I loved this book. I just knew as soon as I saw it, that it was for me and I was not disappointed.

This book gave me THE MOST anxiety from the very beginning to the very end. I felt claustrophobic, stifled and endlessly frustrated. Not to mention, this book is absolutely sh*t-your-pants terrifying. I read a LOT of horror and I’m often disappointed in the “scare” factor in horror books and this one was truly bone chillingly scary.

There were some unanswered questions and loose ends in this story, and while the ending didn’t leave us in a cliffhanger, it didn’t exactly have closure either. In the case of horror, I truly don’t mind this type of ending. It only adds to the overwhelming sense of unending dread that this entire book evokes.

Even more impressive, this is a DEBUT novel, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what else this author has in store, and I cannot wait for the film adaptation!

10/10 best horror I’ve read this year.

Instagram Post coming soon!

Thank you so much to Atria and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

I’ve had at least a few hours to process and I’m still stunned by this book. "We Used to Live Here" by Marcus Kliewer is a psychological thriller that takes suspense and anxiety to the next level. From the very beginning, the book immerses readers into a whirlwind of chaos and fear, making it a thrilling and unsettling read. The story centers around Eve Palmer, who has recently moved into a new house with her partner, Charlie. Their seemingly peaceful life is disrupted when an unexpected visitor, a former tenant, arrives at their door, asking to show his family around their house. The enforcer of the two, Charlie, isn’t home and Eve doesn’t know how to say no. Unbeknownst to her, this visit is not as innocent as it seems. The book captures the intensity of Eve's fear and paranoia over the next day as she embarks on a terrifying journey in her own home. The author masterfully manipulates reality, not just for Eve, but also for the readers, keeping them on the edge of their seats. The book also provides additional information between chapters, offering intriguing insights into the unfolding events and building anticipation for what's to come. The end is both expected and a complete surprise. It masterfully leaves you wanting more, demonstrating the author's command over the psychological thriller genre.

"We Used to Live Here" is a must-read for fans of intense, mind-bending thrillers. Its gripping narrative and complex characters make it a standout in the genre, delivering a reading experience that is both terrifying and captivating.

I read this while at the beach, and the sun and sand was a fun contrast to the cold dark setting of this story. I have gone back and forth since finishing it about how much I liked it, but I have continued to think about it which I guess says something itself about it as a compelling story. The premise is especially compelling, and it dives right into it as the book starts out, but I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if it had been more of a slow burn? Things move fast (making it a quick read, which is a plus), and while I felt the main character had some dimension, I think I might have been more invested if I had some time with the characters and their lives before things go off the rails. I also wish that the backstory, or context, for the events, had been fleshed out a little more. It does spend a fair bit of time on it, but mostly raising questions with almost no answers or real narrative. I of course wouldn't expect a full explanation for the mechanics of the alternate dimensions, or whatever was going on here, but a little more of a through line, or focus, with the old house archivists I think would have made this more interesting to me.

The story was told in a manner which allowed one to fall into the unraveling of reality.

Charlie and Eve find a great deal on a home to flip in a remote area. Eve can be fanciful - seeing shadows move in the basement or allowing her imagination to run wild. One day there is a knock on the door and their word changes.

A man and his family ask to see the home where he grew up. Eve reluctantly allows the family to enter to not leave again. The odd carvings, the past misremembered, the odd spaces in the basement all lead to Eve's perception changes. Then Charlie, her rock, disappears.

Spooky. Off setting. I felt as if my mind was on the same path as Eve's.

Sadly, I got a bunch of error messages about licensing??? No clue but it wouldn't let me read. This one sounds a bit too supernatural but intrigued Netflix is making a movie.

WE USED TO LIVE HERE by Marcus Kliewer
Forthcoming June 18, 2024

I live in a house that is over 100 years old. So it’s feasible that many a family has come and gone, perhaps raised families, maybe even died in the house. So the premise of this debut novel by Kliewer really hit home for me.

Eve and her partner Charlie flip houses and find a real steal—a big ol’ house in the middle of nowhere. So they buy it and move in, soon realizing this place might be a lot of work. But they’re up for it so they settle in with their dog Shylo.

One evening, a knock on the door startles Eve, who is waiting for Charlie to get home so they can have an evening with wine and Scrabble. On her doorstep she finds a family of five. The man speaks up, saying he used to live in the house when he was a kid, and would Eve mind if they came in so he could show them around where he grew up? (Immediately this throws a warning flag for me, as who in their right mind would just let a random family peruse their house?) But even against her better judgement, Eve lets them in.

From that moment on, things just keep going from bad to worse. Eve has a sense of unease almost immediately, and when a storm blows in and forces the family to spend the night, it’s only the beginning. This family just keeps finding excuses and reasons to stick around. On top of that, strange things begin to happen—a ghostly presence in the attic, a creepy tall figure at the bottom of the basement stairs, in addition to a reality that just seems to keep altering. Charlie doesn’t seem to find the situation as unnerving as Eve, who begins to worry—with good reason—about her own sanity.

This book was a mind-warping thrill ride. I’m not going to lie and say I followed everything going on, but I think that’s a was the author’s intent. As tensions escalate within the house, the creep-factor amps up and soon you’re not sure what is real and what is a figment of Eve’s imagination.

While the book’s cover is reminiscent of a domestic drama, the scares inside are anything but. A very impressive first novel that I hear has been optioned by Netflix for film.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC!

This book had me spooked for the ENTIRETY of it. I flew through this novel because I just HAD to know what happened to Charlie and who this creepy family was! I definitely loved this one.

really loved this story! it was interesting and super creepy. at first i wasn’t a fan of some of the *extras* because i felt it took away from the story, but by the end i realized how it put it all together. i would def recommend this book for those creepy, horror lovers!

