Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Summary:
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... (from GoodReads)

Review:Doesn't this book make you think of Kelly Clarkson's hit song with the same title? Surprisingly that song wasn't stuck in my head while I was reading Since You've Been Gone. Anyway, I definitely enjoyed Matson's latest novel but it's definitely not her best work.

The beginning of Since You've Been Gone does what a lot of YA novels do: puts the "best friend" on a pedestal while the protagonist berates herself for not being as pretty/outgoing/funny/spontaneous. Every few seconds Emily would talk about how Sloane would act and what Sloane would say and why Sloane is so much cooler than her. It's exhausting for the reader and also frustrating because I'm reading about Emily. Can you imagine having that train of thought in your head every time you interacted with someone from school? Yikes.

However, as Emily makes new friends and becomes more independent, that reliance on Sloane pretty much disappears, thank goodness. Emily actually has a personality that shines! I did think it was weird how Sloane fell off the grid; it's explained at the end and it kinda makes sense but it's also pretty weird.

Morgan Matson is known for her road trips (see: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour) and even this book has a mini one. But, she needs to stop saying that the license plates in Pennsylvania say "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania." I live here and they do not!!! I know they did at one point but I even checked and apparently they were retired in 1999. So this is super annoying because it's clear that she visited here awhile ago and for some reason still thinks it's how it is and puts it in TWO books.

Anyway, I did like this book especially seeing Emily make friends and become more independent. But I would have to say her first two novels are even better so if you liked this one you'll love those.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2014/Simon & Schuster/449 pages.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Summary:
From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak.

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I loved Morgan Matson's first novel, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, because it was an amazing road-trip novel and I'm pleased to say that I also adored Second Chance Summer.

I was originally drawn to this novel because it takes place in the Pocono Mountains. I've vacationed there before so I am familiar with the locale, even though the author did create her own lake and town for the book. Places near me are rarely in books, so I get excited when they do eventually show up.

There is something about books that are set in the summer that I just love. Summer is my favorite season, and there's just this feeling of possibility. Like, anything could happen in the summer. So I love books that take place during this time and especially when they're set somewhere different, like at the beach or in the mountains. In Second Chance Summer, the lake and the surrounding town is an important aspect. It's where everything happens, but it also is the catalyst for the action in the book.

I really liked the way the protagonist, Taylor, was characterized. Her "fatal flaw" (you could call it) is that she tends to run away when things get tough. This is the reason for her break with her friends, which is eventually told through flashbacks, and you get the idea that this keeps her a little distant from her family.

But I love that Taylor's penchant for leaving gets reformed in this "second chance summer." In addition to getting a second chance with her family, friends, and love, she gets a second chance with herself. Taylor realizes that she is a strong person and can handle the tough parts of life.

As for the plot, I enjoyed all aspects of it, even the parts where I was bawling my eyes out. I'm pretty close with my dad, so I could feel Taylor's pain and grief over what happens. I would suggest not reading this public, unless you don't mind crying in front of people, because I don't think many readers will stay dry-eyed at the end.

Overall, I thought Second Chance Summer was a very poignant novel and showed that you should treasure the time you have with your loved ones because you don't know when it might be gone. Even through all the seriousness, I really did enjoy the novel (parts of it actually were fun) and thought it combined all the best parts of YA contemporary fiction.

Rating: 10 out of 10!!
FTC: read online at Pulse It

2012/Simon Pulse/480 pages.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Summary:
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. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I love traveling, so a story about a road trip is perfect for me! And Amy and Roger's Epic Detour really hit the spot for me, so to speak.

Like I said, I loved the premise, because I can think of nothing more fun than driving across the country with a cute boy. Instead of following Amy's mom's sensible itinerary, Amy and Roger decide to take a couple detours and actually have fun on their trip. They go to Yosemite National Park, Roger's college in Colorado, visit some of his friends in Kansas and Kentucky and go to Graceland in Tennessee. Not the most practical of routes, but it was fun to see Amy and Roger be a little impulsive and decide where they wanted to along the way.

I loved that Amy and Roger both came with baggage (metaphorical and literal). Amy's father just died in a car accident and Roger was just dumped by his girlfriend, so this trip was very much a cleansing process. Seeing the two grow and learn to move on made the book very meaningful and more deep than your average road-tripping novel.

I absolutely adored the way the book included photos and receipts and music playlists from along the way. It felt like I was actually looking at someone's scrapbook, which was awesome.

The only thing I wondered about was how much research the author did for the book. Everything seemed pretty accurate until Amy and Roger start driving towards Philadelphia, which is where I live. For example, the license plates do not say "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania" anymore (and trust me, I wish they did because that is so cute). Also, Amy and Roger drive from Richmond, VA to Philly and they are driving for a couple of hours in PA until they reach the city. If they took the most direct route, they would only be in PA for about 20 mins before reaching the city. I know I'm nitpicking but I gotta defend my state!

Honestly, though, I really did love Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. It had so many elements that I enjoy in my stories: romance, character development, humor, and travel!

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library

2010/Simon & Schuster/344 pages.