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Someone Else's Bucket List
After the untimely death of her outgoing, hugely successful influencer sister, an introverted woman takes on the terrifying challenge of completing her sister’s bucket list as the world watches, in a bid to save her family—and others—from the crippling medical debt her cancer battle left behind.
My dying wish is for you to finish my bucket list. I refuse to die without knowing this list will be completed. And I refuse to die without knowing my family will be okay . . .
Jodie Boyd is a shy and anxious twenty-something, completely unsure what to do with her life. Her older sister, Bree, is an adventurous, globe-trotting, hugely successful Instagram influencer with more than a million followers. She’s the most alive person Jodie knows—up until Bree’s unfathomable, untimely death from Leukemia. The Boyds are devastated, not to mention overwhelmed with medical debt. But Bree thought of everything—and soon, Jodie is shocked by a new post on her sister’s Instagram feed.
The first of many Bree recorded in secret, the post foretells a jaw-dropping challenge for Jodie: to complete Bree’s very public bucket list. From “Fly over Antarctica,� to “Perform a walk-on cameo in a Broadway musical,� if Jodie does it—and keeps all Bree’s followers—a corporate sponsor will pay off the staggering medical debt. If she gains followers, the Boyds won’t be the only ones to benefit. It’s crazy. It’s terrifying. It’s impossible, immoral even, to refuse. So, despite the whole world watching, Jodie plunges in, never imagining that in death, her sister will teach her how to live, and that the last item on the list—“Fall in love”—may just prove to be the easiest.
My dying wish is for you to finish my bucket list. I refuse to die without knowing this list will be completed. And I refuse to die without knowing my family will be okay . . .
Jodie Boyd is a shy and anxious twenty-something, completely unsure what to do with her life. Her older sister, Bree, is an adventurous, globe-trotting, hugely successful Instagram influencer with more than a million followers. She’s the most alive person Jodie knows—up until Bree’s unfathomable, untimely death from Leukemia. The Boyds are devastated, not to mention overwhelmed with medical debt. But Bree thought of everything—and soon, Jodie is shocked by a new post on her sister’s Instagram feed.
The first of many Bree recorded in secret, the post foretells a jaw-dropping challenge for Jodie: to complete Bree’s very public bucket list. From “Fly over Antarctica,� to “Perform a walk-on cameo in a Broadway musical,� if Jodie does it—and keeps all Bree’s followers—a corporate sponsor will pay off the staggering medical debt. If she gains followers, the Boyds won’t be the only ones to benefit. It’s crazy. It’s terrifying. It’s impossible, immoral even, to refuse. So, despite the whole world watching, Jodie plunges in, never imagining that in death, her sister will teach her how to live, and that the last item on the list—“Fall in love”—may just prove to be the easiest.
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2023
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August 11, 2023
Someone Else's Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews is a Blend of Family and Women's Fiction!
Bree and Jodie Boyd are two twenty-something sisters. Bree, the oldest, is an Instagram influencer with a million plus followers, and younger sister Jodie is currently a quiet, anxiety ridden mess.
Jodie's a mess because Bree, who's full of life and hope, has recently died from Leukemia. Their family is emotionally shattered by Bree's premature death and drowning in the amount of medical debt left behind.
Bree, being the super influencer that she was, made an unbelievable deal with a corporate sponsor, shortly before she died, to pay off her staggering medical debt. After her death, the first of many secretly recorded messages to her family and followers is posted to her Instagram feed announcing a personal challenge to her sister Jodie to finish the final items on her very public Bucket List.
Will Jodie accept Bree's Bucket List challenge while maintaining all of Bree's existing followers, perhaps gaining additional ones, all in the hopes of the corporate sponsor paying off Bree's mountains of medical debt...and then some?
When I started listening to Someone Else's Bucket List, I wasn't sure how I felt about this story. It starts off so sad and takes a good long time to get out from under the clouds of Bree's death. And let's be honest, this story doesn't warrant 15 hours of listening time, so editing was definitely an issue.
Someone Else's Bucket List was narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo who, in the beginning, sounds like she's reading the book to me. I believe this to be a reflection of the story and how the character of Jodi is internalizing her grief. The narration does brighten as the story progresses and Jodi's world expands. I was glad for that!
Is Someone Else's Bucket List believable? Absolutely not! With that said, I'm good at suspending belief and it was the family and relationship side of this story that drew me in and kept me listening. Like Jodie, I also lost my older sister within the past month so this turned into the emotional listening I wasn't expecting at first glance.
The many different and unexpected ways Family Fiction connects with the reader is why it remains one of my favorite sub-genres. I recommend Someone Else's Bucket List to readers who also enjoy Family Fiction with touches of Women's Fiction blended in!
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Amy T. Matthews for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Bree and Jodie Boyd are two twenty-something sisters. Bree, the oldest, is an Instagram influencer with a million plus followers, and younger sister Jodie is currently a quiet, anxiety ridden mess.
Jodie's a mess because Bree, who's full of life and hope, has recently died from Leukemia. Their family is emotionally shattered by Bree's premature death and drowning in the amount of medical debt left behind.
Bree, being the super influencer that she was, made an unbelievable deal with a corporate sponsor, shortly before she died, to pay off her staggering medical debt. After her death, the first of many secretly recorded messages to her family and followers is posted to her Instagram feed announcing a personal challenge to her sister Jodie to finish the final items on her very public Bucket List.
Will Jodie accept Bree's Bucket List challenge while maintaining all of Bree's existing followers, perhaps gaining additional ones, all in the hopes of the corporate sponsor paying off Bree's mountains of medical debt...and then some?
When I started listening to Someone Else's Bucket List, I wasn't sure how I felt about this story. It starts off so sad and takes a good long time to get out from under the clouds of Bree's death. And let's be honest, this story doesn't warrant 15 hours of listening time, so editing was definitely an issue.
Someone Else's Bucket List was narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo who, in the beginning, sounds like she's reading the book to me. I believe this to be a reflection of the story and how the character of Jodi is internalizing her grief. The narration does brighten as the story progresses and Jodi's world expands. I was glad for that!
Is Someone Else's Bucket List believable? Absolutely not! With that said, I'm good at suspending belief and it was the family and relationship side of this story that drew me in and kept me listening. Like Jodie, I also lost my older sister within the past month so this turned into the emotional listening I wasn't expecting at first glance.
The many different and unexpected ways Family Fiction connects with the reader is why it remains one of my favorite sub-genres. I recommend Someone Else's Bucket List to readers who also enjoy Family Fiction with touches of Women's Fiction blended in!
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Amy T. Matthews for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
May 26, 2023
I don't think there is anything I can say that will ever do this book the justice it deserves. It was like a balm to my soul. Yes, the grief in these pages is absolutely palpable but so is the love and hope that seeped off the page only to settle deep down in my heart, wrapping it up, making it whole and full of happiness.
