Small Miracles: The perfect heart-warming summer read about hope and friendship (The Sisters of Saint Philomena)

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Not only following Sister Margaret, Sister Bridget and Sister Cecilia, we meet a number of wonderful characters like the local parish priest who wants nothing more than to be able to say no to Sister Bridget's food, the hopeless romantic travel agent George and his cantankerous mother and the shy and intelligent Dr. Woodburn. My first observation is that we shouldn’t think of the Bible times, either Old or New Testament, as times in which saints of God consistently did miracles. That would be a distortion of the biblical record. They were few and far between in the Old Testament. They were uniquely concentrated in Jesus and his apostles in a very special, Christ-exalting way. They are shared in part through spiritual gifts with all the saints. Countless Miracles

This is NOT a review of that book. Yet unavoidably, there will be comparisons between “Small Miracles” by Atwater, and that seminal work by Gaiman and Pratchett. In the midst of the American Civil War we are introduced to Captain Robert Ellicombe in his home state of Virginia in 1862. During a terrible battle, Captain Ellicombe finds personal tragedy ….but within that personal tragedy he finds something beautiful, something that has become a symbolic piece of American history. I read this book as a Judge with Fantasy Faction blogging group. My personal opinion and rating. Other Judges have their own. Gadriel is our main character. A fallen angel of petty temptations, they really mean no one any harm despite their job.. satisfied instead with nudging mortals here and there into tiny transgressions that tend to lead to happier lives than futures of damnation. Honestly, they're absolutely charming and they break my heart a little in this book.This allows us some of the novel’s best, most light-hearted amusing, and yet tender and poignant moments, as these two characters interact. First things first, this book has a gorgeous cover. It’s been teasing me all month just begging to be read.

When miracles happen, it is because those involved have entered a higher vibration, allowing the experience of the true, natural state of human existence. This is usually sparked by a desperate situation, which allows the person to temporarily let go of their current belief systems. Once these beliefs, which hold one captive in their boundaries, are released, the person is then elevated into a higher potentiality of human experience. The result being, a fix, an adjustment to their reality, beyond that which is usually experienced in daily life. It is called a miracle. So who could help thinking - hmmm... what if the sudden sweet serendipity that Halberstam shows us in these remarkable short vignettes is a small part of an even larger, greater amazing grace?Divine origin aside, the stories are poorly told when there was a real opportunity to craft something special. Something that makes even the worst cynic in us believe in SOMETHING and smile.