A beautiful book about a young girl who sees peoples emotions in auras. Having a heard childhood really shaped Alice in her adult years. This was a slow paced book for me however I still enjoyed the plot and through it was very well written with lots of feeling and descriptive text

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for the gifted digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Read this if you:

✔ Would love to see people's energies in colors
✔ Don't mind a slow paced novel
✔ Are a super kind person and you could easily forgive someone who has treated you badly several times.

My Thoughts:

The first 40% of this book was very captivating. The plotline is unique and I was drawn to find out more about how the life of a person with synesthesia unfolds. I could also relate a lot to the main character, Alice, up to this point in the book because I know what it's like to grow up in a dysfunctional family and to have 0 support from your parents.

I thought I would really love this book but after 40% things weren't as exciting for me. The book began to have a very negative vibe all over it, probably because of Alice's difficult relationship with her mother and her little brother. I had to stop reading and I didn't feel like picking up the book again for over a week.

The only reason why I eventually finished it is because I've never DNF-ed an ARC before, but getting to the end felt a bit like a chore.

I couldn't relate to the main character anymore because I can't understand why would you put your life on hold in order to help someone who was supposed to protect you and instead treated you like sh*t your whole life. 🤷‍♀️

Another thing that bothered me a lot was that the author jumped from one scene to another very abruptly. It was annoying.

The ending felt a bit rushed to me. I felt that too many things happened in the last 10% of the book after too many slow parts throughout it.

The reason why this book gets a pretty good rating from me, though, is the unique concept and the fact that I learned so much about synesthesia and the people who have.

I think it's worth giving it a go and, since we all enjoy books differently, you might like it more than I did.

This book was a beautiful story of the life of Alice, who feels everything around her and the impact that has on her life. The relationships were both heart wrenching and complex - and so well written. I really enjoyed the back and forward timeline, as it made sense in the context of the book, and how her experiences as a child impact how she behaves as an adult. What I really liked about this book, whilst it's based on auras, I believe there is also an element that we can all relate to - feeling emotions of others in the room - I am an empath, and I find I can be consumed by other peoples emotions, so I felt what Alice was feeling when I was reading this book.

This was a beautifully written and unique book.
Alice as a child suddenly starts seeing colours around people. First written off as migraines Alice learns colours are related to people’s emotions. Alice has sensory overload being surrounded by so many overwhelming E,options both positive and negative. As Alice grows she decides to shut herself off to protect herself. How can you be human if you don’t open yourself to other humans?
I liked how we follow the story from childhood through Alice’s life and her relationships. It’s thought provoking and you empathise with Alice having to experience everyone’s emotions.
This was a warm hug on a cold day.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy this book, as the subject of synesthesia is a fascinating one. I'm not sure if there are people who can see coloured auras around people, it would be good if you could, I am a sceptic, but certainly many associate colours with sounds or numbers so it would be a nice gift to have. Alice, in this story, does not see it as a gift and her sensory overload causes huge problems for her. If you keep an open mind then this is an interesting and perceptive look at the misunderstandings and cruelty anyone who is different to the 'norm' experiences. Cecelia Ahearn is a great storyteller and her books challenge our attitudes and hidden prejudices. My only problem with the book is that I am a bit tired of flashbacks being used by authors so often and I couldn't really see the point in this case. I also felt that the ending ran out of steam.

This book really tugged at my heart, I felt for Alice so much. I don't know if you have ever met anyone who made you feel that you wanted to smooth their path through life because it was tons harder than anything you could imagine yourself being able to survive, and they had done nothing to deserve that...that's how I reacted to Alice as I got to know her.
Following people 'on their journey' can be incredibly trite if not written well...no worries here. This is an extraordinary life to get a glimpse into and I felt that I was reading about Alice trying on many different versions of herself until she found one that fit best - each version took her to different (literal and figurative) places and made for an engaging story.
As you would expect from not only a fantastic writer, but also from a subject that is rooted in seeing emotions and characteristics as colours, this is a visually delicious book. I especially loved the plant/flower descriptions and Alice's relationship with nature.
Absolutely loved it!

