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The Next: A Novel
Joanna DeAngelis may be gone from this life, but she has a score to settle before she can move on to the next.
Abandoned by Ned McGowan, her younger lover, and obsessed with his betrayal, Joanna falls into a dark afterlife, only to rise up as a restless, vengeful spirit. Anna and Elena, her loving daughters, grapple with grief. Her faithful dog, Tom, watches and waits. But Joanna has only one thing on her agenda: revenge. She streaks through contemporary Manhattan, chasing Ned down, determined to hold him accountable for leaving her alone in her darkest hour.
Along the way, Joanna revisits the beautiful life she once had, the choices she made and the consequences she suffered. She is transported by memory into desire and even deeper, into her very soul, where she searches for what's been lost ... and finds what is eternal. At the end of her journey, none of them - Jo's daughters, her dog, Ned and the ghost Joanna - will ever be the same.
Fierce and funny, dark and uplifting, a sexy, lyrical page-turner, The Next is at its heart, a love story about a ghost who is determined to fix her life, even after she's dead.
Abandoned by Ned McGowan, her younger lover, and obsessed with his betrayal, Joanna falls into a dark afterlife, only to rise up as a restless, vengeful spirit. Anna and Elena, her loving daughters, grapple with grief. Her faithful dog, Tom, watches and waits. But Joanna has only one thing on her agenda: revenge. She streaks through contemporary Manhattan, chasing Ned down, determined to hold him accountable for leaving her alone in her darkest hour.
Along the way, Joanna revisits the beautiful life she once had, the choices she made and the consequences she suffered. She is transported by memory into desire and even deeper, into her very soul, where she searches for what's been lost ... and finds what is eternal. At the end of her journey, none of them - Jo's daughters, her dog, Ned and the ghost Joanna - will ever be the same.
Fierce and funny, dark and uplifting, a sexy, lyrical page-turner, The Next is at its heart, a love story about a ghost who is determined to fix her life, even after she's dead.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2016
63 people are currently reading
2739 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Gangi
2 books126 followers“I was a late bloomer, but anyone who blooms at all, ever, is very lucky.”
-- Sharon Olds
Stephanie Gangi is a lifelong New Yorker. She lives, works and writes in Manhattan. She was born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island, attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, and raised her own kids in Tribeca, Rockland County and on the Upper West Side.
Gangi’s first publishing credit, many years ago, was a children’s book, Lumpy: A Baseball Fable, co-written with pitching great (and New York Met) Tug McGraw. She ghostwrote a palimony-fueled tell-all about Liberace in 1984 but left the only copy in a taxicab. She has written jacket copy, pitch letters, business plans, PowerPoint presentations, speeches, mortgage checks, absence excuse notes, menus, and letters to editors, hundreds of poems, dozens of story starts, dating profiles, countless emails and texts and tweets and FB posts, and yes, a couple of really lame sexts. She once chalked a love note on the wall of a Paris alley in the rain.
She is an award-winning poet working on a compiling a chapbook, and is at work on her second novel.
The Next is her debut.
-- Sharon Olds
Stephanie Gangi is a lifelong New Yorker. She lives, works and writes in Manhattan. She was born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island, attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, and raised her own kids in Tribeca, Rockland County and on the Upper West Side.
Gangi’s first publishing credit, many years ago, was a children’s book, Lumpy: A Baseball Fable, co-written with pitching great (and New York Met) Tug McGraw. She ghostwrote a palimony-fueled tell-all about Liberace in 1984 but left the only copy in a taxicab. She has written jacket copy, pitch letters, business plans, PowerPoint presentations, speeches, mortgage checks, absence excuse notes, menus, and letters to editors, hundreds of poems, dozens of story starts, dating profiles, countless emails and texts and tweets and FB posts, and yes, a couple of really lame sexts. She once chalked a love note on the wall of a Paris alley in the rain.
She is an award-winning poet working on a compiling a chapbook, and is at work on her second novel.
The Next is her debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
September 5, 2016
I'm sorry, there are a lot of people that seemed to like this book, but I did not! I gave it two stars for the dog, Tom and for the idea of revenge and ghosts. And yes, I can do that, it's my review.
The thing that pulled me into wanting to read this book was the idea of a vengeful ghost. But it really wasn't what I was thinking.
Joanna is dying of cancer. She has her daughters taking turns taking care of her, this would be Anna and Laney. And of course, Tom, the dog.
What I had trouble with was Joanna is on her deathbed, literally, and all she is thinking about is this stupid Ned she has a fling thing with at one time. Okay so they ended up living together but it was supposed to just be a fling. He left her when she got sicker and ended up with a younger, rich woman.
I forgot to mention that Joanna was 15 years older than Ned and had cancer. I'm sorry but what did you think he was going to do? So she lays on her death bed in and out of the morphine world thinking about having sex with Ned. I mean I don't know if people really do that because we don't know what people think when they are that far gone, but ew okay.
Some of the fun parts were when Joanna was a ghost and was messing with Ned on and off. But it just never really took off for me. I wanted to dnf the book but I pushed on because a lot of books get better later on. For me, this one did not.
I'm really happy for those that could get more out of the book than I did because I love the love of books. Obviously no one wants to not like a book but it happens. I always say this when I don't like a book. I feel bad for the book. lol. I'm weird.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
The thing that pulled me into wanting to read this book was the idea of a vengeful ghost. But it really wasn't what I was thinking.
Joanna is dying of cancer. She has her daughters taking turns taking care of her, this would be Anna and Laney. And of course, Tom, the dog.
What I had trouble with was Joanna is on her deathbed, literally, and all she is thinking about is this stupid Ned she has a fling thing with at one time. Okay so they ended up living together but it was supposed to just be a fling. He left her when she got sicker and ended up with a younger, rich woman.
I forgot to mention that Joanna was 15 years older than Ned and had cancer. I'm sorry but what did you think he was going to do? So she lays on her death bed in and out of the morphine world thinking about having sex with Ned. I mean I don't know if people really do that because we don't know what people think when they are that far gone, but ew okay.
