Stacking The Shelves (12): March 2016

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

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This March, I feel like I have purchased quite a number of books, even though I know it's not a lot compared to some people's monthly book hauls. It has been a long time since I bought more than two books in one month. The cause of this impulsive book buying is the extremely low price of some great hardback titles in the bookstore. Honestly, I only wanted to get Lady Midnight because that was the only book I really saved up for. But the other books were so tempting, and when I looked at the prices, I know I just had to grab them and go (after paying, of course).

Now, my March haul...

Stacking The Shelves (11): February 2016

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

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Hello beautiful people of the blogoverse! This is my first Stacking the Shelves post this year. To be honest, I have not purchased any books since the year began because I have no money to spend on impulsive book shopping extravaganza. I am saving the little cash I have with me for something big. Hopefully, I'll be able to share that soon.

So, let's get on with it. Here is my February book haul...

BOOK BLURB: Be with Me (Wait for You #2)

BE WITH ME
Author: J. Lynn

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Number of Pages: 387

Date Published: February 4, 2014

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

BOOK BLURB: Flipped

FLIPPED

Author: Wendelin Van Draanen

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 212

Date Published: May 13, 2003

Genre: Middle Grade

Goodreads:

Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

Excerpt Blast: Seeking Her by Cora Carmack

Seeking Her (Losing It #3.5)

by Cora Carmack

Jackson Hunt gets his turn in this Finding It prequel novella …

Jackson Hunt hasn't been out of the military for long, but he needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he is going to keep his demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Becoming bodyguard (and babysitter) to spoiled rich girl Kelsey Summers isn't exactly what he had in mind, but it's a chance to travel, to get away. The catch: Kelsey's father doesn't want her to know she's being followed.

She's vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When Jackson sees her falling into the same patterns he suffered years ago, he decides it's time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know Kelsey is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.

Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BOOK BLURB: Where You'll Find Me

Where You'll Find Me 

Author: Erin Fletcher

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 211

Expected Pub. Date: January 7, 2014

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

(Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review)

Goodreads:

When Hanley Helton discovers a boy living in her garage, she knows she should kick him out. But Nate is too charming to be dangerous. He just needs a place to get away, which Hanley understands. Her own escape methods (vodka, black hair dye, and pretending the past didn't happen) are more traditional, but who is she to judge?

Nate doesn't tell her why he's in her garage, and she doesn't tell him what she's running from. Soon, Hanley's trading her late-night escapades for all-night conversations and stolen kisses. But when Nate's recognized as the missing teen from the news, Hanley isn't sure which is worse: that she's harboring a fugitive, or that she's in love with one.

Top 10 of 2013: Best Book Boyfriends

Rachel from Fiktshun along with Jaime from Two Chicks on Books and Mindy from Magical Urban Fantasy Reads are back to host the TOP 10 OF 2013!!!

Here are my top ten book boyfriends of 2013. But before you look into it, you must know that they may or may not be in order. I'm not really a hundred percent sure if they are in the right ranking. But I'm sure boyfriend #1 is in his rightful position. I'm positive he is my one and only super book boyfriend.

So here it goes...

Books I Want to Read Before 2013 Ends

In less than a month, another year will come to a close. And with that closing comes the end of another annual reading challenge for several bookworms across the globe, including me.

I have not set a very high number of books to read this 2013. It's just enough to fit to my busy school life. And thankfully, I'm a bit ahead of my reading challenge. I'm two books away from completing it (yay!), and there's still a few weeks of December left. So what do I do? Continue reading, of course! (I'm kinda experiencing a bit of  a reading slump these past few weeks, though.)

Here's a list of the books I really want need to read before the year ends (as of December 3, 2013). I feel like I have an obligation to read them this year, not next year, or the year after that (weird!). Most of these books are the last installment in their respective series.

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

I know! I'm soooooo behind from everyone who loves the TID trilogy. Sorry, I just can't read it when every one was gushing and crying over it. I think I needed people to calm down first before I start reading the conclusion to Tessa, Will and Jem's story. And I just can't say goodbye to Will yet.

