August’s Book Corner – Before I Die by Jenny Downham
RHCP Digital, 2008
Book Corner is our monthly online book club.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Anyone can take part in our book club. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below.
This month, our pick is Before I Die by Jenny Downham. (This was also published as Now is Good.)
About Before I Die:
Tessa has just a few months to live.
Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is sex.
Released from the constraints of ‘normal’ life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up.
Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out.
What are your overall thoughts on the book?
by 
I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.
3 Responses to August’s Book Corner – Before I Die by Jenny Downham
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Wow. I loved this book. It was one of those pick up and couldn’t put down books. I stayed in bed/on the sofa all weekend to read it. I’ve been told it’s similar to The Fault In Our Stars – as it deals with the teenage cancer theme (I’ve not read it so can’t comment).
I liked Tessa. She was sometimes difficult, and angry, and crazy, but who can blame her – it made her very real. Her relationship with her little brother was brilliant – total love/hate/love.
The ending is inevitable, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read. It’s done very, very well, and I cried my eyes out for ages afterwards. I couldn’t stop. So well written.
I didn’t know a film had been made from this, and with my hate films of books I love, I’m not sure I could watch it, but I might – might – give it a go.
Oh wow this sounds like a very hard but inspiring book to read. Off I go to see if I can get it. Thanks for mentioning it.
Let me know what you think. I’ve not read this one yet but I’ve seen the film that’s based on it. I did cry.