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The Home
THE HOME
In the early '60s, in a seemingly more "innocent" time, a group of teenagers were lured into a supposedly haunted house. The place on Sycamore Lane has a morbid history, but that's just hearsay and rumor, isn't it?
THE HOME
His name was Robbie Miller, and he was a killer. Driven mad by the THING that lived in The Home, he now exists to serve. He'll do whatever the creature that calls itself Mr. Friendlyman asks . . . He'll even become a ghost . . .
THE HOME
Now, decades later and much older, they are returning to The Home. A retired fantasy writer, A doting grandfather, and a mysterious old woman who seems to know things she should not . . .
THE HOME
A dark storm is brewing over this wicked house. A storm that will break down the very fabric of reality. A storm that demands blood and sacrifice, and feeds on the ghosts of anyone who dies within it's premises.
In the early '60s, in a seemingly more "innocent" time, a group of teenagers were lured into a supposedly haunted house. The place on Sycamore Lane has a morbid history, but that's just hearsay and rumor, isn't it?
THE HOME
His name was Robbie Miller, and he was a killer. Driven mad by the THING that lived in The Home, he now exists to serve. He'll do whatever the creature that calls itself Mr. Friendlyman asks . . . He'll even become a ghost . . .
THE HOME
Now, decades later and much older, they are returning to The Home. A retired fantasy writer, A doting grandfather, and a mysterious old woman who seems to know things she should not . . .
THE HOME
A dark storm is brewing over this wicked house. A storm that will break down the very fabric of reality. A storm that demands blood and sacrifice, and feeds on the ghosts of anyone who dies within it's premises.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2025
233 people are currently reading
4227 people want to read
About the author
Judith Sonnet
89 books1,328 followersUsed to write extreme horror but now I write WEIRD horror and I'm having a blast with it! Check out OUR SARNATH on November 22nd!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
August 18, 2025
This book combines a multitude of horror genres including a Lovecraftian theme. The story primarily follows Orville, Griffen, and Eunice who as teens entered The Home and encountered Robbie, who was born to kill, and an evil entity named Mr. Friendlyman who has a deep dark past. The Home and small city of Starch has a long standing history of violence and murder, setting a frightening atmosphere.
The three main characters return to The Home 60 yrs later as the demon has resurfaced wreaking havoc on the people of Starch. There is plenty of gore, which Sonnet is well known for, and Mr. Friendlyman is one of the most horrifying creatures I’ve encountered. The book takes a shocking direction and has a dire ending.
My favorite book of 2025 so far!
The three main characters return to The Home 60 yrs later as the demon has resurfaced wreaking havoc on the people of Starch. There is plenty of gore, which Sonnet is well known for, and Mr. Friendlyman is one of the most horrifying creatures I’ve encountered. The book takes a shocking direction and has a dire ending.
My favorite book of 2025 so far!
August 22, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
I might just avoid the haunted death house that subsumes every soul that traverses its threshold and turns life into an everlasting quest to escape its unwavering grasp. But that’s just me. Some might call me boring.
I felt like this book was kind of a mess. I think there was some terrifying stuff here, but the way the story was organized (that’s being generous) was maddening. I had a very difficult time understanding if we were in the past or present (a few dates here and there might have helped). I felt like characters came out of nowhere without much explanation. And I just didn’t feel the connection between the three main characters that I believe we were supposed to. I think we were supposed to feel an “IT” like trauma bond between a group of friends that were reunited to conquer an ancient evil, but it almost felt like they were strangers.
And I know the twist was supposed to be its unexpected jewel but it felt incongruent with the rest of the story to me.
I wanted to like this because I’d heard great things about it, and I’m sure I’m just not the right audience for it, but I couldn’t wait for this one to be over.
On to the next…
I might just avoid the haunted death house that subsumes every soul that traverses its threshold and turns life into an everlasting quest to escape its unwavering grasp. But that’s just me. Some might call me boring.
I felt like this book was kind of a mess. I think there was some terrifying stuff here, but the way the story was organized (that’s being generous) was maddening. I had a very difficult time understanding if we were in the past or present (a few dates here and there might have helped). I felt like characters came out of nowhere without much explanation. And I just didn’t feel the connection between the three main characters that I believe we were supposed to. I think we were supposed to feel an “IT” like trauma bond between a group of friends that were reunited to conquer an ancient evil, but it almost felt like they were strangers.
And I know the twist was supposed to be its unexpected jewel but it felt incongruent with the rest of the story to me.
