My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
The Next Thing on My List
by
Jill Smolinski (Goodreads Author)
“You’ll be hooked by this charming story. . . . Smolinski gives us a quick-witted heroine . . . with just the right amount of romance and a tad of suspense.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
After a car accident in which her passenger, Marissa, dies, June Parker finds herself in possession of a list Marissa has written: “20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday.” The tasks range from i...more
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
After a car accident in which her passenger, Marissa, dies, June Parker finds herself in possession of a list Marissa has written: “20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday.” The tasks range from i...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
March 25th 2008
by Three Rivers Press
(first published January 1st 2007)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
6,620)
Wow, the reviews I have read about this have me confused. The concept of the book was really cute, the execution was horrible. It was silly and shallow and wow I cannot believe how many people loved it. Don't bother!
This book was ridiculous and the main character was kind of an idiot and I'm SO SICK of books that make EVERY WOMAN out to be a neurotic mess whose salvation comes in the form of some DOUCHE BAG guy. Thank you.
Thanks, Michelle, I enjoyed this one. About a girl who got into a car accident with someone in the car that she had just met at a weight watchers meeting. The passenger died and had left a list of things she wanted to do and the driver felt so guilty, she decided to do everything that was on the list. Not an easy thing to do...
I really enjoyed this book, probably because I'm a list maker myself. I thought it was funny and entertaining, plus an easy read that I got through in a day.
June embarks on a life-changing mission to complete the list of an almost stranger-Marissa-who was killed in a car accident where June was the driver. The list, "20 Things To Do By My 25th Birthday", had some quirky items--go braless, eat ice cream in public--but had some poignant entries as well.
Though a ...more
June embarks on a life-changing mission to complete the list of an almost stranger-Marissa-who was killed in a car accident where June was the driver. The list, "20 Things To Do By My 25th Birthday", had some quirky items--go braless, eat ice cream in public--but had some poignant entries as well.
Though a ...more
June Parker's life is changed overnight when the passenger of her car, 24 year old Marissa, is thrown from the vehicle and killed. In the aftermath, June comes across a list that Marissa had been carrying in her purse: "20 Things to Do Before My 25th Birthday".
Seeing that just two items have been crossed off(#1: Lose 100 pounds and #4: Wear sexy shoes), June sets out to complete the list by Marissa's 25th birthday in six months. The list is covers it all from #6: Dare to g...more
Seeing that just two items have been crossed off(#1: Lose 100 pounds and #4: Wear sexy shoes), June sets out to complete the list by Marissa's 25th birthday in six months. The list is covers it all from #6: Dare to g...more
I finished this book quickly. It reminded me of Bridget Jones in some way -- probably tone, and the age of the protagonist.
The heroine has just been involved in a car accident; she was driving. With her was Marilissa, a 24 year old woman she had just met in a Weight Watchers meeting. She has an accident (not really her fault) and Marilissa dies. Fast forward 6 months, and nothing much is happening in her life still, but she goes to the grave. There, she meets Marilissa's brother Troy...more
The heroine has just been involved in a car accident; she was driving. With her was Marilissa, a 24 year old woman she had just met in a Weight Watchers meeting. She has an accident (not really her fault) and Marilissa dies. Fast forward 6 months, and nothing much is happening in her life still, but she goes to the grave. There, she meets Marilissa's brother Troy...more
view 2 comments
Add this to your "to-read" list then snatch it up quick and read it right away! It's the story of a woman named June and how her life unfolds as she struggles to complete someone else’s list of things to do before my next birthday. Isn't that a cute concept for a story? And it contains all the elements I love in a book... Lots of humor and even some touching moments that brought tears to my eyes (without being too sappy). I adored the voice of this book and felt like my best friend...more
Premise: June is giving a ride to a girl she just met at a Weight Watchers meeting, when they're involved in a car wreck. The passenger is killed, and June finds a list of things that the girl wanted to accomplish before her 25th birthday. For a not entirely altruistic reason, she sets out to complete the list herself.
There were times when I wanted to give this book a 4 (because I really did enjoy reading it), but overall, I felt that it was just too "cutesy." There are...more
There were times when I wanted to give this book a 4 (because I really did enjoy reading it), but overall, I felt that it was just too "cutesy." There are...more
This review is based on reading the first 35 pages and the last chapter of the book. I couldn't read any more than that. I really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise of it: a woman's car passenger dies in an accident and she finds her list of "20 Things To Do Before I Turn 25" and does them for her, and in the process finds meaning in her own life. But I didn't like the author's writing style. It didn't draw me in and I got easily bored. It felt like she was writing a screenp...more
I really enjoyed this book!!! It was a light, easy read but still managed to have a lot of depth. I found it relatable which made it even more fun to read. Oh and there are tons of laugh out loud moments, which I love!
Has the spunk and energy of a Janet Evanovich book . . . in fact, now that I think about it, this is like a West Coast Stephanie Plum. Instead of sizzling Ranger the bounty hunter, we have sizzling Runner the massage therapist . . . instead of the hot Italian Morelli, we have Martucci . . . instead of sexily-clad sidekick Lula, we have sexily-clad sidekick Brie. The doughnuts were the same on both coasts.
All that said, this book sneaks up on you with a surprisingly meaningful and thought...more
All that said, this book sneaks up on you with a surprisingly meaningful and thought...more
This is not a great thinker book, but that's okay. Sometimes you need a lighter read between reading Dostoevsky and the book on Math given to you by your son at Christmas. This was one of those books that, while pointing in the Chick Lit direction, actually has a little more thought and scope than some of those flashy covered novels about young-and-single-working-in-publishing/marketing/advertising/fashion making her life's dream come true. It's kind of a surrogate "Bucket List", on...more
On the recommendation of a friend, I downloaded this from Amazon. Within the first few pages it had me hooked. The death of someone you know, even if it's someone you weren't particularly close to, can be a life-changing experience. But June Parker would never have expected exactly how life-changing the death of Marissa Jones would be. They met at a Weight Watchers meeting and when June spots Marissa waiting for a bus later that night, she offers Marissa a ride home. During the ride Marissa unbu...more
Marissa und June haben genau EINE Gemeinsamkeit: sie wollen sich endlich von ihrem überflüssigen Körperfett trennen und abnehmen. Und das bei Weight Watchers. Daher kennen sie sich auch, nicht mehr und nicht weniger.
Marissa läuft seit kurzem erst "erleichtert" durch ihr Leben, denn sie konnte bereits einen persönlichen Erfolg verbuchen. Endlich scheint sie ihr Leben in den Griff zu bekommen!
Ihr Angebot June auf dem Nachhauseweg mitzunehmen zeugt daher allein aus Näc...more
Marissa läuft seit kurzem erst "erleichtert" durch ihr Leben, denn sie konnte bereits einen persönlichen Erfolg verbuchen. Endlich scheint sie ihr Leben in den Griff zu bekommen!
Ihr Angebot June auf dem Nachhauseweg mitzunehmen zeugt daher allein aus Näc...more
Tiffany Cooke
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who like books about characters, not so much plot
Shelves:
2010
I picked up this book because I could relate to the title. I am a list keeper: to do lists; store lists; bucket lists. As soon as one thing is finished and crossed off, I'm on to the next item. I don't take time to celebrate the accomplishments. I don't even give it a conscious thought anymore. I, too, move on to "the next thing on my list."
When we meet June Parker, she is slowly recovering from a car accident that killed her passenger, Marissa. June and Marissa we...more
When we meet June Parker, she is slowly recovering from a car accident that killed her passenger, Marissa. June and Marissa we...more
Doreen
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Easy Readers book club
Recommended to Doreen by:
Womens Nest book club
An enjoyable, easy read! This book had every opportunity to be sappy, silly, and ridiculous, yet it wasn't! The author carefully allowed the fun and uniqueness of the story to play out, without creating a sugary-sweet,
mess. The main character struggles through completing the items on someone else's 'Life List' of things to do. She came by this list as the result of a fatal traffic accident.
The main character, June, is not super-woman. She's not a strong, amazing, driven hum...more
mess. The main character struggles through completing the items on someone else's 'Life List' of things to do. She came by this list as the result of a fatal traffic accident.
The main character, June, is not super-woman. She's not a strong, amazing, driven hum...more
Sarah
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Book clubs for older women who enjoy light reading
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jill Smolinski's The Next Thing On My List isn't anywhere near the sobfest you would expect it to be, considering our narrator is completing tasks dreamed up by a dead woman. It's actually an incredibly entertaining, heartwarming and inspirational novel that had me flipping the pages from day one.
The strength of book, for me, came in the form of June and Smolinski's sense of humor, which was pitch-perfect. Any off-color jokes would certainly have not been well-received by the audienc...more
The strength of book, for me, came in the form of June and Smolinski's sense of humor, which was pitch-perfect. Any off-color jokes would certainly have not been well-received by the audienc...more
I was just looking for something light to listen to at the gym on my Ipod with this book, and this book was light but unfortunately way too light. And, I must admit, the accountant/statistician in me nearly choked when at one point the mean and the average were described as two different calculations. Usually I manage to suppress that side of me when I read chick-lit, but come on!!!
Given the premise--a woman is completing a list of "20 things to do before I am 25" of an ...more
Given the premise--a woman is completing a list of "20 things to do before I am 25" of an ...more
This book is an insanely fast read, which is good since I read it from start to finish in one sitting. I didn't have any intention of reading this book when I did, but once I had picked it up to read the first sentence out of pure curiosity, I found myself staying up until 2am to find out what happened. The strange mix of sorrow, guilt, lighthearted humor, and hope was very appealing for a summer read.
June Parker, 32 years old, offered a ride to a woman in uncomfortable shoes at her ...more
June Parker, 32 years old, offered a ride to a woman in uncomfortable shoes at her ...more
I picked this book up at the library on a whim and I'm glad I did, it was a really cute story. The plot is simple - June needs to finish a "list of things to do before I die" list for Marissa, who died in a car wreck they shared. Checking all the items on the list is June's big wake-up call as she faces her guilt, grief, loneliness, and sense of identity.
