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We Used to Live Here
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March 2025 Group Read #1 - We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
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Am I the only one who didn’t like this book? I feel like I am. I really didn’t like the ending to it either.
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..."
Once I read your comment, I could not unsee the “…”. Like 3 times a page sometimes. Wth.
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I really didn’t like the ending to it either."
Really? I see a lot of mixed opinions, you're definitely not alone feeling this way.
Finished this last night, and I wasn’t crazy about it. It was definitely unsettling and even scary at times, but just such a hodgepodge. I felt like it was trying to reuse elements of House of Leaves, and I honestly didn’t love that one either. So, this might just not be my horror subgenre of choice. There was so much thrown in here, and I finished with no idea of what was going on, of the motivation of Thomas and his family. I feel like the interspersion of media, interview notes, etc., is getting to be overused, and a poor substitution for good solid storytelling. Instead of functioning as clues that helped me build a theory, they felt like oddities thrown in for the sake unsettling the reader, with no real cohesive thread. Just my two cents of course, I’m glad lots of folks loved this.
Lisa wrote: "Finished this last night, and I wasn’t crazy about it. It was definitely unsettling and even scary at times, but just such a hodgepodge. I felt like it was trying to reuse elements of House of Leav..."I agree with everything you said, Lisa. For me, this was a little diffuse and not focused enough, there were uncanny moments, but nothing I found really scary.
i struggled with this one for the first half or so but i did end up enjoying how it wrapped up. i can see why some wouldn't like it though.
just got here late, but finished Nothing But Blackened Teeth. I'll read this one this week! It has been on my TBR digital for a while. :) excited.
Really loved this one up until the last 50 or so pages. The ending was not very satisfying imo but the rest was some solid horror. This will be one I want to revisit later to see all of the little clues that I missed my first time.
According to my Kindle, I'm 43% of the way through. I'm enjoying it so far. But I admit that mixed reviews here are keeping my expectations in check :)I'd ordinarily be reading it at a faster pace but I haven't had much time to read lately. That should change this week, thankfully.
I really enjoyed this one. It was creepy, well written and I loved the premise. I enjoyed the fact that not everything was explained and the ending worked perfectly for me. I'd love a follow up book to continue the story.
I finished this last night. I liked it but I can also understand why others may not like it. I liked the turns it took. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but in a good way. I think it's a book that benefits from at least one re-read to pick up what I missed previously.
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I will finish the book tho and come back to give me opinion, thank you everyone who joined and participated, appreciate you all :)
Kasia wrote: "Sorry I fell of the reading wagon this month, my cat passed away and I just can't seem to be able to read at all when sad. Gah, love hurts for reals :PI will finish the book tho and come back to ..."
I'm so sorry for your loss ♥️
Kasia wrote: "Sorry I fell of the reading wagon this month, my cat passed away and I just can't seem to be able to read at all when sad. Gah, love hurts for reals :PI will finish the book tho and come back to ..."
Oh, so sorry for the loss of your kitty!
I'm so sorry about your loss, Kasia :(
I’m sorry to hear this Kasia ❤️
I finally received my reserved copy from the library. I was #20 on the waiting list when I ordered it.Have to do some catching up.
Kasia wrote: "Sorry I fell of the reading wagon this month, my cat passed away and I just can't seem to be able to read at all when sad. Gah, love hurts for reals :PI will finish the book tho and come back to ..."
Sorry for your loss. Pets have a special place in our hearts and memories.
Lisa wrote: "Finished this last night, and I wasn’t crazy about it. It was definitely unsettling and even scary at times, but just such a hodgepodge. I felt like it was trying to reuse elements of House of Leav..."I agree completely about those interludes, although I'm only 118 pages in so far. While some of them appear to be related to the main story - - they appear contrived. An author's job is to make you not notice when they do that.
I'm 118 pages in and enjoying this. It's a real page turner, which I attribute to the easy reading style of the author. Whether or not he's manipulating situations to make things occur - he does know how to write well. Characterization is excellent, even though I'm not enthusiastic about all the characters. I guess I'm enjoying this because of the style of writing more than anything else - - I don't know how to explain that better. I have nothing in common with Eve, but I've come to like her because of her flaws. I empathize. Give the writer some credit for that.
Lisa wrote: "Finished this last night, and I wasn’t crazy about it. It was definitely unsettling and even scary at times, but just such a hodgepodge. I felt like it was trying to reuse elements of House of Leav..."When I got to the end of the novel, I finally understood what all those interview notes, etc were all about. I'll hide the answer for those who may still be reading this. It was (view spoiler)
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Zain