"And whether or not I face up to my critics, life will always be beautiful and messy. Always."

It started as a simple youth group assignment: write a story for the kids in Sunday School. For Luke Dorsey, a whirlwind of writing turned into a published book . . . with a book tour. Luke's brother Matt is assigned the task of getting him to each tour location, but Matt has other ideas, including a trip across Route 66 to repair his relationship with his girlfriend Alex. Throughout the road trip, Luke gives us glimpses back at the time he was writing the book and the story of his friendship with Fran, a fellow youth group member, unfolds as well.

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Anthony John is a story about friendship, but also about looking beyond appearances and finding out what lies beneath. Even though this is Luke's story, I really loved Fran. She's honest about the fact that she's trying to figure things out--and that it's hard to live with parents who have put her in a pressure cooker.

I've never traveled Route 66, but there is a part of me that wants to see all the roadside attractions. Although the trip was mostly a backdrop for the story, it was fun to follow along as Luke, Matt, Fran, and Alex crossed the country.

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is available today from Dial Books. ARC from publisher.