Some of the fun parts were when Joanna was a ghost and was messing with Ned on and off. But it just never really took off for me. I wanted to dnf the book but I pushed on because a lot of books get better later on. For me, this one did not.
I'm really happy for those that could get more out of the book than I did because I love the love of books. Obviously no one wants to not like a book but it happens. I always say this when I don't like a book. I feel bad for the book. lol. I'm weird.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
November 9, 2016
"I was 46 and he was 31. I was by far the oldest woman he's ever been with. "Is that weird for you? Do I feel old?"
"He said, Of a certain vintage, maybe, but not old".
"I fall into a moraphine dream. We are at the Met, our old haunt.
DREAM BEGINS: (Ned was on stage, television camera circles, hundreds of 19 & 20
year olds, ...Joanna DeAngelis tears at his clothes, forces Ned inside her).
"I wake up hot and aroused, just like the old days with a pulse between my legs".
DREAM ENDS.
"Joanna DeAngelis was dying WRONG. It was one thing the sisters could agree upon".
REALLY??? Well, if I had cancer - was stuck in bed dying- had moraphine dreams which put a pulse between my legs... I'd consider myself blessed in the 'drug-Dream-dept'. What's wrong with that?
Well....nothing is terribly wrong when Joanne is asleep in her dream state, it's when she is awake. I think we might all hope that on our dying beds we wouldn't be obsessing about ANY unfinished business ....ANY unresolved issues in the area of relationships. BUT....not everything is as we wish for in either life 'or' dying. Joanna can't seem to be able to let go of her obsessive thoughts of anger and jealousy over Ned.
He left her when she got sick for a much younger woman and she wants revenge.
I don't usually go for ghosts stories- but "The Next" had me laughing....[this hard copy book was a gift --sending many thanks]....so I may have missed choosing this book.... but this death/ghost story cracked me up often. I had some FUN!
Does that make me morbid? The prose is a kick. A bright mind with a great sense of humor wrote this novel.
It's the most contemporary ghost story I've read to date too.
The little ghost figure ...( or whatever we call it)... had a job to do.
"I let my anger rule, I raged in Ned's direction to hurt him, and I did, I smelled fear but I want you more. I want accountability. He needs to know, and I need to know he knows that I know".
"Post-attack. I flew to the moon and I mingled with my kind, seeking some ritualistic bonding to acknowledge that first revenge notch on my belt. Some kind of
poltergeist high-five. But no. Let me just say, there is no such thing as a friendly ghost. I joined in the aura of the moon we are phantoms buzzed and sniped and rehearsed there howls, their moans, their spooky voices. They chewed and savored insults and injuries. They flew solo. Definitely no bonding. They can't stand themselves or each other. They are a bunch of neurotic narcissists."
Ghost Joanna....(or Spirits), had an excellent view of the windows at her old apartment. Once a New Yorker always a New Yorker.
She was trying to "wind" down!!!
I thought this book was hysterical. The sexual- play added 'life'...and 'entertainment'...
And, it wasn't all haha-funny...
There were heartfelt dialogues between Joanna and her daughters. Anna is in medical school. Laney has been the primary caretaker.
As the story unfolds... Anna and Laney are left to make choices about their own lives...even resolve issues with each other.
There does come a time when Ned's life breaks...leaving the living daughters to wonder. Did Ghost-Joanna's power have something to do with the condition of his life?
Then there is TOM, a treasured character,..... Joanna's beloved sweetest- faithful, most lovable poodle ....
reminding us.....life & dying is about LOVE!!!
MUCH BETTER BOOK THAN I WAS EXPECTING!!!!
"He said, Of a certain vintage, maybe, but not old".
"I fall into a moraphine dream. We are at the Met, our old haunt.
DREAM BEGINS: (Ned was on stage, television camera circles, hundreds of 19 & 20
year olds, ...Joanna DeAngelis tears at his clothes, forces Ned inside her).
"I wake up hot and aroused, just like the old days with a pulse between my legs".
DREAM ENDS.
"Joanna DeAngelis was dying WRONG. It was one thing the sisters could agree upon".
REALLY??? Well, if I had cancer - was stuck in bed dying- had moraphine dreams which put a pulse between my legs... I'd consider myself blessed in the 'drug-Dream-dept'. What's wrong with that?
Well....nothing is terribly wrong when Joanne is asleep in her dream state, it's when she is awake. I think we might all hope that on our dying beds we wouldn't be obsessing about ANY unfinished business ....ANY unresolved issues in the area of relationships. BUT....not everything is as we wish for in either life 'or' dying. Joanna can't seem to be able to let go of her obsessive thoughts of anger and jealousy over Ned.
He left her when she got sick for a much younger woman and she wants revenge.
I don't usually go for ghosts stories- but "The Next" had me laughing....[this hard copy book was a gift --sending many thanks]....so I may have missed choosing this book.... but this death/ghost story cracked me up often. I had some FUN!
Does that make me morbid? The prose is a kick. A bright mind with a great sense of humor wrote this novel.
It's the most contemporary ghost story I've read to date too.
The little ghost figure ...( or whatever we call it)... had a job to do.
"I let my anger rule, I raged in Ned's direction to hurt him, and I did, I smelled fear but I want you more. I want accountability. He needs to know, and I need to know he knows that I know".
"Post-attack. I flew to the moon and I mingled with my kind, seeking some ritualistic bonding to acknowledge that first revenge notch on my belt. Some kind of
poltergeist high-five. But no. Let me just say, there is no such thing as a friendly ghost. I joined in the aura of the moon we are phantoms buzzed and sniped and rehearsed there howls, their moans, their spooky voices. They chewed and savored insults and injuries. They flew solo. Definitely no bonding. They can't stand themselves or each other. They are a bunch of neurotic narcissists."
Ghost Joanna....(or Spirits), had an excellent view of the windows at her old apartment. Once a New Yorker always a New Yorker.
She was trying to "wind" down!!!
