Quinn is a young mother expecting her second baby. She is happy with her husband and son until something horrible happens: her to be born baby girl's life is threatened by a rear sickness: not only she could die but in case she survives the birth she could be brain damaged. What to do?
Quinn needs her mother but she can only talk to her paintings at her father's house.
The situation is so overwhelming that leads her back to her childhood's experience of another life. Somewhere, someplace, there is another Quinn. A Quinn who didn't marry but whose worse problem is to accept her rich and famous boyfriend proposal during a fabolous holiday in the Fiji.
The real Quinn starts finding portals leading her to the other Quinn's life: basically she is drawned by her need to see her mum, but she obviously gets involved with her boyfiriend and going back gets harder and harder.
Eventually she manages to get her eart to heart talking with her mother and surprisingly she decides to go back, close the portals, mourn her mother and give the baby girl and herself a chance to live another life.
Very touching and involving, the plot is sustained by tragicomical characters and scenes, like the one where Quinn gets his brother's boyfiend arrested and then tries everything to rescue him and make up with her mistakes.
Enjoy! ( )

This book had some real potential, the premise was excellent but the protagonist was incredibly irritating - Why was she submitting to all those expensive pre-natal tests if she wanted to go ahead a give birth to a baby with some of worst possible deformities?! It felt like pro-life propaganda. ( )

I really enjoyed the book (although there were holes here and there, places where I thought there were some inconsistencies, and things that needed to be explained)... all the way until the end. It's not that I didn't like the ending, it's that - after a well-written book, all of a sudden it seemed like the author found something else she needed to do, so she just threw something together. Again, I could have been happy with the actual ending, I was just unhappy with how it was written.

What would you do if you could slip through a portal and live your “other life”? The life you left behind by the choices you made. That’s the dilemma Quinn Braverman faces. She is happily married and pregnant with her second child. She has known most of her life that she has the ability to slip between parallel worlds, but when Quinn receives the news that her unborn child may have developmental problems the need to talk to her (deceased) mother again overwhelms her and she makes the choice to go through that portal. She easily slips into a life where she is still childless, engaged to the man the she left behind and able to sit down and talk with her mother who is still very much alive.

The plot of this book was intriguing and reading definitely made me think “what if”, but for me overall the read was a little flat.
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THE OTHER LIFE, by Ellen Meister is totally mesmerizing and spellbinding; an exploration of a young woman, a mother--of parallel universes, a crossroad, a pivotal choice, and a glimpse of the other life, what could have been?

Ellen creates a magical and emotional thought-provoking story of Quinn, a happily married woman –a wife and mother of a six year old son, who is pregnant and has received some heart breaking news about the unborn child she is carrying. She is now forced to make a very difficult choice, as is her husband. She misses her mother, Nan, an artist who committed suicide after years of depression.

THE OTHER LIFE is about returning to the road not taken and exploring the life unlived. Have you ever longed to see what happened on the other road?

Quinn needs and desires answers and is pulled to the basement of her house to the hidden door drawing her metaphorically to the other side, crossing over with a glimpse into the unknown. There are cracks in her life and foundation. Unresolved feelings with her mother's death. Will she remain on the other side?

In the other life her mother would still be alive, and she would be childless and married to a different man. Will she allow herself to be pulled toward this strong force; her mother, or stay and fight for the family she now has and the baby with an unknown future? Is she up for the battle? Has she really understood her mother's suicide, her motives, and what about the meaning of the paintings? A powerful bond of mother/daughter relationship.

Audiobook Recommendation Let me say, this is one book which I would recommend the audiobook. As an audible member, I listen to tons of audiobooks, and the narrator will make or break a book.

In this case Meister’s clever and magical prose transports you to another level– Captivating with vivid descriptions; and the voice transcends you to an almost "dream state of mind". It was amazing how relaxed I became, hanging on to every word. I continued to rewind as so engrossing. Hillary Huber delivers an outstanding performance for a winning combination.

After listening/reading, a book, I will often rate the book, and prior to the writing of my review may reflect a few days before returning; sometimes weeks, and often forget to return:). In the meantime, I am intrigued and want to learn the inspiration behind a book, and begin researching the web for fascinating tidbits.

I would strongly encourage readers to visit Ellen’s website as she does a really good job of summarizing her books, her inspiration behind the book, and this one includes an in depth interview with the author, trailer, Q & A, discussion questions, and reviews.

THE OTHER LIFE would make an ideal book, for book clubs and group discussions while exploring the different personalities and characters in the book. A nice celebration of life—the past and present, its messiness, overcoming grief, and the deep boundless love available when we embrace and bond together, versus taking the easy way out.

On a side note: As all my reading friends are aware, I tend to read new and advanced reading copies, as part of my blog. When doing so, I am introduced to a world of newfound authors, as I enjoy a variety of different genres.

Ellen Meister is one of those rare jewels. You fall in love with the book, the author, and her style. She writes across many genres and can be funny as heck, astute, clever, and profound and serious the next, making you want to read more of her books. Not only is she a talented author, she is such fun to communicate and connect with on Goodreads, Twitter, and other social media sites.

Working my way backwards, starting from latest and upcoming Dorothy Parker Drank Here (Dorothy Parker #2), coming Feb 24, 2015, highly recommend Read My Review and you have to read the prequel, Farewell, Dorothy Parker (Dorothy Parker #1) loving the new glamorous savvy front cover, and now we come to the book at hand, THE OTHER LIFE—A magical and enchanting contemporary novel for women of all ages. Looking forward to reading more.

Especially women-- as we move through life, we long sometimes for an escape (what is my exit strategy), whether it be through reading, writing, art, meditation, or other forms. This strong need could be brought upon by stress, grief, a difficult decision, or as we approach a certain age or milestone.

As we become older, everyone reflects back upon a crossroad in our lives, whether work or business, and second guessing, which ultimately will change the course of our lives. As our beauty and youth diminishes, at age 30, 40, 50, 60+, we wake up and think, "how in the heck did I wind up here?" What if?

A nice weekend escape . . .Loved the West Palm Beach, FL connection as I reside here in Urban Downtown trendy WPB in a former artist studio- historic 1920's cottage bungalow. ( )