Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the AudioARC of this!

This was super creepy! I loved The Echo Wife, so I requested this no questions asked. It was creepy and weird from the first page to the last, and I enjoyed it a lot. Recommend for fans of Comfort Me with Apples, House of Hollow, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me with an ALC of Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Keep the lights on and be cautious…
Vera returns to her childhood home, Crowder House, the home her father built with his own two hands - a place where monstrous deeds occurred. It’s been decades since Vera closed the door on that chapter of her life, but her mother is dying and she’s summoned Vera home. I don’t read a lot of horror, but this one left me terrified.

The haunting narration by Xe Sands was fantastic. At times I thought the pacing was a little off but the build up of anticipation and fear was palatable. Atmospheric and CREEPY, Sarah Gailey has written another outstanding story.

This was such a strange and disturbing book! I listened to the audiobook mostly while at work so I wasn’t as creeped out as if I had been reading the book, alone, at night but I still enjoyed it. It’s definitely a twisty thriller. I didn’t see any of the twists coming and honestly I’m still not sure if I’m 100% on board with all of them. It alternated between the main character’s childhood and present and I found the former way more I interesting than the latter which dragged and felt repetitive at times. If you’re looking for a creepy, mysterious, unique horror, check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic narration. I think it is actually some of the most compelling I have heard. Perfect for this story. My full review can be found below:

**4.5-stars**

Coming back to her childhood home is a very difficult decision for Vera Crowder. There's a lot of hurdles mentally to overcome. As she stands before it, ready to enter for the first time in 12-years, she's filled with doubts. Her mother, Daphne, is extremely ill and in her final days she seems to want Vera by her side; odd considering she never showed interest in Vera before.

In fact, their relationship has been hostile for years, not your typical mother-daughter relationship, but Vera's whole family history is complicated. That can happen when your father is an infamous serial killer. Making matters worse is the fact that Vera's mother has a tenant living on the property, some sort of artist whose interest in the house makes Vera very uncomfortable. Regardless of his annoying presence, being back in the home definitely stirs up a lot of unresolved issues for Vera. She feels things in the house, it's unsettling. She's remembering things she had forgotten.

Through past and present perspectives the Reader is filled in on the truth behind the Crowder house, Vera's family and unconventional upbringing. Just Like Home was a highly anticipated release for me. I knew with Sarah Gailey's impressive writing skills and imagination this would be a memorable story.

It absolutely was. I was drawn in from the very first paragraph. It feels morose, Vera is not necessarily a happy camper. There's not a lot to be happy about in this situation, but it was absolutely captivating in its quiet intensity. The way Gailey weaved this story together was so good. There's a lot of balls in the air, as the Reader you are learning so much in every moment. There are no chapters wasted.

I loved being in Vera's head as she reflected on her life and the past timeline was so gripping to watch play out. In some ways it felt like a simple story, like the way it unfolded, but when you take the time to think about it, there are so many layers.

Most interesting to me was the relationship that Vera had with her father. An assumption may be that because he was a killer, he would be a harsh and dominating force in her life, but that's not quite the case. Additionally, to see the tension between her and her mother, it almost seemed upside-down from what you would expect. And then there was the whole dynamic between the mother and father, which was equally as interesting.

One of the most important aspects for me in any story is atmosphere. I need a strong atmosphere to truly be swept up into a story. I want to feel it, smell it, taste it and generally, be unsettled by it. Gailey nailed the atmosphere here. This house, oh my word, make no mistake, the house has soul, the house has energy. I always love when the sense of place is this thick in a story. A great example would be The Overlook Hotel in The Shining; where the place is as impactful as any of the characters.

I really had to think about this one after I finished it in order to decide on a rating. Initially, I was thinking it started too slow, but looking back, I feel it was appropriately done. It is a bit of a slow burn, but the payoff is so over-the-top, vivid and immersive, that it just makes sense this way. Gailey crushed this. It was so freaking weird and creative in such an incredible way.

