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wcarter's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
3.75
It took me a bit before I got into this book. But it has a nice storyline.
fcurran24's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rybass08's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow! I really enjoyed this book! Such an amazing story ! Can’t wait for the next book!
kdheart's review against another edition
3.0
Firstly, I am in no way, shape, or form the intended audience of this book. I couldn't care less for sports of any kind (least of all, baseball) and I am not religious (and if I were, I'd still be the wrong denomination Christian for this). It was a frustrating read, but occasionally it struck a cord and I have to give it that.
Now, the angels in the title and who tie this whole series together are completely superfluous and occasionally annoying. The story would have flown much better without their presence and even the Christian elements would have been improved upon. As it is, all the "bad guys" are non-christian and all the people who help Tyler are devout, faithful and all that shit, except they wouldn't do anything unless the angels nudged them more or less subtly.
The protagonists are dull- Sami is incredibly naive and Tyler needed to be dealt a life-shattering blow in order to stop being an asshole. The only characters I enjoyed were Mary-Catherine and Virginia and even that in small doses.
The author takes precious time to catalogue every single movement when a character is "on screen", which eventually strikes you as a lot of padding (every intake and outtake of breath, every time Tyler picks up an object or greets someone, it must be mentioned he's doing it with his good arm, if he's drinking water in his car - and that happens a lot - it has to be mentioned that it's from a water bottle etc). There is very little left to the reader to do.
Also, is it really necessary to mention that Simi Valley is in California? 100 pages in? After a number of flashbacks and discussions about the place?
Now, the angels in the title and who tie this whole series together are completely superfluous and occasionally annoying. The story would have flown much better without their presence and even the Christian elements would have been improved upon. As it is, all the "bad guys" are non-christian and all the people who help Tyler are devout, faithful and all that shit, except they wouldn't do anything unless the angels nudged them more or less subtly.
The protagonists are dull- Sami is incredibly naive and Tyler needed to be dealt a life-shattering blow in order to stop being an asshole. The only characters I enjoyed were Mary-Catherine and Virginia and even that in small doses.
The author takes precious time to catalogue every single movement when a character is "on screen", which eventually strikes you as a lot of padding (every intake and outtake of breath, every time Tyler picks up an object or greets someone, it must be mentioned he's doing it with his good arm, if he's drinking water in his car - and that happens a lot - it has to be mentioned that it's from a water bottle etc). There is very little left to the reader to do.
Also, is it really necessary to mention that Simi Valley is in California? 100 pages in? After a number of flashbacks and discussions about the place?
sarahmarie094's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
4.0
This was an uplifting tale of angels in disguise working in the lives of the characters! This was my first experience with the author, but it will certainly not be the last. I enjoyed the depiction of the character's struggles with finances, injury, drug addiction and his ultimate growth throughout the story. I especially appreciated the frequent use of Bible verses and stories within the character's lives and the emphasis that God is in control.
serene216's review against another edition
5.0
It feels like the writing style of Karen Kingsbury during the years of the Family and Fame series is back. I haven't read a book from her that was this good since unlocked. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I like that Karen has going with a whole new storyline while still writing in the style that drew me to her as an author in the first place. One of my favorite books of 2014!
katiecatbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Gentle romance. Christian fiction. Baseball.
Story: Tyler Ames is a nationally renowned pitcher for an AA baseball team. His life has had a lot of negative exposure for the past few years and if he pitches a perfect game, perhaps he can redeem himself. When a tragedy changes his plans, he must confront his past in order to move forward in the future.
Language: Very heavy on Christian references. Gentle romance. Third person from Tyler and a second character's perspectives. Set in the 2000's but could easily have been from earlier.
Characters: Tyler has always wanted and trained to be a pitcher since he was a boy. His father coached him and Tyler was accepted to a dozen universities on a baseball scholarship. His dream has always been to play in the major leagues.
A bit too heavy handed on the Christian miracles to me, but the actual writing and structure was good.
Story: Tyler Ames is a nationally renowned pitcher for an AA baseball team. His life has had a lot of negative exposure for the past few years and if he pitches a perfect game, perhaps he can redeem himself. When a tragedy changes his plans, he must confront his past in order to move forward in the future.
Language: Very heavy on Christian references. Gentle romance. Third person from Tyler and a second character's perspectives. Set in the 2000's but could easily have been from earlier.
Characters: Tyler has always wanted and trained to be a pitcher since he was a boy. His father coached him and Tyler was accepted to a dozen universities on a baseball scholarship. His dream has always been to play in the major leagues.
A bit too heavy handed on the Christian miracles to me, but the actual writing and structure was good.