I wanted to like this because I’d heard great things about it, and I’m sure I’m just not the right audience for it, but I couldn’t wait for this one to be over.
On to the next…
April 7, 2025
I have been chewing through her list of books the last few months, and really love the collections, and feel like I've gotten a good range of reading, but this this was more then I expected, and now I cannot go back .
This had me on edge, because when we were introduced to the characters, I knew I wasn't going to get out of this book with my soul intact, I felt my heart break over the tragedy..
Three friends, a horrible killer, and lives forever changed by that day in that "home".
Then flashforward basically and they are all much much older, and a old friend, Mr. Friendlyman, isn't going to let them enjoy their peaceful retirement years..
I want to stop and say there are not many uh villains that can make me pause, because they don't normally bother me, but this guy is going to go up there with Stephen Kings "Library Policeman" for me. My skin had goosebumps, so that was fun.
This isn't just blood, gore, and shock value, this is a whole story, and a well written one that tugs and all the right emotions, fear, horror, and even regrets about the past.
These three get dragged back into the horror they thought they left behind, that slowly over the years, managed to disappear as a distance nightmare , but lucky for us, Judith draws the roadmap between the past and present, finding out the true horrors of everything that happed, and is going to continue to happen, if these guys don't figure it out.
This book just had everything that made it such a gripping read, the characters made you love them, the mystery of what the fuck is really going on here, and finally the real and true horrors that unfold, even when you think you've forgotten, sometimes evil has a long memory.
What I'm trying to say, is this isn't just a "horror book" this is a expertly crafted, multi layered work of art, every scene I felt like was so well blended into the story, I had issues remembering I was just reading, not living this dark and terrible tale..
Now that you have been forced to read my Love Letter to "The Home" go buy it, immediately .
This had me on edge, because when we were introduced to the characters, I knew I wasn't going to get out of this book with my soul intact, I felt my heart break over the tragedy..
Three friends, a horrible killer, and lives forever changed by that day in that "home".
Then flashforward basically and they are all much much older, and a old friend, Mr. Friendlyman, isn't going to let them enjoy their peaceful retirement years..
I want to stop and say there are not many uh villains that can make me pause, because they don't normally bother me, but this guy is going to go up there with Stephen Kings "Library Policeman" for me. My skin had goosebumps, so that was fun.
This isn't just blood, gore, and shock value, this is a whole story, and a well written one that tugs and all the right emotions, fear, horror, and even regrets about the past.
These three get dragged back into the horror they thought they left behind, that slowly over the years, managed to disappear as a distance nightmare , but lucky for us, Judith draws the roadmap between the past and present, finding out the true horrors of everything that happed, and is going to continue to happen, if these guys don't figure it out.
This book just had everything that made it such a gripping read, the characters made you love them, the mystery of what the fuck is really going on here, and finally the real and true horrors that unfold, even when you think you've forgotten, sometimes evil has a long memory.
What I'm trying to say, is this isn't just a "horror book" this is a expertly crafted, multi layered work of art, every scene I felt like was so well blended into the story, I had issues remembering I was just reading, not living this dark and terrible tale..
Now that you have been forced to read my Love Letter to "The Home" go buy it, immediately .
June 26, 2025
3.5★
”Smack-dab in the middle of town, we’ve got a little piece of Hell.”
WOW this was gross (in a gory, ‘I shouldn’t be reading this’ way) but so interesting!
I’m realizing I have a thing for cosmic horror…
”Smack-dab in the middle of town, we’ve got a little piece of Hell.”
WOW this was gross (in a gory, ‘I shouldn’t be reading this’ way) but so interesting!
I’m realizing I have a thing for cosmic horror…
February 2, 2025
Wow, it's been a long time since a book truly creeped me out. This one did it in spades. Horrifying, gory, and disturbing, Judith Sonnet truly knows how to write a frightening story. The main antagonist, Mr. Friendlyman is a sinister force that really makes you scared of the dark. This is a book I won't soon forget. It's a scary story that lingers right after the last page.
June 17, 2025
DNF.... what the hell is this? very very very gruesome. Not suspenseful, just creepy and gross
January 4, 2025
Wow, I went into this book completely blind and fell in love. This story was so captivating it read like horror movies I fell in love with growing up, but better. It had me creeped the fuck out looking over my shoulder while reading it home alone at night. This is horror.
It encapsulates everything we know and love about horror. I knew the book was going to be good bc it’s Judith sonnet, but this…she really outdid herself bravo.
It encapsulates everything we know and love about horror. I knew the book was going to be good bc it’s Judith sonnet, but this…she really outdid herself bravo.
