When you can choose to be anyone, how do you know who you really are? From the author of Better You Than Me and I Speak Boy comes another fun and relatable book about new experiences and how staying true to yourself is the best way to be okay.
Twelve-year-old Amelia Gray has changed schools thirty-nine times (!!!) because of her dad’s job, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for making friends. But that’s okay. Amelia loves her “life on the go” with Dad and their adorable supermutt, Biscotti. She’s been in enough middle schools to know that friendships are messy, and who needs that?
But when her dad announces that he wants to stay in their new town for the whole summer—maybe even forever—Amelia realizes she’s going to have to do the one thing she’s never had to do: fit in.
So she gives herself not one but three total makeovers, to try out a few personalities and hopefully find her “thing.” Is she Amie, a confident track star? Mellie, a serious journalist? Or Lia, a bold theater kid?
Juggling three identities is hard, and Amelia soon finds herself caught in the kind of friendship drama she has always managed to avoid. Yet despite her best efforts, she still can’t answer the most important question of all: Who is the real Amelia Gray?
Jessica Brody is the author of more than 20 novels for teens, tweens, and adults including The Geography of Lost Things, The Chaos of Standing Still, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay, A Week of Mondays, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, the Unremembered trilogy, and the System Divine trilogy which is a sci-fi reimagining of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, co-written with Joanne Rendell. She’s also the author of the #1 bestselling novel-writing guides, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel as well as several books based on popular Disney franchises like Descendants and LEGO Disney Princess. Jessica’s books have been translated and published in over 20 languages and several have been optioned for film and television. She’s the founder of the Writing Mastery Academy and lives with her husband and three dogs near Portland, OR.
Visit her online at JessicaBrody.com or WritingMastery.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram @JessicaBrody
Jessica Brody is one of my favorite authors, and her newest release instantly became one of my most anticipated books of the year. While not an all time favorite for me, it was still very cute and sweet with a great message. I know it’s middle grade, but I would have loved a little more with the romance. He was one of my favorite characters and I thoroughly enjoyed any scene he was in. I also loved the dog Biscotti (such a cute name!). The author is totally a dog person and it shows! I could relate to the dog love in a big way. Amelia was a cute character and I liked seeing her find her way. Another fantastic read from this author! I have yet to give one of her books less than 4 stars.
AMELIA GRAY IS ALMOST OKAY is a fun, upbeat, heartfelt novel about a girl who's desperate to figure out who she is. Our heroine is utterly likable. She's kind, thoughtful, brave, and just all-around endearing. (Which isn't to say she's perfect or doesn't make mistakes. She isn't and she does.) Her relationship with her dad is especially sweet. The kids she meets in Summerville are also likable, each with their own personality and struggles that make them relatable and root-worthy. Biscotti is a colorful character in his own right! While some of what happens in the novel seems a bit far-fetched (Would kids in a small town really not be able to see through Amelia's different identities? Isn't physically creating sample hotel rooms incredibly inefficient when hotel owners could just choose from photos of previously-styled rooms on a website? Why would the purpose of the new building in town be kept a secret?), the plot is still engrossing. Although there are plenty of morals to be found in the story, it's not preachy or heavy-handed in the least. It teaches important lessons about honesty, friendship, forgiveness, working together as a community, fixing your mistakes, finding your passion, and lots more. With so many heavy middle-grade novels out there, this one is refreshingly light and heartwarming, while still tackling important issues. I enjoyed it immensely.
A note on the audio: AMELIA GRAY IS ALMOST OKAY is especially good in this medium. The narrator, Suzy Jackson, creates the perfect voice for 12-year-old Amelia. It feels very authentic. The other characters' voices are distinct and natural, making for a smooth, easy-on-the-ears listen. It would make a great choice for a family road trip as it's engaging, entertaining, and empowering. There's nothing in the book that is controversial or sensitive, but there are issues that could lead to interesting family discussions.
