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Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the Afterlife
New York Times bestselling author and America’s top psychic, Matt Fraser presents an immersive guide to intentional living and discovering what life is really all about before reaching the pearly gates.
New York Times bestselling author Matt Fraser knows a lot about life… from the dead. We’ve all heard there is a mystical moment that occurs just before you die—or right after you get to Heaven—in which your life flashes before your eyes in vivid detail. The chronicle of your achievements, your failures, your loves, your losses, your daily rituals, your lifelong friendships invites a new perspective through which to view your life. But what if you did not need to wait until your death bed or the pearly gates to experience this phenomenon? What if you could examine your life right now, while there is time to make changes, heal relationships, manifest your goals and the life you truly want to live?
In Don’t Wait Till Your Dead Matt distills the lessons, stories, and heavenly truths he’s learned from his gift of connecting with souls on the other side. Readers will be able to learn lifetimes of secrets to happiness, fulfillment, and gratitude from loved ones that are no longer with us. Practical, inspirational, and downright heavenly, Don’t Wait Till Your Dead will wake readers up to the joys of life, and assure us that those we love never truly leave us.
New York Times bestselling author Matt Fraser knows a lot about life… from the dead. We’ve all heard there is a mystical moment that occurs just before you die—or right after you get to Heaven—in which your life flashes before your eyes in vivid detail. The chronicle of your achievements, your failures, your loves, your losses, your daily rituals, your lifelong friendships invites a new perspective through which to view your life. But what if you did not need to wait until your death bed or the pearly gates to experience this phenomenon? What if you could examine your life right now, while there is time to make changes, heal relationships, manifest your goals and the life you truly want to live?
In Don’t Wait Till Your Dead Matt distills the lessons, stories, and heavenly truths he’s learned from his gift of connecting with souls on the other side. Readers will be able to learn lifetimes of secrets to happiness, fulfillment, and gratitude from loved ones that are no longer with us. Practical, inspirational, and downright heavenly, Don’t Wait Till Your Dead will wake readers up to the joys of life, and assure us that those we love never truly leave us.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published August 20, 2024
About the author
Matt Fraser
19 books139 followersMatt Fraser is America’s Top Psychic Medium and star of the hit television series Meet The Frasers on E! Entertainment.
His sold-out live events, television appearances, and popular private readings have allowed him to bring healing, hope & laughter to a global audience of fans and followers from all around the world. From heartfelt emotional readings to stunning revelations, Matt Fraser has audiences on the edge of their seats with his outrageous personality and unique approach to mediumship.
His readings lead guests through a rollercoaster of emotions from laughing to crying, turning skeptics into believers with stunning details. His dynamic readings frequently include names, dates, and locations he couldn’t possibly know, only adding to his long-established reputation. Matt’s uncanny abilities and extreme accuracy have allowed him to reach millions world-wide from A-list celebrities and influencers, to everyday people looking to get in touch with those they have lost.
The bestselling author of When Heaven Calls and a psychic phenomenon, Matt has caught the attention of major media outlets across the nation including the New York Times, People magazine, and CBS Radio. He has also been a sought-after guest on popular TV shows such as The Real Housewives, Botched, The Doctors, and many more.
His sold-out live events, television appearances, and popular private readings have allowed him to bring healing, hope & laughter to a global audience of fans and followers from all around the world. From heartfelt emotional readings to stunning revelations, Matt Fraser has audiences on the edge of their seats with his outrageous personality and unique approach to mediumship.
His readings lead guests through a rollercoaster of emotions from laughing to crying, turning skeptics into believers with stunning details. His dynamic readings frequently include names, dates, and locations he couldn’t possibly know, only adding to his long-established reputation. Matt’s uncanny abilities and extreme accuracy have allowed him to reach millions world-wide from A-list celebrities and influencers, to everyday people looking to get in touch with those they have lost.
