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I Think We've Been Here Before
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2025)With the end of the world predicted, reality bends in an unexpectedly quirky and heartwarming novel about human connection and the meaning of life and death by the bestselling author of Sorry I Missed You.
In the same week, Marlen and Hilda’s family receives two significant pieces of news: One, Marlen has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast is set to render humanity extinct within a matter of months. It seems the coming Christmas on their Saskatchewan farm could be everyone’s last.
Preparing for the inevitable, they navigate the time they have left together. Marlen and Hilda channel their energy into improbably prophetic works of art. Hilda’s elderly father receives a longed-for visitor from his past. Hilda’s preteen nephew goes missing, and his mother refuses to believe the world is ending. All the while, Hilda’s daughter struggles to find her way home from Berlin with the help of an oddly familiar stranger. For everyone, there’s an unsettling feeling that this unprecedented reality is somehow something they all remember.
As the planet holds its collective breath to see what happens next, the family—amid chaos, denial, acceptance, and hope—determines to live every moment as if it is their last. Because, well, it just might be.
In the same week, Marlen and Hilda’s family receives two significant pieces of news: One, Marlen has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast is set to render humanity extinct within a matter of months. It seems the coming Christmas on their Saskatchewan farm could be everyone’s last.
Preparing for the inevitable, they navigate the time they have left together. Marlen and Hilda channel their energy into improbably prophetic works of art. Hilda’s elderly father receives a longed-for visitor from his past. Hilda’s preteen nephew goes missing, and his mother refuses to believe the world is ending. All the while, Hilda’s daughter struggles to find her way home from Berlin with the help of an oddly familiar stranger. For everyone, there’s an unsettling feeling that this unprecedented reality is somehow something they all remember.
As the planet holds its collective breath to see what happens next, the family—amid chaos, denial, acceptance, and hope—determines to live every moment as if it is their last. Because, well, it just might be.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2024
3787 people are currently reading
25578 people want to read
About the author
Suzy Krause
3 books436 followersSuzy Krause is a writer and music lover from the Saskatchewan prairies.
Her first novel, Valencia and Valentine, was inspired by her time as a debt collector and the song Heart by Stars. She wrote her second book, Sorry I Missed You, after walking by a house with three mailboxes that looked like it could possibly be haunted. Her third book, I Think We've Been Here Before, is due September 2024 and has been optioned for TV. It was inspired by a recurring dream about the end of the world that was oddly comforting. Her books have been translated into Russian and Estonian.
Her first novel, Valencia and Valentine, was inspired by her time as a debt collector and the song Heart by Stars. She wrote her second book, Sorry I Missed You, after walking by a house with three mailboxes that looked like it could possibly be haunted. Her third book, I Think We've Been Here Before, is due September 2024 and has been optioned for TV. It was inspired by a recurring dream about the end of the world that was oddly comforting. Her books have been translated into Russian and Estonian.
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November 13, 2025(Edit #1: If you're here because you want to know what's up with the cat, I made this for you: THE CAT —there's even a picture of The Cat. She's not a typo; she's a clue!)
(Edit #2: Thanks to everyone who has commented below! I won't be checking back and responding to comments here anymore because I don't want readers to feel like I'm a ghost hovering above my own Goodreads listing, but I really have loved hearing from you.)
Hi! I wrote this book and I hope you like it. It was born out of a recurring dream I had for a while where the world was ending. I'd always wake up from this dream feeling calm and comforted, wishing I could go back into it—which was so weird, I thought. It was an objectively terrifying dream: me, standing on a hill, watching a burning ball of flame coming straight at me, knowing it was The End. But I wasn't scared.
A friend told me that people often have dreams about the end of the world when, in real life, they're leaving something behind, moving on to something new. She said dreams can be a person's brain trying to make sense of stuff that's weird or hard or unprecedented. This seemed accurate to me—a lot of big things in my life were changing at the time. And it made sense to me, that these dreams might be my subconscious working through these changes. Maybe I was trying to comfort and reassure myself. Maybe, underneath all of the uncertainty and fear, I knew that the changes were good.