Amelia and her father move all over the US, and rarely stay in one place for more than a month. She has a mixed breed dog named Biscotti, and wants desperately to know what mix of breeds he is. Her father "reinvents" struggling hotels, designing rooms, doing renovations, and generally helps the owner be prepared to improve business. Amelia has attended public schools, but it's hard to make connections when you are only in a place for four weeks. The newest project is a hotel in Summerville, New York. The owner, Annabelle, inherited the property from her father, and tried to run it while she was also running a historic theater in town. Neither venture was successful. She lost the hotel, and it was torn down, and a new and mysterious building is being built in its place. Amelia has always been happy to move and to live "life on the go" with her father, and is dismayed when she hears him discussing their lifestyle with Annabelle. Amelia's mother died when she was born, and she isn't sad for what she never had, so she's a bit angry that her father is thinking of changing things without asking her. Is he dating Annabelle? He also tells Amelia she has to do an activity over the summer so she can get out and meet other kids her age. Amelia still doesn't know what her "thing" is, although she's sure (after a disastrous elementary school event) that it isn't theater. She decides that she will try three different personalities out, in the same way that her father tries out room designs. She's Amie, who loves track, Mellie, who does investigative journalism, and Lia, who does theater with Annabelle. Thanks to the assortment of costumes left over from the theater that Annabelle lets her borrow, she is able to pull off these three identities. She makes friends in each area, including Esme in track and Katarina, who writes for the local paper. Since everyone in the small town hangs out at the Float and Boat ice cream parlor, there are some close calls, but she manages to keep up the ruse for most of the summer. She does tell the truth to Finn, whom she meets in the dog park, and whose "thing" is drawing comics and hanging out with his rescue dog, Ketchup. When Katarina and Amelia uncover a story about the theater and the building project that links it to Esme's parents, the town is in an uproar. At the same time, Amelia's father is ready to give up on trying to make Annabelle happy with his designs, and decides to pack up and move along. Amelia, who visited the house her father was interested in buying and is finding connecting with other kids her own age rather enjoyable, isn't sure that this is the best plan for the two of them. Will they return to Summerville, or continue their life on the go? Strengths: Books about personal identity are always a huge hit with my students, who are themselves trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do. I loved that Amelia's choices included the sorts of things I encourage my students to do every summer: something physical, something academic, and something creative! While Amelia starts out being a little irritated with her father, she hasn't complained about her life or spent a lot of time mourning the mother she never had, and she takes to Summerville pretty well. Young readers need more examples of characters who are flexible and willing to adapt rather than ones who are dead set against any changes in their lives. This was fast paced and fun, and filled with interesting characters. I liked the twist at the end with the building project, and loved how Amelia's father got involved and made things better for the community. Like Wientge's Best Friends, Bikinis, and Other Summer Catastrophes, this is a great middle grade book with a fun summer adventure. Weaknesses: In a town as small as Summerville, clip on bangs are not going to make Amelia unrecognizable to Katarina, and I found it hard to believe that she was able to keep up the ruse for so long. What I really think: Since Kimmel's The Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt was published about the time that Amelia was born, I guess we can use another middle great tale of inventing multiple personalities. While I feel that this idea of trying to be different people might have several different iterations, it's still a fun read, and will be very popular with my students.
"Finding Amelia" is a heartwarming and insightful journey into the life of twelve-year-old Amelia Gray. This realistic fiction novel, set in the present day, will resonate deeply with middle-grade readers through its exploration of identity, friendship, and family.
Amelia's story is one of constant change, having switched schools thirty-nine times due to her father's job. This transient lifestyle leads her to shun the messiness of friendships for the simplicity of life on the move with her dad and their super mutt, Biscotti. However, when her dad decides to settle down for the summer, Amelia is thrust into the unfamiliar territory of establishing roots and finding her place in a new community. What follows is Amelia's ambitious endeavor to reinvent herself not once but three times: as Amie the confident track star, Mellie the serious journalist, and Lia the bold theatre kid. Through these personas, Amelia navigates the complexities of friendship and discovers the importance of being true to oneself.
Brody's first-person narration, from Amelia's perspective, offers an intimate glimpse into the protagonist's thoughts and feelings, making her journey both engaging and relatable. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers hooked from start to finish without ever feeling rushed. Each character, from the enthusiastic Biscotti to Amelia's new group of friends, is well-developed and contributes to the novel's exploration of real issues faced by young readers.