I thought this book was hysterical. The sexual- play added 'life'...and 'entertainment'...
And, it wasn't all haha-funny...
There were heartfelt dialogues between Joanna and her daughters. Anna is in medical school. Laney has been the primary caretaker.
As the story unfolds... Anna and Laney are left to make choices about their own lives...even resolve issues with each other.
There does come a time when Ned's life breaks...leaving the living daughters to wonder. Did Ghost-Joanna's power have something to do with the condition of his life?
Then there is TOM, a treasured character,..... Joanna's beloved sweetest- faithful, most lovable poodle ....
reminding us.....life & dying is about LOVE!!!
MUCH BETTER BOOK THAN I WAS EXPECTING!!!!
October 3, 2016
3.5 stars. Not as good as Ghostbusters but better than Ghostbusters II.
Joanna is a bit of a dick. She can't get over her ex Ned, stalks him and his new lady, and is frankly obsessed with him (and his apparently stellar dick.)
She also happens to be a ghost. A very horny ghost.
Joanna dies after a long and exhausting battle with breast cancer. Her daughters and her loyal poodle Tom, (who is the best character tbh), have struggled by her side all along. They are there with her to the very end when she lies in a morphine haze, unable to think about anything except her much younger lover, who up and disappeared without a word.
So when Joanna finds herself dead she doesn't go into the light. Something's holding her back. No, not her grieving daughters silly! Nothing as trivial as that! She's a ghost-woman scorned and she's going to make damn sure Ned knows it.
If it sounds like I'm being hard on The Next thus far, well I am. These characters are all such awful people. Laney is a spineless alcoholic, Anna is a rigid cheater, and Ned is a commitment phobic wimp. Seriously, the dog is the best character.
However. I was strangely compelled to keep reading. I didn't like anyone, but the author managed to create an intriguing story out of characters that I don't give 1/10 of a rats ass about. I wanted to know what would happen.
I have to say, the longer I read, the more I liked that Joanna wasn't a nice cancer patient. Dying isn't nice. It's painful and it made her a pain and bitter and angry. Dying didn't turn her into a saint and I like that.
The one element that I really don't get it why her ghost was so damn horny all the time! There was always some disturbing sexual energy going on. Like Joanna was one step from possessing Whoopi Goldberg and getting freaky with Ned. Seriously. She is obsessed with getting some.
Like Joanna you have no corporeal body. The only thing you're gonna be fucking is a raincloud.
So The Next is pretty darn odd as far as ghost stories go, but I enjoyed a great deal of it. Despite wanting to throw the majority of the characters off a cliff, I was kept interested in the story and that is an admirable accomplishment.
Thanks to Goodreads First Reads and St. Martin's Press for the arc!
Joanna is a bit of a dick. She can't get over her ex Ned, stalks him and his new lady, and is frankly obsessed with him (and his apparently stellar dick.)
She also happens to be a ghost. A very horny ghost.
Joanna dies after a long and exhausting battle with breast cancer. Her daughters and her loyal poodle Tom, (who is the best character tbh), have struggled by her side all along. They are there with her to the very end when she lies in a morphine haze, unable to think about anything except her much younger lover, who up and disappeared without a word.
So when Joanna finds herself dead she doesn't go into the light. Something's holding her back. No, not her grieving daughters silly! Nothing as trivial as that! She's a ghost-woman scorned and she's going to make damn sure Ned knows it.
If it sounds like I'm being hard on The Next thus far, well I am. These characters are all such awful people. Laney is a spineless alcoholic, Anna is a rigid cheater, and Ned is a commitment phobic wimp. Seriously, the dog is the best character.
However. I was strangely compelled to keep reading. I didn't like anyone, but the author managed to create an intriguing story out of characters that I don't give 1/10 of a rats ass about. I wanted to know what would happen.
I have to say, the longer I read, the more I liked that Joanna wasn't a nice cancer patient. Dying isn't nice. It's painful and it made her a pain and bitter and angry. Dying didn't turn her into a saint and I like that.
The one element that I really don't get it why her ghost was so damn horny all the time! There was always some disturbing sexual energy going on. Like Joanna was one step from possessing Whoopi Goldberg and getting freaky with Ned. Seriously. She is obsessed with getting some.
Like Joanna you have no corporeal body. The only thing you're gonna be fucking is a raincloud.
So The Next is pretty darn odd as far as ghost stories go, but I enjoyed a great deal of it. Despite wanting to throw the majority of the characters off a cliff, I was kept interested in the story and that is an admirable accomplishment.
Thanks to Goodreads First Reads and St. Martin's Press for the arc!
May 22, 2016
Love love LOVE this book!! I'm not a "ghost story" kind of person but The Next defies labels. It's the best of both worlds: sex + rock 'n' roll meets gorgeous lyrical prose, fun fantasy meets *superb* literary fiction, fast-paced plot meets deep character development. Think Gone Girl meets Lovely Bones--although even that doesn't do it justice, because it's its own thing, unique and special. A must read for 2016. Recommending it to everyone I know!
September 13, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. It was amazing. The story starts out really sad. Joanna is dying of cancer. She is obsessed with her ex lover and does some cyber stalking. And then she dies. And that's where the fun begins. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And neither, apparently, does pergatory. Joanna haunts. Seethes...With rage and fury.
This was extremely well written, smart and funny and heartbreakingly sad. Much of this book was read through tears. It's not a ghost story. It's a love story. Beautifully done. P.S. I love you, Tom <3
This was extremely well written, smart and funny and heartbreakingly sad. Much of this book was read through tears. It's not a ghost story. It's a love story. Beautifully done. P.S. I love you, Tom <3
August 24, 2016
This was a different sort of book--I guess quirky is the best way to describe it. Not my usual type of book but there is a lot to like about the story, once you get past the semi-ridiculous premise: a 50-ish woman, mother of two daughters(and a beloved dog), literally dying of cancer, spends her last days and moments obsessing about her ex, her much younger lover who left her months ago to take up with a younger, more glamorous woman who is now expecting their child. Seriously, what person would act that way, with death literally right around the corner? This character spent her last breath uttering the name of the guy who dumped her without a word, no words of wisdom or love for the daughters she was leaving behind? This just doesn't ring true for me, unless you are dealing with a teenager or someone maybe in their early 20s, but not a grown woman of that age and especially not one with children who love her and need her.
