If you love emotional books and stories that celebrate the love of reading, be sure to check this one out. Here’s my review of Amelia Unabridged!
What is Amelia Unabridged About?
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schmacher. Published on February 16, 2021 by Wednesday Books. Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Synopsis (spoilers edited out): 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 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. 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. Then a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, and Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia finds an amazing surprise.
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Review of Amelia Unabridged
I requested this ages ago and had forgotten what it was about. But wow, did this one grab me and take me through a range of emotions.
Amelia Unabridged is a book about friendship, about grief, about fandoms, and about the love of reading. It’s realistic fiction but to me it also felt like it had a touch of magic.
Amelia has had a tough family life and her best friend Jenna was always her rock. Jenna was that friend you have who is almost like a sister, who has the crazy ideas, who always makes things fun.
Jenna and Amelia go to a book festival to meet their favorite author, N.E. Endsley. But then Amelia gets caught in a long bathroom line (to anyone who’s been to a book festival, you’ll relate!) and misses the chance to meet him. She’s jealous and furious at Jenna and they fight.
Then Jenna is out of Amelia’s life, making her feel lost and unsure. One day a mysterious package arrives, a book Amelia is sure came from Jenna. She tracks the package to a small local bookstore, and gets a huge surprise.
Will you like Amelia Unabridged?
I felt like the pages of this book were sprinkled with magic. Amelia Unabridged is a deeply emotional book that manages not to be sappy or overly sentimental. It managed to tackle so many themes — friendship, grief, the creative process, life goals — and manage them all beautifully.
Amelia Unabridged features a charming bookstore setting, a lot of emotion, a fandom, and great friendship themes.
As a book lover I absolutely adored the book festival scenes and those set in Val’s, a charming bookstore in a small Michigan town.
If you loved books like Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, or The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson, you should definitely put it on your list!
Looking for more great new young adult books? Check out my post on this month’s new YA releases!
Well, you definitely convinced me! I want to know from whom the package came. And not only that, I’ve a penchant for book loving characters, so yes, please.
Kinda sad, though that they had a falling out.
Adding this one to my TBR!
Read it – such a lovely book!
I LOVE THIS REVIEW!! You really did nail what was so wonderful about this book. It was about many things, and I thought all those things were explored so well.
Aw, thanks. I didn’t want to give too much away while still trying to get people to read it!