This was a DNF for me. I couldn't connect to the characters. I won't be finishing the series. Sorry for the delay in posting reviews, I'm attempting to catch up my netgalley backlog.

Well rounded simple read. I was able to read this in one sitting. Not too bad, but not that great either. Just your average book IMO.

This was different than the usual books I read and it took a bit for me to settle in with the flow. The writing is unique and the characters are not what I expected. They do redeem themselves eventually, but they put us through a lot until they reach that healing point. Thank goodness for Tom. You will fall in love with him. Not sure if I’d call this a love story...you will laugh, cry, be frustrated, cry a little more and eventually find peace!

I have to say, this s a book like no other that I have read. The whole idea of a ghost getting revenge intrigued me and made me want to pick this one up. While it was not what I had imagined, it was a good read. Very unique story line and had a lot of humor in it as well. Of course there was some sad parts when you are dealing with death but I think that Stephanie Gangi did a good job of adding th humor to lighten it up.

Joanna is dying of breast cancer and her two daughters, Anna and Laney, along with her faithful poodle, Tom are by her side until she dies. Joanna towards the end is in a morphine coma going in and our until her death.

While Joanna is in and out, she has the crazy dreams about her ex-boyfriend Ned. He is all she has been able to think about since she has been dying. Ned was Joanna's younger boyfriend that decided he didn't want to be around with Joanna was dealing with the cancer so he up and left her for a younger, richer woman.

When Joanna does die, she can't fully crossover because she wants revenge on Ned. Joanna has been really distraught about the whole situation with Ned and it is all that has been on her mind towards the end of her life. In comes the humor. When a ghost tries to get revenge on someone, crazy things begin to happen.

I thought this one was really well thought out and the story line flowed really well. The characters were different but had their own strengths and weaknesses. This was a read that will play with all your emotions for sure. Very well done Stephanie Gangi

I really liked the idea of this book, but I didn't think it was well executed. You don't see a lot of novels told from the perspective of a ghost. Joanna spent her final days of life pining over a younger ex boyfriend instead of spending that precious time with her daughters. Then she continues to focus on him in her afterlife instead of checking on her loved ones. While funny at times, the novel takes the main character's obsession a little too far, which makes it hard to get into.

This book is unlike anything I've ever read. It starts off pulling at your heart strings with the end of Joanna's life and then takes on a whole new feel as a vengeful, hate filled ghost story. Joanna is royally pissed at Ned and that's not going to stop just because she's dead. She is going to haunt until she is satisfied, driving everyone mad (especially narcissist Ned) in her midst. Full of anger, lust, and the quest for revenge- The Next was highly entertaining and without one of the most unique books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

Thank you to the Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are mine alone.

This was such an easy book to get lost in for a day. It overtook everything else and completely absorbed me in all of its darkness and eventual sweet loveliness.

I ached for Joanna. Felt her betrayal and anger and laser sharp focus on the subject and cause of that betrayal. I hurt for her daughters and I absolutely fell in love with Tom, who made me think I needed a Tom in my own life.

This was a book with a difficult subject and yet it was handled with such understanding and such tenderness. I shed a few tears and closed the book on a sigh. It ended so perfectly!

I recommend this one to anyone who loves a book about revenge and betrayal and ultimately love. And who loves characters who are so well written that you fall in love with them. This was a fabulous read!

I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

This story was very interesting and the characters were very well developed by the time the book ended.

MY REVIEW OF "THE NEXT" BY STEPHANIE GANGI

Did you ever feel that you read a story that was "Out of this World"?  "The Next" by Stephanie Gangi has this criteria. Stephanie Gangi has written an unique, creative, hauntingly descriptive story. I appreciate the way that the author has cleverly woven her tale. The genres for this novel are "Fiction, Para-Normal, and Ghoststory. The timeline for this story is mostly in the past few years and present.

The characters are described as complex, complicated, confused,  and dysfunctional. My favorite character is Tom who is attentive, protective, loving, comforting and loyal.  Joanna DeAngelis is being taken care of by her two daughters and Tom, as she lays terminal in her bed. Joanna's ex-husband visits her bedside and shares some information with her. Her ex-lover, her "soul-mate" Ned has betrayed and left her. Joanna is a very angry and obsessive women. Using her cellphone, she wants to know everything that Ned is doing.

After Joanna passes away, she rises up as a  spirit seeking revenge and making everything in her life right.  We see glimpses of Joanna's life when she was healthy. Joanna is capable of doing unusual things when she is in a rage. There is some black humor, and I find it fascinating how Joanna handles things.

I like the way the author describes the need and importance for family. I also appreciate how the sisters find growth. I would recommend this unusual captivating novel for those reader that like this genre. I received a copy of this book from Great Thought, Great Readers Ninja Group for my honest review.

This is a unique entry into the subgenre of women's fiction wherein the protagonist is dying/died. Joanna as a vengeful ghost is one of the most interesting characters I've read lately. Loved the local color of the Upper West Side, loved the use of social media to stalk Ned, loved Ned the dog, and loved Joanna's daughters, who deserve more than they got from their mother. This is a well written debut novel that's hard to describe and which will be one that engenders divergent opinions. I liked it, found it thought provoking, and hope others will read it. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. Try this for something very different.

A really great book with an unusual plot line.I loved this book because it was beautifully written and well told!
Love gone wrong, death not accomplished, sweet revenge, true love, and a dog.......
The Next is a very unique novel.

Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book....

Thank you the opportunity to review this book; unfortunately, I did not finish it. I lost interest and began to find the protagonist annoying.

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.

I enjoyed the concept of this book and without giving away the story line, I have to say that it resonated with me. The descriptions of loss, pain, guilt, grief were beautifully handled and although someone more sceptical than me might not 'get' the storyline, I feel sorry for them because at the end of our lives isn't that what we all what? Justice, retribution, recognition, redemption?

Just not for me, gave up about 1/3 of the way through - found the story hard to follow. I haven't reviewed anywhere else as I don't feel it would be a fair representation of the book.

This book surprised me. I wasn't expecting to like it as well as I did. I cared for the characters and really got into the story. The premise of the haunting of her ex was an interesting new twist to the "jilted lover" books. It turned into a novel that really spoke to love and loss and new beginnings.

I had hopes for the book from the blurb that caused me to ask to read it. It was less than not my cup of tea. It was simply too fractured and unimportant in substance

For some reason I could not get into this book. I kept trying but I found my concentration continuously wandering. I'm sure others will have a different opinion.

Joanna is dying, but she doesn't have time to come to terms with that fact or spend her last days making more memories with her daughters who love her. She is too busy spending time thinking about her ex who left her for no apparent reason and is now with a much younger, beautiful, high profile woman. Joanna knows all of this because she is wasting her final days stalking him across every social media platform available to her. Thus sets the stage for an intriguing and thought provoking ghost story unlike any I have read previously. Joanna is not going to let something like death stop her from getting revenge on Ned, and the haunting that ensues is humerus, intriguing and kept me turning pages until the final page. This was most certainly a unique read, made even more memorable by a cast of interesting and compelling characters. I cannot wait to see what Stephanie Gangi comes up with next!

Only got 50 pages in. So depressing.