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

Even a multitude of words wouldn’t be able to describe what I feel right now. I just finished reading this book and I’m so speechless.

I remember reading the first book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, way back in college. If I remember correctly, it was the first book I read from Mitch Albom. I can still vividly remember the bunch of tears I shed in that book. I reread it every so often when I feel like I need something to put me in perspective. And now after reading this sequel, I am such in awe. It’s so splendid how the author connected the story and the characters. Mitch Albom really has a way of hitting people’s weakest spot and getting into everyone’s hearts. I cried a bunch. This is really a must-read at least once show more in everyone’s life. It helps you realize that sometimes we focus too much on our own view of things that we forget other people’s side. show less

This is a very short read—one night for me and I’m a slow reader. This is an uplifting follow-up to the first book, but I don’t think it is as compelling as Five People. Annie’s life story is good but it just wasn’t as jaw-dropping as Eddie’s. Five People was masterful. This book feels like the author now has a formula and can just churn out these stories. I hope he doesn’t. A very good read but it doesn’t need a sequel.

As always, Mitch Albom's books are deeply spiritual and beautiful.

In this story, a young woman named Annie, feels as though her entire life is a series of mistakes. Her mother moves her away from her original home. This leads to a life of no friends, persecution and bullying at the hands of her school mates, save for one young boy, Paulo. Paulo's family moves back to Italy, leaving Annie sad and friendless.

Years later, she becomes a nurse, while walking to her job, she sees Paulo. They reconnect and on the day after their marriage, they spontaneously take a balloon ride, which leads to a grave accident.

Annie awakes in Heaven, and meets five various people who greatly impacted on her life.

This is a tear jerker, and a wonderful read!

The Next Person You Meet In Heaven brings back two characters from the first book The Five
People You Meet In Heaven. We revisit Eddie a maintenance man who died saving a little girl named Annie. Annie is now a grown woman about to get married. Tragedy comes for Annie again and she has to face a past she does not remember.

I love all of Mitch Albom’s books. They are written simply, smoothly, and full of emotion. None of the characters are perfect, as we find this in Annie. Even after her rescue her life still had many ups and downs. Like most people, the downs of life are the ones that stick and hard to shake off.

I am not sure about the ending. Like most of Albom’s books, it ends with emotions high and I did not guess the ending show more beforehand.

I enjoyed this one it is probably in my top five of Mitch Albom books, first being For One More Day. I also feel you could read this one having not read the first book. I am looking forward to what book is coming next. show less

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mitch Albom has done it again. In this delightful sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven, we once again meet up with Eddie only this time he is reunited with Annie, the little girl he saved. This is a story of how we are connected in life and loss.

In The Five People You Meet in Heaven, we meet Eddie, a war veteran that worked at an amusement park as a mechanic. Eddie died a hero when he saves Annie's life. Forever scared emotionally and physically (Annie's hand was surgically reattached), Annie's life is forever changed when she endures a life of bullying even though Annie cannot remember what happened to her. She further struggles when her show more guilt ridden mother suddenly uproots them and moves away.

Finally finding happiness, as an adult, Annie reconnects with her childhood love Paulo. The novel opens with the two of them marrying. Unfortunately their wedding day ends in terrible tragedy and Annie finds herself on her own journey to discover her five people that will show her how her life mattered—one of those people is Eddie.

I can't believe it has been fifteen years since The Five People You Meet in Heaven was published. Fans of the book have always wondered what ever became of Eddie and Annie—this is a testament to an inspiring story when it stays with readers and keeps them wondering.

In true Albom style, this book is full of life lessons and grace. Whether you are a spiritual person or not, this book will touch you in some way and is a gift. The lesson that I took away was that every ending is also a beginning, sometimes we are simply just unwilling to see it as such. show less

I'm beginning to learn that Mitch Albom's books are not for everyone, but I appreciate a story that highlights the pain and beauty of life in a palatable and quick way. This book is a quick read that can quickly re-humble you to the blessings of life.

We first met Annie in a previous tale about heaven. Now, we learn about Annie’s life, what happened to her after her accident at the amusement park, how she spent her childhood, how she grew up and fell in love, and how she came to be in heaven. We also get a glimpse of others there, including Eddie, the maintenance man who saved her, and we share in the lessons that Annie discovers. This is a version of heaven that the author imagined; it is a novel and not meant to sway anyone’s way of thinking. But it does show how one person can affect another, in unseen ways, and how it all comes together in the end. Annie meets her five people in heaven, and through their connections to her life, she finds the answers that have eluded her show more while on earth. This thought-provoking sequel packs much power in its pages, and is every bit as good as the first novel. show less