The bestselling author of When Heaven Calls and a psychic phenomenon, Matt has caught the attention of major media outlets across the nation including the New York Times, People magazine, and CBS Radio. He has also been a sought-after guest on popular TV shows such as The Real Housewives, Botched, The Doctors, and many more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 31, 2025
This book is just not helpful. I don't know if Fraser can communicate with "Spirit" But, this book does not make common sense. First of all his information that each person has an army of people in the afterlife looking after just them, you have your Spirit Guide your Guardian Angels a group of angels and ancestors who are there just for you. It is as if everyone in the afterlife has nothing else to do but keep an eye on us down there. And, for the sake of argument let's suppose that is true, if it is than why is it so many people are screwing their lifes up. Well, he would say you have to acknowledge them and ask for their assistance. Also he claims we all have a purpose that was decided before we were even born. That is a pretty tall order for sure........and, yet there are a lot of messed up people in this world of 8 billion humans.
A lot of us are missing the Spirit's advice by living lives of mediocrity. Either out of laziness or unbelief. His advice in finding one's "soulmate" is basically you have to wait until that person comes along and you will know because your Spirit Guide, or angels or somebody out there will let you know this is the one. There are a lot of lonely people out in the world who fell for the soulmate myth, or the having a baby myth, or the there's a perfect job for you myth. Not only do I think his claims are ludicrous, they are dangerous. This is basically a self-help/law of attraction book, but Fraser is saying you don't have to even do anything, just put yourself out there don't settle for stuff, and your Spirit Guide will make sure you get what you need. And, life just doesn't work that way.
He is 30 years old, and rather he can talk to dead people or spirits, I cannot say, but he has know understanding at his age of the life experience of the majority of people on this planet. And, IMHO, does not give the best life advice.
A lot of us are missing the Spirit's advice by living lives of mediocrity. Either out of laziness or unbelief. His advice in finding one's "soulmate" is basically you have to wait until that person comes along and you will know because your Spirit Guide, or angels or somebody out there will let you know this is the one. There are a lot of lonely people out in the world who fell for the soulmate myth, or the having a baby myth, or the there's a perfect job for you myth. Not only do I think his claims are ludicrous, they are dangerous. This is basically a self-help/law of attraction book, but Fraser is saying you don't have to even do anything, just put yourself out there don't settle for stuff, and your Spirit Guide will make sure you get what you need. And, life just doesn't work that way.
He is 30 years old, and rather he can talk to dead people or spirits, I cannot say, but he has know understanding at his age of the life experience of the majority of people on this planet. And, IMHO, does not give the best life advice.
August 26, 2024
I love this man. I love everything about this book. Read it now!!
August 29, 2024
I discovered this book by accident on Spotify and thought I would give it a go. I really enjoyed the author’s narration.
September 1, 2026
Don’t Wait Till You’re Dead has an irresistible premise: if mediums spend their lives hearing from people who have already died, what do those people consistently wish they had understood while they were alive? Matt Fraser builds the book around that question, using ideas such as the life preview, life purpose, wake-up calls, authenticity, regret, earthbound spirits, and the life review to encourage readers to examine their lives before death forces the issue. I liked the premise considerably more than I liked the execution, mostly because the lessons themselves rarely felt as unusual as the source of them.
Fraser’s central message is essentially that life is temporary, relationships matter, we should stop living according to other people’s expectations, pursue what gives our lives meaning, and deal with unresolved issues while we still have time. I agree with all of that. There is also something genuinely compelling about framing those lessons through people who have supposedly reached the end of life and can suddenly see what mattered. The problem is that I kept waiting for insights that felt uniquely derived from decades of mediumship rather than familiar spiritual and self-help principles placed within an afterlife framework.
The material on the life preview and life review interested me most. Fraser describes life as something the soul enters with intentions and lessons, followed eventually by a retrospective understanding of how our actions affected ourselves and others. Whether someone takes that cosmology literally or symbolically, I can see the value in imagining your life from its endpoint. What would suddenly look important? What would seem like wasted energy? Which relationships would you wish you had repaired? Which decisions would you regret allowing fear to make for you? Those questions can be productive without needing to wait for an actual near-death experience.