Anyway, once you get past that premise, the book is actually pretty good. Joanna, the main character, dies very early in the book and the rest of the story is what she left behind and her attempting to get things right from the afterlife. And also seeking a big dose of revenge on the guy who dumped her for a seemingly more beautiful life. Which brings about possibly my favorite line from any book, ever:
"Misty watercolor memories of the way he fucked you over."
There's a lot of moments like that in this book, lots of funny, quirky situations, and also some deep ones. Another favorite of mine:
"My mother and I would have said, Get a dog. Your time together will be short, but it will be time enough for you to become the human being he already knows you to be."
So, along with the hilarious moments, this book also has many meaningful moments as well. It's a good narrative that kept my interest throughout.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Anyway, once you get past that premise, the book is actually pretty good. Joanna, the main character, dies very early in the book and the rest of the story is what she left behind and her attempting to get things right from the afterlife. And also seeking a big dose of revenge on the guy who dumped her for a seemingly more beautiful life. Which brings about possibly my favorite line from any book, ever:
"Misty watercolor memories of the way he fucked you over."
There's a lot of moments like that in this book, lots of funny, quirky situations, and also some deep ones. Another favorite of mine:
"My mother and I would have said, Get a dog. Your time together will be short, but it will be time enough for you to become the human being he already knows you to be."
So, along with the hilarious moments, this book also has many meaningful moments as well. It's a good narrative that kept my interest throughout.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2016
I was a first-read winner. This has been the best book I've read so far this year. Not only, is it well written; I also connected to the characters on a personal level. Nevertheless, the best thing is; that this book doesn't leave you hanging on wondering what happened at the end.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Thank you.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Thank you.
August 31, 2016
Joanne is dying and her two daughters are completely lost and afraid. There is Tom, a poodle who loves Joanne dearly and is always there for her. And then there is Ned. Ned is her younger boyfriend who loved her but left while she was dying. Joanne wants revenge. She is in limbo, a ghost like thing just floating over, under and above the city where she had lived. She will get her revenge and then she can die the right way. She haunts him, she physically destroys things in front of him, she is a whirling dervish as she slams him to the floor, and he knows – he knows it is Joanne. He feels like he is losing his mind. She is powerful and scary. The author has great insight into mothers and daughters and has written a lovely part where Joanne has left each of her daughters a letter. The letters help her daughters find the ways to deal with her death. And Tom, the dog - he only wants to be with Joanne and he finds a way to join her in her world. This story can make you laugh and cry and I did both. I loved it especially for the power of her language and the intensity with which she writes.. I hope you will read it.”
June 12, 2017
Joanna is dying of cancer and her daughters are taking care of her. Joanna has the sweetest dog Tom he was my favorite character! Joanna is stalking her ex-boyfriend who dumped Joanna for a much younger new girlfriend when she gets sick so her ghost keeps on stalking him. There were some very funny parts when Joanna is haunting Ned and there are some terribly sad parts with Joanna's daughters. It was a really good book different from any I had read before. I received Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
June 2, 2016
I won this book through Good Reads! I have to admit that this book jumped to the head of my queue and I read it during the Memorial Day weekend. Something about the storyline intrigued me even though I was unsure if I would like the book based on the blurb I had read on the cover. However, I quickly became immersed in the story and engaged with the characters. I think I identified with the main character in that I too, had been loved and abandoned when I was at a low point in my life. I could feel her pain and her rage, which resonated through the story. Yet, I could also feel her compassion and her love for her dog and for her daughters. Although as a ghost she was portrayed as a raving harpy, we could see how she once was a living, laughing, loving individual. The regret she feels about her last moments with her daughter humanizes when she is at her ugliest and behaving like a banshee. The paradox and complexity of the character parallel the paradox and complexity of real emotions. I had trouble visualizing a satisfying ending to the story, but the author did not disappoint me. The ending was perfect.
August 8, 2016
I could NOT put this book down, I read it all in one marathon 10-hour session and wished I hadn't finished! First of all, don't let "breast cancer" or "ghost story" mislead you; there is nothing Hallmark or Lifetime or saccharine about the main character, Joanna, crossing peacefully over to the other side with a floral scarf tied around her chemotherapied head. She is a raging, vengeful (and yes, sexual!) ghost who refuses to leave the earthly world with a whisper. The Next is brilliant because it is at once gripping and pulpy like all great ghost stories, but also unusually adroit and well-written for this genre. Give it to all the women/New Yorkers/dog-lovers/breast cancer survivors you know!
September 15, 2016
I've always loved a good ghost story, and the synopsis of this one promised a tale that was perfect. I was anxious to read it, and I'll have to say the book delivered in a much more complex and nuanced way than I imagined. There are few books that I think about, or even remember, s few days after I read them. This one has stayed with me for a few weeks, and I have waited to write about it because I want to communicate effectively just how unique and memorable it is.
Joanna is dying of a recurrence of cancer, and her two daughters and her beloved dog are caring for her. As she nears the end she continues to cyberstalk her much younger ex-boyfriend. She and Ned had a relationship after her original bout with breast cancer, but he left her for a younger wealthy woman. When her cancer recurred he came back, vowed to stay with her till the end, but didn't . Joanna, in her final days, becomes obsessed with online photos of him and his current girlfriend, and his betrayal and occupies her final thoughts as she dies.
This is only a synopsis of the initial plot - the real action begins when Joanna dies, which she fears she is doing badly. The description of her sensations in the afterlife, her love for her daughters and her desire for revenge are mesmerizing. Each of the characters is interestingly and beautifully drawn, and their growth in dealing with the end of Joanna's life and eventual death is moving. And the depiction of Joanna in the afterlife is captivating. And a little scary.
