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Miracle Girls #1
The Miracle Girls
Ana Dominguez was happy in San Jose, but everything changed when her dad moved the family to Half Moon Bay, California, to open a law practice. Her parents think she's settling into her new school nicely, but she has them fooled. Riley, the most popular girl in school, has picked Ana as enemy #1, and Tyler, Ana's crush, doesn't even know Ana exists.
When Ana ends up in detention with Riley, her life suddenly changes. When Ana, Riley, Christine, and Zoe share their essays on "The Day My Life Changed," it turns out they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. Now as Ana lives out her faith, she and Zoe are determined to befriend Riley and Christine. But the drama of high school life has only just begun. . . .
When Ana ends up in detention with Riley, her life suddenly changes. When Ana, Riley, Christine, and Zoe share their essays on "The Day My Life Changed," it turns out they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. Now as Ana lives out her faith, she and Zoe are determined to befriend Riley and Christine. But the drama of high school life has only just begun. . . .
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
July 6, 2017
While there were parts of this book that grated on me, I ended up liking it more than I expected. The book is overtly Christian (much of the activities involve Ana's church youth group, including faithful discussions of God, religion, and Christian living) but not heavy-handedly so. I actually enjoyed this aspect of the novel. The authors do a good job of keeping the faithful aspects of Ana's life important and vital without making them preachy or insular. Her friends, some of whom share her faith and church activities and others less so (though all appear to be co-religionists), are engaging, though perhaps a little too easily identifiable as teen friendship tropes (the bad girl with her hair-dying, the careless girl getting into trouble, the thoughtful girl keeping things together... with Ana in a kind of easy-going middle).
The only part that really grated on me was Ana's parents. Some of that is that I have a hard time buying their backstory. Her father's law practice is kept murky enough and her mother is driven enough by calculated social climbing that I found it hard to identify with them or even understand their motivations through most of the novel. That isn't helped by how extremely strict they are. I've known a lot of parents, some of them very strict indeed, but none as strict as these two are. I think my last sympathy played out when Ana's father was enraged that a boy would dare call Ana at home (and displayed that rage to both the boy at the time and to Ana after). I mean seriously? That's a thing?
If it hadn't been for her parents, this book would sit at a comfortable four stars for me. It was well written, with no seams for a co-authored work. The story was a fun, light teen romance involving characters I enjoyed and enjoyed spending time with. The elements tied to faith only approached the didactic once or twice, and never actually got there, I think. In all, it was a solid win and I will almost certainly be picking up the next in the series (as long as I don't get the feeling that it's going to do something stupid like break Ana and her boy-who-is-a-friend up for cheap storylines). Still, the parents were grating enough to drop it down to where I'll round it to three stars overall.
The only part that really grated on me was Ana's parents. Some of that is that I have a hard time buying their backstory. Her father's law practice is kept murky enough and her mother is driven enough by calculated social climbing that I found it hard to identify with them or even understand their motivations through most of the novel. That isn't helped by how extremely strict they are. I've known a lot of parents, some of them very strict indeed, but none as strict as these two are. I think my last sympathy played out when Ana's father was enraged that a boy would dare call Ana at home (and displayed that rage to both the boy at the time and to Ana after). I mean seriously? That's a thing?
If it hadn't been for her parents, this book would sit at a comfortable four stars for me. It was well written, with no seams for a co-authored work. The story was a fun, light teen romance involving characters I enjoyed and enjoyed spending time with. The elements tied to faith only approached the didactic once or twice, and never actually got there, I think. In all, it was a solid win and I will almost certainly be picking up the next in the series (as long as I don't get the feeling that it's going to do something stupid like break Ana and her boy-who-is-a-friend up for cheap storylines). Still, the parents were grating enough to drop it down to where I'll round it to three stars overall.
May 4, 2013
Sometimes I get these weird cravings for American High School books filled with clicheés and cheerleaders.
Yes, it's strange.