Thank you so very much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I will remember this one for a long time to come!

This one is a hard one to review publicly without giving anything away! The writing was solid, the setting intriguing. But in the end, it didn't deliver on the spooky and "gothic horror" as I hoped it would. The beginning of the book is rather slow-paced, and listening it on audio made it more so, I believe. I would've loved to have seen Vera be more affected by the house, before the final reveal.
Overall, it was an interesting read and I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience it.

Vera is returning home to care for her mother, Daphne, who is dying. The two have always had a strained relationship and Vera must navigate that and the memories of her home, a place where her father was arrested as a serial killer. She is fearful and uncertain at first delving back into the memories of her childhood, one where she remembers her father and his love before he was taken away. As she investigates the basement where he kept his victims and finds his writings we see a wholly different picture of the evil oozing out of every pore of this house.

This one is definitely a slow burn where creepy and true crime weave together nicely. I'm not sure I liked Vera for most of it but I'm not sure you're supposed to. I really liked the way the plot unraveled and how the evil manifested. This one is a perfect read to put on your list for spooky season.

I did this one on audio and the narrator wasn't my favorite with her different voices for the characters but I enjoyed the story enough that I am going to rate it based on the plot rather than the delivery.

Thanks to Macmillian Audio for advanced access to this audiobook. All opinions above are my own.

Let me start by saying this book is weird... but in a good way. We follow Vera as she goes back home to take care of the house that her mother is dying in. This house was built by her father and was made special to find the secrets created there. This book does have a couple triggers like a toxic mother/daughter relationship, paranormal stuff, and murder.

I feel like I can't really describe it more then that. I feel like for me personally this book didn't make a lot of sense until near the end. I did like the ending and that was the redeeming factor for me.

This book makes me want to look into more of those "weird" reads. I would suggest this book to someone who wants to question things throughout the book, and who likes a paranormal type read.

I have read Sarah Gailey’s, The Echo Wife. I had thought I knew what kind of writer she was. I figured she was just another thriller writer, who is going to give us what every other thriller writer is at the moment. I did not expect this. I did not expect Just Like Home to be what it was at all.
When I say I like darker thrillers, it doesn’t mean that I was lots of blood and gore. Nor does it mean I want a high body count. To me, the darkness that I’m looking for is found deep within the killers mind. The foundation of their murderous thoughts, what drives them to do what they do. I want understand the shadows in their soul and have it move me to tears. That is the darkness that I found in this book. Sarah Gailey spoke to me in this book, with a secret language only I could understand.
The book is about family, their secrets kept within the walls of their home, the different relationships between child and parent, and the examples the parents set that mound a child’s mind. In the Crowder home, there were just monsters under the bed, they were inside of them. It was a terrifying exploration of the beginnings of evil. Can it be handed down, or is it learned?
I found the story extremely scary, but not in a slasher hunter way. There are moments of cold sweat fear when Vera is battling the demons under her bed, and hiding in her closet. It glued me to the page. But then there are moments of anticipating fear when you’re waiting to see what lays in the basement. Omg, I could barely contain myself. I freaked myself out.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which may have heightened my experience. The narrator has a buttery low voice that strokes the back of your neck as it gives you goosebumps. It was like listening to a female Vincent Price, telling me a scary ghost story. It was an excellent telling of a excellent story.
Like I said, this book appealed to my darker side. I don’t know that everyone will get it, or appreciate it. But I’m putting this in my top three of 2022. It may be my favorite of the year.