December 12, 2024
This was my umpteenth book by Judith Sonnet and I can proudly say this is definitely my favorite!
We follow three friends who had a terrifying experience in "The Home", and they meet up 50 years later to confront the demon that traumatized them.
If you are aware of Sonnet's work, you know she is the queen of extreme horror, but this is different than her usual writing, and it's BETTER! We have multiple timelines going on between Griffin, Orville, Eunice, and another character, Robbie Miller, constantly going from the past to the present, which beautifully comes together by the end. We have supernatural elements, which reminded me of an HP Lovecraft novel, tons of mystery, amazing dialogue, terrific plot, characters to love and hate, amazing detail of environments, lots of references to other great authors, great chemistry between our main characters, and yes, some blood and gore along the way.
The creature itself, Mr. Friendlyman, is a super unique entity that I absolutely loved! I enjoyed his backstory and how he represents himself, I've never read or seen anything like it!
Imagine a Lovecraft and Stephen King novel with a bit of extreme horror added in, and this is the masterpiece! Is it Splatterpunk? I'm gonna say 'no', but there is definitely some bloody goodness here and there.
But I think Sonnet was doing something different here, the story should always be THE most important aspect, and she absolutely delivered! She created something special with this book, and you should NOT sleep on this one! With all of the unique telling of the storyline, and supernatural elements, it reminded me of another "The Black Farm" (my favorite book of all time)
After almost 400 books and reviewed, this is gonna be my eighth book to receive...
a 5/5!!!
Thank you again to Judith, for allowing me to read this book early!!
We follow three friends who had a terrifying experience in "The Home", and they meet up 50 years later to confront the demon that traumatized them.
If you are aware of Sonnet's work, you know she is the queen of extreme horror, but this is different than her usual writing, and it's BETTER! We have multiple timelines going on between Griffin, Orville, Eunice, and another character, Robbie Miller, constantly going from the past to the present, which beautifully comes together by the end. We have supernatural elements, which reminded me of an HP Lovecraft novel, tons of mystery, amazing dialogue, terrific plot, characters to love and hate, amazing detail of environments, lots of references to other great authors, great chemistry between our main characters, and yes, some blood and gore along the way.
The creature itself, Mr. Friendlyman, is a super unique entity that I absolutely loved! I enjoyed his backstory and how he represents himself, I've never read or seen anything like it!
Imagine a Lovecraft and Stephen King novel with a bit of extreme horror added in, and this is the masterpiece! Is it Splatterpunk? I'm gonna say 'no', but there is definitely some bloody goodness here and there.
But I think Sonnet was doing something different here, the story should always be THE most important aspect, and she absolutely delivered! She created something special with this book, and you should NOT sleep on this one! With all of the unique telling of the storyline, and supernatural elements, it reminded me of another "The Black Farm" (my favorite book of all time)
After almost 400 books and reviewed, this is gonna be my eighth book to receive...
a 5/5!!!
Thank you again to Judith, for allowing me to read this book early!!
March 11, 2025
This is going to shock most, but I am an adult. I masquerade as a grownup quite well I would say. What does this have to do with a book, Phrique? Well, Youngblood, adults are allowed to ramble. I was just flexing a little. Back to be being grown tho. I watch terrifying things, I read horrifying things, I write frightening things. Nothing should phase me at this point in life right? Well then why did The Home by Judith Sonnet have me, a grown ass man, shaking in my boots? Having my mind play tricks on me in broad daylight? Has it been that long since I’ve been legitimately frightened by a book? What did Sonnet set free in my mind & will it ever go away?
Quick synopsis:
Haunted houses aren’t real. Monsters aren’t real. What could a haunted house *really* do to you? What does “the monster” do when they “get you.” The Home answers these questions in nightmarish detail. Three teens entered The Home, encountering a presence that marked and stayed with them for decades. Little did they know their days became numbered the day they stepped through that door; nor how they counted down to the day they would return to it.
