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Jump Scare: a chilling novella
A group of children decide to go exploring at the end of a long and sweaty summer. They venture into the woods... and find themselves walking into an old and abandoned house. A house they have been warned to stay clear of.
Now, years later, they are adults... and they are still being haunted by the force from inside that house!
Chilling, dark, bloody, and disturbing, Judith Sonnet's latest novella is sure to give you the creeps!
Now, years later, they are adults... and they are still being haunted by the force from inside that house!
Chilling, dark, bloody, and disturbing, Judith Sonnet's latest novella is sure to give you the creeps!
96 pages, Paperback
Published October 27, 2022
28 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
Judith Sonnet
90 books1,335 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 72 reviews
February 26, 2023
A group of youngsters explore an old abandoned house. When their leader presumably sees a ghost, they leave head over heels. One of them is missing. Later on in life the haunting experience in that house comes back to them. Are the young people in danger? Who or what really inhabits the derelict building? Homeless people, hobos, perverts... The ghosts described here by the author are different. This is a haunted house story that really comes up with some new twists. Absolutely enjoyed the story. It wasn't overly brutal but extremely intriguing. A coming of age tale with all its consequences... highly recommended!
February 24, 2023
3.5 stars. This was a fun haunting-based story. We follow the five kids going to a haunted house, then it transitions near the halfway mark to them as adults, now being haunted by the same spirits. Pretty straightforward. And a very different feel from most of Judith Sonnet’s normal hardcore sex and uber-violent kind of tales. But it was good. Decent pace, ok story, and good characters, too. It’s another very short story, so I won’t bore everyone with my standard tidbits on wanting everything more developed. It’s just a good way to satisfy your ghost story cravings in a thirty minute session.
November 10, 2022
Great haunted house vibes horror! Not as extreme as some of Judith’s others but a great fast paced creepy read!
May 23, 2023
The utter bleakness of this story, the way Sonnet makes you get invested in the characters being almost cruel, I loved it. Sonnet even managed to use one of my most disliked tropes (I will not say which to avoid spoilers) in a way that I found both sensical and interesting.
February 16, 2023
Definitely a change of pace from Judith’s other books, but I’m not complaining! I’m not a fan of paranormal horror, but this specific story had so much more going for it outside of the typical ghost stuff. The feeling I had reading this was excitement, nostalgia, and nonstop anticipation. It perfectly captured what it was like, as a kid, going ghost hunting with my friends. Getting to relive that in this short novella—which was written, edited, and published in ten days!—was such a treat. Although I never found a ghost back then, I’m glad these guys did—and I’m happy to report that it resulted in some traumatised adults (did I mention I love bleak and depressing shit?). This somewhat reminded me of the 2020 adaptation of The Grudge, which I happen to really love, despite the critics hating it. Whatevs, that movie rules. And so does this book.
June 29, 2023
4.5 stars
I'm never looking at marbles the same way again.
I loved this. This was nearly perfect, I'm not going to say too much about it to not spoil anything, but wow.
Under 100 pages, this is a perfect haunted house / ghost story read to get you out of a slump. I devoured this book. It gave me a little bit of Stephen King - IT vibes. It's wasn't as extreme as I was expecting it to be, but it was creepy and gory. And the ending... had me gasp. I was so surprised. Loved it!!!
I just wish it was a liiiiitle bit longer, to have had a little more of the "horror" included.
I'm never looking at marbles the same way again.
I loved this. This was nearly perfect, I'm not going to say too much about it to not spoil anything, but wow.
Under 100 pages, this is a perfect haunted house / ghost story read to get you out of a slump. I devoured this book. It gave me a little bit of Stephen King - IT vibes. It's wasn't as extreme as I was expecting it to be, but it was creepy and gory. And the ending... had me gasp. I was so surprised. Loved it!!!
I just wish it was a liiiiitle bit longer, to have had a little more of the "horror" included.
May 8, 2023
Another Winner for Sonnet!
This one is seriously creepy. It's quick, frightening, and filled with great characters and great writing. I especially loved the ending! If you're looking for something fast and sinister, you absolutely can't go wrong with JUMP SCARE. Highly recommended!