A lovely pink cover for a twisted horror story? Sign me up!
This book had a lot going on for it! Where should I start? Serial killer father? Creepy house that weird things happen in? Crazy mother who withheld love for years? An odd artist going through everything in the house to incorporate to his art?
There are a lot of eerie descriptions in this novel and the narrator Xe Sands does an excellent job of conveying that.

claustrophobic, atmospheric, fundamentally about the horrors of coming back home after you are an adult. repetition used to absolute maximum effect. some parts of this book made me feel physically sick, but it's not necessarily gory, just kind of, nausea-inducing. in a positive way? I was very lucky to get this eARC as both an ebook and an audiobook, and I kept having to put the audiobook down to read the chapters in the ebook because I could not stand the tension. Still thinking about the ending. Not sure if I like it. But in a horror book, are you supposed to? Four and a half stars, rounded down for NetGalley/Goodreads.
Booksweet link. Goodreads link. Storygraph link.

Vera is summoned back to her childhood home. Her emotionally unavailable estranged mother is on her deathbed. The home was built by her late father, a convicted serial killer. Now she must deal with her memories, process her complicated relationship with her mother, and prepare the home for sale. All of this is further complicated by the presence of an artists renting the shack on the property who is determined to mine the home and the lives of it's occupants for "artistic inspiration." And that's not even mentioning the thing that Vera hears in the house, that seems to have taken up residence under Vera's bed.
The pacing was uneven at first, but picked up about halfway through, eventually barrelling toward a powerhouse ending. This book is creepy, visceral and disturbing. Xe Sands is an amazing narrator, expertly capturing both tone and character. A truly twisted, chilling listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC.

Rating 4.5
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to the audiobook on NetGalley.

Now this is the horror and thrilling novels that I love to read during the Halloween season. The atmosphere of the story was truly spine tingling and horrific in the gory description. The ending was bizarre, but I think it wrapped up nicely.

In Just Like Home, Vera returns to her childhood home to take care of things for her dying mother. If that wasn't enough, artist James Duvall, moves into the guest house in the back, taking whatever he can get for his art.

The cover and the description makes this sound like a haunted house book, and if that's what I'd read, I wouldn't be so bitter. I think what we have here is a story about one messed up family with some bizarre supernatural stuff thrown in at the end. And I did say messed up. Vera's dad, her sweet and caring dad who checks under Vera's bed for monsters, turns out to be one himself. And Vera's mom, she's just awful, a stereotypical perpetually disappointed mother.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Xe Sands was a fine narrator. However, this book was not what I expected and I ended up disappointed.

BOOK REVIEW and Happy Pub Day to JUST LIKE HOME by @gaileyfrey. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the audio ARC.

Vera's mother has finally called her home after years of estrangement. Daphne is dying and needs Vera to clean up the house. When Vera arrives she is greeted not only by her dying mother with the same but also a young James Duvall who is renting the guesthouse behind her childhood home. Vera immediately mistrusts this slippery, pushy, charlaton son of the man who wrote a book about her family - about her father's crimes.

Vera must face her complicated feelings about her father whom she loved and admired but who also was a deluded serial killer and her cold relationship with her mother. Daphne used their home as a money producing museum of horror after Vera left and as Vera goes through the artifacts of her childhood she starts to find notes written in her father's script and finds more secrets hidden throughout the house. Is someone messing with her or is someone... or something... messing with her?

This book was brutal and haunting. Gailey does an excellent job of intertwining love and hate in Vera's feelings about her parents and her relationship with the house had some real HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE vibes. The reveals are sometimes disturbing and definitely strange and they keep coming. This is my new favorite Sarah Gailey book and that is saying a lot since I have absolutely adored every book I have read by them. Their work is always genre bending and thoughtful and in this case very spooky and bleak.

I also really enjoyed the voice of the narrator of this audiobook and their pace was perfect to match the pace of the book. Read this one if you like haunted house books, serial killer stories, complicated family backgrounds and spooky atmospheric horror.

#netgalley #justlikehome #happypubday #sarahgailey #macmillanaudio #bookstagram #booknerd #booklover #hauntedhousebooks #bookish #booksta

There's something about a Sarah Gailey novel for me. She's able to maneuver between genres so easily and her entry into horror is something else entirely. It's macabre, it's ooey gooey icky, and marvelously creepy all the same. I definitely want to pick up a physical copy to reread because I feel like I missed some parts. The audio itself was spotty at times, but I think it's just because of the speed I was listening to it at. Add in some creepy music and it's solid gold.