Pretend I’m not a Sonnet stan, pretend I haven’t loved all of her books. Because I didn’t *like* this one, I didn’t *love* this one (blatant lie). Ok well, at the time, I hated it. I legit couldn’t sleep, I kept thinking of odd little scenes that wormed their way into my brain. The Home basically felt like a nerve-wracking Stephen King coming-of-age story plus a disturbing Clive Barker villain/nemesis, a maddening Lovecraftian cosmic angle, and bloody touches of Laymon that made your skin crawl. Sonnet set out to make our brains shatter with a story & succeeded profoundly. This is easily the best work Sonnet has done to date & that’s bad, because that means she might be capable of things so much worse. I loved the Home & want everyone to read it. I want them to experience a level of horror they might not have known existed on paper, but I also don’t wanna read it ever again. Like, did I stutter?! What kind of a masochist would I have to be?? Ok, maybe in a few years but like…yeah not for a long time. 👀 Congrats Judith, you broke my brain. 🖤
Quick synopsis:
Haunted houses aren’t real. Monsters aren’t real. What could a haunted house *really* do to you? What does “the monster” do when they “get you.” The Home answers these questions in nightmarish detail. Three teens entered The Home, encountering a presence that marked and stayed with them for decades. Little did they know their days became numbered the day they stepped through that door; nor how they counted down to the day they would return to it.
Pretend I’m not a Sonnet stan, pretend I haven’t loved all of her books. Because I didn’t *like* this one, I didn’t *love* this one (blatant lie). Ok well, at the time, I hated it. I legit couldn’t sleep, I kept thinking of odd little scenes that wormed their way into my brain. The Home basically felt like a nerve-wracking Stephen King coming-of-age story plus a disturbing Clive Barker villain/nemesis, a maddening Lovecraftian cosmic angle, and bloody touches of Laymon that made your skin crawl. Sonnet set out to make our brains shatter with a story & succeeded profoundly. This is easily the best work Sonnet has done to date & that’s bad, because that means she might be capable of things so much worse. I loved the Home & want everyone to read it. I want them to experience a level of horror they might not have known existed on paper, but I also don’t wanna read it ever again. Like, did I stutter?! What kind of a masochist would I have to be?? Ok, maybe in a few years but like…yeah not for a long time. 👀 Congrats Judith, you broke my brain. 🖤
June 30, 2025
I was going to give this a 4 star rating but that ending.... I pushed it up to a 5. The Home reminds me a lot of Stephen Kings IT and a little of the movie Poltergeist. Don't let me take away from this story tho. Its not a "its been done before comment". Its a "this is how they should all be done. In the goriest, jaw dropping, most f'ed up way possible" comparative comment. I even had a jump scare reading this. I dont know how a book manages to give one a jump scare but this one absolutely did. Don't read this alone at night, outside, in the dark. just saying. This book had everything I love. Cute old people, gore, serial killers, shocking kills, twists, the paranormal, the occult, scary monsters, darkness, new fears unlocked, Gods and and and not that I love this but the sadness and realization of what old age will bring so therefore sadness and anxiety. Im a little touchy and invested in that area of life right now. *ahem* The list goes on. I love love love love Judiths writing style like this. a plot, a storyline, good characters, bad characters, M rated kills..... these types of endings. oh, yes yes. Not everyone and everything gets a happy ending my friends.
June 9, 2025
1.5⭐️ I am a big Judith Sonnet fan and I was so excited to read this. Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me AT ALL.
Forget the fact that I am not a big fan of cosmic horror, I was open to loving this because I thought Judith could change my mind. She didn’t.
I thought the timelines weren’t well executed and unfortunately made it hard to follow at times. I also didn’t really care for these characters enough to know what happened.
Great gore, as always, but maybe this story and type of horror just isn’t for me.
Bummer!
Forget the fact that I am not a big fan of cosmic horror, I was open to loving this because I thought Judith could change my mind. She didn’t.
I thought the timelines weren’t well executed and unfortunately made it hard to follow at times. I also didn’t really care for these characters enough to know what happened.
Great gore, as always, but maybe this story and type of horror just isn’t for me.
Bummer!
February 1, 2025
This is the worst book I’ve read in the last century. Probably ever. No plot. Completely disorganized, a huge waste of time, mad I finished it, but couldn’t help but finish it due to my need to finish what I start. Wow. The horror was not horrifying. It was not believable, didn’t make any sense, tried too hard… very unimpressed. Hard to follow the characters, didn’t care about them, didn’t believe in them. Timelines didn’t line up. I don’t think there was a single redeeming aspect here. I don’t recommend this.
January 24, 2025
I enjoyed this intriguing take on the haunted house horror trope, and unreservedly recommend it! No doubt it's very different from Sonnet's extreme horror books: the writing is neither cinematic nor simply descriptive, the gore is employed solely for narrative purposes, the story has several moments of introspection and nostalgia as well as many flashbacks, and suspense is mostly achieved through implication rather than outright showing - except for those terrific scenes (and there are lots!) that would need CGI if this were a movie!
