Counting Miracles: A Novel

Loved this book. Talks about believing and love Highly recommend if you want to read a feel good book Highly recommended

As usual this was an excellent book by a great writer

This is the first Nicholas Sparks book I ever read. Of course, like everyone else, I’ve enjoyed “The Notebook“ (the film). A great story, no doubt, but certainly an emotional roller coaster. This book starts with Tanner, but ends with Jasper. For this reason, I wasn’t really sure whose story this actually was. And (for me) there was too much bouncing back-and-forth through Jasper‘s history, which is of course necessary to understand how everything works out at the end— I skimmed a lot. I enjoyed Jasper‘s love and dedication for his family. I appreciated the Scriptural references as well. But I guess what I probably didn’t appreciate, in light of the inclusion of God‘s Word, were the encounters between Kaitlyn and Tanner of a sexual nature. I’m not necessarily prone to read books that feel like a sort of voyeurism—I’d much rather read between the lines and enjoy the innuendo. I suppose what I mostly didn’t appreciate was the sexual detail in a book that also talks a lot about the Scriptures—a strange combination, like mixing chocolate and scrambled eggs… Both are pretty good on their own, but maybe not mixed together?? It’s not that the two cannot coexist in life, of course. It just seemed to me a strange choice for the author to make: I mean, is it supposed to be a sexy book or a book based on self discovery through faith, as with Jasper? Certainly, it’s just my own opinion based on my personal preferences. This was a departure for me; I usually enjoy historical mysteries, but I was looking for a new read and I liked the plot. In terms of structure, I felt that we had to wait too long for Tanner to be able to employ his special skills from his military service. The character development was good. The pacing was a little slow, as I mentioned because of the historical backfilling of Jasper’s past. I did enjoy Jasper‘s observations of how he had felt left behind by modern technology, something I think seniors may often feel at times. I enjoyed the information about the Bradford pear trees. However, I was really frustrated that the author never fully allowed the plot to address Josh and family. And after the plot resolution, I wish we (as readers) had been allowed to spend a little more time with Jasper, Tanner, and Kaitlyn and the kids. I very much enjoyed the stomach-centered Arlo (and the reason for his name), not only with his love of food, but for man he seemed to have discovered so many years before… Jasper and Arlo, in a sense, saving each other. (Loved that!) For those who like Nicholas Sparks and that genre (dramas, romance, etc.), I’m sure that this would be an enjoyable read. The book could probably be finished in a day. Honestly, I would probably give it 3 1/2 stars if I could; and I feel like I spent too much money on it even at 50% off. For some, it would probably make a good pool or oceanside book.

Counting Miracles is a sweet, beautiful story of love, heart wrenching loss and awakening. The main protagonist Jasper is a loner who has suffered unimaginable loss of his whole family, wife and four grown kids. He and his dog, Arlo, somehow survive and keep moving forward in a life full of memories that break Jasper’s heart each time they flood into his mind. The story is also about a man, Tanner, who when he discovers his long-lost father’s name goes in search of him. His mother died at his birth and he was raised by his grandparents with no knowledge of who his father was or where to find him. At the death of his grandmother she leaves Tanner a message with his father’s name and the place to find him. Tanner is a lost soul and travels far and wide during his time in the service of his country and afterward until he finds himself busy in the town of his father. What he finds there is a woman who stops his heart at the sight of her and two children who capture his heart. Now all he has to do is make up his mind whether he wants to pursue her and still look for his father while his plans are to leave this town and go to Cameroon as an escape. This was an unforgettable tale that brought tears to my eyes as I prayed that Jasper would survive and Tanner would find love and his father. This author did it again - gripped my heart and didn’t let go until the ending. I can see this as a movie in the future which I will readily view with plenty of tissues handy.

Great book. Nicholas Sparks has such a giftQQ

Sometimes good people forget to live in the present and live their lives with only the future in view, erroneously missing the life that’s unfolding in front of them. Tanner, one of the main characters in this book, makes this mistake, nearly missing the gift that’s right in front of him. Nicholas Sparks gives us a host of well developed people in this book, people that we come to love and paints the surroundings into the story as well. This is a well crafted and thoughtfully created story that contains lessons all of us can benefit from.

The book is well written but predictable from the start. Characters were well describe and came to life on the pages. It was lacking any great emotion or storyline which just made it average.

I picked out two recent novels from the NYTimes bestseller list based only upon the written descriptions and they arrived last week and I devoured them. One, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, is a colorful yarn, the science stretched a little bit but not to the point of breaking. The author is a plump middle age woman of the sorority type. The descriptions of the places, scenes and characters are finely sketched and the prose is delightfully seasoned with linguistic surprise pepperings to keep one entertained. It leaves one with a nice, warm, wholesome feeling. The other, Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks, is more of a nail-biter by a macho man with a military bent and an assembly line of titles. The dialogs are frequent and show a keen ear reproducing both parent and child contributions to real conversations that keep the pages lively. The scattering of Bible verses and the religion and mythology did surprise me and fit in comfortably. His descriptions of pain and pleasure events are the most intense I have read on printed page since Anais Nin. But the coup-de-grace of the entire bookfest for me was the juxtaposition of the two stories. Both books, as different as they are from each other, use the identical surprise plot twist ending. I am praying to God now that I dont run across this a third time, as the trend might get me to swear off modern writing entirely. I wont spoil it for you by revealing it, but just I dont recommend that you read both of them, but choose one and eschew the other.

Ein sehr schönes Buch. Leicht zu lesen

Lovely

This book is Nicholas Sparks at his best. If you won’t a book that that make you feel happy, sad and worm. This is a book for you.

軍を退職したTannner、祖母が亡くなる前に残したメモを頼りに会ったことのない父親を探す旅に出る。そこで出会った人達がTannner に奇跡の出会いをもたらすという物語。 Nicholas Sparksはベストセラーを量産する作者だけあって家族の会話、子供や動物への優しい眼差しなど何気ない日常の情景を描くのは上手だなあと思います。主人公のTannner も魅力的な男性として描かれています。聖書の引用が出てきたり、狩猟が日常にあったり等々、大都会とは違うノースキャロライナの小さな町の雰囲気もよく伝わってきます。英語もとても読みやすく、ひたすら優しく心暖まる物語。Kindleセールで安く購入できたので満足。ただ、刺激を求める読者にはちょっと物足りないかも....。

As usual another great read from Nicholas Sparks. How Has per had a very sad life, losing his entire family. Little did he know he had a long lost family member trying to find him. Well worth a read.