This is a dark haunting book. There is lots of tension on the page. It is very well written and so atmospheric

Unfortunately I didn't finish this book, it wasn't for me. I found it quite complicated to understand.

I have tried to read this book about three times now and every time, even though I get a little further into the story, I just cannot stick it out. I don't know what it is. Yes, Gailey has written a slow burn story but I can deal with that. It feels as though, in this case, slow burn is flowing in tandem with, nothing happening at all. DNF at 63%

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Gailey and the publisher for providing me with an EARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was horrifically dark and wonderful and I loved it! Right when I thought I understood what had happened, there were more plot twists. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was that it was a bit too slow-paced for me.

I really enjoy Sarah Gailey's work - I love her characters and her stories that sit with you for a long time. However, it's mostly her witchy fantasy books I've read to this point, so I was excited to delve into something more horror-based.

This book was so unnerving, and it really got under my skin. This book in equal parts explores trauma and family dynamic, with the other half utilising literary gothic horror tropes. I loved the physicality of the horror elements, they were spine-chilling and illicited a real sense of discomfort.

The trope of a house personified, as a representation for the horror has been explored often through the horror genre, but Sarah Gailey brought something really fresh to it here.

Absolutely loved this book!

The writing style was really good and I look forward to reading any other books from this author in the future :)

Creepy, atmospheric setting. Just the right amount of creepy. Recommend to thriller fans who would like to try out something a little creepier. Thank you to the author , publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

I'm sorry, this was just ridiculous. It was so wrong on so many levels, I don't even know what to say about it; this was just a mess. The psychology was just, er, no? The reveal was, wow, really? Everything just felt shoddily plotted out and undercooked. So the MC's mom is just slowly dying in the kitchen, without any outside medical help to alleviate things, just this, for lack of a better word, weird "artist"? What was up with that guy anyway, I mean, seriously?!? The MC returns home and immediately turns into a half-witted child who seems to struggle with putting two and two together, because, I don't know, she's stuck in her old room?
Nah.
This was a rare example of an author trying too hard and at the same time not trying hard enough; maybe a bit more research into how stuff works (i.e. hospice/palliative care, mental illness/aberration, architecture, the pathology of serial killing) would have helped things. Oh, and a relatable MC who is actually worthy of my attention.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was very strange. It started off really well and it was interesting to see the relationship develop between Vera and her father but the second half was as if someone else had written it. It turned into a cheap horror story, which seemed to miss the target of being scary, it was just odd. Would I recommend this? I'm not sure. Would I read another by this author. Yes probably I would.

This was incredibly dark and creepy, I was totally hooked all the way through! The slow unfolding of all the back story was done really well, as well as the current day struggles. The only thing I wasn't so keen on was the very end, I thought that it didn't really match the general feeling of the rest of the book. I was expecting something much darker, given everything that had come before it. It seemed too happy and hopeful, in it's own twisted way.

I was really enjoying this book for the first 40% or so but as it went on I began to realise it wasn't for me.
Also too many descriptions of gross body fluids for my liking, I would say its mild body horror but mild is too much for me.

3 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/12/19/just-like-home-by-sarah-gailey/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Disturbingly dark, haunting and compelling

So Just Like Home isn’t my first Gailey read nor will it be my last. In some respects, and to be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure that I liked this and yet I was glued to the pages and can’t deny that the author has come up with a compelling read.

I’m not going to discuss the plot other than to say this is about a woman, called back to her childhood home where her mother is dying. This is a strange house. Once home to a serial killer unspeakable crimes have taken place behind it’s closed doors and if it’s possible for a house to absorb the evil, to become a haunting itself then I’d say this particular home has turned into something creepy, not to mention, the house itself has become something of a macabre museum.

The main character is Vera and her story is told in alternating timelines. We flip backwards and forwards to a much younger version and observe the strained relationship Vera has with her mother whilst enjoying a close bond with her father. The later storyline is about Vera’s reluctant return home at the request of her mother. The other main character is a young man, an artist, who seems to have wangled himself into the affections of Vera’s mother and is undertaking a project that involves an art installation using bits and pieces of house memorabilia.

I’m not going to elaborate too much more as I don’t really want to give anything away but I would say that this does make for a disturbing read and there are numerous elements that compel you to keep reading. I found myself fascinated by Vera, I couldn’t make my mind up if she was a reliable narrator or not, she came across at times as scared to be in the house but at the same time as her secrets are slowly revealed I found that impossible to believe. To be truthful I actually didn’t like any of the characters here and this is something that undoubtedly makes me struggle to like a book. I mean, on the one hand, you’re not really supposed to like these characters, they’re hard and unforgiving, but on the other hand I wanted somebody here to redeem themselves a little. If I manage to put those particular feelings to one side I can confess that I was hooked, I wasn’t maybe pleasantly hooked, but I simply couldn’t stop reading. The thirst for clarity pushed me onwards. I was fascinated by Vera’s childhood and desperate to know what really happened all those years ago.

So, although I wouldn’t say that I particularly enjoyed this book, it’s dark, a bit dismal, a little slow to start and is populated with characters that are impossible to like, it is undoubtedly a hypnotic read with startlingly eloquent prose and a shocking ending that brings a touch of the supernatural. If you like your horror to come with a touch of weird then give this one a try.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

* 3.5 stars.

This was a decently creepy read to start off my spooky season as a sort of true crime and haunted house hybrid. There is some suitably nightmarish imagery and solid writing, but unfortunately the pacing lets the book down. It is very slow for at least the first half while you're waiting for the main spooks to happen which did make me less excited to return to the book in between sittings.

(Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC.)

