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Monsters #5
Loneliness is a Monster
Jeremy Chan has always been an outsider, shunned and bullied at school for his peculiar ways. But when his father dies when Jeremy is thirteen, things change. His father tells him he is now the man of the house and must act accordingly.
And Jeremy wastes no time.
Starting with his sister, who will soon learn not to disobey him under any circumstances. His mother won't disobey him either but that's because she loves him. And Jeremy loves her. In more ways than one.
But when even she rejects him, he feels humiliated, until a new teacher starts at school, and Jeremy becomes infatuated with her. To the point, he's going to make sure she never abandons him like his mother did.
This time, she's going to love him forever.
At any cost.
And Jeremy wastes no time.
Starting with his sister, who will soon learn not to disobey him under any circumstances. His mother won't disobey him either but that's because she loves him. And Jeremy loves her. In more ways than one.
But when even she rejects him, he feels humiliated, until a new teacher starts at school, and Jeremy becomes infatuated with her. To the point, he's going to make sure she never abandons him like his mother did.
This time, she's going to love him forever.
At any cost.
- GenresHorrorSplatterpunk
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2024
70 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
J. Boote
20 books187 followersJ. Boote is the alter-ego of Justin Boote, author of horror and dark fiction. J. Boote writes primarily extreme horror, not for the faint-hearted or easily offended.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
May 22, 2025
Definitely milder than book 4 but the descriptions are so strong you can smell the smells and really visualise the horrors like they are in front of you.
July 5, 2024
Ok Justin, didn’t you say this book was going to be tamer than the other Monster books?! 😭
Well folks, the lie detector determined… “That was a lie”.
A twisted young man is given control of the women in his family after his father passes. He is now “the man of the house”, finally getting the respect and servitude he believes he is owed. He takes this delusion with him into the real world, creating a fantasy where his teacher Mary loves him. This leads him to stalk her, and take over as the man of her household as well… with dire and extreme consequences for Mary & Jane.
Dear Lord this was a horrifying read. The whole ordeal for that poor mother and daughter, and even Kelly’s tortures were hard to read. The abuse and neglect, and reading these scenes- oiii I struggled.
I basically pulled my hair out having to deal with Katherine’s accepting attitude towards her son. This here is a perfect example of why not everyone should have children.
Jeremy…. I have never wanted to hurt a fictional character more. He was sickening.
Read at your own risk!!!!
For anyone that is interested, the author usually finds writing inspiration from real life true crime cases… so sadly, many aspects that we think are fictional narrative have roots in truth. Humans are the monsters as Justin’s books show time and time again.
Well folks, the lie detector determined… “That was a lie”.
A twisted young man is given control of the women in his family after his father passes. He is now “the man of the house”, finally getting the respect and servitude he believes he is owed. He takes this delusion with him into the real world, creating a fantasy where his teacher Mary loves him. This leads him to stalk her, and take over as the man of her household as well… with dire and extreme consequences for Mary & Jane.
Dear Lord this was a horrifying read. The whole ordeal for that poor mother and daughter, and even Kelly’s tortures were hard to read. The abuse and neglect, and reading these scenes- oiii I struggled.
I basically pulled my hair out having to deal with Katherine’s accepting attitude towards her son. This here is a perfect example of why not everyone should have children.
Jeremy…. I have never wanted to hurt a fictional character more. He was sickening.
Read at your own risk!!!!
For anyone that is interested, the author usually finds writing inspiration from real life true crime cases… so sadly, many aspects that we think are fictional narrative have roots in truth. Humans are the monsters as Justin’s books show time and time again.
July 17, 2024
The Monsters series by J Boote is one of my favourite, most anticipated extreme horror series ever. I impatiently await every installment, and I am never let down. Boote triumphs every single time, and with the research that goes into these books, the shock and horror value, they are always powerful, shocking and thought provoking reads. Highly emotional too, heart wrenching and downright sickening, and the fact that they are all based on real life events make them all the more terrifying!
A feeling of disbelief and tense trepidation accompany you throughout this book, knowing that as awful as things start out, they are only going to get worse. So much worse. These books are always extremely hard to put down, they suck you in and hold you in their sick, twisted and scary embrace.
In this installment, the utter delusion and total belief in it from the main character, Jeremy, is terrifying. His uncontrollable anger, and insane rages overtake his senses and result in deplorable acts upon others, innocent, unsuspecting victims, its heart rending. And Jane’s plight in particular both horrified me and broke me! Boote wrenches at your heart, tears your insides out and stomps all over them. He makes you feel such strong emotions towards the characters and their actions, both victims and predator.
Jeremy lives in a home full of very strict rules set by his father, and to go against these rules will bring down the full wrath of this intimidating and terrifying man. Reginald is originally from China, and has brought the values and customs observed there, with him to be taught to his family, so that one day, Jeremy will follow in his godlike footsteps, to become a true believer in routine and tradition and to understand that change is not a good thing, in fact, its evil….
That day comes sooner than expected, and it's with fear, trepidation and a little bit of excitement that Jeremy steps up to his new role as man of the house. He steps into the role with real gusto and enthusiasm, determined not to disappoint his fathers memory. His new authority quickly spirals out of control, the power going to his head and becoming all consuming, with dire consequences for his family.They are to learn discipline and respect, HIS way now!
An intellectual, Jeremy is regularly bullied and consequently, a loner. His curiosity and naivety cause him to lose control and seek out things that before were out of bounds to him, his delusional mind convincing him it's all perfectly normal and reciprocated, and when he starts to doubt himself, starts to feel like a failure, he vows to prove everyone wrong, and that is exactly when shit gets real….and scary as hell.