Jodie's older sister, Bree, loses her battle with leukemia at only 26 years old. What Jodie and her family don't realize is that Bree made plans that were going to flip their world upside down long after her death. Bree was an Instagram influencer that traveled the world. The more exotic the place the better. Nothing was off limits - cliff jumping, mountain climbing, swimming with whales. Bree had an exuberance for life that just couldn't be contained. Until cancer got the best of her.
Her family is awash in grief. Swallowed by the hole Bree left in her wake. Not to mention they are drowning in debt from Bree's medical care. Bree has made a plan to shake them from their grief and hopefully erase their never-ending debt at the same time. Jodie must finish Bree's bucket list. If she succeeds then Iris Air, a brand she worked with often, will pay their debt in full.
Jodie can't believe it. She's always been the quiet one nursing her anxieties so there is no way she could possibly pull this off. A couple of examples of her bucket list items include: recreate the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally at Katz's deli and walk on stage during a Broadway performance. Easy peasy, right? Jodie is horrified.
But....she'd do anything for her sister and her family. She is going to have to muster up the courage to pull this off one way or another. And maybe, just maybe, Jodie will discover she is far braver and stronger than she ever thought possible.
Again, this review does not do this book justice. The writing is exquisite and packed full of emotion. I loved these characters. Every single one of them. I had mentioned in an update I made that I have found my fictional family and it's the truth. This family had me right by the heart from the very start. Even Russel Sprout the dog, just be sure keep your shoes away from him! I thought the way the grief was handled in this book was so authentic but so was the deep-rooted love this family had for one another. All the feels. Oh, and just one more thing I'd like to add: #TeamKelly *Swoons* 🔥 5 Brilliant Shining Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my complimentary copy.
Jodie's older sister, Bree, loses her battle with leukemia at only 26 years old. What Jodie and her family don't realize is that Bree made plans that were going to flip their world upside down long after her death. Bree was an Instagram influencer that traveled the world. The more exotic the place the better. Nothing was off limits - cliff jumping, mountain climbing, swimming with whales. Bree had an exuberance for life that just couldn't be contained. Until cancer got the best of her.
Her family is awash in grief. Swallowed by the hole Bree left in her wake. Not to mention they are drowning in debt from Bree's medical care. Bree has made a plan to shake them from their grief and hopefully erase their never-ending debt at the same time. Jodie must finish Bree's bucket list. If she succeeds then Iris Air, a brand she worked with often, will pay their debt in full.
Jodie can't believe it. She's always been the quiet one nursing her anxieties so there is no way she could possibly pull this off. A couple of examples of her bucket list items include: recreate the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally at Katz's deli and walk on stage during a Broadway performance. Easy peasy, right? Jodie is horrified.
But....she'd do anything for her sister and her family. She is going to have to muster up the courage to pull this off one way or another. And maybe, just maybe, Jodie will discover she is far braver and stronger than she ever thought possible.
Again, this review does not do this book justice. The writing is exquisite and packed full of emotion. I loved these characters. Every single one of them. I had mentioned in an update I made that I have found my fictional family and it's the truth. This family had me right by the heart from the very start. Even Russel Sprout the dog, just be sure keep your shoes away from him! I thought the way the grief was handled in this book was so authentic but so was the deep-rooted love this family had for one another. All the feels. Oh, and just one more thing I'd like to add: #TeamKelly *Swoons* 🔥 5 Brilliant Shining Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my complimentary copy.
December 15, 2024
An outgoing and very popular social media influencer is diagnosed with terminal cancer & she decides to enlist her introvert sister to check off the bucket list that she sadly won't live to see completed. I love the premise of this book. The first 20% or so was SO sad and it took me awhile to get into the story. Once it picked up I really enjoyed it. I loved to see the growth & healing as the story progressed. The only downside for me was the amount of side characters. At times it felt like instead of adding to the story they kind of took away from the focus. I would've liked more bucket list check marks, more happiness, and more focus on the main character and her journey.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
May 29, 2023
This was a wonderful book about grief. And while yes I think I think some parts of the premise seem ghoulish, but honestly when you’ve lost someone so close everything seems ghoulish and it isn’t that far of a stretch of the imagination (I live in America, lack of health care and turning sweet moments into Instagram fodder are rampant here). This was a sweet book in a lot of ways, but it was also hard to read because the emotional pieces were all done realistically. I was so horrified and jealous of the pre-recorded videos for major holidays. If only we all could have that. If this book wasn’t so sad I would call it a rom-com, but overall I still think that’s probably the best fit. Jodie’s influencer sister died after a battle with leukemia and left 6 items off her 100 item bucket list undone (this was quite impressive given her age!). She made a deal with one of her sponsors to sponsor her sister Jodie finishing them and if she does they’ll also pay off Bree’s medical debts. Unfortunately item 100 is fall in love. And what could be more complicated than that?
January 4, 2023
I really enjoyed this book about life, love, family and learning to live again. The idea of honoring your sister and completing her bucket list after she passes away - not just for her but for the family to be out of medical debt and the possibility to help others worked so well in this story. I loved Jodie's character and really enjoyed seeing her learn and grow while honoring her sister. This was a great story that pulls on the heart strings for sure.
.
.
February 25, 2023
I received an advanced copy of this book, courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Jodie Boyd's sister, Bree, a hugely successful influencer, dies of leukemia at 26. Their family is left grieving and with crippling medical debt until scheduled videos of Bree pop up on her instagram, and she posthumously reveals that, if Jodie completes her bucket list, a corporate sponsor will pay off the debt, and if Jodie manages to keep Bree's followers and grow the number, more benefits are to come.
For what it's worth, I thought the start was alright. The sisterly love, jealousy and grief in general were handled well and I loved how Jodie and Claudia's relationship without Bree was starting out.
Then, the bucket list came. It had been some time between me reading the description and actually starting this book, and I must have glossed over the premise, because it was the most bleak, harrowing, ghoulish thing that I couldn't figure out if it was genius commentary on late stage capitalism and the commodification of human life or simply a symptom of it. It's hard enough to believe that Bree didn't have some form of health insurance and that, as a 26 year old influencer with over a million followers, she didn't have enough money to pay enough towards the debt so that her family wouldn't be on the brink of ruin. It's even harder to believe that there was absolutely no outrage when Bree's very public video revealed that the overwhelming debt will be paid bit by bit for every item Jodie, very publically, completes from her bucket list, all while keeping up her dead sister's social media so that the billionaire owned airline company can profit from it. I kept waiting for this to be addressed somehow, for some boundaries to be set, for someone to question if dragging a dead woman's sister into a marketing campaign so that the corporation can keep the dead woman's followers maybe isn't a good look.
Well, it was addressed. At 70%. Some sort of boundaries were set at 85% and from there it turned into a convoluted mess in which the billionaire somehow seemed to be the most rational person.
I wish I DNF-ed.
