4 starsFull review can be found on Paper Riot!Why is it every time I read a road trip novel, I want to go on one SO BADLY but never do? Paper Towns already made me want to pack up my things, get in the car and go, but Amy & Roger's Epic Detour even more so! Hands down the BEST road trip I've ever read!Though I'll admit that in the beginning, I thought the whole idea was a bit strange. Amy has just lost her dad and because she doesn't want to move, her mom makes her drive across all of the US with a boy she barely knows. Okay. Sure, why not? I'm 98% positive my mom would never want me to do that. It just seemed a bit far-fetched. It made me expect a sugar sweet, but little too forced romance. Man, did this turn out to be a surprise!Because though this book is a light read and very enjoyable, there was some heavy stuff going on for both Amy and Roger, which gives this book just the right amount of depth. I don't always like grief in books (sometimes it feels too one-dimensional, while it's anything but that), but Morgan Matson captured it perfectly. This book made me feel all the things! It was hilarious, it was heart-breaking, sometimes oozing with romance...I think we've established at this point on my blog that I don't like insta love. I want the books I read to be believable and relatable, and insta love is in no way realistic, though it's something I tend to expect from romance novels. Not this book, though! The romance wasn't rushed in any way, the tension slowly built-up, which was just really good.Another thing I really liked was the character development. Amy and Roger felt real to me, and I loved how they grew throughout the story (together and seperately). The literal and figurative journey is the center of the novel, and the characters went through that journey in a relatable way. But I must admit did like Roger more than Amy. He's a fantastic male character: perceptive, sensitive, slightly nerdy (he's obsessed with explorers!) and he has an OUTSTANDING taste in music. Yes, I think we might be music soulmates. I liked Amy, too, but compared to Roger she was a bit more flat.But romance and character development aside: if you've read this book, I think we can agree that the think that makes this story authentic and unique, are the many ingenious details! The book is filled with doodles, maps, receipts, facts and the best part - music playlists! I love books that are unique and creative in any way, and this was just perfect! And oh, the music! I had a lot of Roger's playlist songs on my iPod already, and found many perfect additions as well. Honestly, I was smiling at Vampire Weekend and squeeling at Snow Patrol and dancing at Hall & Oates. SO GOOD!However, I didn't really like the ending. (Tiny spoiler alert.) It was a bit abrupt, which of course is realistic, but I felt this was one of books that deserved "And they lived happily ever after..." It's still a good ending, but not what I was expecting. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour was a charming and sweet book you'd want to read in the summer because it makes you want to go road trippin', and in the winter because it makes you feel like summer again. The realistic character development made this book feel like it could happen in real life. So all I want to know now is: where can I sign up?
