Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
352 Pages
Release Date: May 10th, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4 STARS

Goodreads Summary:
Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

Sweet and undeniably worth reading, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour shows and (for me) kinda represents life metaphorically speaking. With all the unknowns we have to past and knowing your destination but not exactly having an exact plan for reaching it. I really love how we see Amy and Roger's distance in the beginning gradually shorten through out their road trip and how close they were able to become close friends. Each stop in their road trip has so much meaning to one/each of them that makes it much more special than just an ordinary road trip. One of my favorite things about reading this story was Amy's road trip journey where you could see each of their playlists, receipts of what they bought/ate, info on some of the states, and even some doodles that made it more fun and easy to read.

Amy was a great character and it was easy to feel for her. Not pity her but actually understand what it was like for her after her dad died and they way it impacted her family. This road trip really helped her come to terms with her dad's death and doing what she wanted to do. In each place they visited, there some side characters that were a great addition to the story and how its easier sometimes to talk to a stranger who you know you won't see again. It was also cool seeing her passion for acting and some of the musical references. I love seeing how Roger affected her throughout the entire trip and her change as they made their way across the U.S.

Roger was a chill and pretty easy to character to like. There aren't many male characters that I've read that was so in love and determined to get an explanation from his ex, Hadley. And I liked seeing him start realizing that she wasn't worth it. Also Hadley annoyed the crap out of me and I honestly didn't get what he saw in her. At a point I kinda understood how she was but at the same time I feel like it just wasn't worth it. the fact that Roger's a history geek made him so much more adorable.

Definitely one to pick up for all you contemporary fans and those who just want a road trip book. It's a great summer book and perfect for reading on a warm, sunny day.  I hope one day I'll be able to have a fun adventure like theirs. Happy Readings!