Jodie Boyd's sister, Bree, a hugely successful influencer, dies of leukemia at 26. Their family is left grieving and with crippling medical debt until scheduled videos of Bree pop up on her instagram, and she posthumously reveals that, if Jodie completes her bucket list, a corporate sponsor will pay off the debt, and if Jodie manages to keep Bree's followers and grow the number, more benefits are to come.
For what it's worth, I thought the start was alright. The sisterly love, jealousy and grief in general were handled well and I loved how Jodie and Claudia's relationship without Bree was starting out.
Then, the bucket list came. It had been some time between me reading the description and actually starting this book, and I must have glossed over the premise, because it was the most bleak, harrowing, ghoulish thing that I couldn't figure out if it was genius commentary on late stage capitalism and the commodification of human life or simply a symptom of it. It's hard enough to believe that Bree didn't have some form of health insurance and that, as a 26 year old influencer with over a million followers, she didn't have enough money to pay enough towards the debt so that her family wouldn't be on the brink of ruin. It's even harder to believe that there was absolutely no outrage when Bree's very public video revealed that the overwhelming debt will be paid bit by bit for every item Jodie, very publically, completes from her bucket list, all while keeping up her dead sister's social media so that the billionaire owned airline company can profit from it. I kept waiting for this to be addressed somehow, for some boundaries to be set, for someone to question if dragging a dead woman's sister into a marketing campaign so that the corporation can keep the dead woman's followers maybe isn't a good look.
Well, it was addressed. At 70%. Some sort of boundaries were set at 85% and from there it turned into a convoluted mess in which the billionaire somehow seemed to be the most rational person.
I wish I DNF-ed.
April 10, 2023
Wow. Just wow. SO good! Pardon me while I go deal with my raging "bookover" 😂
Tender, sweet, emotional, and heartfelt. Jodie is such a sweet person, but so shy and unsure of herself. And Bree? You really here her voice and see her shining personality so strongly, even though you only meet her for for a few chapters in the beginning. She positively glows throughout the story.
A happy ending story where the characters rise from their grief and blossom anew. Or perhaps better than new. Read this one with your tissue box handy. But rest assured you'll be smiling through your tears.
Bravo, bellisimo, and more please! 👏 👏 👏
Tender, sweet, emotional, and heartfelt. Jodie is such a sweet person, but so shy and unsure of herself. And Bree? You really here her voice and see her shining personality so strongly, even though you only meet her for for a few chapters in the beginning. She positively glows throughout the story.
A happy ending story where the characters rise from their grief and blossom anew. Or perhaps better than new. Read this one with your tissue box handy. But rest assured you'll be smiling through your tears.
Bravo, bellisimo, and more please! 👏 👏 👏
July 16, 2023
SOMEONE ELSE's BUCKET LIST
Amy T Matthews
Well, I thought I was going to really enjoy this, but it turned out to be so slow, so much misery and driven by such unlikeable characters, that I could not find it in me to complete the read. I know that most of this falls on me, but some of it has to be the book.. we just didn't jam together.
2 stars DNF
Happy Reading!
Amy T Matthews
Well, I thought I was going to really enjoy this, but it turned out to be so slow, so much misery and driven by such unlikeable characters, that I could not find it in me to complete the read. I know that most of this falls on me, but some of it has to be the book.. we just didn't jam together.
2 stars DNF
Happy Reading!
December 6, 2022
When Bree Boyd dies of leukemia she leaves a mountain of medical debt to her family. As they struggle through the grief and work towards paying it off they find she's left them one last surprise. She's left her bucket list and asked her sister Jodie to finish the last few things she didn't get to do.
This was a wonderfully written book about loss and how to carry on after. Bree spent her life fully immersed in living but sees her sister holds herself back and wants to make sure she comes back from what she knows will be a major loss. I loved that Bree, who saw herself as almost invincible, is able to pivot at the end of her life and make a plan to pull her family out of the hole of grief once she's gone. The love for family, blood or chosen, is highlighted through the plot in this book. This is such a unique story and I feel it will stick with me for a while. I was hooked from chapter one and stayed up well past my normal bedtime to finish this book in one sitting.
This was a wonderfully written book about loss and how to carry on after. Bree spent her life fully immersed in living but sees her sister holds herself back and wants to make sure she comes back from what she knows will be a major loss. I loved that Bree, who saw herself as almost invincible, is able to pivot at the end of her life and make a plan to pull her family out of the hole of grief once she's gone. The love for family, blood or chosen, is highlighted through the plot in this book. This is such a unique story and I feel it will stick with me for a while. I was hooked from chapter one and stayed up well past my normal bedtime to finish this book in one sitting.
June 11, 2023
It's me. Hi. I'm the problem, it's me.
Actually, I'm not sure I really AM the problem, but I will admit that if I had the ability to turn off my brain for a couple hours, this would've probably had more of an impact upon me.
First, HUGE trigger warning for death of a loved one, specifically cancer. This isn't a spoiler. It's right in the synopsis. But I want to really emphasize it because I personally felt myself thrown when the first few chapters were from Bree's point of view as she's dying from leukemia. As the readers, we are subjected to pretty intense descriptions of what she looks like, how she feels, and what is happening to her body. Even as we get into the book, there are descriptions made comparing Bree to a 'husk' and talking about how sick she looked at any given point in time. For anyone who is at all sensitive to that sort of thing, please take care of yourself.
I almost DNF'd this book very early on, because the entire premise is actually ridiculous. I've said it in other reviews, but it bears repeating: if you are setting your story in the real world, you should do your research. It is one of my biggest pet peeves when an author hinges her entire premise around something that isn't right. Let me explain.
The whole story revolves around the idea that Bree died with staggering medical debt. Okay, sure. She apparently didn't have insurance at 26 years old, even though she was a successful influencer with almost a million followers on Instagram whose brand revolved around doing all sorts of potentially dangerous things such as mountain climbing, diving, etc. I guess I just don't find it believable that she couldn't afford insurance with that sort of following and I'm assuming sponsorships.
But let's just say, for the sake of argument, that she was uninsured when she learned she was sick and accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt before she passed. Medical debt is not passed on to a person's family after they die. Any debts get paid out by the person's estate (estate is just a way to say the total assets a person's owned at the time of their death). If there is enough money/assets to pay off the debts, then that is what happens. If not, the debt is labelled as 'insolvent' and goes unpaid. The collector writes off the debt.
That little bit of information took me about 10 seconds to look up. 10 seconds. And I know that there are people out there who aren't as pedantic as I am who will think I'm just being nitpicky. And that's totally fine. I'm not out her trying to yuck anyone else's yum. But when I'm reading a book and I pick up on something that doesn't make sense, it bothers me, especially when it's something that is easily fact-checked. Furthermore, the fact that multiple people had to have read this between the first draft and the book's publication and that no one questioned the premise is honestly a little annoying.
