The Next by Stephanie Gangi

Is there a right way to die? If so, Joanna DeAngelis has it all wrong. She’s consumed by betrayal, spending her numbered days obsessing over Ned McGowan, her much younger ex, and watching him thrive in the spotlight with someone new, while she wastes away. She’s every woman scorned, fantasizing about revenge … except she’s out of time.

Joanna falls from her life, from the love of her daughters and devoted dog, into an otherworldly landscape, a bleak infinity she can’t escape until she rises up and returns and sets it right―makes Ned pay―so she can truly move on.

From the other side into right this minute, Jo embarks on a sexy, spiritual odyssey. As she travels beyond memory, beyond desire, she is transformed into a fierce female force of life, determined to know how to die, happily ever after.

I really enjoyed reading The Next by Stephanie Gangi! Upon receiving this novel in the mail, I read the summary of the book and couldn’t wait until I could sit down and read this book. I loved how Ms. Gangi started the novel with the main character “Joanna” mentioning everyday things going on in her life and home and stating how she feels in her role compared to her daughters’ roles. The reader would think it’s just a stereotypical story, but it isn’t. By the end of the first chapter the reader learns that something is wrong with “Joanna” and they learn a few chapters in exactly what is wrong with her. Throughout the entire story, I felt bad for “Joanna”, but at the same time I admired some of her courage and strength; I loved how she wanted to get revenge on an ex and didn’t just want to sit around feeling sorry for herself and waiting to die. Throughout the entire novel, the main character mentions how she feels around her family and how it seems to affect her. I was laughing through some parts of the story especially with some of the ideas “Joanna” had to get back at her ex and with her description of certain situations.

     I liked how short the chapters were; there was a good mix of really 1-5 page chapters and then there were other chapters that were 7-12 pages. I was sad when I finished the novel, I felt like I was experiencing and seeing everything through “Joanna’s” eyes and I could imagine what I would do in her situation. By the end of the book I was really hoping for a different outcome and I was sad with the way the story ended.  I love the way Stephanie Gangi wrote The Next and how she could get the reader entranced in not only the characters, but into the story and the overall outcome of the novel.  Out of a 10 I give The Next by Stephanie Gangi an 8 and Ms. Gangi as an author an 8 as well. I hope her next book is as easy to read and just as interesting.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Tiffany