Audiobook Review: We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
We Used to Live Here
Author: Marcus Kliewer
Narrators:
Corey Brill
Jeremy Carlisle Parker
Published: June 18, 2024
Audiobook: 9 hours 52 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: October 27- November 2, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.
As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?
Jessica’s Review:
I started We Used to Live Here the week of Halloween and was hoping to get it finished before November, but didn’t quite make it as I finished it November 2nd. I wanted it to be my ‘scary week’ read and it was!
I listened to the audiobook on this one and feel I actually missed out some on listening to it versus reading it. At the end of some chapters there is Morse Code which the audiobook played, but I feel I missed out as I can’t get it translated. You can look it up online though! And it seemed like there are other things in the physical book that you can’t get with narration. Of course I found this out after I finished listening to the audio!
I really enjoyed this one! You didn’t really know what direction it was going or who to trust. I pictured Eve as Blake Lively since I am guessing that is the character she is going to play in the Netflix movie that has been announced. This is Kliewer’s debut novel that actually began its life as a serialized short story on Reddit and it just grew from there.
Both narrators did a great job, with Jeremy Carlisle Parker narrating the documents that were throughout the novel. Corey Brill really brought Eve to life. I could feel the emotions that Brill was giving off as Eve.
The character of Eve annoyed me: I mean who just lets strangers in their house because they said they lived there at some point! I mean if Eve had never let them in then all of this would not have happened! But then we wouldn’t have a book…. Also, she needs to be more assertive! Dang, the poor girl was so pathetic at times! We do have an unreliable narrator here with Eve, but I knew this going in. Unreliable narrators are ‘hit or miss’ for me. They are mainly misses…. But not in We Used to Live Here’s case! I am definitely interested in getting a physical copy at some point and plan on watching the Netflix film once it is available. I also look forward to reading what Kliewer writes next!
The audiobook is good, but I’d say go for a physical or even a kindle copy for this novel!
Short Story Sunday: Audiobook Review: Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix
Ankle Snatcher
Series: Creature Feature short stories 2 of 6
Author: Grady Hendrix
Narrator: Michael Crouch
Published: September 26, 2023
Audiobook: 45 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Listened To: December 27, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Short Story Description:
Obey the rules. It’s the only way to survive the night in a short story about what hides in the dark by the New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.
Marcus grew up believing his father killed his mother—then blamed it on the boogeyman under the bed. Always leave the lights on, his father warned, or the boogeyman will get you. Marcus still heeds the superstition, especially when he invites his new girlfriend over. Is Marcus haunted by a creature or has he just inherited his father’s murderous delusions? The night will tell.
Grady Hendrix’s Ankle Snatcher is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.
Jessica’s Review:
This was a creepy short story by Grady Hendrix and I actually enjoyed it! I wasn’t sure what to expect because he has been an author who has mainly been a miss for me, but I decided to give this short story a try and I am glad I did!
Hendrix does a really great job helping the reader/listener go back to when they were a child and they had fears that there were monsters in their closet, or in the case of this story, monsters under the bed. It is 100% creepy and you wonder the entire story: Is it monsters under Marcus’ bed or is the monster actually Marcus?
The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is that the ending did not totally work for me.
The narrator is Michael Crouch and I was so excited about that! He is one of my favorite narrators, so when I saw he narrated it, I definitely decided to give it a shot.
Maybe I will be able to bring myself to listen to How to Sell a Haunted House. His books just grab my attention based on what they are about, but almost every time they have fallen short for me. Maybe this short story is a change for me!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
ALC Review: You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth
You Better Watch Out
Authors:
James S. Murray
Darren Wearmouth
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
To Be Published: October 15, 2024
Audiobook: 5 hours 47 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 24-30, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Audiobook Description:
From international bestselling authors James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth, comes You Better Watch Out, a suspenseful, serial killer thriller that leaves you wondering, is Christmas really the best time of the year?
Forty-eight hours until Christmas, Jessica Kane wakes up with blurred vision, ears ringing, and in excruciating pain. A gash in her head and blood running down her face, the last thing she remembers is going for a run and something or someone hitting her in the head.
It doesn’t take her long to realize she is trapped in an unknown, deserted town with five other strangers who share similar stories of being attacked and stranded there. Unsure why and how they got there, she knows one thing for certain, she has to find a way out.
That becomes nearly impossible when someone is meticulously orchestrating their deaths, one by one, and the only thing Jessica can do is watch the life leave their eyes.
The fenced-in town is the killer’s very own playground and there’s nowhere left to hide… she better watch out because she could be next.
Jessica’s Review:
I LOVED this book! It takes place at Christmas time, so I guess it will be considered a Christmas horror story (kind of like how Die Hard is considered to some a Christmas movie: And IT IS as I watch it every year! My ex-husband introduced me to Die Hard, but I will keep the tradition of watching it on Christmas Eve/ Christmas as it has become MY yearly enjoyable tradition!)
Out will not be for everyone: It is very gory and as the book continues the deaths one up each other by becoming more intense, gruesome, and dare I say…inventive?
We first meet Eddie who I considered the main character despite the book description seemingly focusing on Jessica as the main character. We have several strangers who all wake up after being drugged, kidnapped and in the middle of nowhere. This is a shorter novel that is very fast paced from the beginning. It’s a race for survival if anyone is going to make it. And you really don’t know if any of our characters will make it to the end. We have what I thought was a great twist and I am asking the authors: Can we PLEASE have a second book?!?!?!
The narrator is Barrie Kreinik who was perfect! Her narration really helped to bring this disturbing story to life for me!
If you want a different kind of Christmas novel, (which would also be perfect to read now at Halloween!) that’s not all cheery “Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!” Just remember it’s on the gruesome side, so be ready.
MANY THANK YOUs to the publisher Macmillian Audio for granting me an advanced listening copy. As you can tell, I LOVED it!
Pre-Order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK