Good morning, good afternoon, good evening friends! How are you today? I hope you had a good week, and a great Sunday. Today I’m thrilled to be back with my recent feature, where I recommend all of the contemporary books…
Let’s be honest here for a second : the weather currently SUCKS where I am, and I am really, really tired lately. One of the things making me happy at the moment is thinking about some holidays coming soon, and some kind of a break. To put myself in the mood for this, and for those of you currently trying to live through winter, or summer, well, I found a perfect theme…
ROAD TRIPS. I am such a HUGE lover of road trips, they are the best things, I swear. Since we all need to get away sometimes, I found that some books offer the perfect excuse to just do that. Also, more than often, road trip stories a perfect excuse for great character development, which I LOVE. Click on the book covers to be redirected to Goodreads.
Road trips, adventures, and discovering one’s self ?
First book that came to mind when thinking about this theme was obviously Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour – a must-read, I think, if you love contemporaries. Morgan Matson is one of the best authors in that genre, I think, and she always manages to explore perfectly her characters’ emotions and struggles. On the plus side, this book is filled with playlists and photographs and making the road trip story even more exciting and real.
A recent read of mine and also a great and fun road-trip story, is Wanderlost. If we’re being completely superficial here, well…that cover is stunning, isn’t it ? This quick read will make you smile and can be devoured in an afternoon, dreaming about all of the European countries Aubrey is visiting, and how travelling is making her grow.
In the road trip category, I could also mention Just Visiting, a very underrated book I read last year and enjoyed, a lot, because if you ask me, there aren’t enough books dealing with that difficult period between high school and college, leaving everything you know and putting back into question again everything you thought about friendships, love, family, and so on.
Another fun, and different kind of road trip story is Let’s Get Lost. Fun, because it takes you along a journey in the US, and different because it’s one character travelling, meeting along her way different people, going through their own personal journey where they are. It’s a story about meeting people, changing their way of seeing things, and overall it was a very interesting and distracting read.
? Missed my first post of book recommendations? Check it out right here : YA contemporary books with great siblings!
Forever and always YES to Amy and Roger! But then again I wouldn’t turn down any Morgan Matson book. Road trips are an awesome choice of topic, but I can’t really think of any particular other story right now. Which is weird, because I love the feel of road trips! OH WAIT! How to be Bad E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski was fun too. Then I guess there are road trip elements in An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns too?
Ohh I heard a bit about that book, but I haven’t read it, maybe I should add it to my TBR for the summer ahah 🙂
Oh yes, there are in both books but I thought I wouldn’t get my inner massive John Green fan get the best of me for this post ???
It wasn’t my favourite Lockhart book, but it was fun to read How to be Bad nonetheless.
Hahaha good for you that you made it!
I think it’s weird because I LOVE roadtrips – they’re literally my favorite thing in the world and I enjoy a lot spending time on the car -, but I’ve never read books with this theme. I started Paper Towns, by John Green, but I never finished it. I’ll probably pick up Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour in the next months, because everyone praises Morgan Matson, but I’ve never read anything by her.
Great post, Marie! And thanks for the recommendations! 🙂
Ohh I hope you’ll give Amy & Roger a chance. It’s my favorite from Morgan Matson 🙂 Thank you Lais!
This looks like a great new feature! I’ll have to catch up on the last post <3 <3 I really liked Let's Get Lost and Amy And Roger's Epic Detour. I haven't read Wanderlost, but my sister did and didn't really like it so I might give it a miss. Have you read Just One Day by Gayle Forman? That also has teenage-girl-travelling-in europe. And so does How To Be Bad. Anyway, I'm really excited to see where this feature goes, Marie!
Oh thank you so much Shar! Oh I understand how your sister couldn’t enjoy Wanderlost, I did but had some issues with it as well, even if it still was a fun read 🙂
Oh no, I haven’t read both of these books, thanks for the recommendations! 🙂
Eeeee, I love this genre. And road trips in general, of course. ?
I’ve only read one book by Morgan Matson, Since You’ve Been Gone, and I really loved it so obviously I need to read more!
Really wanna read Just Visiting too. I’ve heard so many good things about Dahlia Adler including her LGBTQ+ rep!
Oh yay, glad to hear it! Contemporary is awesome 🙂
If you enjoyed Since You’ve Been Gonve, I feel like there’s no reason for you not to enjoy her other books. I can’t wait for you to read all of them!
