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En liste for livet
In this utterly charming debut — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects.
1. Go to Paris
2. Perform live, on a super big stage
3. Have a baby, maybe two
4. Fall in love
Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she’d written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at thirty-four, Brett seems to have it all—a plum job at her family’s multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies, Brett’s world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth’s will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago.
Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and—just when Brett needs it—tough love.
As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.
1. Go to Paris
2. Perform live, on a super big stage
3. Have a baby, maybe two
4. Fall in love
Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she’d written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at thirty-four, Brett seems to have it all—a plum job at her family’s multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies, Brett’s world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth’s will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago.
Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and—just when Brett needs it—tough love.
As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
1235 people are currently reading
30637 people want to read
About the author
Lori Nelson Spielman
14 books1,757 followersLori Nelson Spielman is a former speech pathologist, guidance counselor, and teacher of homebound students. She enjoys fitness running, traveling, and reading, though writing is her true passion. Her first novel, The Life List, has been published in over thirty countries and optioned by Fox 2000. Her second novel, Sweet Forgiveness, was also an international bestseller. Her third book, The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany, releases November 17, 2020. She lives in Michigan with her husband and their very spoiled puppy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,438 reviews
August 22, 2015
I decided to pick The Life List for Romance month over at The Book Geek Blog. One of my best friends recommended this novel to me, saying she read it in one sitting and absolutely loved it.
I wouldn’t say this is a bad book, but it’s most certainly not my book.
Look at the following quotes:
And
Now, if these are the kind of quotes that make you swoon and want to pick up a book immediately then you might very well enjoy The Life List. You might find this novel heart-warming and touching, see it as an emotional and maybe even thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. It will serve as a reminder that it’s never too late to live life the way you always dreamed, to take a leap of faith even when your goals seem unobtainable. And that really is a beautiful message.
Except I couldn’t appreciate any of it because I was too busy rolling my eyes.
Call me cold-hearted but if there is one thing I hate it is cheesiness. And this novel is about as cheesy as it gets.
The story follows 34-year-old Brett Bohlinger who seemingly has the perfect life. She has a great job at her mother’s multimillion-dollar company, lives together with her gorgeous boyfriend in an expensive apartment in the best part of town and has all the designer clothes anyone could wish for. But when her mother, Elizabeth, dies of cancer, Brett is devastated and her entire world is turned upside down. Instead of simply inheriting her money – the way her brothers do – and getting the role of CEO at her mother’s company, Brett must fulfill the life list she wrote when she was fourteen. Only if she manages to complete all the goals on the list within a year will Brett receive her inheritance.
Some of the goals on the list are quite easily achieved, e.g. get a dog. While others are more difficult and impactful, e.g. fall in love, have a baby.
I guess I should have known better. I should have known from the description that this book wouldn’t appeal to me. But it came so highly recommended that I wanted to give it a try anyway.
The concept of the novel is an overused one and unfortunately Lori Nelson Spielman didn’t make it fresh or new in any way. This didn’t really bother me that much however; my problem was the idea that a human being can dictate another person’s life from beyond the grave. I understand what the author was going for: Brett had such a great relationship with her mother that she knew her better than Brett knows herself. But does that give Elizabeth the right to practically force her daughter to do something she essentially doesn’t want to do? To guilt-trip her into leading a better life? I don’t think so. Sure, it may very well make Brett happier but the woman is 34 for goodness sake! Should she not be able to choose her own path? And how is it that that a grown woman is still so dependent on her mother?
This last question leads me to my next point: Brett’s character. Brett has the emotional maturity of a fourteen year old. Which is ironic since she has fulfill goals she decided on when she was fourteen. She is also the definition of a doormat. She lets everyone walk all over her and has no spunk, no wit and seemingly not a lot of intelligence. She constantly complains about how she doesn’t want to follow the life list but doesn’t even try to do anything to change the situation. Throughout the story, Brett remained the obedient daughter with no backbone. Who needs character development, right? And no, giving away possessions and then claiming to have become less materialistic doesn’t count if your character doesn’t actually change.
Brett is basically tasked to analyze her life and change the things that don’t make her happy. But of course we can’t have the readers thinking Brett is motivated by money. So the author makes it clear on every page that Brett’s motives are completely selfless, that she only does this to appease her mother. There is no possible way Brett could be motivated by money because she helps the poor and teaches underprivileged children. A goody two shoes if ever I saw one.
As for the other characters in the novel, they were all astonishingly flat and only seemed to be plot devices to pull the story along. Brett’s mother appears as a goddess that could do no wrong. Andrew is the idiot boyfriend who only wants Brett’s money. Herbert is the perfect man that has no flaws except that he is, well, boring. The list goes on.
Oh and for all those of you who thought love triangles and other geometric love shapes were a thing restricted to YA books, think again. This novel contains an actual love pentagon. LOL. And yes, it’s as annoying as it sounds.
Spielman’s writing style was quite enjoyable and she did a good job of making the book engaging (or as engaging as it could be with characters like that). But ultimately, I don’t appreciate when authors set out with an agenda to tug at my heartstrings. I don’t like it when they try to hit me over the head with their “important” message. It makes me feel manipulated, in a bad way. Perhaps this was what I disliked most about the book.
So, do I recommend The Life List? No, I can’t say that I would. If you want to a good adult contemporary romance pick up Me Before You instead.
I wouldn’t say this is a bad book, but it’s most certainly not my book.
Look at the following quotes:
“Love is the one thing on which you should never compromise.”
And
“There will be another sky, my love, just you wait.”
Now, if these are the kind of quotes that make you swoon and want to pick up a book immediately then you might very well enjoy The Life List. You might find this novel heart-warming and touching, see it as an emotional and maybe even thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. It will serve as a reminder that it’s never too late to live life the way you always dreamed, to take a leap of faith even when your goals seem unobtainable. And that really is a beautiful message.
Except I couldn’t appreciate any of it because I was too busy rolling my eyes.
Call me cold-hearted but if there is one thing I hate it is cheesiness. And this novel is about as cheesy as it gets.
The story follows 34-year-old Brett Bohlinger who seemingly has the perfect life. She has a great job at her mother’s multimillion-dollar company, lives together with her gorgeous boyfriend in an expensive apartment in the best part of town and has all the designer clothes anyone could wish for. But when her mother, Elizabeth, dies of cancer, Brett is devastated and her entire world is turned upside down. Instead of simply inheriting her money – the way her brothers do – and getting the role of CEO at her mother’s company, Brett must fulfill the life list she wrote when she was fourteen. Only if she manages to complete all the goals on the list within a year will Brett receive her inheritance.
Some of the goals on the list are quite easily achieved, e.g. get a dog. While others are more difficult and impactful, e.g. fall in love, have a baby.
I guess I should have known better. I should have known from the description that this book wouldn’t appeal to me. But it came so highly recommended that I wanted to give it a try anyway.
The concept of the novel is an overused one and unfortunately Lori Nelson Spielman didn’t make it fresh or new in any way. This didn’t really bother me that much however; my problem was the idea that a human being can dictate another person’s life from beyond the grave. I understand what the author was going for: Brett had such a great relationship with her mother that she knew her better than Brett knows herself. But does that give Elizabeth the right to practically force her daughter to do something she essentially doesn’t want to do? To guilt-trip her into leading a better life? I don’t think so. Sure, it may very well make Brett happier but the woman is 34 for goodness sake! Should she not be able to choose her own path? And how is it that that a grown woman is still so dependent on her mother?
This last question leads me to my next point: Brett’s character. Brett has the emotional maturity of a fourteen year old. Which is ironic since she has fulfill goals she decided on when she was fourteen. She is also the definition of a doormat. She lets everyone walk all over her and has no spunk, no wit and seemingly not a lot of intelligence. She constantly complains about how she doesn’t want to follow the life list but doesn’t even try to do anything to change the situation. Throughout the story, Brett remained the obedient daughter with no backbone. Who needs character development, right? And no, giving away possessions and then claiming to have become less materialistic doesn’t count if your character doesn’t actually change.
Brett is basically tasked to analyze her life and change the things that don’t make her happy. But of course we can’t have the readers thinking Brett is motivated by money. So the author makes it clear on every page that Brett’s motives are completely selfless, that she only does this to appease her mother. There is no possible way Brett could be motivated by money because she helps the poor and teaches underprivileged children. A goody two shoes if ever I saw one.
As for the other characters in the novel, they were all astonishingly flat and only seemed to be plot devices to pull the story along. Brett’s mother appears as a goddess that could do no wrong. Andrew is the idiot boyfriend who only wants Brett’s money. Herbert is the perfect man that has no flaws except that he is, well, boring. The list goes on.
Oh and for all those of you who thought love triangles and other geometric love shapes were a thing restricted to YA books, think again. This novel contains an actual love pentagon. LOL. And yes, it’s as annoying as it sounds.
Spielman’s writing style was quite enjoyable and she did a good job of making the book engaging (or as engaging as it could be with characters like that). But ultimately, I don’t appreciate when authors set out with an agenda to tug at my heartstrings. I don’t like it when they try to hit me over the head with their “important” message. It makes me feel manipulated, in a bad way. Perhaps this was what I disliked most about the book.
