All of the STARS for this debut!! Tightly written, intricately plotted, well developed characters, a sinister story line that grabs you and doesn’t let go until that mind blowing ending! I loved every single word of this one!

Eve and Charlie are house flippers who have taken on a huge new project; an old house in a remote location of Oregon. Eve is home alone one afternoon when a family knocks at the door asking to come in and look around because Dad grew up here. From there, things just get WEIRD and SPOOKY!

This book is being classified as a thriller but I thought it was more horror. I understand why they don’t want to label it horror, as I find that genre problematic. To be specific, I find most horror books to be slow and gory. This story is neither of those things. This read like a GOOD scary movie in my head.

If you enjoyed The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon or read/watched and enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House then you are going to LOVE this one! All I can say is WRITE ME MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE PLEASE!! This author is definitely going on my auto buy list for the future, can’t wait to read their next book!

Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This FANTASTIC book will be available for purchase on June 18, 2024

Whoa! I could NOT put this book down. This is horror executed in the best way. The kind of eeriness that creeps under your skin and keeps you unsettled. I don’t typically like a series but I HOPE there’s a sequel to this. I want more back stories and explanations…this was all so crazy!

I don’t love the blurb…I wouldn’t compare this to Parasite or Get Out. I thought We Used to Live Here was more in the realm of Slade House and House of Leaves. I can’t wait to read more from Marcus Kliewer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC!

This is a creepy story and a very intriguing premise, but there are way too many unanswered questions and hanging threads by the end of the story. Thanks to NetGalley, and the publisher, for an advance copy in exchange for review.

HOLY COW! This is a read that I didn't think would be as creepy and horror-driven as it was. The cover and description led me to believe it was going to be a thriller with some spooky elements but don't let that fool you - this is a horror story from start to finish. I'm at a loss for words and I can hardly believe this is a debut novel by Kliewer. The uneasiness and fear were written perfectly from the moment the family knocked on Eve's door. It's been a while since a horror novel has left me, well, scared! The house and its ominous atmosphere did not disappoint (think The Strangers meets House of Leaves).

I can't think of anything that I would change. The story ends with unanswered questions, but I don't think this is a bad thing - the lingering questions add to the unsettling story and leaves me thinking about the story even hours after I've finished. I would HIGHLY recommend this debut novel.

🏘️REVIEW🏘️

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub day: June 18, 2024

What a friggen trip that was!
My head is spinning!

It wasn’t as scary as I was led to believe by other fellow arc readers it did creep me out at times but wasn’t the scare the crap out of me gives me nightmare kind of scary.
I’ve been told don’t read this before bed or read it with the lights on (also me writing this review at 3am in the dark and the only light source is my phone screen lol).

This books did grab my attention though and held it. I caught myself thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it and wondering where it was going to go. Like I said it did creep me out because some of the things that happen in this book relate to real life fears some of these things could happen (not all because it’s fiction haha) and it got you thinking not the best things!
I also really liked the mixed media it almost made you second guess was this based on a true story?!

There is a dog in this and it does remain safe but this part of the book especially with it being a psychological thriller of sorts you don’t know what’s real and what’s not it was hard to keep track. I was stressed the entire time reading this specifically because of this.

I desperately wanted to give this a 5 but I just couldn’t. There were SOOOOO MANY unanswered questions, intentional or not like what the heck?! I’ve never had a book leave so many things unanswered. And I didn’t know this was a thing that bothered me until this but repetitive phrases. It happened A LOT again I don’t known if it’s intentional to give the readers déjà vu since it’s a psychological thriller but I found it very annoying and it made the character annoying.

Who knows if that will get fixed in a month before it comes out but overall I liked it a lot it was a really interesting story and concept but I need answers 🤣

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for my e-arc of this!

I’m really stumped on my feelings towards this book. It was a real mindf*ck. I almost stopped reading it early on. I just wasn’t connecting to it at all, but I kept going because I wanted to see where it all was headed. I’m glad I finished it. My head felt like it was no longer screwed on when it ended. I’m still processing my feelings on it.

