Book Review: The Unexpected Everything

Title: The Unexpected Everything
Author: Morgan Matson
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Add to: Goodreads / Amazon

Andie had it all planned out.

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.

And where’s the fun in that?

MY THOUGHTS
Another great read from Morgan Matson that I'm sure to be rereading it once I get the free time. This is the second book of hers that I read after Amy & Roger's Epic Detour and again, she didn't disappoint.

The protagonist - Andie was a cool protagonist for me. I don't have a complaint about Andie. She's likable and reading through her POV was one heck of a ride. The thing about her is that she cares for the people she loves that sometimes she does things her own way to solve the problem.

Family relationships - it was a rocky road for Andie and her dad to get past the short-lived conversations and awkwardness. This is one of the things I loved a lot in this book. I loved how her dad was trying and Andie was willing to cooperate because really, I've read a ton of parent-child relationships where either party is too stubborn to give up their pride for the night. Regarding her mom, it was sad whenever Andie shares a memory of her. You can really tell she loves her and how much of a sweet person she is.

Friendship - I love it whenever the four of them are together. They had their funny and sad moments and their group chats are always amusing to read. Although, like every friendship, theirs had their ups and downs. It was just unfortunate what happened but the ending made me think that there's still hope for them to be together again as four again.

Romance - I love Clark and Andie's moments because they talk about a lot of stuff and this whole story they made up was really entertaining and together, they were just really cute. I like they started as friends and bonded first. Their relationship wasn't also smooth but how they worked it out was a good read.

Overall, The Unexpected Everything was good and unexpectedly bittersweet. A reread-worthy young adult contemporary. This book has extra bonus points for the puppies.

MY RATING

Read More

Book Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Publication Date: May 04, 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Travel
Add to: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

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.

My Thoughts:

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour is indeed epic. I’m fond of road trips and reading their journey on the road has been fun and bittersweet at the same time. Amy, who’s still trying to cope after her father’s death, takes on a ride to Connecticut, for a fresh start, with someone whom she can’t even remember from her past: Roger. He just happens to be a stranger to her but along the way, she opens up to whatever she has been feeling ever since her dad died.

Their road trip has been kind of awkward which also had me feeling the second-hand awkwardness because they would open up a small talk then the silence after that stretches out. I’m thankful for the flashbacks in the story. It served some details on why Amy would act or react strangely and cautiously on things and people. I love her relationship with her dad. You can tell from the flashbacks on how close they were and what happened to her father was just tragic. She and her twin brother, Charlie, weren’t exactly close while growing up but during a detour to where her brother was, they managed to patch things between them. And I got kinda teary-eyed when they hugged as what Amy said that they really don’t hug so when the action was done, there was such emotion between the siblings even if the hug didn’t last for quite a long period of time. Her mom confuse me but I find her nice..I think.

I love the story, the road trip was really fun, the people they met while trying to find a place to stay were interesting, the 20 Questions game (kinda), Roger and Amy’s relationship and how it went from strangers to where they are now was just adorable to read and I like how Amy isn’t the jealous-type of girl (don’t want to spoil so I’ll just leave it there). Great read!

My Rating:

Read More