*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

“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.”

Vera left her childhood home after her father is arrested for multiple murders. To her dismay, she has to return to take care of her estranged, dying mother and clear out the house once she’s gone. There is also a random artist living in the guesthouse always asking questions and trying to spend time with her. He is stripping away parts of the house for attention and “art” to the public. There are many hidden secrets deep under the house and Vera needs to figure out how far and rotten it goes.

“That house would never let you leave.”

The story is told from two timelines - alternating between Vera’s childhood and the present which worked really well in piecing it all together. Vera’s father was her only friend growing up and always came to the rescue with her mother until he’s arrested for murders and deemed as an infamous serial killer. 

“I save the other men. I keep them from turning into monsters. When they start to go bad, I help them.” 

Aside from the horror and mystery, this book delves into complicated family dynamics and relationships. Loneliness and betrayal are a prominent subject as well. You can feel Vera’s loneliness constantly threatening to swallow her whole into the void. I thought this was a unique take on a haunted house story rather than only just utilizing the usual tricks and scares.  

“She was too alone to be afraid"

Just Like Home is definitely a slow burn with a modern gothic feel. I also love the pink cover that contrasts with the content. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this audiobook for an honest review. 

This book comes out 7.19.2022


I did enjoy the the interesting story of "Just Like Home".  I like the dual timeline of Vera and her life. I thought it was done well and help build the story. The ending of this was not expected and I honestly dont know how I feel about it. However, I did not like the narration for this. The monotone narration was not my cup of tea and I felt as if it made this book drag. Overall, I thought this book was a 3.25 ⭐️ read.

Please be advised the synopsis of this book spoils half of the story. Over the first half is mostly flashback on Vera learning what her father does.

There is not any speculation in this book until half way through and don't feel like things got interesting until 80% in. Through most of the book I did not feel invested and it was very slow paced. If not for the last portion I would give this 1 star. But I really enjoyed the ending so giving it 2.5.

It states this book is good for fans of The House on Haunted Hill, I do not agree with that. But I would say the last portion of the book reminded me of TK Fisher books and think that would be a more appropriate comparison.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

I was so excited when I found out I got an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley (thank you, thank you, thank you!)

This story begins with Vera’s mother, Daphne, asking Vera to come home after she had been gone for years to take care of her now that she’s dying. Right from the beginning, the relationship Vera has with her family does not feel like a conventional one. Her mother is cold, and we soon discover that her father is both a murderer and dead. Daphne seems to rent out the guest house in the backyard, having many people come and go. One of these guests is James Duval, a painter who includes supernatural/haunted elements in his paintings (and the son of the author of the book that was written about her father’s murders). Much of the novel involves Vera taking care of her mother and beginning to organize her mother’s belongings. The story alternates between Vera in the present and Vera as a child, learning about what kind of man her father is. Then, Vera begins to find letters around her house that are seeming written in her father’s handwriting. This story features twists and turns, leaving you hooked on what is about to happen until the very last page. I am excited to read more of Sarah Gailey’s books soon!

I’m the type of person who loves listening to audiobooks (I’ve listened to over 50 this years). I also enjoy listening to my books at 1.75 to 2.0 speed. I noticed that with this audiobook, when I listened at my desired speed there was an echo. It didn’t completely take me out of the story, but it definitely took some getting used to. Regardless of that, Xe Sands was the perfect narrator for a book like this. Narration like this one reminds me why I listen to so many audiobooks!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC! I enjoyed Gailey's Magic for Liars, so when I saw this book with the tags of Horror, Gothic and Thriller, it became a must-read! The story definitely hits all the marks and I felt an unease settle in as I listened to the fabulous audio, narrated by Xe Sands. It is compelling, horrific, and you may never see your house the same way again.