So, do I recommend The Life List? No, I can’t say that I would. If you want to a good adult contemporary romance pick up Me Before You instead.
September 7, 2025
Mothers can do telepathy!!!
🥹💞❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Now, this is the kind of rom-com I crave for.
If you’ve ever made a list at 14 and then promptly forgot it existed—congrats, you’re Brett Bohlinger!!! But unlike you, Brett’s childhood scribbles come back to haunt her in the form of her late mother’s will. To inherit anything, she must complete every dreamy, cringey, wildly unrealistic goal she wrote as a teenager.
The romance? Honestly, not the book’s strong suit. Without spoiling too much: yes, there’s cheating (I hate that part). The romance subplot is like a soggy sandwich—there, but not satisfying.
The sibling relationship isn’t front and center, but when it shows up, it’s raw and real. There’s tension, misunderstanding and that bittersweet flavor of we’re family but we don’t always get each other.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re living someone else’s version of your life, this book might hit you harder than expected. It’s not perfect but it’s honest. And sometimes, that’s enough, which is why this book made me cry a lot.
🥹💞❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Now, this is the kind of rom-com I crave for.
If you’ve ever made a list at 14 and then promptly forgot it existed—congrats, you’re Brett Bohlinger!!! But unlike you, Brett’s childhood scribbles come back to haunt her in the form of her late mother’s will. To inherit anything, she must complete every dreamy, cringey, wildly unrealistic goal she wrote as a teenager.
The romance? Honestly, not the book’s strong suit. Without spoiling too much: yes, there’s cheating (I hate that part). The romance subplot is like a soggy sandwich—there, but not satisfying.
The sibling relationship isn’t front and center, but when it shows up, it’s raw and real. There’s tension, misunderstanding and that bittersweet flavor of we’re family but we don’t always get each other.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re living someone else’s version of your life, this book might hit you harder than expected. It’s not perfect but it’s honest. And sometimes, that’s enough, which is why this book made me cry a lot.
December 31, 2023
Klischeehaft, vorhersehbar, banal geschrieben, steife Konversationen von Stereotypen. Die Geschichte ist zuckersüß und kitschig. Eigentlich ist die Erstellung einer Liste der Dinge, die man im Leben (noch) erreichen will, eine interessante Thematik. Mich beschäftigt das auch gerade, und daher stand dieses Buch, welches meine Frau gerne las, auch auf meiner Liste der Bücher im häuslichen Bücherregal. Das die Autorin dann aber eine oberflächliche, naive, reiche Protagonistin ersinnt, und die ganze Story in der Chicagoer Oberschicht spielen lässt, kann ich nicht nachvollziehen. Spätestens als die Ärmste sich ihrer Rolex entledigen muss, um ihre Ziele aus Kindertagen zu erfüllen, die die geliebte, verstorbene Mutter zur Erbschaftsbedingungen gemacht, war es aus mit dem Selbsttest. Ich weiß jetzt, wie ein Buch geschrieben ist, welches wochenlang die deutsche Bestsellerliste angeführt hat. Und darüber hinaus bin ich animiert worden, eine Life List zu erstellen. Mein erster Punkt heißt, keine schlechten Bücher mehr zwanghaft fertig zu lesen. Diese Anforderung habe ich sofort umgesetzt und das Buch bei der Hälfte abgebrochen.
March 22, 2014
5 stars is definitely not enough for this book. I wish I could give it 10!
Most well written books offer enjoyable moments, clever dialogue, and an entertaining adventure for the reader. But a very special few of these books touch a reader's soul in a way that makes them look at life differently, in a way that makes them feel alive, and in a way that that book will be cherished on their bookshelf like an old photograph to be looked at, revisited, and thought of with fond memories – a book that becomes a valued possession that just could never be let go. The Life List is just that sort of special novel, that in all the books I've read this year, a few of which I've already forgotten, it stands out among the rest. I will remember it and think fondly of the story and recommend it to others with great enthusiasm as an adventure that all lovers of literature should enjoy. My first recommendation, of course, will be to my mother.
This book is a lovely story about the decisions we make in life, our search for happiness, and what really matters in the end. The leading character Brett Bohlinger is a successful executive at her mother's booming cosmetic business. She has an apartment in a coveted area in town, a successful boyfriend who is ambitious and hot enough to cause whiplash in women he walks by, and items that would make the Joneses jealous. From afar, Brett has the perfect life. When her mother suddenly becomes sick and passes away, Brett is dealt a devastating blow. The one parent who truly loved her, the person who she could count on to smooth out life's difficulties, answer any question and fix any problem is torn away from her in a heartbeat. Brett's determined to make her mother proud as the new CEO of the family company and this position fills her with a mixture of motivation and dread. Taking over the CEO will involve her being the boss of her ambitious, perfect sister in law, running a multi-million dollar company, and fitting in a position which she doesn't have the confidence in her ability to succeed. Then Brett is dealt the second biggest blow of her life when the will is read. Instead of the inheritance and company position she anticipates, she's left with a requirement to complete a life list she wrote when she was 14 and she has one year to complete all the items. Brett stares at the list: Buy a horse, have a baby or two, become a teacher, perform on stage, have a relationship with her father. Her mom can't be serious! A horse in the city? A relationship with her father who has already died and was cold and distant to Brett as a child? A baby, or two in a year?
As Brett's world flips upside down she realizes that sometimes not having what you thought you wanted (like the CEO position or the designer watch) can actually be a blessing. As she completes the list, her life focus changes and she finds things that bring her joy that she would have never expected. Happiness isn't something you strive to achieve. It's not impressing people who are difficult to please. It's not something you can buy. As she completes each item, she gains ground on finding the hopeful optimistic girl she used to be and moves past the fearful woman who is settling and is afraid of change. In her will, her mother left her the greatest gift a mother could give – a roadmap, long abandoned, to the simpler things in life which will bring the greatest happiness. She left her daughter a final lesson, a lesson on how to follow her own dreams and not to compromise.
This novel makes me want to tackle something I'm afraid of and reflect back on abandoned dreams. It reminds me that even if you've traveled a long way down road, 30+ years down that road, that if you realize it's going in the wrong direction you can always turn around or forge a new path somewhere else. It is not to late to live the life you were meant to live. The life that feels real and brings inspiration and passion. It shows us that we have the strength all along to do what brings us the greatest joy. It's a testimony not to compromise on love, friendship, and family, and that if you find that you're lonely despite being surrounded by others then maybe it's the wrong people you are surrounded by. The book is about first impressions and lasting impressions. It's about forgiveness, choices, love, and taking the leap of faith even if you can't yet see where you'll land. It's an amazing book that I would love to see turned into a movie, and a book that I think everyone who enjoy's women's literature should read!
Update: I also listened to the audio version:
The narration on this book was enjoyable and I loved hearing this story for a second time. Rebecca Gibel does an excellent job portraying Brett. I would definitely recommend this novel both in paper back and audio!!
Most well written books offer enjoyable moments, clever dialogue, and an entertaining adventure for the reader. But a very special few of these books touch a reader's soul in a way that makes them look at life differently, in a way that makes them feel alive, and in a way that that book will be cherished on their bookshelf like an old photograph to be looked at, revisited, and thought of with fond memories – a book that becomes a valued possession that just could never be let go. The Life List is just that sort of special novel, that in all the books I've read this year, a few of which I've already forgotten, it stands out among the rest. I will remember it and think fondly of the story and recommend it to others with great enthusiasm as an adventure that all lovers of literature should enjoy. My first recommendation, of course, will be to my mother.
This book is a lovely story about the decisions we make in life, our search for happiness, and what really matters in the end. The leading character Brett Bohlinger is a successful executive at her mother's booming cosmetic business. She has an apartment in a coveted area in town, a successful boyfriend who is ambitious and hot enough to cause whiplash in women he walks by, and items that would make the Joneses jealous. From afar, Brett has the perfect life. When her mother suddenly becomes sick and passes away, Brett is dealt a devastating blow. The one parent who truly loved her, the person who she could count on to smooth out life's difficulties, answer any question and fix any problem is torn away from her in a heartbeat. Brett's determined to make her mother proud as the new CEO of the family company and this position fills her with a mixture of motivation and dread. Taking over the CEO will involve her being the boss of her ambitious, perfect sister in law, running a multi-million dollar company, and fitting in a position which she doesn't have the confidence in her ability to succeed. Then Brett is dealt the second biggest blow of her life when the will is read. Instead of the inheritance and company position she anticipates, she's left with a requirement to complete a life list she wrote when she was 14 and she has one year to complete all the items. Brett stares at the list: Buy a horse, have a baby or two, become a teacher, perform on stage, have a relationship with her father. Her mom can't be serious! A horse in the city? A relationship with her father who has already died and was cold and distant to Brett as a child? A baby, or two in a year?
As Brett's world flips upside down she realizes that sometimes not having what you thought you wanted (like the CEO position or the designer watch) can actually be a blessing. As she completes the list, her life focus changes and she finds things that bring her joy that she would have never expected. Happiness isn't something you strive to achieve. It's not impressing people who are difficult to please. It's not something you can buy. As she completes each item, she gains ground on finding the hopeful optimistic girl she used to be and moves past the fearful woman who is settling and is afraid of change. In her will, her mother left her the greatest gift a mother could give – a roadmap, long abandoned, to the simpler things in life which will bring the greatest happiness. She left her daughter a final lesson, a lesson on how to follow her own dreams and not to compromise.
