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A Thousand Doors

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The day Mia Jensen died, she finally got to live.

We’ve all played the “what if” game. For forty-year-old Mia Jensen, “what if” is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge will cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life.

After a terrible day, trying to figure out how she’s come to this point—alone, on the cusp of divorce––Mia hears a strange noise in her kitchen. When she investigates, she is attacked and left for dead. As Mia dies, she experiences some of the lives that could have been hers had she only made a different choice.

Can one woman find peace with the path she’s chosen before it slips through her fingers forever?

Through the unique voices of New York Times bestsellers and rising stars in women’s fiction, A THOUSAND DOORS examines how our smallest decisions create lasting effects, and asks the ultimate question—can we actually change our lives?

Contributors:

Kimberly Belle
Laura Benedict
A.F. Brady
Patti Callahan
Paige Crutcher
Rebecca Drake
Heather Gudenkauf
Joy Jordan-Lake
Alisha Klapheke
Ariel Lawhon
Kerry Lonsdale
Catherine McKenzie
Kate Moretti
Lisa Patton
Kaira Rouda

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2018

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About the author

J.T. Ellison

70 books5,655 followers
J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.

J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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5 stars
184 (36%)
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187 (36%)
3 stars
102 (20%)
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24 (4%)
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9 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
Profile Image for Chelsea Humphrey.
1,487 reviews81.7k followers
October 25, 2018
I'm not one to pick up short stories or anthologies on a regular basis, and I'm typically very critical of them, but this was something special folks. Gather round, friends, and let me tell you about this gem of a "novel". J.T. Ellison, the queen of suspense, has recruited the most desirable female authors in the psychological thriller genre today and brought them together to take their many talents and create one cohesive story. I know, trust me, it sounds so difficult, but they nailed it.

I don't want to say too much about the plot, because you just need to read it for yourself, but I do want to take a moment to discuss the formatting and why this collection worked so well for me. The sheer balls it took to gather so many personalities and writing styles to create a singular story is inspiring, and I think the risk paid off tremendously. Here's the thing-each author took us on a "possibility", what they imagined Mia experiencing, but they all tie together so wholly that I truly felt that I was read a traditional novel throughout.

I cannot express how unique, thrilling, and emotional of a ride it was to make my way though A Thousand Doors. The journey that Mia faces from beginning to end was suspenseful, tense, and gripping, and the ending tied everything together in a satisfying manner. Highly recommended to those who are finding the thriller genre a bit stale these days; A Thousand Doors is a breath of fresh air for readers who are feeling stuck in a rut.

*Many thanks to the author(s) for providing my copy via netgalley.
Profile Image for Erin Clemence.
1,199 reviews361 followers
October 14, 2018
Special thanks to JT Ellison, for an ARC of this novel.

Mia Jensen is unhappy and dissatisfied with her life as a whole. One day, when she investigates a strange noise in her house, she is stabbed and left for dead. As she dies, she is able to experience several other “could be” lives. Lives she could have had if she had made different, better, choices. When faced with these “what ifs”, can Mia go back to the life she knows?

“A Thousand Doors” tells the story of one woman, using the voices of many. JT Ellison hosts fifteen other authors in her short story anthology, including Kate Moretti, Catherine McKenzie, Heather Gudenkauf and Kimberly Belle. These powerhouse authors all add a “life” to Mia’s story, adding a unique flavour to a very creative novel.

Normally I am not a fan of short stories. I have a tendency to feel “ripped off”, and I always want more from each short story I read. This novel was different however. Although many of the plot lines had me wanting to know more, the fact that each short story focused on the same main character, connected the novel enough to provide me with the satisfaction I don’t often find in short stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed how Ellison recruited such talented authors to complete her novel. Each one told a part of the story in a unique way, while still allowing the novel to flow together. Mia is a great character, in any life, and she is paid great homage by each co-author.

