Trend Alert: Buckets and Lists

Trend Starter: The Boyfriend List, All-American Girl

I like lists--who doesn't? There's something so satisfying about doing something and then getting to cross it off. I've found that books with lists make for good reading as well, maybe because the presence of a list gives the entire book structure and something to work towards? The first list-book I remember is All American Girl. Cabot had scattered Top 10 lists throughout the book; they were always funny, interesting or led to important revelations. I fully remember skipping ahead, looking for the next list because they were so funny. Meanwhile, The Boyfriend List is a little more recent example. The entire book revolves around Ruby's list of past boyfriends--one boy for each chapter. It's full of drama--Ruby is a 15-year-old with a shrink who's had a rough ten days. The back of the book is a list of all the crazy stuff that happened.

A lot of new books seem to have picked up on my List = Good Book formula, so I started keeping track of them. Here is my list of (teen) books with lists:

Cancer-Related Bucket Lists:

Side Effects May Vary -- Available Now
Status: Read
When Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she gets right to work on completing her bucket list. After doing several revenge-related entries among others, Alice goes into remission and has to face the consequences of everything she's done. Excerpt of my review: "Julie's captured something really authentic here, and it might rip you apart a little bit. Basically, Alice doesn't know what she's doing, and I think that's something all of us can relate to. Sometimes she makes bad decisions, and you'll want to grab her by the shoulders and give her a shake. Sometimes she's some sort of criminal mastermind, and you'll want to give her a high-five and compliment her on her originality. But mostly you'll get sucked in, thinking about how love and health can change your priorities, plans and general outlook."

The F-it List -- Available Now
Status: Read
One sentence summary: Alex is asked to complete Becca's bucket list when Becca is diagnosed with cancer. You should be able to tell just from the title that this book's got some mature content, but that's what makes it so great. Sometimes you've got to show the ugly side of things, and let the bad decisions reign. You've got some romance here, but this is very much a book about friendship.

Bucket or To-do Lists:

Dark Days -- June 3rd, 2014
Status: Read, Wishlist
This is a book with a list AND a time limit. Our main character, Sia, only has 15 days left to live. And, not because she's sick or there's an apocalypse coming, but because the world is calling a redo and she hasn't been deemed important enough be included in the new society. But, that's okay, Sia's got her list, and it just might lead her to a boy and a plan.



The Wrap-up List -- Available Now
Status: Read, Own
This is a weird one. The premise is that a rare amount of deaths, called "departures," occur when a creature, called Death, writes you a letter to say your time is almost up. Before you die, you make a wrap-up list of things you want to do before you die, including a pardon, a chance to save yourself by outsmarting your Death. Clever, different, love it.


Since You've Been Gone -- Available Now
Status: Currently Reading
Emily's wild best friend, Sloane, completely disappears, leaving only a to-do list. Hoping the list will lead her back to her friend, Emily starts checking off the tasks. So far, so good.

Popularity Lists:

The List -- Available Now
Status: Read, Wishlist
In the beginning of every school year a list is posted naming the prettiest and ugliest girl in each grade. You cycle through each of the girl's lives, seeing how their title changes things. This could be a good match for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, because of the "everyone has problems" theme. Bonus: the mystery of who posts the list.

They All Fall Down -- October 14, 2014
Status: Read
Every year at Vienna High a list of the ten hottest girls is posted. For these girls, the changes are instant: new friends and suitors, invitations to the best parties and connections that will make for a cushy future. Oh, and they also might become a target for murder, maybe. One by one, the girls on the list start dying.  I do not remember how this ends, but I do remember how much fun I had reading it.

Also Try:

Play Me Backwards -- August 26, 2014
Status: Read, Wishlist
No list in this one, more like a series of random assignments, but I thought the effect still felt the same. It's like a list where the next entry is a complete surprise--it could be anything. Basically, Leon, a slacker formerly in the gifted program, needs to get his life together. He begins to receive assignments from his best friend, Stan, who is possibly the Devil. It's from a guy's POV, but the mature relationships are portrayed in a respectful manner. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish it, because I couldn't put it down.

Are there more out there that I either forgot or haven't read yet?