March 2025 Group Read #1 - We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

[Kasia]

Here's the thread for our March winner, please use spoiler tags, if you need help with those pls don't be shy and post where you're at with the book when chatting.

[Emilie]

Great book!

[WendyB]

I've already got a copy. I'll be reading this.

[Diane (sooo behind again)]

I really enjoyed this one. I hope others do too!

[Taryn Lee]

Oooh. I actually just finished this one. It’s soooo good!!!

[Ruth]

Read this one last year... gave it four stars. It's a creepy story. Enjoy!

[Ric]

Just ordered it.

[nicole❀]

Just requested it. Can't wait to read!

[Anshika]

I'll be reading this book (I just have to add one more book in my never-ending tbr).

[Hannah]

I enjoyed this one :)

[Brenna]

Currently listening to this on audio, about 30% in - to be honest, I've been struggling with it a bit. Glad to have a group read to help me finish!

[Dr CG]

Did not enjoy this one, but there’s always more out there :) I was just bored during most of it. Happy reading!

[destiny ♡]

I can't wait to read this! It's been at the top of my TBR since it released.

[Lisa]

I keep hearing about this one. I'm in, and looking forward to it!

[Latasha]

omg. my library has this?! after i picked myself up off the floor, i reserved it. going in totally blind, didn't even read what it's about.

[Kasia]

Getting a copy soon, can't wait to join in, thanks everyone for participating and being here with us for this upcoming read.

[BookishVegan]

Loved it

[Bookslayer420]

ive never participated but i think I'll pick it up and read along. sounds fun :)

[David]

Loved this book, it was a very creepy thriller/horror.

[WendyB]

uh oh... only 30 pages in and I already can't stand Eve.

[Kasia]

Wahoo it's March, let's start this baby...

[Lisa]

Just opened the book and the illustration makes me think of House of Leaves.

[Lisa]

WendyB wrote: "uh oh... only 30 pages in and I already can't stand Eve."

I feel ya...I get frustrated when someone is such a pushover.

[WendyB]

Lisa wrote: "WendyB wrote: "uh oh... only 30 pages in and I already can't stand Eve."

I feel ya...I get frustrated when someone is such a pushover."

When I'm home alone about the only way I'd open the front door is if a cop was standing outside.

I didn't read any more today but if her character stays this way, I may just set the book aside.

[Kasia]

Sorry I'm tardy, just started and that map in the beginning is very intriguing.

Putting on a pot of water on the stove to boil some pierogi (mashed potato and onion) and will panfry with some extra sauteed onion on the side as I read.

Also per first page I would not just open my door to people like that either, whoa haha.

[I]

Awesome book.

[Lisa]

Kasia wrote: "Sorry I'm tardy, just started and that map in the beginning is very intriguing.

Putting on a pot of water on the stove to boil some pierogi (mashed potato and onion) and will panfry with some ext..."

Yummy, my grandmother used to make pierogi; yours look great!

I'd open the door, but I'm sure not letting these fools into my house.

[Alan]

Janee' wrote: "I got a copy of We Used to Live here and cannot wait to start it. I hope this is not against rules, but I love this group and wanted to share my promo with you all as I have never hosted one. 📚 FRE..."

Author promotion is limited to the Author/Publisher Promo folder ONLY:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

[David]

I have this on my ereader - just need to finish my current book (The Nightmare Man by JH Markert) first :)

[inciminci]

I'll join this read too, just bought the book!

[Kasia]

Lisa wrote: "Yummy, my grandmother used to make pierogi; yours look great!

I'd open the door, but I'm sure not letting these fools into my house."

I will admit these were store bought frozen but they were still very tasty especially with the sauteed onions, but I have made them before as a kid so I think I can achieve something similar haha.

Yeah seriously, anyone can show up at your door claiming x y and z....

[Kasia]

inciminci wrote: "I'll join this read too, just bought the book!"

Noice!! I'm back to it today, wasn't feeling well last two days so got no reading done sadly.

[Bookslayer420]

am i actually supposed to believe a woman would let a random ass man into her house??? bro what??

[David]

I am 28% in (the precision of an e-reader). The inciting incident of letting someone into your home takes a leap of faith to accept. I know I wouldn't do it. But, given the character traits of Eve, I can, sort of, see it happening. Although I do wonder if those exact traits were constructed for Eve just so she would let them in?
I did also find the family leaving, then the snow storm almost comical in its contrivance.
That aside, it is intriguing enough and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes. I have seen reviews saying it is scary, so I have high hopes.

