Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Everyone is constantly talking about this book. And I have to say, it is definitely as good as everyone says. After finishing my last book, I needed something light and happy. This book was exactly what I needed. It was entertaining and the characters were real.

This was a contemporary which is typically not my genre. However, the idea of a road trip across America sounds amazing. I loved watching Amy and Roger grow both as individuals and as a couple throughout the book. They were both what the other needed at that time in their lives.

I absolutely loved all the playlists throughout the book and the scrapbook pages about their trip. The one aspect of this book that was slightly disappointing was the end. I really would have loved to know more about what the results of the detour were. Like what happens with her mother, Julia, and Charlie. Plus of course what happens between Roger and her. But at the same time the ending was perfect since it ended at the end of their detour. She was finally in Connecticut which was the goal all along.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a quick read. While this may have been better to read in the summer, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. After reading this, I definitely will be picking up more of Morgan Matson's books in the future.

(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)

So, the other day this thing happened. It was called a #LitLush Twitter chat. It came up that Magan, Cass, Sana, and I had never read Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. And that was, apparently, entirely unacceptable. Thus, an impromptu readalong was promptly set up.

I was always scared this was going to be one of those overly-hyped books. You know, the one you see EVERYWHERE, and everyone loves it. So your expectations are a little higher than they would be for a book you just picked up randomly off a shelf because it looked good. Then you read it...and you don't get it. It's fine, but nothing special. Thankfully, this was NOT the case with Amy & Roger. It is beloved for good reason.



I'm completely in love with the typography. Just LOOK AT IT. ♥

I harbor a lot of adoration for this book. It took me a while to fall in love. While I really liked it in the beginning, it grew more and more magnificent as the story progressed. I finally got a chance to sit down and devour it after a couple days, and I was so grateful! Because by then, I was completely immersed in the the story.

It's been a while since I've been on a road trip, and this book majorly renewed my desire to do it again. There are only three things that are absolutely mandatory for a great road trip: good music, good company, and good snacks. And this book had them all. I LOVED how much music there was in this book. I knew a bit of Roger's music, but I'm a huge musical fan. So if we were to compare our iTunes, I probably would have had a lot more in common with Amy.

I loved both Roger and Amy. They both had their issues to work through. They were in a potentially rather awkward situation, driving cross-country with a near stranger. But they found a way to make the most of it, visiting places they wanted to see, accidentally taking deserted roads, finding unexpected friends, and confronting pieces of their past. My only complaint is that I would have liked a little more resolution with Amy's best friend. There was an issue mentioned several times, but it was never really resolved.

The way the book was written was very appealing. Though I know some people aren't a fan, I love the jumping back-and-forth in time approach to books. It keeps you on your toes, and it reveals things as they need to be known. And I much prefer flashbacks to infodumping. You really get to know the characters better that way, too. Matson used the flashbacks very wisely in this book. There were enough to know the story and the characters, but not enough to feel superfluous.

I happened to be obsessing over the new Jillette Johnson album at the time I was reading this. As a rule (although there are exceptions), I don't listen to music with words while I'm reading. I love the music too much and get pulled out of the story because I want to sing along. But there was a really obnoxious bird right outside while I was reading, so I put on this album while I was reading to drown it out. Around the second time around, it hit me that one of the songs was perfect for the book! “True North” wound up sort of becoming my Amy & Roger theme song.

Overall, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour was a thoroughly charming read. If you've yet to read this one, a few words of advice: be prepared to cry a little, swoon quite a bit more, and be bitten by the road trip bug. And if you're like me, you'll enjoy every second! Now, I just need to read Second Chance Summer. After I've restocked all the Kleenaxes in the apartment. I have a feeling I'll be needing them.

This is exactly what I needed to read. The somewhat open ending upsets me though and that's what makes me give it 4 stars instead of 5. I have too many unanswered questions. I do think the ending works well though.

“Amy & Roger's Epic Detour”, es un libro fascinante, entra en la categoría On-Road, así que si te gustan los libros de viajes, como a mí, lo vas a amar. Está acompañado de una más que excelente banda sonora: Elvis, Wicked, Mika, RENT, entre musicales, oldies, Rock&Roll e Indies. Lo interesante es que la misma Morgan tiene los playlist armados para nosotros.

Ahora sí el libro.

Recuerdo empezarlo temprano en la tarde, iba a leer una par de capítulos y dejarlo para después, tenía pensado que duraría dos o tres días. Solo me duró uno, con descanso para comer y otras necesidades humanas como respirar.

El libro es atrapante desde el primer capítulo, tiene un comienzo un tanto existencialista muy bonito, seré sincera, pensé que sería un libro triste, ya me veía llorando a mares u odiando a la protagonista por llorona. Pero no. Es muy entretenido. Nos encontramos con una Amy que ha estado llevando la muerte de su padre de manera sombría, su familia tomó cambios radicales que no la dejaban procesar su dolor. Al contrario, lo empaquetaba y la consumía por hacer las cosas bien y más fáciles para su mamá. Uno de los grandes cambios es la mudanza, hecho que la hace sentirse vacía al no tener Hogar al cual regresar, todos estos cambios dolorosos son demasiados. Su nueva casa se encuentra en Connecticut, un viaje de aproximadamente tres días manejando, eso siguiendo el itinerario de mamá. Roger, hijo de un conocido, es el chofer, casi no se conocen, pero por ahora tendrán que soportarse durante tres largos días. En el camino, cada quién por sus propias razones, toman un pequeño e inocente desvío. Que va bien, pero despierta en Amy poco a poco, y con la ayuda de Roger, la persona que era.

Lee la reseña completa: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

From frozen yogurt (California), to frozen custard (Kansas), to derby pie (Kentucky), to Dairy Queen (Virginia), Amy Curry and Roger Sullivan travel the nation on in unrestricted journey from Cali to Connecticut and discover that meeting new people and overcoming old pains is just some of the many things that life may throw at you when you are completely unprepared. After a horrible car accident, Amy feels beyond repair when for so long her father had been a constant figure in her world who loved Elvis and Life Savers hard candy, and now she feels like moving across the country is the worst betrayal of all to his death. With her brother, Charlie, in a North Carolina rehab facility and her mother in their new house in Connecticut, Amy must go with Roger–a guy she barely remembers playing Spud with–on a road trip she's dreading for its significance. Only, when they take one small detour, they discover that there may be room for more if they take the scenic route instead of the convenient one.

I truly enjoyed the pace of this book because I felt that although it took its time in explaining many structures that made up the plot–the states, Amy's past, Roger's current conflicts and interests–Matson made the road trip feel like a fulfilling quest of independence and freedom. I learned the motto to a state I've actually been to and a meal that is so famous in the most expensive hotel there–I'm exaggerating. I love learning tidbits I've never known about the things that I've only bypassed and didn't spend the time to discover.

My favorite aspects of this book had to be the many people that Amy and Roger met while traveling Middle America. Walcott being my dream guy because I loved his soul-bearing rocker attitude so much and I could pretty much picture his future in my head, which of course would reside in Kansas since he has so much pride in his state, his home I should say. He would definitely be one of those mental heart breakers because you'd fall so deep you wouldn't begin to know how to get back up. Roger had the most fantastic college friends that I just adhered to because of their genuine personalities and wholesome feel.

While Amy helps Roger with his ex-girlfriend breakup, her problems take a backseat till you reach closer to the end of the book. This was fine with me because while he was taking of his problems Amy did not become an inactive character at all. She learned how to start to break down the barrier surrounding her and let loose some unbearable pain and resentment for the things that haven't been said aloud.

I believe that Matson is an artist at building relationships, situations and emotions between characters that bring them to levels of familiarity where none was expected to be found. I cannot recommend Amy & Roger's Epic Detour enough to adults and young adults who will appreciate the view into America and its winding roads.

Grade: A