June 26, 2012

Road Trip to Remember • Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour book cover
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 4, 2010
Source/Format: Bought || Paperback

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.


Honestly, I've been trying to type this "review" for what feels like weeks now. I literally just want to go, "I loved this book and I think everyone should read it!" Because that is exactly how I felt about AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR - it was a book that I loved from start to finish, and that I would definitely want to share with just about every reader on the planet.

Going on a road trip has always been one of my own personal dreams. This book is about a road trip - I loved tagging along with Amy and Roger, seeing the places they got to visit through their eyes and just being able to vicariously experience everything through these characters. It was fun, and inspiring, and certainly an adventure that I wouldn't mind going on again and again.

The thing about going on a road trip is that you need the three following things: good food, good music and good company. I remember having cravings reading this book - in particular for Slurpees and Cheetos - which I satisfied. And the musical playlists in the book were fun and inspired me to make their own.

But what really made this novel special for me was the company - specifically Amy and Roger. Each of them had their own emotional journeys to go through (Amy with her family crisis, Roger with his romantic relationship). MORGAN MATSON wrote these character's stories, wove them together and just made me truly feel for the characters as a reader.

I absolutely loved AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR. Honestly, the book left me absolutely speechless with emotion as I finished it. With a beautifully written story and characters that seem so real that we could be friends, MORGAN MATSON has created a tale that warmed my heart... and captured it too.

15 Comments:

  1. HEARTS IN MY EYES FOR THIS BOOK. And this review! It was such a lovely read and Morgan Matson really knows how to tackle the more serious moments in between. I loved so much of the book, but the ending always stands out for me -- it said everything I needed to know.

    Have you read Second Chance Summer yet? If not, I truly hope you enjoy that one as well!

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  2. augh such a wonderful review, Alexa! It made me really want to go on a roadtrip with my friends and explore like they did. I really loved seeing all the food places they mentioned, especially since I knew some of them. :)

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  3. I love this book--it's one I recommend over and over again, because there's just so much that's emotionally real in Amy and Roger both. (Amy and Roger have a tiny cameo in Morgan's new book, which made me giddy.)

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  4. I'm so happy that you loved this one! I adored this book when I read it and even took the time to build all of the playlists in my iPod -- all of which are GREAT! Can't wait to get Morgan Matson's other book, Second Chance Summer, from the library. :)

    Great review!

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  5. Alexa, you are SO BAD for my book-buying-controll! Seriously, this book wasn't even really on my radar and now I feel the inexplicable urge to order it... But I'm on a ban...
    But it sounds wonderful and I think you're absolutely right about a road trip needing those three things! It's funny how spending time in a car can be either so much fun or horribly boring depending on those factors :)

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  6. Yay! I just bought this way cheap at ALA, and got to meet Morgan and have her sign my copy! I've had my eye on it for a while, and this as the perfect time to get it! I am SO excited to get to it now, because of your review! My life is a road trip it seems, and I love reading about them. Great review! And I know what you mean about having a hard time reviewing some books because you loved them so much. This happens to me a lot!

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  7. I'm so jealous that you got to meet Morgan. I loved her book SO much, and not just because it's about a road trip!

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  8. I wasn't intending to get this one either, but then I started reading the first few pages at the store and I was hooked. I'm sorry about making your wallet a little lighter BUT I'm not sorry about telling you about this awesome book!

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  9. It's SO good. And I'm very excited to do the same and add all the songs to my iPod.

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  10. I would LOVE to go on a road trip cross-country the way they did in the book. It would make for quite the adventure!

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  11. I haven't read Second Chance Summer yet, but I do intend to read it soon. I've been hearing wonderful things about it!

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  12. Magan @ Rather Be ReadingJuly 3, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    I love me some Morgan Matson! I have not yet read this one, but I did recently purchase not one.. but two copies. I know, I know! I bought one on Amazon and then she was at ALA and I had her sign this one. Your review has me giddy that I've got this in my possession because it sounds like I should read it ASAP. :)

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  13. Ashley @ Ashley Loves BooksJuly 6, 2012 at 10:32 PM

    THIS BOOK. So much love for this book. I feel everything about this book! Amy and Roger are probably some of my favourite characters ever, and I love them together so much. Their personal journey tied into the road trip journey is just perfect. And I loved the playlists too! I've made a few of the myself, and I hope to one day actually re-read the book and listen to the music at the same time. Another favourite thing was the haikus during Yosemite! They were so much fun! I chatted with Morgan about them a bit when we met and she said they were a blast to make, too. I'm so glad you loved this one!


    (Also, I hope you go on a road trip soon! I've done tons of them and each timeI fall more in love with it. Such an experience.)

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  14. This book was pure brilliance. I love the characters, their stories, the whole road trip experience. Your review touched on all my favorite parts! I love them, the music playlists, and yes I too had cravings for slurpees lol!

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