2. United We Spy by Ally Carter

This has been one of the books that I was extremely anticipating this year. But when it came out, I just didn't have the chance to read it. I wanted to read it, but maybe I have attachment/detachment issues with books. Lol!

3. Gates of Paradise by Melissa dela Cruz

The Blue Bloods series has been one of the first series that I really liked. And now that it's on its final book, I can't seem to bring myself to grab the book and read it. It's not that I'm lazy (well, maybe I am), I just don't feel like reading it yet.

4. Champion by Marie Lu

I started this trilogy a few months ago (this year), and I immediately got hooked. I am currently reading it, so yay me! :D

5. Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone

The second book to the time-travel contemporary that I completely adore. I can't find a copy yet. :(

The next books are sequels, and are less prioritized than the first five.

6. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
7. The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
8. Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins
9. Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout
10. Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Gift Suggestions For Book Lovers

Let's admit it, not all our friends know what kind of book we like to read, and sometimes they don't know what books we already own and  what we want to own. And we don't know all our friends book preferences as well. It might ruin the element of surprise if we/they ask, wouldn't it? So instead of giving each other books for the Holidays, or some book store gift cards, why not give other bookish stuff?

Here are some suggestions (click on the links to lead you to the stores)

1. Book Ends 

 Book ends are the perfect gift for those book lovers who ran out of shelf space and uses the table top to place their books. And wouldn't you want book ends like this that scream your personality (if you were a girl, of course).

Image: MochiThings.com

BOOK BLURB: Across a Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows the Stars #2)

Across a Star-Swept Sea

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Number of Pages: 464

Date Published: October 15, 2013

Genre:Young Adult Science Fiction, Dystopia

Goodreads:

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

BOOK BLURB: This Song Will Save Your Life

This Song Will Save Your Life

Author: Leila Sales

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Number of Pages: 288

Date Published: September 17, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Amazon:

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, Leila Sales' THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

***

BOOK BLURB: Losing It (Losing It #1)

Losing It

Author: Cora Carmack

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
 Number of Pages: 289
Date Published: December 5, 2012
Genre: New Adult Romance

Goodreads:

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

***

My Thoughts:

I was having doubts if I should really read this book or just leave it unread. Why? First of all, when you read the synopsis, the first thing that comes to your mind is sex. A lot of steamy moments and everything that minors should take caution reading; A story all about sex and losing one’s virginity, and who would want that? Second, it’s another student-teacher relationship story and I have read a few already. Do I really need to read another one?

BOOK BLURB: The Book of Broken Hearts

The Book of Broken Hearts 

Author: Sarah Ockler 
Publisher: Simon Pulse
 Number of Pages: 352 
Date Published: May 21, 2013 
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

***

My Thoughts:

I have been waiting for this book for months now. Why? Read the synopsis above. :) The moment I read that, I knew I had to read it as soon as it comes out. Basically, it’s about Jude and her older sisters making an oath to never get involved with another Vargas ever again due to the previous heart breaks her older sisters have suffered. Call it coincidence or fate, but it looks like Jude is being challenged, because she direly needs a mechanic that summer and she’s left with no other choice but to hire Emilio Vargas. Whoooopie! Sounds awesome doesn’t it? Yeah, it does. The perfect recipe for a cute summer romance.  And that’s what really drew me to the story. I’m dying to know how Jude will handle this situation. Will Jude choose Emilio Vargas over her three older sisters? Is she willing to break their oath, their blood pact, just so she could be with a notorious Vargas boy?

Now, if you’re looking for a fun, light, and carefree book filled with sweet summer romance, The Book of Broken Hearts is probably not the best choice. Because while it’s fun and has this cute teenage romance, it’s not carefree or light at all. It covers something that will touch some readers’ hearts deeply. In fact, Book of Broken Hearts is more than just the teenage love story, or the typical boy heart break. It's about family relationships as well, about making your own choices, letting go of what has been and moving on to what will be.

Jude and Emilio’s love story was a pleasure to read. They had their ups and downs. They had their fair share of good times and bad times, while constantly being watched by the sisters’ oath. But honestly, I was more interested in reading about Jude and her father’s relationship. What their future will become, how Jude will be able to cope, and all that. It was fun at times, often a little depressing and pitiful, but most of the time touching. The father-daughter moments are the ones I’m waiting for (not that I’m not waiting for Emilio and Jude’s lovey dovey moments). Also, it was pleasant to see how Jude grew in the story, how she was able to stand up for her choices and not become the girl overshadowed by her older sisters.

To sum up, a great read.  :)

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BOOK BLURB: Requiem (Delirium #3)

Requiem

Author:  Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Number of Pages: 391

Date Published: March 5, 2013

Goodreads:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

***

Thoughts:

I was both excited and worried to read the third and final installment of Lauren Oliver’s Delirium Trilogy due to the mixed reviews I have been reading. Many have expressed their negative feelings toward the book. And though there are also a number of people who really liked Requiem, it cannot be denied that of the three books in the series, it has the lowest average rating on Goodreads.

What makes Requiem different from the first two books is that it was told in both Lena and Hana’s point of view. Lauren Oliver lets readers hear the voice of two very different people who are worlds apart: Lena, struggling and trying to survive in the Wilds; and Hana, trying to figure out life after being cured. Just like in Pandemonium, she wonderfully made both ends meet.

BOOK BLURB: This Is What Happy Looks Like

THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Headline

Number of Pages: 416

Date Published: April 4, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith’s new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O’Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don’t even know each other’s first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don’t tell each other everything; Graham doesn’t know the major secret hidden in Ellie’s family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham’s new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie’s mom want her to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

Just as they did in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, the hands of fate intervene in wondrous ways in this YA novel that delivers on high concept romance in lush and thoughtful prose.

*** 

My Thoughts:

From the very moment I read the synopsis of This Is What Happy Looks Like, I knew that I should have the book once it comes out. Who wouldn't want to read about a movie star exchanging e-mails with an ordinary girl? I fell in love with its plot in an instant and it went immediately to the upper part of my “To Be Read” list. Plus, I love the look of the bright sunny yellow cover with the silhouette of a couple in a small boat. And I also have a thing for long titles. Everything about this book screams “READ ME!” and luckily, I was able to snag a copy when it came out. So on to my thoughts…

BOOK BLURB: A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1)

A Shade Of Vampire by Bella Forrest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.

A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.
An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains.

Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

***

Date Published: December 14, 2012
Format: Kindle Edition, 152 pages
Date Read: April 27, 2013
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Contrary to my pathetic excuse that I've had enough of vampire books already, I still read A Shade of Vampire with hopes that it will be at least good and different. And to my surprise, I liked A Shade of Vampire more than I thought I would.

Bella Forrest's interpretation of the vampire race is fresh and quite different from the others I've read or seen. And her words provided a vivid picture of what her vampire world would look like. The Shade, for instance, is one of the unique elements of the story that makes A Shade of Vampire stand out a little from the rest. Instead of living and blending in with humans, vampires here (or at least vampires under the Novaks) are closed off and separated from the real world, though they may occasionally come out of their sanctuary. Plus, I have not noticed that they have the ability to compel humans to do their bidding, which is a common thing for vampire stories nowadays. But the "drink my blood so your wounds would heal" is there, which kind of reminds me of The Vampire Diaries.

Divergent Book 3 Title, Announced!

Finally! The question every Divergent fan has been asking has now been answered.

What will be the title of the third Divergent book?

There have been many guesses of what the title will be, a few of which were sort of believable, and some were funny (referring to DETERGENT). But no need to fret people, for Veronica Roth herself announced the third book's title in the "epic as a book trailer" video below.

BOOK BLURB: This Lullaby

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

***

Date Read: April 11, 2013
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Going straight to the point and making this as brief as possible, I liked the This Lullaby. It's my first Sarah Dessen book and, as mentioned by most of the reviews I have read, it will not be the last. I enjoyed flipping through the pages and finding out how a cynical girl who does not believe in love will be changed by the overly enthusiastic and optimistic musician. The characters were okay, pretty normal and nice to read about, though not really exceptionally different from most YA characters I have come to read. But they were good, in terms of fitting with the story and developing throughout the book. Maybe not all of them, but Remy at least (Well duh! She's the main character). Her mother has been one of the shocking revelations of the story. Ah, the wisdom of mothers. Bow! As for book the story, it was a little clichéd and predictable, but nonetheless, it went well. I was not really affected that much by Remy and Dexter's romantic encounters. It was funny and sweet, but that was just about it. All in all, one great chunk of thoughts put together in a story that will make you ponder on some things about love and taking chances. 3.5 Stars! :)

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BOOK BLURB: A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle #1)

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

***

Date Read: April 9, 2013
Rating: 3.5 Stars

I truly believe that this could have been better. Honestly, it was good. I was completely engrossed by the latter half of the book. But the problem is it's quite hard to get yourself into the book. First of all, Gemma Doyle is not one of the best protagonists around. Even her friends were hard to predict at first. Then, the intentions become a little more obvious and by the end, it got a bit confusing. And I do agree with the reviews I have read, about poor character development. Gemma Doyle from page one is not really far from the Gemma Doyle by the end of the book. Also, I don't know if it was just me, but I really found it hard to picture India and London in the year 1891. Yes, the petticoats, gloves, corsets and carriages are present. But from the way it was written, it wasn't 1900ish. Maybe a little, but it was not constant throughout the book. (Judgement is based from comparison with other books set in the Victorian period.)

I really did like A Great and Terrible Beauty. The mystery behind Spence, the magic, the realms and the Order... I liked them, too bad the story picked up at the later part of the book. Also, I was looking for Gemma's romantic interest, because who doesn't want some romance in their books? (Definitely not me). Let's just say the romantic side of A Great and Terrible Beauty was a little subdued. It was there, just bubbling to sprout, but not always present. Although it the love story went quiet, it was okay. I couldn't say I did not like it.

So, with that and the great title, I give A Great and Terrible Beauty 3.5 stars.

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BOOK BLURB: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.
***

Dater Read: April 5, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

Based from the title, the cover and blurb, you would think that this book is mainly about Amy and Roger's epic love story that bloomed during an unexpected road trip across the different parts of America. That's what I thought, too. Well it is, but not entirely. In a nutshell, it's about moving on and letting go; about taking a leap of faith; about jumping in without any certainty of what the outcome may be; about acceptance and finding yourself again. It is about family, life, and love. And it was pure awesomeness.

There's a always that blast of great satisfaction whenever a book you thought won't be making any impact takes you by surprise. Just when you thought you'd be putting it down and on the verge of giving up on it, you try again and you see it on a whole new perspective. That's happened with Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. I really didn't feel like reading the story much longer for some unknown reasons, but I tried to continue, and I started to like it a lot.

Road trips are always fun to read especially for those who can't experience them first hand, and this was no exception. Morgan Matson successfully brought readers along with Amy and Roger as they paved their way through the different states of America with only a few hundred dollars to spare. The best part? FOOD! That's the best part of every stop. Gets you salivating and hungry for those diner food, enough to for you to get fueled up to visit that state someday.

Also, Amy and Roger's relationship throughout the trip had been developed well - slowly but surely. From that awkward car silence to an innocent game of twenty questions, which lead to some heart to heart talk about burdens and heartaches. And by the of the trip, the uncertainty hanging between them was as strong as the promise of being together.

Lastly, I greatly approve of how everything ended.

So cheers to Edmund and Hillary for giving us a sweet story about life, love, family and finding oneself. All in all, great story!

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