Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

4.5/5

This very unsettling novel centers around main character Eve, and her partner, Charlie. The two have just bought an old house in a remote area. One day, a family unexpectedly stops in, and asks for a tour of the house since the father, Thomas, used to live there. The book quickly snowballs from there.

I thought this book was definitely creepy. I liked in the interview snippets and reports that were in between the chapters. I also thought the Morse code clue was really interesting. I ended up Googling what the clue was, because I got impatient about halfway through, and had to know what it was.

We Used to Live Here” by Marcus Kliewer was a gripping psychological thriller that explores the haunting remnants of a past and what is reality. The book delves into themes of memory, trauma, and the dark secrets that lurk beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic life. With a narrative that builds suspense through an eerie atmosphere and clever twists, Kliewer crafts a story that keeps readers on edge until the very and somewhat confusing end. The plot follows a young couple buying an old Victorian house to renovate when one evening a family comes knocking and the patriarch of said family says he grew up in the house. Which off sets the entire story, Kliewer masterfully blurs the line between reality and hallucination, creating a sense of disorientation that mirrors the protagonist’s gradual descent into paranoia. As they dig deeper into the house’s history, secrets emerge, unraveling the couple’s perception of each other and themselves. The writing style is taut and atmospheric, building tension through detailed descriptions and a slow-burn approach that adds to the sense of unease. The protagonist, who is portrayed with a mix of vulnerability and resilience is well developed. The author effectively captures the complexities of navigating a relationship strained by external forces, as well as the fear that arise along the way.
This book had me talking aloud to myself and I was definitely making some noises when some of the scary stuff goes down. What a chilling and spooky read just in time for halloween. Well I did enjoy reading it, there are some areas that I felt didn’t add to the story overall, and there’s a few areas I wish had more time spent on them as It left some unanswered questions.

I was confused after reading this book. I can’t wrap my head around what actually happened and how many loose ends this book had that were not brought to closure. This book was very captivating but I feel like it was very hard to follow, jumped all over the place and then just ended. I thought my e copy was missing chapters with the way it just stopped. Overall if you love creepy or scary books, you will enjoy this read.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I really enjoyed this book! It sucked me in from the beginning. I was suspicious of all the members of the family that showed up at the door. I wouldn’t have answered to them! Eve was too nice. I didn’t expect for it to take a supernatural turn, and didn’t like that part but it was still enjoyable. The ending made me so sad for Eve, and I need a book 2!

Ooo this one was really Spooky! I've seen this title in my bibliophile groups and decided hop aboard the FOMO train. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found the author's writing to be Engaging and the setting Exciting. Haunted houses certainly aren't a new trope in the horror/thriller genre, but the author did a nice job of putting his own twist on it.

Read if you like:
Mixed realities
An unreliable narrator
Haunted house setting
Steady-pacing
Light horror

P.S. Shylo the dog does NOT die!

I am not much of a horror reader but I heard the hype on this book and had to check it out. This absolutely lives up to the hype. Scary, mind bending and unputdownable. The little codes and puzzles are an added bonus. Definitely a top read of the year

The creep factor is high from chapter one, which I applaud. But coming off the final pages... damn, what the eff did I just read?!

It's a very creative piece of psychological horror drawing on many elements without leaning too far into any one of them. We're talking haunted house, Mandela effect, gaslighting, and just plain ol' fashioned dread.

The main character's anxiety and paranoia ramp up continuously throughout the book. Genuine mental disorders play a large role, but I'm a little lost as to what (if anything) the author has to say about them.

I appreciate that the disjointed interstitial "evidence documents" do ultimately come together and I can see the value in leaving readers disturbed and unsatisfied. Still, I would have liked an ending that offered a more objective truth explaining everything.

3.5 stars, rounded up

This one wasn’t really my style, but I can see it being a favorite for lots of people. I had no idea what was going on most of the time, but in the best way possible. Basically, it was a mind f***. It’s the perfect book to read this spooky season. I was creeped out most of the time!

We Used to Live Here
Pub date: 6/18/2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
OMG!! What did I just read??? This was an absolutely horrifying psychological thriller! I don’t really read much “horror”, and this may not be super intense horror, but wow was I terrified!! This book is absolutely creepy and gave me chills. I read this while my husband and I were camping. He ran to pick up our food while I was reading this in the dark around a campfire and was totally freaked out!!! I haven’t read many books that scare me, but this one definitely did! I highly recommend this spooky book!!!

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

We Used to Live Here was one of my favorite books of the year, and it's the perfect read for spooky season. It had elements of haunted houses, bodysnatching, doppelgängers, alternate realities, and more that all melded together into one fun, frightening story.

I thought the author did a great job developing a complex main character and showing how her anxiety and mental health struggles could cause her to doubt even her own instincts. The entire book was tense and confusing, and even as a reader, we never knew which characters were reliable, who was being paranoid, who couldn't be trusted, who was being gaslit, etc., which made it feel like we were going through the experience with the character.

The story was slightly paranormal, just toeing the line of reality and conspiracy, which made it almost believable and all the more scary. Not every question was answered, and it left me wanting more – but in the best way.

I don’t believe 100% that the blurb is correct when it says that there’s going to be a Blake Lively movie about this, because why would they do that before the book even came out? However, I have thought about this book quite a lot since I’ve read it. I am trying to convince myself that being 4star into a novel is just as good as Blake Lively’s hair but I’m not even selling it to myself. Thank you for the ARC and the space to speak about books from dark roots to platinum tips,

WOWOWOW! I’m so pleasantly surprised by this book! It was fast paced and suspenseful and truly unputdownable. I have so many questions but none of that took away from the enjoyment of the story! Such a fun, creepy read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

Thank you Artria Books for this copy!
This book was so creepy and so attention grabbing right from the beginning. It sucked me in and didn’t let go! Still hasn’t and I want more!
The plot, even though it’s crazy, flows so smoothly. I could follow these outlandish events and enjoy every moment! This is one of those books that is so fun to read at night because some of the scenarios and imagery are so creepy!
Definitely recommend this book.

This book left me feeling dizzy, spun around and turned inside out. I felt tormented by Eve’s struggle to overcome past trauma and the constant self-doubt she felt because no one be,I even her. It gave me a sense of being stuck in a noir novel where the main character was made out to be hysterical as a result of gaslighting.

Eve and Charlie who flip houses decide to buy a house at 3709 Heritage Lane. One night a family of 5 (mother Paige, father Thomas, daughter Jenny and two boys) knock on the door. Thomas claims he lived there when he was a boy and asks if he can look around.
While the family is there, one thing after another happens extending their visit and strange things happen around the house.
The story takes you down into madness and confusion. The setting is creepy, the characters are creepy, creepy things occur. You don’t know what’s real or not real.
The ending left a lot of unanswered questions
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Marcus Kliewer for the ARC

Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly, I have no idea how I feel about this one and I don’t know if I ever will. It was confusing, weird and deranged, but I *think* I liked all of that? To some extent, anyway.

I found the main characters compelling - while character study wasn’t central to the plot, the relationship between Eve and Charlie felt realistic and complex. The atmosphere was very immersive and, truthfully, gave me the creeps like no other quite often. On the other hand, I didn’t find the pacing compelling - there was either nothing or far too much happening at any given point.

This is definitely the kind of book that leaves you with more questions than answers and, while that’s not a bad thing, I did feel annoyed at the end - it felt like the story was leading up to something only to never arrive there. But then again, maybe that’s the whole point? Who knows.

TLDR: I’m confused about everything.

3.5 ⭐️

This book was creepy and confusing. I enjoyed this book. I didn’t however enjoy all the hate on religion. Overall good story.

Now this book gives me the creeps! I was genuinely scared reading this but since I have so many questions, I took off a star