Wow--what a sparkling debut, from the deep character development, to the magical world-building, to the swoony romance, to the gorgeous line-level prose. This story was a love letter to books and the ways they connect and heal us, and it spoke to something so deeply meaningful in my reading life. A total triumph, and I can't wait for Ashley's next book!

Oh. My. Gosh.

Okay, you know those stories that you get so invested in that you’re almost scared to read the last few chapters? You don’t want the book to end, but more than that, you really NEED things to go a certain way, and you’re afraid of the crushing awful possibility that they won’t?

That was completely how I felt reading this book. I loved it. Loved Jenna and Amelia’s relationship and the way Jenna’s family adopted her right in. I loved the friendship between Alex and Nolan, too, and the way their crew interacted with Amelia.

I loved the stuff about the book by N. E. Endsley and his created world of Orman and the sisters in the book. I loved the small lakeside town in Michigan with its stormy weather and town bazaar and quirky bookstore. And the whales!!! I love the whales.

I. Loved. This. Book. I feel like AMELIA UNABRIDGED is the book that I wanted so many other books to be. It punched me straight in the face with its grief and bewitched me with its found family. Honestly, I loved it so much that I’m scared to start another book until this one fades a little bit.

It’s so so good. If you like deep, messy contemporary stories with fabulous friendships and banter, then you seriously need to read this book.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The author was very well able to maintain a balance between the grief, romance and all the events that were taking place in the book. After finishing the book I made my mind that I’ll be reading more books by Ashley Schumacher but later I realized that this was her debut novel. And if this is her debut novel then we can expect great things coming from her side.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“There’s nothing in the world a good book can’t cure.”

“I’ve lived in books. I’ve eaten and breathed book for so long that I took it for granted. I assumed that, if they saved me once, they would always be there to pick me up, even if Jenna wasn’t.”

Let’s start with this cover! It’s absolutely beautiful and I feel that it grasps the concept of the book perfectly! I honestly can’t get over how stunning it is!

The writing was very lyrical, beautiful, and had an ethereal effect on the story as we follow Amelia, who’s grieving over the death of her best friend. When a rare edition of the Orman Chronicles is mailed to Amelia, she thinks Jenna had something to do with it. Amelia travels to Michigan to figure out the truth behind the book and the mysterious bookstore is came from, but ends up with even more questions when she ends up meeting N. E. Endsley himself.

I felt that this book moved very fast in the beginning. One chapter the girls were meeting, the next they were at the book event, and the next Jenna was dead. All of this happens within the first three chapters and I would’ve liked to see it dragged out a little bit more. It does slow down after those chapters but it would’ve been nice to see a little bit more.

I did like that Amelia retreated into fictional worlds to cope with her grief as she showed how much books meant to her and how they helped her throughout her life. Books obviously play a huge role in Amelia’s life and it’s show really well throughout the story - her dependence on them when her father leaves and when her best friend dies.

Amelia’s and Nolan’s relationship was adorable as they both struggled with getting to know each other. Two book nerds who usually choose reading books over talking to people usually make the cutest couples and they live up to that assumption. Both characters are broken and struggle with moving forward in life but with the help of each other, they are able to overcome their grief together.

I ended up enjoying this book more than I thought I would. There’s a lot of heartbreak and regret in this story but there’s also a lot hope and reflection and I loved that about it.

I highly recommend checking this one out!

It’s adorable, sad, sweet and pulls at all your heart strings. It can also make you wonder, what in the world is going on here? I loved this book and I also didn’t like it.

Some aspects seemed unrealistic, hopefully this isn’t a spoiler, but it was hard to believe that someone who is extremely guarded would trust another completely, in just a few days, particularly when it was known that she wasn’t going to be sticking around long. Things worked out way too well, too quickly.

There were moments, well many moments, when the writing felt overly dramatic and overdone. It’s an imaginative book, there’s a lot to like, but misses in many aspects as well. I did have a hard time with the writing style.

The book takes place nearly entirely in bookstores, there’s a book convention thrown in as well. I so wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me.

"Amelia Unabridged" is unlike any book I've ever read! I don't typically enjoy fantasy YA books, but this one had enough realism to make it enjoyable. Amelia and her best friend, Jenna, are big fans of the Orman Chronicles by renowned author N.E. Endsley. After Jenna's death, Amelia is unmoored and decides to act in a way that's uncharacteristic for her: she goes on an adventure to meet N.E. Endsley. Along the way, she gets to known him as just a regular person and starts to understand his heart and the meaning behind his books. I really enjoyed all the relationships in this book and thought this novel was so creative!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

An absolutely fantastic breathtaking read. It’s so well written and the descriptions were vivid, I couldn’t get enough. I loved the layers to the characters and Amelia was so easy to connect to. The author really captured the emotions and touched my heart.