Anger and humiliation bubble and build up until he finds release by delving into the world of serial killers, a new and scary passion for him, one he obsesses over and is eventually consumed by.
He is out for revenge on all the people that ever bullied him or dared to deny him what he wanted, and at school he quickly becomes infatuated with his new teacher, his delusions leading him to believe that the feeling is mutual, and he will do anything so that they can be together, be a family. But when it looks like he may lose her from his life for good, he is devastated, angrier than ever, and he feels like there is nothing he can do but carry on with his life. Just as he starts to get back to some sort of normality however, things change unexpectedly and he has to face up to reality pretty quick. A reality he's not very keen on and wants to change to his advantage, and that's where things get severely more messed up, his frustrations causing him to be even more ruthless and merciless with his punishments.
After years of abuse at the hands of her older brother, Kelly is relieved when he moves onto someone else, but it's short lived when her conscience gets the better of her, and she tries to help. Things quickly start to unravel for Jeremy then, disturbingly so. And just when you think that the torture and horror cant get any worse, they do just that, making your stomach churn so hard it makes your eyes water! The utter devastation these acts leave behind, the trauma inflicted on the victims is the real life sentence, they will forever bear the marks of the tormentor and that's heartbreaking and soul destroying!
Yet again Boote proves that human monsters are a hell of a lot more terrifying than the ones that lurk in our closets and under our beds. 🖤
A feeling of disbelief and tense trepidation accompany you throughout this book, knowing that as awful as things start out, they are only going to get worse. So much worse. These books are always extremely hard to put down, they suck you in and hold you in their sick, twisted and scary embrace.
In this installment, the utter delusion and total belief in it from the main character, Jeremy, is terrifying. His uncontrollable anger, and insane rages overtake his senses and result in deplorable acts upon others, innocent, unsuspecting victims, its heart rending. And Jane’s plight in particular both horrified me and broke me! Boote wrenches at your heart, tears your insides out and stomps all over them. He makes you feel such strong emotions towards the characters and their actions, both victims and predator.
Jeremy lives in a home full of very strict rules set by his father, and to go against these rules will bring down the full wrath of this intimidating and terrifying man. Reginald is originally from China, and has brought the values and customs observed there, with him to be taught to his family, so that one day, Jeremy will follow in his godlike footsteps, to become a true believer in routine and tradition and to understand that change is not a good thing, in fact, its evil….
That day comes sooner than expected, and it's with fear, trepidation and a little bit of excitement that Jeremy steps up to his new role as man of the house. He steps into the role with real gusto and enthusiasm, determined not to disappoint his fathers memory. His new authority quickly spirals out of control, the power going to his head and becoming all consuming, with dire consequences for his family.They are to learn discipline and respect, HIS way now!
An intellectual, Jeremy is regularly bullied and consequently, a loner. His curiosity and naivety cause him to lose control and seek out things that before were out of bounds to him, his delusional mind convincing him it's all perfectly normal and reciprocated, and when he starts to doubt himself, starts to feel like a failure, he vows to prove everyone wrong, and that is exactly when shit gets real….and scary as hell.
Anger and humiliation bubble and build up until he finds release by delving into the world of serial killers, a new and scary passion for him, one he obsesses over and is eventually consumed by.
He is out for revenge on all the people that ever bullied him or dared to deny him what he wanted, and at school he quickly becomes infatuated with his new teacher, his delusions leading him to believe that the feeling is mutual, and he will do anything so that they can be together, be a family. But when it looks like he may lose her from his life for good, he is devastated, angrier than ever, and he feels like there is nothing he can do but carry on with his life. Just as he starts to get back to some sort of normality however, things change unexpectedly and he has to face up to reality pretty quick. A reality he's not very keen on and wants to change to his advantage, and that's where things get severely more messed up, his frustrations causing him to be even more ruthless and merciless with his punishments.
After years of abuse at the hands of her older brother, Kelly is relieved when he moves onto someone else, but it's short lived when her conscience gets the better of her, and she tries to help. Things quickly start to unravel for Jeremy then, disturbingly so. And just when you think that the torture and horror cant get any worse, they do just that, making your stomach churn so hard it makes your eyes water! The utter devastation these acts leave behind, the trauma inflicted on the victims is the real life sentence, they will forever bear the marks of the tormentor and that's heartbreaking and soul destroying!
Yet again Boote proves that human monsters are a hell of a lot more terrifying than the ones that lurk in our closets and under our beds. 🖤
October 2, 2024
As always I don't have anything negative to say about the flow of the story.
Jeremy was so well written, he's very believable as a villain. Research were made and it worked.
But too many errors sadly. I don't care about grammatical error. But when it impact the story, it's hard to concentrate.
I didn't see much problems with the other books by the same author.
Can't wait to read the next story, of this series.
Jeremy was so well written, he's very believable as a villain. Research were made and it worked.
But too many errors sadly. I don't care about grammatical error. But when it impact the story, it's hard to concentrate.
I didn't see much problems with the other books by the same author.
Can't wait to read the next story, of this series.
July 24, 2024
Another excellent 5 star read from the latest in the monsters series...... I'm always fascinated when reading these books to find out the true life cases these are based around!
February 6, 2025
Wow somewhat twisted and grotesque. Yet i could not stop reading big 4 stars
July 7, 2024
5/5 ⭐️
1/1 🤮
I received this book as an ARC and I feel as though he hit out of the park again. This book made me want to gag, scream, cuss and cry. It was so intense. It touched on a lot of societal issues. Burnt out CPS workers, bullies, religious abuse, religious trauma, gender roles and rape.
Jeremy wasn’t ever right even as a baby. He was raised in a very conservative and religious household where the man of the family says what goes and is intimidating ect. Jeremy is bullied and a husk of a boy until his father passes away. Then his father verbally passes the torch of the man of the house to him.
