I could not finish this one. Please read the book for yourself, make up your own mind and I many have missed some some vital points in plot or dialog and three and a half stars from me.

5 stars! This was a beautifully written work or art! I loved the fact that Alice could see colours and how she dealt with that throughout her life. It was interesting seeing how her relationships progressed and how she managed to live a good life inspire of her upbringing. This book gave me hope, hope in the fact that even if your dealt a cruel hand to begin with you can always come out the other side. I loved her strong family ethic and how even though her mum was absolutely horrible Alice was always the better person.
I would highly recommend this book. I loved every word.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review and all opinions are my own.

Alice is gifted she can see the colours around people otherwise known as auro . She can feel there pain sadness and happiness but it is not easy for Alice. A touching and moving story that had me feeling every emotion along with Alice. Just read this beautiful book.

In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern is only the second book I've read by the Irish author, best known for PS I Love You. I loved her 2021 novel Freckles, about a young woman trying to find her place in the world.

And in some ways Ahern's theme here is similar. We spend quite a bit of time with a young then teenaged Alice before she moves into adulthood. Alice has synesthesia - something her older brother calls a gift but she sees (for much of her life) as a curse.

We meet Alice when she's just eight and it's the first time she starts seeing colour (or auras) around people. She doesn't understand of course. She struggles with the headaches the lights give her and rebels against the emotions she absorbs from others.

Her older brother Hugh tries to protect Alice and their younger brother Ollie from their volatile mother but leaves as soon as he's able, which coincides with Alice being sent away to a school for troublesome children. In reality it's a lifesaver for her and for the first time she's accepted despite her idiosyncrasies.

Her brother Hugh is encouraging Alice to strive out on her own after school when her mother's diagnosed with cancer and younger brother - who Alice has seen absorbing her mother's dark moods - is jailed. And, frustratingly for we readers, Alice moves back in with her ungrateful mother where she remains for several years as her carer.

Unsurprisingly her mother bites the hand that feeds her as soon as she's able and Alice escapes. Again. This time however she has a plan.

Freckles was about a young woman trying to work out 'who' she was through those with whom she's connected. Here Alice is wanting to be accepted and - though I sometimes found it hard to relate to her synesthesia, or understand how one's cognitive or neural pathways stimulate the brain differently - I could certainly understand that acceptance from others often first requires acceptance of ourselves. And of course, an acceptance of our past.

This is both a complex and simple story about relationships and family and about love and friendship. I felt perhaps the pacing was a bit inconsistent though at the same time recognise Ahern slowed to focus on certain moments in Alice's life... fast forwarding through others.

3.5 stars

I adore Cecelia Ahern's book so I was stoked to be given the opportunity to read her new novel. Imagine if you could see people's auras in the shape of colours. This is Alice's world. Until one day, she meets someone who has no colours at all associated with him. I loved Alice's journey throughout this book although there were times where I did get confused as multiple timeframes were discussed. Overall though, this was a beautiful story that I really enjoyed.

At age 8 Alice begins to see colours. These colours are people’s auras, they help her navigate people and the world. Although this is not always welcomed by all. But the differences it makes for her with those who accept her is huge. There’s a thousand different ways to see the world and the people within it. This just happens to be Alice’s.

This was a beautiful and clever story about seeing people through colours. Different colours providing different thoughts and connections. It was wonderfully enjoyable if not a big lagging at times getting into it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing UK for this ARC.