In fact, those exact scenes are so original and well-written, the words truly painting monstrosities and eldritch nightmares on the page, I had to stop and try to keep my excitement down! The Lovecraftian elements of the story - the Old Ones are mentioned by name and the ending builds on that - enhance the imagery, contributing to the urban legend of Mr. FriendlyMan in a very original way, unlike many boogeyman tales, which try to keep the background of the villain as much unspecified as possible. This is cosmic horror and urban legend dread on a grand scale!
In "The Home," the world-building (setting and characters) and the evil presence's backstory support each other in the manner that older, classic horror books would (think of coming-of-age stories, thick haunted house books, and intricate character-driven widescope narratives); that said, the book, brimming with imagination, easily shifts into modern tropes, hitting on the transgressive quite often, as a Sonnet book should.
My only complaint would be about the way in which the reader is led willy-nilly to the ending: I would have preferred a longer narrative, in order to provide some preparation for the rather unexpected revelations and those few (tho frustrating) infodumps which crowded a bit the plot in the last pages of the book.
"The Home" is surely an achievement and should be highly praised for both its originality and intelligence, and even more for its staggering, over-the-top visual insanity. With a Gage Greenwood intro, superb editing by Danielle Yeager and Lisa Lee Tone, a stunning cover by Luke Spooner, it's the first must-read of the year and hopefully the first in Judith Sonnet's many excursions into horror tales of supernatural wickedness!
In fact, those exact scenes are so original and well-written, the words truly painting monstrosities and eldritch nightmares on the page, I had to stop and try to keep my excitement down! The Lovecraftian elements of the story - the Old Ones are mentioned by name and the ending builds on that - enhance the imagery, contributing to the urban legend of Mr. FriendlyMan in a very original way, unlike many boogeyman tales, which try to keep the background of the villain as much unspecified as possible. This is cosmic horror and urban legend dread on a grand scale!
In "The Home," the world-building (setting and characters) and the evil presence's backstory support each other in the manner that older, classic horror books would (think of coming-of-age stories, thick haunted house books, and intricate character-driven widescope narratives); that said, the book, brimming with imagination, easily shifts into modern tropes, hitting on the transgressive quite often, as a Sonnet book should.
My only complaint would be about the way in which the reader is led willy-nilly to the ending: I would have preferred a longer narrative, in order to provide some preparation for the rather unexpected revelations and those few (tho frustrating) infodumps which crowded a bit the plot in the last pages of the book.
"The Home" is surely an achievement and should be highly praised for both its originality and intelligence, and even more for its staggering, over-the-top visual insanity. With a Gage Greenwood intro, superb editing by Danielle Yeager and Lisa Lee Tone, a stunning cover by Luke Spooner, it's the first must-read of the year and hopefully the first in Judith Sonnet's many excursions into horror tales of supernatural wickedness!
July 15, 2025
Actual rating of 3.5
This was my first Sonnet read, and it definitely won't be my last. This was unique, and it took me a hot minute to wrap my head around the different timelines and different characters. But once I did, I got sucked into the story.
This is one that feels creepy from the get-go. Sonnet is a master of the craft; I felt unsettled for a lot of this book.
I loved that part of this story was told from the perspective of characters who are elderly, who have come back to finish something that has impacted their lives since they were kids. I really felt for them, and it really brings home the reality of aging.
The descriptions were done well.
I did find the pacing to drag a little bit, but I'm not sure if that's because it felt like there was a lot going on that I was trying to wrap my head around.
A solid read, one that I'd recommend. And no, this isn't like No One Rides for Free, at all.
This was my first Sonnet read, and it definitely won't be my last. This was unique, and it took me a hot minute to wrap my head around the different timelines and different characters. But once I did, I got sucked into the story.
This is one that feels creepy from the get-go. Sonnet is a master of the craft; I felt unsettled for a lot of this book.
I loved that part of this story was told from the perspective of characters who are elderly, who have come back to finish something that has impacted their lives since they were kids. I really felt for them, and it really brings home the reality of aging.
The descriptions were done well.
I did find the pacing to drag a little bit, but I'm not sure if that's because it felt like there was a lot going on that I was trying to wrap my head around.
A solid read, one that I'd recommend. And no, this isn't like No One Rides for Free, at all.
June 6, 2025
This book is impressively creepy. Gory and disturbing, but also beautiful in a way, almost poetic. The gore is amazing, but it's by far not the most disturbing thing about this book. I won't say too much, I don't want to spoil anyone, but I absolutely loved the cosmic horror elements
April 26, 2025
OH. MY. GOD.