The ending of this novel tied all of the stories together in a complete package, and brought us back to the original Mia to complete her storyline. Had the ending gone any other way, I don’t know that I would have enjoyed this novel so much.

Due to the “short story” structure of the novel, I don’t know if I would’ve picked this novel up on its own. However, now that I have experienced it, I am grateful for the chance. The setup of the novel made it easy to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed how thought provoking this novel was, without being pretentious. There will be many self-reflection moments throughout this novel, and “Doors” will definitely leave a lasting impression.

“Doors” is a unique experience that I have yet to find in any other novel. Highly recommended, and high props to Ellison and her collective crew of fiction greats.
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,279 reviews655 followers
November 1, 2018
A Thousand Doors by JT Ellison and a star studded cast of thousands is a very unique book. Written by some of todays best thriller writers all about the same character. Most of the stories I loved and wanted more! Some of the stories were too short for my liking but worked in this premise.

Mia Jensen gets to experience all the lives that could have been for her - but only in her death. After a shockingly bad day she is attacked in her own home and left for dead. We have all played the "what if" game where we wonder what is I had made that decision, or what is I hadn't made that decision. Mia gets to see what might have been for her. There is a wide variety of alternate lives for Mia - not all happy but all vastly different to the one that she has lived.

Thanks to Two Tales Press and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Profile Image for Kerry.
Author 11 books2,914 followers
September 25, 2018
A thrilling anthology that isn’t really an anthology, but a story of one woman’s many lives, written by a unique group of award winning and bestselling thriller, suspense, and women’s fiction authors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each of Mia Jensen’s lives. They’re exciting, thought provoking, fun, emotional, suspenseful, and adventurous. Praise for J.T. Ellison for spearheading this project.
Profile Image for Amy.
2,060 reviews1,921 followers
November 26, 2018
In general I’m not a huge fan of anthologies but when I saw that J. T. Ellison had managed to snag some of my favorite female thriller authors to make this book I had to give it a shot. Besides an amazing group of writers, the premise is also fantastic, I loved the idea of seeing the various paths one woman’s live could’ve taken and it wound up being pretty damn cool.

Each author has a chapter with one of Mia’s lives and while I enjoyed all of them, The Homeless Woman by Kerry Lonsdale left the biggest impression on me. I really liked the way this centered on one character, most anthologies usually don’t follow this pattern and I believe that’s why this one worked so well for me. The way things all came together in the end was really cool and unexpected too. If you’re looking for something different or if you want to try out a few new to you authors this would be a great choice!

A Thousand Doors in three words: Innovative, Unique and Clever.

Profile Image for Judy Collins.
2,855 reviews405 followers
October 2, 2018
I loved A THOUSAND DOORS: An Anthology of Many Lives by JT Ellison and this talented cast of superb authors! The collection takes us through the many lives of Mia. The has done, and what ifs. Mia found herself in some crazy situations. I loved each and every one.

How many of us have wondered, "the what ifs" in our lives? Courses our lives would or could have taken. Choices we have made. The many job offers in another state, our past relationships, jobs, the people crossing our paths. The regrets, the mistakes, the loves, and the losses. I know, I have.

As we become older, we begin to reflect on our lives more often. The paths we have taken. The wrongs and the rights. The good and bad. I would love a story of my life (it would make for an interesting read-never a dull moment).

What a brilliant idea, JT! Thank you for making this a reality. Well-Done! What makes this book so special is the different courses a person's life can take and each author's spin.

If you have read each of the contributor's work previously, you will see each story was ideal for that respective author. Each story is full of humor, intrigue, and suspense and very thought-provoking. Highly-entertaining! I also like the Anthology versus, a number of short stories which do not relate. It gives the feeling of a novel.

The collection also allows you to experience newfound authors while enjoying familiar ones. I for one found— some new ones and excited to read more of their work.

