Someone Else’s Bucket List is the most recent release from Amy T. Matthews. Released on May 23, 2023, by Kensington Books, Someone Else’s Bucket List is a look at grief and hope. Jody is feeling lost after her sister’s death when something happens that can help lift some of the burdens. But can Jody get over her feelings to help others and herself?
I want to thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Someone Else’s Bucket List. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
CW/TW: death, cancer, grief
Synopsis from Goodreads
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.
Positives
- The pain Jody feels at losing her big sister is palpable.
- The Boyd family is a hard-working and loving family.
Negatives
- The way the name flips back and forth between Claudia and her nickname Claude.
- The first few chapters are set in the hospital and, as such, are heavy reading.
My Opinions
I’m not sure why I thought Someone Else’s Bucket List would be an easy read, especially given the central theme of death and grief. Maybe it’s how the synopsis presents the story, and it made it sound like a fun read about someone learning more about her sister and herself. Don’t get me wrong, that does happen, and it’s just that there is a heavy layer of sadness and grief as well.
Jody’s feelings of loss and duty are raw and honest. She feels it’s her responsibility to fill the void her sister left and the mountain of bills that resulted from Bree’s illness. Jody is an introvert who is happier watching sports than being the center of attention. But her sense of duty guides her to do what is best for the family.
Some characters are exactly what you would picture with a huge corporate social media account on the line (looking at you, Maya). Others could be your neighbor, the person at the grocery store, or anybody you know. While Ryan is a bit over the top, it makes sense, given the fact he’s a CEO of an airline. I want to find a store like Hopper’s to visit. It’s a bar with a grocery store in the back. And with someone who looks like Thor as the owner, I could enjoy a visit or two.
There is bound to be something in Someone Else’s Bucket List for everyone: travel, adventure, romance, drama, and hope!
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This sounds sweet (if heavy) but also something about it has put me off ever since I first read the blurb a few months back. I think because I’m also a definite introvert, and the idea of being “forced” to record Insta stories like this is not something I would be okay with. Honestly, I can’t see how I would react in this situation except to resent the sister who put me in that position. Maybe the book deals with that, but I’m not sure I would get that far into the book to find out.
Thank you for the review! It’s good to be reminded that this book does have death and grief as a central focus. I think that gets forgotten a lot because of how “meet cute” the rest of the plot feels.
I’m an introvert who would not want to be in the situation Jodie is put in, and she does struggle with being a in a “pony show.”