In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title:  In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Adults -May 8, 2012
Length: 240 pages
Format: hardcover

Description from Goodreads:

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?


My Thoughts:

In Honor by Jessi Kirby follows the formula of many road trip books. Someone close to the main character dies and they decide to go on a road trip "in honor" of that person or just to clear their head. This one wasn't that different, but it was still good. Honor and her brother's ex-best friend Rusty go on a trip from Texas to California to fulfill her brother's last wish.  This road trip book kind of threw me for a loop because it didn't turn out/ go the way I thought it would. This is both a good and a bad thing. First for the good, I like when a book keeps me guessing and doesn't follow the typical path I have plotted out in my head for it to follow. Too many books these days are easily predictable. The banter back and forth between Honor and Rusty was hilarious and helped the book along a lot. I will say that I loved it taking place between Texas and California because I actually knew the places they were talking about! Some of my favorite parts were when they were in the '67 Chevy Impala and listening to the old rock tunes (Carry on My Wayward Son!). This reminded so much of the TV show Supernatural which is one of my favorites! I loved how they would mention off the wall little things, like how bad Honor's feet stunk when she would take her boots off! Her and Rusty had such good chemistry. That said, to say I was shocked at the way it turned out was an understatement. I think I was expecting more romance in the story and it just didn't deliver on that part and to be honest it was one of the main reasons I read it. As far as self discovery or learning more about her brother that didn't go as far as it could have either.  There was so much potential in the details and relationships of the characters, but it was kind of left dangling. This is a really hard book to explain without giving away too many details. Let me just say that when it ended I was left with the feeling of oh-that-was-cute-and-good-but-is-that-it? This book gets a 3 STAR rating.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harrington

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (November 22, 2011)

Length: 336 pages

Source: Walmart ( they have some decent books and prices)

Edition: paperback

Description from Goodreads:

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’
Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.
When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.
Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.
Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

My Thoughts:

Saving June was sad, heartbreaking, and beautifully healing all at the same time. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose my sister to suicide and don't want to. Harper's decision to take her sister's ashes to California , fulfilling one of her last wishes was so touching. I have no words. As for Harper's fellow road trippers Laney her best friend, and the ever mysterious Jack Tolan were amazing supporting characters. If I ever go on a road trip I want friends like them along with me. One of the most interesting parts of the book was all of the music talk and the emotions behind it. I was on Google/YouTube constantly looking up all of these songs. I had so much fun discovering new artists and forgotten oldies. During their trip they make various detours and do a little self discovery and growing up along the way. The saddest part was that Harper didn't know her sister like she thought she did. It broke my heart and made me want to go hug my sister. If you are a YA contemporary fan and a music lover you should read this. It was sweet, it was heartbreaking, it left me asking "Is that it?", and it was perfect. Saving June is probably at the top of my reads for this year. I give this book a 5 STAR rating.  

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

Title: The Disenchantments
Author: Nina LaCour
Publisher: Dutton Juvenille (February 16, 2012)
Length: 304 pages
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Edition: Advanced Readers Copy

From the Back of the Book:

      Colby & Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans...and Colby...to go her own way in the fall.
     But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie-Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?
My Thoughts:

From the cover of The Disenchantments I was expecting a light, fluffy, fun summer novel. That is not the case. Instead I got a wonderfully different surprise. The Disenchantments is one of those hard to describe books. It's a story about growing up, growing apart, realizing some childhood dreams are just dreams, and that sometimes you need to follow your own path. This book is both happy and sad all at the same time, but most of all it is real. Nina LaCour brings to life heartache, pain, fun, and first love in the pages of The Disenchantments.
     The male perspective of Colby, his love for Bev, and their relationships with Meg and Alexa were amazing. Colby is an idealistic dreamer who actually follows through with his plans. Bev...Bev is an enigma, a mystery that I spent the whole book trying to figure out, and in the end she had the simplest explanation. Meg is the tough girl hiding a broken interior and Alexa is a lot like Colby. She's an innocent dreamer who believes in the good and sees the brighter side. (After Colby, Alexa was my favorite character) The adventure that they had is something that I wish I could experience. Throughout this supposed happy time of their life, there was a constant sense of sadness, of finality. I believe that we all feel this at one point in our lives. That moment when we are transitioning from childhood to adulthood, that moment that we have all longed for, and when it finally comes we put it off until it catches us.
      Colby and The Disenchantments went on one of the most epic road trips ever and in the end came out different, they grew up. The Disenchantments made me angry, happy, and sad all at the same time. I simply loved it. I give this book a 4 1/2 STAR rating.

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.