I really really enjoyed this, the writing was so enthralling, the subject matter super weird and gross. It was a completely different take on the creepy house genre, and without giving too much away I really appreciated the message at it's core. Would definitely recommend for spooky season.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. The pacing is far too slow for the pay off with a confusing dual perspective that adds to the overall atmosphere at the detriment of the storyline. I'm personally not really a fan of paranormal thrillers either, and this started to veer towards the absurd by the end which really through me out of the story too. The characters are also pretty boring.

Not for me.

I don't know if this is a horror, a thriller and to to be honest I don't care. I know it's disturbing, dark, twisty, full of unexpected surprised and last part that left me breathless.
That said i thoroughly enjoy it even I don't recommend to read it at nighttime.
I read other novel by Sarah Gailey and I love the excellent storytelling and the well plotted story.
Characters, world building, and plot are well done.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a creepy read, it describes the scenes perfectly but I would have liked to have seen the characters based a bit more. I didn't like any of the characters and I really didn't like Vera. I struggled to finish this one. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My rating ⭐⭐2/5

'Come home.' Vera's mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories - she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren't alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera's childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn't the one leaving notes around the house in her father's handwriting . . . but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.
#netgalley #justlikehome #lovereadingarcs

This book hooked me from the first chapter. It was oh so dark, delicious and addictive, pulling me into the heart of the story and refusing to let me go.

The author did a fantastic job with Vera, the protagonist, and her unique voice shone through, making her so realistic. She was a classic, unreliable narrator, and I enjoyed trying to figure out the truth. I felt as if I was experiencing the events with her and like I was on the same maddening ride as her, trying to untangle the threads of her childhood and deal with the aftermath of what her father did.

Vera and her mother, Daphne’s, relationship was so realistic and ominous and intriguing. I wanted to know everything about their past and why there was this huge rift between them.

I enjoyed the chapters that showed us some of Vera’s childhood. Sometimes it can be jolting and confusing when books go between past and present, but it was seamless and absorbing and didn’t feel jolting at all.

Crowder House had a personality all of its own, making it just like another character in the book. There were so many things to discover and learn about the mysterious house, and I was eager for more.

I’m a sucker for good prose and my god, was it incredible in this book. The author’s voice shone through, and she created some spectacular and unique descriptions, adding to the haunting atmosphere.

Although I was invested in finding out what was going on, I couldn’t help but feel the book dragged towards the end. The atmosphere was fantastic and the writing stunning, but sometimes there wasn’t a lot happening, or Vera was on her own, which made for lots of thought and not a lot of interaction. That kind of slowed the pacing down and my attention kept waning.

I liked Vera and Daphne, but the other characters didn’t feel as real and complex. They were just sort of there, which made it hard to rate this higher.

It wasn’t clear to me what the genre was, however; that didn’t bother me as I liked that mystery of trying to figure out if what was happening was supernatural, or whether it was more to do with Vera’s recollection of things/some kind of battle with her own sanity.

I’m in two minds about the ending. In one respect, it was clever how everything was explained, but it was also a bit underwhelming. However, I really enjoyed the book and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book!

This was a creepy horror story with a wonderful atmosphere that really set me on edge. When reading this I was sat by a pool in Italy in bright sunshine and this book still managed to give me a chill. I think the lyrical writing and the creepiness of the house, and it's characterisation right from the very beginning was wonderful. I did find at points that the pacing was a little slow with a little bit of filler towards the middle. However I agree with a lot of people that the ending lacked the punch it tried to deliver, I don't have an issue necessarily with the twist that was chosen (not my favourite, and at points a little confusing) but I felt we spend so little time on the whole thing that it wasn't worth the twist. Personally I feel we either needed to spend longer on this choice, or go for a different twist altogether. It made the ending feel both chaotic and underwhelming at the same time.

Sarah Gailey’s recent pivot from alt history to off-kilter, sharp-edged thrillers driven by intimate personal drama has converted me from a passive admirer to an ardent fan. Where The Echo Wife examined toxic marriages and the stupidity of cloning your ex-wife, Just Like Home tackles toxic families and trauma and the way these shape who we are - and who we want to be.

The narrative alternates between Vera’s cutting interactions with her dying mother Daphne in the present and her rose-tinted memories of childhood when her father was still around. Where her mother shows her nothing but bitterness and cruelty, her father always had love and approval - until Vera screwed everything up. Her guilt is as deep as her loneliness. While I feel a little daft tiptoeing around a spoiler that’s in the blurb, I loved the way Gailey layered my creeping unease by avoiding direct references to the sins that have dogged Vera’s adult life. Everyone except the reader knows what happened at the Crowder house. I heartily recommend skipping that blurb and following in young Vera’s footsteps to discover the truth with her (and scream over her shoulder, even when she doesn’t).

When strange things start happening to Vera as she cleans the house to prepare it for sale, they are sufficiently ambiguous that multiple rational explanations offer themselves up. Just how far is the creepy artist who wants to ‘channel the house’s energies into his work’ willing to go? Just how reliable a narrator is Vera?

There’s a lot packaged up in this fraught, desperately unpleasant tale, but Gailey pulls it together with aplomb. Here horror is reframed as the background tenor of a life, love and respect as something you long for from monsters - and feel for them in return. My biggest question throughout was just how many monsters lived in the Crowder house.

Just Like Home is not a redemptive tale. It’s a dark, cracked mirror held up to the societal ideal of happy childhoods and uncomplicated feelings about family. It’s uncomfortable and painful and walks the tightrope of helping the reader understands the characters’ terrible choices, even if not all readers will be able to empathise with them. The result is excellent, tense and unsettling from start to finish.