The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven: The Sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Author: Mitch Albom

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: October 9, 2018

Length: 224 pages







About the Author
Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned author, screenwriter, playwright, nationally syndicated columnist, broadcaster and musician. He is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers.

Annie's Story
Fifteen years ago, in Mitch Albom’s beloved novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the world fell in love with Eddie, an amusement park mechanic who died saving the life of a young girl named Annie. Eddie’s journey to heaven taught him that every life matters. Now, in this sequel, Mitch Albom reveals Annie’s story.

My Thoughts
I don't read much fiction, but I did read The Five People You Meet in Heaven when it was published 15 years ago. I also saw the movie. When I learned there was a sequel to this book, I wanted to read it.

This is a fast read...mostly because it is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. Annie has grown up and is preparing to get married. She had a difficult childhood after the accident at the amusement park, but she is looking forward to a life of happiness with her new husband.

There are many unexpected twists and turns in the plot. There are emotional segments that have you laughing one moment and tears streaming from your eyes the next. 

The story is about how our lives are connected and each of our actions has an effect on future events. Everything happens for a reason.

“No story sits by itself. Our lives connect like threads on a loom, interwoven in ways we never realise...There's no such thing as a nobody. And there are no mistakes." 

I found this to be an uplifting and entertaining read. I don't want to spoil the story by saying what happens and how it ends. I will just say that Annie discovers the answers to many questions about her life and learns the meaning of sacrifice, commitment, and true love.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I checked-out a print copy of this book at my local public library.

Stardust Dads - A Book Review

Stardust Dads: The Afterlife Connection, a novel by David and Josephine George, is a mystical adventure that gives the term "soul mates" new meaning. This is a love story in more ways than one.

Mickey Parks and Lloyd Wallace meet at a place called Midway Manor after their untimely deaths. Mickey loves to strum his guitar and Lloyd enjoys playing the piano. They soon make beautiful music together and become good friends. Their favorite song to play is "Stardust".

Mickey has a daughter named Allison and Lloyd has a son named Danny. The dads start talking about the young adult children they left behind. They come up with an idea to use the computers in the Data Room at Midway Manor to monitor and manipulate the lives of their children. Mickey and Lloyd are successful in arranging for Danny and Allison to meet - it was love at first sight, of course. Danny and Allison's relationship is truly a match made in heaven.

Mickey and Lloyd also have a plan to send their children some valuable knowledge that would make them very rich if they published it in a book. Danny and Allison buy a brand new computer and soon receive a very strange email message. Sure enough, Mickey and Lloyd are able to communicate with their children and tell them all about Midway Manor.

Danny and Allison use the email messages to write a novel about Midway Manor. This book becomes very popular because it seems to provide proof of life after death. Unfortunately, a mentally impaired religious fanatic is offended by the book and decides to kill Danny and Allison.

No, the story does not have a tragic ending but you will have to read the details for yourself.

It took me several weeks to read this book because of illness and family activities. I kept coming back to this book because it was like one of those songs that you just can't get out of your head. This is a good fiction story that promotes the theme that life and love are eternal.