Title- We Used To Live Here
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I typically don't read storylines like this one, but I'm glad I made an exception for this book. The author's writing style is so engaging that it had me on the edge of my seat, with scenes that were so vivid and creepy that I had to put the book down multiple times to take a break and compose myself. The writing in this book was truly fantastic and had me completely captivated from start to finish.

Even better this is being made into a Netflix original movie and the wonderful Blake Lively (my favorite) is the lead female role 😍

Synopsis-

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?

Add this one to your tbr besties, it comes out June 18th 2024✨👏🏽

We Used To Live Here is terrifying. I like thrillers, rarely read horrors, but I read some of these chapters online back in 2021. I couldn’t remember the name of the book but I never forgot about it. The plot was always *right there.* So when I saw this on NetGalley, I was ecstatic and hoped to get an advanced copy so I could finish it. Is it just me, or did I already know the ending? Did the author put the ending online? I remember the first 6 or so chapters, and I definitely remember the last one. Nothing about the middle. Is it just the way this book makes me question everything? I feel so creeped out by it. I actually had nightmares so even though part of me has so many questions and would love a sequel, a bigger part of me never wants to read anything this scary or by this author again!

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own……..I think 🫣

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC!

What an incredible debut from Marcus, I’m seriously blown away. The writing was top tier and I loved the mixed media throughout.

This is definitely a horror thriller I’ll be recommending a lot in the future!

Wow this book gave me GOOSEBUMPS. I am honored to have been chosen to read the arc, because now I can try to convince everyone to read it! Marcus Kliewer did an amazing job at keeping the reader fully enthralled with the story; and I loved how there were different means of media throughout the book as well.

Such an eerily , creepy read
10/10 recommend!!

“We Used to Live Here” by Marcus Kliewer is an eerie and scary thriller. The story is about a young family that knocks on the door of the home of Eve & Charlie who recently purchased the house to remodel, and the father says “this is the house he grew up in and loved, can I please just show my family around if it isn’t too much trouble”. Eve who is home alone is a bit wary but finally agrees and the nightmare begins. I will not say more except that I wish I stopped reading this before bedtime because I had to keep the lights on to sleep. If creepy, scary, and unexplainable is your genre this book is for you!!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well okay then! This book was definitely creepy and very well done with creating the atmosphere. It was a quick read and I definitely wanted to know what happened. There was about 10% towards the end that dragged a little for me but bravo with that twist! Now the twist after the twist.... I had mixed feelings about, but definitely added to the unpredictable nature of the book. I see this a debut book so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Kliewer's next book.

Utterly terrifying. Creepily compelling. Eerily atmospheric.

Eva and Charlie believe they have finally found their dream home nestled in a remote pacific northwest property. With sprawling woods and an ominous house begging for a renovation the couple are eager for a life of solitude. Their illusions of a peaceful life are shattered when a family arrives on their doorstep with the father claiming he grew up in the house and mysterious events begin to occur.

WE USED TO LIVE HERE is a whirlwind of a book that I could not put down. I don’t typically seek out paranormal stories but this one had me in a chokehold in the best way. With an isolated setting, a haunted history, and a labyrinth of a plot this is not a book recommended for after dark reading.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-are prepared to obsessively check to ensure your doors are locked
-enjoy mixed media books; especially one that originated as a Reddit short story
-are anticipating the Netflix series starring Blake Lively

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: June 18, 2024

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review

I read it in a day and didn't want to put it down.

This storyline deals with one of my biggest fears: strangers in your home who don't want to leave. If a man shows up randomly on your doorstep with his family claiming to have grown up in your house and asks to show his kids around...DONT LET THEM IN! What starts as a quick "15 minute" look around really escalates.

This story is claustrophobic and disorienting in the best way. As a reader, I just wanted to scream and direct the main character on what she should do but no choice she could make would possibly get her out of the terrifying mess she finds herself in. It's just too wild.