This one is seriously creepy. It's quick, frightening, and filled with great characters and great writing. I especially loved the ending! If you're looking for something fast and sinister, you absolutely can't go wrong with JUMP SCARE. Highly recommended!
May 3, 2023
So it’s apparently the month of breaking my biases, because before this book I said ghost stories don’t scare me. Then Judith came along & REKT me good. A departure from her usually bloody offerings, but somehow still equally bloody…just with a lot more creepy added to it. Think “IT” that was actually scary and an ending that Hollywood wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. I also enjoyed her end notes explaining her rules for jump scares & how to translate that into literature (which worked btw! 😩), along with her list of top jump scares in horror movies. Her referencing “Shock” (Mario Brava) made me stan Judith even more. Highly recommend this chilling novella that made me feel like someone was watching me the whole time. 👀
May 8, 2023
For a ghost story I didn’t quite get the spooky vibes I wanted and the story wasn’t a favorite among the books I’ve read of Judith’s but there were a some fun scenes and it’s worth checking out if you like this authors writing but maybe want something tamer than her usual extreme stuff.
March 26, 2023
Jump Scare
A group of kids explore a haunted house for ghosts. What could possibly go wrong? Everything.😆. I jumped into this book first because of the haunted house. Sonnet delivered a gory, creepy ghost story.
Jump Scare was fast-paced that flowed smoothly. The perfect book to binge in an afternoon. Plenty of tension and a building sense of dread throughout the novella. There were moments where the characters felt fear. Sonnet transferred this feeling to the reader. Additionally, Sonnet successfully created jump scares. Those moments in movies that make you flinch. Sonnet was able to put that on a page, which resulted in a perfectly crafted creepy story.
“Jump Scare” will be a novella that I revisit during spooky season.
A group of kids explore a haunted house for ghosts. What could possibly go wrong? Everything.😆. I jumped into this book first because of the haunted house. Sonnet delivered a gory, creepy ghost story.
Jump Scare was fast-paced that flowed smoothly. The perfect book to binge in an afternoon. Plenty of tension and a building sense of dread throughout the novella. There were moments where the characters felt fear. Sonnet transferred this feeling to the reader. Additionally, Sonnet successfully created jump scares. Those moments in movies that make you flinch. Sonnet was able to put that on a page, which resulted in a perfectly crafted creepy story.
“Jump Scare” will be a novella that I revisit during spooky season.
June 28, 2024
“unlike isaac, who’s hands were relatively full” i must say that sonnet is a witty one. looking forward to reading more from her
October 31, 2022
Written in ten days, this novella is a masterful example of supernatural horror. With flowing prose, superbly edited, and a genuinely cunning plotline, it's a horror fan's dream. The story is simple: five children go into an abandoned house and they all regret it. Saying more would spoil the ending. Though simple, the story offers genuine jump scares (which, judging by the author's afterword -not to mention the title- was precisely the point!) Jump scares in writing are very difficult to pull off; Sonnet acknowledges this and even provides handy rules on how to pull one off succesfully. Personally, I love this kind of stories, and finding that Sonnet, a master of extreme horror, has visited this territory, intrigued me immensely. I was not disappointed. A must-read, pure joy!
November 13, 2022
Frontloaded with heaps of clumsy exposition and summarisation. I know rules are made to be broken, but there's a reason writers are advised to show, not tell.
May 27, 2023
Jump Scare reminds me so much of the horror books I borrowed from the school library as a kid. It's creepy and uncomfortable, and it has some really great moments where you almost feel like checking over your OWN shoulders just in case there's actually a creepy ghost waiting for you.
It's definitely far from the usual extreme horror Sonnet writes, but I think it's great for people who aren't into the extreme but still want to read her books.
It's definitely far from the usual extreme horror Sonnet writes, but I think it's great for people who aren't into the extreme but still want to read her books.
September 4, 2023
I must review on here in order to keep track of what my books are about and how I felt because I think there is something wrong with my mind. This is for future me filming videos. Please ignore me. Anyways.
This book is about a group of kids who go to explore a haunted house. Years later they are adults and still being haunted by the same.
Paranormal books typically aren’t my favorite but I found this one to be a great change of pace from Judith’s usual books. This wasn’t really “extreme” but it was full of fun jump scares and I loved the way the ending tied everything together. Fun time.
This book is about a group of kids who go to explore a haunted house. Years later they are adults and still being haunted by the same.
Paranormal books typically aren’t my favorite but I found this one to be a great change of pace from Judith’s usual books. This wasn’t really “extreme” but it was full of fun jump scares and I loved the way the ending tied everything together. Fun time.
Want to read
September 6, 2023Reading for that cover alone cause DAMN
September 29, 2024
I went into this on the assumption that it would be extreme horror simple because it’s Judith Sonnet. She quickly let me know it was not! That’s okay though as I had already gotten into the story and it’s a rather short read. Overall, I enjoyed this. This was very classic ghost movie, haunted house vibes. I love how her love for horror cinema always shines through into the stories she writes and it’s particularly evident in this one. A couple scenes brought forth imagery from The Ring which always creeped me the fuck out.
Is this my favourite Judith read? No. But is it still worth the read? Yes, absolutely. This would be a really great slump buster if you’re not looking to take on anything too long or complicated. Short and sweet with really incredibly creepy imagery and good body horror for being more of a quiet horror novella!
Is this my favourite Judith read? No. But is it still worth the read? Yes, absolutely. This would be a really great slump buster if you’re not looking to take on anything too long or complicated. Short and sweet with really incredibly creepy imagery and good body horror for being more of a quiet horror novella!
April 20, 2023
Five young friends find a haunted house with a sign reading "There Be Ghosts", and despite their parents warnings to stay away, they venture inside to find the ghosts. Gave me Stephen King vibes, with the main difference being that this was 90 pages instead of 900. This was my first Judith Sonnet book, and it has multiple warning inside saying that this is unlike her other books, and that the authors mother could read this one, so I was worried that it wouldn't be what I want in a horror book. Jump Scare, however, was scary, exciting, and hard to put down. It was still a pretty good amount of brutal without being too bloody and had a good amount of surprises packed into a short story.
July 6, 2023
Nice little twist for a short story. I enjoyed this one.
July 4, 2024
I was pleasantly surprised by this considering how disturbed Ive found the other few novellas I’ve read by this author
January 1, 2025
"No one ever knows when things are about to go irrevocably wrong, and if they did then the world would have fewer sharp corners."
Judith Sonnet does it again, she's such a great writer! This is probably her least extreme book I've read so far, but I still really enjoyed it, it kind of felt like a better and more mature version of a Goosebumps story. I want to reread it one day because I remember feeling a bit confused by the ending.
"What’s the point in fantasy if reality is just as weird? If not weirder?"
Judith Sonnet does it again, she's such a great writer! This is probably her least extreme book I've read so far, but I still really enjoyed it, it kind of felt like a better and more mature version of a Goosebumps story. I want to reread it one day because I remember feeling a bit confused by the ending.
"What’s the point in fantasy if reality is just as weird? If not weirder?"
January 31, 2023
Review to come!
January 4, 2023
If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of Jump Scare by Judith Sonnet.
The jump scare is a cinematic technique whereby filmmakers use sudden images and sounds at peak moments of tension to give the viewer a quick fright. The elusive written word jump scare is much harder to achieve but the payoff is exponentially greater. It happens when a writer is able to cultivate a moment without being obvious and then use one carefully crafted sentence or two to pull the rug out from under the reader, causing a visceral reaction of goosebumps or raised hairs on the back of the neck—genuine creepedoutedness. This is a difficult thing for any writer to accomplish. Most who manage it probably do so through happy accident. Many try and fail. Needless to say, it was a bold move for Judith to set out to write a piece that showcases the phenomenon.
She succeeded with flying colors.
Of course the success of this book is largely in the hands of each individual reader and how they are affected by it. For me, there were two solid written word jump scares that sent shivers down my spine and left me feeling genuinely creeped out. Considering this was a short novella, this is no small accomplishment. I don’t think I’ve read a book with a single written word jump scare in at least two years, let alone two in one novella.
That being said, the story was awesome, the characters were well crafted and relatable, the prose was tight, and—jump scares aside—the story was scary from beginning to end.
I’ve read several of Judith’s books and this one is an instant favorite that will be worth rereading.