In A Thousand Different Ways is a book from a different genre I usually read and found it a nice change.
Alice is eight years old when she notices that she sees people in colours next no one else does. The colours surround people and are different according to what they are feeling or what they are like . So warmer colours for nice and darker for not so nice. No one understands her apart from her older brother who does his best to help her. Her younger brother and mother don’t understand and have no sympathy for her being different. We follow Alice’s life as she is left alone to look after her mother who is having cancer treatment and has been found out to be bi polar. Her younger brother is in prison and her elder brother has moved away to get a better life. She struggles with her mother and we follow Alice’s life as she has her own family eventually and settling down.
This was a lovely read with great character descriptions, making them as real as possible. The story was great and I liked following how Alice dealt with the chaos other peoples emotions left her. A different story to anything I’ve read before.
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK HarperFiction for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Having read other Cecilia Ahern books I was excited to get stuck into this one, but it was not for me. The long, drawn out descriptions detracted from the plot and despite many attempts, I ended up DNFing it.

Alice Kelly has synaesthesia, a condition meaning that she sees life and people in colour. I like the concept but it was a tedious read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved In A Thousand Different Ways. I knew from the blurb I’d enjoy the book but didn’t anticipate just how much I would connect with this. From the blurb I thought Alice was an empath, but she has a strange form of Synesthesia, a condition in which people commonly see emotions as colours. Alice can see the colours of everything including people and nature such as animals, plants, and trees. The book is narrated but Alice in the first person and you get to really know her. She has some tough moments in her life due to her strange gift which she sees as a curse for a long time and a difficult home life. You are with her every step of the way as she blossoms, learns to connect with people and have a fulfilling life. I cried a lot reading this. This is a remarkable book.

In a thousand different ways by Cecilia Ahern

As with all of Cecilia Ahern’s writing, this book is very easy to read. I had a few nights struggling to sleep and flew through it. For the first 20% I wasn’t convinced I was going to enjoy it all as I struggled to connect with the main character Alice or what she was experiencing. However I’m so glad I stuck with it as I grew to love Alice and was desperate for things to work out for her. I especially enjoyed her relationships with the characters Gospel, Hugh and Andy. The second half of the book was very emotional.

I definitely recommend this book, particularly if you are a fan of Cecilia Ahern’s other books. Despite the slow start I thought this was one of her best.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. In a thousand different ways is out on 13th April 2023.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s an easy read with a beautiful writing style and characters that are well developed and are very believable.
It follows the story of Alice who is able to see how other people around her feel through colours, staring from when she is eight years old right up to adulthood.
It’s and interesting, thought provoking read. Sometimes sad and poignant but holds your attention well throughout.
I would recommend this book, it’s definitely worth a read. A beautifully written and emotional story.
Thanks to NetGallery and Harper Collins UK for an arc of In A Thousand Different Ways in exchange for a honest review.

Absolutely loved loved loved this book. Hooked straight away by the first paragraph and I knew it was going to be a hit. I love how real it all felt, especially the relationships between the family members. I liked that it highlighted how difficult families can be as I had a mum and a younger brother like the one in this book so I felt I connected with the main character Alice. I’ve not read a book like this before about auras and it was so good, I didn’t feel like I was reading a book, the dialogue was great, no slow moving bite either. First book I’ve read of the Authors not sure why but now I’m going to be reading her other books now as I love the style of writing. many thanks for this amazing ARC

I always look forward to the next Cecelia Ahern book, and this one was no exception. Lovely book, with good descriptions that is well written.

This book was a story of finding yourself. I enjoyed Alice’s story I was really invested in her strength.

I would suggest reading the trigger warnings before starting this book as there was some domestic abuse throughout.