So at this point, about 20% of the way into the book, I was ready to DNF. We had just barely started the actual bucket list part of the story, I wasn't enjoying the writing style, and the entire premise was based on something that wasn't reality. But when I looked at reviews, there were so many glowing 4 and 5 star reviews. And there were so many that said that the book focused a lot on romance. For some, this was a negative. But honestly, I was just looking for something to look forward to. A few reviews mentioned a twist, but didn't tell us what the twist was, and since I wanted to know, I continued. I should've just DNF'd. For those who are also thinking of DNFing but also wondering the twist is,
Anyway, I kept going for the romance, which was a big snooze fest as far as I'm concerned. I think I would've liked them as a couple if the circumstances had been different, but for all the reviews that said this relied too heavily on the romance, I disagree. I wanted more. I will say, what we learn about the romance in the very last chapter did put me in my feelings. But by then it was too little, too late.
As far as the actual bucket list goes, maybe if the book had been more about one sister doing these things in her sister's memory without all the social media nonsense, I think I would've liked it much better. Or they could've even had that as a part of the story, but framed in a different way. Maybe as she's gathering up her sister's belongings she finds the bucket list, and decides on her own to finish the items, and decides to document them on her sister's Instagram as a sort of diary and tribute to her. Then some big company swoops down wanting to sponsor her and help her do some of the more outlandish things on the list, and through that she makes a romantic connection, or something. I don't know, I'm not an author. But between the fact that Jodie is pretty much coerced into completing the bucket list and the gross way the whole thing is handled by the sponsor, it was really difficult to enjoy anything about this.
The reason this book gets two stars instead of one is the relationship between Jodie and Claud (Claude? I don't know, I listened to this on audiobook). I was actually far more interested in Claud's relationship with her mother and with the cutie patootie grocer Hopper than I was with anything going on in Jodie's story. And I absolutely loved the way Claud is basically adopted by Jodie's family, and that even though she started out being close to Bree, she cements herself as Jodie's sister and member of the family.
Other odds and ends (where I get even nitpickier):
1.
2.
3.
4. I really didn't like the voice actor on the audiobook. She had this weird whispery voice that started getting on my nerves after awhile. And there wasn't enough differentiation in the voices of any of the women characters, to the point that it was a little confusing. And her accent for the Ryan character was just plain awful. Also, the fact the a 352-page book has a 14+ hour audiobook should be a crime. There was no reason for it to be that long, aside from the fact that voice actor's get paid based on the total run time of the project.
I don't see myself reading from this author in the future, even though I think there is a decent story somewhere in the middle of the mess.
Actually, I'm not sure I really AM the problem, but I will admit that if I had the ability to turn off my brain for a couple hours, this would've probably had more of an impact upon me.
First, HUGE trigger warning for death of a loved one, specifically cancer. This isn't a spoiler. It's right in the synopsis. But I want to really emphasize it because I personally felt myself thrown when the first few chapters were from Bree's point of view as she's dying from leukemia. As the readers, we are subjected to pretty intense descriptions of what she looks like, how she feels, and what is happening to her body. Even as we get into the book, there are descriptions made comparing Bree to a 'husk' and talking about how sick she looked at any given point in time. For anyone who is at all sensitive to that sort of thing, please take care of yourself.
I almost DNF'd this book very early on, because the entire premise is actually ridiculous. I've said it in other reviews, but it bears repeating: if you are setting your story in the real world, you should do your research. It is one of my biggest pet peeves when an author hinges her entire premise around something that isn't right. Let me explain.
The whole story revolves around the idea that Bree died with staggering medical debt. Okay, sure. She apparently didn't have insurance at 26 years old, even though she was a successful influencer with almost a million followers on Instagram whose brand revolved around doing all sorts of potentially dangerous things such as mountain climbing, diving, etc. I guess I just don't find it believable that she couldn't afford insurance with that sort of following and I'm assuming sponsorships.
But let's just say, for the sake of argument, that she was uninsured when she learned she was sick and accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt before she passed. Medical debt is not passed on to a person's family after they die. Any debts get paid out by the person's estate (estate is just a way to say the total assets a person's owned at the time of their death). If there is enough money/assets to pay off the debts, then that is what happens. If not, the debt is labelled as 'insolvent' and goes unpaid. The collector writes off the debt.
That little bit of information took me about 10 seconds to look up. 10 seconds. And I know that there are people out there who aren't as pedantic as I am who will think I'm just being nitpicky. And that's totally fine. I'm not out her trying to yuck anyone else's yum. But when I'm reading a book and I pick up on something that doesn't make sense, it bothers me, especially when it's something that is easily fact-checked. Furthermore, the fact that multiple people had to have read this between the first draft and the book's publication and that no one questioned the premise is honestly a little annoying.
So at this point, about 20% of the way into the book, I was ready to DNF. We had just barely started the actual bucket list part of the story, I wasn't enjoying the writing style, and the entire premise was based on something that wasn't reality. But when I looked at reviews, there were so many glowing 4 and 5 star reviews. And there were so many that said that the book focused a lot on romance. For some, this was a negative. But honestly, I was just looking for something to look forward to. A few reviews mentioned a twist, but didn't tell us what the twist was, and since I wanted to know, I continued. I should've just DNF'd. For those who are also thinking of DNFing but also wondering the twist is,
Anyway, I kept going for the romance, which was a big snooze fest as far as I'm concerned. I think I would've liked them as a couple if the circumstances had been different, but for all the reviews that said this relied too heavily on the romance, I disagree. I wanted more. I will say, what we learn about the romance in the very last chapter did put me in my feelings. But by then it was too little, too late.
As far as the actual bucket list goes, maybe if the book had been more about one sister doing these things in her sister's memory without all the social media nonsense, I think I would've liked it much better. Or they could've even had that as a part of the story, but framed in a different way. Maybe as she's gathering up her sister's belongings she finds the bucket list, and decides on her own to finish the items, and decides to document them on her sister's Instagram as a sort of diary and tribute to her. Then some big company swoops down wanting to sponsor her and help her do some of the more outlandish things on the list, and through that she makes a romantic connection, or something. I don't know, I'm not an author. But between the fact that Jodie is pretty much coerced into completing the bucket list and the gross way the whole thing is handled by the sponsor, it was really difficult to enjoy anything about this.
The reason this book gets two stars instead of one is the relationship between Jodie and Claud (Claude? I don't know, I listened to this on audiobook). I was actually far more interested in Claud's relationship with her mother and with the cutie patootie grocer Hopper than I was with anything going on in Jodie's story. And I absolutely loved the way Claud is basically adopted by Jodie's family, and that even though she started out being close to Bree, she cements herself as Jodie's sister and member of the family.
Other odds and ends (where I get even nitpickier):
1.
2.
3.
4. I really didn't like the voice actor on the audiobook. She had this weird whispery voice that started getting on my nerves after awhile. And there wasn't enough differentiation in the voices of any of the women characters, to the point that it was a little confusing. And her accent for the Ryan character was just plain awful. Also, the fact the a 352-page book has a 14+ hour audiobook should be a crime. There was no reason for it to be that long, aside from the fact that voice actor's get paid based on the total run time of the project.