[Kasia]

16% in and omgosh that "visiting" family is so annoying, I'd just lock the door with them inside and move straight out lol.

[WendyB]

Kasia wrote: "16% in and omgosh that "visiting" family is so annoying, I'd just lock the door with them inside and move straight out lol."

😄

[Kaytlan]

currently 75% through listening to this, and it's so freaking GOOD! I hope the ending pays off. some things are annoying in the sense of like when you're yelling at the tv telling someone not to go to the basement alone while watching a scary movie, but I've been invested from the get go.

[WendyB]

I should have made a comment here sooner but... I really didn't like this book at all. Every single character was annoying to point of not caring what happened to them. The storyline was too messed up to follow and about the only readable part was the ending, and that didn't help to make any part of the book more understandable.
So giving this 2 stars but just barely.

[Kasia]

I love how books and stories in them are such a prism of our personal tolerances, we can all read the same book and have such varied experiences with it, the multiverse is real indeed haha.

[David]

Just finished and rated it 3*...

Not quite sure what to make of this. I didn't find it scary, so there's that, and I felt the story didn't really lead anywhere. It had some good moments and a good premise that the author did manage to convincingly initiate despite its flaws. My only other gripe is the use of ... which I think was overused and didn't really offer the suspense that I think was intended. Sadly, I'm a bit "meh" about the book but, it kept me interested enough to finish it.

[WendyB]

Kasia wrote: "I love how books and stories in them are such a prism of our personal tolerances, we can all read the same book and have such varied experiences with it, the multiverse is real indeed haha."

And sometimes it's not what we read but when we read it that influences our reactions to a book.

[WendyB]

David wrote: "Just finished and rated it 3*...

Not quite sure what to make of this. I didn't find it scary, so there's that, and I felt the story didn't really lead anywhere. It had some good moments and a good..."

I didn't think it was scary either, maybe just weird.

[Dave]

I started reading the wrong We Used To Live Here. There is another book published in 2022 by Daniel Hurst with the same title, oops. Hopefully the "real" one is better.

[Kasia]

WendyB wrote: "And sometimes it's not what we read but when we read it that influences our reactions to a book."

Sure, your "when" is not same as mine obviously so we only have the book to judge as a constant that's the same in both our varied experiences.

[Kasia]

Dave wrote: "I started reading the wrong We Used To Live Here. There is another book published in 2022 by Daniel Hurst with the same title, oops. Hopefully the "real" one is better."

Oh nooo haha, whoops!

[Kasia]

Janee' wrote: "This book gave me serious chills. The creeping tension and unsettling atmosphere had me hooked from the start. It’s one of those stories that makes you question everything, and I loved every eerie,..."

This is not a thread for author self promo Janee, please use proper folders for that, thanks.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[inciminci]

I'm at 50% and unfortunately not loving it. I feel like the author just threw in many popular creepy tropes (so far I counted (view spoiler)[- a house changing shape, a Slenderman-like figure, sleep paralysis (hide spoiler)]) and so far it's kind of a pointless hodgepodge. I'm not loosing hope though, the ratings are amazing for this one, so hoping I won't be an outlier.

[Chewable Orb]

Loved it!

[Robin]

Actually went back and reread this one specifically because my own opinion was so different from the multitudes of raving comments and reviews I was seeing. Even got a bit concerned that clearly SOMETHING must have flown right over my head! Nope. The second time through was even more underwhelming since it lacked the elements of novelty and surprise. It was a’ight, but no one was bound to put it in the same category as books like Rosemary’s Baby or The Exorcist. I honestly don’t expect everyone to share my opinions on books. I’m old and I’ve been an avid reader my entire life. It’s inevitable that the more books you’ve read, the more difficult it becomes for a book to genuinely stand out and amaze you, but it is a HUGE occasion when one does! We Used to Live Here, while entertaining and adequately written, simply wasn’t one of those precious, rare books for me.

[Kasia]

Robin wrote: "It’s inevitable that the more books you’ve read, the more difficult it becomes for a book to genuinely stand out and amaze you, but it is a HUGE occasion when one does! We Used to Live Here, while entertaining and adequately written, simply wasn’t one of those precious, rare books for me."

That makes a lot of sense, its like watching horror movies, think I got a bit desensitized over time and had to take a break because I've been watching them since I was a little kid.

I like how everyone has a different opinion on any story, the world would be so boring if we all loved the same thing, I mean I tried listening to Taylor Swift and it's just not happening, I don't get the appeal and I'm genuinely puzzled but that's just me versus millions of ppl who feel the exact opposite lol. It is what it is...