Whatever - this book was just the right one as it included all the things mentioned above plus it's christian and also had faith topics in it.
Let me start of with saying congrats to the authors!
I don't know how they write together, if they take turns or literally write together and think about each sentence but however they do it, they do it extremely well.
The writing is effortless and breezy, perfecting the tone of teenagers without being over the top.
Now. The characters.
They do seem very realistic, actually maybe a bit to realistic because they act like real people would, even if that annoyed me at some points.
Ana, the narrator, for example was so judgemental towards Riley at first and rather snarky.
The whole thing about Riley being a cheerleader (which led to some nasty comments from Ana) was rather hilarious in a sad way - why are cheerleaders always portrayed/viewed as the dumb blondes in most books and films?!
Ana is angry about being beaten by Riley grade-wise, especially since she's "only" a cheerleader, thus not allowed to be smart or so.
Grr. (But yeah, I wanted a book where people have clicheéd views on stuff, so I shouldn't complain...)
Further on, I was also really vexed about Ana's parents, especially her mother.
They were overprotective, which I do understand, given that Ana nearly died after she was born, but there is a line you can cross.
And after crossing that line you make your child a prisoner, practically.
There was so much Ana wasn't allowed to do, it was f-r-u-s-t-r-a-t-i-n-g but luckily it does get better.
What was even worse though was the parental pressure about school and uni applications.
There was a page where it's described how Ana gets ignored by her mother because she is only second best in her grade.
SHE GETS IGNORED!!
Reading this made me appreciate my parents even more haha.
It was fun though, reading this, also the annoying parts were annoying in the context of the story but didn't stop me enjoying this book.
Also - how cool is their youth group in church, so many of them in it, so many cool activities and proper worship time that goes on for a while (gotta love that!) plus a skiing trip together - I want!
This really is a cool christian YA "high school" book and I will continue the series tonight.
I wonder what else is going to happen to the miracle girls Ana, Zoe, Christine and Riley (yeah, they become friends despite Riley being a blonde cheerleader. Hah.)...
Try this series, it deserves way more recognition in YA land!
Yes, it's strange.
Whatever - this book was just the right one as it included all the things mentioned above plus it's christian and also had faith topics in it.
Let me start of with saying congrats to the authors!
I don't know how they write together, if they take turns or literally write together and think about each sentence but however they do it, they do it extremely well.
The writing is effortless and breezy, perfecting the tone of teenagers without being over the top.
Now. The characters.
They do seem very realistic, actually maybe a bit to realistic because they act like real people would, even if that annoyed me at some points.
Ana, the narrator, for example was so judgemental towards Riley at first and rather snarky.
The whole thing about Riley being a cheerleader (which led to some nasty comments from Ana) was rather hilarious in a sad way - why are cheerleaders always portrayed/viewed as the dumb blondes in most books and films?!
Ana is angry about being beaten by Riley grade-wise, especially since she's "only" a cheerleader, thus not allowed to be smart or so.
Grr. (But yeah, I wanted a book where people have clicheéd views on stuff, so I shouldn't complain...)
Further on, I was also really vexed about Ana's parents, especially her mother.
They were overprotective, which I do understand, given that Ana nearly died after she was born, but there is a line you can cross.
And after crossing that line you make your child a prisoner, practically.
There was so much Ana wasn't allowed to do, it was f-r-u-s-t-r-a-t-i-n-g but luckily it does get better.
What was even worse though was the parental pressure about school and uni applications.
There was a page where it's described how Ana gets ignored by her mother because she is only second best in her grade.
SHE GETS IGNORED!!
Reading this made me appreciate my parents even more haha.
It was fun though, reading this, also the annoying parts were annoying in the context of the story but didn't stop me enjoying this book.
Also - how cool is their youth group in church, so many of them in it, so many cool activities and proper worship time that goes on for a while (gotta love that!) plus a skiing trip together - I want!
