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Book Reviews of The Next Best Thing

The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing
Author: Jennifer Weiner
ISBN-13: 9781451617757
ISBN-10: 1451617755
Publication Date: 7/10/2012
Pages: 416
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 74

3.4 stars, based on 74 ratings
Publisher: Atria Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

9 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

flyinggems avatar reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 436 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I always try to write reviews of books right after I finish them. I feel so numb after this book. It was like taking a long car ride with the same scenery passing you by. When Ruth made her move there was less than 20 pages left to the book. The writing is decent and that is what keeps you moving forward. I did not care for the story.

Ruth Saunders was dealt a bad hand in the game of Life. But she has a new idea on how to make it better. She decides to change up her life and take her grandmother along for the ride. She moves to the land of stars were she hopes she can make all her dreams come true.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on
Helpful Score: 2
A disappointing outing. Ruthie was not particularly interesting and her grandmother was a cliche. Jennifer's other books were better.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 121 more book reviews
Not at all one of my favorites of hers. It was tedious to read actually. Just not interesting.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 70 more book reviews
This book was my least favorite of Jennifer Weiner's books. I am usually a huge fan, but this one was lacking. It was very slow moving. Sometimes I would just cringe at how pathetic Ruthie was. I did, however, love the ending.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 66 more book reviews
I liked this book just as much as her others; she hasn't disappointed me yet! I thought it was a little slow (and confusing) in the beginning, but once the story got 'going', I couldn't wait to get back to reading!
Readnmachine avatar reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 1440 more book reviews
Sad/funny tale of a driven young woman whose dream of creating a hit TV series is shattered when she loses creative control of the project.

Like most of Weiner's books, the characters are sharp and funny but damaged, at least in their own eyes. Their charm lies in how she makes the reader root for them and in how they eventually triumph on their own terms.

Ruthie's journey is heartbreaking, infuriating, and -- it turns out, if you read the author's Afterword -- largely based on an incident from Weiner's career. Unlike Weiner, however, her fictional counterpart gets revenge in a most delightful manner.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 3 more book reviews
Really enjoyed this book. Kept my attention house work suffered for it.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 7 more book reviews
I forced myself to read three or four chapters, but it got really tiresome with all the main character's constant complaining about her physical disfigurement, so I never finished it.
reviewed The Next Best Thing on + 18 more book reviews
Good story. The characters were very believable and relatable.