Annabelle, the owner of the hotel where Amelia's dad is working during the summer, serves as a nuanced figure who challenges Amelia's perceptions of family and identity. The revelation of Annabelle's connection to Amelia's mother and her own struggle with expectations adds depth to the story's themes, emphasizing that the search for self is a universal and ongoing process.
"Finding Amelia" stands out for its originality, particularly in the symbolic use of Biscotti's unknown breed as a metaphor for Amelia's quest for self-discovery. The setting of Summerville is vividly brought to life, with each of Amelia's adventures seamlessly woven into the fabric of the small town.
Jessica Brody's "Finding Amelia" is a remarkable addition to the genre of realistic fiction for middle-grade readers. It earns a well-deserved 5 out of 5 for its engaging narrative, relatable characters, and profound messages about identity and self-acceptance. A must-read for anyone navigating the complexities of growing up and finding their place in the world.
Amelia and the other characters in this book are why I wanted to keep reading. Each character was engaging, and I wanted to know the story each of them told. Everyone in this book had the thing they loved and the thing they were passionate about. While this was one of the reasons Amelia had to be in three places, and three different people her first summer in Summerville, it also was a way that she started building a community of her own in her new town. I loved all the characters in this book, and I found each of them charming. My favorite character was Amelia, however; I also really enjoyed Maren and Katerina because of our common interests.
Plot-9
I went into this story thinking it was going to be a Middle-Grade Novel about a girl moving to a new town, and trying to make friends before the school year started. After I finished Amelia Gray is Almost Okay, I discovered that story was about much more than that. On multiple levels, this story is about connections and bonds, and I loved all the connections in this novel. First, there was the connection between Amelia and her dad, Jonas. I loved seeing the two of them bond as they traveled the country for Jonas’s work. Second, there was a connection between Amelia and the three girls she met at each of the activities she joined on her mission to find her thing. These connections were a bond and the start of a wonderful friendship between the girls. Third, there was a connection to Summerville in general, which you find out about as you read the story.
Writing-9
I’ve previously read Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell. This was my first time reading a solo story by Jessica Brody, and I will definitely be reading more. I loved the writing style of Amelia Gray is Almost Okay, and I felt it captures the Middle-Grade genre. The scenes where Amelia is with her friends early in the book are light and fun, and you can tell that the characters are having a great time. Throughout the book, and especially in the third act, there are some heavier scenes, and they handled these scenes with care, and in a way that a middle-grade reader would be able to relate to the characters because it reads as something that could happen to a friend group.
Enjoyment-10
I loved this book a lot. I found it so fun, but some parts of the story were serious, and, as a whole, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay was a heartwarming story.
Absolutely loved the book. (Which made me laugh, cry, rage...)
I just finished it yesterday and... OH MY GOD, that book was so good.
Amelia Gray is such a complex character. She's not just a whiny, stuck-up girl who complains everytime she has to leave. Sure, she complained a little when switching her three identities. But I loved the way she tried. She tried. I loved her idea of her "reinvention". And the little twist at the end when she found out she could be all three (Amie, Millie, Lia).
The drama triangle between Esmee, Katherina and Madie (or something) felt so REAL. It didn't feel annoying, it felt relatable. I'm also amazed at how Brody single-handily balanced all three of those storylines. Personally, I could never do that. Let alone two. In addition, I love how Brody didn't paint anyone as the villain. Usually, there's that one person that's blamed for everything. But life's more complicated than that.
I also like Finn's character growth. At first, I thought he would be this annoying boy who ruined everything for Amelia. But hearing about his backstory and leaving his best friend away actually broke my heart.
Anabelle, though. I absolutely hated that woman. Sure, I understand why she was the way she was. But I hated the scene where she snapped at one of the theatre kids for having another idea. And the fact that after Amelia's dad worked SO hard on the walls and to please her, Anabelle still didn't like the wall design. I was raging when I read that chapter.