This really is a cool christian YA "high school" book and I will continue the series tonight.
I wonder what else is going to happen to the miracle girls Ana, Zoe, Christine and Riley (yeah, they become friends despite Riley being a blonde cheerleader. Hah.)...
Try this series, it deserves way more recognition in YA land!
November 30, 2019
About this book:
“Ana Dominguez was happy in San Jose, but everything changed when her dad moved the family to Half Moon Bay, California, to open a law practice. Her parents think she's settling into her new school nicely, but she has them fooled. Riley, the most popular girl in school, has picked Ana as enemy #1, and Tyler, Ana's crush, doesn't even know Ana exists.
When Ana ends up in detention with Riley, her life suddenly changes. When Ana, Riley, Christine, and Zoe share their essays on "The Day My Life Changed," it turns out they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. Now as Ana lives out her faith, she and Zoe are determined to befriend Riley and Christine. But the drama of high school life has only just begun. . . .”
Series: Book #1 in “The Miracle Girls” series.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Ana and the other girls all had miracles in their lives; Ana feels let down by God by different things happening; Church, Christmas Eve service, & Youth group going; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, youth group, pastors, worship, & a Christian band; Mentions of Christmas; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of Ana being called “God Girl”; A few mentions of Bibles; A few mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of Nativity sets; A few mentions of people not being religious; A mention of the Trinity; A mention of Christian T-shirts; A mention of an ungodly hour; A mention of Ana calling a girl a Bathsheba;
*Note: A couple mentions of a cheerleader calling Riley a religious freak & making up a (somewhat mocking) cheer about Jesus; A couple mentions of wondering if a woman is a magician or can read minds; A mention of thinking someone would have horns growing out of their head; A mention of a food with a name similar to Satan; A mention of Ana’s mother thinking rock an droll is the devil’s music; A mention of Ana saying her mom wants her to dress like a nun; A mention of a shrine; A mention of a jinx.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crappy’, a ‘cretins’, a ‘duh’, a ‘freaking’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘gosh’s, two ‘jeez’s, two forms of ‘oh my gosh’, two forms of ‘suck’, three ‘shut up’s, four ‘idiot’s, five ‘dumb’s, and twenty-two forms of ‘stupid’; Christine calls her soon-to-be-stepmother “The Bimbo” (x17) and her daughter “The Bimbot” (x7); A couple mentions of curses (couple mentions of); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Ana lies/keeps things from her parents as she knows they would freak out (sometimes she does feel guilt later but others she tries to reason within herself that they’re being ridiculous); An accident & someone is hurt badly (semi-detailed); Mentions of Riley’s near drowning, Zoe being bucked off a horse, & Christine being in a car accident and her mom dying (semi-detailed); Mentions of a haunted house at a fall fair; Mentions of cheating; Mentions of hatred (including Ana hating her mom for a bit); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of throwing up, peeing, poop, & puke; A few mentions of thinking someone is hurt or shot; A few mentions of high schoolers getting drunk at a party and someone doing something dangerous; A few mentions of wine, beer, alcohol, & slurred speech; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a mean thing being written on Ana’s desk; A couple mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of acne; A mention of ax murders; A mention of a war; A mention of a state prison; A mention of a whipping as a child; A mention of parents passing a thermos around with something strong in it; A mention of kids getting high; A mention of crack; A mention of a vaccine; A mention of a booger;
*Note: Mentions of celebrities, singers, songs, TV shows, books, & authors; A few mentions of stores & designers; A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of Boy Scouts.
