We Used to Live Here: A Novel by Marcus Kliewer
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Web ID: 20312288This Will Stick With You
Marcus Kliewer’s debut might appear like a run-of-the-mill haunted house story, but as the plot progresses, it becomes hard to distinguish the real scares vs. the ones inside of Eve’s anxiety-filled brain. With rich writing, actually scary imagery and unexpected twists, this one will stick with you long after the big reveal.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing Creepy Puzzle
Thank you, NetGalley and the Atria Books for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own. Wow! What a fun book. It was so compelling and mind bending. I couldn't put it down and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. It was something I had to slow down so I wouldn't miss anything. This was creepy and confusing in the best possible way. I was hesitant to start this because I'm sensitive to scary things but this was worth the creepy feelings. I love books that are as interactive as this. This has you literally solving codes and looking for Easter eggs throughout. The mixed media portions were a great way to break up the main story but also add intrigue. You can enjoy the story without doing the extra bits but it's a ton of fun if you do. I was using multiple apps and sites to crack the clues and I was so invested. There were a few I still couldn't understand. In many ways this reminded me of House of Leaves with all the mixed media. I haven't finished HOL so That comparison might end with that. I highly recommend this book. I want to immediately re-read this after knowing the ending. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Eerie and Unsettling
There are some books that stick with you long after you’ve finished reading them. This will be one of those books. The plot centers around a queer couple tasked with flipping an old house in the Pacific Northwest. When a family arrives at the front door claiming to have previously lived there and asking to come inside to relive old memories, TMC Eve is reluctant to let them inside. She eventually acquiesces and soon after all hell begins to break loose. Equal parts haunted house horror, psychological thriller and mind-bending mystery- the eerie and unsettling tone of this book will linger in your psyche, even after you put it down. It was refreshingly original and if the author does engage a sequel I would be one of the first to devour it. A film adaptation is also in the works with Blake Lively 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing this in exchange for my honest feedback.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
5 star read for me. I Think? Who Knows? Reality Is
I am not going to even attempt a summary because there is no possible way to, but I will say this scared the absolute heck out of me and this is definitely a 5 star read for me. I Think? Who Knows? Reality Is a Lie! Reading We Used to Live Here felt like falling down the stairs in a haunted IKEA. I had no idea what was happening most of the time, and yet I couldn’t stop flipping pages like I was looking for a hidden message in the chaos (spoiler: I wasn’t wrong?? Maybe??) This book is SO unsettling and creepy in the most deliciously slow-burn, what-even-is-time kind of way. At one point I genuinely asked myself if I had once lived in the house. I’m still not sure. Marcus Kliewer owes me therapy and possibly a new grip on reality. Also, shout-out to Eve for being the most relatable people-pleaser in the face of OBVIOUS RED FLAGS. “Sure, strange man, bring your suspiciously polite culty, demonic—I mean family—into my newly bought house! What could go wrong?” (Answer: Literally everything.) Final verdict: I loved it. I’m confused. I’m scared. I would absolutely recommend it to everyone I know, especially if they enjoy books that make them question their own sanity...and everyone else’s. 10/10 would let this book gaslight me again. Sidenote - If you like a nice, clean ending…youre not getting it with this book, but that was most of the fun of reading it! *Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based off of an uncorrected proof which did not sway my opinion either way.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I was on the edge of my seat!
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer was one of the most suspenseful books I’ve read in a while—I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. My fiancé and I read this one together, and it was such a fun, creepy ride to experience side by side. The setup is deceptively simple: a young queer couple, Eve and Charlie, move into a dream house they scored for a suspiciously good deal. But when a man and his family show up, claiming they used to live there and just want to show their kids around, things go from “mildly weird” to full-on nightmare fuel real quick. From disappearing people to strange noises to the complete unraveling of reality, this book doesn’t let up. One of my absolute favorite parts was the hidden Morse code throughout the story. Decoding the secret message added such an immersive and creative twist to the reading experience—I thought it was a brilliant touch that made the story even more haunting. While I loved the build-up and was fully locked in the entire time, the ending wasn’t quite what I expected. It left me with a lot to think about, and while I appreciate an ambiguous or open-ended conclusion, I felt a little let down by the resolution. That said, it didn’t ruin the experience at all. The suspense, the pacing, the tension—it was all so well done, and I genuinely had a great time reading this. All in all, this is a strong 4.25 stars for me. If you love psychological thrillers with supernatural undertones, creepy family dynamics, and a clever twist or two, We Used to Live Here is definitely worth picking up. Just… maybe don’t read it alone at night.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
When’s the movie!?
Definitely need to see this on a big screen
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
such a good read!
i struggled to put this down. it was creepy and cinematic. i felt as if i was watching a movie, so good!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
3.75 stars
WE USED TO LIVE HERE by Marcus Kliever The whole premise of this book is the reason why I never open the door for strangers. If I don’t know you, I ain’t home. If you know me personally, you’d never even *think* about dropping by unannounced. Anyway, this was entertaining yet also anxiety inducing, creepy and disturbing. Eve’s slow descent into madness had me questioning things and even I felt as gaslit as she was. However, I cannot rate this too high as I was left with loose threads and more questions than answers at the end. Recommend if you’re looking for a weird mind trip. Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐️
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com