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dunollie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Beautiful story, wrapping up teen heartache and loss and romance in the power of stories and their impact on our lives.
The plot may feel a little contrived at times but it somehow seems to fit in a story about the magic we can find in the real world to match what we find in our books.
The plot may feel a little contrived at times but it somehow seems to fit in a story about the magic we can find in the real world to match what we find in our books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Animal death, and Car accident
ludmireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The first few chapters were fine, there were some beautiful thoughts worth highlighting and I was really enjoying it. But then BOOM, the first sentence of chapter 3 completely shattered me (if you read blurbs, the "plot twist" won't surprise you but I don't so I was shocked). And this was where the "fun" begun, well more like pain. I know it sounds like I'm gonna criticize the book but it's the exact opposite! It was absolutely heartbreaking yet so beautiful. I have never ever cried this soon into a story. The poetic language helped with that a lot.
I loved the one sentence that kept repeating again and again and again like a refrain in a song reminding Amelia the harsh truth, that always made me want to cry.
And the epilogue? KILLED ME.
I loved the one sentence that kept repeating again and again and again like a refrain in a song reminding Amelia the harsh truth, that always made me want to cry.
And the epilogue? KILLED ME.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Death of parent
onthesamepage's review
4.5
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Amelia and Jenna meet, Amelia is staring at the books in a bookstore, trying to find solace in them after her father abandons her and her mother in favor of a new, young girlfriend. Jenna and her family take her under their wing, and between the love they give her and the Orman Chronicles, Amelia's favourite series, the hurt eases. It's no surprise then that she asks for two tickets to go see the author of the Orman Chronicles, the young N. E. Endsley, as a graduation present. But things don't go to plan. N. E. Endsley never shows up for the event, and even worse, Jenna got to meet him and Amelia didn't. Jenna leaves for Ireland shortly after, and there she dies in a fatal car crash, leaving Amelia alone with her guilt and grief.
When an exclusive edition of the first book in the series appears at her bookstore, Amelia is sure Jenna had something to do with it. She traces the book to a bookstore in Michigan and heads there to find out why Jenna had this sent to her. There she comes face to face with none other than N. E. Endsley, who is dealing with problems of his own.
I devoured this book in two sittings and when I was done, my heart felt full. I loved the way this was written; it hit that sweet spot of being beautifully descriptive without becoming too much like purple prose. I loved being in Amelia's head and feeling with her as she dealt with her grief. The way she was clinging to Jenna by trying to stick to the plans they made together was heartbreaking to see, and I absolutely understand the choices she made throughout the book.
This could have easily been a 5 star read, because I did also love the relationship between Nolan and Amelia. I thought the way it developed was lovely. They had so many intimate moments between them that made me ache for them. It could be seen as a whirlwind romance, but I think it developed just a bit too fast in hindsight, even though I ate it up while reading. They share their deepest, darkest secrets, fall in love, and decide the other is the one for them, all within a week. There's an epilogue at the end that shows snapshots of their lives further into adulthood, and while I thought that was a very nice touch, I have trouble believing it because of how short they've known each other by the end. I loved how they helped each other through their trauma and I think if there had been more focus on that and the development of a strong friendship first before making it romantic, it would've made this an unforgettable favourite for me.
Also there's a mention of "the Bennet cats" and I'm re-reading Pride & Prejudice right now and there are definitely no cats...so no idea what's happening here.
Still definitely one of the best YA contemporaries I've read, and guaranteed to give you all the feels.
When Amelia and Jenna meet, Amelia is staring at the books in a bookstore, trying to find solace in them after her father abandons her and her mother in favor of a new, young girlfriend. Jenna and her family take her under their wing, and between the love they give her and the Orman Chronicles, Amelia's favourite series, the hurt eases. It's no surprise then that she asks for two tickets to go see the author of the Orman Chronicles, the young N. E. Endsley, as a graduation present. But things don't go to plan. N. E. Endsley never shows up for the event, and even worse, Jenna got to meet him and Amelia didn't. Jenna leaves for Ireland shortly after, and there she dies in a fatal car crash, leaving Amelia alone with her guilt and grief.
When an exclusive edition of the first book in the series appears at her bookstore, Amelia is sure Jenna had something to do with it. She traces the book to a bookstore in Michigan and heads there to find out why Jenna had this sent to her. There she comes face to face with none other than N. E. Endsley, who is dealing with problems of his own.
I devoured this book in two sittings and when I was done, my heart felt full. I loved the way this was written; it hit that sweet spot of being beautifully descriptive without becoming too much like purple prose. I loved being in Amelia's head and feeling with her as she dealt with her grief. The way she was clinging to Jenna by trying to stick to the plans they made together was heartbreaking to see, and I absolutely understand the choices she made throughout the book.
This could have easily been a 5 star read, because I did also love the relationship between Nolan and Amelia. I thought the way it developed was lovely. They had so many intimate moments between them that made me ache for them. It could be seen as a whirlwind romance, but I think it developed just a bit too fast in hindsight, even though I ate it up while reading. They share their deepest, darkest secrets, fall in love, and decide the other is the one for them, all within a week. There's an epilogue at the end that shows snapshots of their lives further into adulthood, and while I thought that was a very nice touch, I have trouble believing it because of how short they've known each other by the end. I loved how they helped each other through their trauma and I think if there had been more focus on that and the development of a strong friendship first before making it romantic, it would've made this an unforgettable favourite for me.