He takes this “role” and twists it. He begins lusting after his own mother and torturing his sister. All until he sees the love of his life and forgets his family. He goes off to make a new family.
Let me tell you Jeremy wasn’t the only villain in this book. His mother Katherine was a POS. Idgaf about gender roles or even trying to protect your psychopath son. The minute he began abusing his sister gender roles should have went out the window and he should have been handed over to the police. His mother keeping quiet ruined 3 lives. Kelly’s, Jane’s and Mandy’s.
I understand in real life women wanting to submit to their husbands. But making your preteen son become the man of the house when your husband passes or leaves is WEIRD. This book stirred so many emotions within myself. I was so angry reading what he was doing to these girls knowing if his mom just turned him in at first none of it would have happened.
Of course reading the story it was based on in the end made me even angrier. I’m glad the woman and her daughter survived in real life but unfortunately who Jane’s suffering was based off of did not. Her parents killed her by letting her rot. People forget there are real monsters among us.
1/1 🤮
I received this book as an ARC and I feel as though he hit out of the park again. This book made me want to gag, scream, cuss and cry. It was so intense. It touched on a lot of societal issues. Burnt out CPS workers, bullies, religious abuse, religious trauma, gender roles and rape.
Jeremy wasn’t ever right even as a baby. He was raised in a very conservative and religious household where the man of the family says what goes and is intimidating ect. Jeremy is bullied and a husk of a boy until his father passes away. Then his father verbally passes the torch of the man of the house to him.
He takes this “role” and twists it. He begins lusting after his own mother and torturing his sister. All until he sees the love of his life and forgets his family. He goes off to make a new family.
Let me tell you Jeremy wasn’t the only villain in this book. His mother Katherine was a POS. Idgaf about gender roles or even trying to protect your psychopath son. The minute he began abusing his sister gender roles should have went out the window and he should have been handed over to the police. His mother keeping quiet ruined 3 lives. Kelly’s, Jane’s and Mandy’s.
I understand in real life women wanting to submit to their husbands. But making your preteen son become the man of the house when your husband passes or leaves is WEIRD. This book stirred so many emotions within myself. I was so angry reading what he was doing to these girls knowing if his mom just turned him in at first none of it would have happened.
Of course reading the story it was based on in the end made me even angrier. I’m glad the woman and her daughter survived in real life but unfortunately who Jane’s suffering was based off of did not. Her parents killed her by letting her rot. People forget there are real monsters among us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2024
I was privileged enough to receive an arc of this from Justin and fat cat I can honestly say when reading a series that usually by book 3 I get bored .Justin has managed to not only keep me enthralled, but to make me think every book in this series only gets better !
Jeremy Chan, grew up in a home with his parents, Reginald and Katherine and his little sister Kelly. Having grown up in a home where “discipline is key” Jeremy suddenly finds himself under the role of man of the house after being bullied at school and extremely lonely. He takes this role to an entirely new level. As time passes, he finds himself enamored with his very conservative teacher. Justin, has once again created some of the most despicable and well-developed characters. You have a mother at war with herself ,a sister terrified to leave her room, a teacher and her daughter held captive, a young man whose loneliness has created none other than a MONSTER. An easy 5 ⭐️ as are all his books.
Jeremy Chan, grew up in a home with his parents, Reginald and Katherine and his little sister Kelly. Having grown up in a home where “discipline is key” Jeremy suddenly finds himself under the role of man of the house after being bullied at school and extremely lonely. He takes this role to an entirely new level. As time passes, he finds himself enamored with his very conservative teacher. Justin, has once again created some of the most despicable and well-developed characters. You have a mother at war with herself ,a sister terrified to leave her room, a teacher and her daughter held captive, a young man whose loneliness has created none other than a MONSTER. An easy 5 ⭐️ as are all his books.
July 6, 2024
Although tamer than the previous entries in his "The Monsters" series (in fact, compared to the other books, this one is positively children-friendly lol), J. Boote's 'Loneliness is a Monster' feels like nails scraping a blackboard till the fingernails break, the fingers fracture, and the noise drives you insane. There's violence, lots of gag-inducing situations (involuntarily swallowing things beggaring description), and male toxicity in huge doses - unfortunately, all solidly grounded on fact, drawn from real stories minimally sensationalized. I think that this is the worst aspect of these books: their basis on reality.
Here as well, Boote takes his inspiration from real life complex events, giving them his own spin; but his brilliance as an author lies in successfully rationalizing them, in articulating them convincingly from the point of view of Jeremy, the teen perpetrator: suddenly they make sense - they are not made right (far from it!), but you can relate to the young perp and soak up some of the sickness of his mind. I felt dirty and embarrassed every time this happened: Boote's writing is so compelling, I found myself understanding the teenage monster far more than I liked. I mean this as a compliment! And although we do get glimpses into the poor victims' mindset, there are few surprises there. What impresses is their emotional and physcial strength, their survival after so much torture. But the real attraction (it is horror fiction, after all) is the hell of the sick mind: Boote making the insanity accessible to everyone, displaying clearly the appaling thinking process of the wrongdoer.
'Loneliness is a Monster,' unlike the previous books, however, apparently carries on its sleeve an attempt at explanation: unlike the other novels, where the title invited the reader to face a disagreeable truth or placed them in some kind of bind, 'Loneliness is a Monster' makes one uncomfortable by flirting with some sort of perverted justification: the loneliness, the deep and pervasive and toxic loneliness in the young perp's life. It's up to the reader to decide the precise significance of this. I personally am unsure about it; I consider his pathological self-confidence (his narcissistic personality, in more technical terms) far more plausible as the root of Jeremy's criminal behavior. It goes without saying that single-factor explanations are seldom right, so perhaps I'm making too much of a small detail.