That book is the only Dahlia Adler I have read, but it was really, really good! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Great post, I love reading contemporary recommendations because I find I either love or hate them, there’s usually not a lot of middle ground for me. I’ll have to take a closer look at some of these and give them a read!
Thank you so much Kirsty! Oh well I certainly hope that you’ll at least love one of these books 🙂
I LOVE your pick for this week’s contemporary corner Marie. I haven’t read very many books that feature road trips (in fact I don’t think I’ve even read one) but I love reading books about travelling because it never fails to make me want to hop on a plane and fly far far away.
I have all these on my to-read list and need to get around to them soon; especially the Morgan Matson book. I loved what I’ve read by her so far so I’m sure Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour will be just as amazing! 😀
Oh thank you so much Beth! Haha, well books like these were made for us, since we both love traveling and reading so much 🙂 I hope you’ll read some of these soon, you know, to escape a bit this winter season 🙂
They really were. In a way it’s the best of both worlds because we can travel all around the world without ever leaving our homes. But that’s not to say actually travelling to places in real life isn’t amazing! 😀
Haha yes…well, we have the books when we can’t do the travelling so that’s good ?
Exactly, books are cheaper to buy than holidays when it comes down to it! 😀
I don’t read many road trips novels, but I do find most of them to be pretty interesting! A lot of people recommend Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, and since you do, I’ll definitely be looking into it! Great list, Marie! (:
-Jess @jbelkbooks
Oh thank you so much, Jess! I do hope you’ll read that one soon, it’s one of my favorites 🙂
I haven’t read any of these actually, but thank you so much for the recommendations!
Ohh you’re welcome, Megan! I hope you’ll feel like adding a couple of these to your TBR 🙂
Absolutely!
Have I told you that I love this feature so much?hahaha 😛 I agree that the weather sucks! In my country it rains everyday and I DO love rain but it sucks when it rains in the morning and you have to go to work hahaha
Anyway, I love Wanderlost! It’s not the most original story but it’s so adorable. I love Aubrey and Sam and all the old people in the tour they’re so funny hahaha however, I didn’t enjoy Amy & Roger. It’s my least favorite Morgan Matson’s book because… I don’t know, I didn’t connect with Amy and that’s that 🙁 the other two books sound interesting and I actually have seen Just Visiting several times before! Great list <3
Ohh thank you, you are way too sweet, this is making me SO HAPPY <3 Hahaha oh I understand, I really don't like rain when I can't do anything but get soaked ?
OH that's too bad, but I can understand that you didn't connect with Amy. Did you read and love any other books by Morgan Matson?
Thank you so, so much! <3 <3
I read Since You’ve Been Gone and Second Chance Summer and enjoyed both but I still haven’t read The Unexpected Everything! Though I heard it’s her best one?hahaha
Hm, well I love all of her books so it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I did love The Unexpected Everything A LOT ?
I LOVE roadtrip stories! In fact, if the blurb mentions the word ‘road trip’, it is HIGHLY LIKELY I will pick up the book 🙂 Amy and Roger is one of my all-time faves! And Wanderlost was soo cute and fun and made me want to pack my bags and go backpack through Europe right away. I haven’t read the other two books on your list yet, so I’ll have to add them to the TBR!
OH yay, I’m so glad to hear that! If you have any recommendations in the genre, I’d love to hear them all 😀
Eeee road trips are so awesome! <3 I haven't read any of these books, unfortunately, but they've all been on my radar and now I will definitely make sure to read them! Thanks so much for the recommendations. 🙂
Ohh thank YOU Analee, I hope you’ll read ALL of these books and love them as much as I did 😀
I do love roadtrips in books!! Especially in fantasy ones…I mean I guess that’s more of a quest?!? BUT STILL SO FUN.? Anyway I haven’t actually read any of these but I DO want to read the Morgan Matson one. I reeeally like John Green’s roadtrips and Dead Ends by Erin Lange was super sweet and heartwarming. I really want to read Wanderlust too! I forgot about it till now, so this post is an excellent reminder. 😉
Oh yes, I LOVE John Green’s roadtrips as well, but I thought everyone would get sick of me if I quoted two of his books haha ? Oh you should read the Morgan Matson one soon, it’s one of my favorites! 🙂
Nice list! Somehow I had Nowhere But Here in mind (part of the Thunder Road series). I’ve never read those books, but I did come across the book cover (pretty, I must add) quite often. I’m not even sure if there’s a road trip theme going on or if it fits in the contemporary corner or your blog. Have you read it? 😛
– Lashaan
Ohh, no I haven’t read that one but I’ve seen it around for a while, I need to check it out ? Thank you for the recommendation! ?
