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Sparks fly between two teens as they grapple with grief, love, and the future. 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 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.
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04.75 Stars
This book hurt me in all of the best ways.
I knew going in that it was going to be emotional. I mean, we're told in the blurb that it deals with grief and losing your best friend. Not only that but dealing with readers and writers and losing your best friend. Yeah... anyone who knows me knew this one was going to hit hard.
But I wanted to read it anyway.
And I'm so glad I did.
I spent more of this book sobbing than I care to admit but sometimes, you just need a good cry I guess.
This is a very small group of people who all have the best magic around them. They are those people that everyone wishes they can have in their life. But having said that, some of the side characters (Alex and Val in particular) seem a little too perfect. But that may also be because I was so in love with Amelia and Nolan that I didn't pay as much attention to those who dimmed behind them.
Also, let's talk about Nolan's dog (I honestly can't even remember his name right now and it's not because they didn't say it a million times, my mind is just blanking). He reminds me SO MUCH of my giant Australian Shepherd Flash. Too big for his own good. Goofy. Doesn't realize he might as well be a miniature horse. Yeah, I love that.
The story hinges on Amelia trying to figure out how to live her life without Jenna, and Nolan figuring out how to deal with his grief (and boy did that one hit me deep), and I honestly think this book could be helpful for anyone going through a similar situation. I think they both find healthy ways to deal with their grief while also finding each other.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Cover 5; characters 4; plot 4; pace 5; writing 4; enjoyment 5; cry *
0The only book that managed to make "I met him literally 3 days ago but we're in love" look believable. 
Bonus points for:
a) dragging me out of a reading slump
b) making me fall in love with reading/books again by creating the most enchanting imaginary book ever aND I NEED TO READ THE ORMAN BOOKS OR I WILL DIE
c) having wonderful quotes that I will probably overuse across every social media platform EVER
example:
"One of the things I love—loved—about books is that no matter how dreadful the characters’ plights or how insurmountable the conflicts, everything turns out for the best in the end. Not necessarily happily ever after, and maybe not happy at all, but necessary and true. If there was pain, it was to be for personal growth. If there was loss, it was so something better or more essential could be introduced."
"Everything is silly, dear. Life is too brief to be anything else."
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