In any case, this book's brutality will make you feel distressed, appalled, and downright dirty, but it will also make you think; extreme horror that challenges established thinking patterns on the nature of human evil is rare and should always be considered an achievement in my view. If you dig this kind of challenge, you can't go wrong with a J. Boote book!
Here as well, Boote takes his inspiration from real life complex events, giving them his own spin; but his brilliance as an author lies in successfully rationalizing them, in articulating them convincingly from the point of view of Jeremy, the teen perpetrator: suddenly they make sense - they are not made right (far from it!), but you can relate to the young perp and soak up some of the sickness of his mind. I felt dirty and embarrassed every time this happened: Boote's writing is so compelling, I found myself understanding the teenage monster far more than I liked. I mean this as a compliment! And although we do get glimpses into the poor victims' mindset, there are few surprises there. What impresses is their emotional and physcial strength, their survival after so much torture. But the real attraction (it is horror fiction, after all) is the hell of the sick mind: Boote making the insanity accessible to everyone, displaying clearly the appaling thinking process of the wrongdoer.
'Loneliness is a Monster,' unlike the previous books, however, apparently carries on its sleeve an attempt at explanation: unlike the other novels, where the title invited the reader to face a disagreeable truth or placed them in some kind of bind, 'Loneliness is a Monster' makes one uncomfortable by flirting with some sort of perverted justification: the loneliness, the deep and pervasive and toxic loneliness in the young perp's life. It's up to the reader to decide the precise significance of this. I personally am unsure about it; I consider his pathological self-confidence (his narcissistic personality, in more technical terms) far more plausible as the root of Jeremy's criminal behavior. It goes without saying that single-factor explanations are seldom right, so perhaps I'm making too much of a small detail.
In any case, this book's brutality will make you feel distressed, appalled, and downright dirty, but it will also make you think; extreme horror that challenges established thinking patterns on the nature of human evil is rare and should always be considered an achievement in my view. If you dig this kind of challenge, you can't go wrong with a J. Boote book!
January 4, 2026
Summary: After years of being bullied as an outsider, Jeremy Chan’s life shifts when his father dies and tells him to become “the man of the house.” Jeremy twists this role into a need for absolute control, abusing his family and developing obsessive desires. When his mother ultimately rejects him, his fixation transfers to a new teacher, whom he resolves to possess permanently - no matter the cost.
Review: Another absolutely outstanding entry in the Monster series. The fact that this one is based on a true story makes it even more disturbing. This book is brutal, graphic, and unapologetically extreme horror - definitely something to keep in mind before diving in. As the series goes on, it becomes clearer than ever that the real monsters are human.
I’m fully rooting for Deborah. She’s a brilliant detective, and her unwavering dedication is exactly what the world needs more of. The final pages genuinely caught me off guard too - after everything, the ending was strangely heartwarming, showing two people who’ve seen the absolute worst and are still trying to survive it.
If you haven’t started this series yet and you love extreme horror, especially authors like Jon Athan or Matt Shaw, you need to start it immediately.
Review: Another absolutely outstanding entry in the Monster series. The fact that this one is based on a true story makes it even more disturbing. This book is brutal, graphic, and unapologetically extreme horror - definitely something to keep in mind before diving in. As the series goes on, it becomes clearer than ever that the real monsters are human.
I’m fully rooting for Deborah. She’s a brilliant detective, and her unwavering dedication is exactly what the world needs more of. The final pages genuinely caught me off guard too - after everything, the ending was strangely heartwarming, showing two people who’ve seen the absolute worst and are still trying to survive it.
If you haven’t started this series yet and you love extreme horror, especially authors like Jon Athan or Matt Shaw, you need to start it immediately.
March 6, 2025
Jeremy is the Man of the House now and he demands respect.
After his father dies, Jeremy Chan takes on the roll of "man of the house" and makes sure people know it. He abuses his sister and has a sick fascination with his mother, but soon becomes infatuated with one of his teachers and goes to extreme lengths to get her attention. Will anyone catch him before it's too late?
This is another well, written and fascinating story by this author. This does seem a bit tamer than the previous books in the Monsters series (especially A Dark Web of Monsters) but I didn't mind a bit. It's still graphic and brutal so be sure to check triggers. Now off to read the sixth book, Mothers Can Be Monsters!
After his father dies, Jeremy Chan takes on the roll of "man of the house" and makes sure people know it. He abuses his sister and has a sick fascination with his mother, but soon becomes infatuated with one of his teachers and goes to extreme lengths to get her attention. Will anyone catch him before it's too late?
This is another well, written and fascinating story by this author. This does seem a bit tamer than the previous books in the Monsters series (especially A Dark Web of Monsters) but I didn't mind a bit. It's still graphic and brutal so be sure to check triggers. Now off to read the sixth book, Mothers Can Be Monsters!
June 11, 2025
Another great story in the Monsters series, and damn did I wanted to strangle Jeremy with my own bare hands. As the story progressed, I grew increasingly anxious for the ending.
Justin did a fantastic job with this one, and as with all the books in the Monsters series, the fact that this is based on true events makes it even more horrifying.
In Book Five, we follow a lovely young man named Jeremy. When Jeremy's father passes away, Jeremy becomes 'the man of the house', and he takes his job very seriously. But what is a man without a wife? And Jeremy sure isn't going to put up with some slutty woman, no, he knows exactly who he wants, and luckily she is in love with him too! Right? Right...?
Justin did a fantastic job with this one, and as with all the books in the Monsters series, the fact that this is based on true events makes it even more horrifying.