I loved the metaphor of figuring out Biscotti's breed. At first, I thought it was just something Amelia Gray wanted. Like a book or something. But, actually, Brody did a clever thing by tying it into the theme - identity. I liked how in the end, when Amelia realizes she can have multiple Things and be herself, she just says "Nah, Biscotti's breed doesn't matter. He's my dog and I care about him." Personally, I wanted to know Biscotti's breed, but we always don't get what we want... (No hate to anyone though)
The way Brody also tied every single thread in the end and the masterpiece in the end was... AMAZING! I definitely want another book with this same character because I want to learn more about Amelia Gray!
P.S. If any of you are looking on how to write stories, you should definitely study Brody's books. They're amazing!
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 🤔 haven’t yet found your “thing” or calling 🎭 enjoy the film Mrs. Doubtfire 🚌 are always on the move 🐶 have a cute dog
• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄
Amelia has never stayed in one place for more than a month, that is, until her dad takes her to Summerville, New York.
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Amelia’s life has always been predictable. Her dad travels the country fixing rundown hotels so they are never in one place for more than a month or so at a time. But now it’s summer vacation, and Amelia’s dad is bringing her to Summerville, New York, for the entire summer. He wants Amelia to experience staying in the same place for longer than a month, and he’s agreed to get her the DNA test for Biscotti, her super mutt, if she’ll just try to make friends this summer. Completely blindsided by this turn of events, Amelia decides to become not one, not two, but three different kinds of people - Amie the track star, Mellie the investigative journalist, and Lia, a theater star. Which one will end up being Amelia’s true calling though?
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was a super fun middle grade read that is good for older kids as well. It reminded me a lot of the movie Mrs. Doubtfire, especially when Amelia had to start changing into her different personas in the middle of public bathrooms. I was rooting for her to just be herself during all of this and also wondering why her father wasn’t really paying attention to the fact that his daughter was pretending to be 3 different people. I got the impression that Amelia had a stronger sense of independence than I did at 12, most likely due to her upbringing. Overall this was a great story about a girl who discovers who she really is!
Amelia Gray is Almost Okay is a sweet, funny look at what it means to be a young girl on the verge of finding out everything, but also not wanting anything to change. In a time when she could have been bitter about how often she moved, how she never knew her mom, and how her life is nothing like anyone else’s, Amelia is instead happy. She has figured out how to blend in, even if it means buying weird colored clothes. She’s kept everyone at a distance, and that distance has kept her from getting hurt (or so she thinks). But her summer in Summerville changes everything. As she tries to figure out who she is she tries on many other people’s identities – but they don’t quite fit the way she wanted. She has to figure out who she is – a messy blend of her parents, her experiences, and the people she found along the way.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“It turns out juggling three different identities is kind of hard.”
“It’s all my fault. Why did I have to reinvent myself as totally different people? Why couldn’t I have just goined track and newspaper and theatre as Amelia?”
“And then I start to wonder if this town is really as boring as it seems. Of if maybe all the good stories are just buried deeper beneath the surface.”
“When you find your Thing – like dad has – there is no limit to what you can do.”
“It’s been two weeks – you can’t expect to be good at something in two weeks!“
“It’a not just a hotel room. It’s your art. It’s your THING. Do you know how lucky you are to find something you’re good at?”
It’s funny that a YA book hit me right when I have been thinking about my Thing, what it is, and who I am with other people. This is a fun, fast read with a heartwarming message. Definitely recommend.
Amelia's father redesigns hotels. They never live anyplace for very long, and they love their life on the go. Amelia is always the new student, leaving before she can get enmeshed in a friendship. When her father takes on a new job in Summerville, Amelia is shocked that he plans to stay for the entire summer and possibly longer. But her father offers a very tempting bribe: a DNA test for Biscotti, their beloved dog of unknown ancestry, in exchange for Amelia attending a summer club. Amelia really wants that DNA test, but she's never stayed anywhere long enough to know which club she should join. When she's not moving to a new state, who is Amelia Gray?
With so many summer club choices, Amelia doesn't know which one to try out. Instead, she copies her father's method for redesigning hotels - she'll try out several options, and choose the one she likes best. Using some borrowed costumes, Amelia turns herself into three different girls, each with a different nickname and personality, hoping that one of them will help her discover a talent or passion for the club activity.