Marie!! I hope the weather improves where you are, and, if I don’t get to tell you before you leave, that you have a wonderful holiday!! ❤
This is such a lovely post, and makes me think about the roadtrip I recently went to! I love them, and I love them even more so if I have good company.
I haven’t read any of the books on there, but they sound wonderful! Now that I think about it, I haven’t read many books that are about roadtrips! I should read some sometime – I imagine they’d be books with amazing character development!
Oh I’m not going on holidays haha, though I wish I were, I am just dreaming about it badly. I need a break ahah.
Thank you so, so much, and I’m so happy you love road trips as well, with the best company they are incredible ?
OH yes, road trip books are great for character development, something I love especially in contemporaries 🙂
Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve actually ever read a road trip book! That’s crazy, especially because I actually really love road trips and try to have them as often as I can – you’d expect me to do the same with my books, but apparently not, haha.
Amy and Roger’s is on my TBR but I haven’t had the chance to pick it up, so it’s great to see it here. I don’t think I’ve heard of the last two books either so I’ll definitely check those out. Great post, Marie. <3
Hahaha, well…if you can have the road trips in real life, that’s the best ahah ? I hope you’ll read and love one of these books 🙂 Thank you!
I just realized I’ve read so few road trip books. I can only even think of one off the top of my head and it’s Paper Towns, which is a book I’ve noticed not a lot of people like but that I loved. I’ve had Wanderlost on my TBR for a while though and I think I’ll definitely have to see if I can get to it this year. Also, Morgan Matson’s books are on my list this year after having read your review for The Unexpected Everything. I’ll have to try to get to Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour as well. Thanks for the recommendations, Marie!! ??
Oh I noticed the same thing about Paper Towns. I LOVE this book, but found out when I joined this community that it wasn’t everyone’s favorite, ahah 🙂
You’re welcome! I hope you’ll read all these books, especially Morgan Matson because it’s easily my favorite on this list 😀
You love Paper Towns too!? That’s awesome. That will always be my favorite John Green book lol.
I definitely plan on reading at least one Morgan Matson book this year. ?
I do! It’s not my favorite John Green’s, but…oh well, to be honest all of his books are my favorites so, hahaha.
Adi Alsaid is an author on my TBR, I’m really curious about the book, thanks Sweechie!!
Ohh well you should try it my sweechie! It was a quick and fun read, perfect to eat in a day. (We eat books…don’t we?) :p
I LOVE roadtrips!! I feel like it can be a real challenge for authors to incorporate road trips because there’s a limit to what can be accomplished action-wise in a car or whatever, so when I find a really good road-trip book that has a lot of different settings it is so wonderful! I loved Let’s Get Lost! I haven’t read the others but I’ll definitely keep them in mind. Another great road-trip book is Mosquitoland- there’s a bit more heartache in the plot and there’s not much romance, but it’s wonderful. Great post!
OH you are SO right about this – and funny how there are so little books where the travelling action is described in lenght. As you said, after a while, there’s not too much you can do in a car haha.
Oh thank you for the recommendation! I heard a bit about this book, but haven’t read it – I need to add it to my TBR 🙂 I hope you’ll read and enjoy one of my recs! Thank you so much Jessica!
Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour is such an amazing book, and so fun! Other road trip books I really enjoyed are Right of Way and Two Way Street, both by Lauren Barnholdt. Her storytelling is really captivating because she switches between three different times. In the road trip books, she has the “before the road trip”, “on the road trip” and “after the road trip”. It’s super cool because all three come to a climax at the same time, and you’re piecing it all together as you read. I’d highly recommend these 🙂
Ohhhh thank you! I LOVE these kind of books that switch between different times, or when there are flashbacks of sorts! I will add that one to my TBR right now, thank you so much! 🙂
Road trip books are probably perfect at the moment especially since I just came back from one. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour. Wanderlost makes me want to travel! I wasn’t a fan of Let’s Get Lost though. Lovely list Marie!
Aww you’re so lucky, I miss roadtrips, but it’s winter right now in France so it’s not really the season for it ahah 🙂 Thank you so much Jeann! <3 < 3
I’m hoping to read Let’s Get Lost soon along with these other contemporaries because I love a good road trip type book!
Oh I hope you’ll get to read it soon, it’s such a great book 😀
Hopefully I can read it before I turn it back in to the library but my TBR keeps changing XD
Hahaha I get it, well I hope you’ll be able to read it soon 😛