I can't recommend this enough

A great and relatable YA story that isn't afraid to hit the hard points that everyone deals with at some point. Wonderfully written.

This is a lovely - and at times a rather heartbreaking - book tailor-made for booklovers and dreamers. It's written with evocative, whimsical phrases while still fully bringing the whole cast to life. The novel centers around Amelia's love for the Orman Chronicles - a series of books written by a young man only slightly older than her and her best friend, Jenna. The pair bond in a bookstore, and grow to love the books together, too. But at a book conference, it also drives a wedge between them as they get into a rare fight after their high school graduation.

Tragedy strikes, but a mysterious package sends Amelia to a small Michigan town to track down the truth - and to find a little peace in her grief. In one week, Amelia finds more than that, forcing her to re-think her future plans entirely. It's a growing up book, but also rather more magical than some coming-of-age stories which helps offset the darkness of grieving. There are many beautiful moments and scenes amongst its pages. I truly loved this - and definitely cannot wait to see what the author will follow this impressive debut up with!

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. 18-year old Amelia Griffin's life has had it's ups and downs. First, her father left her and her mother for a newer version and disappeared. On that same day, Amelia meets Jenna Williams at a bookstore who takes her under her wing, and makes her feel welcomed. This includes Jenna's parents who are always happy to have her over for dinner or whatever she needs.

Jenna introduces Amelia to the Orman Chronicles by N.E. Endsley and his characters Emmeline and Ainsley. The girls form a special bound and Amelia is saved by the Orman Chronicles, getting lost in magical world of two sisters who are competing with each other winning the right to wear the crown. Both of them start finding similarities between them and those little sisters. So much so that after graduation, they travel to see him in an event in California. If you've ever been to a book convention, you know what I am speaking of.

Unfortunately, Amelia misses out on meeting her favorite author after he cancels out and leaves suddenly. What makes things even more aggravating is that Jenna claims that she did meet him briefly before he left the convention. Knowing how much the author means to her, Amelia feels like she’s been betrayed by her best friend. To make matters even worse for Amelia, before she left, they had a fight which was lingering when Jenna dies in an unfortunate accident while traveling to Ireland.

Grief-stricken, heart broken, and without her best friend to guide her, they both planned on attended college in Montana, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future. Amelia stops reading because she feels that if she opens a book she may betray the last memory of her best friend. 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, handsome, and reclusive Nolan Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along. What Amelia learns is that she's not the only one who has faced tragedy. Here she'll meet Valerie, Alex, and Wally, the dog who will eat anything. Here she'll learn courage and secrets about herself and Nolan which forms a beautiful connection between the two characters. Here she'll discover who she is, and her own future not laid out by someone else.

"Everything is a story, not just writing. You need to find the story that means something to you, a story you like telling."

I have walked in Amelia's shoes. I could relate to what she was going through. But I never had anyone like Jenna who tried to plan my life out for me. I loved Nolan. He's really a special character whose own background is tragic. His loss ended up with him writing the Orman Chronicles. One could say that it was his way of crying out for help which was finally heard by Amelia. Alex is a very likable character and a hard worker. He's straight up protective of Nolan and gets upset if anyone upsets him in any way.

They are like brothers who stick together and rely on each other thru thick and thin. Val is the mother that Amelia lost when her own mother checked out after her husband walked out. Val decided to do something with her life and opened a book store, and teaches music, Amelia's mother decided that TV was more important than her own daughter. I liked Jenna's parents as well, but they could be just a bit overbearing. However, they were there for Amelia when her own parents weren't. Of course, there's also Wally the dog who is a menace to society but also adorable, and lovable.

<b>**FULL REVIEW**</b>

Wow. WOW.

It’s still early in the year, but I can safely say this book...wow. This book is one of the best books I’ve read in a REALLY long time. It may be one of my very favorites ever.

2021 is shaping to literary gold if I read more books like this one.

The writing is magical, there is an imagination and child-like fantasy in between the pages of this book. Like tendrils of stars that float up and out of the story and embed into your eyes and heart.

I couldn’t put it down, didn’t want to put it down, and will absolutely read it again...along with purchase every type of copy of this book for collecting. I want to hold the physical copy in my hand and flip to page 49, just read what it says because it holds some sort of significance to the author...or at least it does Jenna.

So, now that I’ve gushed how much I love this book, let me tell you why.

It follows Amelia and Jenna...a friendship I can only dream of having. Two demographics of girls who meet and forge an unbreakable bond. But more so, there is a love of books. Or just one book. And the author who wrote it.

So, a story about friendship, the love of that friendship, life, and a book that changes their lives...

Now, meet Alex and Nolan, who live and work in small town Michigan...in a book shop no less! The adventure and heartache that exists in their part of the world is what brings the story to life. Gives it teeth and rips your heart out. But when these two friendships collide, over a limited edition copy no less, the REAL story begins.