I find books dealing with the afterlife and supernatural themes are best when they start with an ordinary premise and slip almost unnoticed into another realm. In writing the story this way the author makes it much more than just a ghost story. Her writing is lyrical - delightful to read. And the dog - perfect.
Joanna is dying of a recurrence of cancer, and her two daughters and her beloved dog are caring for her. As she nears the end she continues to cyberstalk her much younger ex-boyfriend. She and Ned had a relationship after her original bout with breast cancer, but he left her for a younger wealthy woman. When her cancer recurred he came back, vowed to stay with her till the end, but didn't . Joanna, in her final days, becomes obsessed with online photos of him and his current girlfriend, and his betrayal and occupies her final thoughts as she dies.
This is only a synopsis of the initial plot - the real action begins when Joanna dies, which she fears she is doing badly. The description of her sensations in the afterlife, her love for her daughters and her desire for revenge are mesmerizing. Each of the characters is interestingly and beautifully drawn, and their growth in dealing with the end of Joanna's life and eventual death is moving. And the depiction of Joanna in the afterlife is captivating. And a little scary.
I find books dealing with the afterlife and supernatural themes are best when they start with an ordinary premise and slip almost unnoticed into another realm. In writing the story this way the author makes it much more than just a ghost story. Her writing is lyrical - delightful to read. And the dog - perfect.
August 26, 2016
This was a very uneven book.
The first part is so angry! Joanna has been dumped by her younger boyfriend and the plot follows her revenge after her death. We're talking a no-holds-barred very physical haunting. None of this slow shivers going up the spine haunting. Nope. Loud music. Crotch grabbing. Blood and medical visits.
I misunderstood the blurb "if you had one more chance to make things right after death" and took that to mean that she would make it up to her daughters who were with her at her end, especially the one who put her life on hold to take care of her mother. Frankly I think Joanna was a bigger jerk than her boyfriend ever was (and believe me, it's pointed out repeatedly just how big a jerk he is).
Then--poof!--the haunting stops. No reason why. Ghost is at peace. Cheesy letters to the daughters are found and all is forgiven. Huh? Where was all the energy from the first half? While I wasn't thrilled with Mean Ghost it was better reading than the tie-it-up-with-a-bow Hallmark Movie Channel ending.
This comes out just before Halloween and maybe that will help sales. Just like this hot sauce!
The first part is so angry! Joanna has been dumped by her younger boyfriend and the plot follows her revenge after her death. We're talking a no-holds-barred very physical haunting. None of this slow shivers going up the spine haunting. Nope. Loud music. Crotch grabbing. Blood and medical visits.
I misunderstood the blurb "if you had one more chance to make things right after death" and took that to mean that she would make it up to her daughters who were with her at her end, especially the one who put her life on hold to take care of her mother. Frankly I think Joanna was a bigger jerk than her boyfriend ever was (and believe me, it's pointed out repeatedly just how big a jerk he is).
Then--poof!--the haunting stops. No reason why. Ghost is at peace. Cheesy letters to the daughters are found and all is forgiven. Huh? Where was all the energy from the first half? While I wasn't thrilled with Mean Ghost it was better reading than the tie-it-up-with-a-bow Hallmark Movie Channel ending.
This comes out just before Halloween and maybe that will help sales. Just like this hot sauce!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2016
From the first scene of this book, I was hooked; long before I understood what the book was about I could not stop reading. I got a tiny peek into the book and then hoped I could somehow get an ARC, which I did, many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. So, what got my interest so completely? A woman is dying of cancer, she is at home with her two adult daughters, and she is rapidly approaching the end of her life. But she is consumed with her smart phone and the images she finds there, or surfs and finds, of a former boyfriend and his new life writ large. He was the love of her life and he left to pick up some groceries and never came back. The next thing she knows he is an Internet sensation with a rich new girlfriend and a baby on the way. And she is filled with rage that he never, at the very least, said good-bye. As she sinks into a morphine haze and then death, this rage gets more intense and follows her. It animates her post-death and then the story gets interesting as revenge, remorse and some attempt at restitution must all occur before this story is complete. This is an amazingly wonderful tale, neither too maudlin nor too rage-filled. It is just right on every front. I loved it.
July 12, 2016
I have never read a book like this one. It was impossible to put down. Its singular shortcoming was that it ended. I read every chapter twice, in succession, just to savor the author's word choice and combination. Very lyrical and rhythmic and impressive. The writing was so rich I had to make myself slow down and enjoy every bite.
From the book's description, the story seemed implausible. I'm not a ghost-story kind of reader. I'm not a revenge-story kind of person, either. Yet, in the reading, every page, every passage, stirred real emotions. Forgotten feelings. Deep dreams. Real rage. But also tears and unexpected tenderness, and I loved that contrast.
For me, The Next tapped into the long-buried, intense excitement of being of woman. Primal and irrational. Complex and capable. Utter and unapologetic woman-ness. Female with a capital "F".
Jo makes me want to live, love, laugh, and let go - completely.
What a story, what a book, what a woman. When does Ms. Gangi's next book come out?
From the book's description, the story seemed implausible. I'm not a ghost-story kind of reader. I'm not a revenge-story kind of person, either. Yet, in the reading, every page, every passage, stirred real emotions. Forgotten feelings. Deep dreams. Real rage. But also tears and unexpected tenderness, and I loved that contrast.
For me, The Next tapped into the long-buried, intense excitement of being of woman. Primal and irrational. Complex and capable. Utter and unapologetic woman-ness. Female with a capital "F".
Jo makes me want to live, love, laugh, and let go - completely.
What a story, what a book, what a woman. When does Ms. Gangi's next book come out?
September 20, 2016
I had a galley sent to me for an early read and fell in love with Stephanie's paranormal creation of Joanna. Stephanie Gangi is able to weave a moving, poignant narrative of regret, betrayal and mother love with wry, beautiful prose. At the same time she gives a wonderful and entertaining nod to our "Warholian" culture of instant fame, instant gratification, instant beauty - no matter what the costs. I don't wan to say much about the plot because that is the joy of this read, the journey.
A great read for anyone.
A great read for anyone.
February 12, 2017
A very good book, one that I could not put down. Vivid characters and a good story.
September 26, 2016
What is this trend about unlikeable female narrators? I really couldn't sympathize with Joanna, who is selfish and obsessed and basically everything you think of when you think 'crazy ex'. I was not surprised to find out that the author is a poet, as there were some beautiful lines and the pacing was well done, too. But damn if you could only bitchslap a ghost! Fine, Joanna's reason for revenge is so much more justified than that crazy Gone Girl, because Ned is a douche. At least you get his POV on how the whole thing went down and that he really loved Joanna. I felt a little sorry for him. I also felt so bad for the daughters, Laney who obviously doesn't have her shit together (and who should have been pushed to become a writer by her editor mama), and Anna who is Also, how come Martin, Joanna's husband of how many years (and who remarries a much younger chick) gets out of it scotch-free? I'd be haunting him rather than wasting time on spineless Ned. I look forward to hearing how this book gets received, because I'm usually in the minority when it comes to these angry, vengeful girl books. 3 1/2 stars.
November 23, 2016
“Those memories are chum, ground bone and blood that pull me into the toxic undersea where, sharky, I trawl the waters to feed the need now. I’m rolling in the deep. I churn, coil, spring, recoil.”
The message I got from the protagonist’s quote is that if you are unhappy in life, you will be unhappy in death. Gosh, I sure hope that is not the way death works but that is the way it worked here. The main character, Joanna, lost both parents early in life within a month of each other. She later became the wife of one loser and the lover of another. After she succumbs from cancer, Joanna carries her emotional baggage and bitterness into the afterlife. Obsessing about what was and what could have been, wrapping herself in life’s betrayals that continue to cut deep as her soul floats around the people who were part of her life.
Although it started strong, this story was not my cup of tea. I lost tolerance for Joanna somewhere in the middle, her journey taking too long to get to some kind of resolution. Yet, there are many bits that are beautifully written related to Joanna’s journey and the parallel of her surviving daughters’ struggles in coming to terms with their mother’s death and that is why I give it 3 stars.
The message I got from the protagonist’s quote is that if you are unhappy in life, you will be unhappy in death. Gosh, I sure hope that is not the way death works but that is the way it worked here. The main character, Joanna, lost both parents early in life within a month of each other. She later became the wife of one loser and the lover of another. After she succumbs from cancer, Joanna carries her emotional baggage and bitterness into the afterlife. Obsessing about what was and what could have been, wrapping herself in life’s betrayals that continue to cut deep as her soul floats around the people who were part of her life.
Although it started strong, this story was not my cup of tea. I lost tolerance for Joanna somewhere in the middle, her journey taking too long to get to some kind of resolution. Yet, there are many bits that are beautifully written related to Joanna’s journey and the parallel of her surviving daughters’ struggles in coming to terms with their mother’s death and that is why I give it 3 stars.
October 26, 2016
I received a copy for an honest review.
Author has beautiful writing, good ideas, and the middle of the book really kept me interested. But the first part of the book I thought the book would be sad but the middle was lively! End summed up nicely and Tom the dog is your guide through the book.
First part of book is a mother dying from cancer but only concerned and obsessed with her ex boyfriend who happens to be younger then her and we meet her dog, Tom, who helps her through everything, even going to bathroom.
The middle is what happens after she dies, which I'm sure every woman has dreamed of doing what she does, to those that hurt us. It also deals with what her daughters are going through and again Tom the dog has a big part.
The last part sums it up and works on redemption and Tom again will have a big part again.
After an author discussion I learned how Tom works in the book and he to me brings the book together from front to back. He never leaves his mistress and is there for her at all times.
Author has beautiful writing, good ideas, and the middle of the book really kept me interested. But the first part of the book I thought the book would be sad but the middle was lively! End summed up nicely and Tom the dog is your guide through the book.
First part of book is a mother dying from cancer but only concerned and obsessed with her ex boyfriend who happens to be younger then her and we meet her dog, Tom, who helps her through everything, even going to bathroom.
The middle is what happens after she dies, which I'm sure every woman has dreamed of doing what she does, to those that hurt us. It also deals with what her daughters are going through and again Tom the dog has a big part.
The last part sums it up and works on redemption and Tom again will have a big part again.
After an author discussion I learned how Tom works in the book and he to me brings the book together from front to back. He never leaves his mistress and is there for her at all times.
September 14, 2016
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I expected this book to be a bit of a downer especially since it starts with the cancer death of its main character after having been abandoned by her younger lover. However, it turned out to be much more entertaining than I had thought it would be. The characters were all interesting and sympathetic. I even came to like Ned somewhat. The daughters, the dog and Joanna really dug into me. The story itself is fast moving and absorbing. It was a quick read that kept my engrossed until the end.
This is a talented author that I will be looking for more of in the future.
I expected this book to be a bit of a downer especially since it starts with the cancer death of its main character after having been abandoned by her younger lover. However, it turned out to be much more entertaining than I had thought it would be. The characters were all interesting and sympathetic. I even came to like Ned somewhat. The daughters, the dog and Joanna really dug into me. The story itself is fast moving and absorbing. It was a quick read that kept my engrossed until the end.
This is a talented author that I will be looking for more of in the future.
October 29, 2016
This was a really good book. I've always wondered if spirits stick around who have unfinished business and if they do, can they cause havoc. I believe our loved ones who have passed are watching us just from what mediums have said to me, things they should not know.
I read this as part of my Goodreads Group.
I read this as part of my Goodreads Group.
September 28, 2016
What an amazing book this is!!! On the surface we meet Joanna who is dying. She has two daughters, Anna is in med school and Laney (Elena) who basically lives with her Mother as caregiver. Then there is Tom, Tom is her every faithful companion, her helper, protector and comfort, never leaves her side. Tom is her dog. This is her second round of cancer and the one that will take her life. She has become obsessed with the man Ned, who she had a relationship with; a college professor, a wanna be writer, who now has a little commentary on Fox, he is also younger than her 46 years. They have a good relationship, she's an encourager, they have much in common things are going well. There is a split. He comes back and meanwhile so does her cancer. He makes promises, leaves one day to go to the store and never returns ; he leaves with the intent of going to break it off with the very popular, dermatologist to the rich and famous, I'm the queen Dr. he has started a relationship with, he's arm candy for her. When he arrives, she has a little surprise for him. So he leaves Joanna alone. While becoming sicker Joanna becomes obsessed with her phone, watching the two of them on every social media there is. Anna, decides to take her phone away, thinking the obsession is "unhealthy." Her distaste for Ned and her mothers obsession she fails to understand. Lane sneaks her mother the phone. As she grows sicker, Joanna plots revenge in her mind. Anna is the older, she basically barks orders and leaves. That's her way of dealing with things. She treats her sister like a doormat. Joanna dies early in the book and what we see is the "next" a realm where spirits who aren't settled dwell until they can move on. They have their feet in both worlds. Let me make clear, this is not a paranormal book. Quite the contrary.
As we watch Joanna enter this realm, she begins to test her ability starting with Ned. It's been Ned and his Dr Trudi she's aiming to level. Ned, to inflict upon him what he inflicted upon her. To bring him low and wow what a show. Meanwhile we watch Anna caught between two women, one she is in a relationship with, another who tempts her. Lane who is basically existing, grieving. Making decisions for her future. As the story unfolds we see the unraveling of Ned. Ned trying to talk to Lane, after he's been dumped by Trudi. It's clear that Tom knows and senses his masters presence and Lane does too, but she doubts. There's a pivotal moment when Ned's life falls apart. They skirt the issue of spirits, yet they both somehow know their mother is around. She leaves them a legacy of love. That she does. We see this all unfold toward the end of the book.
I can't say enough good things about this book. The author's words so eloquent at times and so brutal at others. The dialogue is perfection, this book and all it's wild and crazy beauty, makes us think of the unknown. It brings you to that place, if you allow it to ask yourself about the in between. Clearly Joanna's work here wasn't done and until she finished, she tethered herself in between. Until it was time. Mainly, it's a story about love. When it all comes down to the end. Which is the truth.
Ms Gangi, you are one hell of a writer. Thank you for Tom!!! This book is one wild ride into the next! And in the end it's all about the love. I definitely recommend this book.
**arc from Net Galley and St Martins Press** in exchange for an honest review
As we watch Joanna enter this realm, she begins to test her ability starting with Ned. It's been Ned and his Dr Trudi she's aiming to level. Ned, to inflict upon him what he inflicted upon her. To bring him low and wow what a show. Meanwhile we watch Anna caught between two women, one she is in a relationship with, another who tempts her. Lane who is basically existing, grieving. Making decisions for her future. As the story unfolds we see the unraveling of Ned. Ned trying to talk to Lane, after he's been dumped by Trudi. It's clear that Tom knows and senses his masters presence and Lane does too, but she doubts. There's a pivotal moment when Ned's life falls apart. They skirt the issue of spirits, yet they both somehow know their mother is around. She leaves them a legacy of love. That she does. We see this all unfold toward the end of the book.
I can't say enough good things about this book. The author's words so eloquent at times and so brutal at others. The dialogue is perfection, this book and all it's wild and crazy beauty, makes us think of the unknown. It brings you to that place, if you allow it to ask yourself about the in between. Clearly Joanna's work here wasn't done and until she finished, she tethered herself in between. Until it was time. Mainly, it's a story about love. When it all comes down to the end. Which is the truth.
Ms Gangi, you are one hell of a writer. Thank you for Tom!!! This book is one wild ride into the next! And in the end it's all about the love. I definitely recommend this book.
**arc from Net Galley and St Martins Press** in exchange for an honest review
October 21, 2016
The Next is the most unusual book I have read in 2016. Joanna is one angry middle-aged woman. She is dying of cancer in her home and her two daughters are doing their best to care for her. She shows little gratitude or even interest in their efforts. No, she is consumed with hatred towards her ex-lover Ned, a man fifteen years her junior who promised to stay with her when her cancer returned. He didn’t. With her last bit of strength she cyberstalks his life with media star Toni and their soon to be born child. Her dying words are not ones of love towards her own children but instead she whispers his name three times. Ned, Ned, Ned. Caught up in a grey zone above the city of New York her ghost struggles to understand her surroundings while filled with wrath towards Ned. Let the haunting begin.
What makes this novel so unusual is the concept of a protagonist with few redeeming qualities, a woman with a black soul filled with revenge. The scenes involving Joanna are told in first person. Her transition from life to death is no Beaches fade into the sunset/ follow the light to heaven kind of transition. Oh no. Prepare to be taken on a ride filled with remorse, confusion and a desperate need to ruin Ned’s life. These scenes are balanced out with the living world repercussions of a loved one's death on her immediate family and of course on Ned. Laney and Anna handle their grief in different ways while Ned dodges attacks in many forms. Joanna’s beloved poodle Tom remains loyal to his master to the end. His is the sweetest and most generous soul in the book.
All is not grim (reaper) in this exploration of relationships and forgiveness. The writing is descriptive and almost poetic. Amidst the anger, wrath and sorrow there are humourous moments and redeeming ones as well.
A unique read I am glad I took a chance on. ARC received with thanks from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for review.
August 31, 2016
I got this book as an advanced reader's copy with the understanding that I would review it once I was done.
Wow. I wound up liking this book a lot more than I expected. I originally picked it up because the theme of revenge matched a task on a reading challenge I participate in every year. But this book was so much more than I thought it would be.
