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Member Reviews

I love Emily Austin SO MUCH, This was an incredible book. I loved following these sisters, and I love the wacky and cynical writing style that Emily uses. The mental health rep was spot on

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I'd like to start with I absolutely Adore Emily and all of her previous books. That being said, We Could Be Rats was just not the book for me.
While I enjoyed Sigrid and her story and found some of her inner thoughts relatable, I just couldn't get into the format of the story.
Overall We Could Be Rats was just OK. That being said, I can't wait to read what Emily writes next.

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𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

This book was strange and lovely and deeply sad in all the best ways.

Emily Austin has this way of writing characters that are completely messy, absurd, and emotionally sincere—and somehow you end up loving them for all the things they hate about themselves. This one felt like a sister to Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead—still exploring queerness, mental illness, and identity, but with a slightly sharper edge.

The voice is what made this so good. Darkly funny, weirdly poetic, and somehow both nihilistic and hopeful? It’s hard to pin down, but it worked. I found myself highlighting so many lines just because of how perfectly she captured a particular kind of awkward, existential dread. Also, the title? Perfect.

I’m knocking off half a star only because some parts dipped a little too far into repetition for me (emotionally and structurally), but honestly, that might’ve been the point. It just didn’t always hit the same emotional payoff as the earlier chapters did.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Emily Austin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

We Could Be Rats is available now.

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I’ve really enjoyed Emily Austin’s previous books, which made me all the more excited for We Could Be Rats. Sadly, this one didn’t quite work for me. The concept was intriguing, but the story never fully came together. The pacing felt uneven, and despite flashes of Austin’s trademark wit, the characters didn’t leave a lasting impression.
I ended up setting the book aside before finishing—not because I don’t value Austin’s voice, but because I struggled to connect with the story. That said, I think readers who appreciate quiet, introspective narratives might still find something rewarding here.

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Emily Austin does it again! This is very different than her other books, mostly because so much of this story is told through the many, many attempts at suicide notes. This book spoke to my soul on such a personal level. Sigrid knows that she doesn’t wish to go on but is trying to create a better story for her sister to read in the note. That level of empathy and care for her sister right before making the choice to end her life, was such a realistic and raw approach. Sigrid, while writing the heaviest letter of her life, is funny in her story telling. Learning about her past and feeling heartbroken for her only to realize that some of the “big” reasons why are a lie, keeps you engaged and wondering truly why she is choosing to do this. I appreciate that Austin chose to make the protagonist flawed, an imperfect human, and her “reason” relatable to anyone who has struggled with major depression and/or suicidal ideation.

The other aspect of this story is sisterhood and growing up within a toxic family. I related to the portrayal of the eldest sister, especially in the circumstances. The feeling of always needing to be on edge and watching for every little trigger, was accurately written about. This book is handling serious conversations but through dark humor, which I loved. That is how many of us in the late 20s to mid 30s age range have learned to cope with heavy and dark seasons of our lives. I am excited to read everything that Emily Austin writes, as her books to continue to be relatable weird gay books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the Arc.

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Thank you so much for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. At this time I was unable to finish the book. I read about 30% but could not connect to the story and decided not to finish it.

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I liked We Could Be Rats—it’s dark, weird, and unexpectedly touching. The sibling dynamic felt raw and real, and I appreciated how the story explored grief and identity in such a unique way. Some of the structure was a little repetitive for me, but overall it gave me a lot to think about. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

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I absolutely loved this book! A stunning and heart-wrenching take on life, growing up and finding yourself in your early 20s. I was constantly surprised with where the story went and what was revealed about the characters along the way. I recommend going in blind like I did. I didn’t really know what to expect and I really loved what unfurled in front of me. The sister relationship between Sigrid and Margit really hit me the hardest as I am an older sister of a younger sister. I found myself constantly comparing my own relationship with my sister to that of the sisters in the book, and I don’t know what I would have done in their place. Luckily my childhood was very different but I could still relate to the pains and struggles of growing up and trying to hold on to the nostalgia of youth for as long as possible. I wanted to reach out and hug both girls and let them know that, coming from a 30 year old, everything is going to be okay. I would recommend this to anyone who likes coming of age, quirky, queer, and interesting stories with dynamic and complex characters.

