Someone Else’s Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews: Book Review

Someone Else’s Bucket List is an emotional story of family love and stepping outside your comfort zone. It is a beautiful, and humourous read.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

From The Publisher:

A bingeworthy, bittersweet, sisterly P.S. I Love You for the digital age, Someone Else’s Bucket List follows shy Jodie Boyd after the untimely death of her outgoing, hugely successful Instagram influencer sister, Bree—and Bree’s last wish: that Jodie complete her bucket list. Instructed by a series of videos left by Bree, Jodie takes on the terrifying challenge as the world watches. The venture will not only change Jodie’s life, but save the family—and possibly others—from staggering medical debt. Perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle.

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 Thoughts:

What an emotional, heart-warming read! It has been quite some time since I’ve let myself read this kind of book. Yes, I’d read the synopsis, but nothing prepared me for the first few chapters of this book.

We are introduced to Instagram influencer Bree who suddenly finds herself in the hospital never knowing that she would never step foot outside of this building again. Indeed, the first several chapters of the book are Bree’s reflections as she remembers the story of her life. The reader is introduced to all of those who Bree holds dearly as they provide support to her through this long hospitalization and her eventual death. This was a meaningful yet difficult read for me, as those around me also battle cancer. I will say I’m so glad that I stuck with this story.

The book jumps to the family’s first Thanksgiving after Bree’s death. The family’s individual grieving is palpable and heartbreaking. The impact of paying for Bree’s hospital and medical treatment is devastating. Bree had predicted and planned what the family would be going through as they attempted to celebrate this first holiday without her. What they didn’t know is that Bree had recorded several messages to her family and followers on Instagram including a plan to get her family out of debt. That is, for her younger sister Jodie to complete Bree’s bucket list.

Jodie is not the outgoing and adventurous woman her older sister was and the challenges which she must complete take her completely out of her comfort zone. What she doesn’t know is that Bree chose her to complete her list for this very reason.

There are many hilarious moments as we journey with Jodie as she completes each task. I loved the metamorphosis we see transpire in Jodie as the story progresses and the resultant changes in the rest of her family. I fell in love with each of these characters – for their strength, determination and ability to move on after tragedy. This story is sure to stay with me for many years to come.

I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy Women’s Fiction.

What I Liked:

• The depth of character development
• The unselfish love between these family members
• Jodie’s personal growth by completing the bucket list

A Similar Book I’ve Reviewed:

How To Save a Life by Kristin Harmel