Amelia quickly discovers that it's not easy to pretend to be three different people. And remaining in one town for an entire summer means that Amelia will have a chance to make friends, something she's very good at avoiding. To make matters worse, her father is behaving very out of character. Summerville might be one of the most boring places Amelia's ever been to, but it may also be a lot more interesting than she expected it to be.
What an interesting read! Amelia Gray has seen the whole country. She has never stayed in one place for long and that’s how she likes it. All she needs is her dad and her dog, Biscotti, but what happens when her dad decides they should try life on the stay. Amelia is terrified, and so she decides to reinvent herself, 3 different Amelias for 3 different activities. She’s determined to figure out who she is: Amie, the confident tract star, Mellie, a serious journalist, or Lia, a bold theater kid? But as she goes along with her lies, she begins to get caught up in a whole web of trouble without answering the question: Who is Amelia Gray? Okay, Amelia has gone through a lot. She just wants things to stay the same. I think kids will really identify with her as she tries to figure herself out. In middle school, all you want to know is who am I? And I love the message that this book gives which is you don’t need to have it all figured out. Amelia wants to know the one thing that defines her, and in the end, she sees she doesn't need to choose one thing. But it takes a lot of heartache to see that. And I think that goes into the next main thing which is friendship is hard. And I loved seeing that because it is hard to make friends and keep friends, and I loved watching Amelia learn how to reconcile with her friends and rebuild bridges. While I love all the messages in this book, I had a hard time staying invested. I think it felt a little young in some places, and I wasn’t super into the story. But I think I would still recommend it to middle graders especially those who love contemporary fiction. Highlights: Importance of making friends Light romance only Strong relationship with dad Traditional values Importance of communication Realizing you don’t need to have everything figured out yet
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
This was adorable! Amelia has spent the last four years traveling from place to place with her dad while he helps bring small town hotels back to life. When they settle in for the summer Amelia decides she’s going to find out just what her “thing” is going to be.
I had so much fun with Amelia and her multiple identities. Who wouldn’t want to dress up as a different person and try out new and exciting things you didn’t think you’d be good at or even enjoy? Amelia is such a spunky character. I enjoyed watching her navigate through through her summer building friendships and learning more about herself as she counts down the days until they move to the next city. As time goes on she realizes that maybe settling down isn’t the worst idea and that despite trying to keep people at a distance she’s quickly realizing how important friendships can be. As things start falling a part and her identities are revealed Amelia is faced with the reality of what her life is and what it can be, she’s just not sure yet if she’s ready to settle.
This is the perfect book about self discovery, finding your identity, and learning to build lasting friendships. The chapter headers are THE best, the friends Amelia makes along the way are all unique and relatable, and the overall story is heartwarming.
I 100% recommend this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
Thank you so much @netgalley, @tbrbeyondtours and Jessica for the ARC!
There are multiple reasons why I'm in love with this book. The one that takes precedence is the lovely bond Amelia shares with her father and the fun, adventurous time they spend together. She has such a cool parent, someone who loves to explore and reinvent and move around, which is an enormous blessing. As a child who grew up with minimal contact with my dad since he's a doctor, I appreciate their relationship so much.
Jessica did an amazing job picturing the middle school identity crisis most of us went through. It was harder for Amelia as she kept moving from one place to another and tried her best to form no attachments. But - everything changes when one day, a job request comes for her father from Summerville and the hotel owner Annabelle might not be the stranger Amelia thought she is. She almost convinces her dad to try the life 'On the stay' and ruins the structure Amelia has followed for a long time - forcing her to mingle with the locals and make new friends. I loved Amelia's quest to find her 'thing' and watch her grow as a person as she tries different activities from theatre to journalism to athletics. Creating and maintaining relationships, any relationship is quite difficult and a skill to master and I loved seeing that being reflected in the story. Biscotti only adds to the charm. What a fun, exciting book! Highly recommended ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 Amelia Gray travels with her father who “reinvents” dialapated hotels. They normally only stay in a place for about a month. With this in mind, Amelia doesn’t get attached anywhere they go, as a defense mechanism. She only has her dog, Biscotti as her friend. They also study different subjects through YouTube.
