A solid 4-stars, a good read with interesting side stories; not crazy about the ending.... ( )

This was a book club selection, so I really wanted to finish it, even though I knew I could not be at the meeting this time. I tried the ebook, and then when it was apparent that I didn't have time to sit and read, I downloaded the audiobook for my commute. Unfortunately, it just didn't grab me. I gave up after getting about 20% into the book. My book club friends told me I didn't miss much, so the book is officially DNF!

I received this book in exchange for my review. I am not real fond of novels that bounce back and forth in time and between characters. I had a hard time getting into this story. However, it did get better the farther in I read. It was a captivating topic and I enjoyed looking at the way each character looked at belief in God. I think the little girl's character could have been developed more. I never really felt any empathy for her. I also didn't think the liberal use of the f**word was necessary or added any value to the story. ( )

As a baby, Anabelle Vincent cried continuously. Even as a young child it became obvious she was different from her peers in a number of ways. By the time she was eight years old, as the result of an accident, she was in a "coma-like state". Against medical advice, her mother brought her home from the hospital instead of sending her to a facility. Word spread quickly that Anabelle is a healer- a bringer of miracles. "Perhaps the first miracle was that she did not die, and here it was, approaching a year after the accident." Andrew Roe's novel, The Miracle Girl, is the engrossing story about the Vincent family and of some of the people who turn to Anabelle. Every day people were outside the modest Vincent home waiting their turn to have a few minutes with her. Some aren't sure why they have come. There are those who know exactly why they have come. They are looking for help and or hope.

The story is told mainly in the voice of Anabelle's mother as she struggles to cope with what is now their life. Additional narrative comes Anabelle, her father and from some of the people who are drawn to her. The author deftly takes on serious issues. What do we believe in and why? Do miracles happen? If Anabelle is truly a miracle girl then what is the explanation for this? The realistic characters are complex and their relationships are intriguing. Their futures are uncertain.
I found this to be a thought provoking novel and I recommend reading it.
I received this book for free through LibraryThing Member Giveaways and I give this review of my own free will. ( )

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. I am an avid reader, and this book certainly grasped my attention. I really enjoyed the way Andrew Roe was able to develop and describe the characters. You really felt like you knew them, not just as a character, but as an actual person. I could have used a little something...more...in the story line. However, it was an engaging novel, and I do intend to recommend it.

I see great things in the future of Andrew Roe as an author. ( )