Sexual Content- a cheek kiss; Dancing, Nearness, & Smelling; Hand Holding & Winks; Noticing; Ana’s parents are very strict that she can’t date until she’s 16 and does not want her distracted by boys; Ana dares Christine to streak at a sleepover in the forest; a ‘sexy’ and a slight misunderstanding about a ho (gardening tool) and a hoe; All about many mentions of boys, boyfriends, dating, dates, crushes, & exes; Mentions of kisses, kissing, seeing couples kiss, & a kissing booth (Ana and Christian think/hope the girl kissing will get mono); Mentions of touches, embraces, & seeing others touch/embrace; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of dances; A couple mentions of Christine’s dad getting a girlfriend shortly after her mom died and his girlfriend being at their house at night; A mention of a newly wed couple being crazy for each other & that being why they have a baby already on the way; Teenage attraction & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of butts (cheerleaders sticking their butts in the air and wiggling them, working a butt off, trying to butt in, landing on a butt, a bug getting up someone’s butt); A few mentions of low-cut & skimpy dresses; A couple mentions of a girl’s long legs; A mention of an outfit showing off curves; A mention of boobs; A mention of bras; A mention of a nude beach; A mention of men’s boxers; A mention of starfish being asexual; A mention of a magnet that says ‘Think Thin Be Thin’; A mention of lewd dance moves.
-Anna Dominguez, age 14
1st person P.O.V. of Ana
304 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Add a full star for girls in Public/Private School }
This book is slightly difficult to rate due to while Ana and the rest of the Miracle Girls are 14/15, because of school situations and some relationship drama, it feels like this book/series should be for older girls, but then Ana lies/deceives/complains about her parents and she seems very young. Personally, I don’t see how she thought keeping things from her parents would make her more “adult like”, but she learns lessons throughout the story.
This series really is best for public school girls or those who like Melody Carlson style teen drama.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Ana Dominguez was happy in San Jose, but everything changed when her dad moved the family to Half Moon Bay, California, to open a law practice. Her parents think she's settling into her new school nicely, but she has them fooled. Riley, the most popular girl in school, has picked Ana as enemy #1, and Tyler, Ana's crush, doesn't even know Ana exists.
When Ana ends up in detention with Riley, her life suddenly changes. When Ana, Riley, Christine, and Zoe share their essays on "The Day My Life Changed," it turns out they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. Now as Ana lives out her faith, she and Zoe are determined to befriend Riley and Christine. But the drama of high school life has only just begun. . . .”
Series: Book #1 in “The Miracle Girls” series.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Ana and the other girls all had miracles in their lives; Ana feels let down by God by different things happening; Church, Christmas Eve service, & Youth group going; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, youth group, pastors, worship, & a Christian band; Mentions of Christmas; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of Ana being called “God Girl”; A few mentions of Bibles; A few mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of Nativity sets; A few mentions of people not being religious; A mention of the Trinity; A mention of Christian T-shirts; A mention of an ungodly hour; A mention of Ana calling a girl a Bathsheba;
*Note: A couple mentions of a cheerleader calling Riley a religious freak & making up a (somewhat mocking) cheer about Jesus; A couple mentions of wondering if a woman is a magician or can read minds; A mention of thinking someone would have horns growing out of their head; A mention of a food with a name similar to Satan; A mention of Ana’s mother thinking rock an droll is the devil’s music; A mention of Ana saying her mom wants her to dress like a nun; A mention of a shrine; A mention of a jinx.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crappy’, a ‘cretins’, a ‘duh’, a ‘freaking’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘gosh’s, two ‘jeez’s, two forms of ‘oh my gosh’, two forms of ‘suck’, three ‘shut up’s, four ‘idiot’s, five ‘dumb’s, and twenty-two forms of ‘stupid’; Christine calls her soon-to-be-stepmother “The Bimbo” (x17) and her daughter “The Bimbot” (x7); A couple mentions of curses (couple mentions of); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Ana lies/keeps things from her parents as she knows they would freak out (sometimes she does feel guilt later but others she tries to reason within herself that they’re being ridiculous); An accident & someone is hurt badly (semi-detailed); Mentions of Riley’s near drowning, Zoe being bucked off a horse, & Christine being in a car accident and her mom dying (semi-detailed); Mentions of a haunted house at a fall fair; Mentions of cheating; Mentions of hatred (including Ana hating her mom for a bit); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of throwing up, peeing, poop, & puke; A few mentions of thinking someone is hurt or shot; A few mentions of high schoolers getting drunk at a party and someone doing something dangerous; A few mentions of wine, beer, alcohol, & slurred speech; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a mean thing being written on Ana’s desk; A couple mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of acne; A mention of ax murders; A mention of a war; A mention of a state prison; A mention of a whipping as a child; A mention of parents passing a thermos around with something strong in it; A mention of kids getting high; A mention of crack; A mention of a vaccine; A mention of a booger;
*Note: Mentions of celebrities, singers, songs, TV shows, books, & authors; A few mentions of stores & designers; A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of Boy Scouts.
Sexual Content- a cheek kiss; Dancing, Nearness, & Smelling; Hand Holding & Winks; Noticing; Ana’s parents are very strict that she can’t date until she’s 16 and does not want her distracted by boys; Ana dares Christine to streak at a sleepover in the forest; a ‘sexy’ and a slight misunderstanding about a ho (gardening tool) and a hoe; All about many mentions of boys, boyfriends, dating, dates, crushes, & exes; Mentions of kisses, kissing, seeing couples kiss, & a kissing booth (Ana and Christian think/hope the girl kissing will get mono); Mentions of touches, embraces, & seeing others touch/embrace; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of dances; A couple mentions of Christine’s dad getting a girlfriend shortly after her mom died and his girlfriend being at their house at night; A mention of a newly wed couple being crazy for each other & that being why they have a baby already on the way; Teenage attraction & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of butts (cheerleaders sticking their butts in the air and wiggling them, working a butt off, trying to butt in, landing on a butt, a bug getting up someone’s butt); A few mentions of low-cut & skimpy dresses; A couple mentions of a girl’s long legs; A mention of an outfit showing off curves; A mention of boobs; A mention of bras; A mention of a nude beach; A mention of men’s boxers; A mention of starfish being asexual; A mention of a magnet that says ‘Think Thin Be Thin’; A mention of lewd dance moves.
-Anna Dominguez, age 14
1st person P.O.V. of Ana
304 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Add a full star for girls in Public/Private School }
This book is slightly difficult to rate due to while Ana and the rest of the Miracle Girls are 14/15, because of school situations and some relationship drama, it feels like this book/series should be for older girls, but then Ana lies/deceives/complains about her parents and she seems very young. Personally, I don’t see how she thought keeping things from her parents would make her more “adult like”, but she learns lessons throughout the story.
This series really is best for public school girls or those who like Melody Carlson style teen drama.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
January 25, 2016
This is the first novel I've read in the Christian Young Adult genre - and what a breath of fresh air it was.
Ana's parents have moved her to Half Moon Bay - into a huge house that feels like its all for show. Her relationship with her parents is strained at best. Her first weeks at her new school are lonely and she manages to make enemies, just not any friends. One fateful mistake, however, lands her among three classmates she would never have chosen as friends - but they find out that they all have something in common that takes Ana's freshman year in a whole new direction.
The writing of The Miracle Girls is fresh and realistic. Ana wants so desperately to do what is right and live her faith while still making a place for herself and learn to stand without her parents constantly dictating her choices. The friends she makes are complex characters with their own set of issues that help Ana realize that maybe her life isn't quite as hard as she thought. And while Ana works through her first real crush, prepares for her Quinceañera and navigates high school life - her God is always on her mind, reminding her of her responsibilities and helping her cope with the pitfalls that inevitably come.
The authors have captured the teenage spirit and experience without compromising their character's values - not an easy feat. I'd gladly and without reserve put this book in the hands of any teenage girl I know.
Ana's parents have moved her to Half Moon Bay - into a huge house that feels like its all for show. Her relationship with her parents is strained at best. Her first weeks at her new school are lonely and she manages to make enemies, just not any friends. One fateful mistake, however, lands her among three classmates she would never have chosen as friends - but they find out that they all have something in common that takes Ana's freshman year in a whole new direction.