They go to a small town to makeover the hotel there. It turns out to be the town where her mother grew up. (Who died during child birth.)Her dad makes a deal with her that if she will try an organized activity for the summer, he will get her a dog dna kit so she can find out what type of dog he really is. A running joke is all the different combinations of breeds he could be. Amelia takes the bet and invents three different Amelia is her quest to find Biscotti identity. She becomes Amie, a runner. She becomes Mellie, a newspaper journalists. She becomes Lia, a theater geek. In all these areas and at the dog park she makes friends.
This was an enjoyable middle grade read. I njoyed the chapter titles…The Chapter where Amie runs and Lia Waits in the Wings. I also like the little picture at the beginning of each chapter that helped you decipher which character she was in the chapter. I loved the bond Amelia and her father had. I was satisfied with a happy albeit complex ending.
I almost didn't finish this. I so didn't care about what Amelia Gray did with her life. All her gripping was getting to me through the first half of the book, and if not for her plans all falling apart, I think we would have had winning through the rest of the book as well.
And the side plot, of a theatre that was torn down, to be replaced with something mysterieous, made no sense, in the end.
And the ending seemed very quick and neat.
The basic plot of that Amelia has no friends, because she moves constantly, because of her father's job, he renovates hotels. He decides, he says, that he is going to stop moving for the summer, because he has been approached to do a large hotel, so she should do something interesting with her days.
So, what does she do? She creates three different identities, to see if one of them sticks. A student reporter, a sprinter and an actor. Since I didn't care about her before, I cared even less that she was three people.
It gets three stars because she becomes friends with Finn about the middle of the book, and all her plans fall apart soon after.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
More of a 2.5. I’ve been trying to seek out good middle grade novels for 2023 and not finding much to inspire. This had an interesting premise, with a kid that moves every four weeks because of her father’s career. She doesn’t know how to make friends and doesn’t confidently know who she is. When they decide to stay in a small town for a whole summer, she tackles these problems with the creation of three alternate identities, each with their own style and personality traits. Hijinks ensue.
This reminded me of two other recent middle grade reads, The Best at It and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Somehow, those books shone just a little more for me, maybe in their believability, stronger humor, or perhaps the characters themselves.
One element in particular bothered me a bit: Biscotti the super mutt. I understand that she was sort of a metaphor for how our protagonist, Amelia, felt about herself. But making a dog dna test the external motivation for the story felt weak and the ultimate conclusion to that piece of story was annoyingly anti-climactic, even if I get the meaning behind it.
Probably not one I’ll return to, but generally inoffensive and sweet.
Amelia loves life on the go with her Dad. It’s just the two of them and they seem to move every few weeks following her Dad’s next job. He’s a hotel designer and gets hired to makeover hotels all over the country. Amelia loves not having to worry about making friends or fitting in at school because she knows it will always be temporary. Until it isn’t. When they arrive in Summerville, NY, Amelia realizes something is different. It turns out that Summerville is her mother’s hometown and it looks like her Dad might be thinking of staying for more than a few weeks, or at least through the end of the summer. In exchange for buying a doggie DNA kit for Amelia’s dog, her Dad wants her to pick an activity and try it out for the duration of their stay. After finding a costume and prop collection stored in their current makeover hotel, Amelia decides to try 3 activities as 3 different versions of herself. “Amie”, “Mellie”, and “Lia” each have a different interest, a different look, and different friends. As the summer progresses, the quick wardrobe changes and complicated friend relationships become hilariously chaotic.
After years of perfecting the art of blending in, Amelia Gray is forced to stand out. The problem is, she’s not sure who she is — or who she wants to be. But starting out in a new town gives her a unique advantage, she can try on new personalities to see what fits — if only it was that easy.
It’s clear from the start of Amelia Gray is Almost Okay that author Jessica Brody knows her audience. Her prose is bright and energetic with a conversational tone that immediately makes you want to read more. Moreover, at more than 400 pages, you don’t feel like you’re reading a long novel — though some reluctant readers may be discouraged by the length before even trying to read it.
Because Amelia is trying out different personalities, she, and readers, discover the true facets of who Amelia really is throughout. It’s a story of growth and connections and being happy with who you truly are.