In Book Five, we follow a lovely young man named Jeremy. When Jeremy's father passes away, Jeremy becomes 'the man of the house', and he takes his job very seriously. But what is a man without a wife? And Jeremy sure isn't going to put up with some slutty woman, no, he knows exactly who he wants, and luckily she is in love with him too! Right? Right...?
September 25, 2024
This book was a tough read, much like the rest of the monster series. Boote puts so much research into his books and never misses a detail. His writing is very easy to get lost in. I took several breaks as need be with the subject matter but I've always been this way with the previous books in the series as well. It's brutal as hell and extremely horrific. It's sad that all of these books are based on true events and serial killers. I can't wait for book 6! Off to read something a bit more upbeat now.
July 15, 2024
Jeremy was always made fun of. Living in a home where his dad was the head of the house and the women have to obey, to the being severely builled in school, Jeremy had enough. When his dad suddenly passes, he tells Jeremy that he is now the man of the house. Well, Jeremy misinterprets his dad's words and his sister becomes his #1 victim. He also starts to grow a very unhealthy love for his mother. One day in school he sees the most beautiful woman in the world, almost as beautiful as his mother and his obsession grows.
Mandy is going back to teaching after being off for a while because she was a stay at home mom with her disabled daughter. Her first day is great, up until the weird kid at the back of the class won't stop looking at her in a strange way. She informs her husband but he thinks it's nothing, too bad she didn't stick to her gut.
I swear I don't think these books can get any worse and sure enough they do! This was fucking vile but damn what a great story! Jeremy is a fucking monster and the things he does to his family and Mandy and Jane is just vile! As always Boote delivers great descriptions and disgusting content! I do love how previous characters/survivors from the series show up throughout the book. Book 5 was another fantastic read! I highly suggest! I LOVE the end of this one! A mini cliffhanger? 🤗
Mandy is going back to teaching after being off for a while because she was a stay at home mom with her disabled daughter. Her first day is great, up until the weird kid at the back of the class won't stop looking at her in a strange way. She informs her husband but he thinks it's nothing, too bad she didn't stick to her gut.
I swear I don't think these books can get any worse and sure enough they do! This was fucking vile but damn what a great story! Jeremy is a fucking monster and the things he does to his family and Mandy and Jane is just vile! As always Boote delivers great descriptions and disgusting content! I do love how previous characters/survivors from the series show up throughout the book. Book 5 was another fantastic read! I highly suggest! I LOVE the end of this one! A mini cliffhanger? 🤗
June 27, 2024
Oh Jeremy Jeremy Jeremy…. That was not very man of the house of you.
Man just when I think that these books in this series won’t get more extreme, they do. I was honored to recieve an early copy of this book. Holy shit was this vile and grotesque. I’m not going to give away any spoilers but If the other 4 books didn’t make this my favorite series, this one surely did!
So we follow Jeremy who is an adolescent hitting puberty who becomes the man of the house. Boy does that combination ignite an uncontrollable fire ablaze. Add In Jeremy’s obsession for older women and serial killers send him spiraling in to delusions and you have a recipe for the most sick, gag inducing, hell of a read for us. Anyone in his path of destruction I feel bad for. Buckle up buttercups this is Justin’s most depraved Monster yet!!!!
Man just when I think that these books in this series won’t get more extreme, they do. I was honored to recieve an early copy of this book. Holy shit was this vile and grotesque. I’m not going to give away any spoilers but If the other 4 books didn’t make this my favorite series, this one surely did!
So we follow Jeremy who is an adolescent hitting puberty who becomes the man of the house. Boy does that combination ignite an uncontrollable fire ablaze. Add In Jeremy’s obsession for older women and serial killers send him spiraling in to delusions and you have a recipe for the most sick, gag inducing, hell of a read for us. Anyone in his path of destruction I feel bad for. Buckle up buttercups this is Justin’s most depraved Monster yet!!!!
July 14, 2024
“There were many ways to die, but she had never considered that she might be eaten alive by maggots— and to watch them do so.”
As I have come to expect with this series (which has become my favorite extreme/splatter series), this opening set the scene for what was a deep dive into the madness of the darkest depths of the human brain.
As I told our dear author, the entire time I was reading this, the song Jeremy by Pearl Jam played rent free in my head; much like Jeremy himself. Like an insidiously evil maggot-ridden earworm, I cannot get Jeremy out of my brain… This installment of the Monster’s series took a turn from the usual blunt force trauma and went into a creep factor which I honestly have never read before. I had moments where my mom instinct wanted to wrap the MC into my heart and try to love his pain out of him, while alternatively being deeply disturbed by the workings of his intrinsically broken mind.
There were a couple hiccups in the prose; but the greatest thing about our author is that he has no ego, accepts feedback with grace; and they should be fixed in future versions of this novel. That being said, it did not really my enjoyment of the story. It flowed well, was extremely engrossing and really brought out a mix of emotions that I still cannot properly process.
“Men, women, sometimes youngsters, it didn’t matter in which guise they came. The world was alive with them, and it seemed as though it would never end. A world full of monsters.” After reading the Afterword about the real-life humans that this book was based on, this statement is right on point.
I will warn my fellow readers, this one contains extreme content that may not be appropriate for everyone. This, indeed, delves into the most depraved brain set loose upon the world; a Monster…
As I have come to expect with this series (which has become my favorite extreme/splatter series), this opening set the scene for what was a deep dive into the madness of the darkest depths of the human brain.