The book is about revenge, true, but it's also about love and forgiveness and families. The story shifts between many characters: Joanna, who is dying of cancer and succumbs to her disease while harboring a great deal of anger towards Doc/Ned, her one-time boyfriend who went out one day and never came home; Ned, whose self-absorption feels one-sided until his true self is revealed; and Jo's two daughters, Anna and Elena/Laney, who are struggling to figure out who they are and what they want in the aftermath of their mother's death.
Powerful and heart wrenching, righteous and forgiving....a good read
Wow. I wound up liking this book a lot more than I expected. I originally picked it up because the theme of revenge matched a task on a reading challenge I participate in every year. But this book was so much more than I thought it would be.
The book is about revenge, true, but it's also about love and forgiveness and families. The story shifts between many characters: Joanna, who is dying of cancer and succumbs to her disease while harboring a great deal of anger towards Doc/Ned, her one-time boyfriend who went out one day and never came home; Ned, whose self-absorption feels one-sided until his true self is revealed; and Jo's two daughters, Anna and Elena/Laney, who are struggling to figure out who they are and what they want in the aftermath of their mother's death.
Powerful and heart wrenching, righteous and forgiving....a good read
July 6, 2016
Anyone who has ever been in a relationship - whether it be with a significant other, a parent, child, friend, or pet - will relate to this book. It masterfully delves into the mindset/perspective of multiple characters all experiencing feelings and occurrences they can't quite explain or express to others. We've all been there and that's why you will instantly connect with this story - it gives you peace of mind that you are not alone.
THE NEXT will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire way through. It's both haunting and exhilarating in ways you would never expect. I actually missed my train stop more than once because I was so involved in this story! It keeps you wanting to know what’s next.
THE NEXT will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire way through. It's both haunting and exhilarating in ways you would never expect. I actually missed my train stop more than once because I was so involved in this story! It keeps you wanting to know what’s next.
Read
June 5, 2016So good. Quite unique and quirky, hard to put into any particular category. Multiple points of view to tell the tale of a woman who dies but can't move on until she has extracted revenge on her ex-boyfriend. We hear from the woman, the ex-boyfriend, her daughters, and even a few of those who surround them. This is not really a ghost story, or a romance, or even a mother-daughter story, but rather, all of those. It's a story of relationships and being in the present through wild and complex descriptions.
Want to read
June 24, 2016I just received this book won from a Goodreads giveaway yaaày I love free books!
July 16, 2022
2.75 ⭐'s
October 18, 2016
This is a very quirky tale of a woman about to take the final exit from life. She is fixated on her ex-lover who has moved on in a very public way allowing her to cyber stalk him. And once Joanna DeAngelis departs this mortal coil, she sticks around with an agenda and a poltergeist-like need for vengeance. Ned McGowan, who is the recipient of all her vitriol, is living it up in the celebrity obsessed world with his famous girlfriend. He had achieved a bit of his own fame as a pundit that bumps up their image. Joanna’s two daughters have to deal with her loss and their own emotionally compromised lives due in large part to their parents’ divorce as well as losing their mother. The magical realism aspect adds an interesting level to a story about a woman getting her own back.
I am in two minds about this book. It’s clever, intelligently written, and quite lyrical in places especially when Joanna focuses on the love she feels for her daughters and her faithful dog, Tom. However, like a lot of modern contemporary literary fiction, much of the characters’ lives seems a wounded and sad affair. They are lost people struggling to find meaning in life only to be disappointed because they are looking to another person for happiness and fulfillment. And because it is fashionable to eschew a traditional faith or a higher power, these people are pretty much adrift in a nearly nihilistic world view while seeking, constantly seeking, for some kind of meaning. The unusual and interesting twist comes with this main protagonist, Joanna, desiring revenge on her cheating boyfriend who left her more than once and, finally, at a dark time in her life. This story is also a blunt commentary on being a famous person in the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, infatuated world where everyones got a video to post and every celebrity detail, no matter how banal, is shared with the devoted masses. This aspect makes THE NEXT very au courant in this media driven world, and perhaps a cautionary tale as well.
I really cannot fault the quality of the writing, nor the sometimes poetic beauty of the words. What bothers me is that this woman’s last days are focused on her obsession with Ned, and not her daughters who love and are caring for her. There aren’t any men of quality in this story either including Joanna’s ex-husband. This theme also applies to her daughter’s lives. Perhaps the crux of this book is a social commentary on men and women having lost the skills to have a happy loving relationship that involves caring deeply for one another in a selfless way. Readers of “serious” Women’s Fiction will most likely enjoy this story because it keys into the reality of what life looks like for a lot of people, but it makes me a bit sad to think that this is so.
I am in two minds about this book. It’s clever, intelligently written, and quite lyrical in places especially when Joanna focuses on the love she feels for her daughters and her faithful dog, Tom. However, like a lot of modern contemporary literary fiction, much of the characters’ lives seems a wounded and sad affair. They are lost people struggling to find meaning in life only to be disappointed because they are looking to another person for happiness and fulfillment. And because it is fashionable to eschew a traditional faith or a higher power, these people are pretty much adrift in a nearly nihilistic world view while seeking, constantly seeking, for some kind of meaning. The unusual and interesting twist comes with this main protagonist, Joanna, desiring revenge on her cheating boyfriend who left her more than once and, finally, at a dark time in her life. This story is also a blunt commentary on being a famous person in the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, infatuated world where everyones got a video to post and every celebrity detail, no matter how banal, is shared with the devoted masses. This aspect makes THE NEXT very au courant in this media driven world, and perhaps a cautionary tale as well.
I really cannot fault the quality of the writing, nor the sometimes poetic beauty of the words. What bothers me is that this woman’s last days are focused on her obsession with Ned, and not her daughters who love and are caring for her. There aren’t any men of quality in this story either including Joanna’s ex-husband. This theme also applies to her daughter’s lives. Perhaps the crux of this book is a social commentary on men and women having lost the skills to have a happy loving relationship that involves caring deeply for one another in a selfless way. Readers of “serious” Women’s Fiction will most likely enjoy this story because it keys into the reality of what life looks like for a lot of people, but it makes me a bit sad to think that this is so.
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