The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Title: The Unexpected Everything

Author: Morgan Matson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

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?

There only thing I love more than finding out about a new Morgan Matson book is getting to read a new Morgan Matson book. It feels like I had been waiting to read The Unexpected Everything for forever. And now that I’ve read it, I can say it was everything I expected and so much more.

Andie had a plan for her summer. One that involved spending her summer at John Hopkins in one of the best programs for future premed students to build up her resumé. But that was before a scandal rocked her father’s political career and changed everything. Now, Andie can look forward to a spending her summer at home with the father she hasn’t had a relationship with in five years. But maybe not having any plans is just what Andie needs. If her summer had gone according to plan, Andie wouldn’t have ever realized everything she was missing by sticking to the plan. Because sometimes, the best parts of life are the ones you never planned on.

Morgan Matson is one of my all-time favourite authors, there is no doubt about it. There is nothing I love more than picking up one of her books and immersing myself in the world she created for a few hours. And when I’m done, I can’t help but be sad that I won’t get to that again for quite some time. Sure, I can reread books, but it’s never the same as reading them for the first time. When I picked up Morgan Matson’s latest release, The Unexpected Everything, I wanted to take my time, to really savour the story and the time I would spend in this story with these characters. And I loved every single page of it. Morgan Matson is a master at writing contemporary stories that just suck the reader in. I got so wrapped up in this story, in all the relationships and the way they were connected and woven together. And all those complex relationship is what made this story so fantastic. I loved seeing all those relationships. The friendship between Andie and her three best friends Bri, Toby and Palmer made me wish for a group of friends who have known me for my whole life. Andie’s relationship with her father, seeing them reconnect after years of just sharing the same space, made me miss my own father even though I talk to him on a weekly basis. And Annie’s relationship with Clark just made me so stupidly happy. The reason I completely bought into all of these relationships? The characters all felt so incredibly real.

There was never a time while I was reading that all the characters in The Unexpected Everything didn’t really like real people. In fact there were plenty of times while I was reading that I desperately wanted to be a part of the group of friends I was reading out. I wanted to be friends with Andie, Tobi, Bri and Palmer, and by extension Tom, Clark and Wyatt. I wanted to participate in Palmer’s crazy scavenger hunt, I wanted to have Bri sneak me in to not-so-great movies, I wanted  Toby to guide me through the museum, and I wanted to walk dogs with Andie. I loved all four of these girls, but most of all I loved Andie. I loved seeing Andie’s personal growth over the course of the story, seeing her go from following a plan she felt she had to follow to someone who was doing things for herself. It wasn’t always easy for her to let go of her plans and there were definitely some bumps along the way. And as much as I loved who Andie was at the start of the story, I loved who she was even more by the time I reached the end. Also Clark. Clark is quite possibly my new favourite book boy ever. I can’t even handle how freaking adorable Clark was. If he and Andie weren’t so great together, I would totally want him for myself. 

Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. There wasn’t a single moment of this story that I didn’t love. Also, if I could maybe have a book about each of Andie’s best friends, that would be awesome. 

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Title: Since You've Been Gone

Author: Morgan Matson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try…unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple picking at night? Ok, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Wait…what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny dipping? Um…

Much like any bookworm out there, there are authors whose books I just have to read. These are authors whose books I’ve read and adored in the past. For me, one of those authors is Morgan Matson. So there was never any doubt in my mind that I would love Since You’ve Been Gone, I just didn’t know I would end up loving it quite as much as I did.

Since becoming Sloane Williams’ best friend, Emily Hughes has lived in her friend’s shadow. But Emily doesn’t mind being in Sloane’s shadow because Sloane takes Emily out of her comfort zone, makes her do things she wouldn’t normally do by herself. But now Sloane has disappeared, leaving no explanation for Emily. The only thing left to prove Sloane was ever around, is a list of thirteen tasks Emily should complete. This shouldn’t be so hard. Except these are “Sloane-tasks” things Emily wouldn’t do if it weren’t for her best friend pushing her. By going through this list, Emily has an unexpected summer, one that brings about new and unexpected friendship and help from unlikely sources. 

Anyone who knows me knew that I would love Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone, they just couldn’t have predicted how much I would love this book. There’s just something that happens any time I read one of Morgan Matson’s books. I start reading, and slowly, without really realizing it’s happening, I get sucked into the story, becoming invested in the characters and their stories, not ever wanting to leave them. So of course, this happened with Since You’ve Been Gone. It’s one of those books that made me do nothing else but read from the moment I walked into my house after coming home from work. I just spent my entire night in Stanwich with Emily, Frank, Collins and their friends. And if I’m being honest, I didn’t want to ever really leave that place and those characters. So in case it wasn’t obvious by now, I loved Since You’ve Been Gone, but it’s hard to put that love into words. All I really want to say is that everyone needs to read this book because there is something in there that will appeal to everyone, whether it’s the characters, the themes or the story as a whole. For me, as it often is, it was the characters that did it.