As I told our dear author, the entire time I was reading this, the song Jeremy by Pearl Jam played rent free in my head; much like Jeremy himself. Like an insidiously evil maggot-ridden earworm, I cannot get Jeremy out of my brain… This installment of the Monster’s series took a turn from the usual blunt force trauma and went into a creep factor which I honestly have never read before. I had moments where my mom instinct wanted to wrap the MC into my heart and try to love his pain out of him, while alternatively being deeply disturbed by the workings of his intrinsically broken mind.
There were a couple hiccups in the prose; but the greatest thing about our author is that he has no ego, accepts feedback with grace; and they should be fixed in future versions of this novel. That being said, it did not really my enjoyment of the story. It flowed well, was extremely engrossing and really brought out a mix of emotions that I still cannot properly process.
“Men, women, sometimes youngsters, it didn’t matter in which guise they came. The world was alive with them, and it seemed as though it would never end. A world full of monsters.” After reading the Afterword about the real-life humans that this book was based on, this statement is right on point.
I will warn my fellow readers, this one contains extreme content that may not be appropriate for everyone. This, indeed, delves into the most depraved brain set loose upon the world; a Monster…
September 19, 2024
The fifth book in the Monster Series is disturbing. Very disturbing. Just Boots took the real case of Ming Sen Shiue as inspiration and used it for this story (with a few changes).
This story will make you mad, gag, nauseous, and you’ll hate the protagonist with all of the hate that you have in your heart.
Lots of trigger Warnings: abuse, sexual violence, violence, blood, gore, graphic details, and cannibalism.
Jeremy Chan, a teenager that is bullied by his classmates, a strict father, and a weak mom, has the urge to be in power. When his father passes he promises him that he will be the man of the house. Jeremy however, has different plans. He towers over his mother and sister with a violent hand, and if that wouldn’t be enough, he goes after his math teacher, whom he loves. He thinks she loves him back and that’s when things get bad. Real bad.
There were a few times where I wanted to stop reading. So far every book in this series made me question why I read extreme horror. 🤣 I do love a good gory story. This story was good. Very good. Gonna need a palette cleanser now.
This story will make you mad, gag, nauseous, and you’ll hate the protagonist with all of the hate that you have in your heart.
Lots of trigger Warnings: abuse, sexual violence, violence, blood, gore, graphic details, and cannibalism.
Jeremy Chan, a teenager that is bullied by his classmates, a strict father, and a weak mom, has the urge to be in power. When his father passes he promises him that he will be the man of the house. Jeremy however, has different plans. He towers over his mother and sister with a violent hand, and if that wouldn’t be enough, he goes after his math teacher, whom he loves. He thinks she loves him back and that’s when things get bad. Real bad.
There were a few times where I wanted to stop reading. So far every book in this series made me question why I read extreme horror. 🤣 I do love a good gory story. This story was good. Very good. Gonna need a palette cleanser now.
July 7, 2024
Wow, this book is disgusting and absolutely addicting and I loved every minute of it, lol. Jeremy is a vile, twisted freak. The things he does to his little sister early on are just crazy but then the things he does to Mandy and Jane holy crap. We get to see what happened to poor Angela from the last book, A Dark Web of Monsters (that was a rough one). If you love to read about twisted messed up psychos this book is for you, lol. This was book #5 in the Monster series by J. Boote. I'm hoping there will be a #6 😉 with the nurse at the end 🤔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2026
Okay so we've come down a notch from book 4, which in all honesty I'm grateful for! However, it still had me holding back the contents of my stomach. Thoroughly enjoyed the incel vibes I was getting off Jeremy. Took off a star purely because it didn't hit for me quite the same as books 2, 3 and 4 (I still haven't recovered from 4 by the way).
July 16, 2024
The brutal and disgusting series continues to strike gold. 5/5
This is the fifth book in the Monsters series from J.Boote and I'm still enjoying them. All of the books retain the usual fast-paced and sickening action but have their distinct feel to them. This one follows Jeremy as he starts to go mad with power after becoming the head of the household before becoming obsessed with one of his teachers.
If you've read the previous books in the series then you'll know what to expect and this will be something for fans of extreme horror only. And whilst the books are stand-alone, there are small references to the previous ones which are cool to see.
I guess the worst thing is knowing that Jeremy is based on a real person which J.Boote researched.
But another great addition to the series and I look forward to the next.
This is the fifth book in the Monsters series from J.Boote and I'm still enjoying them. All of the books retain the usual fast-paced and sickening action but have their distinct feel to them. This one follows Jeremy as he starts to go mad with power after becoming the head of the household before becoming obsessed with one of his teachers.
If you've read the previous books in the series then you'll know what to expect and this will be something for fans of extreme horror only. And whilst the books are stand-alone, there are small references to the previous ones which are cool to see.
I guess the worst thing is knowing that Jeremy is based on a real person which J.Boote researched.
But another great addition to the series and I look forward to the next.
July 19, 2024
Note to self; don’t spit on men.🫡
July 12, 2025
What in the male ego, delusional, Norman bates?!
Another good read by J Boote. I particularly like how he includes a summary of the true crimes he based the story round.
Another good read by J Boote. I particularly like how he includes a summary of the true crimes he based the story round.
June 27, 2024
Omg! 😳😳😳🤢🤢🤢 This book is beyond fucking disgusting and depressing! I'm going to bathe in sanitiser now.
August 11, 2024
Thoroughly disturbing; once again these monsters are real.
A repressed and isolated boy, who has to assume the role of head of the family, he has nothing and no one. Except his mother; and a teacher. They will always be there. They have to be, and he will make sure of it!
This is the fifth book in the ‘Monster’ series; every one of them progressively more disturbing than the last. The meticulous research that the author has undertaken grounds this in such an uncomfortable reality. Reports not being investigated thoroughly, concerns not followed up, and wilful blindness acting as uncomfortable enablers.