I don't see myself reading from this author in the future, even though I think there is a decent story somewhere in the middle of the mess.
October 22, 2023
I was intrigued by the premise. Bree, is an adventurous, globe-trotting, hugely successful Instagram influencer with more than a million followers.
Jodie Boyd is a shy and anxious twenty-something, completely unsure what to do with her life. Bree is the most alive person Jodie knows—up until Bree’s unfathomable, untimely death from Leukemia.
The Boyds are devastated and overwhelmed with medical debt. After the untimely death of Bree, Jodie takes the terrifying challenge of completing her sister’s bucket list as the world watches, in a bid to save her family—and others—from the crippling medical debt her cancer battle left behind.
This is a story of sisterhood, love, death, grief, second chance at love and finding oneself. It started so well, but later it was just ok. I think the focus was later more on romance than the drama.
Executing the bucket list wasn't fun, no adventure, with the whole social media (pretense), attention and marketing wasn't my cup of tea. I loved the family aspect of the story. The love, the bond, willingness to do anything to make each other happy was sweet enough to overlook the flaws.
Overrall it was ok.
Thank you NetGalley & HighBridge Audio for this Audiobook.
Jodie Boyd is a shy and anxious twenty-something, completely unsure what to do with her life. Bree is the most alive person Jodie knows—up until Bree’s unfathomable, untimely death from Leukemia.
The Boyds are devastated and overwhelmed with medical debt. After the untimely death of Bree, Jodie takes the terrifying challenge of completing her sister’s bucket list as the world watches, in a bid to save her family—and others—from the crippling medical debt her cancer battle left behind.
This is a story of sisterhood, love, death, grief, second chance at love and finding oneself. It started so well, but later it was just ok. I think the focus was later more on romance than the drama.
Executing the bucket list wasn't fun, no adventure, with the whole social media (pretense), attention and marketing wasn't my cup of tea. I loved the family aspect of the story. The love, the bond, willingness to do anything to make each other happy was sweet enough to overlook the flaws.
Overrall it was ok.
Thank you NetGalley & HighBridge Audio for this Audiobook.
October 24, 2023
4.5 stars
I cried, so so much. I teared up in the first few chapters. And again like half way through, I cried deeply. Throughout the story it truly hit me. I have 3 sisters, some I'm close with some I'm not. And this story truly stung me, I can't imagine how she felt losing such a close sister like that. Such a beautiful story of how it all unfolds and the beautiful life lessons along the way. I love how it played out. The ending was spectacular as well! Ugh, I need more tissues! Such a beautiful story.
(If you're interested in reading this, I found it on Prime Reading!!)
I cried, so so much. I teared up in the first few chapters. And again like half way through, I cried deeply. Throughout the story it truly hit me. I have 3 sisters, some I'm close with some I'm not. And this story truly stung me, I can't imagine how she felt losing such a close sister like that. Such a beautiful story of how it all unfolds and the beautiful life lessons along the way. I love how it played out. The ending was spectacular as well! Ugh, I need more tissues! Such a beautiful story.
(If you're interested in reading this, I found it on Prime Reading!!)
February 14, 2024
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It's no secret I love a heart-wrenching read and Someone Else's Bucket List ticks all the boxes.
However, Amy T. Matthews doesn't simply break her reader's heart she has added lots of humour, adventure, arm-chair travel and even a touch of romance.
Jodie Boyd is shy and anxious, she has never been one to follow her dreams. Her sister Bree is an adventurous, globe-trotting, hugely successful Instagram influencer. Jodie loves and admires her sister but she could never put herself out there like Bree does. Bree's untimely death leaves the family not only devastated but facing financial ruin with huge medical bills to pay.
Then a prescheduled post pops up on Bree's Instagram challenging Jodie to finish the last six items on Bree's bucket list. If she finishes them a sponsor will pay off the family's debts, with one condition, it all needs to posted to Instagram.
I loved how Matthews conveyed Jodie's terror at not only having to preform these very public acts but also having it all broadcast across Bree's Instagram, watched by over a million followers.
Every character in this story was so well portrayed, each playing an important role in Jodie's growth.
It was so much fun to follow Jodie as she checked items off the list, mostly freaking out about everything but pushing through and discovering a more assertive side of herself. Her character growth was slow to evolve which made it all the more believable.
I loved following all the # teams for who Jodie may have as a love interest - so much fun!
Someone Else's Bucket List is a beautiful, heart-wrenching and fun read about grief, hope, love and courage. It's about believing in yourself and going after your dreams.
It's no secret I love a heart-wrenching read and Someone Else's Bucket List ticks all the boxes.
However, Amy T. Matthews doesn't simply break her reader's heart she has added lots of humour, adventure, arm-chair travel and even a touch of romance.
Jodie Boyd is shy and anxious, she has never been one to follow her dreams. Her sister Bree is an adventurous, globe-trotting, hugely successful Instagram influencer. Jodie loves and admires her sister but she could never put herself out there like Bree does. Bree's untimely death leaves the family not only devastated but facing financial ruin with huge medical bills to pay.
Then a prescheduled post pops up on Bree's Instagram challenging Jodie to finish the last six items on Bree's bucket list. If she finishes them a sponsor will pay off the family's debts, with one condition, it all needs to posted to Instagram.
I loved how Matthews conveyed Jodie's terror at not only having to preform these very public acts but also having it all broadcast across Bree's Instagram, watched by over a million followers.
Every character in this story was so well portrayed, each playing an important role in Jodie's growth.
It was so much fun to follow Jodie as she checked items off the list, mostly freaking out about everything but pushing through and discovering a more assertive side of herself. Her character growth was slow to evolve which made it all the more believable.
I loved following all the # teams for who Jodie may have as a love interest - so much fun!
Someone Else's Bucket List is a beautiful, heart-wrenching and fun read about grief, hope, love and courage. It's about believing in yourself and going after your dreams.
November 14, 2022
The book was bittersweet but more on a sweet side. For me sometimes too sweet. It is "P.S I Love You" but sister to sister. Did I like a book? I did but I don't think it was something extraordinary. It was kind of an american dream stroy recorded for an instagram. No exactly my cup of tea, but good book for an autumn evening.
October 24, 2023
I am DNFing this at 70%. I just can’t take any more of this book.
Where do I start.
1. The characters, except Tish, are extremely unlikeable. Jodi is a pushover, insecure worrier and the way the writer wrote her thought process made her seem 15 years old. Especially the love scenes (if you can call them this) we’re very much written like this was a YA book and the person was in high school. Or middle school. It was annoying.
2. One does not “punch in� a website on to a phone. Or a laptop. And this phrase was used dozens of times. It was grating.
3. Premise of the book:
A. Why didn’t Bree, who could afford fancier hotels and or hotel sponsorships than this rich airline could, not have health insurance? She could have afforded it.