Overall, I couldn’t put this book down because I needed to know what would happen next. It was an easy quick read with a happy ending 💕

A truly fascinating and riveting novel, exploring the concept of synesthesia. Alice is marked out from a young age as "different" She struggles to cope with ordinary life and relationships because her world is overwhelmed by the colours which other people project. Alice sees peoples' emotions as colours, and she is terrified of being overwhelmed by them. Add to this a complex family life, and you have a recipe for struggle and trauma.
The novel tracks Alice from child to adult, and documents her journey in understanding herself. Whilst the descriptions and exploration of the synesthesia is interesting in itself, the author also has a keen understanding of the complexities of relationships, particularly family relationships.
I was hooked from early in the novel. I thoroughly recommend it.

A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS

Thank you #Netgalley and #HarperCollinsUk for my E-arc copy of #AThousandDifferentWays in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting and completely original plot, resulting in an interesting read.

Imagine you can associate all human emotions with a colour: synesthesia, well that’s exactly what eight year old Alice could do.

This book really gets the reader involved, by making you question so much.

Are these colours synesthesia, or just sensory overload ? A rainbow of emotions ?
Encouraging the reader to continue.

However I found that the Non linear structure of this novel really didn’t help with the flow of the story as it became confusing and repetitive.

I was sent a copy of In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern to read and review by NetGalley. This for me is the author’s best novel yet – out of the ones I have read at least! It tackles the unusual phenomenon of synaesthesia and does it in such a way that you almost experience it yourself along with Alice the protagonist. We are taken on a life’s journey from when Alice first comes to experience ‘the colours’ and the adjustments she makes within her life to accommodate being able to read and feel people’s emotions so clearly. There was only one downside for me, that being that the last chapters of the novel had everything in Alice’s later life condensed, and the ending just waxed a little too lyrical for my liking. This didn’t make me want to mark the entire book down from the maximum 5 stars though, as I thought the majority of the book was more than worthy.

This is my first time reading Ahern, and I am happy to say that it didn't disappoint. I don't know what I was expecting, perhaps a romance (which did feature but is not the main focus) but certainly not what I got.

The story is told from the perspective of Alice, starting from when she is young right up into her adulthood. We meet her just as she starts to see people's emotional auras/colours and starts to learn how peoples emotions interact with each other, from her mother's anger engulfing her younger brother, compared to how it washes off her older one.

The story telling is deeply complex, capturing well what it is like to grow up in a toxic environment, particularly well emphasized by Alice's talent. Ahern captures well the skills that trauma survivors develop and how they use them in their lives. She manages to make something very nuanced (such as the ability to read a room almost all the time) and make it very understandable.

The storyline itself is insightful, following Alice all the way from childhood into adulthood, where she finally meets someone who she can't "read". Something which proves to be a learning curve for her in and of itself. The cast of characters are very believable, particularly her family. From the older brother who cares but is intent on his own freedom, to the younger brother who is ruled by the anger he inherited from his mother. Her mother and father are both also very well developed, the father is an absent father who is only touched off briefly in the book but that makes it all the more salient, as it reflects the nature of their relationship all along.

I thoroughly recommend the book for those who are fans of Ahern and for those who are into fiction with a hint of a twist. The story is very well done and once I started I found that I couldn't put it down.

Once you get your head around the fact that some people see the world differently - and in this book it’s about seeing people in colours - then this book will uplift you whilst frustrate you and sometimes make you emotional. Very well researched and a big shift from Celelia Aherne’s usual themes. Well written with great characterisation.

Oh my heart! I adored this book ♥️

Alice’s mother is bipolar and the family home is a difficult place for Alice and her brothers; “She has moments of kindness, but she is not kind. She has moments where she cares, but she is not caring.”

Eight year old Alice discovers she sees people’s auras - their colours, which reflect their personality, emotions and desires.
She watches in fear and confusion as her younger brother, Ollie, is enrobed in her mother’s anger, wrapping it around himself like a blanket, absorbing it into his body, so that it causes him to fly into a rage himself, while the red mist simply bounces off her older brother, Hugh.

The story follows Alice throughout her whole life, from the special behavioural school she is sent to, her family, friendships, relationships, motherhood and to her final moments.

It is beautifully written and stirs up so many emotions.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.