Anyway, it got me thinking about that phrase, 'the end of the world,' and how often in life it really does feel like the world is ending: we change our mind about something big, we move to a new job or a new place, an important friendship shifts or ends. 'The end of the world' has such a negative connotation—but it's often so necessary and even beautiful, for a thing to end, even a good thing. We say, "Calm down, it's not the end of the world." Well, so what if it is? Maybe what comes next is going to be better.
This book was also born out of a billion conversations with a couple of good friends about synchronicities and quantum entanglement and deja vu. Those things feature in this book, but I wish I could convey to you just how present they were in my life while I was writing it. How one day I wrote a chapter about a girl desperately trying to make it home from Berlin to her family as the world was ending, and later that morning someone sent me a Voxtrot song they thought I would like, called Berlin, Without Return. The first line: Do you spend your whole life trying to get back home?
Coincidences like that are funny and I feel like most people are so quick to write them off. They're not useful, some would say, they're not important. So what if I think of you and then you text me two seconds later? It's just something that happens sometimes. But someone once told me (or I might have read it somewhere) that you should pay attention to synchronicities, because at the very least, they're reminders that you're part of something bigger, that you don't exist all by yourself in an empty, random universe. I like the idea of seeing them that way, especially in the context of art. When I got that text message about the Voxtrot song, it didn't feel mystical or magical or anything; it just felt...enveloping? Like me and that person and this book and you, about to read it, were/are all together.
Does that sound weird? That's okay! Maybe you need to know before you open this book that it does get a little weird. Just a little.
Anyway, THANK YOU for reading this. Thank you for every review and note and star. I appreciate the time it takes to do all of that. Please picture me with a very earnest smile on my face, just appreciating you so much.
OH, one more thing: I love connecting with readers. You can find me on Instagram or TikTok at @suzykrause, or drop me an email using the form on my website. :)
(Edit #2: Thanks to everyone who has commented below! I won't be checking back and responding to comments here anymore because I don't want readers to feel like I'm a ghost hovering above my own Goodreads listing, but I really have loved hearing from you.)
Hi! I wrote this book and I hope you like it. It was born out of a recurring dream I had for a while where the world was ending. I'd always wake up from this dream feeling calm and comforted, wishing I could go back into it—which was so weird, I thought. It was an objectively terrifying dream: me, standing on a hill, watching a burning ball of flame coming straight at me, knowing it was The End. But I wasn't scared.
A friend told me that people often have dreams about the end of the world when, in real life, they're leaving something behind, moving on to something new. She said dreams can be a person's brain trying to make sense of stuff that's weird or hard or unprecedented. This seemed accurate to me—a lot of big things in my life were changing at the time. And it made sense to me, that these dreams might be my subconscious working through these changes. Maybe I was trying to comfort and reassure myself. Maybe, underneath all of the uncertainty and fear, I knew that the changes were good.
Anyway, it got me thinking about that phrase, 'the end of the world,' and how often in life it really does feel like the world is ending: we change our mind about something big, we move to a new job or a new place, an important friendship shifts or ends. 'The end of the world' has such a negative connotation—but it's often so necessary and even beautiful, for a thing to end, even a good thing. We say, "Calm down, it's not the end of the world." Well, so what if it is? Maybe what comes next is going to be better.
This book was also born out of a billion conversations with a couple of good friends about synchronicities and quantum entanglement and deja vu. Those things feature in this book, but I wish I could convey to you just how present they were in my life while I was writing it. How one day I wrote a chapter about a girl desperately trying to make it home from Berlin to her family as the world was ending, and later that morning someone sent me a Voxtrot song they thought I would like, called Berlin, Without Return. The first line: Do you spend your whole life trying to get back home?