B. Even if she didn’t have it, why would the family be paying her bills after her death? She wasn’t a minor and under 18. She didn’t have a spouse. The medical bills would have been paid out of her estate and the rest written off as a loss by the provider. Fact check!!! The !!! Premise of the book!!!!
C. Why was she in the hospital for a year or whatever? She would have been on hospice at the end, and outpatient chemo.
D. Why did no one - not the family, not even Bree’s followers, not find outage in the exploitation of Bree’s death and Jodi’s grief? This airline was literally making money off it and it was gross. How did no one have a problem with it?
4. Writing style: I did not like it. I did not like Bree constantly encouraging Jodi and scaredy Smurf. This was written like YA and should have been labeled as such.
5. Fact checking was non existent on this book. Please do better. Both on premise but also on flights and travel time and so on.
6. I listened to the audio book. The narrator did all the female voices except Bree exactly the same, and Kelly’s voice was a bad male voice. Good narrators will take on both different voices but also different pacing for each character.
I am sorry to give out a one star on someone’s labor of love but this was just. Bad. I don’t understand how the rating on here is an average of 4.02.
Where do I start.
1. The characters, except Tish, are extremely unlikeable. Jodi is a pushover, insecure worrier and the way the writer wrote her thought process made her seem 15 years old. Especially the love scenes (if you can call them this) we’re very much written like this was a YA book and the person was in high school. Or middle school. It was annoying.
2. One does not “punch in� a website on to a phone. Or a laptop. And this phrase was used dozens of times. It was grating.
3. Premise of the book:
A. Why didn’t Bree, who could afford fancier hotels and or hotel sponsorships than this rich airline could, not have health insurance? She could have afforded it.
B. Even if she didn’t have it, why would the family be paying her bills after her death? She wasn’t a minor and under 18. She didn’t have a spouse. The medical bills would have been paid out of her estate and the rest written off as a loss by the provider. Fact check!!! The !!! Premise of the book!!!!
C. Why was she in the hospital for a year or whatever? She would have been on hospice at the end, and outpatient chemo.
D. Why did no one - not the family, not even Bree’s followers, not find outage in the exploitation of Bree’s death and Jodi’s grief? This airline was literally making money off it and it was gross. How did no one have a problem with it?
4. Writing style: I did not like it. I did not like Bree constantly encouraging Jodi and scaredy Smurf. This was written like YA and should have been labeled as such.
5. Fact checking was non existent on this book. Please do better. Both on premise but also on flights and travel time and so on.
6. I listened to the audio book. The narrator did all the female voices except Bree exactly the same, and Kelly’s voice was a bad male voice. Good narrators will take on both different voices but also different pacing for each character.
I am sorry to give out a one star on someone’s labor of love but this was just. Bad. I don’t understand how the rating on here is an average of 4.02.
May 11, 2023
Oh I really liked this one. I was a bit skeptical at first because death can be such a touchy subject but I really liked how the author handled the plot and how the family handled everything. Just when you think a family is about to lose everything a dying person actually finds a way to bring them back together.
🌀ԴDZ
When Jodie’s sister Bree passes away her family is devastated. Of course, they’re also swimming in medical bills too and it’s crushing all of them. On the Thanksgiving after, a video from Bree surfaces and their world is changed.
Before she died Bree put together a bucket list and it’s sponsored so for each event that is completed, there is prize money associated. The person completing the tasks- Jodie. Some are simple, like planting a tree and others more difficult like flying over Antarctica.
Perhaps the most difficult is taking piano lessons from Mr. Wong who also passed away. Now Jodie is reunited with her high school crush who is the new Mr. Wong giving her lessons.
Though filled with grief, Jodie is determined to finish the list. There are a lot of things that threaten to get in her way, including her own fear, but she learns to channel the pain and find a way to stand up for herself. What starts as misery ends up being the best thing that could have happened to Jodie after her sister’s death.
🌀ԴDZ
When Jodie’s sister Bree passes away her family is devastated. Of course, they’re also swimming in medical bills too and it’s crushing all of them. On the Thanksgiving after, a video from Bree surfaces and their world is changed.
Before she died Bree put together a bucket list and it’s sponsored so for each event that is completed, there is prize money associated. The person completing the tasks- Jodie. Some are simple, like planting a tree and others more difficult like flying over Antarctica.
Perhaps the most difficult is taking piano lessons from Mr. Wong who also passed away. Now Jodie is reunited with her high school crush who is the new Mr. Wong giving her lessons.
Though filled with grief, Jodie is determined to finish the list. There are a lot of things that threaten to get in her way, including her own fear, but she learns to channel the pain and find a way to stand up for herself. What starts as misery ends up being the best thing that could have happened to Jodie after her sister’s death.
June 19, 2023
It all comes down to personal preference. It just didn’t work for me. It was a lot of misery business and not what I thought the story would be, adding in that the characters frustrated me from beginning to end. I get that it’s a horrible and utterly tragic situation, but at a certain point, just suck it up because this company is literally paying off hundreds of thousands in medical bills, and while uncomfortable, they actually aren’t asking for a whole lot. Heck, they’re even doing all the heavy lifting! I thought the personal journey would be bigger and more eye-opening. It was very static and she bitched the entire way through. I definitely expected our lead to get “into� it and find some sort of joy. But again, back to the misery business.
Also, playing into all that is the very long lead in, with first person narrative from the dying. It all felt like too much and I just didn’t enjoy it. I still don’t think my two star review is entirely reflective of the book though. I can see many enjoying the emotional journey. But again, just not for me all the way through.
I received a free early audio copy from the publisher. The narration was well done but only emphasized all the issues I had with the story. I might have liked it slightly better had it been a physical copy experience.
Also, playing into all that is the very long lead in, with first person narrative from the dying. It all felt like too much and I just didn’t enjoy it. I still don’t think my two star review is entirely reflective of the book though. I can see many enjoying the emotional journey. But again, just not for me all the way through.
I received a free early audio copy from the publisher. The narration was well done but only emphasized all the issues I had with the story. I might have liked it slightly better had it been a physical copy experience.
December 7, 2022
Someone Else's Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews first drew me in with its intriguing title, and the promise of an unforgettable adventure. While it certainly delivers some bucket list moments, I found myself to be emotionally engaged with protagonist Jodie, whose courage in the face of unimaginable grief will have you rooting for this self-professed underdog.
Jodie has always felt a little adrift in life, and it doesn't help that her sister Bree is living out her dreams as a highly successful Instagram influencer. When the full of life Bree succumbs to leukemia, she leaves her unfinished bucket list for her sister to finish on her behalf. While it is a big ask, it might just be the push that Jodie needs to learn to live again, while at the same time honouring her beloved sibling.
This one certainly tugs at the heartstrings, and is sure to resonate with readers. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC.