I was less convinced by the certainty with which some of the metaphysics are presented. Fraser describes souls, heaven, guides, purpose, and the mechanics of the afterlife as though he has access to a fairly complete map of how everything works. I’m interested in what mediums consistently report, but I prefer those observations to retain some mystery. Mediumistic experience may provide fascinating evidence and patterns without necessarily giving any individual person an omniscient view of the universe. I would have liked more acknowledgment of ambiguity, contradiction, and the limits of what can actually be known through spirit communication.
I also felt some repetition with Fraser’s other books. If you have already read his work, several themes will be familiar: the dead remain connected to us, life continues beyond physical death, our loved ones want us to live fully, and understanding death can help us become less afraid of life. He writes about these subjects warmly and accessibly, and I understand why readers dealing with grief or reevaluating their lives could find this particular framing deeply meaningful. For me, though, the diminishing returns were noticeable.
There are worthwhile reflections here, and the journal-oriented nature of some of the material makes it more useful than simply reading another collection of inspirational stories. I just wanted the dead to tell me something stranger. Fraser has spent years claiming communication with people who have crossed one of humanity’s greatest mysteries, and I wanted more discoveries that complicated my understanding of consciousness, death, and existence. Don’t Wait Till You’re Dead gave me some good reminders about living deliberately, but most of them were reminders I had encountered before. The premise made me expect revelation, while the book more often delivered reassurance.
Fraser’s central message is essentially that life is temporary, relationships matter, we should stop living according to other people’s expectations, pursue what gives our lives meaning, and deal with unresolved issues while we still have time. I agree with all of that. There is also something genuinely compelling about framing those lessons through people who have supposedly reached the end of life and can suddenly see what mattered. The problem is that I kept waiting for insights that felt uniquely derived from decades of mediumship rather than familiar spiritual and self-help principles placed within an afterlife framework.
The material on the life preview and life review interested me most. Fraser describes life as something the soul enters with intentions and lessons, followed eventually by a retrospective understanding of how our actions affected ourselves and others. Whether someone takes that cosmology literally or symbolically, I can see the value in imagining your life from its endpoint. What would suddenly look important? What would seem like wasted energy? Which relationships would you wish you had repaired? Which decisions would you regret allowing fear to make for you? Those questions can be productive without needing to wait for an actual near-death experience.
I was less convinced by the certainty with which some of the metaphysics are presented. Fraser describes souls, heaven, guides, purpose, and the mechanics of the afterlife as though he has access to a fairly complete map of how everything works. I’m interested in what mediums consistently report, but I prefer those observations to retain some mystery. Mediumistic experience may provide fascinating evidence and patterns without necessarily giving any individual person an omniscient view of the universe. I would have liked more acknowledgment of ambiguity, contradiction, and the limits of what can actually be known through spirit communication.
I also felt some repetition with Fraser’s other books. If you have already read his work, several themes will be familiar: the dead remain connected to us, life continues beyond physical death, our loved ones want us to live fully, and understanding death can help us become less afraid of life. He writes about these subjects warmly and accessibly, and I understand why readers dealing with grief or reevaluating their lives could find this particular framing deeply meaningful. For me, though, the diminishing returns were noticeable.
There are worthwhile reflections here, and the journal-oriented nature of some of the material makes it more useful than simply reading another collection of inspirational stories. I just wanted the dead to tell me something stranger. Fraser has spent years claiming communication with people who have crossed one of humanity’s greatest mysteries, and I wanted more discoveries that complicated my understanding of consciousness, death, and existence. Don’t Wait Till You’re Dead gave me some good reminders about living deliberately, but most of them were reminders I had encountered before. The premise made me expect revelation, while the book more often delivered reassurance.
June 9, 2025
Matt Fraser is one of the most loving mediums I have come across. His stories and messages from Spirit are uplifting and do remind us that there is always love and hope. However, there was a moment in which I had to pause the audiobook and question soulmates. My interpretation is that if we are in a loving relationship with someone (and the feelings are mutual!) then we shouldn’t become so obsessed with the ideas of soulmates or twin flames that we end up dumping the person we are with just to be with our soulmate. I feel this can be a destructive line of thinking, and we will miss out on having a meaningful relationship with someone, and based on what I have learned about the subject some people may not meet their soulmate in this lifetime, because after all they too have their own free will, and we should respect that.