On a side note: Will write more about each author and story. Talking about our lives flashing before your eyes: Saturday evening (while reading these stories), an electrical fire ignited in my high-rise apartment building and was forced to evacuate. I am on the top 15th floor. (a lot of steps to exit, since of course, we could not use the elevator —in thick smoke with frantic people and tons of fireman). The electrical system exploded on the roof causing the fire. My apartment is the one directly below it. I thought the ceiling was caving in with the explosion and then the black smoke began to fill the ductwork and my apartment, then moved throughout all the building. Very scary. Fortunately, 350 + residents made it out of the building.

Presently, there is no A/C in the building (it is 90 degrees) plus the smoke damage in the ventilation system. I am currently at a hotel until further notice. We have no date as of yet when we can return. The internet here at the hotel is extremely slow (unlike my business 200 Mbps at my home office). Will write more, later. I have made some notes about each story.

Fun, Fun, Fun everyone. Get this book! One of the best collections (anthology) I had read. 5 Stars++.

A special thank you to the author and #NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. I have pre-ordered the hardcover and cannot wait to add this to my library. A keeper.
Profile Image for Dana-Adriana B..
677 reviews292 followers
November 4, 2018
I have never read an anthology, being pleasantly surprised by this book.
It's about Mia Jensen and the millions of possibilities of her life if she had made different choices when the road of life reaches the crossroads.
Every story is extraordinary, making you come into the lamb's skin, living her intense emotions.
Profile Image for Julie (JuJu).
802 reviews205 followers
January 20, 2019
Short summary
Unique and thrilling short stories that come together with the same main character. J.T. Ellison is Awesome!

My thoughts
This book of short stories is unlike any other collection of short stories I’ve read. The way all the stories are linked by the main character makes it a unique and very interesting read. And it’s a great way to read some really great thriller authors! Some of the stories were so good, I wasn’t ready for them to end.

Published November 5th 2018 by Two Tales Press, 404 pages

My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s

Recommend: YES!

Thank you to NetGalley / Two Tales Press / all the fantastic authors for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
#NetGalley #AThousandDoors

Book Description
WHAT IF…

We’ve all played the “what if” game. For Mia Jensen, “what if” is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge is going to cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life.

Forty-year-old Mia Jensen is home after a terrible day, trying to figure out how she’s come to this point in her life, when she hears a strange noise from the kitchen. She investigates, only to be brutally attacked and left for dead. As she dies, she experiences some of the lives that could have been hers had she only made a different choice.

Can one woman can find peace with the path she’s chosen before it slips through her fingers forever?

Through the unique voices of New York Times bestsellers and rising stars in women’s fiction, A THOUSAND DOORS examines how our smallest decisions can create lasting effects, and allows the thought—can we actually change our lives?
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
1,081 reviews27 followers
November 13, 2018
I knew going in that this book was an anthology of sorts, but I did not expect to feel like it was a "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of anthology! I was impressed. I found myself unable to decide which story would be the best for Mia. Some stories were pretty tame, others were wildly imaginative! I loved the concept and the execution!

My thanks to NetGalley and Two Tales Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Profile Image for PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps .
2,394 reviews229 followers
March 12, 2023
As Mia bleeds out on her kitchen floor, the victim of a knife attack, she contemplates her life and the roads not taken that would have led to different outcomes.

If if in the unfortunate position of dying and considering other choices I might have made that would have given me different lives, those other versions would be ideal. JT Ellison and the talented writes she gathered to write A THOUSAND DOORS have Mia experiencing different, imperfect realities. Though most are mystery/thriller writers, the only true suspense I felt was hoping that despite the dire signs, Mia would survive the premeditated murder.

VIOLENT ENDS, my first anthology, spoiled the genre for me with its perfect execution, each chapter building on the previous plot points, different writers narrating various voices. I felt as though I was reading one story. I wanted more, yet the book felt complete.

In A THOUSAND DOORS each writer penned a different Mia on a different path. My Mia, *the* Mia, was JT Ellison’s from the first chapters. While each life choice would have impacted her differently, changed her in subtle ways, I believe basic personality to be inborn, as science suggests. Original Mia is imperfect, but she has values and an inner voice she follows. I didn’t relate to all of the Mias or see any shades of the original in some.