This novel makes me want to tackle something I'm afraid of and reflect back on abandoned dreams. It reminds me that even if you've traveled a long way down road, 30+ years down that road, that if you realize it's going in the wrong direction you can always turn around or forge a new path somewhere else. It is not to late to live the life you were meant to live. The life that feels real and brings inspiration and passion. It shows us that we have the strength all along to do what brings us the greatest joy. It's a testimony not to compromise on love, friendship, and family, and that if you find that you're lonely despite being surrounded by others then maybe it's the wrong people you are surrounded by. The book is about first impressions and lasting impressions. It's about forgiveness, choices, love, and taking the leap of faith even if you can't yet see where you'll land. It's an amazing book that I would love to see turned into a movie, and a book that I think everyone who enjoy's women's literature should read!
Update: I also listened to the audio version:
The narration on this book was enjoyable and I loved hearing this story for a second time. Rebecca Gibel does an excellent job portraying Brett. I would definitely recommend this novel both in paper back and audio!!
January 30, 2014
(insert big sigh) What to write about this book? I wanted to like it. I did. I was curious enough to finish it, but barely. If I had been reading instead of listening, I know I would have turned to the back and read the last chapter when I was about a 1/4 of the way in. What's wrong with this book?
* The idea of a life list is fun, and very current (just search it on Pinterest), but certainly not very original.
* Spielman's similes are pretty good, but are so frequent that they become annoying.
* Brett is such a ninny and so frequently ridiculous that I found myself muttering, "Idiot!" an awful lot. Apparently, I need a narrator who is admirable and at least a little spunky.
* A 34 year old woman allows her dead mother to make her choices and direct her life from beyond the grave.
* The book is just so darn predictable. I knew after their first glimpse of each other exactly who Brett would end up with. The real question is, "Why did I waste so much time reading this book when I already knew the ending?"
* Perhaps worst of all, and that's saying a lot when you consider the ridiculous things we are supposed to just take for granted, Brett never really changed. Yes, I know, you are supposed to feel like she has changed because she became a mother. But really, she was as much a ninny at the end of the book as she was at the start.
If it were a movie, I'd leave 20 minutes in and ask for my money back.
The Life List was slightly better written, but just as formulaic, as the teen romance books I read when I was about 13. UGH.
* The idea of a life list is fun, and very current (just search it on Pinterest), but certainly not very original.
* Spielman's similes are pretty good, but are so frequent that they become annoying.
* Brett is such a ninny and so frequently ridiculous that I found myself muttering, "Idiot!" an awful lot. Apparently, I need a narrator who is admirable and at least a little spunky.
* A 34 year old woman allows her dead mother to make her choices and direct her life from beyond the grave.
* The book is just so darn predictable. I knew after their first glimpse of each other exactly who Brett would end up with. The real question is, "Why did I waste so much time reading this book when I already knew the ending?"
* Perhaps worst of all, and that's saying a lot when you consider the ridiculous things we are supposed to just take for granted, Brett never really changed. Yes, I know, you are supposed to feel like she has changed because she became a mother. But really, she was as much a ninny at the end of the book as she was at the start.
If it were a movie, I'd leave 20 minutes in and ask for my money back.
The Life List was slightly better written, but just as formulaic, as the teen romance books I read when I was about 13. UGH.
October 3, 2025
“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
I had just finished watching the movie, “The Life List” on Netflix. When I discovered it was based on this book, I immediately ordered it from my local library. The question I posed to myself…
Would I be as mesmerized by this debut novel as I was the movie? Because, if any of you have Netflix, I would encourage you to watch this movie. It is really special. I have no doubt you will fall in love with Alex. I was absolutely charmed by her. Kudos to actress Sofia Carson and the supporting cast for such stellar performances.
And of course, the movie opens up all sorts of feelings in which we viewers can’t help but ask ourselves…
What does it take for any of us to fulfill a ‘life list’ that we may have created when we were young, and naïve about life in general? And, still so excited about the possibilities that our life could become? And, if we waver and forget that magical planned list for ourselves, can we be open to finding a way to check off everything that was placed on that list? Will it take a push to have us pursue it?
And, can the book do better than the movie, since that is where this story actually began – between the pages?
As readers who have watched the movie first, we quickly learn that Alex is now called Brett. Or in all fairness to the book, since it came first, Brett is our female protagonist.
As I read on, I am totally aware of the similarities between the book to the movie. Whether names have been changed, or details, the same premise of fulfilling a ‘life list’ is the focus. And, even if what was on the ‘life list’ was different between the book and movie, the story being read still had its own charm about it. The relationship she had with her mother. Rudy, an adorable dog that Brett adopts. And, a unique twist, somewhat different than the movie, regarding Brett’s father. (No spoilers from me.)
Readers will also wonder if Brett will achieve her happily-ever-after ending. And, although I don’t offer spoilers, I will say, whatever happens to Brett is different than what Alex experienced. And, that is completely okay with this reader. The beauty of this story, still holds for me, between these pages. I just got double the joy of ‘the life list,’ by seeing the movie and reading the book, too.
For those who read the book first, I hope you have a chance to see the movie, too. For both the book and the movie, have your Kleenex nearby.
Lastly, the book is engaging, heartwarming, poignant and thought-provoking with well-developed characters. Some may find it predictable. But since I had seen the movie first, I kind of knew what to expect, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to judge one way or another.
Bottom line…I loved both the book and the movie. Maybe the movie, a tad more. Popcorn, anyone? 🍿
I had just finished watching the movie, “The Life List” on Netflix. When I discovered it was based on this book, I immediately ordered it from my local library. The question I posed to myself…
Would I be as mesmerized by this debut novel as I was the movie? Because, if any of you have Netflix, I would encourage you to watch this movie. It is really special. I have no doubt you will fall in love with Alex. I was absolutely charmed by her. Kudos to actress Sofia Carson and the supporting cast for such stellar performances.
And of course, the movie opens up all sorts of feelings in which we viewers can’t help but ask ourselves…
What does it take for any of us to fulfill a ‘life list’ that we may have created when we were young, and naïve about life in general? And, still so excited about the possibilities that our life could become? And, if we waver and forget that magical planned list for ourselves, can we be open to finding a way to check off everything that was placed on that list? Will it take a push to have us pursue it?
And, can the book do better than the movie, since that is where this story actually began – between the pages?
As readers who have watched the movie first, we quickly learn that Alex is now called Brett. Or in all fairness to the book, since it came first, Brett is our female protagonist.
As I read on, I am totally aware of the similarities between the book to the movie. Whether names have been changed, or details, the same premise of fulfilling a ‘life list’ is the focus. And, even if what was on the ‘life list’ was different between the book and movie, the story being read still had its own charm about it. The relationship she had with her mother. Rudy, an adorable dog that Brett adopts. And, a unique twist, somewhat different than the movie, regarding Brett’s father. (No spoilers from me.)
Readers will also wonder if Brett will achieve her happily-ever-after ending. And, although I don’t offer spoilers, I will say, whatever happens to Brett is different than what Alex experienced. And, that is completely okay with this reader. The beauty of this story, still holds for me, between these pages. I just got double the joy of ‘the life list,’ by seeing the movie and reading the book, too.
For those who read the book first, I hope you have a chance to see the movie, too. For both the book and the movie, have your Kleenex nearby.
Lastly, the book is engaging, heartwarming, poignant and thought-provoking with well-developed characters. Some may find it predictable. But since I had seen the movie first, I kind of knew what to expect, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to judge one way or another.
Bottom line…I loved both the book and the movie. Maybe the movie, a tad more. Popcorn, anyone? 🍿
August 6, 2015
Ahh, this book was so adorable!! I was very emotional throughout the book. I cried and laughed. I felt just about every emotion there was to feel with this book. A must read!!
May 24, 2020
Ευκολοδιάβαστο. Ο ορισμός αυτό που λέμε ανάλαφρο καλοκαιρινό ανάγνωσμα παραλίας παρόλο που δεν είμαι φίλος του συγκεκριμένου διαχωρισμού. Πραγματικά το διάβασα εύκολα και γρήγορα όμως από την αρχή σχεδόν του βιβλίου και έχοντας υποψιαστεί και πως θα κυλήσει η ιστορία με ταλάνιζε ως προς το στορυ το αν και κατά πόσο συμφωνώ ή αν τελοσπάντων αν θα μπαινα και εγώ στην ίδια διαδικασία με την ηρωίδα.
Η ηρωίδα μας λοιπόν χάνει τη μητέρα της. Εκείνη πεθαίνοντας αντί ν’ αφήσει στην κόρη της την κληρονομιά που της αντιστοιχεί, της αφήνει ένα φάκελο. Στο φάκελο αυτό υπήρχε ένα χαρτί στο οποίο η ηρωίδα μας είχε γράψει σε ηλικία 14 ετών όλα εκείνα που ήθελε να πραγματοποιήσει αργότερα στη ζωή της. Η μητέρα της λοιπόν ως τελευταία της επιθυμία ορίζει ότι η ηρωίδα μας η Μπρετ θα πάρει την κληρονομιά της αφού πραγματοποιήσει τους εναπομείναντες στόχους του 14χρονου τότε εαυτού της.