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CW: suicide, grief, addiction, substance abuse, sexual assault, emotional manipulation

I have veryyy mixed feelings about this. This was very heavy most of the time. It was reminiscent of Gone Girl and Long Bright River. Honestly, I'm not totally quite sure what the truth is. I appreciated the content warning at the beginning, I think that prepared me (somewhat) for the story. My heart aches for Sigrid, Margit, and Greta. I think this story depicts another very real connection between sisters. There is a special relationship between sisters that is both contentious, protective, competitive and misunderstood at all times... If you don't have a sister, it's a REALLY hard thing to describe. The pov's of how each sister interpreted their childhoods and the way they treated one another is so real. It's not a Disney-fied, Frozen-like perfect bff sisterhood, it's honest. This was a weird story, but I think it was an alternative perspective on death, dying, living, suicide, being at rock bottom, and how it looks to rebuild your life. A quick and weird, yet impactful read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Atria Books and Emily Austin for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own :)

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I would read Emily Austin's to-do list and do so happily. She has such a brilliant way of writing devastatingly moving novels while still injecting so much humor in them.

We Could Be Rats is no different. In it, we follow two sisters, Sigrid and Margit, who are not very alike at all. The first part of the novel is told through a series of letters as Sigrid attempts to write her suicide note. In the second half, we see how Sigrid's attempted suicide impacts Margit's life and the relationship between the two sisters.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for a review copy. I look forward to reading Austin's next novel.

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Never got around to reading this title. Maybe I will in the future. What drew me to this book was the hype for the author on YouTube. Thank you so much for the opportunity to preview and review this title.

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Annnddddd we're back!

Back meaning that Emily Austin really delivered in We Could Be Rats as opposed to her last novel, Interesting Facts about Space which I felt fell short of my expectations.

This novel! It was exactly what I want from an Emily Austin novel: weirdness, funniness, sadness, and meaningfulness! I devoured this one, but will say that some may struggle with the content as the novel begins with a collection of suicide note drafts. Even with my triggers with suicide, I found this to be really worth the read (writing this review makes me want to read it again).

I was reminded to write this review when I saw a preview for her next release - off to count down the days until it's out.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance reading copy. It was a true gem!

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I loved Emily Austin’s Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead and wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but was really happy to read it! I love stories about families and especially sisters and this one has it all! The writing style is unique and fun and I loved everything about it! I did think some parts dragged on a bit, but overall, a fantastic read.

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A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space.

Five stars. No notes.

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Lily Austin can do no wrong and this novel is no exception. Her writing is so cutting and shape, I ate this book up and was asking for seconds.

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I don’t think I like this as much as I enjoyed her other books, but it was still solid. This one was more about sisters. I had an interesting format. I think I like the more of a solo protagonist by this author than this. I did think that it was funny. She experimented a bit with form this book which I think largely worked but again but her earlier work just sort of connected more for me.

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Two sisters, one childhood, complete opposites. I've always been fascinated at the fact that some people who come from the same household, the same traumatic experiences, could grow up to have completely different outlooks on life and lead very different lives, sometimes, more often than not, isolating. I have a sister and yet, I feel as though our childhood made us into different people, where she used it as fuel for life and going after what she wants, I let it make me a shell of a person for the longest time- quiet, too nice, too agreeing, a pushover.

I truly felt for both Sigrid and Magrit. I think it was hard not to. Emily Austin, you've made a fan out of me. I don't know the right words to describe all that this book did to me. All I can say right now is I cried and felt so seen as someone who's had her fair of mental health issues. This was my first Emily book but it definitely won't be my last.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

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This novel is about two sisters; Sigrid and Margit. Sigrid is a lesbian, works at the Dollar Pal, and wishes she could have been a kid forever. Margit is a college student who doesn't understand her sister and prefers to pretend that everything is okay. When Sigrid decides she's going to commit suicide, we learn through attempts at writing final letters what their childhood was like with their parents, Sigrid's best friend throughout high school and more.

This was written so beautifully, as I continue to expect from Emily Austin. The way she describes Sigrid's vivid imagination and her fighting adulthood hit me in a way I wasn't expecting. When we change perspectives later on in the book, I was blown away by how cleverly planned out this novel was. With that, I will leave you with this quote that I can't stop thinking about:

“If I could have picked what I was born to be, I would be a fat little rat at a fair. I would ride the Ferris wheel all night. All the carnival lights would reflect in my happy, beady eyes. I would feast on candy apple cores, discarded peanuts, and melon rinds. I would spook the ladies and carnival workers for kicks. When the lights went out, and the gates were shut, I would scurry around on the ground, rummage through the trash cans, and squeak happily with my rat pals. I would live to be about two years old, which is as long as most rats live. I would get my money’s worth out of my little rat lifespan, and I would leave the earth happy to have been there.”

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Emily Austin never disappoints! After reading Everyone in this room will someday be dead, I jumped at the chance to read this one. Great read and the writing style is different and unique.

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"We Could Be Rats" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that follows the lives of two very sisters in their late teens and early twenties. Margit is a high-achieving academic, while Sigrid is a high school dropout who views herself as a failure. The story explores Sigrid’s suicide attempt and its impact on both sisters. It is a powerful exploration of identity, mental health, and the complexities of sibling relationships.

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