Slow burn in every sense of the word, but never boring and constantly engaging to the point where even when I had to put the book down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I counted the minutes till I could pick it back up again. And I laughed and cried as I turned page after page.

A love story, a friendship story, a family story, a story of overcoming and self-discovery. Coming of age, dealing with loss and the trauma of holding guilt and blame for things beyond our control...this book has everything. Sprinkle in a little fantasy and a lot of imagery and you have this masterpiece. <I>Amelia Unabridged</I>.

<b>**5+ Pursuit of Happiness, Stars**</b>

Every now and then a book comes along and rips me in two, and then with hope, carefully puts me back together. Ashley Schumacher has released a fantastic debut novel upon the world. Parts of this book brought me to tears I couldn't read through, and parts reached into the parts of me that long to see that books don't lie but offer hope as we have a chance to live another life of fantasy and wonder. Following along and feeling all of Amelia's story as she deals with neglect, heart break, the growth of youth, and the wonder of finding one's place in the world is not what I expected when I requested the dARC from the publisher. I am pleasantly surprised and forever changed.
Readers of all ages and walks of life can find something in this book to pull them in.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the dARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for a sweet, charming read that will make you bawl like a baby look no further than “Amelia Unabridged.” Only 10% into this book and I had already cried twice. (TW for death of all kinds, both human and pet.) This is a book about grief, dealing with loss, and the coping strategies we use to get through the sorrow. It is also a cute and delightful romance between two broken people and how love heals them. Most endearingly it is also a love story to bookstores and especially to books. They help us escape when things are difficult, soothe our souls when we are in pain, and bring us together in shared other worlds when this one gets too hard.

I have to admit that Amelia losing her best friend ripped my heart out. I also have a best friend who is more like a sister and I can’t imagine how devastated I would be to lose her. Personality wise I relate much more with Jenna. I always had my life planned out in minute detail while my best friend was more of a free spirit. While I wouldn’t feel lost like Amelia I would certainly be completely unmoored without her loving tether. Because of my strong feelings for my best friend, I found this story challenging and upsetting. You may not cry multiple times like I did but I suspect many readers will at least get a bit teared up. If you can manage not to be a weeping mess at the end, then you are stronger than I.

This story that seemed lovely and light on the surface turned out to have surprising depths. It was an emotional rollercoaster with adorable, funny moments interspersed with the depths of despair. I would highly recommend keeping tissues handy and mentally prepare yourself for a bumpy ride. If you can power through and bear it, you will be rewarded with light and joy at the end (and a fun “6 Feet Under” style flashforward.) I did enjoy this book a lot, but it certainly put me through the wringer!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books or providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

SUMMARY:
The day Amelia’s father walked out on her and her mother is the same day that Amelia met her new best friend, Jenna, and discovered the magical world of the Orman Chronicles, written by N. E. Endsley. Flash forward, Amelia and Jenna are anticipating N. E. Endsley’s arrival at a book festival until it gets canceled. To make matters worse, Jenna bumped into Endsley while Amelia was away and the two girls get into a huge fight. Before Amelia can make amends, Jenna dies in a freak car accident. Amelia is lost -- that is until she mysteriously gets a rare edition of the Orman Chronicles. Set out to find answers and any links to Jenna, Amelia ends up in a magical bookstore in Michigan. Even more shocking, she meets N. E. Endsley himself -- but what does it mean?

***
“Everyone has a story about the first time they read the Orman Chronicles. This is mine”

***
I don’t have the words to explain how raw, beautiful, heart wrenching, and every other emotion this book was. Going into this, I had no clue what to expect and was completely thrown off.

From the beginning, we’re hit with grief. Grief lingers and everyone processes it differently. We see this with Amelia’s mom and the TV, Amelia escaping to Jenna’s and Orman -- later to Michigan, and Jenna’s parents filling their void with Amelia.

But we also see family, friendship, growth, love, and finding one’s self.

I was over the moon with the relationship between Amelia and Jenna’s family -- Amelia was given the love and support that her mom couldn’t. Once Jenna dies, we see Amelia and Jenna’s parents' world crumble as they struggle to support each other. I can’t imagine how lost Amelia felt, especially since Jenna was her rock and planned out their lives together.

Flashforward to Michigan, I was immediately entranced by Val’s bookstore -- I wish this existed in real life (it’s a book-lover’s dream!). Wally (dog) was interesting… though I’d advise against giving coffee to dogs. Also, Val was nothing BUT exquisite and I loved seeing Alex as a supportive friend.

Okay, okay, now on to N. E. Endsley. (I’m not sure how I’d react if a swoon-worthy author was in my presence, but eeep!) We learn early on from Jenna’s encounter that Endsley seemed like a troubled (socially awkward) teen. I wasn’t a fan at first, but with time, I just wanted to hold him and soak up every moment of him and Amelia. I loved seeing these two interact and grow with each other’s support. There were so many times where I went “my heart 🥺"!

Before I go and spoil everything, please read this book so you can laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions with me!

***
Thanks NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Ashley Schumacher for my ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of AMELIA UNABRIDGED by Ashley Schumacher in exchange for my honest review.


Wow! Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher is a heartwarming story about how individuals deal with traumatic events in their lives such as abandonment by a parent, loss of loved ones both literally and metaphorically, the struggle to cope, and move forward in ones life. This story is about grief, love, loyalty, friendship, and so much more.

This is a beautifully and poignant written novel with many poetic touches that enhance its well developed cast of characters demonstrating their raw and real emotions in a rich and meaningful prose, It has hints of magical elements or fairy tale content that lends itself to the importance of second chances and the power of books in our lives, especially in our darkest moments. The characters learn to the importance of living for yourself.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this work, I hope you will too.

Amelia Unabridged begins as the teen narrator, Amelia, grapples with her father suddenly leaving the family. She encounters Jenna, who pulls her from her despair as they form a fast friendship, easily bonding over their love of a series of novels by author N. E. Endsley. Soon Amelia’s world comes crashing down again when Jenna dies unexpectedly in a car accident. Shortly after, a mysterious signed copy of Endsley’s novel appears in the mail for Amelia, and she begins a quest to discover how it got to her, convinced it is a last message from Jenna.

YA audiences will enjoy the fast moving, sometimes suspenseful plot. There’s a touch of romance, and teen readers will enjoy the dynamic between Amelia and Nolan. I enjoyed the message to young readers that sometimes we have to break free of what others want from us in order to stay true to ourselves. However, as a mom of a young girl, I resented the scenario where the female protagonist is able to save the damaged boy.

Schumacher’s writing is very figurative and full of descriptive metaphors and analogies. I thought some of them worked well, but others seemed too distracting or random (e.g., I didn’t quite get the presence of the “whales” throughout most of the book). If the metaphors were dialed back a bit I would have enjoyed the writing a bit more.

I’m going with a 3 star rating for the fast-pace, descriptive writing, and unique plot that YA audiences will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Despite the preponderant theme of grief throughout the story, the first feeling I manifested upon finishing this read was, "Wow, what a feel-good story." I so enjoyed the the maturity of the two main characters Amelia Griffin and Nolan Endsley despite their young age.

A beautiful story of friendship (Amelia and Jenna, as well as Alex and Nolan --it is refreshing to see young adults friendship not containing an ounce of jealousy, competition or sense if trying to stand out), tainted by loss and how one can overcome such an earthshattering experience of losing a loved one and trying to move forward in their life by ridding themselves of the atrocious sense of guilt that can eat anyone up.

I adored the story around the Orman books and the world Nolan created around something he knew, that gets unveiled slowly as we swim deeper into this fairy-like legend. Lots of symbolism that makes you stop and think, or that can make you try to apply to your own life.

All characters were meaningful, had a purpose, made sense, were loveable,.. there is nothing to not like about Amelia Unabridged.

Another theme that might resonate with many is finding its path in life. What society and family expect us to do vs. what we want to do vs. what's deep in our heart and are meant to do.

Last but not least, I cannot finish this review without praising Ms. Ashley Schumacher exquisite and oh so poetic prose. I mean, I sometime was going back a paragraph to read it again, out loud, it was so beautiful. A regal treat to one's ears and mind.

This is YA Lit in all its splendor!

Thank you so much Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and WEdnesday Books for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a place in my heart. It’s everything I love about being a reader. It reminds us that words have the power to heal; that books can be an escape and a safe haven. It reminds us to live in the moments of our own lives and to find our own paths.

Amelia, Jenna, Nolan, Alex and Val are wonderful characters who made me laugh and cry. I stayed up late reading because I couldn’t put it down.

Wonderful debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC, it’s my pleasure to provide an honest review.

Infinity stars - infinity.

This book will live rent free in my heart forever.

This book spoke to my soul to the ones I have lost and still love to this day.

To thinking of friends who are my Jenna.

This is somehow a debut book, I have already preordered my copy and will buy this for anyone who wants it.

Read this, cry, and receive a heart hug.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an Arc of this book for my sassy review.

Thank you so much @stmartinspress & @netgalley for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Ohhhhhh boy. This one sure made me feel many things. But it was SO good! Like oh wow was this amazing! The characters were beautiful, and funny, the doggo was super adorable! The storyline was amazing. I just am in love with this!

I loved these characters so much. They were so beautiful and well developed.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: Characters That Read, Hard-Hitting, Crying, Dogs, Bookstores, Photography.