Before I Die
Fiction
By Jenny Downham
Reviewed by Jenna Cupp
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sixteen year old Tessa Scott is a courageous, exciting and caring young woman. But she isn’t like most girls her age, Tessa’s sick with Leukemia that she doesn’t want to cure. She’s going to die and everyone knows it or everyone’s going to find out. Her dad, a stressed father, researched Tessa’s disease 24/7 to try to find out more about the disease and maybe find something that could help her. Tessa doesn’t want the medications though and she knows that it’s not worth it, she’s going to die. Knowing this, Tessa wants to live her life like nobodies watching. She has a list of 10 things she wants to do before she dies. Some are crazy, but some are heart-warming. Tessa will learn, when completing the list that things won’t go as planned and some things on the list will change, along with Tessa’s heart. With the help of Adam and Zoey, Tessa will try to complete the list, but will it happen?
Jenny Downham is a great writer. She wants to capture the idea that you have to live life to the fullest and she does just that. This book is defiantly for teenage girls and up. Before I Die is about dreaming, receiving and striving for the best in life. Tessa knows what’s going to happen, but she doesn’t make an excuse, she makes an effort.