Still, I was glued to A THOUSAND DOORS, though enjoyed some of the stories more than others. Admittedly, I skimmed through a few and reread at least one because I enjoyed it most.

I enjoyed A THOUSAND DOORS and recommend to those who enjoy anthologies and short stories. While I didn’t find the stories suspenseful, I still enjoyed nearly all of them.
Profile Image for Michelle.
518 reviews57 followers
November 14, 2018
Review can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...

This book was so uniquely written and I loved the idea of just how different it was! I was not sure how the book would all come together given the fact that several different authors contributed parts to the story to make the book as a whole, but I was interested in the uniqueness of it and was thrilled to have received a copy.

This book did not let me down! It was a cleverly written book and all the contributions from the different authors all came together beautifully to create a wonderful, gripping novel. Well done to all the authors! What a fantastic and different way to compose a book! I loved it!

I enjoyed reading about all the different lives Mia could have lived had she made different choices. Some lives were more glamorous and satisfying than others, some full of happiness and love, some full of heartbreak and disappointment, but it was interesting none the less to read about all of the different paths that her life could have taken given her differing choices along the way.

What a masterpiece of a book to have come together in such a unique way. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from beginning to end.

If you could have the chance to view all of the possible different lives you could have lived had you made different choices along the way, would you take the opportunity to see them? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
2,730 reviews158 followers
February 1, 2022
Mia was murdered at age 40, but what if she had made a very different choice when she was a young woman? How would her life have been different? Would it have been better or worse? Find out in this wonderful collaboration between 16 amazing authors, many of whom I've already read and a few more I now need to read. I don't usually enjoy short stories, but I found this anthology unique and satisfying. A few of the stories brought tears to my eyes, and I am left wanting a full book about my favorite life paths.

"So many lives to lose, and so many to gain."

My favorites were (in order as presented in the book):
1. Happily Married Wife and Mother by Kimberly Belle
2. The Spy by Ariel Lawhon
3. The Actress by Joy Jordan-Lake
4. The Suicide by A.F. Brady
5. The Primatologist by Heather Gudenkauf

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Ashley Houser.
296 reviews18 followers
October 28, 2018
Expected Publication: November 5th!

Wow. Wow. Wow!

What a collection of short stories by an absolute powerhouse of authors:

*J.T. Ellison (Review for Tear Me Apart here: https://homesweethouser.com/2018/08/1...)
*Kimberly Belle (Review for Three Days Missing here: https://homesweethouser.com/2018/07/0...)
*Laura Benedict
*A.F. Brady
*Patti Callahan Henry
*Paige Crutcher
*Rebecca Drake
*Heather Gudenkauf
*Joy Jordan-Lake
*Alisha Klapheke
*Ariel Lawhon
*Kerry Lonsdale
*Catherine McKenzie (Review for The Good Liar here: https://homesweethouser.com/2018/02/1...)
*Kate Moretti
*Lisa Patton (Review for Rush here: https://homesweethouser.com/2018/08/1...)
*Kaira Rouda

The concept of this book is pretty simple. Mia finds herself in a less than stellar life, unhappy with her choices, and headed toward divorce with her husband. When she threatens to testify against her soon-to-be-ex-husband in an embezzlement case, he savagely murders her.

Fortunately, in death, Mia is able to get a glimpse of all the lives she could have lived if she had made different choices in her life. Each of those lives is detailed by the various authors above via individual short stories.

This book for me was kind of a cross between The Butterfly Effect and A Christmas Carol (minus the whole holiday thing and the three ghosts). I loved all of the individual stories, some more than others. It's so hard to choose but some of my favorites were: The Widow, The Primatologist, The Homeless Woman, The Archaeologist, and The Suicide.

I will say there were two things I wish would have been more present in the book overall. I found myself wanting to know what choice was made differently in order to land Mia in this alternate life. There's really no discussion of how she ended up where she was, and that may have been done on purpose. But, I found myself curious about the "how."

The second thing that I found puzzling was this underlying theme of the telephone ringing at the end of each of the short stories. I guess I thought at the end of the book there was going to be some significance to the telephone ringing and (unless I missed it) there wasn't any real closure there.

Otherwise, this is a fabulous book. And the beauty of it, is that you don't even have to read it in order (aside from the beginning and the end). All the parts in the middle can be read in whatever sequence the reader chooses.

Kudos to this all-star cast of authors for collaborating on such a fantastic project. Anybody looking for something unique and different should read this book.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, J.T. Ellison and all contributing authors, and Two Tales Press for the opportunity to review.-
Profile Image for Katie.
238 reviews54 followers
October 8, 2018
A Thousand Doors was born out of J.T. Ellison’s brainstorm of a dissatisfied dying woman who gets to live her “what if” lives as she dies. I love a good “choose your own adventure” book and this anthology seemed to be headed in the direction. What if 40 year old Mia had made different choices? Become a mother? A News Anchor? A Professor?

In order to make Mia’s alternate lives as unique as possible, J.T. recruited well-known talented artists to each write a chapter and give Mia a different life. Some of the lives could almost stand-alone as mini-thrillers (“The Happily Married Wife”, “The Lawyer”). Some are beautifully written like Kerry Lonsdale’s “The Homeless Woman” and the “The Singer/Songwriter” by Pattie Callahan Henry. Others are more far-fetched like “The Spy” and “The Primatologist”. All of them show a woman making choices and trying to live without regret. The main critique I have is that the stories are almost too diverse; it is difficult to see the same core Mia reflected in the stories. I understand that she made different choices but the Mia’s of the different lives had different parents and different childhoods. Maybe that was part of Mia’s “What If” but I really wanted to see more of a common thread among the many Mias. A thought-provoking read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Two Tales Press, and the authors for an advanced electronic reading copy.
Profile Image for Shar.
Author 1 book4 followers
November 17, 2018
I was so eager to read this book – I absolutely LOVED the premise that there are so many paths in life that you could take – and Mia’s chosen path had in effect ended her life – however, I don’t think I have ever actually been so disappointed by a book!

The reviews are so amazing – my expectations were exceptionally high……. It turns out they were definitely too high!

There is no cohesion in this book – the lives are far too random – it’s a series of short stories about women named Mia! Each vignette is very well written in its own right – if you want to read a series of short stories about a woman named Mia…… see the repetition?

The stories had no apparent link with Mia’s ‘original’ life – her primary personality - for this to work for me – it would have had to show choices she could have made within the life she had – not a totally different life – because all that becomes is…. You guessed it – a series of short stories about women named Mia!

I am giving this book 3 stars because each story was well written in its own right but not as a novel in my opinion.

NetGalley, and the publisher Two Tales Press for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Melissa In The City.
260 reviews33 followers
January 4, 2019
So unique and unlike anything I have ever read. While I was reading it, I was thinking “Sliding doors”. At then end in the authors note he wrote that that was a way he pitched it.
The beginning was heart wrenching and had me so drawn into it. But the real surprise was the stories that followed. The “lives” of Mia. The doors that she could have opened. Each door, written by a different author, was so beautifully and poignantly written. I really FELT every word, every life, every emotion. Some of them affected me more emotionally than others and I couldn’t stop thinking about them.

The ending was incredible. It tied everything up neatly. And JT’s writing is just beautiful. Pay attention to the details and it will pull on your heart and give you that AHA moment!

All the stars! 10!

Thank you #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Linda Zagon.
1,467 reviews164 followers
November 5, 2018
J.T.Ellison , Author and Editor of "A Thousand Doors": An Anthology of Many Lives: has include a fantastic line-up of authors to write their short story of Mia. Just one decision and change of luck opens the door to a vast choice of alternatives for the character.I loved the different stories which each had the distinct flavor of each author. I would recommend this Anthology to readers who enjoy a unique, intriguing, intense concept of different choices and stories.
752 reviews30 followers
November 5, 2018
Thank you J.T. Ellison for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Finally an anthology that I LOVED! Every single author nailed their short story. There was not one that I did not enjoy. This is seriously the dream team of Authors, and my mind was blown with the creative geniuses! It's like someone whispered in J.T.'s ear "Build It, And They Will Come" (or for us readers, Write It, And They Will Read) Bow down to these queens! Seriously, they all just blew my mind! 

We've all played the what if game, What if I did this? What if I chose that? What if I never met so & so? What if I moved there? What if I took that job? It's something we all do, always wondering if the choices we didn't make, turned out better than the choices we did choose. I love that Mia got to see what those "what ifs" were, she got to see how her life panned out, in all kinds of ways. If you had the option to answer your what if questions, would you? 

These woman wrote an amazing book, it didn't even feel like a series of short stories, they were all cohesive and flowed seamlessly, I at time's forgot I was reading several different authors. Such an amazing job well done. And don't you dare ask me which one was my favorite, because that is impossible to answer.

Reader, beware that once you pick up this book, you won't want to put it down. So when you start reading, give yourself a good amount of time. This book is highly addictive, and un-putdownable for sure! 
Profile Image for Jen.
464 reviews125 followers
November 7, 2018
A Thousand doors gives you a look in the many lives she could have led if she made different choices throughout her life.

Mia Jensen is at a pivotal point. Her soon to be ex is an ass, she comes home from a crap day to decompress, and before she knows what happened- she's laying in a pool of her own blood, left to die. What follows is an anthology of sorts into the many lives she could've led. Are any of those better than the life she might leave? Though she's dying, would she change a thing? What regrets might she have?

A phenomenal premise, a pretty good execution. Ellison's portions at the beginning and end are of course stellar, as are most of the other stories. There were a few in the middle that really didn't do it for me, either in style or subject matter. This left the book as a whole a solid 3 for me. Definitely an intriguing look into this character's many lives and a fantastic collection of some of my favorite authors.

Thanks to NetGalley and Two Tales Press for this copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Debi Stout.
741 reviews19 followers
November 25, 2018
If you're ever in the mood for a suspense/thriller, you can bet reaching for a book by author, J.T. Ellison, it will satisfy the need. When I saw A Thousand Doors by J.T. Ellison available for review on NetGalley through my book blogging relationship, I requested it and was "thrilled" when I was approved...... and then, I opened the book and saw that there were contributions by so many of my other favorite authors, I was super excited! In case J.T. Ellison wasn't enough, take a look at the other contributors: 

Kimberly Belle 
Laura Benedict 
A.F. Brady 
Patti Callahan 
Paige Crutcher 
Rebecca Drake 
Heather Gudenkauf 
Joy Jordan-Lake 
Alisha Klapheke 
Ariel Lawhon 
Kerry Lonsdale 
Catherine McKenzie 
Kate Moretti 
Lisa Patton 
Kaira Rouda

You are in awe, right? I know I was! This book - A Thousand Doors - is a thrilling anthology that isn’t really an anthology, but instead, it's a story of one woman’s many lives, written by a very unique group of thriller, suspense, and women’s fiction authors, all of which are award winning and bestselling authors! 

So the story is this -  Forty-year old Mia is brutally attacked and left for dead at the beginning of the book.  As she is laying there dying, she has flashes of what her life could have been had she made different choices. This book is so fascinating because it provides readers with each author's take on the direction that Mia's life could have taken, "if only" she had made different decisions in her life.

The biographies of Mia's possible lives as provided by each of the authors makes a very "unputdownable" book.  Once you read a chapter written by one author, giving their take on how Mia could have possibly lived her life, you can't wait to read another chapter by another author to hear the story in their unique voice.

My favorite part of this book is the fact that each author provides their style of storytelling and as an avid reader, I was familiar with so many of the authors. I couldn't wait to read each of their versions.  It also provided an opportunity for me to discover some new authors and see their style of storytelling.

I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy through NetGalley in exchange for my post.  I was not required to post a positive review, but have chosen to do so!
Profile Image for Linda Zagon.
1,467 reviews164 followers
November 5, 2018
J.T.Ellison , Author and Editor of "A Thousand Doors": An Anthology of Many Lives: has include a fantastic line-up of authors to write their short story of Mia. Just one decision and change of luck opens the door to a vast choice of alternatives for the character.I loved the different stories which each had the distinct flavor of each author. I would recommend this Anthology to readers who enjoy a unique, intriguing, intense concept of different choices and stories.
Profile Image for Jill Anderson.
Author 4 books346 followers
November 3, 2018
Wow! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this fabulous, unusual book! We have all wondered about the "what if" possibilities in our life, where one little decision could have totally done a 180 on your life.
Each of the authors did a wonderful job of taking a "what if" of Mia's life and giving us a glimpse into all the possibilities for her. So many of them on their own would make great stand-alone books!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
348 reviews3 followers
December 20, 2018
What a great concept for this book! Authors don't need to go crazy over this unique approach, but for this one plot ... for this one character ... with these authors ... it works. Some of the stories left me speechless, curious, sad, wanting more. Great job to JT for making this book happen.
Profile Image for January Gray.
727 reviews16 followers
October 23, 2018
Not my cup of tea. It started out great, then got boring. I understand the concept and thought it was unique, it just wasn't for me.
Profile Image for Candice.
523 reviews14 followers
October 28, 2018
I think it’s fair to say that I am OBSESSED with this story and the way it was written. I love J.T. Ellison’s work already but this idea of starting a story and asking some of the best female authors around to add pieces to it is Genius! Each snip-it of Mia’s life was captivating and a pleasure to read. I was so invested in this story, I couldn’t out it down.

Although this is considered an anthology, it is unlike any I’ve ever read before. I am not a fan of short story anthologies usually because of the lack of flow but this one is PERFECT! I can’t gush about it enough. Please pick this one up, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
370 reviews8 followers
October 11, 2018
WOW! Amazing anthology. I admit I have not read many. The beginning has you believing that Mia is murdered by her husband. Many authors (most of whom were new to me) contribute to the story. A most incredible ending written by J.T. Ellison. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, Independent Book Publishers Assoc. and the Authors for allowing me to read and review this book.
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746 reviews22 followers
November 8, 2018
“A Thousand Doors” is an anthology edited by J.T. Ellison , but it is unlike other anthologies one might have read. This one, of course, features stories by renowned suspense and thriller authors, however, “A Thousand Doors” features one woman, Mia, and many tell her story. These prominent authors all add a unique flavor to Mia’s narrative, creating an exceptional, inventive, and cohesive anthology.

Anthologies are formulated for reading on the go since a reader can complete one whole story in a short period. “A Thousand Doors” follows this model but each author tells a story focused on the same main character allowing the separate selections to flow together. The stories are uniquely tied together and connected, even at the end, in way that gives the anthology the feel of a typical novel.

Anthologies are well suited for on-the-go reading or for filling in the time while waiting for appointments, waiting to pick up children, or taking a long trip. “A Thousand Doors” is a complete reading package that all readers will enjoy.

I was given a review copy of “A Thousand Doors” by J. T. Ellison, The Independent Book Publishers Association, and NetGalley. It is a group of compelling stories by a distinguished cast of writers. I recommend it to everyone, lovers of anthologies as well as readers of “traditional” books.
1,357 reviews36 followers
October 31, 2018
“What if” is a premise that calls to me like the song of the siren. A THOUSAND DOORS is a very daring enterprise as it has a head writer J.T. Ellison, if you will, along with a slew of guest contributors. Would Mia Jensen’s essence remain intact? Would it form a coherent whole? It does, except that I found that The Author by Kaira Rouda did not capture Mia’s spirit as well as the other ones did, and The Seeker by Paige Crutcher was a little too esoteric for me. The short stories are independent of each other, and can be read in any order, as they are standalones, apart from Ms. Ellison’s, which bracket the whole. I did read every story, which is unusual for me when anthologies are concerned, and I would give a solid four stars for the overall quality of the stories as well as the writing, with a few that were so terrific that my rating of five stars is justified; besides Ms. Ellison’s story is well worth five stars. A few stories really have the feel of the “what if” as pertaining to Mia, while others seem more independent of the theme. However I am pleased to say that Mia remained a tall, blue-eyed blonde throughout. Some offerings suffer the curse of the short story, that is a non-ending or where you have to draw your own conclusion.

It would be too long to evaluate all the stories individually, so I will only mention a few that really stood out for me and why they were so special. The Happily Married Wife and Mother by Kimberly Belle is excellent. Rebecca Drake’s The Archaeologist is stunning – very detailed and the ambiance is fabulous, although I’m not sure I quite understood the ending. The Widow by Kate Moretti is fabulous, very clever, and is possibly the best “what if” of the lot. My favourite story was The Homeless Woman by Kerry Lonsdale, which is fantastic. It’s a very touching story that made me cry, and to do that with a short story is quite the achievement.

J.T. Ellison opens and closes this collection with the bones of Mia Jensen’s story, and I wish she would have done the whole thing by herself. Ms. Ellison was a new author to me, and it was a revelation! Her writing is outstanding: stylish, literate, and with impeccable timing; she conveys tension and atmosphere spectacularly, and I am looking forward to reading anything by Ms. Ellison because I was totally awed. What a talent! Even though I read an advanced reader copy, the editing is stellar: in all those pages, I found exactly ONE typo, which is almost unheard of. If A THOUSAND DOORS was not precisely the sort of “what if” book I was hoping for, it is a wonderful read, a great opportunity to discover new authors, and do a bit of thinking on our own life as well.



I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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944 reviews
October 19, 2018
Readers who love short stories will want to read this newest release from JT Ellison. It’s a bit of a mix between Ground Hog Day and It’s a Wonderful Life.

Mia Jensen is a 40 year old woman who finds herself literally at death’s door in the first story. Each story that follows is written by a different author and gives a different version of her life, based on different choices she might have made in the past.

Having these short stories presented by different authors gave some very unique perspectives as to what Mia’s life could have been like. It also gives readers a sample of each author’s writing. I found myself turning back to the table of contents for a look at the authors of the stories and made notes of those which I enjoyed the most for future reading.

I liked the way JT Ellison’s last story tied everything up for the ending. This is a book that would be easy to read in one sitting or to spread out over a period of time, with one story a day. I will admit, at times it was difficult to switch gears and move from one story to the next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Tales Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

Profile Image for Shelley Lawrence.
1,787 reviews99 followers
January 18, 2021
3.25 stars
I know that A Thousand Doors, the anthology edited by J. T. Ellison, has received rave reviews, so I’m clearly in the minority in my middle of the road opinion.

This anthology is truly unique in that it corrals a slew of mystery/thriller writers and has each tell a short snippet of the story of Mia, if she lived a different life as author, actress, lawyer, etc. All of these individual vignettes are tied together by the fact that they center around one character. This is such an original and interesting concept. The premise, or moral of the story, is also a really good one.

I did enjoy many of the short stories, but it’s a fairly long book and at some point, the point seemed to be made and I started to lose interest. It became more of the same thing, in a different way. Also, I found it slightly frustrating that we didn’t get the full story of each version of Mia, so all were incomplete, and some really left the reader hanging.

So it was an intriguing concept with a great point to the story, and an enjoyable read through a good chunk of it. I also applaud the organization of it. Eventually, however, I lost interest and wanted to skim through the last several embodiments. So, a middle of the road read for me with high potential.
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