Book Thoughts: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson

I read this book on Simon & Schuster's PulseIt site over a couple of hours (when I should have been doing summer homework. This was much more interesting, though). It absolutely kept me hooked - even though I predicted pretty much by the end of the first chapter what would happen, I still was excited to find out how it happened, and it's really more of a character novel than a plot novel anyway. And the characters are great, so it's awesome.

Amy Curry's father died in a car accident three months ago. For the last month, she's been on her own in their California home: her mom is in Connecticut, and her twin brother is in rehab in North Carolina. In all that time and then some, she hasn't driven. Amy doesn't drive anymore, not since the accident. So when she has to get the car from Cali to Connecticut, her mom calls in the son of an old family friend: Roger. Roger's driving the car for her, because he'll be staying at his dad's house in Pennsylvania for the summer, but he only agreed to drive the whole way because he's hoping to encounter his ex-girlfriend, Hadley. What neither of them realize is how much they'll end up helping each other with their issues.

The characters are really relatable; I especially related to Amy, because even though she's very different from me in a lot of ways, her feelings are so real and understandable and human. And Roger, too - he's flawed, he's sweet, he's one of the most real fictional male leads I've encountered in a long time, which makes him really quite awesome. And the story is simple and sweet and cute, just like a fun summer read should be, but it also deals with a lot of deep dark issues.

The five words I would pick to describe this book: heartbreaking, heartwarming, sad, sweet, and smiley.

The phrase I would use to describe what you should do now: Go read this book ASAP, because it's awesome.

Oh! And I almost forgot to mention the playlists! Amy and Roger spend a lot of time on their road trip making playlists. Roger's playlists include Jack's Mannequin - a band I really like that hardly anyone at my school/church/etc ever seems to have heard of - as well as other alternative bands that are awesome (and some I don't know - new music yay!) and Amy's are comprised of show tunes and Elvis. Need I say anything more about how awesome this is?

Book Thoughts: Paper Towns

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green

Ever since I started this book, I have been asking myself one question: WHY did it take me so long to start reading this?! Paper Towns was fantastic. Simply fantastic.

It's written from a guy's perspective, so there is guy humor, which was a little weird for me in places because, well, I'm not a guy. But that aside -- gahh, I don't even know what to say to express my love for Paper Towns. It's funny, it's sweet, it's heartbreaking, it's beautiful. I laughed out loud several times while I was reading it (I love when books can do that), but there were parts too that were just so full of meaning, and it's just awesome. This book is made of awesome.

It is one of the most quotable books I've read in a long time (I'd share a few, but then I wouldn't ever stop and this post would go on forever, which I don't think you want). I got this one from the library, but I'm thinking I may have to go buy a copy, like, right now, because it's one that I already know I'm going to want to read again.

I'm not actually telling you a whole lot about the book, I guess, but that's because I really don't know what to say. The characters are so real, and the story is engaging, and I couldn't put it down. I laughed out loud a lot (yeah, I said that already) and it really made me think (which I love), and also, there are frequent literary references and poetry quotes (that right there is enough to win me over). If you haven't read Paper Towns, I don't know what you're still waiting for. Go get a copy right now.