I liked the creepy supernatural elements and the blur of reality vs imagined that was at play throughout. I expected this to be a thriller but it's really more of a paranormal horror story. The twist made my eyes bug out, and I was so happy with where the author went. I really loved the spooky moments and the detailed horror elements woven in.

The only thing I didn't like very much was the various excerpts throughout the book. Some were helpful but they often just took me out of the story and disrupted the flow. Also, there were a bit too many plot hole/loose thread situations and I was left with a lot of questions. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see the film adaptation and will for sure read this author's future novels.

Eve and her partner, Charlie just moved into an older house in a picturesque neighborhood. One night, there is a knock at the door and Eve stands in front of a family of 5 claiming they used to live there and would like to tour the house. Eve reluctantly says yes. Once the family is in the house, strange things start to happen and as Eve starts to learn more about the history of the house, things are not at all what they seem.


Wow, This book was so good. I read this in less than 24 hours. If this were a movie, I can definitely see A24 adapting this. This was very atmospheric, eerie, haunting and unsettling. If you want a face paced read, mixed media (including articles, interviews and police reports), a horror book that will leave you feeling unsure and may give you nightmares, this is the one for you!!


A few things I would've loved were a few loose ends to be tied up, but I think this was the point and added more to the uneasiness of the story. There were some really cool easter eggs that were hidden at the end of each report in morse code as well so make sure you look out for that.
Thank you, @netgalley and@atriabooks for the ARC.

Make sure to check this out on June 18 !! !!


4.25/5 stars

Didn't finish this, was not at all what I expected from the synopsis. Certainly not bad, but don't feel that we need this in our collection.

This book is creepy. Creepy house, creepy kid, creepy inner voice, creepy neighbor, creepy everything. Is it a dream, an alternate universe, something supernatural?
Eve and Charlie recently purchased an old house to flip and when a family stop by unannounced for a visit - things get creepy. Things start changing. What is real and what isn’t?
I absolutely could not put this book down. It gets better and better as it goes on and the ending is just perfection!
Do yourself a big favor and READ IT!!!!!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book!!!!

I haven’t been this unsettled by a book about a house since Mark Danielewski’s House of Leaves. What a mind f*ck. And I mean that in the sincerest way. I had to sit for a moment after I finished this to gather my scrambling mind. To reign in my panic. To let the hairs on the back of my neck settle. This is how you write a horror story.

We Used To Live Here reminded me of the element that makes me love Stephen King books. Yes, it’s scary, but it’s also deep, and it holds the mirror up to show humanity the ugliest parts of itself. This book gave me the creeps, but it was also richly layered and so well written. It was easy to devour, like sipping cool water on a hot day. You start, you can’t stop, and then it’s gone. In the end, you’re left questioning your own memories, thoughts and sanity.

You’re going to be seeing a lot of this book all over bookstagram, and for very good reason, because it is so good. I got whole body chills all over again, imagining some of the horrors in this book. Read this with the lights on, now.

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer pulls you in on the cover & first few lines of description alone. I am utterly amazed that this is a debut novel. Kliewer writes in a style that we typically find from someone who has done this for years. This book is an absolute masterpiece- it actually scared me! I’m talking I couldn’t put this book down but scared as hell at the same time. I can not give this book enough stars- this is horror/suspense at its very finest!!!

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—
Eve and Charlie have just moved into the big, run down, secluded house they bought with the intention of flipping it. One night, while Eve is home alone, a family shows up on the doorstep. The father, Thomas, lets her know that he grew up in this very house and asks politely if he can show his family around. Eve hesitantly agrees. Then, when a storm forces the family to stay overnight, strange things start happening. The more Eve learns about Thomas, the more she begins regretting her decision to let them in - and the more strange things she begins witnessing in the house that make her question whether she’s going crazy.
—
This was truly scary, and had me super hooked from the very beginning! The first half I was sure it was going to be 5 stars, but at the end I was left with SO many unanswered questions and loose ends. Regardless, it was such a thrilling read that really got me thinking and questioning what was real and what wasn’t throughout the story.