Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Have you ever thought about your own demise? What you wish you can accomplish before the end? What if you only have 6 months to live, are you ready? Have you gotten to experience all you have wanted out of life?

The imperial bucket list is brought to life in so many different conversations that it seems as though a passing phase, but in reality it's our lives. A bucket list is our experiences, our accomplishments, hopes and dreams rolled out into a list of wants and needs. Everyone's list is different; some may have fall in love while others may have find true happiness or climb Mount Everest. Our list are uniquely the same as they are what we want for fulfillment in life. They don't have to be written down, but can be carried in our hearts where it can be re-read every moment of everyday.

In Before I Die by Jenny Downham you follow the story of Tessa who only has a few months to live out her bucket list. At 16 she faces many turbulent experiences that many grown adults may never even fathom facing anytime in their lives. Her list is full of innocents and experimentation, her adolescent and young adulthood rolled into just a few months. How could anyone choose just one or even ten things to accomplish in such a sort of time when you have barely gotten to live in general?

Downham does a great job of rolling together Tessa's  innocents and maturity into one as she faces the end of her short life. Looking into the world of someone ill, their family, the relationships gained and lost all while trying to understand and coup within herself that she's not meant to last forever.

This book will bring you to your knee's in a sense, it gives you a new outlook on the idea of life and your wants out of it. What is truly important at the end of the day to you and how you can start to reach for them are all things you can start to see at a new perspective. When we haven't lived with the idea of death we never really can live as if tomorrow is our last day, but gaining a small perspective can change you in even the smallest ways. Maybe it's telling your family you love them every night instead of every now and then or confronting you fears head on.

The grammar difference can mislead or distract the reader, but over all it was a good read. I walked away with an understanding of finding ones self, if not for the long haul, but just for the moment of time. This was a great bargain book and worth the confusion of English vs. American if you read between the lines of the story.

Does Tessa come across as a snobby brat, yes. But once you learn her story and see the larger picture you can understand her rebellion. It's not just as a teen, but as a human being losing what is her future.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Girl in translation by Jean Kwok is a coming of age story with a twist. Kimberly is transported from her life in China to the American Dream of Brooklyn. However, the story isn't all fun and games for this young girl.

She has to learn how to live in a world where she knows very little of the culture and language while helping her mother navigate the workings of sweatshop to help pay rent. Her life is full of inconveniences and chances, all of which help transform her into a thoughtful and courageous woman.

Her story allows the reader to dive into the idea of what many believe to be a dream, but is truly a reality for many immigrants. You start on the bottom, you aren't handed anything and just when you think life gives you an open door there are about ten million reasons not to take it. However, through all of it you come out a better person and the struggles faced seem as nothing at the end.

There were a few translation issues in the grammar of  this book, but once you move past them the story line is one seen in so many different cultures. It's not just exclusive to Asians, Mexicans or anyone who wants something better. It's a story of struggle and survival even in an era of technology and advancements.

I found myself flipping pages and yearning to know how her story ends. However, the endings twist really put the mother/daughter bond at the forefront of the story. While Kimberly did everything to help her mother survive through the struggles of the new world, she learned that her mother is ultimately the one who saves her from ever having to face those same struggles herself as an adult.

This is a great read that I recommend for all women and girls. It gives the reader an eye into the perspective of other female relationships within different cultures.

Rena's Promise

Rena's Promise by Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam is truly one of my favorite memoirs of all times. I have always been interested in the Holocaust and the many stories of survival. So when I decided to take a course in college about the history of the Holocaust I knew that I would be required to write a report on a memoir.

The requirements where nothing more than the story of a survivor, whether an officer, witness or victim of the horrors. As I scanned the many books available I chose numerous books that could be of good choice, however after talking with a few of my classmates I learned all the individuals being reported on were male. I wanted something different, I wanted something to stand out, thus I stumbled upon Rena's Promise.

What I walked away with was a love and passion for survival stories, particularly those of the holocaust.

Rena's story is one of love, dedication, and triumph in the most difficult situation. Through Rena's eyes you learn about the in's and out's of the work labor camps. How one had to lie, cheat and steal for survival with death being a constant threat. I had a hard time putting this book down and found many nights where I barely slept because I was in need of knowing what would happen next.

The book is as informative as possible with the given information and memories available from Rena. Many individuals may question the accuracy of some of the officers or events mentioned, but you must remember, this is Rena's memory, I don't exactly remember the name of everyone whom I have encountered in my life and I was never in true survival mood while doing so.

Therefore I say with some of the names and information take it with a grain of salt because it's all just a memory, this book was not written to be a history lesson, it was written as a humanitarian lesson. A reminder of those who have suffered, lost and triumphed in the most difficult moment of history.

Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer

As a fat girl myself I thought this book would give me some inspiration and understanding of my own story. I've been on a weight loss journey for years, accomplishing the 100+ lbs. down marker last year. So I figured, "oh a book that will understand me."

But this book left me empty. There are some great characters in this book, however the main character Maggie made me feel as though she was a self loathing individual who had little pride in herself.

I understood her point of view, I've been there, but as someone who has been on the journey to lose weight I felt her incessant whining dull and annoying. Have I been there, the moment when you fear a chair breaking or hiding your stomach, yes every day ,but it didn't completely consume my life, like it did with Maggie.

This book was extremely hard to finish and while I think Palmer has a great start on the characters and story line, I felt drained at the end of the book with no hope for any of the characters. I don't like giving bad reviews, therefore I think if you have never had the chance to be in the "Fat Girl" mind set then this is a great look into our brains.