Jodie has always felt a little adrift in life, and it doesn't help that her sister Bree is living out her dreams as a highly successful Instagram influencer. When the full of life Bree succumbs to leukemia, she leaves her unfinished bucket list for her sister to finish on her behalf. While it is a big ask, it might just be the push that Jodie needs to learn to live again, while at the same time honouring her beloved sibling.
This one certainly tugs at the heartstrings, and is sure to resonate with readers. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC.
October 10, 2023
Jodie Byers has always felt out of place next to her vivacious beautiful older sister, Bree� Prom queen, homecoming queen, and successful travel instagram influencer. At 26, Bree is diagnosed and dies of leukemia. She leaves behind a bucket list for Jodie to complete.. If she completes it and retains followers, a sponsor will pay off all of Bree’s staggering medical debt. Some of the challenges are easy (plant a tree), while some are daunting (have a cameo on a Broadway play), and still others seem impossible (fall in love).
I loved this book. The story was well told, with 3 dimensional characters. We get a delightful cast of characters who I wish we saw more, especially Jodie’s dad and Kelly’s mom.
I laughed; I wanted to cry; I did cry.
It was authentic in the treatment of grief. Jodie and her family are deeply entrenched in grief and stress about paying off the medical debt. Jodie just goes through the motions of work, school, home every day. Her mom hyper-fixates on Bree, while her dad seems to have fully retracted into himself.
The bucket list challenge breaks some of this routine and gives them something else to think about. I thoroughly enjoyed going on adventures with Jodie and “Marketing Barbie� Cheryl.
Planned release: May 17, 2023
Content warnings: death, cancer, cheating
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book. The story was well told, with 3 dimensional characters. We get a delightful cast of characters who I wish we saw more, especially Jodie’s dad and Kelly’s mom.
I laughed; I wanted to cry; I did cry.
It was authentic in the treatment of grief. Jodie and her family are deeply entrenched in grief and stress about paying off the medical debt. Jodie just goes through the motions of work, school, home every day. Her mom hyper-fixates on Bree, while her dad seems to have fully retracted into himself.
The bucket list challenge breaks some of this routine and gives them something else to think about. I thoroughly enjoyed going on adventures with Jodie and “Marketing Barbie� Cheryl.
Planned release: May 17, 2023
Content warnings: death, cancer, cheating
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
January 11, 2023
My first 5-star read of 2023! I got this as an ARC from NetGalley, and I’m so excited for it to be released in May 🥳
I had a feeling this would be a fun read based on the description because it’s such a unique concept - a girl completing her sister’s final bucket list items after the latter passes away from leukemia. I got what I wanted and so much more. I’m not joking when I say I laughed out loud and cried real sad tears at several points in this book. The female lead was only annoying like once or twice but fully redeemed herself! There were so many underlying make-you-think moments and quite a few twists I didn’t see coming. THIS is what I’ve been waiting for with every review I’ve written about books feeling rushed or like they didn’t go deep enough into the details. I’d recommend it to my friends who like cutesy romance just as much as the ones who like a deeper read. Pre-order this or request your own ARC ASAP - you won’t regret it.
I had a feeling this would be a fun read based on the description because it’s such a unique concept - a girl completing her sister’s final bucket list items after the latter passes away from leukemia. I got what I wanted and so much more. I’m not joking when I say I laughed out loud and cried real sad tears at several points in this book. The female lead was only annoying like once or twice but fully redeemed herself! There were so many underlying make-you-think moments and quite a few twists I didn’t see coming. THIS is what I’ve been waiting for with every review I’ve written about books feeling rushed or like they didn’t go deep enough into the details. I’d recommend it to my friends who like cutesy romance just as much as the ones who like a deeper read. Pre-order this or request your own ARC ASAP - you won’t regret it.
July 28, 2023
Let me start off by saying contemporary romance novels are not for me and this book further proved it. It started off in the right direction. Bree going through cancer was very moving and the idea of the book is interesting. But it just dragged on much longer than it should've and so much of the plot developments felt so unnecessary beginning with the unnecessarily dramatic and overreaction over a miscommunication between Kelly and Jodie. Jodie's character was so hard to like and sympathize with. She's too far into her own head that she created unnecessary problems for herself, it was just annoying. All in all, meh.
March 26, 2024
“My dying wish is for you to finish my bucket list. I refuse to die without knowing this list will be completed. And I refuse to die without knowing my family will be okay…�
Someone Else’s Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews is an unexpectedly delightful read given that it’s a story that revolves around grief and loss.
An extrovert who parlayed her love of adventure into a successful career as an influencer with millions of followers, Bree Boyd was the life of every party, and her younger sister Jodie feels her loss every day. At the Boyd’s first Thanksgiving dinner without Bree, they are stunned when her best friend, Claudia, shares an Instagram reel recorded before Bree’s death. In it Bree challenges Jodie to complete the last seven items on Bree’s unfinished bucket list, with the help of a corporate sponsor, and in doing so free their family from the crippling medical debt accrued during Bree’s treatment for Leukaemia.
Jodie’s first instinct is to refuse Bree’s request, unlike her sister, Jodie is shy and introverted, however the opportunity to clear the family’s debt, and her desire to honour her sister’s last wishes, means she can’t say no. The bucket list tasks are reasonably benign, for example - 17. Plant a tree�, 74. Perform a walk-on cameo in a Broadway musical�, 99. Fly over Antarctica�, but they take their toll on Jodie. Jodie inspires sympathy, and I really liked the thoughtful development of her character. While she slowly grows in self-confidence, becoming less critical of herself and requiring more of others, Jodie’s increased sense of self-worth is fragile, often resulting in a ‘two steps forward, one step back� situation. This is particularly evident in Jodie’s romantic relationship with Kelly Wong.
Grief is the main theme of the book. Matthews writes with compassion for the complicated process of dealing with loss, and how that journey is different for everyone. But this is also a story about hope, courage and love, and there is a sincerity to the emotion in this story that I found wholly believable. The author also makes some subtle commentary about the positives and pitfalls of social media, the ethics of corporate sponsorship, and the disgrace that is the user-pays American healthcare system.
Thoughtful, entertaining and poignant, Someone Else’s Bucket List really tugged at my heartstrings, I laughed, and teared up, I mourned and I celebrated.
Someone Else’s Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews is an unexpectedly delightful read given that it’s a story that revolves around grief and loss.
An extrovert who parlayed her love of adventure into a successful career as an influencer with millions of followers, Bree Boyd was the life of every party, and her younger sister Jodie feels her loss every day. At the Boyd’s first Thanksgiving dinner without Bree, they are stunned when her best friend, Claudia, shares an Instagram reel recorded before Bree’s death. In it Bree challenges Jodie to complete the last seven items on Bree’s unfinished bucket list, with the help of a corporate sponsor, and in doing so free their family from the crippling medical debt accrued during Bree’s treatment for Leukaemia.
