Sparks fly between two teens as they grapple with grief, love, and the future in this unforgettable debut novel sure to entice fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer E. Smith Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father … father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.Ashley Schumacher’s devastating and beautiful debut, Amelia Unabridged, is about finding hope and strength within yourself, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love while you do it.
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Oh my gosh, this is exactly the wholesome YA content that I needed in my life! Amelia Unabridged is an unflinchingly honest story about a girl who lost her best friend, and somehow along the way, lost herself. The personality of this book was so huge that I often found myself laughing along with the characters.
Just to start with the setting, was that bookstore not the place that bookworms dream about? It was so magical and fun and so many things that I can’t even begin to put into words. Please take me there and never make me leave.
The plot development felt so realistic, which just made the characters that much more lovable. I felt so invested and honestly shocked at how much I loved this book. Not because it is a type of book I wouldn’t read (I read books like this all the time), but because of how well-written it really was.
I don’t want to give spoilers for this novel because most of it is just learning about Amelia and Nolan’s life as they learn about it as well. Giving spoilers would just ruin how honest and real it feels.
Overall, even though this is a short review, I give this book all the stars (and whales) in the sky. For the wholesome YA content. For the romance. For the true friendships. For the furry sidekick. For still being uplifting even while dealing with grief. For everything unabridged.
Favorite quote: “Because she saved Nolan first and I must finish what she started.”
Book 139 towards my goal of 290! 3.5/5 stars for this YA Contemporary read. Perfect for readers who love books about books. A bit of a crying book. Not my favorite, but still enjoyable. The cover isn’t my favorite. Narration was great. Not one I’d personally recommend.
Ashley Schumacher writes about a friendship and a bookstore that I would hope to experience in my lifetime. The descriptions of both were so vivid so felt as if so was right there with Amelia. This story is a coming of age story where Amelia is trying to decide questions about her future with the opinions of others. This story is also about grief and how one might cope or work through their grief. The dialogue and situations gave me pause for reflection on my own experiences and how I will help navigate situations with my two young daughters. I am still thinking about the book after reading it a few days ago!
I absolutely loved this wonderful, magical debut novel.
Amelia and her best friend Jenna are obsessed with the author of they’re favorite book series, Orman Chronicles. Amelia and Jenna have a huge fight over the author, N.E. Endsley, a few days before Jenna takes a trip to Ireland. While there tragedy strikes. I like this book, the friendship that Amelia and Jenna had is something to envy. I immediately liked the friends, I was hooked after chapter 1. This book is sad but so good and a must read. Hope you all like it as much as i do.
How do you recover from a death that cuts you to your core? Amelia is facing that question when her best friend suddenly dies right after their high school graduation. When she receives a package at the local bookstore, Amelia goes from Texas to Michigan to find out who sent it. There she finds the reclusive author who wrote her favorite book. Together, they both face the same question.
Opinion
This is such a heartwarming book. I loved the journey these two characters took. Even though it was mostly during one week, the frequent flashbacks gave insight into their relationships. Each character is quirky in their own right but so loveable. This is sure to be a modern day classic for those recovering from a death. This book was truly enjoyable to read.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This is a touching story about two people dealing with their grief and finding the calm after the storm. Amelia is dealing with the loss of her best friend. They had plans. Their futures planned and it’s all gone in an instant. A mysterious package is delivered to Amelia and she sets off to find out the reason for it and finds more than she bargained for.
This was an emotional story. Losing a loved one isn’t easy. There are many feelings and emotions to process. I loved the story telling style and the story is very well written. I found myself wanting to take a trip and find this amazing bookstore! The characters were great and really made the story pop. My heart went out to Amelia and N.E. This book got me right in my feels!
This is a wonderful read. A fabulous debut for this author! I enjoyed both the story and her writing. I can’t wait to read more from her. I highly recommend this book! Add it your TBR today! I give this 4 stars.
I really liked this book! I really didn’t know a whole lot about this book before I decided to read it. I loved the cover so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. Amelia goes through a lot in the pages of this story and I enjoyed watching her deal with everything. I found this to be a very touching and entertaining story.
Amelia and her best friend, Jenna, are just like sisters. They do everything together and Amelia is included in Jenna’s family functions. As a graduation gift, they go on a trip together to a book festival where N.E. Endsley is scheduled to appear. He is the author of their favorite books and Amelia is really looking forward to meeting him. Things don’t work out as planned and they head home to follow the rest of their plans for the summer with Jenna going on a trip and Amelia doing some college prep. Then tragedy strikes and Amelia is left to try to pick up the pieces and figure out how to move on.
I really liked the characters in this book. Amelia went through so much in this book and I thought that her range of emotions felt very authentic. I really enjoyed getting to see her work through things and make new connections. I love that she was willing to open herself to new connections and possibilities. Nolan has also been through a lot and is very guarded. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and take a chance. All of the supporting characters from Alex, Jenna’s parents, and Val were all wonderfully done and added a lot to the story.
This was an emotional yet hopeful story. I loved the fantastical elements that played a role and appreciated the fact that there was a good dose of humor worked into the story. The romance was well done and I couldn’t help but hope that they would be able to make things work. I had a fantastic time reading this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others.
I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press – Wednesday Books via NetGalley.
In Amelia Unabridged, Amelia Schumacher has given us a story about friendship, how the love of a good book can bring people together and how quickly life can change.
Amelia and Jenna meet at a bookstore and become best friends, bonding over the Orman Chronicles written by a young, reclusive author very close to their age. When circumstances happen to cause a big fight between the girls, it leaves them shaken and lives changed forever.
If I say too much more, I will give away too much. Pick up this debut novel, devour it and then share it with a friend.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Ashley Schumacher for an advance copy of this book for a fair review.
Put Amelia Unabridged at the top of your list to read!
Amelia Griffin is left devastated when he best friend Jenna dies in a car accident but when she receives a specially numbered book of the Orman Chronicles, she decides to check out the bookstore in Michigan that is was sent from. Leading her to the reclusive author of the Orman Chronicles that had dropped out of sight after the postponement of his latest book.
I wasn’t sure what to expect reading Amelia Unabridged when I started but it is a book that will stay with me for a while because Amelia and Nolan could be any of us with trying to put their lives back together when they have a devastating loss. A quote that I hope is in the finished book because you live “a story you like telling”. I will recommend Amelia Unabridged because it is that good of a book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sometimes if you are very lucky, fate or the book gods lead you to a read that maybe you would not discover otherwise, and it is truly a blessing. That is exactly how I feel about this book. I have so many feelings about this astounding story and nowhere near enough skill to share them adequately. The whole basis of this touching tale is firmly based on realistic things such as friendship, jealousy, anger loss, grief, regret, endurance, love and the incredible effects that they can and do have in all of our lives. It is tragic, powerful, painful, heartbreaking, emotional and beautiful. Whether you actually are a young adult reader or someone that is older, I think you will feel a visceral connection to Amelia’s poignant journey. Do be prepared though because if you are like me, this read is going to wreck you emotionally but it is absolutely worth the workout your heat and tear ducts are going to get. All of the thoughts and opinions in this review are my own and freely posted.
Amelia Unabridged was such an unexpected experience. I was pulled into the story right away and never wanted to put it down. The writing was beautiful and had me feeling such a range of emotions. It explored grief in such a unique and poetic way, yet it also felt completely relatable. I enjoyed the story within a story feeling and how whimsical the imagery was at times. Make no mistake though, this is not a light and easy young adult novel. There were times when I would finish a chapter and need to take a deep breath. The heaviness in my heart was simply too much to hold for too long. Through all the pain and heartbreak, however, there was also joy and hope.
I loved the connection between Amelia and Nolan. They knew just when to push and when to just be. I appreciated the journey that each of them had to take to make it to the other side of their grief. As much as I enjoyed it, I actually could have done without the romance aspect of the novel. It was certainly touching and heartwarming, but I think Amelia learning to trust in herself and finally coming into her own was the heart of the story. The themes of friendship and family by choice were very powerful. The secondary characters were wonderful and I especially loved Val and of course, Wally. The ultimate conflict and resolution were somewhat predictable, but it didn’t take away from the story and helped make the epilogue feel that much more satisfying. An incredible book from start to finish. I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.
CW: death of a loved one, anxiety, drowning, car accident, grief
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
Amelia Unabridged is a beautiful story. I can’t begin to paraphrase the plot, so please read the book description. There are many emotions that go along with unexpectedly losing someone you love and wondering what your life is supposed to look like now that you are left to navigate your future without them. This book explores those emotions and the grieving process in a sweet, whimsical, and honest way. At the same time, the romance of two young people develops throughout. The writing is wonderful, creative, and enticing. There are pieces of the story that read like a fantasy, others as a romance, and yet, at its core, Amelia Unabridged is an inspiring coming-of-age story. I can’t say enough how much I adored this book and how much it has inspired me in how I move forward after the losses I have endured.
Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @ashwritesbooks for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Do you ever read a digital book and find yourself highlighting so much text that your notes are incredibly full, and you have trouble deciding which of the many things you’ve highlighted should be a part of your review? There are so many aspects to this book that I love it’s making it hard to write this review.
“I feel as if I’m bartering tiny pieces of myself in order to reach safety.”
Even though Amelia has suffered such a tragedy, when she’s supposed to be starting her life, there are so many good feelings, where you’re filled with happiness and warmth. I felt so many emotions reading this because the writing is fantastic. I ranged from sadness to hope, and then I found myself encouraged and swooning. This is a book that settles comfortably into your soul and stays with you long after you read it. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and so incredibly healing. Bring tissues, you will need them. Thank you, St. Martin’s, for sending this along.
This YA book was such a wonderful surprise! I fell in love with the characters (ALL of them), the writing and the story.
Amelia and Nolan find each other through happenstance as they are both dealing with devastating loss. But while this is a story of healing, hope and finding your someone who gets you, it is also very much about family…not necessarily your biological one, but the family you make.
The writing here is simply magical, deeply felt and heartbreakingly honest. And while yes, it deals with grief, it also deals with the solace of opening up and being vulnerable in order to move forward in life.
Hard to believe this is a debut from an author that I will definitely be watching. Highly recommended.
My thanks to #NetGalley and #WednesdayBooks for providing me the early ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
I don’t know if I can express how much I adored this debut from Ashley Schumacher. Amelia Unabridged is beautifully and powerfully written. My heart hurt and sang and hoped. Bottom line – It’s fantastic.
Amelia and Jenna are the best of friends. Their yin and yang personalities balance out but also make their happiness dependent on the other. Jenna’s parents gift them a dream come true trip after high school graduation to meet their favorite author, N. E. Endsley. He no shows and it’s Jenna’s fault, their ability to fully reconcile is taken away when Jenna dies unexpectedly. Amelia is grieving and an unexplainable book delivery has her searching for a way to reconnect with Jenna.
This book has it all: so many quotable phrases, a relatable heroine (for us bookish girls certainly), a mysteriously grumpy hero, and an angsty, page-turning plot. I know this will easily be one of my top favorite reads for 2021. Ashley is going to be an auto-read author.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was so fortunate to be able to receive an advanced copy of this book. I quickly knew this would be one of my top 5 reads of 2020.
Amelia’s dad has decided he wants a new life – with a new girlfriend. One that doesn’t include Amelia and her mom. When he leaves, Amelia visits the one place she knows will make her feel better – her local bookstore. There she meets Jenna, a schoolmate she’s never talked to, who buys her a book and invites her over. There she becomes immersed with the world of Orman, and a friendship with Jenna blossoms. Fastforward to senior year. Jenna and Amelia have their first fight, semi-make up, then Jenna is killed in a freak accident in Ireland. In the throws of agony, Amelia is surprised to receive a package, especially when it’s a special edition of her favorite book. Edition 101, which shouldn’t exist. She then travels to the bookstore it came from to find out who sent it. She thinks it’s Jenna trying to speak to her from the grave. While there, she finds more than she bargained for.
If I had to describe this book in 3 words, I would say it was heavy, whimsical and lyrical.
This is some heavy subject matter, especially during this pandemic. Books about death are hard to read right now, but there is an undercurrent of hope throughout.
This book was so whimsical in the way it was written. There were so many book references, comparisons to books. It was just really lovely to read. The writing was lyrical and seemed to flow seamlessly. It was so easy to envision what the writer was trying to portray.
I loved the characters. Amelia was very real, her grief felt real. I just wanted to hug her. Endsley was a grow to love character for me, but by the end I adored him. Val was so entertaining and Alex honestly just seemed like a necessary third wheel. At first, I didn’t like the love story, but by the end I was shipping them.
This book is about so much more than a love story. It’s about becoming yourself and learning to live with grief. 5/5 stars.
4 Stars
I really liked this book. It kind of slowed down in the middle but picked back up in the end. The prose was beautiful and made jealous that I don’t see the world like that. It definitely reminds me of how I felt reading some of my 1st books. I would absolutely love for an “Alex Unabridged” to follow but I won’t hold my breath.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.