Coincidences like that are funny and I feel like most people are so quick to write them off. They're not useful, some would say, they're not important. So what if I think of you and then you text me two seconds later? It's just something that happens sometimes. But someone once told me (or I might have read it somewhere) that you should pay attention to synchronicities, because at the very least, they're reminders that you're part of something bigger, that you don't exist all by yourself in an empty, random universe. I like the idea of seeing them that way, especially in the context of art. When I got that text message about the Voxtrot song, it didn't feel mystical or magical or anything; it just felt...enveloping? Like me and that person and this book and you, about to read it, were/are all together.
Does that sound weird? That's okay! Maybe you need to know before you open this book that it does get a little weird. Just a little.
Anyway, THANK YOU for reading this. Thank you for every review and note and star. I appreciate the time it takes to do all of that. Please picture me with a very earnest smile on my face, just appreciating you so much.
OH, one more thing: I love connecting with readers. You can find me on Instagram or TikTok at @suzykrause, or drop me an email using the form on my website. :)
October 29, 2024
My brain is having a hard time trying to wrap itself around this novel and process it (in a good way).
This is a very unique read! Often we (or I at least) can speculate on the world ending. Sometimes these hypotheticals involve talks about exploding into a great ball of fire and other times it's fuelled by reading a novel involving a post-apocalyptic universe. However, I don't know if I've ever read a book where there is a set date and the characters just have to...wait for it to happen. There isn't anything they can do about it. That fact alone introduces a heavy discussion on the dichotomy of fear versus surrender but I digress.
This novel was very thought provoking and FILLED with philosophical and existential gems. If you want to truly THINK about life, whether it be past, current, or future...this is the book to pick up. I think it also is a book that really captures different emotions and the different stages where they could be felt separately or simultaneously together whether it be fear, anxiety, nostalgia, happiness, grief, contentment, etc.
Even though this is a book that is excellently and incredibly written, you can't help but feel like maybe there's a part of it that you don't fully understand. Simply through the amount of depth and thought that goes into reading this book. It really is a complex story!
***Thank you to the author for sending me an e-ARC to read and review.***
This is a very unique read! Often we (or I at least) can speculate on the world ending. Sometimes these hypotheticals involve talks about exploding into a great ball of fire and other times it's fuelled by reading a novel involving a post-apocalyptic universe. However, I don't know if I've ever read a book where there is a set date and the characters just have to...wait for it to happen. There isn't anything they can do about it. That fact alone introduces a heavy discussion on the dichotomy of fear versus surrender but I digress.
This novel was very thought provoking and FILLED with philosophical and existential gems. If you want to truly THINK about life, whether it be past, current, or future...this is the book to pick up. I think it also is a book that really captures different emotions and the different stages where they could be felt separately or simultaneously together whether it be fear, anxiety, nostalgia, happiness, grief, contentment, etc.
Even though this is a book that is excellently and incredibly written, you can't help but feel like maybe there's a part of it that you don't fully understand. Simply through the amount of depth and thought that goes into reading this book. It really is a complex story!
***Thank you to the author for sending me an e-ARC to read and review.***
September 2, 2025
I Think We've Been Here Before
is one of my new favorites! I loved this. . .all the way to the end. In fact, the end and all that is explored therein is what keeps going through my head as I process this read.
The world is coming to an end, no way around it. What do you do? Squeeze in that trip? Mend bridges? Spend your fortune? As each day goes by, where and how do you choose to spend that time and at whose side? In Suzy K's book there is a specific family on which we focus and they are endearing people - odd ducks, stubborn non-believers, and serious scientists ready to get to the heart of it if you'll just lend an ear. . .I fell in love with all of them. To the very end.
All my Stars for this One Star Which Is No Longer . . .for now. . . .God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again!
NOTE: Libraries need this book! All my libraries don't have a copy . . . .get one! 'Til then, go to your local bookstore, or to www.skbooks.com for your copy!
*A sincere thank you to Suzy Krause, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #IThinkWeveBeenHereBefore #NetGalley 25|52:24d
The world is coming to an end, no way around it. What do you do? Squeeze in that trip? Mend bridges? Spend your fortune? As each day goes by, where and how do you choose to spend that time and at whose side? In Suzy K's book there is a specific family on which we focus and they are endearing people - odd ducks, stubborn non-believers, and serious scientists ready to get to the heart of it if you'll just lend an ear. . .I fell in love with all of them. To the very end.
All my Stars for this One Star Which Is No Longer . . .for now. . . .God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again!
NOTE: Libraries need this book! All my libraries don't have a copy . . . .get one! 'Til then, go to your local bookstore, or to www.skbooks.com for your copy!
*A sincere thank you to Suzy Krause, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #IThinkWeveBeenHereBefore #NetGalley 25|52:24d
December 23, 2023
"Even at the end of the world, perspective makes a difference."
This book is a beautiful slow burn. I just wish I understood what happened with the cat. 😊
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this e-arc.
This book is a beautiful slow burn. I just wish I understood what happened with the cat. 😊
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this e-arc.
February 8, 2024
This was a thoughtful, sweet, and refreshing novel about...the end of the world. Refreshing, because I've read so many about the inevitable climate-change caused apocalypse that the earth ending due to outside forces felt like a novel concept. We didn't start the fire!
Dark humor aside, this is a love story to life, family, and romance. It's well paced, suspenseful, and plays with concepts of time and space in really novel ways. A quick and very unexpectedly enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Dark humor aside, this is a love story to life, family, and romance. It's well paced, suspenseful, and plays with concepts of time and space in really novel ways. A quick and very unexpectedly enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
December 7, 2023
Wow. I just finished this and I’m sat here sobbing. I picked up an ARC of this book, thinking the plot sounded quite interesting. I was totally unprepared for how raw this story is, how human the characters and how relatable every sentence was. Just absolutely blew me away. I can’t wait for this to come out, so I can recommend this to everyone. The plot was brilliant and unusual, but the book is, at its heart, a very human story and I found myself absolutely gut punched again and again. The ending was absolutely beautiful and it’s going to stay with me a while. Really gorgeous writing, really well rounded characters who were completely different from each other and such a beautiful concept. Really well done!
November 23, 2023
Absolutely brilliant. Longer review to come!!
December 19, 2023
Reading this book was like watching an artist who paints an image upside down and then, once done, flips it right side up. Throughout the process, there are clues interwoven that the mind uses to try to rationalize what it sees. But it’s entirely out of grasp of the viewer until the artist does a jaunty flip of the canvas and the image appears wholly complete. This is Suzy Krause’s canvas.
I collected no less than 20 snippets of foreshadowing via the Kindle highlighter. Looking over them, a couple felt like red herrings, but upon completion, so many of them made sense. Krause consistently tells the reader everything she wants them to know. I knew those moments meant more than what I could comprehend, but I was still seeing the author’s world upside down. Until I wasn’t.
Without revealing too much:
*Questions were answered.
*Details I worried were editing errors weren’t.
*The picture was complete
Side note not related to the flipped canvas: I really loved the characters. Once I got to know them, I could see myself in them. They were all, in some way or another, a possibility of who I could become if placed in a similar situation.
This was not a complicated read, but it was a good one. Krause is equal parts a philosopher and a keen observer of humankind.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I collected no less than 20 snippets of foreshadowing via the Kindle highlighter. Looking over them, a couple felt like red herrings, but upon completion, so many of them made sense. Krause consistently tells the reader everything she wants them to know. I knew those moments meant more than what I could comprehend, but I was still seeing the author’s world upside down. Until I wasn’t.
Without revealing too much:
*Questions were answered.
*Details I worried were editing errors weren’t.
*The picture was complete
Side note not related to the flipped canvas: I really loved the characters. Once I got to know them, I could see myself in them. They were all, in some way or another, a possibility of who I could become if placed in a similar situation.
This was not a complicated read, but it was a good one. Krause is equal parts a philosopher and a keen observer of humankind.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2023
I don’t know if I will be able to find the right words to express how amazing I thought this book was without giving anything away. The intentional misalignments within the story all make perfect sense by the end, and the underlying message is oddly beautiful and comforting for a depressing topic like the end of the world.
November 20, 2024
Very much enjoyed this! It reminded me of one of my favorite movies: Seeking a Friend For The End Of the World. Went a little bit off the rails with seeing “pretend” people but I enjoyed and cared about all the characters. Love Suzy’s books!
November 6, 2024
I should have followed my instincts and passed this by; I’m not sure if it should be classified as fantasy, science fiction or something else entirely. For me it was just weird, lacked focus and rambled on.
November 8, 2024
What an emotional little weird roller coaster. Different than other apocalyptic books I've read.
December 27, 2024
cool idea but unfortunately i just hated it sorry
January 10, 2025
This was a very unique read, a book about the end of the world. I was expecting something a little different but enjoyed it anyway.
December 6, 2024
I loved this book! It's quirky and beautiful and bittersweet but so full of heart. My first by this author but I will seek out more.
November 28, 2024
I found this a rather muddled book. The premise is that Canadian Nora has broken up with her long term boyfriend (or rather he has broken up with her) so she takes herself off to Berlin to make a new start, despite not speaking German. Hardly is she there than her father is diagnosed with a terminal illness and an announcement is made that two stars are about to collide, signalling the end of the world in a few months' time.
Nora meets Jacob, her boss in the coffee shop, and is attracted to him. Throughout the book there is this sense that characters have met each other before, strongest in Jacob and Nora. Together they try to get back to Canada, so Nora can see her family and Jacob's sister Anna isn't alone over there. Meanwhile Nora's parents and family try to prepare for the end of the world, finding their own coping mechanisms (mostly involving Christmas decorations).
I found the whole book rather odd, I didn't really trust what I was reading. For example, Nora seems to have taken her cat with her to Berlin (highly unlikely), yet it is also still at home with her parents. I don't think I enjoyed the book, I think it was trying to make some profound insights that just didn't come over to me as a reader. Its different, but for me it didn't quite work. Maybe one needs to read it twice to appreciate all the nuances.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nora meets Jacob, her boss in the coffee shop, and is attracted to him. Throughout the book there is this sense that characters have met each other before, strongest in Jacob and Nora. Together they try to get back to Canada, so Nora can see her family and Jacob's sister Anna isn't alone over there. Meanwhile Nora's parents and family try to prepare for the end of the world, finding their own coping mechanisms (mostly involving Christmas decorations).
I found the whole book rather odd, I didn't really trust what I was reading. For example, Nora seems to have taken her cat with her to Berlin (highly unlikely), yet it is also still at home with her parents. I don't think I enjoyed the book, I think it was trying to make some profound insights that just didn't come over to me as a reader. Its different, but for me it didn't quite work. Maybe one needs to read it twice to appreciate all the nuances.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2023
This book has left me completely and utterly wonderstruck. I'm at a loss for words about how much I loved this book and how important it is to me.
I've always feared oblivion for as long as I can remember. My first panic attack was when I was 13 years old and the news said that the large hadron collider could lead to the creation of a black hole that would swallow the world. Since then, the thought of the end of times sent me into an absolute tailspin immediately,
I chose this ARC because I thought it would be interesting to face that fear head-on. Little did I know that I was picking up a book that would provide me a new perspective and some solace on a topic I've always feared. Krause's idea of humanity and what it means to live have shown me a comfort that I didn't know existed. I was forced to take an introspective look into myself, and in that I found a kernel of courage and peace.
Every character and their journey in this book was tear-inducing. But not in a sad way, more in that "that was so beautiful" way you cry when something has healed. Each member of this family captured a piece of my heart, and I love them all.
Thank you Suzy Krause for a beautiful story.
Oh and thank you NetGalley for the ARC 🩵 I’ll be shouting about this book from the rooftops until the official release date!
I've always feared oblivion for as long as I can remember. My first panic attack was when I was 13 years old and the news said that the large hadron collider could lead to the creation of a black hole that would swallow the world. Since then, the thought of the end of times sent me into an absolute tailspin immediately,
I chose this ARC because I thought it would be interesting to face that fear head-on. Little did I know that I was picking up a book that would provide me a new perspective and some solace on a topic I've always feared. Krause's idea of humanity and what it means to live have shown me a comfort that I didn't know existed. I was forced to take an introspective look into myself, and in that I found a kernel of courage and peace.
