Member Reviews
#AthousandRooms #NetGalley
Katie died, single and 32.
She is surprised that no one comes to greet her in heaven or wherever she is.
It doesn't feel or look like heaven to her.
She visits her loved ones and sees them crying for her. This section had me crying along.
She follows other dying people and learns, surprisingly, that they don't all end up at the same place. Each has their own after death place.
While the book was very sad in parts, it also made me smile and had some happy parts as well.
I got really curious and interested at the half way point in the book and really just flew throw the ending.
Since I'm open minded enough to put my own beliefs aside and read other perspectives, I enjoyed the book quite a lot.
The beginning took a bit to take off, but I really liked the creativity the author put into the book.
A nice story to be read in a day, evening or weekend.
3.75******
Thank you to NetGalley and author Helen Jones for providing me with a copy of A Thousand Rooms in exchange for an honest review.
review posted at NetGalley, Goodreads, Wordpress and amazon.
This book was not what I expected when I requested the title but I read it nonetheless to broaden my horizons. Unfortunately it was not for me!!
The novel begins with Katie’s death and follows her as she tries to figure out what happens next.
For a book where there is zero dialogue between the main character and any other character for the first few chapters of the novel, the author has a way of hooking you in.
This novel was so enjoyable to read. I didn’t expect much to be honest, as it’s not my usual preferred genre and I wouldn’t consider myself religious so the plot intrigued me but I was expecting it to be a little heavier on the Christianity.
I was pleasantly surprised. The author found a way to somehow interlink so many different religions and almost create a whole new and novel idea of heaven that might just satisfy everyone.
I loved the characters. She writes them so beautifully that we find out who they are organically rather than just being told a whole dump of information.
Katie is super relatable. The way she speaks about her death and running out of time and feeling like she didn’t get to do everything she should have done will definitely hit a nerve. I finished this book feeling like I needed to start living, and ticking off my bucket list.
It is funny in parts but also made me shed a few tears. The grief is portrayed so well I could feel how much the characters loved each other. The author managed to portray both the grief of Katie losing her life and not being a part of her family anymore and the grief of her family losing her, so perfectly.
I feel like I’ve finished the novel with so many questions however, like will she see her old family again? Will her grandparents remember her? How does the heaven situation work...
Questions that ultimately have no impact on the plot, just niggly things I would have liked to know.
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the premise was new and original and gave me a lot to think about. I would recommend this book.
Unable to read and review by publication date due to other commitments, Will update immediately upon completion. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher,
Boy did I enjoy this book! It was quite the adventure to go on with Katie in the event of her own death. It was a fast and easy read and I was constantly wanting more. Who knew that a book about death would be humorous?! This book is written from Katie’s POV and her looking for answers. In the midst of all of this, she even found her soul mate. Such a sweet story!
I was given an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review
This was a cute little story about what happens to our heroine after her sudden death. Lost, and roaming the streets trying to hitch hike her way in to heaven. Katie is likeable, relatable, and less whiny then I imagine most of us would be if in the same situation.
Kudos to the author for getting the descriptions of places and the feelings of grief that surround us when our loved ones pass so perfect.
Less a star because I found the love story part too vague and boring. I kept waiting for some twist or excitement and didn't feel wowed by any part of that sub-plot.
The rest of it though- adorable and so warm. Would read again.
Lovely feel good read. It was well written and flowed well. I enjoyed it very much. The plot was good and interesting. Hard to put down
A Thousand Rooms is a interesting and unique book. The characters are well developed and the storyline is interesting. I would read more by this author.
Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What an interesting novel on one's perspective of death. I'm dead, now what? Katie can see everything going on in the world but is left to face what to do now that she's gone. This is a very quick read.
I absolutely loved everything about this book! A Thousand Rooms by Helen Jones is the most creative and original book I have read in such a long time. I really hope they make a movie but a large part of me feels that they wouldn't get it right. Luckily, Ms. Jones is such a skillful writer that the story plays out in your mind as you read it.
While I have never actually been to Sydney, I felt I was there due to the wonderful descriptions. Likewise, I haven't been to Valhalla or any of the other rooms (that I remember) but they are so well described, I feel as if I had visited them.
Katie and the other characters feel very real. I alternately chuckled and got misty eyed. I felt that the different feelings Katie had and the different stages Katie progressed through rang true. Those little details, for example the decreasing price of her snazzy red shoes at the shoe store, well who won't get a little miffed? It is attention to the little things that make up a life and, in this case, a death, that are the difference between a good book and a great book.
The ideas shared in A Thousand Rooms about death, dying, heaven, reincarnation, grief, and love are expressed in a judgement free manner. The reader can decide for themself what they think and what they accept. This is a book that will stay with me a long time, it has given me much to consider and I think I will revisit Katie again.