laelyn 's review for:

Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher
5.0

This book made me feel so deeply I still haven't recovered. I was not prepared for the heaviness of it, but also the sheer amount of warmth and beauty. Here is a little tmi: While I was still in the middle of reading "Amelia Unabridged" one of my best friends in the world tragically passed away. Maybe this adds to just how much I was affected by this very special little story, to how memorable it is for me personally. It most definitely highlighted how incredibly well Ashley Schumacher writes about grief. I could feel it seep through the pages into my very own being. It is impossible not to relate to Amelia, not to understand her, feel for her, grieve with her.

But this book is not a sad tragedy, no drama that revels in breaking the hearts of its readers. Amelia's story is about love, too, about getting to know oneself, about standing up for who you are and what you want in the face of choices that seem impossible. It is incredibly warm and positive. It's a loving embrace after a terrible tragedy. It's a beautiful reminder that life does not end when you feel like all is lost, that there are always chances for a new beginning, that you can still win even if you already feel defeated. It's a rallying cry for all of us to take our time and figure out what kind of story we want to tell in our life, and just how we want to tell it. And to boot, it's a love letter to books and stories and found families.

All of this is written so beautifully that I sometimes felt like reading poetry or admiring a painting. I will carry this book with me for a long time, and not only because of what it meant for me personally. I hope many many people will do themselves a favor and read this.