Smackdown Books 2021

Ordinary Hazards
We Dream of Space
If These Wings Could Fly
We Are Not Free
The King of Jam Sandwiches
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
The Companion
Punching the Air
Show Me a Sign
Land of the Cranes
Furia
Dragon Hoops
When Stars Are Scattered
Snapdragon
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark
American as Paneer Pie
Tune It Out
The Gilded Ones
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
Switch

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour vs Flash Burnout



Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is a predictable yet satsifying story about two teens who are dealing with loss. Amy is trying to come to terms with the death of her father while Roger is trying to make sense of his breakup with his girlfriend. As the two of them travel across the United States from California to the east coast they learn about healing and about each other.

I liked the little extras - copies of receipts from sightseeing excursions, restaurants, mini-marts, and hotels as well as music lists (which I stopped reading about halfway through). Even though I knew exactly where Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was headed I enjoyed the journey. This would be an excellent recommendation to girls who enjoyed "13 Little Blue Envelopes" or "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants".

Flash Burnout tells a story that is at times hilarious and at others poignant. Blake takes a picture of a homeless woman for his photography class and she ends up being the meth addicted mother of someone he knows. Being a good friend wreaks havoc with his relationships with his girlfriend and family.
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I loved Blake's voice. His description of his father's work as a medical examiner who deals with the "metabolically challenged" had me laughing out loud. I also chuckled at the fact that the name of the dog his family adopted is "The Dog Formerly Known as Prince" (they didn't like the name the dog originally came with). This is a book that can be enjoyed by both boys and girls.

Both books were very good but I cast my vote for Flash Burnout because I believe it has mass appeal. We'll have to see what Mona and Lisa have to say before we know which book moves on.

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