Surviving Amelia

by Naomi Rand

Forty-year old Amelia Earhart is lost on an island in the Pacific, yet finds herself resurrected in her sister Muriel’s study just outside of Boston. Seventy-nine-year-old Muriel is reeling from the double loss of a son and a husband. Seventeen-year old Sam Barry, winner of the Amelia Earhart Scholarship, is just beginning her life as a coed, trying her best to separate from her needy mother and her dysfunctional family. Their lives intersect in surprising ways, and long buried secrets come to light, revealing the special, powerful intimacy women share, whether they are siblings, best friends, or mothers and daughters.

220 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[Fran Hawthorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like magical realism. This novel, however, starts out so firmly grounded in both history and contemporary realism that I was lured into the gentle magical realism at the center of it. I saw where it was going, but I didn't fight it; I sat back and enjoyed the read.

So I have to give Author Naomi Rand a lot of extra credit for her writing skill.

The novel's three narrative lines all weave around the central premise that the legendary aviator Amelia Earheart did not, in fact, die when her plane crashed in the Pacific in 1937. Instead, according to this book, she somehow dreams herself into the suburban Boston apartment of her younger sister, Muriel, in September 1980. (Other than the appearance of Amelia, the basic aspects of Muriel's life in "Surviving Amelia" are accurate.)

At first, Amelia is a fairly standard ghost. But she soon transforms again, this time into what is apparently a normal, flesh-and-blood 39-year-old woman--albeit a woman dressed in vintage and unfamiliar with TV, passenger jets, or World War II.

The second narrative is the story of Sam Berry, a pre-med freshman from a dysfunctional family who is a strong contender for Barnard's first Amelia Earheart scholarship. (The book changes this award slightly; in real life, it's a fellowship for engineering or aeronautics students, not pre-med majors.)

The third narrative is told by Muriel, who has been invited to give a speech at that award's inaugural ceremony--and who is oblivious of her sister's ghost floating around.

Many other characters, relationships, and conflicts enrich the story with appealing complications. Every time someone veers toward cliche, the book reveals unexpected character twists. And with a setup like this, the ending won't be obvious.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naomi Rand, the Author of ‘Surviving Amelia” has written an intriguing and unusual novel. The Genres for this book are: Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Family Life Fiction, and Mystery and Suspense. The Author’s Premise for this book is “What Happened to Amelia Earhart?” Naomi Rand proposes through Magical Realism that Amelia Earhart was lost on a Pacific Island in 1937, but finds herself resurrected in 1980 in her sister, Muriel’s house. Amelia is now privy to the losses that Muriel and the family has had. The author captivates the reader to learn about Amelia’s life and her decisions. At the same time, another dysfunctional family is introduced. In present time Sam Berry, 17 years old, has won the Amelia Earhart scholarship. Sam wants to get away from her manipulative, demanding, attention seeking mother, her brother and her quirky grandmother. Sam meets a friend at college, and the two of them get to share family experiences. These are like pieces of a puzzle, and connect to complete the masterpiece.

Amelia is able to get to the ceremony where Muriel is giving a speech to the winner of the Amelia Earhart Scholarship, Sam Berry. This is a unique and intriguing “what if” book.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surviving Amelia is an alternate reality magical story about Amelia Earhart. I loved the three story lines that gave voice to Amelia and the legacy, and heartache, she left in her wake. The writing was stellar and truly transportive. Such a creative premise!

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know I love going into books blind and being surprised, and this one truly was. I’ve always been intrigued by Amelia Earhart, so imagining her suddenly existing in the 1980s immediately pulled me in.

This story made me think. It’s about family, love, grief, and all the what ifs we carry with us.

I loved the strong female characters, the quiet connections between women, and that reflective feeling you get when you close a book and just sit with it for a moment.

[Jennifer Malenius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating perspective

So true that people think they know famous people, but only know the persona. This was a refreshing perspective, a sister, a lover, and people who only knew the persona and how they come together and form bits and pieces of the possible truths. Plus, is she real? Do you believe in ghosts?
I won this book on a goodreads.com giveaway.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun "what if" magical realism telling of Amelia Earhart and what if she had survived. Told through three perspectives we follow her sister Muriel as she has navigated life after the tragic loss and has been asked to give the a speech at a ceremony for the scholarship being given in her sister's name. Sam, a student who is ready for adulthood and to get away from her over the top mother is surprised by the roommate she has been paired with. Trying to get away from the dysfunction of her family and become someone who makes the world a better place by becoming a doctor. Sam is beyond thrilled when Muriel responds to her request to give the speech for the Amelia Earhart Scholarship. Lastly, Amelia is finding out how hard her sister has had it being in the shadow of her famously mysterious sister and how the decisions she made had long lasting implications and that the world is still fascinated by her. Some things have changed quite drastically and others still somewhat remain the same. This was an interesting read in that many people are still very fascinated with Amelia's story and what really happened, so this was a fun peek into a "what if?". Thank you to the author and publisher for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the tour invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written what if story imagining Amelia Earhart’s survival, told through three connected perspectives that explore legacy, love, and the quiet ways women shape one another’s lives.
I loved how reflective and transportive this felt. The strong female voices, the emotional ripples Amelia left behind, and the touches of magical realism all came together. It’s thoughtful without being heavy, quick to read, and full of heart.
As someone who’s always been fascinated by Amelia (I even wrote about her back in school), imagining her story unfolding decades later completely pulled me in. This one is perfect if you love historical “what ifs,” subtle magic, and stories about finding your place.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always admired Amelia Earhart and been caught up in the unsolved mystery of what happened to her.

But this book isn’t about that. It’s a fiction read about three women, one being Amelia’s ghost.

It’s set in 1980 and besides Amelia it has the points of view of Amelia’s sister, Muriel as well as a Barnard student named Sam.

The book does tie all the people together in both simple and complex ways.

There is a lot of pop culture references to 1980 as far as music and historical events. I did think it was well written when ghost Amelia takes an Eastern Airlines flight from Boston to New York.

The book makes for a great discussion on family dynamics, loyalty, and love.

I thought the ending quite sweet.

[Christina McComiskie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun time travel experience back to New York and Boston in the 1980's. I love books with magic realism and this one did not disappoint. The author brought Amelia Earhart back to resolve some unfinished business and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The pacing was perfect and the dialogue very entertaining and authentic. I fell in love with Sam and was invested in her from the start. Fascinating and engaging characters made this a highly enjoyable read and the pop culture references (like my all time favorite movie) were the icing on this literary cake.

[Pam Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a very good book. There will always be the mystery about Amelia Earhart until somebody finds her body. I like that the book gave some sort of backgrounf with her and her family.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how this was about the people in Amelia’s life but also the magical realism allowed it to have a little what could have been moment. Her personality was what I pictured it being just based on the facts I know. I loved the different perspectives and how they were all connected in a small way. It was interesting to see how certain events affected them differently. It pulled me in and was a quick read filled with love, loss, and finding your way in the world.

Thank you @naomirrand @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Brandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, interesting, different. I won it on Goodreads.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we talk about pioneering women, Amelia Earhart’s name is usually in the mix. Not only was she incredibly brave and daring, but there is also much mystery about what really happened to her on that fateful flight in 1937.

In 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮, Rand presents a magical alternative story of Amelia Earhart, allowing her to return to settle unfinished matters. Three distinct voices are what make this story so unique: Muriel, Amelia’s sister, Sam, a student who won the Amelia Earhart scholarship, and Amelia’s ghost.

Set in New York and Boston in 1980, there are plenty of pop-cultural and city-specific references that put you in the time and place. I enjoyed the connections between the characters and how certain events had affected them differently.

Part ghost story, part historical mystery, it is also a powerful story of loss and love, and the intricacies of relationships.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @naomirrand for the gifted book.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been fascinated by Amelia Earhart, but this novel takes a refreshingly different route. Surviving Amelia is a fictional, magical story set in 1980, told through three voices: Amelia’s ghost, her sister Muriel, and Sam, a student connected to Amelia’s legacy. The way their lives intersect is both clever and surprisingly touching. With fun ’80s pop culture sprinkled throughout, the book explores family ties, loyalty, love, and loss. The ending is especially sweet and satisfying.