When it came to soulmates it just felt very surface level to me.
I also had to pause when it came to loved ones from the other side encouraging their children to make up with each other and forgive each other and get back in touch. Some relationships are toxic, and abusive, and distancing and going no contact with each other due to that is healthy, and for a lot of people necessary for wellbeing. If we keep abusive people in our lives, then our own wellbeing will be impacted. I do believe in angels, and having our own spiritual team that support us, but I don’t think they would encourage us to maintain contact with someone, who hasn’t changed or taken accountability for their actions.
I know Matt expressed that forgiving someone isn’t okaying someone’s bad behavior, but to get back in touch with someone as part of healing, according to loved ones on the other side? I don’t think it’s always possible or a good thing. We can however love from a distance!
Don’t get me wrong, Matt Fraser is doing very important and loving work but there were some things in this book that I just didn’t agree with, and I only wrote down what would be helpful to me in my own life, such as getting clear about what I want out of my life, clearing out emotional baggage, and the questions to ask myself whenever I am faced with a challenging situation. Those exercises were very helpful to me.
This is a book to be listened to or read with an open mind, but you should also listen to yourself if something doesn’t feel right to you. Take what you need from this book, and leave the rest if it doesn’t resonate with you.
I have only a few more chapters until I finish the audiobook but this is my review as it stands now.
Edit: The last few chapters of this book were very powerful, but I encourage others to be discerning whenever they read books like this! Not everything in this book will work for everyone.
When it came to soulmates it just felt very surface level to me.
I also had to pause when it came to loved ones from the other side encouraging their children to make up with each other and forgive each other and get back in touch. Some relationships are toxic, and abusive, and distancing and going no contact with each other due to that is healthy, and for a lot of people necessary for wellbeing. If we keep abusive people in our lives, then our own wellbeing will be impacted. I do believe in angels, and having our own spiritual team that support us, but I don’t think they would encourage us to maintain contact with someone, who hasn’t changed or taken accountability for their actions.
I know Matt expressed that forgiving someone isn’t okaying someone’s bad behavior, but to get back in touch with someone as part of healing, according to loved ones on the other side? I don’t think it’s always possible or a good thing. We can however love from a distance!
Don’t get me wrong, Matt Fraser is doing very important and loving work but there were some things in this book that I just didn’t agree with, and I only wrote down what would be helpful to me in my own life, such as getting clear about what I want out of my life, clearing out emotional baggage, and the questions to ask myself whenever I am faced with a challenging situation. Those exercises were very helpful to me.
This is a book to be listened to or read with an open mind, but you should also listen to yourself if something doesn’t feel right to you. Take what you need from this book, and leave the rest if it doesn’t resonate with you.
I have only a few more chapters until I finish the audiobook but this is my review as it stands now.
Edit: The last few chapters of this book were very powerful, but I encourage others to be discerning whenever they read books like this! Not everything in this book will work for everyone.
November 1, 2024
Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the Afterlife by Matt Fraser
Interesting, thought-provoking memorable. A very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more by Matt FraserI highly recommend Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the Afterlife to all.
Interesting, thought-provoking memorable. A very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more by Matt FraserI highly recommend Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice from the Afterlife to all.
September 20, 2024
This book is a perfect introduction to the afterlife and spirit realm!
I will say, as someone who has read Delores Canon’s books as well as some other channeled messages, this book was a bit too surface level for me.
However, I would absolutely send this book to someone who has never learned of such things before. Especially someone who may be a bit hesitant to get into this subject due to religious afflictions.
I will say, as someone who has read Delores Canon’s books as well as some other channeled messages, this book was a bit too surface level for me.
However, I would absolutely send this book to someone who has never learned of such things before. Especially someone who may be a bit hesitant to get into this subject due to religious afflictions.
March 10, 2025
I really love that. Matt reads this himself. The narration he did was great. Listening to this book has given me some hope about what happens after we pass. It’s made me feel more. It is with living life, without as much fear, and anxiety about dying. It’s what I needed right now. One day I hope I get a reading. He’s definitely a gifted individual.
December 31, 2024
Charming author though a slight read. I read Don’t Wait Till You’re Dead by Matt Fraser as he is charming on YouTube. He is a channeler, however, in this book the author is talking surface level to a readership who might not necessarily believe in the eternal soul or multi-dimensionality. Didn’t inspire or teach me anything new.
This book review also appears in https://Amazon.com and https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com.
This book review also appears in https://Amazon.com and https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com.
January 9, 2025
Good book written and read by Matt Fraser. Matt does a wonderful job sharing insight on the afterlife with his gift to his listeners. If you're struggling with grieving a loved one it's certainly worth a listen.
February 14, 2025
So very moving
This book really made me look at my life from new,angles! It made me remember many things as well. It really put death and the after life in a wonderful perspective. I am truly thankful for all of the journal prompts. I learned so much!
This book really made me look at my life from new,angles! It made me remember many things as well. It really put death and the after life in a wonderful perspective. I am truly thankful for all of the journal prompts. I learned so much!
February 14, 2026
Profound! I have so many emotions, all positive. I am so thankful for this knowledge. I’m 65 and feel I still have much time here so I will be using all of this moving forward. Matt, thank you so very much!
March 4, 2026
3.5 I'm not sure how I came across this book as I had never heard of Matt Fraser and I'm pretty skeptical about communicating with spirits. However, I actually found this to be an interesting and insightful book (once I worked past Fraser's awful accent in the audiobook).
May 14, 2026
Excellent book read and WILL READ again!
Excellent insite on life and the decisions we make. Interesting facts and helpful advice on our future, whether dying or in heaven or living life to the fullest. Thank you, Matt!!
Excellent insite on life and the decisions we make. Interesting facts and helpful advice on our future, whether dying or in heaven or living life to the fullest. Thank you, Matt!!
August 31, 2024
This book takes an open mind, but is so worth it. Helps you understand your life and death.
September 2, 2024
I was a little nervous to read this book but now it's one of my favorites. Thank you for writing this one. 😊
October 27, 2024
Uplifting and inspiring. Matt always provides a positive message of comfort and hope. All will be well!
November 2, 2024
really interesting book . I believe in spirits and couldn't put down.
November 20, 2024
This book was very underwhelming. It basically says everything a basic self help book would tell you, even if the author wasn’t a “medium”.
I am not sure why I even bought this book.
I am not sure why I even bought this book.
December 15, 2024
This book was interesting.
January 20, 2025
Not my favorite of his. Took me a long time to read. Sorry Matt.
March 27, 2025
As always Matt is very interesting.
March 28, 2025
Easy read. Very well written!
July 13, 2025
much needed book
I lost my sister from cancer, dealt with guilt and anger for a year. This book helped me start my journey to healing. Than you Matt!
I lost my sister from cancer, dealt with guilt and anger for a year. This book helped me start my journey to healing. Than you Matt!
October 7, 2025
I will be reading more from this author - Loved this book!
July 11, 2026
I enjoyed reading this book
July 18, 2026
I heard him interviewed & decided to learn more about him. I enjoyed the book. He seems like a nice man. I don't really have an opinion on his abilities yet, but I enjoyed the book.
September 9, 2026
Inspiration and reflection
Asks the hard questions that you might not take time to consider when you’re wrapped up in the routine of daily living.
Asks the hard questions that you might not take time to consider when you’re wrapped up in the routine of daily living.
November 9, 2025
Tell me what I need to know, I'm listening! Matt Fraser's readings are incredibly powerful to listen to and witness, so I figured he would have a lot of very good insight and advice to share from all the spirits he has channeled. While this is true, a lot of what is presented in this book I found to be common sense. If you are looking for a good self help book combined with a big chunk of information on loved ones who have passed, then this is the book for you. The last few chapters were my favorite and I did learn new, comforting-to-me information.
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June 24, 2026Good
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews