Emily Austin introduces us to Gilda, a depressed queer woman answering an advertisement for counseling and instead gets hired as a secretary at a Catholic Church. Life is full of unexpected adventures for our protagonist who is not yet sure she wants to live but keeps getting trapped into situations that leave her with a bunch of tomorrows. One critic called this book "macabre" and I think that is the perfect way to sum it up. It is funny, depressing, and intelligent with poignant essays about life. Austin writes as if we are following Gilda's train of thought, jumping from one topic to the next intermixed with anecdotes that allows us to learn more about the protagonist's past. Gilda is an endearing character that you can't help but root for, and also allows us who have known depression to see that we are not alone in our thoughts.

Readers could take the title of this book to mean that it is a dark humor piece, or they could take it to be just dark and depressing. Oddly, I’d say both are true to some extent. Author Emily R. Austin gives readers are highly realistic view of life in the mind of someone suffering from at least a panic disorder, if not other mental health issues. She has thrown into this worthy story theme a LGBT story and a mystery. Is it too much? Normally, I’d say yes, but Ms. Austin made it work.

The main character and story narrator, Gilda, harbors every imaginable worry She worries about herself (does she have imposter syndrome?), her family, her neighbors, and the world in general. Much of Gilda’s worrying can be attributed to her undiagnosed and untreated anxiety disorder. How her anxiety manifests makes Gilda an odd character who is somehow relatable and empathetic. Her frequent contemplation of death is disturbing and heart-wrenching.

The people in Gilda’s life are no less flawed. Her delusional parents, her alcoholic brother, her pseudo-girlfriend who puts up with Gilda’s aloofness all make for an over-the-top level of crazy that also means there is always something for Gilda to worry about. The only “normal”, stable character is Father Jeff, the Catholic priest who mistakes Gilda for an applicant for his parish's open position of church receptionist.

The story is character driven and not particularly fast paced. Don’t mistake that for dull. There is always something going on, and it was easy to get wrapping up in Gilda’s issues so that I finished the book in one sitting. I loved how invested Gilda became in the friendship of two older women that she had never met. It gave me a reason to see Gilda in a different light than just someone battling anxiety. It is a good lesson to apply in life if you know anyone with mental health issues.

While so much of Gilda’s story resonated with me, I felt the denouement and her reparations were a too convenient and contrived. Readers are not given any reason for this miraculous turnaround, but it does provide a more satisfying ending.

Emily R. Austin, you are a genius. This book was not an easy read by any means, but it is an important one!!

Gilda is depressed and she has anxiety. She is an atheist, a lesbian and she can not tell the truth to save her life .... literally.

Gilda is unemployed, and needs a job, however when she finds herself at the local Catholic church, she is looking to join a therapy group, but instead lands herself a job. She is taking over a job from a lady who has passed away, and Gilda is in the right place at the right time. Gilda needs help, but will she get it??

This story is told in a way to make you feel the anxiety and depression that Gilda feels. Short choppy sentences, random thoughts all of which make you FEEL what the character is feeling. So much so, that I had to put the book down just to get perspective. I have never read a book that showed just what mental I'll was feels like. I have personally known many that have felt this way and because of this book, I can now relate more to them. And that is why I say it is an important book! Just WOW!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately this missed the mark for me. I found the meandering thoughts and fixation with death disturbing and gave up about 1/3 of the way in. Maybe I just didn't understand the humor of it.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but it fell flat for me. Gilda is an anxious & depressed hypochondriac. I found her stream of consciousness hard to get into at times. I also didn't find any of the characters very memorable or interesting. I just couldn't connect and that's a bummer.

This book was unexpectedly heartwarming and hilarious! I saw so much of myself in the main character! I kept having to stop reading and share passages with my mom because it was like Gilda was inside my head seeing my thoughts.
This book reminded me how weird we are as humans, so different, yet so alike. I truly enjoyed this debut and look forward to more from Austin!