Jodie’s first instinct is to refuse Bree’s request, unlike her sister, Jodie is shy and introverted, however the opportunity to clear the family’s debt, and her desire to honour her sister’s last wishes, means she can’t say no. The bucket list tasks are reasonably benign, for example - 17. Plant a tree�, 74. Perform a walk-on cameo in a Broadway musical�, 99. Fly over Antarctica�, but they take their toll on Jodie. Jodie inspires sympathy, and I really liked the thoughtful development of her character. While she slowly grows in self-confidence, becoming less critical of herself and requiring more of others, Jodie’s increased sense of self-worth is fragile, often resulting in a ‘two steps forward, one step back� situation. This is particularly evident in Jodie’s romantic relationship with Kelly Wong.
Grief is the main theme of the book. Matthews writes with compassion for the complicated process of dealing with loss, and how that journey is different for everyone. But this is also a story about hope, courage and love, and there is a sincerity to the emotion in this story that I found wholly believable. The author also makes some subtle commentary about the positives and pitfalls of social media, the ethics of corporate sponsorship, and the disgrace that is the user-pays American healthcare system.
Thoughtful, entertaining and poignant, Someone Else’s Bucket List really tugged at my heartstrings, I laughed, and teared up, I mourned and I celebrated.
February 17, 2024
**Forgot to write a review**
This book was honestly great for the time of year (January/February) even though it takes place in December/January. I loved how there was a romance element but not the whole book. I also liked Cheryl, but despised Maya ✌�
This book was honestly great for the time of year (January/February) even though it takes place in December/January. I loved how there was a romance element but not the whole book. I also liked Cheryl, but despised Maya ✌�
May 28, 2023
I loved this book that will break your heart and remake it, and adored the beautifully drawn characters and compelling tale of love, grief, and new life. If you prize women's fiction, I dare you to put this down before the last page. Highest marks!
November 22, 2022
Get your tissues ready! This is a story of joy and sorrow, grief and celebration, living and dying, weakness and strength, fear and courage. I almost didn't read this one but I'm so glad I did. Jodie's sister Bree is dying of cancer. Her 100 item bucket list has 6 items left and if Jodie can complete them Iris Air, Bree's Instagram sponsor, will pay off all of her medical bills. The characters grip your imagination and you become a member of their family as they experience the ups and downs of this crazy life. By far, one of the best books I have read this year.
#SomeoneElse'sBucketList#NetGalley#KensingtonBooks
#SomeoneElse'sBucketList#NetGalley#KensingtonBooks
October 13, 2023
Bree Boyd is an adventurous, hugely successful Instagram influencer with more than a million followers. She has a younger sister, Jodie, who is her opposite. When Bree is diagnosed with leukemia, her family does everything they can to save her, including a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and the Boyd family not only has to deal with grief, but they are burdened with a huge debt. A year later, a post is released on Bree's instagram feed, announcing that she had a bucket list that she wants her sister to complete for her. She has a sponsor and if she completes it, they will pay off the family's debt as well as the helping out some of the patients she was hospitalized with. Jodie feels she has no choice, but she is not eager to complete some of the items. Jodie has no idea what is in store for her, and how this will bring about major changes in her life.
I have a bucket list, although mine is nothing like Bree's was. I liked Jodie, but she is a shy and anxious twenty-something, who is struggling to find direction in her own life. She works hard, trying to help her parents pay off the medical debt, and is a loving sister who spent lots of time with Bree in the hospital and gave her bone marrow to try and save her. As she participated in the bucket list activities, I saw her grow, begin to stand up for herself, and open up to others. I loved that she was hearing her sister's voice guiding voice to keep her going. I also loved Bree's best friend who was also there for Jodie and actually became friends with someone she used to see as just the little sister. Although I normally don't like books dealing with social media and influencers, this was different. Bree used her influence to help others, first with her illness, and now helping both her sister and others dealing with a financial burden. This was a fun story with themes of family, friendship, finding your place, personal growth, and dealing with grief. I listened to Someone Else's Bucket List narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo. This is the first time with this narrator, and I enjoyed her performance. She gave the story a realistic feel and I enjoyed listening to this one. So, What's on your Bucket List?
I have a bucket list, although mine is nothing like Bree's was. I liked Jodie, but she is a shy and anxious twenty-something, who is struggling to find direction in her own life. She works hard, trying to help her parents pay off the medical debt, and is a loving sister who spent lots of time with Bree in the hospital and gave her bone marrow to try and save her. As she participated in the bucket list activities, I saw her grow, begin to stand up for herself, and open up to others. I loved that she was hearing her sister's voice guiding voice to keep her going. I also loved Bree's best friend who was also there for Jodie and actually became friends with someone she used to see as just the little sister. Although I normally don't like books dealing with social media and influencers, this was different. Bree used her influence to help others, first with her illness, and now helping both her sister and others dealing with a financial burden. This was a fun story with themes of family, friendship, finding your place, personal growth, and dealing with grief. I listened to Someone Else's Bucket List narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo. This is the first time with this narrator, and I enjoyed her performance. She gave the story a realistic feel and I enjoyed listening to this one. So, What's on your Bucket List?
February 11, 2024
Overall a very good read. The portrayal of her relatable loving family and their dynamics is there to balance the far fetched checking off of the bucket list items (with a catch). Her sister's amazing forethought is at first hard to believe but then you get swept right along into Jodie's thoughts and feelings and the chaos of this journey for her. The author writes her descriptions of detail vividly and I enjoyed reading them. Without doing my usual skimming. Lots of big feelings written effectively by a person who lost someone important to them as well. I'm a sucker for a hopeful ending and it doesn't disappoint.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down. And I can’t say much because I don’t want to ruin any of it. I’ll say this: if you’re looking for something to inspire you and remind you of what’s important, while also adding in some laughs - read it. But I also recommend having some tissues ready.
December 13, 2024
Wow, I LOVED this book. It follows the main character, Jodie, finishing her sister Bree’s bucket list after she dies from cancer. It explores the immense love they have for eachother which filters throughout their lives, and Jodie’s renewed view on love and life after loosing Bree. Beautifully painful and had me tearing up multiple times.
Every character was developed SO well but didn’t overwhelm you and they served purpose to Jodie’s journey which was wholesome.
Just great, 5 ⭐️ a great way to (probably) round off my 2024 of reading
Every character was developed SO well but didn’t overwhelm you and they served purpose to Jodie’s journey which was wholesome.
Just great, 5 ⭐️ a great way to (probably) round off my 2024 of reading
September 27, 2023
Instagram Influencer Bree is dying of leukemia. We follow the impact her slowly ending life and death has on her family. They are buried in medical bills and grief after she is gone. An influencer in death as well as life, she sets up a plan with a corporate sponsor. Her introverted younger sister Jodie is to complete the part of Brees bucket list she didn't live long enough to finish. Every task that is completed will get a medical bill paid. Although it sounds harsh, it takes the families mind off their grief and bills and gives them something else to focus on. This was a bittersweet study of grief, family, and a young woman's growth. The story will break your heart in the beginning and put it back together as it proceeds.
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