Καταλαβαίνεις ότι κάπου εδώ ξεκινάει η χαριτωμενιά και το γνωστο παραμυθάκι που η ηρωίδα μέσα από αυτή τη διαδικασία θ’ ανακαλύψει τα πραγματικά της θέλω και θα πάρει τη ζωή της στα χέρια της. Σε μια περίοδο που όλοι λίγο πολύ είμαστε καταβεβλημένοι από την ιστορία της καραντίνας και των συνεπειών αυτής είναι παρήγορο να διαβάζεις μια αισιόδοξη ιστορία με το προβλεπόμενο ευτυχισμένο τέλος. Εδώ όμως έρχεται και η δική μου ένσταση και δεν έχει τόσο να κάνει με τη γραφή που πραγματικά τη βρήκα μια χαρά για το είδος που ήθελε να υπηρετήσει όσο με την γενική ιδέα και κατά πόσο τελικά η χ ηρωίδα στην πραγματικότητα ζει τη ζωή που κάποιος άλλος έχει επιλέξει και κατευθύνει γι’ αυτήν. Στα 14 και εγώ και εσείς και όλοι μας είχαμε στόχους. Μάλιστα θέλω να σας πω ότι δικός μου βασικός στόχος ήταν το αεροπλάνο της Μπάρμπι το οποίο η μαμά μου θεώρησε σωστό να ΜΗ μου αγοράσει ποτέ γιατί είχα μεγαλώσει. Οκ αστεία παρένθεση. Θέλω απλά να πω ότι ναι σίγουρα οι στόχοι που έχουμε ως νεαροί είναι πολύ πιο αθώοι και πολλες φορές πολύ πιο ουσιαστικοί με την αφέλεια της νιότης μας αλλά αυτό δε σημαίνει ότι και σε μεγαλύτερη ηλικία δε μπορείς ο ίδιος να βρεις νέους πραγματικούς στόχους και όραμα χωρίς να χρειαζεσαι να πιαστείς από την τελευταία επιθυμία ενός αγαπημένου σου προσώπου ή ενός κομματιού χαρτιού. Με αυτή την μικρή ένσταση και χωρίς και εγώ η ίδια να έχω συγκεκριμένη απάντηση στο ερώτημα μου 3 αστεράκια. Ναι μεν αλλά….
Η ηρωίδα μας λοιπόν χάνει τη μητέρα της. Εκείνη πεθαίνοντας αντί ν’ αφήσει στην κόρη της την κληρονομιά που της αντιστοιχεί, της αφήνει ένα φάκελο. Στο φάκελο αυτό υπήρχε ένα χαρτί στο οποίο η ηρωίδα μας είχε γράψει σε ηλικία 14 ετών όλα εκείνα που ήθελε να πραγματοποιήσει αργότερα στη ζωή της. Η μητέρα της λοιπόν ως τελευταία της επιθυμία ορίζει ότι η ηρωίδα μας η Μπρετ θα πάρει την κληρονομιά της αφού πραγματοποιήσει τους εναπομείναντες στόχους του 14χρονου τότε εαυτού της.
Καταλαβαίνεις ότι κάπου εδώ ξεκινάει η χαριτωμενιά και το γνωστο παραμυθάκι που η ηρωίδα μέσα από αυτή τη διαδικασία θ’ ανακαλύψει τα πραγματικά της θέλω και θα πάρει τη ζωή της στα χέρια της. Σε μια περίοδο που όλοι λίγο πολύ είμαστε καταβεβλημένοι από την ιστορία της καραντίνας και των συνεπειών αυτής είναι παρήγορο να διαβάζεις μια αισιόδοξη ιστορία με το προβλεπόμενο ευτυχισμένο τέλος. Εδώ όμως έρχεται και η δική μου ένσταση και δεν έχει τόσο να κάνει με τη γραφή που πραγματικά τη βρήκα μια χαρά για το είδος που ήθελε να υπηρετήσει όσο με την γενική ιδέα και κατά πόσο τελικά η χ ηρωίδα στην πραγματικότητα ζει τη ζωή που κάποιος άλλος έχει επιλέξει και κατευθύνει γι’ αυτήν. Στα 14 και εγώ και εσείς και όλοι μας είχαμε στόχους. Μάλιστα θέλω να σας πω ότι δικός μου βασικός στόχος ήταν το αεροπλάνο της Μπάρμπι το οποίο η μαμά μου θεώρησε σωστό να ΜΗ μου αγοράσει ποτέ γιατί είχα μεγαλώσει. Οκ αστεία παρένθεση. Θέλω απλά να πω ότι ναι σίγουρα οι στόχοι που έχουμε ως νεαροί είναι πολύ πιο αθώοι και πολλες φορές πολύ πιο ουσιαστικοί με την αφέλεια της νιότης μας αλλά αυτό δε σημαίνει ότι και σε μεγαλύτερη ηλικία δε μπορείς ο ίδιος να βρεις νέους πραγματικούς στόχους και όραμα χωρίς να χρειαζεσαι να πιαστείς από την τελευταία επιθυμία ενός αγαπημένου σου προσώπου ή ενός κομματιού χαρτιού. Με αυτή την μικρή ένσταση και χωρίς και εγώ η ίδια να έχω συγκεκριμένη απάντηση στο ερώτημα μου 3 αστεράκια. Ναι μεν αλλά….
April 7, 2025
3.5/5
Nie wiem czy to kwestia tłumaczenia czy samej książki, ale podejrzewam, że w jakimś sensie obu - język i pewne aspekty budzą zdziwienie 😅
Zamysł niezwykle mi się podoba, ale matka, która wrzuca na listę „to do” córki z roczna data ważności zakochanie się i posiadanie dziecka, a także pozbawia ją środków do życia i mieszkania to dla mnie lekka przesada.
Bohaterka za to przechodzi fajna przemianę i nie dziwię się, że Netflix postanowił to zekranizować. Niezwykle „filmowa” historia
Nie wiem czy to kwestia tłumaczenia czy samej książki, ale podejrzewam, że w jakimś sensie obu - język i pewne aspekty budzą zdziwienie 😅
Zamysł niezwykle mi się podoba, ale matka, która wrzuca na listę „to do” córki z roczna data ważności zakochanie się i posiadanie dziecka, a także pozbawia ją środków do życia i mieszkania to dla mnie lekka przesada.
Bohaterka za to przechodzi fajna przemianę i nie dziwię się, że Netflix postanowił to zekranizować. Niezwykle „filmowa” historia
November 26, 2019
A really cute loveable read if you want a sincere life goal like this women.
No matter how we plan things, you never know what’s around the corner.
No matter how we plan things, you never know what’s around the corner.
April 21, 2025
3,75
Przepiękna książka o odnajdywaniu trochę dziecięcego szczęścia, ale zakończenia nie jestem w stanie wybaczyć.
W sensie było to tak bardzo przewidywalne i trochę głupiutkie.
Kolejną kwestią są dzieci. Wiecie, to tylko i włącznie moje indywidualne podejście, ale czytanie opisów wręcz uzależnienia od dziecka jest dla mnie czymś totalnie niezrozumiałym.
Przepiękna książka o odnajdywaniu trochę dziecięcego szczęścia, ale zakończenia nie jestem w stanie wybaczyć.
W sensie było to tak bardzo przewidywalne i trochę głupiutkie.
Kolejną kwestią są dzieci. Wiecie, to tylko i włącznie moje indywidualne podejście, ale czytanie opisów wręcz uzależnienia od dziecka jest dla mnie czymś totalnie niezrozumiałym.
December 8, 2013
I just read a column in the Sunday NYT by Charles McGrath that completely explains why I finished this book despite the fact that the whole time I couldn't believe how bad the writing was.
"That's the problem with fiction - or the charm, if you want. Even mediocre plots have a way of sinking their hooks into you, until you find yourself concerned for the fates of characters who aren't even fully convincing." As a real person Brett Bohlinger made a lot of mistaken assumptions about people and behaviour. She acted like a child. I'm not sure we saw any growth in her. I wanted to know what happened but thought if you knew Brett in person she would just be irritating.
"That's the problem with fiction - or the charm, if you want. Even mediocre plots have a way of sinking their hooks into you, until you find yourself concerned for the fates of characters who aren't even fully convincing." As a real person Brett Bohlinger made a lot of mistaken assumptions about people and behaviour. She acted like a child. I'm not sure we saw any growth in her. I wanted to know what happened but thought if you knew Brett in person she would just be irritating.
June 8, 2019
Brett (a woman with a male name she constantly finds herself explaining) is devastated when her mother passes away. However, the real shock comes for her with the reading of her mother's will. She is to complete a list of tasks in order to be eligible for her inheritance.
This book was quite heart warming, while Brett struggles with grief and coming to terms with the conditions in her mother's will. But will the tasks force Brett to actually start to live her own life?
This was heading for 4 stars from me, but the way the end of the book wrapped up was disappointing and very quick, so only 3 stars now.
