Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Review: 30 DAYS TO 30 by Courtney Psak

“We’re going to have to ask you to seek new employment.” Well, if that ain’t just a snobby kick in the face?

That’s exactly how it all starts off for Jill Stevens, who is just one month away from her 30th birthday. On top of that, she finds her boyfriend has been cheating on her and gets kicked out into the street. As Jill would say, “I guess this is what rock bottom feels like.”

Now back to square one: back to mother’s house. Of course, you’d feel like a failure at this point. But maybe a list is just the thing to get her out of this funk. “Thirty things to do before I’m thirty.” 

Some of the things on her list sounded fun, like skydiving or riding a rollercoaster. Write a book, travel the world, learn another language—all things on my bucket list. Of course, how the heck was she going to complete all this in 30 days?

At first, things don’t go as well as she hoped. Well, do they ever? But with the help of her best friend and an old high school boyfriend, who looks better now than back then, Jill surpasses her fumbling, harebrain attempts and learns to take them in stride, enjoying them and even laughing a little.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. Readers will root for Jill to complete her list, even though that, realistically, it may not be possible. But, like she said, “[the list has] been the only thing keeping [her] going lately.” (103) I especially liked that, for once, Jill is trying out all the things she’s wanted to try but never had the time. Perhaps advice for us all? Certain areas lagged a bit but did not detour from the story.

Ultimately, this is a story of nostalgia and regret and putting a slamming twist to it all. Perhaps we should all make a goal to do something new every day. Full of humor and wit, 30 Days to 30 is a great read for anyone battling a midlife crisis, those seeking confidence, reassurance, and a lost self. It just makes you want to get up, get out there, and do something. Live it up!

My rating: 4 stars


No comments:

Post a Comment