*Thanks to Netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review*

THERE WILL BE QUOTES; POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD- READ WITH CARE.

I have a hard time finding the words to describe this book, it pulls you in with such a force, and I had a hard time letting go.
Wallace started as an unlikeable character for me. The very first glimpse we get of him is him just being straight-up cruel to some woman that didn't deserve an ounce of it. But that's the point, we dislike him, he annoys us, and he had his dose of karma when he died. THEN, ALMOST THE FIRST THING HE DOES AFTER HE DIES IS TRYING TO LODGE A COMPLAINT???? AGAINST DEATH???

"I'm told I died from a heart attack. I'd like to lodge a formal complaint, seeing as how-" "...I would really rather not be dead if at all possible, I have far too much work to do, and this has been an awful inconvenience..."

When Wallace looked back on his life and achievements, it had a strange effect on me. He woke up, went to work, did his job, came back home, and went to sleep; with nothing more to show for his life other than some nameplate on a fancy firm and an ex-wife, was it all worth it? Sacrificing your life for a job and having nothing to show from it. Well, Wallace had that ridiculously expensive coffin. So I guess that's something.

Enough about Wallace. I've always believed that blood doesn't make family, but the family at the tea shop surprised me.
Mei is strong-headed, fiercely protective over the people she cares about, and gives the best hugs. "I'm going to hug the crap out of you." "From the moment you're born, you're dying." Man, that hit me hard.

Nelson is funnily enough what I would expect from a granddad ghost. He's wise, always there for his grandson, and never far from pranks and laughs. "He's taking to being dead pretty well." "I can handle him if need be. I may look old, but I can kick ass and take names with the best of them."

Don't get me started on Hugo... I want to cry just thinking about him in the last couple of pages. He's so sweet, and for what? All people do is fight with him for just doing his job, which he did not get any say in. He gives people his whole soul in exchange for nothing, not even a mere thank you. "We can be friends now, there's nothing stopping us" " I need you to hug Wallace for me"

And for what it's worth, that goddamn dog broke me. That's what did it, the final straw before the watergates opened up wide.

This book talks about death and life after death in a way that I've never seen before. It's not tied to a religion or a certain belief that promises you heaven or hell or whatever it is. This book reminds me a lot of the show "The Good Place," but without the evil demons and all that.
After a bit of a battle with myself, I decided to go with four stars instead of five. The book does drag a little on (much like season 2 of The Good Place), but the book manages well with humor, newfound dilemmas, heartfelt characters, and, well, the curiosity to see what will happen to Wallace. Also, the main relationship in this story seems a bit underdeveloped. They went from disliking each other to being somewhat friendly, and then suddenly they're in love without anything really happening. I know that Wallace is a ghost and all that but I feel like there needed to be something a liiiiittle more before they were all lovey-dovey in love with each other. Wallace improved a lot at the tea shop. He did a complete 180° in regards to his personality, character, and overall how he connected with other people. I grew fond of him, and although I already liked him straight after his death, he definitely grew himself a little hole in my heart. "Hell yeah! I'm the best ghost ever!"

That being said, I loved it, already pre-ordered a physical copy, will reread and annotate it, and can't freaking wait to force my friends to listen to me rant about it.