Life throws you surprises and having a support network is important to cope better with difficult times. However, what do you do when a catastrophe shakes your life and you are on the other side of the pond separated from your family? What if what you always thought was going to happen finally happens? Would you feel more prepared to face it? Would anything change?

I have to say that this book surprised me. I expected it to be romantic, but nothing could have been further from the truth. It has focused on the experiences of a family as they receive some very bad news that changes the course of their lives. Most of the family is in Canada, but Nora is alone in Berlin.

Although the book had some interesting moments, I failed to connect with the characters in the novel. I felt that there were too many points of view at once. This meant that I didn't really connect with any particular character. This aspect caused the pace to slow down and the narrative became slower and slower for me.

I liked that the spirit of self-improvement and sacrifice was mentioned. Nora's character, who at the beginning of the book doesn't know how to deal with adversity, ends up finding her own particular way of dealing with problems.

I would have liked there to have been a trigger warning. It deals with some sensitive issues that may be difficult for some people to read.

Without a doubt, one of the themes that stands out the most is the idea of family and how complicated relationships between people are. Are they more or less complicated than friendships? How do mothers and children deal with their anger towards each other?

Suzy Krause's "I Think We've Been Here Before" is a clever and touching novel that explores themes of memory, relationships, and the cycles of life. Set against the backdrop of a quirky small town, the story follows a group of interconnected characters who, through a series of serendipitous events, come to realize how their pasts are inextricably linked to their present lives.

Krause’s narrative is engaging and witty, rich with emotional depth and insightful observations about human nature. The characters are well-crafted, each bringing their own unique struggles and revelations, which add layers of complexity to the plot. "I Think We've Been Here Before" is a thought-provoking read, ideal for those who enjoy novels that blend humor with heartfelt introspection, revealing how our histories shape our current identities and relationships.

Suzy Krause is one of my favorite authors. Her books are so quirky and smart. She makes you laugh and cry. She makes you think and feel.

I Think We’ve Been Here before is no different. The characters are intertwined and have great emotional chemistry. I loved the question if the world was ending who and where would you want to be? For all the characters it was with the people they love.

Without giving away spoilers the Deja vu touch made cry… Marlen’s book’s theory.

A great read!

what would you do if you knew the world was ending in just a few short months? some people would do big, grand things - skydive, travel to foreign countries, buy a high end car. others would delight in the small things - curling up with your partner to hear their heartbeat, decorate your town to bring joy to your neighbors, reread favorite books.
krause’s book follows a small family (and some of their extensions) from the point they learn of the natural phenomenon to the day it occurs. i thought the emotional roller coaster was really well written. krause conveyed their fear, anxiety, and hope in a really palpable way. she touched a bit on whether or not the phenomenon was actually a conspiracy (by the government or another entity) and i couldn’t help but relate it to a few things we currently have going on in 2024. the way the two characters handled their differing viewpoints was honest and respectful. it wasn’t a main storyline at all but i liked the way it was portrayed.
definitely a book that kept my attention and drew me right in. the exploration of the characters’ feelings about their limited number of days was my favorite part. highly recommend.

thank you to lake union publishing for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

A unusual look at family dynamics with a focusing event of a catastrophic world ending event showcasing a small rural Saskatchewan family of 3 generations including 2 sisters and their families.

Thank you NetGalley, Suzy Krause, and Lake Union Publishing.

This was such a beautiful story. I haven’t recently found myself to be surrounded by those who experiencing loss of friends of family so this book packed an extra punch,

I am immediately adding Suzy’s other books to my TBR!

Not overly impressed. Apocalyptic novels are a dime a dozen, especially in YA, and this one fit the mold....maybe too much. Similar world-ending crisis, with cancer crisis thrown in. obligatory vague romance added.
Not horrible, just repeat of so many others. We definitely "Have Been Here Before."

We meet Marlen and Hilda Jorgensen’s family, who live on their Saskatchewan farm. They learn that their son, Merlin has a terminal illness, and they hear on the news that the world is going to come to an end in a very few months. I have thought about the world coming to an end some day, but never thought about what I would do, so I enjoyed this story very much.
After reading this book, I have a better understanding if we were told the world was going to come to an end some day. Panic would come to mind, but once the panic calmed, what then. Suzy Krause, shares the journey of the many people in the story, with how they handled the news, the day-to-day things that they encountered, and along the way it made me think, finally thinking about what I would do, The story was good, I had to keep reading, and the ending, well you will have to read the book. I am glad I read it, I made connections with some, thought I would do that a few times., and thinking some day this could really happen.
I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

Oh my goddddd. This book was NOT what I was expecting. It was absolutely heart wrenching and beautiful. Two major things are happening, terminal illness and the end of the world. Our main characters have big emotions, reconnections, and love and loss. The whole subplot of the dejavue feeling really makes you take a step back and think. All around, this was a complex and suspenseful but lovely read. I'm so glad I picked it up!

Magical, beautiful, and slow burn story that offers healing and different journeys. What happened to the cat?!

What would you do if the world was coming to an end? In this novel the end of the world is near and we follow a family in a small-town (and daughter Nora currently living in Berlin) living with this premonition. It was a really interesting book as it makes you think about how you would react to such a situation. I felt that the book was a bit tedious sometimes and I had to make myself continue reading sometimes but towards the end it improved and didn't leave me disappointed. Still not a must-read for me.

What would you do if you knew the world was going to end? That's what the characters in "I Think We've Been Here Before" must ask themselves when it's revealed they have just a few months before a catastrophic atmospheric event will kill everyone on Earth.

The story follows several members of a family, who are living in different parts of the world. The strongest narrative of the novel is by far Nora, a 20-year-old who recently moved to Berlin when the news breaks about the end of the world. Her story and development were the most interesting. The others, which follow various members of her family back in Canada, moved slowly and quite stagnantly as well. Had it not been for Nora's arch, I don't know that I would have liked this book. I think the pacing got much better in the last 40 percent, but it was admittedly a struggle to get through during the first part.

Another strong element was the writing. Krause did something very interesting by taking a highly stressful story setting (doomsday) and keeping the everyday platitudes and routines of life part of the narrative storytelling structure. I found that very compelling.

Overall, I think this book's concept was fascinating and ends exactly as you'd expect it to, which was still such a good way to end. I just wish the pacing was a little better and some of the other narratives more interesting.

What an interesting read that I'm not sure I was quite prepared for. The story features a family of a mother and father, grown adult daughter, a grandfather, aunt and uncle and cousin. The story begins with the adult daughter leaving Canada to work in Germany for the summer. She has a moment with the manager of the coffee shop where she feels that they already know one another. A deja vu moment that continues throughout their story. The story flashes back to the family left in Canada and the announcement of the father's terminal cancer to the rest of the family.
Without giving away much more of the plot, the story feels like everything hinges on the announcement that the world is coming to an end.
It reminded me of another book I read recently that was science fiction about parallel worlds. I enjoyed it but wasn't expecting the supernatural aspect of the story. Perhaps the final message about knowing each other a little more and a little more in each "life" was the biggest takeaway. Good solid story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This novel was a masterpiece, so poignant and heartbreaking all at once. I loved the storyline, the characters, just EVERYTHING about this story. The ending had me bawling like a baby...in the best way possible!

This was such a fabulous read, the only negative? It was too short! I'd have loved for it to have been twice as long so we got to know the characters even more.

There are so many life lessons within this story. It makes you think about how we live, the 'rules' we live by, the choices we make. The premise is that the world is going to end and people have a few months to prepare and get their heads around it, but this isn't told in the way that your typical 'world is ending' type story is which is all based about zombies and science fiction and a lot of action, instead this is told in a way which is more relatable. It makes you think of so many different aspects - what living really is, whether it's a blessing to be involved in such a huge Earth event, what we value, our relationships, where we are...

I loved every character, they were authentic, well-crafted, recognisable and memorable.

This is a book which reminds me of The Humans by Matt Haig and one which will stay with me. Fantastic.

Great read that shows a family’s different perspectives during an end of the world event. I enjoyed reading this but didn’t love the ending. I was worried about the ending the whole time though to be honest. It gave me a bit of anxiety but also a sense of calm about dying and losing those you love. I joyed the author’s writing style.

I really wanted to like this one, but it felt quite convoluted and could have benefitted from being longer.

Name of Book: I Think We’ve Been Here Before
Author: Suzy Krause
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pub Date: September 24, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 317

How would you feel if the end of the world was just around the corner; a sure thing?

Story involves two sisters - Hilda and Irene.

Hilda and Marlen Jorgensen’s 20 year old daughter Nora goes to Berlin on a student visa to pull herself together after her break-up with her long time boy-friend. .She doesn’t know that her father has terminal cancer.
When she finds out that a massive cosmic event is heading their way that will affect everyone ~ she wants to go home but the world is ending and she can't get back home.

Irene and her husband Hank have been considering divorce, when the news breaks they reconsider as they know their teenager Ole will need both of their support.

There are a lot of emotions going on in this story.
At first this totally had my interest and then I started to struggle staying with it; wasn’t sure if it was the right story for me.
Although NetGalley lists the genre as Women’s Fiction; it is also listed under the genre of Christmas; not what I was expecting for a Christmas story.
I believe the timing just wasn’t right for me.

Want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 24, 2024.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

I honestly could not recommend this book enough. It really is amazing and so beautifully written. The focus on how a family copes at the end of the world truly is mind blowing and every aspect of this story made my heart break for those experiencing it.

Hilda and Marlen Jorgenson are reeling after a terminal cancer diagnosis but all of this is blown out of the water when a sudden news announcement describes how a solar flare will imminently lead to the world ceasing to exist within a matter of a few months. The feeling of desperation, fear and urgency all was very apparent throughout the book and I myself felt that I was somehow living out this story too. In particular when Hilda and Marlen's daughter is stuck in Europe with no way to get home I really felt despair for them all. The descriptions of how technology started to fail and how everyday life soon came to a standstill really was masterfully written.

The concept of time is a big feature in this book and as you continue to read their are strange anomalies but by the end of the book this all makes sense.

The final chapter is beautifully written and has stayed with me long since reading the book. The feelings of love, togetherness and even the final sights were truly outstanding in their descriptions. I would highly recommend.