Darkly funny at times. Deeply moving and sad, but ultimately so very human. I can't tell you how much I identified with this book. I'm not atheist, or lesbian, or lying about who I am at work, but as someone who often lives too much in their own head, who has experienced dark depressions, and who thinks about weird things, this book made me feel super seen.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and I am SO glad that I did. This book was everything I needed and more. It was a very real example of what everyday life is like with anxiety, and simply trying to be a human regardless of it all. I laughed and I cried. Such an amazing, real, and incredibly thoughtful book. PLEASE read this.

4 ⭐️ Review

Pages: 256
Pace: fast
Genre: humorous fiction
Pub day: July 6, 2021

Themes: oddities of human nature, living with anxiety, pain of hiding who you are, outside look at religion/Catholicism

My thoughts: It’s been a minute since I’ve read humor, and this one hit the spot. It was dark humor, but told through a sweet narrator, which had me simultaneously laughing out loud and emphasizing with her anxiety and comments on the human condition. As someone raised Catholic, I found her comments on the church to be pretty hilarious. And I also found myself relating to her thought process regarding human nature. It was a fast, easy read that can be finished in one sitting, and the writing was thoughtful and provocative in a way that had me surprised this was a debut! Overall, recommend to anyone who wants to laugh about how bizarre humans are, while simultaneously being reminded why we love them ❤️

Who should read: fans of Fleabag, Master of None, David Sedaris

Thanks @atriabooks for the advanced readers copy!

TW for suicide/suicidal ideation, assisted suicide, depression, anxiety, and alcoholism.

Here's the spoiler-free premise: Gilda is a 27-year-old who can't stop thinking about her (and everyone's) existence -- and eventual cessation of existence -- and visits the hospital emergency room on a weekly basis. She's also an atheistic lesbian, which probably wouldn't matter so much if she didn't accidentally get a job working at a Catholic church. Poor Gilda has a lot to deal with. For starters, Gilda's predecessor, Grace, is recently deceased so instead of informing Grace's long-time friend who continues to email her, Gilda responds as if she's Grace. There's also Gilda's brother, Eli, and their parents' refusal to accept his alcoholism, and a host of other things that make Gilda spiral. There is one bright spot, though: Eleanor, Gilda's new girlfriend who she met on a dating app. When suspicion regarding Grace's death arises and bringing around police, it sets off an anxiety-inducing chain of events and threatens Gilda's relationship with Eleanor.

First, I was immediately drawn to the title, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised about the trigger warnings. *MINI SPOILER* Because Gilda landed in the church job while looking for therapy (which happened to have been provided by the church) I was expecting her to actually go to therapy at some point, which she didn't. That was probably the only disappointing factor, not including that the hospital's psychiatric referrals really never went anywhere. That just made me feel bad for Gilda because she wasn't able to get the help she needed. *SPOILER OVER*

Overall, I found this book hilarious! It did take a rather sad and depressing turn, but it was both understandable and necessary. Personally, I could relate to Gilda because I do ask some of the same questions she asked, though usually not with morbid undertones. But I could understand her anxiety, especially with it being undiagnosed and with her family basically ignoring all mental health issues. I especially appreciated Gilda's desire for others to be happy which is also ironic because she's so unhappy.

I thought Austin wrote some very interesting characters and situations. Specifically, Gilda's interactions with Guiseppe which were both funny and frustrating. (Dear Gilda, here is a straight woman who finds Guiseppe unattractive. And annoying.) Eleanor, in contrast was so patient and kind with Gilda. But my favorite character is Barney, the quirky old man who also works at the church.

I liked that Austin separated the book in terms of the Christian calendar, and I thought the pacing was good. It did take a bit to get used to the scene shifts, though, but that honestly kept me engaged. And when the story gradually grew into a mystery, I was right there with Gilda trying to figure it out!

I was quite pleased with the end. It's kind of open -- I like to know exactly how things turn out -- but I think Austin does a great job of showing us the change in Gilda's life. (I did wonder about her job afterwards, though.) You can really tell that things are in progress, which I thought was kind of the point. And I wanted to know more about Eli, but this is Gilda's story.

Normally I try to imagine books as movies, and this is one of the rare times that I don't think that's necessary -- the book was sufficient. I would recommend it for adults, but with caution for the trigger warnings.