The jump scare is a cinematic technique whereby filmmakers use sudden images and sounds at peak moments of tension to give the viewer a quick fright. The elusive written word jump scare is much harder to achieve but the payoff is exponentially greater. It happens when a writer is able to cultivate a moment without being obvious and then use one carefully crafted sentence or two to pull the rug out from under the reader, causing a visceral reaction of goosebumps or raised hairs on the back of the neck—genuine creepedoutedness. This is a difficult thing for any writer to accomplish. Most who manage it probably do so through happy accident. Many try and fail. Needless to say, it was a bold move for Judith to set out to write a piece that showcases the phenomenon.
She succeeded with flying colors.
Of course the success of this book is largely in the hands of each individual reader and how they are affected by it. For me, there were two solid written word jump scares that sent shivers down my spine and left me feeling genuinely creeped out. Considering this was a short novella, this is no small accomplishment. I don’t think I’ve read a book with a single written word jump scare in at least two years, let alone two in one novella.
That being said, the story was awesome, the characters were well crafted and relatable, the prose was tight, and—jump scares aside—the story was scary from beginning to end.
I’ve read several of Judith’s books and this one is an instant favorite that will be worth rereading.
April 19, 2023
*I’m not going to give you the ‘what this book is about’ blurb – you can read that elsewhere.
1. I’m constantly in awe of Judith’s breadth of genres and her courage to write differently from one work to the next. Judith loves a horror film; I’m not guessing here, she does, she’s a connoisseur - because of that, gore tends to be a main theme in her books. This book is quite different in that regard; I mean, it is horror, so there are some gory elements to it, but nothing like what a Sonnet normally has. This book showed yet another side of Judith; she’s gotta be like a hexahedron at this point because she has shown us so many different sides in her work, LOL!
2. Reading this book felt like a mash up of Stand By Me and The Haunting of Hill House, and that pairing oddly really worked for me. It provided all the adventure seeking and nostalgia of childhood mixed with an actually creepy haunted house. Who didn’t have an abandoned house in their childhood town that was rumored to be haunted and “people” (*cough, you, cough*) were dared to run up and look in the windows, try the door, etc? I mean, that’s just a solid rite of passage, and this book evoked those feelings in me. Since I’m a sucker for nostalgia, that was a definite win.
3. Yet another solid Sonnet written in 10 days. Is there anything this woman can’t do?! (the answer is no)
1. I’m constantly in awe of Judith’s breadth of genres and her courage to write differently from one work to the next. Judith loves a horror film; I’m not guessing here, she does, she’s a connoisseur - because of that, gore tends to be a main theme in her books. This book is quite different in that regard; I mean, it is horror, so there are some gory elements to it, but nothing like what a Sonnet normally has. This book showed yet another side of Judith; she’s gotta be like a hexahedron at this point because she has shown us so many different sides in her work, LOL!
2. Reading this book felt like a mash up of Stand By Me and The Haunting of Hill House, and that pairing oddly really worked for me. It provided all the adventure seeking and nostalgia of childhood mixed with an actually creepy haunted house. Who didn’t have an abandoned house in their childhood town that was rumored to be haunted and “people” (*cough, you, cough*) were dared to run up and look in the windows, try the door, etc? I mean, that’s just a solid rite of passage, and this book evoked those feelings in me. Since I’m a sucker for nostalgia, that was a definite win.
3. Yet another solid Sonnet written in 10 days. Is there anything this woman can’t do?! (the answer is no)
September 6, 2023
Spoiler Free
It's been a minute since my last read from @fulltimehorrorjunkie, and dammit if she didn't go and write a ghost/haunting story that isn't really extreme horror!
I was thrown for a loop. But in a GOOD way.
Things start off with a group of youngsters who have been warned to stay away from an abandoned house in the woods, which obviously means it has to be explored right?
After things go horribly wrong (as is to be expected duh) we catch up to some of the kids as adults, where (as is to be expected duh), things are about to go horribly wrong again.
That's all I'll say to avoid the spoilers. This was a great and quick read that actually did have some jump scare moments that worked well (which typically only happens in film). There was also a great twist at the end, which is exactly what quick books like this need.
Huge fan of this one and I can't wait to read more from Judith!
It's been a minute since my last read from @fulltimehorrorjunkie, and dammit if she didn't go and write a ghost/haunting story that isn't really extreme horror!
I was thrown for a loop. But in a GOOD way.
Things start off with a group of youngsters who have been warned to stay away from an abandoned house in the woods, which obviously means it has to be explored right?
After things go horribly wrong (as is to be expected duh) we catch up to some of the kids as adults, where (as is to be expected duh), things are about to go horribly wrong again.
That's all I'll say to avoid the spoilers. This was a great and quick read that actually did have some jump scare moments that worked well (which typically only happens in film). There was also a great twist at the end, which is exactly what quick books like this need.
Huge fan of this one and I can't wait to read more from Judith!
October 29, 2022
Spooktober 2022 Book 17
4.5 stars
I’m gonna just keep this one simple and cut right to the fact of the matter: Jump Scare is probably the best thing Judith Sonnet has written up to this point.
And I say that because it’s genuinely creepy, genuinely spooky, and is just so well written. Even at a measly 69 pages, this novella manages to convey dread and horror unlike many books 3 or even 4 times as long.
Yes, Somnet writes in the more extreme side of this genre (which isn’t always my favorite) and if that’s her bread and butter, then by all means, I hope she sticks with it (and trust me, her work there is better than many other who attempt it) but personally, this is where her sweet spot is.
My only complaint? Jump Scare is just too short. I wanted more!
4.5 stars
I’m gonna just keep this one simple and cut right to the fact of the matter: Jump Scare is probably the best thing Judith Sonnet has written up to this point.
And I say that because it’s genuinely creepy, genuinely spooky, and is just so well written. Even at a measly 69 pages, this novella manages to convey dread and horror unlike many books 3 or even 4 times as long.
Yes, Somnet writes in the more extreme side of this genre (which isn’t always my favorite) and if that’s her bread and butter, then by all means, I hope she sticks with it (and trust me, her work there is better than many other who attempt it) but personally, this is where her sweet spot is.
My only complaint? Jump Scare is just too short. I wanted more!
November 9, 2022
4.25 - This was really good and I enjoyed the story/characters. My only complaint would be some slight grammatical errors and repeating lines or statements when it was unnecessary/would have created a more dramatic effect without the second time. Another small nitpick would be one character felt completely different than what he was before. I have heard this one has a more cohesive story line/plot than some of her others (which I generally appreciate) but nonetheless I will definitely be checking out her other work.
June 21, 2023
Judith Sonnet books are addicting, quick, and fun reads! If you like a good haunted house book then this one is a must read! Unlike all her other work, this book isn't as extreme or gory as the others but it's a great haunted house book!
I love the kids to adults point of views. Reminds me alot of IT, definitely fun. Once I finish a Sonnet book, I'm always left satisfied but definitely wanting more! I will re read this in October 🖤
I love the kids to adults point of views. Reminds me alot of IT, definitely fun. Once I finish a Sonnet book, I'm always left satisfied but definitely wanting more! I will re read this in October 🖤
November 23, 2023
Kind of Wish the Book was Longer
I really enjoyed the writing. The story was interesting. I wish it were a bit longer because some of the story strings were a bit disjointed. That seems to be common in horror. In order to be as creepy as this book, you would want some ambiguity. What is not said is often scarier than want is obvious. I will definitely read more of her work. It would nice to revisit the house and its history.
I really enjoyed the writing. The story was interesting. I wish it were a bit longer because some of the story strings were a bit disjointed. That seems to be common in horror. In order to be as creepy as this book, you would want some ambiguity. What is not said is often scarier than want is obvious. I will definitely read more of her work. It would nice to revisit the house and its history.
January 20, 2024
I was sacred
Wow this was such a fun and scary read! I instantly fell in love with our characters, they reminded me of some of my friends so I could instantly relate to them. The story is so short but Judith was able to fit in so much story in here it’s amazing. The actual story is very creepy and the way the author describes stuff is so disturbing, and that ending was such a nice twist! Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves creepy ghost stories!
Wow this was such a fun and scary read! I instantly fell in love with our characters, they reminded me of some of my friends so I could instantly relate to them. The story is so short but Judith was able to fit in so much story in here it’s amazing. The actual story is very creepy and the way the author describes stuff is so disturbing, and that ending was such a nice twist! Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves creepy ghost stories!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews