Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Audiobook Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy has had a difficult time lately. Her father died in a car accident, her brother is in rehab and her mother has fled to Connecticut. Now that school is over, Amy is expected to drive across country with Roger, a friend of the family. The only problem is Amy is too scared to get behind the wheel since the accident. So with Roger behind the wheel, they ahead across the country. With Amy dealing with her grief, Roger has his own reasons for wanting to take a detour. Thus they take the detour of their lives and learn more about themselves then they thought was possible.

I bought Amy & Roger's Epic Detour over a year ago and its been sitting on my audio shelf for a while, unlistened to. I decided I was in the mood for some contemporary YA fiction and picked this one up. I don't listen to a lot of contemporary YA fiction, maybe 1-2 books a year. I love paranormal, fantasy, dystopia and science fiction in the YA genre, but not a lot of contemporary fiction. So I went into this one with a little hesitation. I came out the other side with a huge appreciation for Morgan Matson and this great story.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is the best road trip book ever. It is told from Amy's point of view, and includes songs they listened to, places they visits and each state's motto. I'm an Australian that now resides in Canada, and I've only visited 2-3 US states. I felt like I was experiencing the US for almost the first time as Amy and Roger take a trip from California, through Nevada, Colorado and so many detours until they end up in Philadelphia and Connecticut.

It was a great road trip full of self-discovery and I enjoyed listening, watching each of their stories unravel. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour was at times emotional, especially as Amy unravels the full story of her father's death. She meets people she never thought she'd meet, and she starts the road to recovery and healing from the loss of her father. It was a beautiful, beautiful story that makes me want to hop in a car and head somewhere!
This was my first time listening to Suzy Jackson and I liked that her voice was just young enough to match the idea I had of Amy's voice in my head. She really put all the emotion into the narration that was in Morgan Matson's words and made it a very enjoyable experience. I will definitely pick up another audiobook narrated by Suzy Jackson.

I'd recommend Amy & Roger's Epic Detour to not just fans of YA fiction, but anyone that wants to remember that great feeling of hoping in the car and driving, and making those detours that make life interesting.

About this Audiobook:
Written by: Morgan Matson
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:12-10-10
Publisher: Audible Studios

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