Amy Curry is having a terrible year. Her mother has decided to move across the country and needs Amy to get their car from California to Connecticut. There's just one small problem: Since her dad died this past spring, Amy hasn't been able to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger, the nineteen-year-old son of an old family friend, who turns out to be unexpectedly cute. . . and dealing with some baggage of his own.
Meeting new people and coming to terms with her father's death were not what Amy had planned on this trip. And traveling the Loneliest Road in America, seeing the Colorado mountains, crossing the Kansas plains, and visiting diners, dingy motels, and Graceland were definitely not on the itinerary. But as they drive, Amy finds that the people you least expected are the ones you may need the most--and that sometimes you have to get lost in order to find your way home.
Title: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Publication Date: May 4, 2010
Source: Received for review from publicist. Many thanks goes to Loretta from Simon & Schuster for sending me this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 5/5
Amy is having a hard time dealing with her father's death. She hasn't been able to get behind the wheel since, and she ultimately blames herself for his death. Unfortunately, her mother is relocating the family to Connecticut, and needs someone to drive the car from California to their new home. Amy still isn't up to driving, and so, Roger enters the picture. Amy vaguely recognizes Roger as the kid who lived down the street many years ago. Roger's mother, and Amy's for that matter, have decided that Roger and Amy should bring the car back, together. Things get interesting when they decide to deviate from the original plan, and take a few detours of their own.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Amy is such a poignant character. I felt heartsick for her, and sympathized with her. It was truly a joy to watch her develop under Matson's firm hand. She seemed to come to life, and poured her heart out for the reader to see. She seemed so real. I think Matson captured the angst, and turmoil of a teenager's heart perfectly.
Roger was also absolutely brilliant, and he was a true gentleman. Sure, he's a guy, but he happens to be one of the good ones. He and Amy both seemed to complement each other beautifully. It was captivating to watch their personalities unfold, and see how they meshed, as they had been almost complete strangers before they embarked on the road trip.
Matson weaves together bittersweet emotions, sorrow, hope, and a sense of finding yourself within this remarkable journey. The road trip wasn't just a trip, it was also about the journey to finding oneself after adversity, to knowing who you are, and realizing that there is always hope. Things will get better, maybe not today, or tomorrow, but one day.
I also absolutely loved the sense of adventure within this book, and thought that it, as well as the playlists offset the sad tone created, therefore making it an even more enjoyable read.
All in all, this was an incredibly heartwarming read that runs the gamut of emotions. You'll be laughing, crying, and singing along to the songs while reading this book. It truly is a detour worth taking.
2 comments:
I loved this book! It was the perfect summer read.
This sounds like something I would enjoy. It's been awhile since I've read a book that had a road trip at the heart of it.
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