The home is easily one of my top reads for this year so far. I listened to the audiobook which was fantastic. at one point I just stood in awe staring at the wall during parts of it.
I have never been that invested in a horror but I kind of want to go to the home
The home is easily one of my top reads for this year so far. I listened to the audiobook which was fantastic. at one point I just stood in awe staring at the wall during parts of it.
I have never been that invested in a horror but I kind of want to go to the home
January 28, 2025
For some reason I was not connecting with this one. as why my three star review
February 1, 2025
3⭐️
I am so conflicted about this book. OK, confession, I have to say that I didn't know Judith Sonnet is an extreme & splatter horror writer when I went into this read, and I am definitely not an extreme & splatter horror reader as I tend to read classic, gothic, and psychological horror, so there was a problem with the gore, for me. I really enjoyed the book up until the three-quarter point, even though I did skim read some of the gory paragraphs with my eyes slightly shut but by then I had come to love Griffin and Orville especially and really enjoyed Ocean's part of the story. Sonnet has the ability to write characters you immediately gel with, kind of like the way Stephen King makes you fall in with a character, especially older characters, right away. Anyway, I loved the story - good old-fashioned cosmic horror and the characters - but hated certain elements of the prose, so I knocked a star off my rating for that. If you like slasher films/extreme/splatterpunk, you'll appreciate this book more. For me personally, it would have been an absolute classic horror book if I had a stronger stomach.
I am so conflicted about this book. OK, confession, I have to say that I didn't know Judith Sonnet is an extreme & splatter horror writer when I went into this read, and I am definitely not an extreme & splatter horror reader as I tend to read classic, gothic, and psychological horror, so there was a problem with the gore, for me. I really enjoyed the book up until the three-quarter point, even though I did skim read some of the gory paragraphs with my eyes slightly shut but by then I had come to love Griffin and Orville especially and really enjoyed Ocean's part of the story. Sonnet has the ability to write characters you immediately gel with, kind of like the way Stephen King makes you fall in with a character, especially older characters, right away. Anyway, I loved the story - good old-fashioned cosmic horror and the characters - but hated certain elements of the prose, so I knocked a star off my rating for that. If you like slasher films/extreme/splatterpunk, you'll appreciate this book more. For me personally, it would have been an absolute classic horror book if I had a stronger stomach.
Read
April 19, 2025Dnf 53%
Started out very strong, scary and the gore-sicko factor was pushing my high tolerance level! But halfway through I’m bored with the story, wishing there was way less backstory and history and I’m no longer feeling afraid of Mr. Friendlyman. I’m skipping pages of story just waiting for gore so I guess I’m calling it quits.
Started out very strong, scary and the gore-sicko factor was pushing my high tolerance level! But halfway through I’m bored with the story, wishing there was way less backstory and history and I’m no longer feeling afraid of Mr. Friendlyman. I’m skipping pages of story just waiting for gore so I guess I’m calling it quits.
March 3, 2025
Griffin, Orville and Eunice all share a traumatic event from their childhood. When they were teenagers, they each found themselves at the hands of Mr. Friendlyman, a soul sucking murderous entity that lives in The Home on Sycamore Lane….and he is always hungry. After they escaped, they thought they were finally safe. But now, decades later, with their hair greying and bones brittle, they are being called by Mr. Friendlyman so they can all once again be reunited.
This was my first Judith Sonnet book and certainly won’t be my last!
While I was skeptical of Mr. Friendlyman I should slap myself for ever doubting his character and Judith Sonnet. Mr. Friendlyman is such a scary creature/entity and you never want to cross his path because you’ll never escape. Hes like the boogeyman on steroids. He’s a killer. He’s a soul eater. He’s a demon. He’s a god. He’s a shapeshifter. He’s the most horrible combination of nightmares you can imagine.
There are flashbacks for Griffin and Orville while we hear them each go down memory lane and how they originally came across Mr. Friendlyman in their youth.
The writing is very descriptive and immersive. I was truly captivated the whole time reading it. I enjoyed the suspense and the storytelling of characters both in the past and in the present. There was gore, death and murder everywhere Mr. Friendlyman went and then that ending, wow! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
This was my first Judith Sonnet book and certainly won’t be my last!
While I was skeptical of Mr. Friendlyman I should slap myself for ever doubting his character and Judith Sonnet. Mr. Friendlyman is such a scary creature/entity and you never want to cross his path because you’ll never escape. Hes like the boogeyman on steroids. He’s a killer. He’s a soul eater. He’s a demon. He’s a god. He’s a shapeshifter. He’s the most horrible combination of nightmares you can imagine.
There are flashbacks for Griffin and Orville while we hear them each go down memory lane and how they originally came across Mr. Friendlyman in their youth.
The writing is very descriptive and immersive. I was truly captivated the whole time reading it. I enjoyed the suspense and the storytelling of characters both in the past and in the present. There was gore, death and murder everywhere Mr. Friendlyman went and then that ending, wow! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
April 17, 2025
Ho, is you ok?
Judith, girlie pop, we need to talk and I need money for therapy.
I’m sleeping with the light on again AND I nearly purchased a pack of smokes.
What a creepy, visceral, sinister, hair raising adventure!!
It’s giving Lovecraft.
It’s giving possession.
It’s giving gore and twists and emotional damage.
Shoutout to the Lila Kerry, who added a ghoulish atmosphere to the audiobook.
5/5 stars
Judith, girlie pop, we need to talk and I need money for therapy.
I’m sleeping with the light on again AND I nearly purchased a pack of smokes.
What a creepy, visceral, sinister, hair raising adventure!!
It’s giving Lovecraft.
It’s giving possession.
It’s giving gore and twists and emotional damage.
Shoutout to the Lila Kerry, who added a ghoulish atmosphere to the audiobook.
5/5 stars
October 28, 2025
I couldn't put this down, and it's still haunting me. Such a perfect book for rainy Halloween week.
February 24, 2025
This book took me longer to read than normal because some parts generally freaked me out..not like *gross why did she write that* but like *omg wtf, a ghost is here and I'm scared*. I'm never disappointed by Judith.
March 28, 2025
Based on the reader reviews I’d seen, I was excited and optimistic, eager to be totally blown away with fear, which once again only confirms my belief that it’s a terrible idea for me to look at reviews before starting a book. But I had just finished a deeply emotional family drama—a genre I generally avoid like the plague—and I needed a “palate cleanser”.(So there goes my brief effort at being a refined, intellectual reader; I’m not going to even speculate the psychological ramifications of what my preference for horror says about me…)
The author does have a basic understanding of sentence construction, which disturbingly enough, is an improvement over a few other books I’ve read recently, although “deciphered” is probably a more accurate verb in this sentence. Unfortunately, Sonnet has a tendency to provide excessive detail about things that are irrelevant to the story. The biggest problem, however, was with the story structure itself. It’s disorganized and confusing—all over the place. Forget a well-organized, relatively linear narrative flow; the reading experience was akin to literary “Whack-A-Mole”. I’m not going to go so far as to say it’s impossible to get the general idea of the story, but to emphasize that it is a disjointed, bumpy road.
It’s very clear that Ms. Sonnet is a huge fan of the horror genre and has seen a lot of movies and read a lot of books. There are few tropes she doesn’t manage to work into the story to the point that it almost comes across as a parody, a book version of the Scary Movie franchise. That is clearly not the intention, but more a case of trying TOO hard and including TOO much. I could even see a certain group of younger readers with less reading experience in the genre finding all the excess just fine.
The concept was good, but the lack of organized story structure and overwriting prevented the reader from experiencing that growing tension, dread, and visceral fear that is the hallmark of the entire horror reading experience. I will look forward to reading her future books as she continues to gain more experience with structure and a more refined, nuanced touch. Unfortunately, The Home is not that book.
The author does have a basic understanding of sentence construction, which disturbingly enough, is an improvement over a few other books I’ve read recently, although “deciphered” is probably a more accurate verb in this sentence. Unfortunately, Sonnet has a tendency to provide excessive detail about things that are irrelevant to the story. The biggest problem, however, was with the story structure itself. It’s disorganized and confusing—all over the place. Forget a well-organized, relatively linear narrative flow; the reading experience was akin to literary “Whack-A-Mole”. I’m not going to go so far as to say it’s impossible to get the general idea of the story, but to emphasize that it is a disjointed, bumpy road.
It’s very clear that Ms. Sonnet is a huge fan of the horror genre and has seen a lot of movies and read a lot of books. There are few tropes she doesn’t manage to work into the story to the point that it almost comes across as a parody, a book version of the Scary Movie franchise. That is clearly not the intention, but more a case of trying TOO hard and including TOO much. I could even see a certain group of younger readers with less reading experience in the genre finding all the excess just fine.
The concept was good, but the lack of organized story structure and overwriting prevented the reader from experiencing that growing tension, dread, and visceral fear that is the hallmark of the entire horror reading experience. I will look forward to reading her future books as she continues to gain more experience with structure and a more refined, nuanced touch. Unfortunately, The Home is not that book.
March 16, 2025
Another amazing book by Judith!!! Mr. Friendlyman was very creepy! Didn't end how I expected it too, but I loved it!
February 14, 2025
The Home by Judith Sonnet was one hell of a horror story. I know we are still at the beginning of the year, but i am already calling that this will be one of the best horror novels I will read this year. I was captivated from the very beginning.
Three old timers are drawn back to The Home that has haunted their lives since they were teenagers. When they where younger they were tricked into going into that home. After a night of scares and bloodshed, they barely survive.
Much much later, they are now old and are once again being drawn back to The Home. It is waking up, but do they have a plan to put it to rest for good?
This book has amazing world building for a horror novel. At times I almost felt like I was reading a Stephen King novel with the descriptions and background information on minor characters.
Judith Sonnet has really outdone herself with this novel. Part haunted house horror, part thriller/slasher, part Eldritch horror, this book will be hard to place in different genres, but it was an amazing read none the less.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Three old timers are drawn back to The Home that has haunted their lives since they were teenagers. When they where younger they were tricked into going into that home. After a night of scares and bloodshed, they barely survive.
Much much later, they are now old and are once again being drawn back to The Home. It is waking up, but do they have a plan to put it to rest for good?
This book has amazing world building for a horror novel. At times I almost felt like I was reading a Stephen King novel with the descriptions and background information on minor characters.
Judith Sonnet has really outdone herself with this novel. Part haunted house horror, part thriller/slasher, part Eldritch horror, this book will be hard to place in different genres, but it was an amazing read none the less.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 17, 2025
Mr. Friendlyman is the new Pennywise, friends. And you can find him in THE HOME by Judith Sonnet
Judith really knocked this one out of the park. It is not extreme horror but I definitely felt extreme emotions while reading (and then listening because it was so good) this book.
I felt uneasy much of the time. When a book can physically manifest in you, you know it’s gotten under your skin. It’s come to life for you. And this is a life I hope to never have to live. It felt too real, too vivid and too creepy often. I don’t often react audibly to books but during this one, I asked the sky “why” and said “wtf” several times. Sonnet really brought this story to life. The characterization was top tier, to the point I felt I walked among them during this rollercoaster of emotions into complete dread. We grow up with these characters. We love them. We fear them.
And the audiobook was excellent. Literal chills and goosebumps and general feeling of claustrophobia when listening in the dark.
Easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !!
Judith really knocked this one out of the park. It is not extreme horror but I definitely felt extreme emotions while reading (and then listening because it was so good) this book.
I felt uneasy much of the time. When a book can physically manifest in you, you know it’s gotten under your skin. It’s come to life for you. And this is a life I hope to never have to live. It felt too real, too vivid and too creepy often. I don’t often react audibly to books but during this one, I asked the sky “why” and said “wtf” several times. Sonnet really brought this story to life. The characterization was top tier, to the point I felt I walked among them during this rollercoaster of emotions into complete dread. We grow up with these characters. We love them. We fear them.
And the audiobook was excellent. Literal chills and goosebumps and general feeling of claustrophobia when listening in the dark.
Easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !!
February 1, 2025
I’ve always liked Sonnet’s writing for the simple fact that she presents things that I’ve never encountered in other books. Even when she tackles a trope, she remakes it in a way so that it is unrecognizable as having been inspired by something else. The Home is a haunted house novel, yes, but it’s so much more. It evokes feelings of King nostalgia and images of Barker gruesomeness and at the same time, reminds me of SanGiovanni’s cosmic horror. It maintains breakneck speed throughout: that mid-novel slump that many stories suffer is nowhere to be found here. A wonderfully crafted tale that fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street (the first, scary one) will especially love.
January 19, 2025
DNF @ 50% . I had high hopes for this. Most / all of it is told in 3rd perspective and felt like it was just telling us unimportant facts about the characters… just to be killed the next page. Felt like the author just wanted to write a longer book, just fluff and filler. Kept alternating from past and present, I was a bit confused who was who. A lot of talk about “The Home” and Mr Friendlyman and it wasn’t scary. I’m sorry Judith, but you lost me 😔 I just don’t care to know what happens! The Clown Hunt is still my favorite of her work. This one fell very flat & boring.
March 1, 2025
Unnecessary amounts of backstory. If this was say 65 pages the story would have been five stars. I was intrigued to see what would happen and then couldn't wait to finish it. I wanted horror, not tons of death by guns.
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