This book was quite heart warming, while Brett struggles with grief and coming to terms with the conditions in her mother's will. But will the tasks force Brett to actually start to live her own life?
This was heading for 4 stars from me, but the way the end of the book wrapped up was disappointing and very quick, so only 3 stars now.
February 3, 2019
Berührende, sentimentale Geschichte, voller Lebensweisheit, sehr gefühlvoll erzählt. Und trotzdem humorvoll und locker.
Brett hat einen guten Job, eine schöne Wohnung und einen tollen Freund. Bis sie mit dem Tod ihrer Mutter klar kommen muss und ihr perfektes Leben auseinander zu fallen droht.
Der ihr zustehende Posten als Geschäftsführerin der Firma, geht an ihre einschüchternd perfekte Schwägerin, ihre beiden Brüder sind ihr Leben lang versorgt - und Brett bekommt nichts. Außer einer Liste mit Jugendträumen, scheinbar unlösbaren Aufgaben und Briefen ihrer Mutter.
Sie ist eine tolle authentische Protagonistin, mit der ich mitgefühlt habe, als sie sich verwaist und gedemütigt gefühlt hat. Und dann habe ich mitgefiebert, während sie sich entwickelt hat und an ihren Aufgaben gewachsen ist. Es war toll ihren ereignisreichen Weg mitzugehen. Dazu machen die vielen Twists, die das Leben nun mal mit sich bringt die Sache spannend.
Die Geschichte ist wirklich toll geschrieben aber was mich die ganze Zeit gestört hat, war die Mutter. Warum hat die denn früher nie was zu Brett gesagt? Vielleicht kommt das nur dadurch, dass ich die Protagonistin so toll fand aber irgendwie fand ich große Teile ihres schweren Weges unnötig. Dazu ist die "Weisheit" der Mutter etwas extrem dargestellt.
Insgesamt ist es aber eine wirklich schöne Geschichte, deshalb 4 Sterne.
Brett hat einen guten Job, eine schöne Wohnung und einen tollen Freund. Bis sie mit dem Tod ihrer Mutter klar kommen muss und ihr perfektes Leben auseinander zu fallen droht.
Der ihr zustehende Posten als Geschäftsführerin der Firma, geht an ihre einschüchternd perfekte Schwägerin, ihre beiden Brüder sind ihr Leben lang versorgt - und Brett bekommt nichts. Außer einer Liste mit Jugendträumen, scheinbar unlösbaren Aufgaben und Briefen ihrer Mutter.
Sie ist eine tolle authentische Protagonistin, mit der ich mitgefühlt habe, als sie sich verwaist und gedemütigt gefühlt hat. Und dann habe ich mitgefiebert, während sie sich entwickelt hat und an ihren Aufgaben gewachsen ist. Es war toll ihren ereignisreichen Weg mitzugehen. Dazu machen die vielen Twists, die das Leben nun mal mit sich bringt die Sache spannend.
Die Geschichte ist wirklich toll geschrieben aber was mich die ganze Zeit gestört hat, war die Mutter. Warum hat die denn früher nie was zu Brett gesagt? Vielleicht kommt das nur dadurch, dass ich die Protagonistin so toll fand aber irgendwie fand ich große Teile ihres schweren Weges unnötig. Dazu ist die "Weisheit" der Mutter etwas extrem dargestellt.
Insgesamt ist es aber eine wirklich schöne Geschichte, deshalb 4 Sterne.
December 22, 2021
Un buen libro para charlar pero cero historia y todo sucedía ✨mágicamente✨
April 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. It gutted me but the best books do.
January 25, 2014
**re-post of my review since it went missing for no apparent reason **
“’ Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do something every day that scares you. “Continue to push yourself to do those things that scare you, darling. Take those risks and see where you land, for they are the very things that make this journey worthwhile.”’
Have you ever written a life list?
Put down your wishes and dreams, from silly ones that seem crucial at that point, to the ones you think are far fetched but somehow still hope it will come true...
And perhaps you put that list, in a drawer, lost in a book or simply forgotten..or your the ones that keep it close to your heart and try to not let go.
Brett just lost her mother and she feels her entire world is upside down.
And it will turn even more when she hears her mother's final wish, not for her to become the CEO of the company but to fulfill her long lost life list. The one she wrote when she was 14...
My life Goals:
1. Have a baby, maybe two 2. Kiss Nick Nicol 3.Make the cheerleading squad
4. Earn straight A’s
5. Ski the Alps
6. Get a dog 7. Answer correctly when Sister Rose calls on me and I’m talking to Carrie 8. Go to Paris
9.Stay friends with Carrie Newsome forever!
10. Go to Northwestern 11. Be super friendly and nice
12. Help poor people 13. Have a really cool house 14. Buy a horse 15. Run with bull
16. Learn French 17. Fall in love 18. Perform live, on a super big stage 19. Have a good relationship with my dad 20. Be an awesome teacher!
And now, in order to get her inheritance, she must scratch the remains items of her list...in a year!
Brett thought she had her life all figured out but this last "demand" of her mom, makes her took a really good look at her life and realize that it's never to late to take a leap and chase her dreams.
I really LOVED this story, it's just such a heartwarming and emotional story. And well, i do LOVE books that take you in a journey, especially one of self-discovery like this one, you see how our heroine "grows" and how the interacts she have with others do change their lives too, not only her own. Anyway, The Life List, is especially a story of love...in it's many forms but especially between a mother and a daughter. The bond between Elizabeth and Brett was just so beautiful to read, and i admit i laughed and cried with it.
Loved it, Loved it!!
I want tell much more, because I don't want to spoil anyone experience while reading this book, i'll just say that I highly recommend it and it's definitely on my favorites!
And well, just go find your old life list or make a new one...and just dream and fight for them to become real.
***ARC kindly provided via netgalley in exchange of a honest review****
“’ Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do something every day that scares you. “Continue to push yourself to do those things that scare you, darling. Take those risks and see where you land, for they are the very things that make this journey worthwhile.”’
Have you ever written a life list?
Put down your wishes and dreams, from silly ones that seem crucial at that point, to the ones you think are far fetched but somehow still hope it will come true...
And perhaps you put that list, in a drawer, lost in a book or simply forgotten..or your the ones that keep it close to your heart and try to not let go.
Brett just lost her mother and she feels her entire world is upside down.
And it will turn even more when she hears her mother's final wish, not for her to become the CEO of the company but to fulfill her long lost life list. The one she wrote when she was 14...
My life Goals:
1. Have a baby, maybe two 2. Kiss Nick Nicol 3.Make the cheerleading squad
4. Earn straight A’s
5. Ski the Alps
6. Get a dog 7. Answer correctly when Sister Rose calls on me and I’m talking to Carrie 8. Go to Paris
9.Stay friends with Carrie Newsome forever!
10. Go to Northwestern 11. Be super friendly and nice
12. Help poor people 13. Have a really cool house 14. Buy a horse 15. Run with bull
16. Learn French 17. Fall in love 18. Perform live, on a super big stage 19. Have a good relationship with my dad 20. Be an awesome teacher!
And now, in order to get her inheritance, she must scratch the remains items of her list...in a year!
Brett thought she had her life all figured out but this last "demand" of her mom, makes her took a really good look at her life and realize that it's never to late to take a leap and chase her dreams.
I really LOVED this story, it's just such a heartwarming and emotional story. And well, i do LOVE books that take you in a journey, especially one of self-discovery like this one, you see how our heroine "grows" and how the interacts she have with others do change their lives too, not only her own. Anyway, The Life List, is especially a story of love...in it's many forms but especially between a mother and a daughter. The bond between Elizabeth and Brett was just so beautiful to read, and i admit i laughed and cried with it.
Loved it, Loved it!!
I want tell much more, because I don't want to spoil anyone experience while reading this book, i'll just say that I highly recommend it and it's definitely on my favorites!
And well, just go find your old life list or make a new one...and just dream and fight for them to become real.
***ARC kindly provided via netgalley in exchange of a honest review****
November 30, 2013
Audio
1 1/2 stars
Such a disappointment because with all the high rating I expected so much more.
I just wanted it to be over.
There are so many reasons I didn't like the book.
*I felt absolutely no emotion for or connection with any of the characters.
I thought it was overly dramatic and contrived. In fact, I didn't really like any of them except for maybe the attorney. This possibly had to do with the reader of the audio book.
*I got very tired of a dead mother controlling a 34 year old daughter's life from beyond the grave. The premise of a life list is fun but the fact the list was made by a 14 year old girl was silly. Top it off with the stipulation of completing it in 1 year or you don't get your inheritance is plain ridiculous. I'm pretty good at suspending disbelief but this made me think the mother had a cruel side.
*The book almost felt prejudice with over the top stereotypes. There are too many obligatory characters. The latinos, the african americans, the lesbians, the gold-digging trashy friend. All described with derogatory traits. These were plot devices to make us believe the main character was an open-hearted saint.
*The dialog was unnatural and stilted. Where it was supposed to be witty or funny, it came across as sarcastic or rude. Again, this may have been the fault of the audio book reader.
I don't know where all the 4 and 5 star ratings came from. Maybe if I would have read the book myself instead of listening to it, I would have liked it. But I don't think so
June 13, 2017
I truly loved this book. From the first page to the last page. It was like a breath of fresh air. Didn't want it to end and I kept reading and reading not wanting to put it down. Hard to believe this is the authors debut book. I will definitely be waiting patiently for her next book. Highly recommend!! Loved it!!!!
September 30, 2025
I WORSHIP this book. It’s that’s good if you don’t read this once in your life you haven’t lived. This book was definitely a hard read! Definitely hit home. Shows how reality can happen and turn into a feel good book for readers. This will always have a special place in my heart. Brett’s growth and friendships were so inspiring and worthwhile.
May 15, 2016
Knjiga Lori Nelson Spielman - 'Sve što sam željela' - bajkovita je, lijepo napisana i vrlo životna priča, koja i stilom i temom pomalo podsjeća na neke od najboljih ostvarenja Cecelije Ahern, ili pak Lise Jewell.
Priča govori o Brett, mladoj ženi koja je upravo izgubila majku, s kojom je bila veoma bliska. Brettina je majka, kao i Brett i njezina dvojica braće, bila vrlo imućna žena, a također i uspješna direktorica jedne kozmetičke tvrtke, što je bio položaj koji je Brett smatrala da će, nakon majčine smrti, naslijediti. No, Brettina je majka za nju, kako će se ispostaviti, imala sasvim druge planove: naime, kako bi dobila nasljedstvo, majka joj je oporučno ostavila uvjet da ispuni deset ciljeva sa popisa životnih ciljeva koji je Brett svojedobno načinila.
Na prvi pogled, ovaj uvjet možda i ne izgleda osobito zahtjevan, ali stvar je u tome da je spomenuti popis Brett načinila kad je imala svega 14 godina, a na njemu se nalaze i neki ciljevi koji se Brett sada, u njenim tridesedima, čine potpuno neostvarivima - kao, primjerice, roditi dijete, zaljubiti se ili ostvariti potpuno drugačiju karijeru od one sadašnje. Da stvar bude još teža, sve ciljeve Brett mora ispuniti u razdoblju od samo godine dana.
Iako joj se na početku majčina odredba čini potpuno suludom, Brett će ipak pokušati ostvariti svoje davno zapisane životne ciljeve, a kako ih bude ostvarivala, postajat će joj sve jasnije da je njena majka možda ipak bila u pravu kada ju je natjerala da to učini - jer, jedan po jedan, ovi će ciljevi Brett izmijeniti život na načine koje prije ne bi mogla ni pojmiti...
Ovo je jedna od onih priča u kojima jednostavno uživate čitajući ih. Dirljiva je i zabavna, čak izrazito duhovita na nekim dijelovima, a u nekim drugima, pak, i vrlo dramatična. Sposobna je izmamiti vam i smijeh i suze, kao i još čitavu paletu drugih osjećaja, te, nakon čitanja, ostaviti vas s onim osjećajem kao da se rastajete od dragog prijatelja s kojim ste uživali družiti se.
Bilo mi je strašno drago družiti se s Brett, pratiti ju kroz njene uspone i padove i čitavu tu pustolovinu ostvarivanja ciljeva koje je zapisala kao četrnaestogodišnjakinja. Naročito mi se svidjelo to kako svi likovi ovdje na neki način čine jednu obitelj, te posebno kako se sve u biti vrti oko obiteljske povezanosti, s posebnim naglaskom na onu povezanost majke i kćeri, koju je autorica tako vješto i slikovito opisala oslikavajući odnos Brett i njene majke. Ta povezanost se posebno osjeti kroz činjenicu da, iako Brettina majka u romanu zapravo ne sudjeluje kao živući lik, njena se prisutnost, i njen utjecaj na neke događaje, itekako osjeti.
Ovaj je roman, također, vrlo inspirativan i čitatelja navodi da se zapita neke stvari i o odgovorima na ta pitanja razmišlja i nakon što zatvori knjigu. Ono što je zaista divno u njemu oslikano je ta nevjerojatna mogućnost da ti se, ponekad, svi komadići slagalice života, pa čak i oni naizgled potpuno nespojivih oblika, na kraju ipak uspiju posložiti u predivan, savršen mozaik. To je poruka koju nam ova knjiga šalje: ništa nije nemoguće i ništa nije nespojivo, ako imaš hrabrosti dovoljno se potruditi i strpljenja dovoljno dugo ustrajati u traženju savršenih kockica koje će se uklopiti u tvoj životni mozaik.
Nakon što pročitate Brettin popis životnih ciljeva, mnogi će se od vas sigurno prisjetiti i vlastitih, nebitno je li postojao samo jedan ili više njih, u različitim razdobljima vašeg života. A dok ih se budete prisjećali, razmislite i o tome koliko ste ih do sada ostvarili i budite ponosni na sve one koje jeste, a za one koje niste, razmislite biste li ih još htjeli ostvariti i što možete napraviti da to učinite. Brett će vam pokazati da je sve moguće, ali i da sve počinje prvim korakom. Samo treba imati hrabrosti i odlučnosti zakoračiti.
Preporučila bih ovu knjigu svakome tko traži malo inspiracije ili malo vedrine da mu uljepša sumorne dane stvarnosti, a posebno onima koji i sami sanjare o ostvarenju nekih svojih, ma koliko malih ili velikih, želja. Možda vas ova knjiga potakne da krenete u akciju. ;) Jer, baš kao što autorica, na samom kraju zahvala u ovoj knjizi, kaže: "ova knjiga pripada svakoj djevojci i ženi koja između riječi 'sanjarenje' i sanjariti' odabere glagol, a ne imenicu." Ja bih dodala, ne samo svakoj djevojci i ženi, već, jednostavno - svakome.
Priča govori o Brett, mladoj ženi koja je upravo izgubila majku, s kojom je bila veoma bliska. Brettina je majka, kao i Brett i njezina dvojica braće, bila vrlo imućna žena, a također i uspješna direktorica jedne kozmetičke tvrtke, što je bio položaj koji je Brett smatrala da će, nakon majčine smrti, naslijediti. No, Brettina je majka za nju, kako će se ispostaviti, imala sasvim druge planove: naime, kako bi dobila nasljedstvo, majka joj je oporučno ostavila uvjet da ispuni deset ciljeva sa popisa životnih ciljeva koji je Brett svojedobno načinila.
Na prvi pogled, ovaj uvjet možda i ne izgleda osobito zahtjevan, ali stvar je u tome da je spomenuti popis Brett načinila kad je imala svega 14 godina, a na njemu se nalaze i neki ciljevi koji se Brett sada, u njenim tridesedima, čine potpuno neostvarivima - kao, primjerice, roditi dijete, zaljubiti se ili ostvariti potpuno drugačiju karijeru od one sadašnje. Da stvar bude još teža, sve ciljeve Brett mora ispuniti u razdoblju od samo godine dana.
Iako joj se na početku majčina odredba čini potpuno suludom, Brett će ipak pokušati ostvariti svoje davno zapisane životne ciljeve, a kako ih bude ostvarivala, postajat će joj sve jasnije da je njena majka možda ipak bila u pravu kada ju je natjerala da to učini - jer, jedan po jedan, ovi će ciljevi Brett izmijeniti život na načine koje prije ne bi mogla ni pojmiti...
Ovo je jedna od onih priča u kojima jednostavno uživate čitajući ih. Dirljiva je i zabavna, čak izrazito duhovita na nekim dijelovima, a u nekim drugima, pak, i vrlo dramatična. Sposobna je izmamiti vam i smijeh i suze, kao i još čitavu paletu drugih osjećaja, te, nakon čitanja, ostaviti vas s onim osjećajem kao da se rastajete od dragog prijatelja s kojim ste uživali družiti se.
Bilo mi je strašno drago družiti se s Brett, pratiti ju kroz njene uspone i padove i čitavu tu pustolovinu ostvarivanja ciljeva koje je zapisala kao četrnaestogodišnjakinja. Naročito mi se svidjelo to kako svi likovi ovdje na neki način čine jednu obitelj, te posebno kako se sve u biti vrti oko obiteljske povezanosti, s posebnim naglaskom na onu povezanost majke i kćeri, koju je autorica tako vješto i slikovito opisala oslikavajući odnos Brett i njene majke. Ta povezanost se posebno osjeti kroz činjenicu da, iako Brettina majka u romanu zapravo ne sudjeluje kao živući lik, njena se prisutnost, i njen utjecaj na neke događaje, itekako osjeti.
Ovaj je roman, također, vrlo inspirativan i čitatelja navodi da se zapita neke stvari i o odgovorima na ta pitanja razmišlja i nakon što zatvori knjigu. Ono što je zaista divno u njemu oslikano je ta nevjerojatna mogućnost da ti se, ponekad, svi komadići slagalice života, pa čak i oni naizgled potpuno nespojivih oblika, na kraju ipak uspiju posložiti u predivan, savršen mozaik. To je poruka koju nam ova knjiga šalje: ništa nije nemoguće i ništa nije nespojivo, ako imaš hrabrosti dovoljno se potruditi i strpljenja dovoljno dugo ustrajati u traženju savršenih kockica koje će se uklopiti u tvoj životni mozaik.
Nakon što pročitate Brettin popis životnih ciljeva, mnogi će se od vas sigurno prisjetiti i vlastitih, nebitno je li postojao samo jedan ili više njih, u različitim razdobljima vašeg života. A dok ih se budete prisjećali, razmislite i o tome koliko ste ih do sada ostvarili i budite ponosni na sve one koje jeste, a za one koje niste, razmislite biste li ih još htjeli ostvariti i što možete napraviti da to učinite. Brett će vam pokazati da je sve moguće, ali i da sve počinje prvim korakom. Samo treba imati hrabrosti i odlučnosti zakoračiti.
Preporučila bih ovu knjigu svakome tko traži malo inspiracije ili malo vedrine da mu uljepša sumorne dane stvarnosti, a posebno onima koji i sami sanjare o ostvarenju nekih svojih, ma koliko malih ili velikih, želja. Možda vas ova knjiga potakne da krenete u akciju. ;) Jer, baš kao što autorica, na samom kraju zahvala u ovoj knjizi, kaže: "ova knjiga pripada svakoj djevojci i ženi koja između riječi 'sanjarenje' i sanjariti' odabere glagol, a ne imenicu." Ja bih dodala, ne samo svakoj djevojci i ženi, već, jednostavno - svakome.
May 10, 2025
i don’t know what i'll do without my mom :( im not going to sleep tonight, will rethinking my life choices and crying 🥺
April 1, 2025
This book may have let me won the award for the most eye-rolling through a single book.
I really feel the need to apologize, but I connected like zero percent with this book.
I was not a fan of Brett, who was whiny and immature all the time. I know that she was grieving but she was also 34 years old. I don’t speak about how she “managed” the death of her mother but every other single part of her live.
Tbh, she behaved like a spoiled, superficial brat. The people she let be in her life were jerks. For example Andrew. For gods sake, that guy didn’t even go to her mothers funeral dinner! And she lets such a jerk be her boyfriend?
So now let me get started on the whole list thing. I found it to be a very nice idea at the beginning, but then it just made me angrier with every page. Maybe you need some background info to understand this, but I don’t have the best relationship with my mom (it’s fine but I’m not a mummy’s-girl) and when I imagine that my mom tried to dictate me how to live my life (as Elizabeth did here) while she was DEAD, I would freak out completely. The goals on that list were ridiculous, for example that baby-thing. So Brett’s supposed to find the love of her life and get a baby within a year? What kind of crazy is this? And to say that Elizabeth only wants the best for Brett, why the hell did she let her grow up the way she did? It’s like she is criticizing herself, but she chooses the easy way out. It sounds a bit like "Well, I'm dead, but here's everything that's wrong with you"
Why couldn’t she tell her personally, before she died? Her being praised through the whole book as a freaking holy godness who can’t do no wrong? She can’t speak to her daughter who is the most influenceable character I’ve ever read about? When Brett was the one taking care of her during her illness, her mother is not capable of honesty? I found that very hard to believe.
Last but not least, let me speak about the men issues. I start with the obvious one. Why does Brett even need a man? It’s like the first thing on that damn list but why does she need a man? I would rather say that she needs to learn how to live for herself.
So there were Andrew (who she didn’t love) and Herbert (who she didn’t love either, what a coincidence) and Brad and Garrett (who she didn’t even know that well). Now my problems with all of the relationships:
She can not be alone, and you can see that on every single page.
The lawer, Brad, with whom she shared a hot kiss but they didn’t get together for no reason at all. (They would’ve made a nice couple even though it was obvious from the beginning). Then Herbert, who wasn’t necessary for the story at all. (And honestly, if I don’t love somebody I don’t include him in my life so much just because he loves me) and Garrett, and I don’t have any clue how to describe that relationship.
So what is this? A love pentagram? For somebody who hates love triangles it was torture.
I guess we didn’t connect, and maybe I expected to much, but I just wanted to enjoy a nice contemporary. Sadly it didn’t work out.
let me tell you that I feel like the cruelest person in this world for not enjoying this book.
I really feel the need to apologize, but I connected like zero percent with this book.
I was not a fan of Brett, who was whiny and immature all the time. I know that she was grieving but she was also 34 years old. I don’t speak about how she “managed” the death of her mother but every other single part of her live.
Tbh, she behaved like a spoiled, superficial brat. The people she let be in her life were jerks. For example Andrew. For gods sake, that guy didn’t even go to her mothers funeral dinner! And she lets such a jerk be her boyfriend?
So now let me get started on the whole list thing. I found it to be a very nice idea at the beginning, but then it just made me angrier with every page. Maybe you need some background info to understand this, but I don’t have the best relationship with my mom (it’s fine but I’m not a mummy’s-girl) and when I imagine that my mom tried to dictate me how to live my life (as Elizabeth did here) while she was DEAD, I would freak out completely. The goals on that list were ridiculous, for example that baby-thing. So Brett’s supposed to find the love of her life and get a baby within a year? What kind of crazy is this? And to say that Elizabeth only wants the best for Brett, why the hell did she let her grow up the way she did? It’s like she is criticizing herself, but she chooses the easy way out. It sounds a bit like "Well, I'm dead, but here's everything that's wrong with you"
Why couldn’t she tell her personally, before she died? Her being praised through the whole book as a freaking holy godness who can’t do no wrong? She can’t speak to her daughter who is the most influenceable character I’ve ever read about? When Brett was the one taking care of her during her illness, her mother is not capable of honesty? I found that very hard to believe.
Last but not least, let me speak about the men issues. I start with the obvious one. Why does Brett even need a man? It’s like the first thing on that damn list but why does she need a man? I would rather say that she needs to learn how to live for herself.
So there were Andrew (who she didn’t love) and Herbert (who she didn’t love either, what a coincidence) and Brad and Garrett (who she didn’t even know that well). Now my problems with all of the relationships:
She can not be alone, and you can see that on every single page.
The lawer, Brad, with whom she shared a hot kiss but they didn’t get together for no reason at all. (They would’ve made a nice couple even though it was obvious from the beginning). Then Herbert, who wasn’t necessary for the story at all. (And honestly, if I don’t love somebody I don’t include him in my life so much just because he loves me) and Garrett, and I don’t have any clue how to describe that relationship.
So what is this? A love pentagram? For somebody who hates love triangles it was torture.
I guess we didn’t connect, and maybe I expected to much, but I just wanted to enjoy a nice contemporary. Sadly it didn’t work out.
let me tell you that I feel like the cruelest person in this world for not enjoying this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2014
I really need to remember that if the phrase “chick lit” comes anywhere near a book I think I want to read, I must resist. It’s just not the genre for me. I may get sucked in, but I’m almost always very disappointed.
And so it was for “The Life List,” Lori Nelson Spielman’s debut novel. An intriguing if totally unbelievable premise: a 34-year-old woman, Brett, learns upon her adored mother’s death that her huge inheritance is contingent upon Brett’s completing a life list she wrote at age 14. A life list that her mother had retrieved from a wastebasket 20 years earlier, a life list that Brett no longer much cares about (if she ever did). She is given one year to accomplish ten goals; if she does, she’ll receive her bequest. Oh -- the goals include falling in love, having a baby, buying a horse, and performing live on a “super big” stage. Mom wants Brett to find her true self and is positive this is how she’ll do so.
How Brett is able to achieve her mother’s dreams for her -- and to realize that Mom knows best -- is what keeps the reader turning those pages. And, no spoiler here, everything turns out really swell for Brett. But on the way we have to endure big coincidences, one-dimensional characters, and a high-strung protagonist who spends a lot of time weeping.
Nope, definitely not my thing.
And so it was for “The Life List,” Lori Nelson Spielman’s debut novel. An intriguing if totally unbelievable premise: a 34-year-old woman, Brett, learns upon her adored mother’s death that her huge inheritance is contingent upon Brett’s completing a life list she wrote at age 14. A life list that her mother had retrieved from a wastebasket 20 years earlier, a life list that Brett no longer much cares about (if she ever did). She is given one year to accomplish ten goals; if she does, she’ll receive her bequest. Oh -- the goals include falling in love, having a baby, buying a horse, and performing live on a “super big” stage. Mom wants Brett to find her true self and is positive this is how she’ll do so.
How Brett is able to achieve her mother’s dreams for her -- and to realize that Mom knows best -- is what keeps the reader turning those pages. And, no spoiler here, everything turns out really swell for Brett. But on the way we have to endure big coincidences, one-dimensional characters, and a high-strung protagonist who spends a lot of time weeping.
Nope, definitely not my thing.
October 30, 2012
Fiction: This book doesn’t come out until summer 2013 but I was lucky enough to get an early copy. Chick Lit at it’s best! I devoured this one. A great heroine, a strange will, a seemingly impossible quest. The book has real heart.
October 5, 2017
Can I give a book no stars? It shocks me not that this book was written by a blond haired white lady. Full of offensive stereotypes and white saviors.
August 7, 2013
Without a doubt, this book is a powerful work of fiction, stirring a bittersweet brew of emotions in its reader. Beautifully written, it tells a poignant story of a mother-daughter love transcending death. At least on the surface, it does, but when you dig deeper, you realize that something doesn’t jibe. Although at first glance, the book’s vibrations seem authentic, beneath the cosmetic layer, falsehood resides.
