Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

    Amy's family fell apart two months ago with the death of her father. Her mother left their home in California for Connecticut to prepare for their new life and her twin brother Charlie is in rehab in North Carolina. Family friend Roger, whom Amy barely remembers, will driver her across America to Connecticut on what is supposed to be a short road trip. Amy and Roger have a better idea. They will embark on the most epic detour ever! Along the way they will learn more about themselves than they ever imagined and just possibly the power that comes with forgiveness and love

     This book was so good! Amy's pain and all of the little everyday things that reminded her of her dad were heartbreaking. The even more touching part was that her pain was believable. On a personal note, I was able to relate and found this very believable just having lost someone close to me. Ms. Matson conveyed these bittersweet reminders perfectly. This story also showed the all too true way that some families fall apart when tragedy strikes. This is where Roger comes in and is the perfect person to help Amy with her grief. Roger was a good edition to the story. His troubles and drama were the perfect foil to Amy's sadness. I absolutely loved the little editions of photos, receipts, and state facts scattered throughout the book.. Normally I don't like these "detractors" in books, but these added a bit of authenticity to the book. I found myself wishing I could've been on the trip with them. In the end, this story left off with the perfect conclusion; the uncertainty, possibility, and hope for the future. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

***Amy & Roger's Epic Detour Extras***
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson has approximately 352 pages and was published May 4, 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Morgan Matson has a new book that will be coming out May 8, 2012 and is called Second Chance Summer.

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Eddie’s once famous photographer father committed suicide two months ago. Her mother ignores her and just sits in her dad’s chair wearing his old housecoat. Beth, her mother’s best friends, and a woman Eddie hates has decided to move in. According to Beth everything must be done to get her mother out of her depression. No one seems to understand that Eddie is hurting too. The thing that gets to her is why did her dad do it? She thought he was happy, thought he had a good life, thought he loved her. Why would he kill himself and leave them wondering. Eddie is consumed by this question and nothing her best friend Milo does can get her out of this funk. Eddie is constantly sneaking out and going to the place where her dad committed suicide.  One day she notices she isn’t alone. A guy is there and he says that he was a student of her father’s. He seems to be just as lost as she is. They find her father’s initials engraved in a building and sequential numbers on the back of her father’s photos, the only thing that he left behind. They will go on a journey, looking for clues as why her father killed himself. Eddie has to make the choice of moving on or giving up like her father did.

This was my first Courtney Summers book and after reading it, I’m going to buy all of them tomorrow. Not even going to read what they are about, just going to buy them. Eddie’s voice in this book was so heartbreaking and so alone. I felt for her, I found myself wanting to comfort her, knock some sense into those around her. I wanted her to be better, be happy, and find all of her answers. She was just so stark and solitary. I connected to her.  As for Beth and Eddie’s mother I wanted to punch one and tell her to leave Eddie the hell alone and wanted to shake the other and tell her to remember she had a daughter. I liked the contrast between Milo and Culler and how they related to Eddie in their own unique way. I can’t express how much I loved this book. I connected to the characters and found myself invested in how her life would be after her questions were answered. I couldn’t get enough. I devoured this book. What more could a reader ask for?  I give this book a 5 STAR rating. READ IT!
***Fall For Anything Extras***
Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers has approximately 224 pages and was published December 21, 2010 by St. Martin's Griffin. Courtney has several other books including Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, and a new book called This Is Not A Test will be available June 19, 2012.