Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.
Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?
As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.
My Thoughts:
This book was a pleasant surprise for me! I really was expecting this to be something sad and depressing and it was actually more about Sophie finding herself than anything. When Sophie finds a list of "dares" that her aunt made before she died, she knows it has to mean something. She sees this as an opportunity to finish Suzy's bucket-list, but also for Sophie and her 2 best friends to mix it up for their senior year. Sophie is struggling to find herself and doesn't feel like she fits in with her perfect family, much the way Suzy was feeling before she died.
Along the way Sophie, Ella, and Grace get help from Johnny Rush, Sophie's hot neighbor. The chemistry between Johnny and Sophie was really great, I just wish Sophie wasn't so blunt when she got around him. I didn't feel like it suited her personality. Their relationship was just a little off for me, but that didn't stop me from wanting them to get together... I mean hello, who wouldn't like a guy named Johnny Rush!! Also i liked that Sophie and Johnny were able to take a step back when it was needed. Sophie really had to figure out her feelings for her aunt and how best to remember her on her own. Basically what I'm saying is that the romantic relationship did not overtake the book, which I thought was awesome.
The best part of this book was the friendship between the 3 girls! They had their ups and downs and weren't afraid to call each other out for acting bitchy. They were all so different, but at the same time they balanced each other. Grace was able to let loose more when she was with them, Ella wasn't as focused on being so hard, and Sophie was the glue that bonded them all together.
There was a *very* surprising twist involving Sophie's family that made the story that much more interesting! I was surprised and hurt for Sophie... her family really did have some issues.
Overall: I totally recommend this book. It was a really great coming of age YA book which I think fans of 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson would like!
AUTHOR BIO:
Erin Downing
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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This sounds like a good contemporary read! I immediately thought of Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes, as well, when I read the book description.
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ReplyDeleteThey had ups and downs and weren't hesitant to call each other out when they were acting sour. They were all so different, but they balanced each other out. When she was around them, Grace was able to let free more, Ella wasn't as concentrated on being so tough, and Sophie was the glue that held them all together. I came into your blog while searching for blogs on Google. It has gone through the entire crew. Very well written. Why don't I leave some feedback? Indeed, I appreciate the way you wrote this. There is a lot of information here.
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