A big thank you to Helen Jones and NetGalley for this book. It was so enjoyable and thought-provoking.

Most people wonder what happens after we die. Surely no one knows since no one has ever returned to tell us. Does everything end in a dreamless sleep or is there something to the theory that energy is never lost, only recycled. Helen Jones presents an interesting take.

Katie does not know that she has just been killed by a car as she stepped off a curb while trying to read a text. It's only when she sees herself lying in the street with her new red shoes lying nearby that she begins to realize what has happened. There is no light to go toward, no guardian angel to direct her. She is all alone, without guidance. And those shoes! She had just bought them. They were still on her feet as she hovered above.

Horrors! A pedestrian walks right through her and it feels awful. But she can go wherever she thinks about: her office, her apartment, the shoe store, to observe her family, and later, her to her own funeral. Another plus, she can fly. Sort of. She is desperate to find where she needs to go now and just as she thinks she sees a light and welcoming arms, she seethes that her red shoes have been marked down to half-price. Poof! The light disappears. This is only one of the really funny moments, and there are more.

Katie tries to follow people at the moment of their deaths in order to follow them...wherever. This doesn't work out (but don't miss the trip to Valhalla. It's a hoot.) By no means is it all funny. Those of us who have lost someone we love will cry when she visits her parents. They can't see her but somehow feel her presence.

Is there a heaven (heavens)? Do you believe in reincarnation? Does it matter? Aside from being unable to put this book down, you will think about Helen Jones' interesting premise.

This book reminded a little of the 5 people I meet in heaven the big difference is that I laughed and cried while reading. The author has a way with words and her perspective on what to expect in heaven was totally unique.

I have read a few books where the character has died and finds herself/himself in a sort of purgatory or in Heaven. While I did enjoy reading most of those books, I felt that something was lacking. So when I saw that A Thousand Rooms was available to read on NetGalley (which means I didn't have to request it), I jumped on it. Mainly because I was curious about how A Thousand Rooms would be and I needed a break from the usual genre's that I have read.

I thought the plotline was a very original one. Instead of being sent to Purgatory, people who have just died either are met by someone as soon as they pass or they are shown how to find their own personal Heaven. Again, I thought that was a very original idea. I loved the idea that people could create a Heaven that suits them. I also like that there were, for lack of a better term, Heavens were truly selfless people go.  The whole chapter with Valhalla and the Valkyries made my heart hurt. 

I didn't like Kate at first, going, to be honest here. I thought she was very immature. I mean, she was truly upset that her favorite pair of shoes kept going down in price for the first few chapters and she was upset when her mother, sister, and bestie arrived to clean out her apartment. But there was a gradual change, which started when she hitched a ride with a couple that was reunited after death and kept on going until the end of the book.

There is a slight Christian undertone throughout the book but it wasn't preachy. If anything, the author explored different religions and concepts about life after death and what happens. The turning point in the book was when Katie stumbled upon a Hindu (I believe, it wasn't stated outright) funeral and befriended the girl who just died. What that girl's Guardian said to her set the pace for the rest of the book.

I love that soul mates, reincarnation and past lives were all brought out in the book and in explained in such a way that I couldn't help but think "Well, what if....". Jason's explanation of why he wasn't in Katie's life this time around was sad but he said that he watched over her for her entire life. When she finally got together with Jason, she started remembering her past lives with him. Jason also explained that they are all reincarnated but it is up to the Guardians as to when, where and who they will be reincarnated as.

If I had a complaint about this book it would be that I wish more information was given about the Guardians. Jason's explanation to Katie, that they were angel like beings, was good but I wanted to know more. It was with a Guardian's help that Katie was able to make peace with her life and move onto her own Heaven.

I thought the end of the book was very sweet and it made my heart happy to read what happened.

How many stars will I give A Thousand Rooms: 4

Why: This is a book that will make you ugly cry throughout it. It has great characters, a great plotline and was over all a good read.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

At first I had my doubts about this book, but WOW! once I started reading I was hooked! It made me appreciate what a great life we have on a daily basis. I laughed and cried through this book and I would recommend it as a gift or for your own pleasure. Just keep a box of tissues handy as it can really tug on your heartstrings! 5 Stars!

Helen Jones has crafted an imaginative page-turner - I could hardly put down A Thousand Rooms. I don't often read fantasy books, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book. But the premise was enticing, and the story delivered. With warmth and imagination, Jones tells the story of the afterlife of Katie, a thirtysomething young professional in Sydney who passed away in a traffic accident. Grappling with her demise in a Purgatory-like state, Katie tries to understand moments in her life, and process the grief she feels at losing it alongside the loved ones whom her specter visits. Jones treats death, loss, and grief with a real depth of feeling. And through Katie's journey to find her own personal Heaven, Jones clues us in to the ways love and inter-subjectivity endow our lives - and afterlives - with meaning. Written conversationally and creatively, this book blends pathos and humor and makes for an enjoyable read.

I'm fascinated with the possibility of heaven and an after life, and I was excited for the chance to read this book. Wow, what a wonderful and imaginative theory. I really enjoyed it, when I wasn't crying! If I had one complaint it was that I didn't really feel I knew what kind of person Katie was when she was alive. I wished I had a better connection to her. Nevertheless, I thought the way she came to terms with the live she lived was beautiful.