Having read and really enjoyed Jason Mott’s debut novel The Returned I was really excited to read his newest The Wonder of All Things. Mott’s storytelling leaves the reader questioning themselves as to what they would do in the same situation and I like that. He also writes of strange phenomena and that intrigues me. In The Returned it was dead people coming back to their loved ones and in The Wonder of All Things it’s a young girl who has the power to heal. I love books like this – books that give me a shiver up my spine.
It’s a normal day in the small town of Stone Temple and Ava and her best friend Wash are at the air show when a plane crashes into the crowd of people gathered there. Ava and Wash are trapped underneath a pile of rubble and while Ava is ok Wash is seriously injured. Ava can hear her father Macon telling her that help is on the way but Ava knows only one thing – she can’t let Wash die. As Ava lays her hands over Wash’s wounds he is miraculously healed.
What follows comes as no surprise. People go crazy, both in Stone Temple and throughout the world as the news spreads of this young thirteen-year-old girl and her healing powers. People and reporters flood into the town. Of course everyone wants to be healed and the doctors want to test and test Ava to try and determine how she even possesses this gift. People think it is a sin for the girl not to help people if she’s able to. The thing is though that every time Ava uses this gift it takes a horrible toll on her body and she refuses to do what everyone wants her to… she will only use her gift if it is her choice to do so.
I felt for Ava. What a choice to be faced with – help people suffering or don’t help them and with her being so young she had to depend on the adults to help her and that help wasn’t always the best. I think the choice would be made easier for me if I became ill myself doing it. Wash was such a little gentleman and always taking care of Ava and the blossoming love between the two young people was sweet. As with Mott’s first novel, this one too leaves you asking yourself what you would do and has you wondering about miracles in themselves.
I listened to The Wonder of All Things which is narrated by Julia Whelan who is a favorite narrator of mine and she did a great job bringing the characters and this story to life. The Wonder of All Things is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, and the deep love we carry for those closest to us. Highly recommended!
Other tour stops with TLC Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter
Buy: Amazon, B&N, Books-a-Million
GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 paperback copy up for giveaway
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date September 2/15
That sounds like a spine tingling page turner!
I remember reading about this author’s previous book. Did not get to read it, but this one sounds good as well.
Sounds interesting. Reminds me of The Three a bit. Maybe because of the plane crash.
I really liked this one as well as Mott’s previous book. I can’t wait to see what he writes next!
Darlene, I will add your giveaway to my blog’s sidebar. It sounds like a captivating story.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!