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When it comes to the New Testament, it is gloriously true that Jesus did miracles perfectly and consistently, though even he raised only three people from the dead and didn’t heal people in many places where he traveled or where he didn’t travel. I enjoyed the character development. As the reader we are soon able to distinguish between the three nuns. Bridget was just a generally positive, happy person who loved to cook. She especially liked to cook and look after the local priest as well as a friend that attended the gardens and was the widower of Bridget’s friend. Bridget is the most positive out of the three nuns with a sunny disposition. Margaret is the youngest of the three in her late 50’s and seems to be having something of a crisis of faith and feels she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I did wonder if perhaps it was the Menopause that was causing most of her angst to be honest but it was never mentioned. Then there’s 90 year old Cecilia who would try the patience of a saint. As you might expect at 90, she’s very old school, set in her ways and something of a snob I thought.
Nevertheless, I am glad I read Small Miracles and did truly enjoy the story. The stakes aren’t earth shattering but are very real to the parties involved. The power structures are new and interesting. The ending is very, very well done. Drawing inspiration from iconic punk and post-punk bands like Pixies and The Cure,the band has found its sonic home and seemingly enjoys exploring and shaping it in every way they can. With spikey energy both lyrically and musically, they have all the tools to rapidly improve their blossoming careers. Small Miracles are certainly a band to keep your eye on in the coming months.
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First off I have to say that readers who are a fan of the above genre will like it more than I did.
Since this is an SPFBO 8 finalist (updated: This won the competition) I decided to give it a go, even though contemporary rom-com fantasy isn't my favourite genre. An uncomplicated plot but with complicated, conflicted characters that were so relatable. Over the years I've either been or met people like the humans in this story. The angels too also reminded me of some non gender specific friends and when I read excerpts of this book to them they too were impressed with the way Atwater smoothly writes of gender fluidity. No showing, no info dumps or "telling" it just was. I quote one paragraph that I particularly liked… A delightful story with some beautifully drawn relationships and interesting revelations. Charming, amusing, with a soupçon of scandal and very worthwhile. If Good Omens was a rom-com and put less emphasis on David Tennant and… I mean Aziraphale and Crowley, it would be close to Small Miracles. Or the other way round. I guess one is better than the other? Perhaps? Gaiman and Pratchett vs Olivia Atwater? This was not supposed to be a difficult choice. There are many favourite parts of the book I could list, but one of them is the casual treatment of gender fluidity and queerness. As Steve Jobs would have said, It Just Works; effortless, unforced, and wonderful.It’s just that… I could swear that you were… weren’t you a woman before?“ Gadriel blinked. “Oh!” he said. “I forgot entirely. I suppose most people don’t just change that when they feel like it?”🖊️ In 1990, two iconic fantasy authors, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, collaborated to write the famed novel “Good Omens” (full title: “Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch”. That is, until ninety-year-old Cecilia decides to play the newly launched National Lottery and a series of small miracles begins to unfold... Small Miracles’ is a lovely, funny novel with a wise and compassionate heart. Anne Booth draws on her own Irish Catholic upbringing to create a parish and convent full of ordinary, fallible humans, that most churchgoers will recognise. Like the TV show ‘Rev’ the book moves effortlessly between humour and sadness. I laughed out loud at some of Sr Margaret’s conversations with God, appreciated her frustrations with church hierarchy and was moved to tears at the moments when she and other characters expressed their deepest pain. The author is a great observer and excellent at showing how it is often in the little things in life that we can learn and appreciate bigger lessons. And that when a community is under pressure, all it takes is a bit of love, hope and faith for the miraculous to happen. We are continuously striving to do better in our curriculum. We prioritize creating the best learning experience for all our students, incorporating the latest technologies and up-to-date subject matter into our resources. Small Miracles is proud to participate in the First Things First’s signature program, Quality First. Quality First works with child care and preschool providers across Arizona to improve the quality of their early learning settings for children from birth to age 5. We are committed to quality improvement and going beyond regulatory requirements to help the infants, toddlers and preschoolers be ready for success in kindergarten and beyond. For more information, visit QualityFirstAZ.com.
His/Her purview is minor transgressions. He’s/she’s not really evil despite the fallen angel status, but rather mischievous, and his/her agenda is not really sinister. What Gadriel does is prod humans to succumb to minor temptations, and thus achieve overall increased happiness and satisfaction with their lot in life. Nuns are usually viewed as otherworldly, set apart, and in many ways they are. A covert, cloistered life lends an air of shrouded mystery to its inhabitants. But when we hone in on their holiness and saintliness, we’re apt to forget the humanity that exists.
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Holly is absolutely lovely, yet complicated, and her childhood traumas have influenced her adult life, and hold the sad key to why she is so staunch in her virtue. Small Miracles is Team Queen's Book Asylum's SPFBO 8 finalist. Our group review can be read on Queen's Book Asylum, and our overall rating was 8.3/10. I have provided an honest review of this book –“Small Miracles” by author Olivia Atwater – below for purposes of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Number 8 competition, in which this book is one of ten finalists. Before We Go Blog (where I am one of the judges) is assigned the book, along with the other 9 judging blogs, to help determine which one of 10 books will emerge as the SPFBO 8 Champion.
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