Every character and their journey in this book was tear-inducing. But not in a sad way, more in that "that was so beautiful" way you cry when something has healed. Each member of this family captured a piece of my heart, and I love them all.
Thank you Suzy Krause for a beautiful story.
Oh and thank you NetGalley for the ARC 🩵 I’ll be shouting about this book from the rooftops until the official release date!
January 19, 2025
The premise of the book is interesting, but I listened to this book on audio which was soooo bad and ruined it for me. The narration was cringey and over the top. The characters frustrated me as well. Maybe I would have liked the book more if I had read it instead. I do not recommend the audio version.
November 28, 2024
My surprise book of the week is “I think we’ve been here before” by Suzy Krause. A heartwarming tale about the end of the world and how we all adapt. And what becomes important in life. The story starts out with a cancer diagnosis and then we shortly find that the world will be ending December 27.
The ice cream store closes, then Walmart says the warehouses aren’t operating so you won’t get your packages. There are some deniers who are dedicated to keeping capitalism going. But in the end; we surround ourselves with the people we love and we take care of each other.
The story grabbed me from the start— actually before the start. It grabbed me from the blurb and the book is somehow written not in a depressing way, but an inspiring and heartwarming way. The characters aren’t completely fleshed out; but it’s ok. Because it’s just enough to get the reader thinking of what is more important.
I got this kindle book free as my November pick, but only 50 pages in I ordered it for my shelf as a trophy.
Happy thanksgiving to all my blog readers, I am grateful for you all.
The ice cream store closes, then Walmart says the warehouses aren’t operating so you won’t get your packages. There are some deniers who are dedicated to keeping capitalism going. But in the end; we surround ourselves with the people we love and we take care of each other.
The story grabbed me from the start— actually before the start. It grabbed me from the blurb and the book is somehow written not in a depressing way, but an inspiring and heartwarming way. The characters aren’t completely fleshed out; but it’s ok. Because it’s just enough to get the reader thinking of what is more important.
I got this kindle book free as my November pick, but only 50 pages in I ordered it for my shelf as a trophy.
Happy thanksgiving to all my blog readers, I am grateful for you all.
July 28, 2025
Not quite sure how I felt about this book...
The world will be ending because of a cosmic blast that will destroy all life with gamma rays. It'll probably happen somewhere around Christmas or New Years. Most people believe it, but there are some who don't, thinking it's some kind of gov't conspiracy. But it changes people - what would you do if you knew you only had a couple of months? It also changes family relationships - in different ways. The story focuses on a couple of related families.
Again: I'm not quite sure how I felt. It was a really nice story, and while I found most of the people kind of annoying (in all fairness, I might be annoying in similar circumstances), they grew on me. It's also a very compelling read - I could hardly put it down, although that was annoying as well. (The whole deja-vu thing was kind weird, too.) I couldn't help but compare it to On the Beach, although this one is more 'heart-warming' and less 'slow-burn dread.' Honestly, I really liked it and it might be one of my top 10 for the year... but I'll have to think about it for a while.
The world will be ending because of a cosmic blast that will destroy all life with gamma rays. It'll probably happen somewhere around Christmas or New Years. Most people believe it, but there are some who don't, thinking it's some kind of gov't conspiracy. But it changes people - what would you do if you knew you only had a couple of months? It also changes family relationships - in different ways. The story focuses on a couple of related families.
Again: I'm not quite sure how I felt. It was a really nice story, and while I found most of the people kind of annoying (in all fairness, I might be annoying in similar circumstances), they grew on me. It's also a very compelling read - I could hardly put it down, although that was annoying as well. (The whole deja-vu thing was kind weird, too.) I couldn't help but compare it to On the Beach, although this one is more 'heart-warming' and less 'slow-burn dread.' Honestly, I really liked it and it might be one of my top 10 for the year... but I'll have to think about it for a while.
December 17, 2024
I love this book! Thought provoking, relational, fun. Just randomly selected it for my free prime read, and soo happy I did :)
December 9, 2024
This book was an existential nightmare. Tone deaf characters doing the absolute most to be irritating. The timeline was a mess and while that was kinda the point the author really didn’t do a great job bringing it home. Lastly, yes they’re Canadian but stop with the “sorry”, we get itttt. This was almost a dnf (honestly with how I was skimming pages about Christmas decorations it barely counts to my reading goal)
December 28, 2024
I love human beings so much.
November 12, 2024
No doubt about it, Suzy Krause excels at writing quirky stories with unique characters that will make your heart swell. I THINK WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE is the third book that I’ve read from the author, and I’ve been impressed with her writing style each and every single time. It’s so perfectly eccentric and fresh, that I can’t even think of another writer to compare her to. I believe this is the highest compliment.
The characters in ITWBHB are in an impossible situation. Actually, it’s the worst possible situation that anyone could be in. They are preparing for the end of the world. A cosmic blast will hit earth in a matter of months, so of course emotions and anxiety levels are running high.
QUICK SYNOPSIS:
“𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙠𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙄 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪.”
I absolutely loved that the majority of this novel was set in Saskatchewan. I was born and raised in rural Manitoba, so it felt like home to me. But honestly, the characters truly stole the show. They were so well-developed and wonderfully crafted. Perspectives changed throughout the novel, and not once did I favor one over the other. I always looked forward to each character’s storyline.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Apocalyptic fiction
- Canadian setting
- Quirky storylines
- Unique characters
- Dark humor
- Family and community
- Thought-provoking reads
- Slow-paced plot
What surprised me the most was how uplifting and warm this story felt. Sounds crazy, right? Ummm, the world is ending!!! Family, friendship, belonging, connection, and community are strong themes that brought much comfort to a somber situation.
I THINK WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE releases on December 1st, but is currently an Amazon First Reads selection for November, so go download it now! It gets 4/5 stars from me!
The characters in ITWBHB are in an impossible situation. Actually, it’s the worst possible situation that anyone could be in. They are preparing for the end of the world. A cosmic blast will hit earth in a matter of months, so of course emotions and anxiety levels are running high.
QUICK SYNOPSIS:
“𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙠𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙄 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪.”
I absolutely loved that the majority of this novel was set in Saskatchewan. I was born and raised in rural Manitoba, so it felt like home to me. But honestly, the characters truly stole the show. They were so well-developed and wonderfully crafted. Perspectives changed throughout the novel, and not once did I favor one over the other. I always looked forward to each character’s storyline.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Apocalyptic fiction
- Canadian setting
- Quirky storylines
- Unique characters
- Dark humor
- Family and community
- Thought-provoking reads
- Slow-paced plot
What surprised me the most was how uplifting and warm this story felt. Sounds crazy, right? Ummm, the world is ending!!! Family, friendship, belonging, connection, and community are strong themes that brought much comfort to a somber situation.
I THINK WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE releases on December 1st, but is currently an Amazon First Reads selection for November, so go download it now! It gets 4/5 stars from me!
February 9, 2025
“As it turns out, the way to keep sane when the world is ending is the exact same as when it’s not.”
A bit of a slow burn but one that I loved the steady pace of. We learn quickly of the world ending and we watch each person struggle to understand what to do now. Some don't believe it and ignore the news. Others stop working, hang with family, and start doing those things they'd always put off, thinking they had more time. Some cook together, steal together, finally hold hands and kiss. There were so many touching moments, characters to fall in love with, all the while a feeling of doom that rises with each few chapters. For so many reasons, this story both comforted me and made me so sad. Beautifully written and a bit mind bending in all the best ways.
I enjoyed this as an audio and I highly recommend it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A bit of a slow burn but one that I loved the steady pace of. We learn quickly of the world ending and we watch each person struggle to understand what to do now. Some don't believe it and ignore the news. Others stop working, hang with family, and start doing those things they'd always put off, thinking they had more time. Some cook together, steal together, finally hold hands and kiss. There were so many touching moments, characters to fall in love with, all the while a feeling of doom that rises with each few chapters. For so many reasons, this story both comforted me and made me so sad. Beautifully written and a bit mind bending in all the best ways.
I enjoyed this as an audio and I highly recommend it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
July 8, 2025
Unique and beautifully heartbreaking in the best way- I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
May 31, 2025
Everything about this book was unexpected. Sublime writing, a great plot and an author I didn’t know. Also, yay! Canadian.
Thanks to a Cindy for recommending it.
Thanks to a Cindy for recommending it.
October 12, 2024
I Think We've Been Here Before is the definition of bittersweet, gently breaking my heart in the most subtle way possible. From the very start, I was intrigued by the characters and their journey, even though the beginning felt a bit off. But by the time I reached the end, everything clicked into place, and I realized how intentional it all was. The build-up was worth it.
The characters were the highlight for me. They each felt like lost pieces of a puzzle, searching for their way back together. Watching their lives intertwine, seeing their struggles and growth, pulled me deeper into the story. There were so many moments that twisted my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
The ending was pure genius. I didn’t expect it at all, but it couldn’t have been more perfect. It was the kind of conclusion that just makes sense, the one that satisfies every question you had. It's something I can believe in. I found myself in awe of how well it was done, leaving me very satisfied in how it wrapped up.
This book is a gentle reminder to live fully, love deeply, and forgive quickly. It’s a slow-paced read, but one that holds so much meaning. If you’re looking for a heartfelt contemporary novel with a perfect ending, this is it. Suzy Krause has created something special, and I highly recommend it.
The characters were the highlight for me. They each felt like lost pieces of a puzzle, searching for their way back together. Watching their lives intertwine, seeing their struggles and growth, pulled me deeper into the story. There were so many moments that twisted my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
The ending was pure genius. I didn’t expect it at all, but it couldn’t have been more perfect. It was the kind of conclusion that just makes sense, the one that satisfies every question you had. It's something I can believe in. I found myself in awe of how well it was done, leaving me very satisfied in how it wrapped up.
This book is a gentle reminder to live fully, love deeply, and forgive quickly. It’s a slow-paced read, but one that holds so much meaning. If you’re looking for a heartfelt contemporary novel with a perfect ending, this is it. Suzy Krause has created something special, and I highly recommend it.
September 20, 2024
Writing a review for this book is much like reading it. I have no idea where to start, how to end, or what to put in the middle. I’m utterly flummoxed.
The basic premise is that a cataclysmic cosmic event is forecasted to bring about the end of the world. Told from multiple points of view, the story focuses on the members of an extended family and how they respond to this dire prediction. I fear the subject matter and plot are too esoteric for me, though others who enjoy speculative fiction may find this book fascinating (and, based on reviews, they do).
It’s well written and the characters are deftly drawn. I simply could not get past my own confusion to fully enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.
The basic premise is that a cataclysmic cosmic event is forecasted to bring about the end of the world. Told from multiple points of view, the story focuses on the members of an extended family and how they respond to this dire prediction. I fear the subject matter and plot are too esoteric for me, though others who enjoy speculative fiction may find this book fascinating (and, based on reviews, they do).
It’s well written and the characters are deftly drawn. I simply could not get past my own confusion to fully enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.
December 2, 2023
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
Marlen and Hilda's family has received two devastating pieces of news - Marlen has a terminal illness and soon a cosmic blast will soon end the world.
This book is all about the characters and how they navigate both pieces of news and the world around them. I thought this book was perfection as people try to make the most of their time with the world and the people in it. This book was magical.
Marlen and Hilda's family has received two devastating pieces of news - Marlen has a terminal illness and soon a cosmic blast will soon end the world.
This book is all about the characters and how they navigate both pieces of news and the world around them. I thought this book was perfection as people try to make the most of their time with the world and the people in it. This book was magical.
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