Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

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.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour was absolutely amazing. I loved every minute of it. I’m glad everyone was still buzzing about it this year so I heard about it and got a chance to read it. I feel like I need to go on a road trip now. That’s just how good it was.

Also, I don’t think I’ve ever actually wanted to own a book as badly as I do this one. I feel as if it would be my best friend on a road trip. All those playlists? Absolutely amazing. I mean Owl City alongside Guns ‘n Roses: where else are you going to see that? I was also happily surprised with the format. I wasn’t expecting all the extra little things, but they really made it fantastic.

I’ve read good books lately, but I haven’t read one in quite some time that actually made me laugh out loud. This one had me laughing in the middle of a bunch of people and alone in my bed late at night.

I went on a road trip across the country with my family a couple years ago and needless to say, I did not see all the things Amy did. Since I seemed to miss so much, I feel like I need to go back now and see everything with new (non-disgruntled at my family) eyes.

And of course, the characters. They were all amazing. I loved every last one we met along the way, but Roger was definitely my favorite. It felt like Matson had simply turned my personality into a guy most of the time. I’m terrible with directions and take the same philosophy as him, neither of us can whistle, and we have similar taste in music.

To summarize, I will definitely be trying to get a hold of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour to keep. I loved it and want it to have a permanent spot on my bookshelf. Definitely check this out as a summer read. And then maybe take a little road trip ;)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: May 2010

Pages: 344

Rating: 5 stars