Also there's a mention of "the Bennet cats" and I'm re-reading Pride & Prejudice right now and there are definitely no cats...so no idea what's happening here.
Still definitely one of the best YA contemporaries I've read, and guaranteed to give you all the feels.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Animal death
sunsetcity's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book came as a bit of a surprise for me! I haven't heard many people talking about it and yet, I really enjoyed it! This book follows our main character Amelia. After getting into a fight with her best friend Jenna, she finds out that Jenna has died in a car accident while vacationing in Ireland. Lost and unsure what to do with her and Jenna's 10 year plan for after high school, she soon receives a special edition version of her and Jenna's favourite book from a random bookstore out of state. Convinced that Jenna had somehow sent it to her, she visits the bookstore to unravel the mystery of where the book came from and ends up finding out more about herself, what she wants to do in the future, and about the mysterious author of her favourite book.
This book was written in a very beautiful way. The main character is an avid reader and a lot of the descriptions in the book were almost magical, especially with the flying whales. It really helped to illustrate the grief that Amelia was going through and her journey in grieving the death of her best friend. I also really enjoyed the small town vibes and just how the setting was described throughout the story. It really helped set the atmosphere and tone of the story. I really enjoyed the plot overall and felt very immersed in the story the whole time. The only problem I had with the plot was the instalovey romance in it.
I also really enjoyed the characters. They were all dealing with pretty heavy things in their lives and the way they navigated and grew from their pasts was interesting to read. Amelia really grew throughout the story and seeing her figure out whether she should do what she thought Jenna wanted or what she truly wanted was interesting to read. I also really liked Nolan's character and how we slowly learned about him as he slowly opened up to others in the book. There were some points where the character development did seem a little fast, but overall I loved learning more about each of these characters.
Overall this was a really deep book about grief, friendship, and finding yourself that I would highly recommend people read!
This book was written in a very beautiful way. The main character is an avid reader and a lot of the descriptions in the book were almost magical, especially with the flying whales. It really helped to illustrate the grief that Amelia was going through and her journey in grieving the death of her best friend. I also really enjoyed the small town vibes and just how the setting was described throughout the story. It really helped set the atmosphere and tone of the story. I really enjoyed the plot overall and felt very immersed in the story the whole time. The only problem I had with the plot was the instalovey romance in it.
I also really enjoyed the characters. They were all dealing with pretty heavy things in their lives and the way they navigated and grew from their pasts was interesting to read. Amelia really grew throughout the story and seeing her figure out whether she should do what she thought Jenna wanted or what she truly wanted was interesting to read. I also really liked Nolan's character and how we slowly learned about him as he slowly opened up to others in the book. There were some points where the character development did seem a little fast, but overall I loved learning more about each of these characters.
Overall this was a really deep book about grief, friendship, and finding yourself that I would highly recommend people read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Car accident, Child death, Death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
getbrekked's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Child death
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Cancer
andkellyreads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Normally I take a little time after I finish a story before writing my review. I let myself marinate in what I’ve read, think about things that stuck out, or ruminate on what may or may not have worked well for me.
I’m not doing that with Amelia Unabridged. I feel like, if I don’t get my feelings out and down into this review now, I might not ever be able to.
Amelia Unabridged was pure YA magic. From the first page to the last, this book wrapped you up in a giant hug full of whimsical words and emotions, and keeps you safe from the outside world. I won’t go into too much detail, because this book needs to be approached without much influence, but just know that it hit me and it hit me hard. It was emotional, full of both highs and lows, and I sobbed my way through at least 6 chapters. Honestly, I don’t know how I retained what was on the page a few times because I was crying so hard I could barely see the words. But it was good. This book was so good. What an absolute joy it was to spend time inside Amelia’s head and experience everything with her; the grief, the joy, and the daydreams. She’ll make you smile, she’ll bring you to tears, and she’ll even make you angry a few times, but being with her as she learns how to live her own life after such a tragic event feels like a privilege and I don’t take a single moment for granted.
I’m still getting over the fact that this book is a debut, honestly. Ashley Schumacher has such a way with words that I highlighted over half of the book so I could go back and revisit my favorite moments whenever I need some comfort. The thoughts and actions of the characters were written in such a way that they match their artistic endeavors, lyrically almost, and the scenes were so beautifully described you could visualize everything so vividly, from the scenery and surroundings down to the facial quirks and mannerisms. It was a beautiful story to read and it was easy (and a pleasure) to get swept away in its current.
This book is a coming-of-age story, one that feels tangible and real, even with the somewhat cheesy, yet purely YA in style, romance that runs along Amelia’s adventure almost like a living thing. Amelia’s journey was full of whimsy and sadness, discovery and devastation, and I inhaled it all like a breath of fresh air. This book is perfect for lost souls and old souls alike, and I know it’s a book I won’t soon forget; its cast of characters memorable, and its journey nestled close to my heart. This book is any YA book’s dream, honestly, being a perfect blend of writing that hits the mark for both YA and adult readers, and I cannot wait to see what Schumacher brings us next. Amelia is a force to be reckoned with, and I know for Schumacher, this is only the beginning.
***Many thanks to Negalley and Wednesday Books for the review copy***
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Car accident
Minor: Animal death
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