This book was incredible. It was terrifying and haunting, and had me questioning reality right along with the main character. I can’t believe this is a debut!

This book will definitely make a good movie. It was creepy and kept me interested but honestly, I was confused for a lot of it and the ending didn’t give me the answers I was looking for. If things were explained better then I would have given it a higher rating.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my e-ARC of We Used to Live Here!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🤨 have ever experienced the Mandela effect
😰 were ever made to question reality
🏠 would let strangers into your house if they used to live there
👻 are looking for a spooky and unsettling read

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This book was nothing short of incredible! Honestly, everything about it had me flipping pages, needing to know what the heck was happening in Eve’s world! I loved the inserts between chapters that, seemingly, talked about odd things, but by the end of the story, made sense. This story had me thinking about criminal cases that involve people who get off due to an insanity plea in a whole different light! I wasn’t really sure what to believe or who, but by the end, you know which reality is real and which isn’t. I cannot recommend this one enough!

I went into this book expecting a thriller, but it was more horror / supernatural, which just isn’t my thing. I think the author did a great job creating a creepy, suspenseful atmosphere. I was confused for much of it, but I think that is by design. I’ve seen many rave reviews for this one and I know it will find many appreciative readers, especially since it’s being made into a movie! Thank you to NetGalley & Atria for this advance copy.

4.5 stars!
-
This book definitely knows how to foster and maintain a sense of uneasiness and dread!

Overall, I don’t want to say much about this in terms of plot, because I strongly believe it’s best to go into this blind. Be prepared for things to get increasingly strange!

A really unique reading experience overall! Don’t go into this expecting things to be explained, because you’ll be left disappointed.

I do think the ending was maybe a tad abrupt, but it still was really good!

This was perfectly atmospheric. The edge of panic starts early and ramps up at an anticipatory pace, and had me on edge the whole time.

This was all vibes… unsettling at its finest. There wasn’t anything about the way this book plays out that I didn’t think was perfectly done for this particular situation. You’re going along with this story not knowing who, if anyone, you can trust.

Immediately upon starting this, I got an anxious feeling, dread sitting right in my gut. And the feeling progresses throughout. Just a really enjoyable book that mixes home invasion vibes with haunted house horror.

Interspersed with our protagonist’s story, we get these snippets of documents in various forms of the history of house that is the backdrop of the book. We get other accounts of things having to do with the house and the area and I thought it gave more of an authentic feel to the story as a whole.

I definitely recommend this one if you like character driven psychological supernatural thrillers.

I actually read this in one night, but I’ve been struggling to write this review for two weeks now because I had such a strong emotional reaction to this book. This was the most genuinely scary horror I’ve read in a minute, and I am not easily scared. Definitely not for anyone who hates unanswered questions, but frankly answering those questions would make it a much different (worse) book. Horror that provides explanations is significantly less scary to me.

Loved the world-building in this. Love a book with fake news articles/forum posts. Feel like I need to reread it with a notebook next to me just to take notes on all the hidden messages — I picked up on the capitalization code, but didn’t notice the morse code until the very end. It’s fun!

I also found this book quite heartbreaking. Almost cried at the ending, and it made me want to hug my girlfriend extra tight.

The single most terrifying book I’ve read.

I’ve been done for awhile before writing this review and I can still feel my heart racing.

I was TERRIFIED reading it. IN THE DAYTIME. I was convinced it was nighttime, but when I left my room…the sun was still shining brightly.

I felt like I was also losing my mind. It’s so well done.
I cannot wait to see the movie!

A part of me wishes there were more answers by the end, but the ending isn’t bad.

This was a slow, sinister story about a family of strangers arriving at a young couple's home. The husband claims to have grown up there and wants to show his wife and two young children his old, family home. Once they enter the house, strange things begin to happen. The main character is not sure if she is imagining what is happening or it is real. The tension seems to build as the story continues. You are left wondering what exactly this man is... is he some sort of parasite, malevolent entity and what is the reason behind this abduction of the couples lives. Although questions are not really answered, the story is creepy enough to keep you thinking about it long after. I received a complimentary eBook in exchange for a review.

We Used to Live Here is about a house flipping couple named Eve and Charlie. They have recently moved into a home in a seemingly quiet and rural area that they got a killer deal on. The plot is immediately moving as the house’s previous residents show up on the doorstep and ask to come in. If you’ve ever had any semblance of anxiety then our main character, Eve, has an extremely relatable inner dialogue. As unexplainable events begin to happen the reader is left wondering if these events are really what they seem.

…please go into this book blind otherwise 🤐 a great debut novel that kept me up at night :-) thank you NetGalley and atria books for the ARC!

Sadly I wasnt a huge fan of We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. I guess I am not the biggest fan of horror books and this one definitely left your stomach churning and eyes open wide as you read. Overall it was a decent read for me , i am sure others will enjoy it more than I did.

Wow! This was a wild ride! I really enjoyed this book. Eve and Charlie just moved into a new home and one day the doorbell rings and Thomas, who grew up in the house, wants to show his family the house. The problem is..they don’t leave..

This was a very gripping and thrilling horror novel. A similar thing happened to my Uncle, a family asked to use their phone during a snowstorm and wouldn’t leave the house. He ended up calling the police to have them removed. So this kind of story does happen which makes it even creepy!

This was hard to put down and I kept thinking about this book. I liked Eve, our main character and the family was just so creepy. You didn’t know who was real or an illusion.

I’m not sure if I will watch the Netflix adaptation because I think I will be too freaked out! This had some spooky parts.

If you are looking for a fast-paced horror book that will give you nightmares then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Atria Books who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.