This book will not be for everyone - it manages to be both depressing and laugh out loud funny. There is a lot of talk about death and dying. Gilda is a very unique character - I think fans of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine or The Rosie Project will appreciate the character and humor. And anyone who has been involved with the Catholic church will find atheist, lesbian Gilda's reaction to Catholic traditions and beliefs hilarious as she pretends to be a straight Catholic for her job. I would have liked a little more closure or information about what happened with Gilda's relationships with Father Jeff and Barney and even with her family. I really did enjoy this debut novel and look forward to reading more from Emily Austin. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

“I wonder how often I occupy spaces that were recently inhabited by dead people. I wonder who will occupy the spaces I’ve inhabited, after I’m dead.”

EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD is what morbidly anxious protagonist Gilda is constantly thinking about. she somewhat accidentally starts a job as a receptionist at a Catholic Church and becomes obsessed with the mysterious death of her predecessor. the book is full of Gilda’s darkly funny observations about human nature and the fragility of life. I heard about this debut and then read it in a day! 3.5/5⭐️—it was good.

I'm giving this novel high marks for originality. Gilda is 27, an atheist, a lesbian, depressed, anxious and out of work. She responds to an advertisement for therapy at a local Catholic church and is mistaken for a job applicant by the priest and hired as church secretary. She hides that she is gay and pretends that she is Catholic. Grace, the previous secretary, recently died unexpectedly and Gilda tries to keep the news of her death from her long-distance friend by continuing to email her. Is it okay to pretend everything is okay when it's not? That's what Gilda's family has always done but things in their lives seem to be spinning out of control.

But the big question on everyone's mind is: What if Gloria was murdered?

Overall, this story is quite sad--mainly because no one seems to take the steps needed to help Gilda, even though she makes weekly visits to the ER for panic attacks and other problems, even though her family and friends notice her erratic behavior. But there are moments of dark humor and, even though Gilda is totally focused on death, she is still very likable and kind. Some part of her just wants people to be happy, after all.

I received an arc of this unique novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks.

Book Review: Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead
Debut from Emily R. Austin addresses tough topics

As an atheist, animal-loving lesbian with severe anxiety and a morbid obsession with death, Gilda isn’t exactly your average 28-year-old. Emily R. Austin’s debut novel, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead explores Gilda’s life and some of the situations into which she stumbles.

Gilda’s severe and oftentimes debilitating anxiety seems to be the main culprit for the interesting places she finds herself. After responding to a flyer advertising free therapy at a local Catholic church, the priest mistakes her for an applicant for an open reception position at the church. Newly jobless and too embarrassed to correct him, she finds herself working as the new receptionist, becoming intrigued by her predecessor’s recent death.

Juggling multiple life events all at once – a new girlfriend, a crumbling mental state, and pretending that she is Catholic and not an atheist – Gilda finds herself in one predicament after another. Her family life, too, poses issues, with a brother struggling post-college dropout and parents unable to accept the hard facts about their children.

Gilda is both unlikeable and charming, in her own way, an extremely frustrating combination that can leave the reader with mixed emotions about the character – something that seems intentional on the author’s part. Her anxious and impulsive thoughts often guide her judgments, making her both exasperating but also extremely relatable. Many tend to shy away from the harsh realities of anxious thinking, but Austin dives headfirst with Gilda.

Gilda’s anxious thoughts and obsession with death are an excellent reminder, though, that we must live while we can. In reading what circumstances she gets into, it brings to light the need to take control of your own life, not let others dictate your happiness, and allow yourself to do the things you love.

Considerably dark with deadpan humor sprinkled in, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is not the light summer read one may expect, but is instead an excellent observation of the human condition, what it means for many living with anxiety to live in this world, and that our only certainty in life is death – meaning we must make the most of it while we can.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut book by Emily Austin - 4.5 stars - I loved it!

Gilda is a depressed young woman preoccupied with death. She has just been fired and has no money to pay her rent. She finds a flyer advertising free therapy - when she goes to the address, it’s a Catholic Church. The priest greets her and thinks she is there to apply for the job as church secretary to replace the recently-deceased Grace. Gilda gets the job, hiding to Fr Jeff the fact that she is an atheist and a lesbian. When it is determined that Grace did not die of natural causes, Gilda also becomes obsessed with finding out who killed her.

This was a laugh-out loud book for me with a non-believer’s look into Catholic rituals. Being Catholic myself, I loved her observations. But it is also a glimpse into living with anxiety and depression, including the sad fact that Gilda struggled to get any help for her mental illness, even though the ER personnel knew her by name. A dark humor novel that I really enjoyed. I cant wait to read more from this author.

This book is not for everyone as it could be extremely triggering (death, depression, suicide, alcoholism) BUT it also is really endearing.

EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD lets you into Gilda’s thoughts (which has its pros and cons) as she is extremely witty but also extremely depressing and is constantly thinking about death and the fragility of life. In her true fashion, she accidentally stumbles into getting a job as a receptionist at a Catholic Church, which kickstarts a whole domino effect of cringe-worthy and hilarious circumstances. On the surface, this is a story about death. But actually it’s also a story about survival and love.

This book is out July 6, 2021. A HUGE thanks to Atria Books & Netgalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for a free review.

I had extremely high hopes for this book, but for me I think it was a miss based on what the author wanted to convey. I saw it compared to Goodbye, Vitamin, which is hilarious, but I found our protagonist in this book as sad and depressing. There was absolutely nothing funny about her, that if it was not as short as it was, I am pretty sure I would have walked away from this one.

Synopsis: Gilda is an atheist lesbian who accidentally gets a job as a receptionist at a Catholic church. She also ends up accidentally dating a man she meets there and impersonating her predecessor at the church over email. Throughout this all, she struggles with severe depression while also worrying about her family and their own issues.

This is quirky and had some actually really funny moments, but was also really dark at times. I thought it handled Gilda's depression in a really interesting way - I liked how it showed just how difficult it could be for someone to take the steps to get needed help. Especially when you see how her family reacts to any suggestion that someone might need therapy, or her coworker's belief that anyone mentally ill should be "removed from society."

It had some moments that felt somewhat repetitive in the middle, but it's a short book so it moves along very quickly!

This reminded me a lot of Sad Janet, or My Year of Rest and Relaxation, but I liked it better than both of those!

I really struggled with this book. I expected a quirky, irreverent novel about mental health and navigating being queer in the Catholic Church with a little murder mystery. What I got instead was a poorly written mess that while it had some funny moments was mostly aggressively rude and sacreligious. I knew going in I would need to check my personal religious feelings at the door, I can do that. Some of my laugh out loud moments were when Gilda was sitting in mass.

Besides that, Gilda's didn't live authentically, everything about her was uncomfortably spurious. Her relationships with everyone were one sided and self-centered. She was queer but didn't embrace it, her actual relationship with Eleanor was less engaged than the fake one with Guiseppe. I get that he was supposed to be an inauthentic caricature but at least he was trying to care and be interested. Repeatedly people were reaching out to Gilda because they could see she was not fine and she pushed them off. Then she'd show up at the ER, clearly looking for help and then getting nothing from either. It showed the failings of the mental health care system well, but it also showed how the person has to have the onus to want help.

My main problem was that Gilda was just immature. I think I would have rated this slightly higher if it was a YA novel and Gilda was a teenager but she was 27. She was too old for her self destructive, apathetic behavior to consider this a charming "coming of age" novel. It struck me a lot like the novel Queenie, where I just wanted to shake the protagonist, but in Queenie there was progress in the character in the end. Not sure if there's a spoiler alert but there is no progress here. The only reason I didn't DNF is because I was waiting for Gilda to turn the corner. If that happened I think I might have landed with a three. But instead it was a waste of time with lots of insulting rhetoric about the Catholic church, futile conversation about owning your queerness, circular mental health struggles with no hope for change and a self-centered character who was no fun to follow.

Thanks to Atria Books for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.

This book was really relatable for me. I struggle with horrible anxiety, and the way the main character overthinks everything is exactly how I feel. Her feeling of nothingness is also me. It just spoke to me on a level only people who struggle with anxiety will understand. I liked the add in of a “murder mystery” into the book too.