Bree had her life all figured out. She had prepared a bucket list of 100 things she wanted to do before she died. Climb Mount Everest, run with the bulls, learn martial arts in Brazil; yes, it was all planned out. Then, she went into the hospital with a mild case of pneumonia! What did the doctor mean she had leukemia? She still had too much to do on her list!

Jodie is living a predictable life until her sister’s diagnosis. She and both of her parents are working two or three jobs each to pay off the medical bills. Ryan Air steps in and offers to not only pay off the bills but help Jodie complete her sister’s bucket list. Jodie agrees to complete the list and embarks on a planned promotional trip to help rid the family of the massive debt. Jodie is less than thrilled with her commitment.

The author skillfully works through the minefield that is the endeavor to complete Bree’s bucket list. Jodie ruefully approaches each task with cameras and cell phones recording her every move. The entire task becomes morbid at times and the people tasked with recording the saga are relentless. I applaud Ms. Matthews and her rendering of this experience. It is a unique
contemporary tale, gripping and entertaining, easy to become engaged. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

First, thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy.
Second, this book covers the sensitive topics of anxiety, terminal illness, and grief. Please read it with caution.
And third, here it goes, I am excited and at the same time sad because this book came to open my eyes to a somewhat similar situation, although it is not my own, but it is close.

<spoiler>
It is known that the illness of a loved one removes us in the depths of our being, and leaves us with a feeling of anguish, coming to bring out our true essence in the face of the circumstances and needs that arise.

The story mainly revolves around two characters and their unfortunate scenarios, one is Bree's death from leukemia and the other is the path that her sister, Jodie, must go through to get rid of the family financial burden and get ahead with sadness. that the death of their sister left them.

We read in this story that Bree, far from being selfish, focuses in her final months on developing a plan to help her family with grief and debt. Taking advantage of his social position as a Blogger, he gets the help of several sponsors to achieve it.

The plan is easy: get her sister Jodie to complete the last wishes she had on her list before she died and her problems will be solved.
</spoiler>

Amy T. Matthews tells us a series of adventures, through which Jodie goes through and lets us accompany her through her fears, her grief, her desire to want to help her family and the need to lean on new people who may or may not be what what was needed in his life to keep walking.

This beautiful book guides us through several moments of frustration and also with several notes of wisdom that open your eyes to various scenarios that become more and more a reality before us; and that, if we are willing to do things to want to honor those people we love and who only want our well-being, it is best to try.

In the end, as a reader, or spectator (in other situations)
You realize that all the small details matter, these and the people involved make the process easier, and in the end you will never know how planned everything was from the beginning and maybe you were only the small part that started a revolutionary change that was more far-reaching than you could imagine at the time.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Someone Else’s Bucket List releases May 23, 2023

2.5

This is a story about how a family navigates grief and the loss of a daughter/sister/friend to leukemia, who are also drowning in medical debt.

Bree was huge on social media with a following of 1 million.
Unbeknownst to her loved ones, she pre-filmed and prescheduled video posts to upload onto her Instagram after she had passed. In addition to that, she planned out every holiday for a year to help them to be able to still celebrate and see the good in life.

Bree also had a bucket list that she started at the age of 16. She managed to cross off 94 of those items, but still had 6 remaining, of which she’s relinquishing to her younger sister, Jodie, to finish. Bree even set up a sponsor to delegate these tasks and to partner with them to help pay off her medical debt each time an item from the list is accomplished.

I love stories that center around grief because there is usually a lot of strong emotion tied to the characters, as well as a lot of rewarding development and growth that we get to see.
While this was somewhat true of this story, I also found that the grief element got lost within the need to perform for social media. In the height of our social media era, this at times came off very forced and a little insincere — like the sponsors were taking advantage and profiting off of a families grief. Everything had to be documented and I felt like Jodie had no time to slow down and process anything. Even the fact that on day one, she was forced to get a makeover, just goes to show how much of a highlight reel that the internet can be. The fact that it took until 85% for any real boundaries to be discussed was too long in my opinion.

The premise and uniqueness of this story is definitely there, but I wasn’t quite expecting to be thrown into starting the bucket list so quickly after just learning about it, with Cheryl dictating every single move. It took away from the vulnerability that I wanted to read with Jodie. It really felt like she had no say in anything.

Going off of the cover, I also thought this might take place during spring/summer months, or that the bucket list adventures would be spaced out for a lengthy time, but most of this book is set during thanksgiving/winter/new years and in 1-2 locations. Not to mention, that one of items was to fly over Antarctica which totaled 52+ hours of flying, just for the sake of it… Climate crisis, who?

