Help Create an Epic Summer Reading Playlist

[Sommer Leigh]

I don’t know about anyone else, but every summer, right about this time, when my state becomes the epicenter for late spring storms and all the kids are getting out of school and my neighborhood, flanked on both sides by a junior high and an elementary school, becomes suddenly empty and quiet and bus-less, I start craving a very specific type of book. I mean the books that evoke summer and all its nuances. I almost always turn to Young Adult for this type of book because there are few things more summer-evoking than teenage adventure and the expanse of endless hot days filled with the great unknown that reminds me of when summers actually still belonged to me.(Who doesn’t miss having three months off from everything?)

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson arrived at my doorstep on Tuesday. I’d been waiting for this book release for months. And it was so good! I wish I could give a copy to everyone. It’s a road trip book, but there is so much more going on. It is definitely a thinking-reader’s story. Two strangers are thrown together in a cross-country roadtrip, both with very different agendas and issues. Their dynamic is awesome, but all the side characters they meet along the way really steal the show. Embedded in the story are diner and fast food receipts, hotel invoices, photographs, and playlists. There is some romance, but there is mostly friendship and heartache and humor.

Roger’s playlists are filled with bands I’ve never heard of, who are probably too cool for me, but that’s ok! I actually started creating Roger’s playlists on my youtube channel and have downloaded the first one to my iPod. Thanks to this book I now have two new favorite bands, Jack’s Mannequin and Owl City, with Mika and The Rosenbergs being pretty awesome too. I wish Morgan Matson had a blog that I could follow, she seems so charming and funny and I'd love to read about her research.


So having said all that, I propose we build an impromptu Epic Summer Reading Playlist…filled with those books that aren’t just good, but evoke the very nature of summer. Be it romance or adventure or introspection or humor or pirates! Here’s what you do:

1. I’ll add Amy & Roger to the end of this post, including the title of the book (Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour), the author (Morgan Matson), and who added the book to the playlist (Me!)
2. If you comment, copy my playlist entry (not my whole post), paste it to the end of your comment, and add your favorite summer book in the next playlist slot.
3. So on and so forth for each addition so that the last commenter has posted the most complete list of books on the Epic Summer Reading Playlist.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations! I’m so excited that summer is finally here.

1. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (added by Sommer Leigh)
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[Quill]

The Hardy Boys!

When I was a kid I had a friend across the street who owned almost the complete series. One summer he lent them to me, one at a time and I devoured them, up to one a day. Good times, good times.

Oh, right. We're adults now.

[Robin]

Hope I'm doing this right:

1. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (added by Sommer Leigh)
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (added by Robin---- this book is awesome to read while sitting next to the pool)
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[Sommer Leigh]

I don't think there's really a "wrong" way of doing anything :-)

I can't wait to check that book out Robin!

[Ishta]

1. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (added by Sommer Leigh)
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (added by Robin---- this book is awesome to read while sitting next to the pool)
3. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares (added by Ishta Mercurio, who just noticed that "brashares" breaks down into "Bra Shares", which is kind of like the subject of the book, which is a shared pair of pants. Hmmm... Anyway, I'm reading the book now, and it's a fun, quick read.)
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