Jamie's Reviews > We Used to Live Here
We Used to Live Here
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This book has totally unlocked a new fear for me, so thank you for that, Marcus Kliewer. Luckily we're only the second owners of our house and it's not old enough for anyone to have grown up here, so I'll be rightfully suspicious of anyone knocking on our door wanting to see their “childhood home.” And after having read We Used to Live Here, there is no way I'm letting a stranger into my house. Ever.
But, yeah, this is a creepy and suspenseful read, and you can sense the wrongness of the situation from the very beginning. The dread slowly builds and builds, although it's hard to really put your finger on why. I mean, by all appearances the Fausts are just a perfectly normal family, so why do they feel so … diabolical?
Eve is an okay main character, not particularly likeable but also not exactly unlikeable – she's just kind of neurotic and overly anxious (with good reason, as it turns out). Shylo the dog is a perfectly adorable good girl, of course, and I spent the entire book fretting over whether or not she was going to survive. (And does she? (view spoiler) )
The first part of this book is mostly a “creepy things are happening in an old house” sort of thing (the unsettling Faust family aside), but the final pages are a total mind-bender. I'm honestly not sure if I loved the ending or semi-hated it? Let's just say that it's kind of … open to interpretation and leave it at that, I suppose? I'm looking forward to the future movie and to seeing where the director goes with this one.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy suspenseful psychological thrillers mixed with a heaping dose of horror, you should probably consider giving We Used to Live Here a read. You'll never want to open your door to a stranger again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
But, yeah, this is a creepy and suspenseful read, and you can sense the wrongness of the situation from the very beginning. The dread slowly builds and builds, although it's hard to really put your finger on why. I mean, by all appearances the Fausts are just a perfectly normal family, so why do they feel so … diabolical?
Eve is an okay main character, not particularly likeable but also not exactly unlikeable – she's just kind of neurotic and overly anxious (with good reason, as it turns out). Shylo the dog is a perfectly adorable good girl, of course, and I spent the entire book fretting over whether or not she was going to survive. (And does she? (view spoiler) )
The first part of this book is mostly a “creepy things are happening in an old house” sort of thing (the unsettling Faust family aside), but the final pages are a total mind-bender. I'm honestly not sure if I loved the ending or semi-hated it? Let's just say that it's kind of … open to interpretation and leave it at that, I suppose? I'm looking forward to the future movie and to seeing where the director goes with this one.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy suspenseful psychological thrillers mixed with a heaping dose of horror, you should probably consider giving We Used to Live Here a read. You'll never want to open your door to a stranger again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
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Reading Progress
February 26, 2024
–
Started Reading
February 26, 2024
– Shelved
February 26, 2024
– Shelved as:
arcs-and-such
February 26, 2024
– Shelved as:
fiction
February 28, 2024
–
Finished Reading
March 13, 2024
– Shelved as:
popsugar-challenge-2015
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Debbie Y
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Feb 28, 2024 10:07PM
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![Jamie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1683682504p1/54525560.jpg)
Thank you, Debbie! There's a creepy house and a creepy family in this one - I got a bit spooked reading it at night, honestly. 😀
![Jamie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1683682504p1/54525560.jpg)
Thank you, JJ! The ending is very very ... open-ended and twisty. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I think I'm leaning toward liking it? It's an unusual one, for sure!
MarilynW wrote: "Your fabulous review still has me worried for the dog 😟"
Thank you, Marilyn! I always worry so much about dogs in books, LOL. (view spoiler)
![MarilynW](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1522535580p1/49815208.jpg)
Thank you, JJ! The ending is very very ... open-ended and twisty. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I thi..."
Thanks for the spoiler, Jamie!
![Jamie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1683682504p1/54525560.jpg)
You're welcome, although I just realized that my second spoiler doesn't really add much to my original spoiler, ha ha. What I meant to say is that (view spoiler) 🙂🐶
![MarilynW](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1522535580p1/49815208.jpg)
You're welcome, although I just realized that my second spoiler doesn't really add much to my original spoiler, ha ha. What I meant to say is that ..."
It was about the same as the first but I decided I didn't have to worry (I think, seems some weirdness is afoot). 😁
![Jamie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1683682504p1/54525560.jpg)
Thank you, Mellissa! Yes, me too - I won't read a book if I know that the dog dies. 😀
L.A. wrote: "Fabulous review!"
Thanks so much, L.A.! 🙂
![Jamie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1683682504p1/54525560.jpg)
It's been a few months, but I don't remember there being any gore in this one. I watched all kinds of inappropriate horror movies when I was ridiculously young and I've been a big fan of the genre ever since. 😀 Coraline by Neil Gaiman might be a good start if you're looking to try out some horror - it's only slightly scary and written for kids so you know there's nothing too horrible in it!
![Jess](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1634588068p1/15974797.jpg)