I connected with Emily right from page one. And it was more than just the fact that we shared a name (though spelled differently). In Emily, I saw a lot of the person I was in high school. The person who was almost more defined by the people she was friends with than the person she was herself. But I loved seeing Emily grow over the course of the story, start to figure out who she is beyond just Sloane Williiams’ best friend. And I loved the person she became, the Emily who made friends with new people, who would exchange running playlists with Frank. And I can’t talk about Emily without talking about the person she became when she was with Frank. Because I loved Frank. I kinda want a Frank of my own. It’s hard to put Frank into words. On the surface he looks like he has it completely together. But the more Emily got to know him, the more she realized that he wasn’t as perfect as he seemed. And in my opinion, those imperfections are what made him so great. Basically, I adored these characters and they will stay with me for a long time.

As you may have guessed by now, I ADORED Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone. I flew through the pages, never wanting the story to end so I wouldn’t have to say goodbye to these characters. If you have yet to read one of Morgan Matson’s books, you should seriously consider changing that as soon as possible.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Title: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Release Date: May 4, 2010

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

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. 

Thanks to the seemingly never ending winter we've been having here in Canada this year, I made the decision to start reading the summer romances sitting on my shelves as a way to escape the snow and cold. But I also got to read a bunch of books that I've been meaning to read for who knows how long. And in the process, I realized how stupid I had been for not picking up Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. You read that right. I, the contemporary love, didn't read Amy & Roger's Epic Detour until about a month ago.

For the past month, Amy has been living alone in an empty house, finishing out her junior year before driving her mom's car across the country to her new home in Connecticut. But the last thing Amy really wants to do is drive. Since her father's death in a car accident a few months earlier, nothing has been the same. To help her get the car to Connecticut, Amy's mother enlists Roger, the son of an old friend. Amy isn't particularly looking forward to speeding long expenses of time alone in a car with someone she barely knows, but before she knows it, she finds herself enjoying her time with Roger more than she thought she would. Somewhere along the way, Amy starts coming to terms with her father's death and starts piecing her life, and her heart, back together.

So yeah, despite being the contemporary lover--and borderline fanatic--that I am, up to about a month ago, I still hadn't read Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. Which I know, bad on many levels. But in an effort to escape the never ending winter we've got going on over here, I decided that it was the perfect time to read all the summer romances I had sitting on my shelves. And so when I picked up Amy & Roger's Epic Detour I realized how big a mistake I had made not reading this book sooner. I mean, I had read Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer when it first came out, so it's not that I didn't know whether or not I would enjoy the book. I knew I would on some level that I would love the book, I guess I just forgot I had it? But seriously, why had no one forced me to sit down and read this book before? Because I LOVED it. It was everything everyone had told me it would be and I loved every page of it. The story completely sucked me in and it felt like I was right in that car with Amy and Roger. And as can be expected, once I finished reading the book, I basically just wanted to hop into a car and go on a cross-country road trip of my own. This book made me realize that there's so much of the world, heck of my own country, that I haven't seen and that I just want to see.

Of course as much as I loved the story, I loved the characters even more. Right from the start, I just knew that Amy and Roger would be good for each other. Each one came with their own baggage and I loved seeing them grow and slowly start to let go of some of that baggage. Amy was clearly suffering because of her dad's death and I knew there was more to it than she was letting on, especially with her reluctance to drive. And I loved seeing her start to discover how she really felt about everything, especially where Roger was concerned. And Roger, what can I even begin to say about him? I loved that for once, i was reading a story where the guy was just a good guy, plain and simple. Because that's who Roger was: a good guy. Granted, a good guy who had some issues, but still. I was just reading, waiting of him to realizes that he should just get over his old girlfriend and do something about Amy. So basically, this book, and these characters in particular, just kinda gave me all the feels.

Why I didn't read Amy & Roger's Epic Detour sooner? WHY? I loved it. Actually I more than loved it. And now for a small PSA: If, like me, you still haven't read Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (or any of Morgan Matson's books for that matter), get on that. Don't do what I did and wait to read them. They are more than worth it.

Waiting on Wednesday (78)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:
SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE BY MORGAN MATSON

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend--the one who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There's just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try…unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple picking at night? Ok, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Wait…what?

Getting through Sloane's list would me a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny dipping? Um...

Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer broke me when I read it two years ago and I can't wait to read more from her. Since You've Been Gone sounds like it has so much potential both when it comes to making me smile and breaking my heart. And the premise makes it sound like it will be lots of fun. I honestly cannot wait to read it. 

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson will be published May 6, 2014 by Simon & Schuster.

Summer Reading - 2013 Edition (1)

Among my friends, I'm known as the book person. As a result, whenever someone is looking for a book recommendation they come to me. This time of the year, this happens a lot since summer is fast approaching and a lot of my friends are typically seasonal readers--as in they read when they have time to do so and that time is often summer. Like I did last year, I thought I would post these recommendations--by genre--her on the blog as well. First up, some contemporary recommendations.

- Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally - Last year I recommended Catching Jordan and I would still stand by that recommendation for anyone looking for a great contemporary read. But this year I read Things I Can't Forget and I have to admit I loved it even more. Like Kenneally's other books, Things I Can't Forget is different from other YA contemporaries out there, so if that's what you're looking for then I strongly recommend this one.

- Just One Day by Gayle Forman - Everyone has been raving about Gayle Forman's Just One Day and that is totally warranted. If you're an older YA reader, then I would strongly recommend Just One Day. The story will pull at your heartstrings and take you on a crazy emotional ride. Be prepared to scream at the characters and want to throw your book across the room at certain parts. But it's totally worth it.

- Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach - Once again, if you are looking for a contemporary that is completely different from any other out there, than give Geoff Herbach's Stupid Fast a try. This one can also appeal to male readers as the story is very much boy-centric, with the may character being a slightly socially awkward teenage boy. And if you pick up this book, I can guarantee you will be in for a laugh.

- Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - Second Chance Summer is one of those books that will pull at your heartstrings. There is no way you can read this book and not tear up at least a little. But it's not necessarily a depressing story, just a very emotional one. But be prepared to be greatly surprised by this story, because I was. But it's completely worth your time.

- Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry took me completely by surprise. This is an incredibly touching and surprisingly deep story that may or may not keep you up reading half the night. This is definitely one of those less happy contemps though, so be warned. But it's still a fantastic one.

This is by far not an extensive list of contemporary recommendations. There are just so many fantastic contemps out there and this list could go on forever. You can always check out last year's post for more contemporary recommendations. And be sure to come back next week for some paranormal recommendations.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Title: Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Taylor Edwards made leaving things behind into an art form. When things get tough, she gets going. Then her dad gets some terrible news and the whole family decides to spend the summer at their old lake house, where Taylor is forced to confront her past. She hadn't been to the lake for years and isn't keen to go back, but then she starts to reconnect with the people she thought she'd left behind--including Henry, her first crush, who's even cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve…

With fireworks, fireflies and midnight swims, the summer feels full of possibility and, for the first time, Taylor wants to hold on to the moment but is one summer really enough to have a second chance--with family, friends and love?

Despite constantly hearing how great Morgan Matson and her books are, it took me a long time to finally pick one up. Second Chance Summer was a fabulous summer read that I just sped through.

For the last few summers, Taylor Edwards has been perfectly happy not going to her family's lake house in Lake Phoenix. Especially with the way she left things the last time she was there. But after her family gets some bad news about her father, Taylor's parents decide they need should all spend one last summer together at the lake house. Taylor isn't looking forward to a whole summer in Lake Phoenix, but now she has to confront her past. But things aren't as bad as Taylor thought they were going to be. It doesn't take long before she starts reconnecting with old friends, even with her old crush. But the summer is about a lot more than coming to terms with the past, it's also about second chances.

So I really, really loved Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer. At the time I read it, it was the perfect read for the mood I was in and that's probably why I loved it as much as I did. What was particularly great about the story in Second Chance Summer was that as lighthearted as it could be at certain times, at other times it was serious and really pulled at my heartstrings. But the way Morgan Matson did this made it so those different moments mixed in together. With the story written that way, it made it so the story wasn't too heavy. But still, I found myself tearing up, if not actually crying, on more than one occasion. And that made the story even better.

While I loved the story in Second Chance Summer, I had my issues with some of the characters. With Taylor, there were times where I could sort of see where she was coming form, but at other times I got a little annoyed with her. The way she talked about what happened the last time she was at her lake house made it sound like it was awful, but then it didn't end up being all that bad. But at the end of the day, because of everything happening, Taylor was suffering so I could sort of see why she acted the way she did. With the other characters, I could understand them more, but I would have liked to get a little more of their back stories. But at the same time, that could have been difficult to do since the story was told form Taylor's perspective.

Overall, I really loved Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer. While I had some problems with the characters, the story was touching, and at times even heartbreaking. I will now be sure to go back and read Morgan Matson's other book, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour.