heart was pounding out of my chest. Sarah Gailey has a talent for creating a very visceral tension with her words. I never had any idea which direction this story was going to take, and it was a super fun ride. I rated this a 4 out of 5 stars because I felt like the ending was a little rushed and it left me with some questions. Overall this book was a great, creepy, sometimes gory, fun time. Bravo!

Imagine going home to a serial killer’s house. Imagine he was your father. I went into this book only knowing a couple of things about it and not really understanding with the story would end up being. A quickly became a character study and a bit of a thriller in one. It was fast paced but a good story.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.