Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

You know that feeling when you walk into a bookstore to only pick one book. Just one! And you walk out of the bookstore with two books? Well, dear bookaholics it’s the same in the library. I walked in to take the book “Dance on my grave” by Aidan Chambers for school and my eye fell on “Amy and Roger’s epic detour” by Morgan Matson. I just had to take it with me.

The story is about Amy whose father has died in a car accident. Her mother decided to go live across the country and left Amy home to make sure the house would be sold. But now, a month later, her mother wants Amy to bring the car to Connecticut because she needs it for her work. Though her daughter doesn’t want to, after the accident she hasn’t been behind the wheel and she isn’t planning on it. No problem, her mother just calls a friend of hers and now Amy’ll have to travel across the country with a family friend, Roger. 

When she first sees Roger, she notices that he’s very good looking and both of them feel a little bored when they see the planning Amy’s mother made for them. If they follow the plan they’d be in Connecticut in 5 days but that means visiting boring cities so the teenagers decide to take a detour and visit some other cities. In the days they’re crossing America, Amy and Roger become closer and get to know one another better. Will this epic detour create a brighter future? 

I read this book in a day! I have to say that this was one of those books that you absolutely can’t put away. There are so many reasons why I love this book! Honestly, the characters they are amazing! I can totally relate myself to Amy. She lost someone she loved, she’s grieving, doesn’t know how to live life or what the values of it are. She rather lives off the grid and watches other people. And now there’s someone in her life who can show her that after rain comes sunshine. In the book you see this character grow so much which is why I enjoyed the book.

As for Roger, well he’s sweet and smart, cute but also dorky. Let’s just say he has it all. He takes care of Amy, tries to make her laugh and do something adventurous. He’s just an amazing boy, different in some sort of way. Unique. 

But that is not the main reason why I loved this book… The book uses pages out of a “travel diary” that Amy got from her mother before they left. At first Amy didn’t want to use it but eventually she decides to take notes since they won’t visit the boring places but the mysterious, more famous cities. So the book shows her notes which basically shows the reader the following elements: photos from the state, information about the state which sometimes are really funny, playlists during the ride, little sketches and even maps! But throughout the book we also see coupons, receipts from where they have eaten, slept,… That made it, for me, so much more fun and original. It gave me a total other experience than just the normal books I read. I’ve never been to America and now I can see things, read things that are typical for a state. I recommend this book to everyone who wants a book with romance, adventure and just something funny and special. 

*note: I've read the book in Dutch that's why the cover is totally different and it's Jake instead of Roger.

“The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren’t looking for them.”