I think there is something very satisfying about crossing items off lists, and it was fun to read the story to see how ...more
I think there is something very satisfying about crossing items off lists, and it was fun to read the story to see how ...more
I actually liked this book...would I read it again? probably not. The one thing that I really disliked about this book was the strong language that was used. I recently read The Glass Castle which has strong language as well, but I wasn't as bothered by it as I was with this book.
So what is the difference? Well, The Glass Castle is about someone's actual life and you cannot sugarcoat life and was usually done in anger. Also, the swearing was done by a man who wasn't taught any di...more
So what is the difference? Well, The Glass Castle is about someone's actual life and you cannot sugarcoat life and was usually done in anger. Also, the swearing was done by a man who wasn't taught any di...more
This book was somewhat predictable from page 14, but had a surprising twist which was a pleasant surprise. The way the list is accomplished is very touching and really shows how a life can be changed - without the big event and plans that one might expect. The writing makes the reader feel that they are completing the list with June, and cheering her on to meet the deadline. As the story unfolds, you learn that it's more about the purpose of the list adding value to one's life than the actual ta...more
Sorry Marie, but this book exemplifies everything that is hideous about "chick lit", which I say with a curled lip and dripping contempt. I loathed this book. Hideous! Awful! Depressing. As in, depressing that people actively seek this kind of book out and enjoy it. By the way, I was led to this book by my own public library's catalog system while I was looking for Judith Moore's "Fat Girl". Bleaaaagh! Stay away from this book.
Jennifer
rated it
Recommends it for:
anyone looking for a witty chick lit read
Recommended to Jennifer by:
Kelly
Exactly the sort of brain candy I needed on my first "official" day of vacation. June Parker is working through a life list of "20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday" only she's already 34 and it's not her list. Only 6 months before, June survived a car crash that killed her passenger, Marissa Jones, a young woman June barely knew, and the list was Marissa's. Though June hasn't told Marissa's family that she has this list, she decides she must try to work through the eightee...more
This book was chosen as a reader's choice at my library. Usually I find new treasures that way. This book was crude, crass, and made me feel like there was not much hope for the general populace. The author chose a fun theme, that of lists to do before you die type of thing with a Magnificent Obsession twist, but don't waste your list on this one. Life is too short.
I expected a really lightweight chick lit type book as this story started and while overall it definitely reads as a fun and kind of silly chick lit novel, this one had a bit more depth than I thought it would have. The main story is about a woman who finds someone else's "to-do-before-age-25" list and completes it herself to honor the person who actually wrote the list. Of course this leads to some funny scenes as well as some poignant ones. Surprisingly, the book caused me to reflect...more
Wow, there are some mixed reviews about this one. I, myself, got this book from my sister who just ravd about how wonderful it was. So I thought I would give it a try and I thought it was wonderful. Unlike some of the other reviews, I think you should waste your time on this one.
Jill Smolinski takes you into the lives of 34 year old June Parker, who is just going through life, but after a car accident where her passenger, Marissa, gets killed, she decided to finish Marissa's "20...more
Jill Smolinski takes you into the lives of 34 year old June Parker, who is just going through life, but after a car accident where her passenger, Marissa, gets killed, she decided to finish Marissa's "20...more
One of my favorite reads of 2009. June is a totally wonderful person, she just hadn't made much of her life and relationships until a tragedy led her to attempt to complete list of things to accomplish (run a 5K, ride in a helicopter, get a massage, for example). The list belonged to Marissa, whose passing is an important part of the story. The most daunting item on the list was to change someone's life. Through a series of small but significant adventures, June makes her way through the list. B...more
The set up for this story is pretty bizarre (essentially, the heroine of the novel, Parker, offers a ride to a girl she doesn't know after a Weight Watchers meeting...they are in an accident and only the heroine survives the crash. Upon discovering a list of adventurous tasks to complete before the now-deceased passenger's 25th birhtday, Parker decides to take them on herself!). I didn't find this book relatable in terms of the events that transpire because there is just a LOT of drama in Parker...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
I am the author of the novels Objects of My Affection, The Next Thing on My List and Flip-Flopped. My short story "40 Days" appears in the anthology American Girls About Town. I love calling in to book clubs, so visit my web site if you're reading one of my books and would like to invite me to join in the discussion.
More about Jill Smolinski...
Share This Book
7 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“People are living too much or too little, and I wondered if anyone out there is living the right amount.”
—
5 people liked it
“How is it that you're such an expert on home pregnancy kits?"
You're asking that question of an Italian stallion like myself? The women call me 'sperm of thunder'. I don't dare stand too close for fear I may impregnate them with just a whiff of my manhood.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
You're asking that question of an Italian stallion like myself? The women call me 'sperm of thunder'. I don't dare stand too close for fear I may impregnate them with just a whiff of my manhood.”
