What do you do when the end of the world coming and you can't do anything except wait?

After the world is given its expiry date courtesy of a double gamma-ray burst from a distant star, Nora is stuck in Berlin, unable to get back to Canada. A chance meeting with Jacob, with whom she get a feeling of intense deja-vu, helps her find humour and love (and a way to get home) in the last months of existence.

Meanwhile her parents, Hilda and Marlen, are processing both Marlen's cancer diagnosis, and the fact that Marlen wrote a book *about the world ending in exactly this manner*.

Meanwhile Hilda's sister, Irene, and her husband and son, Hank and Ole, respectively, are processing the news of impending doom in their own ways, leaning into conspiracy theories, raging at the sky, or trying to run away from it all.

The book is set over the course of two months, from the day the world discovers the end is nigh, and alternates between vignettes of Nora's, Hilda's, and Irene's lives. The joys and the sorrows and the little slices of life when one truly can only live in the moment, until they all come together when it matters.

I don't really know how to process this, or to classify it. It's both grim and macabre, and quirky romcommy. It's living for the now and it's fatalistic. There is rage and missteps and so much love.
And the end. Or is it the beginning? It brought me to tears. It's quirky and desperately sad and hopeful and thoought provoking and utterly indescribable.

The cat. The cat knows. What does the cat know?

This book is going to be in my head for a while as I work through it. I've never read anything like it!

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While I did recieve an ARC of this book through NetGalley, I also purchased both the audio and ebook versions.~

I Think We've Been Here Before is a slow burn, a little boring at times.
Overall I think the topic was interesting but the telling of the story just didnt hit for me. I didnt connect to any characters.
It seemed to be all over the place and didn't flow the way I was expecting.
It was harder to get into.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I Think We've Been Here Before was a quick read, kooky and mindbending. The kind of speculative fiction with a sense of humor that I really enjoy.

NetGalley allowed me to read this via ARC, and I thank them for the opportunity.

I'm not even sure how to review this book. It was interesting for sure, to read about the end of the world coming. And knowing about it, that's the big thing.

I was confused throughout about how things sort of overlapped and the dejavu aspects. Maybe that's what the author wanted. To get the reader to go to an entirely different place in their brains, in their hearts. To imagine the end.

This book definitely made me think! I enjoyed the different perspectives and how when faced with the end of life, how different people prioritize different things. A variety of perspectives, ages and life experiences all made for an interesting read - especially since they were all linked together as a family. When the news tells you that a cosmic blast is going to destroy humanity in the next few weeks, we get to follow how an extended family handles the news. Everyone wants to live out their final days enjoying life, despite not all being together physically. A fascinating read that shows how different people handle difficult information. From processing it, to accepting it to moving forward. 
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

It's the end of the world and they know it. Actually, there are so many ends of the world in Suzy Krause's brilliant I THINK WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, from the unexpected diagnosis of terminal cancer for one character to the literal end of the world for everyone when an incredibly rare event threatens the planet with utter destruction in a few weeks. The characters were pitch perfect, well-developed individuals. The story lines were engaging and relatable. The writing was dark humor wonderful and incredibly lyrical -- so I'd burst out laughing over a woman's concern with leftover turkey or in appreciating an adroit turn of phrase. This book was a genuine pleasure from the very beginning through all the twists and turns of a marvelous story. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased thoughts.

I’m still not sure how I feel about this “world coming to an end” book! It was a War of the Worlds meets Twilight Zone vibe for me. The characters were great and it was interesting to read about their feelings, attitudes, and choices they made knowing they only had a few months to live. It made me ponder my reactions to the same scenario. I listened to the audiobook while reading the book. The audiobook was great but didn’t follow the book in some places. My favorite thing about the audiobook was hearing the different accents of the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

"When do you do something if now is too soon but there is no later?"

What would you do if you knew the world is ending in a few months?
This book depicts it so real, so very humanly and humorously, this doomed to be a sad world ending scenario became something not depressing but uplifting instead.

I loved the actual study of that life flashes before the eyes just before dying is sprinkled throughout the book as it was explained in the end in Marlen’s book. The beginning after the end, and the story changes slightly, in the tiniest way to make it better. This whole idea and implementation was so good! And smooth.

There are different stories from different perspectives/characters and each has a different focal point, I think it is one of the best ways of telling about aging. It was chaotic, even hard to wrap my head around sometimes, I had to sit with my reading to get my thoughts on book together a while, and yet it was so thought-provoking and realistically capturing so many emotions about love, family and purpose.

The writing and detailed story telling with a little possible twist in the end were all brilliant.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the e-ARC!

This is a beautiful story about a feeling coping with the end of the world. There are so many messages within the story and so many creative ideas that help make this book what it is. Thank you, NetgGalley!

I Think We've Been Here Before by Suzy Krause was a beautiful and emotional story!
Wow! This book was truly an amazing read.
Such a great story of love and loss.
An inspiring and heartwarming story with amazing characters.

I Think We've Been Here Before
By: Suzy Krause

4 Stars

This was a story with such depth and emotion. When the "literal" end of the world comes everyone in this family, everyone in the world will be no more. The story brought romance and drama, plus lots of emotions and mystery to every page. Nora and Jacob, Hilda and Irene, plus so many other characters, present an end of the world tale with a powerful outlook. It makes you really open your eyes and appreciate what you have all around you, because truthfully, we never know when the last day will be, but it could be tomorrow. I am not much into end of the world type books, but this one was almost magical and alluring. It was a really good read.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Suzy Krause and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

What a thought-provoking novel. I love a book that makes you contemplate life (or the end of it). The characters weren't particularly loveable, BUT their stories, backgrounds, and choices were interesting and carried the story all the way. I enjoyed how each character handled their individual situations. And even though each was completely different the bottom line always came back to love and family.

Some of the more complicated conversations of science and dimensions were lost on me. I wondered throughout how/if the timelines were running parallel or on the upside down or something completely different. And I need more information about the cat. There was definitely more to the cat story. It made me think that I was missing a lot!

A well written story about the end of the world and how a group of people face it. Deep thougts and deep meaning. All about relationship, forgiviness, to love people for who they are, the meaning of life.

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.

'How unfair that time only goes one way, that by the time you understand how much you will miss something, it's only because you're already missing it.'

Gosh, I don't even know how to begin explaining how much I loved this book!

'What a gift, one he doesn't take for granted, the ability to interact with reality and actually take pleasure in it.'

💭 We follow a group of connected characters dealing with the news of the world ending in a few short months. But they're not only dealing with that. There are so many layers to them – struggles, dreams, changes – and they are slowly peeled away as the story progresses. We get to know them and care for them, and it's incredibly easy to understand each and every one of them. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved the way these characters were crafted. The whole story is the perfect mix of quirky and profound. Some of these situations/thoughts/conversations seem silly at first, but then you're suddenly looking up because you're reading it in public and you can't let the tears fall down just yet.

'It feels like a riddle. When do you do something if now is too soon but there is no later?'

💭 A slight warning: you might turn the last page and feel bewildered because you're not entirely sure what has just happened. There is a sort of magical realism aspect to the entire story and, while it is explained, I only *think* I fully understand what the catch with certain details is and what exactly is the meaning of it all. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this immensely! Immediately upon finishing I was tempted to read it all again, just to find all of those little things the author masterfully planted and the crumbs she left behind.

'Maybe that's what love at first sight is, false familiarity, a future so beautiful and vivid that you can see it and feel it all the way from the past.'

💭 I believe you would love this if you love Fredrik Backman, but even if you've never read his books and/or have no idea how you feel about him, I would still highly, highly recommend this. It is truly a gem and I know I didn't give it enough justice with this review because it has made me into a babbling mess. I wish I could read this for the first time again.

'Maybe at the end it doesn't have to be perfect. Maybe it's just your job to find the beauty in what you've got.'

'As it turns out, the way to keep sane when the world is ending is the exact same as when it's not.'

Sadly this one wasn’t for me but I can see how it definitely can work for others! The beginning sort didn’t grasp me & it was a little hard to get invested

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a heart-felt, warm and fuzzy book with the addition of impending doom. It is about a family that is dealing with the news of the world ending and how they decide to deal with it while also celebrating the holiday season.

This book is entirely about perspective and how each person deals with the news on their own. It really makes you think about what;'s important and life and how you would spend your last days if you knew it was coming.

A family receives two life changing pieces of news: a family member has a terminal illness and a cosmic blast is ending humanity in a matter months.

I sped through this one in a day. It was hard to put down. It reminded me of the movie Don’t Look Up. It manages to be light and heart-warming while dealing with the ultimate tragic event: the end of the world. I loved how it followed the individuals of one family and we get to know them personally. The quantum physics aspect of it was really interesting, although only lightly introduced and hinted at.

“If you could choose what to believe, he would believe the world isn’t ending. But you just don’t get to choose.”

I Think We’ve Been Here Before comes out 12/1.

A really interesting perspective on the end of the world. Something we all know might happen, but have no idea how we would actually handle it. This novel explores that through the POVs of one family. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the overall message, but I only wish some of the magical realism moments were explained better, or maybe that would have made it less impactful. There were also some parts I thought were a bit unrealistic, like if the end of the world was happening in real life I highly doubt the world wouldn't descend into chaos and stores would still be open and so forth. I would definitely read more from Suzy in the future. 3.5/4

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!