It can absolutely be read as a stand alone, but the flashbacks to previous cases has the added impact of remembering the monsters that have materialised before.
This is extreme in every aspect. If it’s not for you, stop reading and don’t review.
A repressed and isolated boy, who has to assume the role of head of the family, he has nothing and no one. Except his mother; and a teacher. They will always be there. They have to be, and he will make sure of it!
This is the fifth book in the ‘Monster’ series; every one of them progressively more disturbing than the last. The meticulous research that the author has undertaken grounds this in such an uncomfortable reality. Reports not being investigated thoroughly, concerns not followed up, and wilful blindness acting as uncomfortable enablers.
It can absolutely be read as a stand alone, but the flashbacks to previous cases has the added impact of remembering the monsters that have materialised before.
This is extreme in every aspect. If it’s not for you, stop reading and don’t review.
June 30, 2024
I have been so impatient to get this I cannot express how excited I was to read it. I was reading it at every chance I got 😂
This author is incredible. Long stories are usually a no for me. But not from him.
Our main character Jeremy has a slight obsession with his mum in questionable ways. When his dad passes he’s given the job to be “the man of the house” and he takes that job VERY seriously. He tries it with his OWN MOTHER. Like hello? Weirdo alert!!! When his mother declines his advances he feels pushed aside and finds a new obsession. We really get into his head and his thoughts and feelings as well as chapters from the other characters. The development was amazing as always and it was heartbreaking the things he does to other people. I was unable to stop reading I would read when I made a cup of tea ffs I had to know what happened! And better still it’s based off a REAL case. Something about Justin’s books that just hit different. Loved the end passage which explains the true crime case and where the ideas came from too! Do yourself a favour and get into this when it’s released 15th July!!
This author is incredible. Long stories are usually a no for me. But not from him.
Our main character Jeremy has a slight obsession with his mum in questionable ways. When his dad passes he’s given the job to be “the man of the house” and he takes that job VERY seriously. He tries it with his OWN MOTHER. Like hello? Weirdo alert!!! When his mother declines his advances he feels pushed aside and finds a new obsession. We really get into his head and his thoughts and feelings as well as chapters from the other characters. The development was amazing as always and it was heartbreaking the things he does to other people. I was unable to stop reading I would read when I made a cup of tea ffs I had to know what happened! And better still it’s based off a REAL case. Something about Justin’s books that just hit different. Loved the end passage which explains the true crime case and where the ideas came from too! Do yourself a favour and get into this when it’s released 15th July!!
July 16, 2024
It's based on the true case of Ming Sen Shiue. The character, Jeremy is a violent misogynist with serious delusions. Again, Boote explores what makes someone a true monster. Was Jeremy born evil, was it his upbringing, or a mixture of both? He is severely bullied. His culture demands him to be "man of the house, " along with honoring tradition when his father dies. He believes this literally. But he takes out his anger out on those weaker, using those expectations as an excuse for his sick behavior.
Like his other works in this series, it is extremely suspenseful, highly realistic, and his subject matter is well-researched. I also enjoyed the references to events and characters to his other novels.This fictionalized true-crime book is excellent!
Like his other works in this series, it is extremely suspenseful, highly realistic, and his subject matter is well-researched. I also enjoyed the references to events and characters to his other novels.This fictionalized true-crime book is excellent!
July 17, 2024
Justin, Justin, Justin... you’ve done it again. Loneliness is a Monster is book five in the Monsters series, and like the others, it did not disappoint. This series is considered splatterpunk and is not for those sensitive to gore and extreme violence. Please check out any trigger warnings and take them seriously. It is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I think this one is a bit more tame compared to the last book, A Dark Web of Monsters, but that doesn’t make it any less trauma-inducing.
This book follows 13-year-old Jeremy Chan, an outsider and a target for school bullies. Jeremy carries himself differently from the other kids, and he does not understand why they do not treat him like the man he believes he is. When his tyrant of a father passes away, Jeremy is dubbed “the man of the house,” which only fuels the fire inside him. His sister and his mother are at his mercy—or lack thereof. They suffer at his hands.
In Jeremy’s mind, his new teacher, Mary, is in love with him, and he will do anything to be with her. He is the man of the house, after all. Together, they will be blissfully happy, but all that falls apart when Mary moves away. When she returns a few years later, Jeremy is now nearly a man. Her return only proves that she missed him, and now is the time to act, and nothing will stand in his way. Not even her husband or daughter.
The torture Mary and her daughter endure is brutal and relentless. Justin's detailed descriptions of the scene's looks and smells made my mind go into overdrive! What a nightmare dreamscape! Knowing that Justin bases his books on real people and true crimes takes it to another level. These monsters DO EXIST! Thank you, Justin, for being an amazing author and creating such a demented series!
Thank you to J. Boote for gifting me an eARC of Loneliness Is A Monster. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book follows 13-year-old Jeremy Chan, an outsider and a target for school bullies. Jeremy carries himself differently from the other kids, and he does not understand why they do not treat him like the man he believes he is. When his tyrant of a father passes away, Jeremy is dubbed “the man of the house,” which only fuels the fire inside him. His sister and his mother are at his mercy—or lack thereof. They suffer at his hands.
In Jeremy’s mind, his new teacher, Mary, is in love with him, and he will do anything to be with her. He is the man of the house, after all. Together, they will be blissfully happy, but all that falls apart when Mary moves away. When she returns a few years later, Jeremy is now nearly a man. Her return only proves that she missed him, and now is the time to act, and nothing will stand in his way. Not even her husband or daughter.
The torture Mary and her daughter endure is brutal and relentless. Justin's detailed descriptions of the scene's looks and smells made my mind go into overdrive! What a nightmare dreamscape! Knowing that Justin bases his books on real people and true crimes takes it to another level. These monsters DO EXIST! Thank you, Justin, for being an amazing author and creating such a demented series!
Thank you to J. Boote for gifting me an eARC of Loneliness Is A Monster. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 30, 2024
𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫.
As soon as that email arrived Saturday morning, I downloaded this ARC and prepared myself for the atrocity I was about to read. Well, I thought I was prepared. Initially I was thinking, "The author was right! This book isn't as vile as the others," but that thought quickly perished. Each book in this series is modeled after a real life monster, and in this case, it's Ming Sen Shiue, whom I had never heard of until I read the author's note.
In Jeremy's house, his father rules with fear. There are rituals and rules that must be obeyed, and while he may not be physically abusive, the psychological and mental abuse in his home is very real. When he's 13 years old, Jeremy's father dies, and he believes he needs to rule his mother and sister the same way his father did. But years of relentless bullying at school coupled with his newfound appreciation of serial killers flips something in Jeremy's brain, and he soon becomes fixated on his new math teacher. He feels she is sending him secret signals professing her love, and Jeremy knows they are meant to be together. He just needs to get rid of her husband and get her daughter under control.
When Jeremy gained entry into the house, the intensity reached a frenetic pace. The reader could feel the desperation of his captives, the shame of his mother, the fear of his sister--all of it. The depravity that went on inside that house was the stuff of absolute nightmares, and the descriptions were, um...DETAILED. I may have gagged a time or two during a few passages.
Thank you so much to the author for enduring my badgering and pestering and inviting me on his ARC team once again! This title will release July 15, 2024.
As soon as that email arrived Saturday morning, I downloaded this ARC and prepared myself for the atrocity I was about to read. Well, I thought I was prepared. Initially I was thinking, "The author was right! This book isn't as vile as the others," but that thought quickly perished. Each book in this series is modeled after a real life monster, and in this case, it's Ming Sen Shiue, whom I had never heard of until I read the author's note.
In Jeremy's house, his father rules with fear. There are rituals and rules that must be obeyed, and while he may not be physically abusive, the psychological and mental abuse in his home is very real. When he's 13 years old, Jeremy's father dies, and he believes he needs to rule his mother and sister the same way his father did. But years of relentless bullying at school coupled with his newfound appreciation of serial killers flips something in Jeremy's brain, and he soon becomes fixated on his new math teacher. He feels she is sending him secret signals professing her love, and Jeremy knows they are meant to be together. He just needs to get rid of her husband and get her daughter under control.
When Jeremy gained entry into the house, the intensity reached a frenetic pace. The reader could feel the desperation of his captives, the shame of his mother, the fear of his sister--all of it. The depravity that went on inside that house was the stuff of absolute nightmares, and the descriptions were, um...DETAILED. I may have gagged a time or two during a few passages.
Thank you so much to the author for enduring my badgering and pestering and inviting me on his ARC team once again! This title will release July 15, 2024.
July 2, 2024
We are all monsters Book 5 - Loneliness is a Monster by J.Boote.
From the first book I have been completely obsessed with Monsters series. I love how they are all connected by area and characters and that horrible hospital…….
We are able to keep up with past characters and find out what is happening with them while reading an incredible new story…
Jeremy comes from a family steeped in tradition and in that family, his father is God. His words are law and must be obeyed or punishment would be harsh. When his father suddenly dies, he becomes the man of the house and now it him who is the god and it’s his words that are law. His punishments are far worse than his father’s ever had been and pretty soon his mother and little sister are terrified of him and his wrath. When he hits puberty and develops a sexual attraction to his mother, he crawls into bed with her and while she is asleep he looks at her genitalia with a torch… he thinks that they will have a relationship but she rejects him and this sends him into a downward spiral.
Jeremy hates all women but those who wear makeup and revealing clothes were the worst of the worst. Sent to distract and confuse men they would all become whores if they were not disciplined properly by a man. And he is just the man to hand out discipline and punishment…
He targets a woman who reminds him of his mother and shows her the lengths he is willing to go to to keep his new family all to himself…..
This book is Brutal! It’s actually based on real life crimes which makes it that much more shocking. That someone could do this to another human being is incomprehensible to me but I know that it really does happen all over the world and everyone must be diligent when it comes to child safety.
After all, the world is full of Monsters…..
5 bloated maggots out of 5
I freaking loved it!!
From the first book I have been completely obsessed with Monsters series. I love how they are all connected by area and characters and that horrible hospital…….
We are able to keep up with past characters and find out what is happening with them while reading an incredible new story…
Jeremy comes from a family steeped in tradition and in that family, his father is God. His words are law and must be obeyed or punishment would be harsh. When his father suddenly dies, he becomes the man of the house and now it him who is the god and it’s his words that are law. His punishments are far worse than his father’s ever had been and pretty soon his mother and little sister are terrified of him and his wrath. When he hits puberty and develops a sexual attraction to his mother, he crawls into bed with her and while she is asleep he looks at her genitalia with a torch… he thinks that they will have a relationship but she rejects him and this sends him into a downward spiral.
Jeremy hates all women but those who wear makeup and revealing clothes were the worst of the worst. Sent to distract and confuse men they would all become whores if they were not disciplined properly by a man. And he is just the man to hand out discipline and punishment…
He targets a woman who reminds him of his mother and shows her the lengths he is willing to go to to keep his new family all to himself…..
This book is Brutal! It’s actually based on real life crimes which makes it that much more shocking. That someone could do this to another human being is incomprehensible to me but I know that it really does happen all over the world and everyone must be diligent when it comes to child safety.
After all, the world is full of Monsters…..
5 bloated maggots out of 5
I freaking loved it!!
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