Amelia Gray is Almost Okay is an engaging, heartfelt novel that will strongly resonate with tweens as they transition into middle school and/or junior high.
I absolutely loved this book! Amelia is such as fun character and I loved watching her become different versions of herself to figure out who she is. I loved seeing her make friends with Finn, Katerina, Esme & Maren. All such wonderful side characters too! The hotel renovations are described so well and are easy to picture in my mind. The relationship she has with her dad is a good one too, they have a bit of a crazy summer, but learn to lean on each other even more. And I liked that she learns more about her mom along the way. Summerville is such a quaint town, that I would love to visit. I can picture the park and all the places Amelia visits during the summer. I would totally read more books with these characters, I loved them so much!!
This book was SO GOOD!! I personally love this author so I was really excited to read it. And it exceeded my expectations!! It was so creative and original, but at the same time relatable. Amelia didn´t really know what her thing was so she tried to be someone else to find out, which is something I think lots of people can relate to. I loved the little ¨triangle of hate¨ between the three girls she had been hanging out with. I mean, what are the chances of that? I also really loved the idea of her dad being a hotel remodeler. I thought that was so cool! And the story just came together perfectly. I couldn´t have asked for a better ending. So, clearly, this was an amazing book and I would definitly recommend it to anyone who likes to read. Or anyone who doesn´t!
This was a heartwarming book about Amelia Gray, who lives a "life on the go" with her dad and her dog, Biscotti. Since they only ever stay in one place for a few weeks, she has never joined any activities or made any friends. But when her dad decides to stay in a new town forever, Amelia Gray decides she needs to reinvent herself into three different identities- Amie, the track kid, Mellie, the aspiring journalist, and Lia, the theatre kid- to find her "Thing." Will Amelia be able to keep track of all three identities and find her "Thing?" Read the book to find out! A nice light read for a break from all the dreary dystopian.
My daughter, Amelia, loved this book! The main character Amelia has traveled the world with her dad and dog Biscotti! She loves moving around and always being somewhere knew. But she gets scared when her dad wants to stay in one location, she's never done that before! This begins that battle of "who am I?' for Amelia Gray. This was such a great book for those going into or are currently in middle school!
Thank you Negalley, the publisher and amazing author for my ARC!
Amelia Gray loves life on the go with her dad, who's a hotel re-invention consultant. But when her dad decides to try "life on the stay," Amelia has to reinvent her life and decides to try out some new hobbies - and identities! Things quickly spiral out of control and she has to figure out how to repair relationships with her friends, something she never had to worry about with her life on the go.
Super cute book about trying new things and meeting new people.
I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary middle grade novel. Amelia Gray's grappling with her identity and her interactions with other kids her age are relatable. She is clever and passionate. I loved that she and her father traveled the country restoring hotels, and that they both needed to stop running from their painful loss.
I really enjoyed this fun but insightful middle grade novel! Amelia Gray thinks she needs one big THING to define her. As she navigates a new community and tries on three new personas, she starts getting involved and that's the last thing she wants! This novel resonated with me, and I'm way past the age of twelve, but it's something to contemplate at any stage in life.
This was fun. It’s been a minute since I’ve read any straight up friend drama for this age group, and while I might think the multiple identities concept borders on silly, my ten year old self would have thought otherwise.
I thought it was really cute. I had no major criticisms as I love all of Jessica Brody’s books and overall enjoyed reading it. The reason I gave it 3 instead of 4 stars was it just was a little too juvenile for me. Overall, I enjoy Jessica Brody’s books more that have older main charaters.
I'm reading this book as part of my research while writing a middle-grade book for my granddaughters. This is an excellent book. Jessica also has a brilliant writing community online that adds incredible value to a newbie writer like myself. I can't wait to dive into more of her books!
I listen to a lot of Urban Fantasy, but like to take a break from the intensity every once in a while. This middle-grade story with low stakes was refreshing while still keeping my interest!
This was very cute! I did have to suspend some belief as an adult that someone could completely renovate an old motel in a month or that a small town would have such an excellent and varied amount of free activities for kids, but these are not things that kids would notice whatsoever.