I appreciate that Monique Polak didn't shy away from addressing faith as something that was okay and even good, but it didn't work for me. Ani got on my nerves, she wasn't realistic and she just annoyed me. In fact, none of the characters were particularly likable, and Ani, Colette, and their mother were the only ones who were even vaguely well-developed. The plot tried to tackle too many issues without really focusing on any of them, and for me at least it was incredibly predictable. By the time I reached page thirty, I had already predicted (accurately) every major plot point in the novel. I hate to have to say this about any book, but this is not one that I would recommend. ( )

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: Ani (named after Saint Anne) has always been the 'good' daughter - she's religious, responsible, and takes care of her out-of-control younger sister Colette. Ani's always been content with her life in the tiny town of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre - she's happy running the family's souvenir shop with her parents and comfortable knowing that she can always rely on her faith.

That is, until the accident.

Soon Ani's life is turned upside-down, and she has no idea what to do anymore - she's losing her grip on things, facing obstacles she never dreamed she'd be up against. Even worse, the people she thought she knew are starting to seem like complete strangers - her mother, her younger sister, and even her father are not who they appear to be.

My Thoughts: This was a wonderful coming-of-age story, and the element of religion really tied it together nicely! As someone who grew up in a moderately religious household like Ani's, I was able to easily identify with Ani's feelings about what was going on around her. The way she felt trapped in her tiny town was also easy to relate to, and I loved the Canadian element of the story! Members of my family have actually made the pilgrimage to Sainte-Anne, and it was great getting a glimpse at the feelings of the locals. I also loved the debate over miracles between Ani and her dad - it was interesting to see how vastly different people's views could vary on the topic (I, for one, am a believer!).

Mrs. Polak's writing is smooth and easy to follow, and there are enough plot twists to keep you flipping pages to find out what happens next. Her imagery and descriptions of the beautiful buildings in Sainte-Anne made it easy to picture the town and follow Ani throughout her journey.

And what a beautiful book! The cover is simple but stunning, and sure to catch your eye.

Final Thoughts: Miracleville was a lovely read, and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to do so! I definitely recommend it to teens who are coming of age and unsure how religion can work within society and culture nowadays. It would make a great Easter gift! ( )

I enjoyed this read. Collette is a girl struggling with what a lot of kids struggle with as they get closer to adulthood--their religion, what does faith mean, questions they have about their faith etc.

I found all the characters to be extremely likable with the exception of Maxim, but the author doesn't intend for the reader to want to like the womanizing character in the book so it works. Even Collette, the ADHD younger sister grows on you as she grows up from being a self-centered, extremely immature annoyance to a more tolerable, caring human being.

The plot line was rather predicatable (Collette's bilogical father), but it still made for an interesting storyline. I learned new information about this part of Canada that I didn't know before and I enjoyed the novel from cover to cover. ( )

Ani is sick of being the good daughter, the polar opposite of her shameless, sex-crazed, hyperactive sister Colette. Ani may be named after a saint, and she may live in the town of miracles, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to slap her sister silly.

Still, Ani's biggest problems are manageable, such as keeping Colette from scaring away the tourists - Saintly Souvenirs is their main income, and helping their mother run the shop can be a full-time job. There's also the issue of keeping Colette from pouncing on every cute boy in sight. And the way Colette talks about sex all the time; frankly, it makes Ani squeamish. Everyone knows good Catholics are supposed to wait until marriage.

These become minor blips when a real disaster strikes the family, turning everything on its head and leaving Ani completely bewildered. What is she supposed to think when even living in the town of miracles doesn't protect you from tragedy?

There's the basic summary, and the book frankly isn't much more than that. I'm sorry to report that this one just didn't hold my interest, and not just because of the strong religious bent. Polak does acknowledge facets to faith, overtly dismantling some of the more pervasive stereotypes, but at the same time she reinforces them through Ani's shock. If people in her community were really so welcoming all along (sex is okay with protection! gays are people too!), then why is Ani so surprised when they say so? Polak wants to have it both ways: attacking prejudice without fully acknowledging it, building a false conflict that can easily be smoothed out by the end.

Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh - after all, prejudice is a major hinge upon which the backstory rests - and Polak does take care to show the consequences of bigotry for individual lives. It may just be the audience level that's making this story feel too softball to me.

Mostly, the problem was a Telling Not Showing approach that turned the characters wooden and the situations dull. Ani comes across as a walking stereotype of virginal Catholicism, disgusted and embarrassed by her own bodily desires. And while she supposedly 'grows' throughout the book, I was so uninterested in her from the start that it didn't really register. Tellingly, Ani's most 'realistic' moment happens during a dream where she does all of the 'bad girl' things she's not supposed to -- and revels in every minute of it. If we had more of that Ani fighting to the surface at the beginning, then there might be some interest. Regrettably, this DreamAni doesn't show until 3/4 of the way through the book - and then DullAni wakes up.

Not much else to say about this one - it's not offensive or bad, it just didn't resonate with me. I'm willing to acknowledge that this one simply wasn't my Cup of Tea.

*Like this review? Find more at the Ravenous Bookshelf: http://ravenousbookshelf.blogspot.com/ ( )

"And that's when I realize that maybe it's true that the real miracle isn't when someone throws away their crutches or stops being paralyzed. Maybe the real miracle is way simpler than that. Maybe the miracle is not giving up. Maybe it's staying hopeful even when you're not sure how thing will turn out".

The quote above neatly sums up the story about Ani and her family living in the small town of Sainte-Anne-de Beaupre where pilgrims come year after year seeking miracles. When her mom is suddenly paralyzed in a freakish accident, the whole family's, no... the whole town's faith is tested, in very different ways. Ani's mom, once steadfast in her Catholic faith, seems to grow despondent and bitter. Then with the help of long lost friends, she regains some semblance of normalcy once again. Yet, these same friends, one a priest, another a paraplegic, one a herbalist, rock Ani's comfortable, easy world.

This delightful novel mixes modern-day issues and problems with age-old beliefs about miracles and faith. Ani, her parents, and her wild sister, Colette, all falter at some point, some longer than others, but come back around to the stability and consistency that only true faith can provide.

Thank you to Librarything, Monique Polak, Leslie Bootle, and Orca Book Publishers for this ARC of this timely YA novel. ( )