Suzy Krause’s I Think We've Been Here Before is a gripping, thought-provoking novel that left me in tears by the end. Set against the backdrop of the holidays (though not in the traditional holiday story sense), it weaves together elements of sci-fi, romance, and mysticism to create a compelling narrative that questions the nature of life, death, and connection.

The story follows Nora, a young woman from Saskatchewan, who leaves her hometown after a breakup with her high school sweetheart. She moves to Germany to start fresh, where she meets Jacob—a man she feels a deep sense of familiarity with, despite the fact that they’ve never crossed paths before. The sense of déjà vu is overwhelming, leading Nora to wonder if there's some sort of cosmic connection between them. But Jacob has always lived in Germany, and Nora has never even left her province, making their shared sense of knowing each other all the more mysterious.

Meanwhile, Nora’s family back in Saskatchewan is grappling with their own crisis: the news that the world is going to end in a matter of months, specifically around the Christmas holidays. In Germany, Nora is left stranded with no access to money, as the global financial system collapses when workers in various industries quit their jobs. Jacob, whose own sister is stuck in Montreal, becomes an unlikely companion in this chaotic and apocalyptic world. Together, they try to navigate the madness of a society on the brink of collapse, with no clear way forward.

What stands out most in this novel is Krause’s ability to blend the fantastical and the emotional. While it deals with themes of global catastrophe and personal loss, it is also a story about connection—how we find each other, how we lose each other, and how time itself can feel both infinite and fleeting. As the world teeters on the edge, Nora and her family’s emotional journeys are just as urgent and real as the global crisis unfolding around them.

The holiday setting—though unconventional—adds an extra layer of poignancy to the story. The novel is a Christmas book in the same way Die Hard is a Christmas movie: it just happens to take place during that time of year. Yet, the timing amplifies the feelings of finality and reflection, making the emotional beats even more profound.

The pacing of the book is unrelenting, drawing you in from the very first page and holding you captive until the final moment. It is not just Nora’s journey that makes this book so compelling, but the intertwining of her family's struggles, Jacob’s backstory, and the profound philosophical questions about existence that arise in the face of impending doom.

For me, I Think We've Been Here Before was one of the best books of the year. It’s a beautiful mix of speculative fiction, emotional depth, and holiday introspection. I’ll be rereading it next year, and I have no doubt it will become a staple of my holiday season reading, gifted to friends and loved ones alike.

If you’re looking for a novel that is both deeply moving and creatively imaginative, this is one to add to your bookshelf. It’s a unique and unforgettable read.

OMG. This (audio)book certainly matches its publishing company's name. It was brilliant, indeed. What is it with death and doom that can bring our humanity so clearly into focus? I Think We've Been Here Before is a poignant, emotional story about human connection, even and especially in end times. It's October—also known as Thanksgiving time in Canada—and as the Jorgensen clan sits down to enjoy dinner, Hilda struggles with how to tell the rest of her family some devastating, earth-shattering news: her beloved husband Marlen has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Suddenly, broadcasts come through with even more, and this time, literal earth-shattering news. NASA has detected an unprecedented gamma-ray blast from the Sun, and without a doubt, the world will end by December 27th. Worse yet, not all the family is here for dinner. Hilda and Marlen's daughter Nora is living in Germany at the time of the announcement. (She practically just moved there. Talk about bad timing.) Strangely, as the end of times grows nearer, our characters get the eerie sense that this has all played out before.

I loved this book. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator Erin Moon does an exceptional job with her narration. Her accents were spot-on and endearing, the characters' voices were distinct and recognizable, and her tone and pacing were appropriate. I've said in previous reviews that the audiobook market is becoming a robust production in itself, and this one is no exception to this trend. Because of the many tiny plot elements with deeper meaning (see: Nora's cat or Hilda's necklace), I sometimes wished I had the physical book for re-reading or bookmarking. However, Moon's narration is so well done—and helpful for pronunciations, too!—that it would be great as a precursor to a physical re-read or done in tandem with the physical book. (Seriously, I don't think the little narrator in my head would have given Petra a better voice than Moon did.)

Beyond the great narration, the story itself was 👨‍🍳🤏💋 perfection. There were parts of the story that, at first, seemed like editing snafus. However, by the end of the book, all questions are answered and all little quirks ("clues") are explained. I thought I had predicted the ending, but Krause put a little spin on it that I didn't expect, which I appreciated! (It's nice to be surprised by a book.) I came for the story (since I love a good apocalyptical fic), but I stayed for the endearing cast of characters. Our culture is inundated with apocalyptic stories of panic buying and division among people, so it was nice to see a story where even the most abrasive characters can return to connection and family by the end. (Such a lovely story could only be set in the kind wilderness of Canada. Alas, the United States would burn itself down before the gamma blast even had its chance.)

The writing in this was so thought-provoking about life and death without falling into cheesy cliches. The dialogue was so human and not at all stilted. You might not expect to have found romance in this book either—but it's here and even better and more believably written than most books published in the romance genre nowadays. (It's been a while since I had a crush on a non-fantasy book character, but I can't say that anymore.) This was my first Suzy Krause book, but it won't be my last. I added her entire backlist to my TBR immediately after finishing this one. (I even signed up for her author newsletter. Officially part of your fan club now, Suzy!)

In closing, this is now a favorite of mine. I'm also adding it under my literary masterpieces shelf because it achieved my Good Book Trifecta Rule: during reading, I laughed, felt seen, and cried. Brava, Suzy.

Whenever I get the chance to buy a physical copy of this to reread and share with others, I will... and you should too! While they're not extremely similar in plot, if you enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures for its humanity, poignant life lessons, and multi-character perspectives, then I think you'd also like this one. You'd also probably enjoy this if you constantly catastrophize the end days, have eco-anxiety about the climate crisis, have (or have a loved one with) a terminal illness, or are just trying to make sense of a big, scary life change. Hm, I guess I'm really just saying, "if you're human, read this."

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 to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first book by Canadian author, Suzy Krause and I liked it a lot! Set in a world where the end is imminent, a group of people have months to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. Told from alternating POVs, we get to know a man recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, who has always dreamed of writing a book and found himself predicting what was about to happen a year previously.

We also get to know his wife and their 20-year-old daughter, Nora, who is living in Germany. As Nora tries to make it back to Canada to be with her family for the end, she also befriends a young German man and they enter into a marriage of convenience. Told with wit and heart, this was a moving read perfect for fans of Saleema Nawaz's Songs for the end of the world. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Title rating: A
Rationale: it took a little bit of time for me to understand (maybe that’s just me!) but once I did, I thought it was a clever title!

Review: I really love the way this is written stylistically, and paired with the story, I kept thinking of Fredrik Backman (my favorite author, so this is praise from me!). The story centers around the relationships in the Jorgensen family after learning about the patriarch’s terminal diagnosis, and shortly thereafter, the impending apocalypse.

The story is interesting and thought provoking, and I love how each character reacts. I found it interesting how the book focuses on the “micro” aspect of the apocalypse, meaning how it’s affecting this particular family individually. Of course, we see some macro-impacts, but really on in relation to how they impact our main characters.

There are a lot of characters admittedly, and sometimes I get start to get a little confused, but there was a healthy balance between side and main characters, I think. I listened to the audiobook; I thought the narrator did a great job and kept me engaged throughout the story.

Overall I would give this book a 4.25/5.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own!

Strap in kids, it's the end of the world!

I Think We've Been Here Before is a poignant novel of a family from Saskatchewan at the end of the world. We discover what brings them all together as we follow all of their POVs. It's such a great story of love, loss, and understanding how we all cope. Possibly my fave book of the year?? I absolutely loved it.

Anyway, I cried a lot at the ending. It hit me a LOT harder than I thought it would. It was just so beautiful and hopeful and sad!!

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!

𝗜 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗪𝗘'𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 brings a quirky and heartwarming twist to the "end-of-the-world" scenario we’ve all heard before—but with a unique focus on human connection and the meaning of life when time is running out. The story follows Marlen and Hilda’s family in Saskatchewan as they process two shocking pieces of news: Marlen’s terminal illness and a cosmic event set to wipe out humanity in a few months. With the world in chaos, the family is forced to reckon with their past, face their present, and decide how to spend their final days. I loved how Suzy Krause crafted this fast-paced, engaging story. From Hilda’s prophetic art to her father’s mysterious visitor, every character felt so vivid and real. The storyline of Nora, the young woman in Berlin trying to find her way home to her family, added a beautiful layer of urgency and heart. Oh, and there’s a touch of romance too! 😍 This novel is as much about the relationships between these richly drawn characters as it is about the looming apocalypse. It touches on heavy themes of life and death but also sneaks in humor and warmth, making it a perfect book to spark conversation. If you love stories that make you think “What would you do if the world were ending?” while also giving you hope and heart, then this one’s for you!

Sweet, devastating, and charming, I Think We've Been Here Before follows a family as they grapple with terminal illness, distance, and the literal end of the world. A wonderful, touching read that will make you ponder your own priorities as the end of the world approaches.