We Used to Live Here pulled me back to being a teenager hunting for creepypastas at 3 in the morning. If you're someone who misses swapping scary stories you found on the internet with friends when you were younger, prepare to be submerged in a warm, satisfying nostalgia - until you're compelled to reach for the light because, holy shit, this is actually creepy.
Here's the thing: it's best to go into We Used to Live Here as blindly as possible. Ignore the Goodreads reviews and crack this book open to dive head-first into a mind-bending nightmare that will make you realize how easily your life can be upended.
What I loved about We Used to Live Here:
It's genuinely creepy. It's not necessarily a book that'll continuously leave the hairs on the back of your neck on end, but as the dread slowly builds, you'll be convinced something is creeping towards you from the shadows.
Interactive mixed media elements. The internet searches and chat logs from message boards would have been enough to keep my heart happy, but realizing there were secret messages embedded within some was next-level brilliance. I've never grabbed for a pen and paper so quickly.
Surreal mind-fuckery. Yes, some scenes made me shiver, but Kliewer masterfully builds up to them by submerging you in intense psychological suspense. He has a way of setting you off-kilter, leaving you questioning everything you're reading. By the time the end comes around, you're just a shattered version of the person you used to be.
I tend to love my books bite-sized, removed from unnecessary plot points or characters. I never expected to be someone who wanted a book to be longer, but We Used to Live Here is probably the first book that made me want more - mostly in a good way. There was just so much to explore with the lore that I didn't want to leave the world behind until we explored it all. Here's to hoping we get another book in this weird, messed up universe.
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