The novel starts, when Brett’s beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies from cancer. Stricken with grief, Brett arrives at her mother’s will reading, only to suffer a terrible shock. While her two brothers inherit millions, Brett inherits zilch. Or rather, her inheritance is delayed and conditional.
To become eligible, she must fulfill a life list, which she herself had compiled when she was 14. Making her life even more interesting, all the items on the list must be completed within one year. Otherwise, she won’t receive a dime. And, as the finishing touch, in her last, posthumous action, Elizabeth decreed that Brett must be fired from her marketing position with the family firm. Now, Brett has no income, no job, and her only consolation is the life list that reflects her mother’s love. Or does it?
Here, my view diverges from the author’s. I think love should include respect and acceptance. When you love someone, you grant her the rights to choose her own path and to make her own mistakes. You give advice, yes, but you don’t force complaisance, don’t foist your way of life on someone you love. You support unconditionally, whatever she chooses. Otherwise, it’s not love at all. When free choice is removed from the equation, it’s called tyranny.
In this regard, Elizabeth’s actions stink of tyranny. They evoke such notions as contempt and mockery, not love. Only someone who despises her daughter would include the item ‘fall in love’ as a prerequisite for inheritance. Within one year too. As if love would adhere to schedule.
In the book, Elizabeth supposedly knew that her daughter was unhappy in her personal and professional life. She made her will into a weapon, serving one purpose: to steer her daughter into a different orbit, to enforce her happiness (what an oxymoron!). I don’t see love there. I see an autocratic woman who tries to control her daughter from beyond the grave.
Unaccountably, Brett allows it. She complies with her mother’s last wishes instead of doing the logical thing and contesting the will. The novel follows Brett, as she struggles to accomplish all the items on her prescribed list within her crazy deadline. After each goal is attained, Brett is allowed to read one of her mother’s letters, attached to that particular goal. All the letters are part of the narrative; they’re full of loving words, very teary, but they’re just words on paper. Why can’t Brett see that? Her millionaire mother left her penniless. If it’s not cruelty, what is? Why does Brett believe the words and not the deeds? Why does she continue with this impossible charade of her life list?
As I witnessed Brett’s frantic scrambling to appease a corpse, I sometimes got so angry on her behalf, I had to close the book and pace. My stomach knotted. I wanted to scream in frustration at the poor woman: Don’t be such a doormat! See through your mother’s machinations! Fight! Rebel! But she wouldn’t. Even though her mother was dead, Brett still remained the obedient, spineless daughter she has always been. And her love for her mother never diminished.
Of course, in real life, most sane persons in Brett’s position would also jump through hoops to get to their millions, but the author doesn’t want her reader to think that Brett is motivated by money. She writes Brett as an altruist, a goody-good with an infinite capacity for love. Every line of the novel’s marvelous prose thrums true, invokes a wide range of feelings, touches her reader’s heartstrings.
I wanted to believe her but I couldn’t. It infuriated me that such a great writer would create such a lie. About love, no less. It wouldn’t be so bad, if the writer weren’t so good.
The novel starts, when Brett’s beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies from cancer. Stricken with grief, Brett arrives at her mother’s will reading, only to suffer a terrible shock. While her two brothers inherit millions, Brett inherits zilch. Or rather, her inheritance is delayed and conditional.
To become eligible, she must fulfill a life list, which she herself had compiled when she was 14. Making her life even more interesting, all the items on the list must be completed within one year. Otherwise, she won’t receive a dime. And, as the finishing touch, in her last, posthumous action, Elizabeth decreed that Brett must be fired from her marketing position with the family firm. Now, Brett has no income, no job, and her only consolation is the life list that reflects her mother’s love. Or does it?
Here, my view diverges from the author’s. I think love should include respect and acceptance. When you love someone, you grant her the rights to choose her own path and to make her own mistakes. You give advice, yes, but you don’t force complaisance, don’t foist your way of life on someone you love. You support unconditionally, whatever she chooses. Otherwise, it’s not love at all. When free choice is removed from the equation, it’s called tyranny.
In this regard, Elizabeth’s actions stink of tyranny. They evoke such notions as contempt and mockery, not love. Only someone who despises her daughter would include the item ‘fall in love’ as a prerequisite for inheritance. Within one year too. As if love would adhere to schedule.
In the book, Elizabeth supposedly knew that her daughter was unhappy in her personal and professional life. She made her will into a weapon, serving one purpose: to steer her daughter into a different orbit, to enforce her happiness (what an oxymoron!). I don’t see love there. I see an autocratic woman who tries to control her daughter from beyond the grave.
Unaccountably, Brett allows it. She complies with her mother’s last wishes instead of doing the logical thing and contesting the will. The novel follows Brett, as she struggles to accomplish all the items on her prescribed list within her crazy deadline. After each goal is attained, Brett is allowed to read one of her mother’s letters, attached to that particular goal. All the letters are part of the narrative; they’re full of loving words, very teary, but they’re just words on paper. Why can’t Brett see that? Her millionaire mother left her penniless. If it’s not cruelty, what is? Why does Brett believe the words and not the deeds? Why does she continue with this impossible charade of her life list?
As I witnessed Brett’s frantic scrambling to appease a corpse, I sometimes got so angry on her behalf, I had to close the book and pace. My stomach knotted. I wanted to scream in frustration at the poor woman: Don’t be such a doormat! See through your mother’s machinations! Fight! Rebel! But she wouldn’t. Even though her mother was dead, Brett still remained the obedient, spineless daughter she has always been. And her love for her mother never diminished.
Of course, in real life, most sane persons in Brett’s position would also jump through hoops to get to their millions, but the author doesn’t want her reader to think that Brett is motivated by money. She writes Brett as an altruist, a goody-good with an infinite capacity for love. Every line of the novel’s marvelous prose thrums true, invokes a wide range of feelings, touches her reader’s heartstrings.
I wanted to believe her but I couldn’t. It infuriated me that such a great writer would create such a lie. About love, no less. It wouldn’t be so bad, if the writer weren’t so good.
December 18, 2020
I feel like a cynical, cold hearted rake for not liking this one (see, getting into Bridgerton mode already) -I know, I know, the book has nothing to do with "rakes" or historical reading ...
Most of my friends who have read this loved it and shed a tear ... I found it boring and I had to force myself to finish it. I thought ending was stupid - yeah, yeah, "it was cute" (not really). Maybe lockdown has addled my brain as my reading has definitely been "off" this year. I will barely make my reading goal and I set it low this year ... anyway, I shouldn't complain!
Back to the book - I honestly haven't much to say about it. Brett came across as a bit immature and annoying. The way everything fell into place in the end was a bit too cheesy and sugar-coated. I don't have much more to say. Halfway through I mentioned that I was "half intrigued and half bored" by the book ... should have gone with my gut feeling and just given up on it. Plus it took me a week to finish it ... It rarely takes me a week to finish a book. I even finished Ulysses in less than a week (insert sarcasm and eye roll and a private joke that Himself would get!).
Most of my friends who have read this loved it and shed a tear ... I found it boring and I had to force myself to finish it. I thought ending was stupid - yeah, yeah, "it was cute" (not really). Maybe lockdown has addled my brain as my reading has definitely been "off" this year. I will barely make my reading goal and I set it low this year ... anyway, I shouldn't complain!
Back to the book - I honestly haven't much to say about it. Brett came across as a bit immature and annoying. The way everything fell into place in the end was a bit too cheesy and sugar-coated. I don't have much more to say. Halfway through I mentioned that I was "half intrigued and half bored" by the book ... should have gone with my gut feeling and just given up on it. Plus it took me a week to finish it ... It rarely takes me a week to finish a book. I even finished Ulysses in less than a week (insert sarcasm and eye roll and a private joke that Himself would get!).
June 14, 2013
I should have known from the purplish cover and the flower, that this book was a chick lit book. I dove in bravely, ready for shallowness, and then I was somewhat surprised. THe plot is about a woman who loses her mother, who is her best friend to cancer. The mother leaves her other two children with their inheritances, but for the unfortunately named Brett, she must go through a list of things she wanted to accomplish in her life that she wrote as a child and do them all to get it. The story reminds me of other chick lit books, but the main character was fun and well written, and the book had a few sad moments, and a few funny ones as well. I especially liked the character of Carrie and her friendship with Brett.
April 10, 2020
Ah ce carte frumoasa!! Nu ma asteptam sa ma impresioneze asa tare, povestea asta ma va insoti mult timp de acum inainte. Mi-a placut mult, as mai fi citit inca pe atat. E despre speranta, regasirea de sine, prietenie si curajul de a incepe o noua viata total diferita de cea pe care o cunosti, cu care te simti confortabil, dar in care nu esti tu cu adevarat. De cate ori nu traim viata pe care o vor altii pentru noi, sau pe cea in care credem ca asa trebuie sa fim doar pentru ca persoanele dragi au alte asteptari de la noi, dar totusi e o viata total diferita de ceea ce ne dorim noi cu adevarat? Maine e intr-adevar o noua zi, una diferita, poate mai buna decat ieri, una cu care sa incepem sa ne construim visul, sa ne acceptam asa cum suntem, sa ajutam daca putem, sa facem ceva pentru noi, sa speram si sa nu ne dam batuti. Recomand!
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