This had very strong potential to be a 4 star read for me, but I could not get past the way the plot twist with Kelly angered and blindsided me. If I didn’t want to keep my kindle in pristine condition, I would have fully thrown it at the wall. It just sucks because I really liked the Wong’s and how they were also dealing with their own loss, it was a great way of connection that not many people can fully understand until they experience it themselves. But the fact that literally every single person seemed to know about that twist except for Jodie just felt awful, paired with the fact that the same exact day he was saying “lets spend the day in bed”. UGH. Try harder to communicate. Plus, the fact that Kelly was the only other person Jodie was following on Instagram was just too convenient and obvious of a set up.

For a fairly lengthy feeling book, where the whole point was to comfort and help heal this <i>family</i> (not just Jodie) of grief, I wanted more involvement from them and/or more videos from Bree sprinkled throughout the middle of the book for that depth of emotion.

Definitely read this if you liked that iconic Katz’s Deli scene in When Harry Met Sally, but also keep in mind that this does mention the 60’s version of West Side Story that had blackface.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

An intriguing premise and an emotional, bitter-sweet story about family, grief and learning how to live again after loss.

Bree Boyd is a young Instagram influencer who has been living life to the fullest and checking items off her bucket list when she becomes ill with cancer. After her death, her family learns by way of a series of videos she had recorded that she has found a way to help them after she's gone. One of the last things that Bree did from her hospital bed was negotiate a sponsorship with an airline company which agreed to pay off the medical debt if her younger sister, Jodie, can complete the remaining 6 items on Bree's bucket list. Jodie is nowhere near as outgoing as Bree had been and she's reluctant to take on this public challenge but she doesn't really have any choice as her family is drowning in debt from Bree's cancer treatments. From their family home in Delaware to New York City to a flight over Antaractica, Jodie is pulled along on Iris Air's publicity campaign as she attempts to complete Bree's bucket list (including #100 Fall in Love).

Someone Else's Bucket List is a touching story - heartbreaking at times as Jodie and her family deal with the overwhelming grief of losing Bree but also hopeful as they begin to move forward from that loss and realize that the bucket list campaign was a final gift from Bree not only to eliminate the debt but also to give them something to focus on as they navigated the difficult months following her death. Completing Bree's bucket list also helps Jodie to find the courage she needs to stop languishing in Delaware and move forward with her own life.

I have to say that the entire premise of the book is heartbreaking as well. The only reason that Jodie is completing her late sister's bucket list is because her middle-class, hardworking family has to pay a medical debt. To think that a family dealing with the devastating loss of a daughter/sister is also left with crushing debt hanging over their heads is just unbearably sad and, for a reader not in the U.S., it's hard to fathom that this is the reality for too many people.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks Kensington Books, Amy Matthews and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

OH THIS BOOK.

There are so many interesting things to discuss, to reflect on, to make us emotional that I really wanted it not to end.

Here we find ourselves in front of a young woman whose sister died due to leukemia, this sister left items on a list that she could not yet complete when she knew that her life was about to end. And he asks his sister to complete it.

When I read that I said "I need to know this story" and so it was. It begins slowly, explaining how this situation came to be where a young woman with all the energy and vitality has leukemia and her family ends up totally in debt for the treatment she undergoes. An interesting critique of health (which is not public) and I really liked that.

Through the list, our protagonist Jodie is facing fears and great challenges because... that was not her list, it was her sister's. And on top of that, everything seems to be a circus since Bree, her sister, was an influencer and everyone wants to see how Jodie completes that list.

When the book started to pick up pace, I didn't want to put it down and I read it in less than 24 hours. Not because it's light and shallow, but because it's very enjoyable to read and even though it touches on themes that are super strong (and you may have realized what these themes are from what I said earlier), Amy makes each chapter more intense. and interesting than the previous one.

Without a doubt, a reading that I loved and that I would have liked to have gone a little deeper into certain of Jodie's ties to her family and friends.

It also allows us to observe how networks can harm people, I found that very interesting, although there is no express criticism, I feel that if one thinks a little bit, there it is.

The review will also be published on magui.world (ig)

Oh Jodie and Bree— I love having a sister and I loved this relationship. This isn’t the most cheerful book at times, but it was a creative take on grief with a little added romance and humor.

I liked the premise and thought this sounded intriguing, though I never really warmed to Jodie. It also seemed like the romance came out of nowhere and was a bit contrived. I liked the ending and the last bit with Bree.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.

This book has been difficult for me as I lost my best friend to the after affects of leukemia. At first it felt a little “simple” and like it could have gone more in depth on Bree’s life but I lost that feeling a little ways into the book. What a delightful story about someone’s memory living on after they have passed!

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 “PS, I Love You” between sisters.

I enjoyed the story of Jodie crawling out of her shell when she has to take on the challenge thrown in her lap by her glamorous, daring sister Bree, world traveler and social media “influencer”, who dies far too young of cancer.

Jodie has been coasting by in life, but the crippling debt of her sister’s care means she needs to shake things up and take on her sister’s social media “bucket list” challenge – in the hopes of digging her family out of debt.
The story lagged a bit in the middle, but once Jodie began tackling Bree’s bucket list, it hit its stride. I enjoy stories of women reevaluating their lives, and Jodie’s brush with (otherwise superficial influencer life) allows her to do just that.

As a reader, however, I was bothered by a big accuracy issue. I loved that Jodie was athletic and played boys’ baseball on her high school varsity team. Was a little taken aback to learn she was “the best” on the team, and assumed it was a small high school playing at a low level, so imagine my surprise when I learned two of her teammates were Division I recruits for college baseball. Worse, the two Division I recruits were favored by the coach even through Jodie “was the best” and was the one who should have been scouted by a Division I men’s college baseball team … had her coach not been “so sexist”. No. Sorry. Big plot hole here that one of the editors could have picked up on by speaking to absolutely anyone who knows anything about competitive college sports recruiting.

Despite this (glaring) research error, this was a fun novel, and worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I really enjoyed this book! While the first few chapters were a bit slow and desperately sad, I couldn't tear myself away from this touching story. I was truly invested in all of the characters and enjoyed each one immensely. So much happened and I really enjoyed the adventure as well as the emotional journey. This is a laugh and cry book, depressing, uplifting, sugary sweet and just all around a good read.

TW: Cancer, death, anxiety, depression.

I requested to read “Someone Else's Bucket List” by Amy Matthews because I was intrigued about the concept of someone finding herself while working to complete someone else’s final wishes. Here, we meet Jodie who lost her sister, popular influencer, Bree. Bree’s final wish—she desired for her sister to complete her bucket list.

Jodie has always lived in Bree’s shadow. Bree, with more than a million followers, shared her adventures as she travels around the world. But living the charmed life does not protect Bree from getting cancer. After her death, a post on her sister’s Instagram feed stuns Jodie: she is given a set of challenges she must complete because her sister never got a chance to.

I thought the book achieved a good balance of allowing Jodie to grieve but during the process, discover who she is. Parts of the novel were slow, and I thought the romance was a little contrived, but overall, I enjoyed reading about Jodie’s journey.

Three and a half stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. I gave it a few chapters and I wish I could pinpoint what the turnoff was but I just can't get there. For some reason I felt like I was forcing myself to read each page and really yearned for a book where I wanted to turn pages quickly

This is a beautiful story about love. Bree was the embodiment of pure and unadulterated joy. She was thrilled to live and live she did. It was certainly understandable why the color yellow followed her everywhere she went. In sharp contrast, Jodie chose to live her life as a grey, shapeless husk. In forgetting how to live, she couldn't find joy. Yet in performing the final items in Bree's bucket list to help her family and those in the ward, she felt magic come back into her life. Her life and those she met along the way just further enhanced it. She jumped off the cliff and in doing so, found true love in Kelly. There are no guarantees but not taking the rest is far worse than seeing if what you want could come true.

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

This was kind of a sad book. It mostly talked about how the main character was dying. I was hoping for less of that and seeing more of the bucket list. It was a good book besides for the 3rd person pov which is not my favorite point of view. Still a good story though.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amy T. Matthews brings the reader into the world of a grieving family after a beloved daughter dies suddenly from cancer. She masterfully portrays the difficulty of grief, while telling the uplifting story of a sister trying to complete her deceased sister's bucket list. Overall, this book was satisfying, if a little slow and predictable at times.

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.

I picked up this book because I thought the premise was good. A death sparks a surviving family member to complete the unfinished bucket list of the deceased.

I was not able to finish this book. Here are my thoughts on what I did read. The book summary says: "Someone Else's Bucket List follows shy Jodie Boyd after the untimely death of her outgoing, hugely successful Instagram influencer sister, Bree" And yet, the first 1/3 of the book was what focused on the last year of the dying sister from her hospital bed. You have to go through 33% of this book from the perspective of the dying sister and feel those emotions. This is not what I was expecting nor would I have chosen to read it had I known it was to be such a significant portion of the book.

But I got past that and read until I had to put it down midway through the book. Once we did get to the promised plotline- it felt shallow. There was no depth in the main character, Jodie. There was repetitiveness in the conveyance of grief, and I felt like I knew what was going to happen so early on and there would be no surprises. I was not intrigued enough to keep reading.