The writing of The Miracle Girls is fresh and realistic. Ana wants so desperately to do what is right and live her faith while still making a place for herself and learn to stand without her parents constantly dictating her choices. The friends she makes are complex characters with their own set of issues that help Ana realize that maybe her life isn't quite as hard as she thought. And while Ana works through her first real crush, prepares for her Quinceañera and navigates high school life - her God is always on her mind, reminding her of her responsibilities and helping her cope with the pitfalls that inevitably come.
The authors have captured the teenage spirit and experience without compromising their character's values - not an easy feat. I'd gladly and without reserve put this book in the hands of any teenage girl I know.
October 14, 2009
Ana Dominguez is miserable in her new life in Half Moon Bay. She didn’t want to move in the first place, hasn’t found any friends, and has managed to upset Riley, the most popular girl in school. A huge mistake lands her in detention where she discovers that she and Riley, along with two other girls, have a unique, life-changing event in common. This realization gets Ana two new friends, but despite all their attempts, Riley is not interested in becoming a Miracle Girl. Will Riley ever forgive Ana for her original blunder?
I winced all through chapter one. I couldn’t believe Ana! I can’t imagine anyone doing something as bold as she did, let alone not having any proof. Talk about a great way to never make friends…
As I read on, however, Ana’s personality captured my heart. I loved her struggles to obey her near-tyrant parents and her confusion over which boy she likes. The scenes where she volunteered with the Alzheimer’s patients were my favorite. I just hope Mrs. Slater doesn’t develop that picture of Ana and Dave, or Ana’s papa will kill her for sure! Highly recommended.
I winced all through chapter one. I couldn’t believe Ana! I can’t imagine anyone doing something as bold as she did, let alone not having any proof. Talk about a great way to never make friends…
As I read on, however, Ana’s personality captured my heart. I loved her struggles to obey her near-tyrant parents and her confusion over which boy she likes. The scenes where she volunteered with the Alzheimer’s patients were my favorite. I just hope Mrs. Slater doesn’t develop that picture of Ana and Dave, or Ana’s papa will kill her for sure! Highly recommended.
February 14, 2011
Born in Mexico, Ana Dominguez was a baby when her parents left and moved to San Jose, a `real' city as she called it. They lived there for years and Ana was happy with her friends in her old school. Now, since her dad decided to move the family to Half Moon Bay, California she's feeling like an outcast at this new school. And if that's not bad enough, things aren't any better at home because her parents are very strict. She's not allowed to ride in cars with boys. She's not allowed to have a cell phone. She's not allowed to go to school dances. How's a teenage girl supposed to make friends with so many rules? Or make friends after she snitches on the most popular girl in school?
Ana chose to speak up in class when she should have remained silent and her choice got her into trouble. During detention she and the other students were given an assignment and she found out that she had something in common with some of the girls in her class. One of the girl's, Zoe, didn't think it was a coincidence that they shared similar experiences; she felt that she, Ana, Christine and Riley had been thrown together for a reason. Soon after, Ana, Zoe and Christine called themselves 'The Miracle Girls' - they are here for purpose; they just needed to figure out what that purpose was. Zoe also had to figure out how she was going to get Riley to join. Not that Ana was sure she wanted the most popular girl in school to be included.
Ana: She's a freshman in high school, wears Christian T-shirts and some students call her `God Girl'. She's an intelligent girl and hopes to become class valedictorian. Because of something she went through when she was a baby, she believes that God called her to save others so she wants to go to Princeton and eventually become a doctor. Even though I felt she was too critical of others at times in her thinking, I liked Ana. She was insightful, honest and witty. I especially liked how she thought of just the right Scripture when she was worried about something, because she knew it would bring her peace.
Ana's parents: They wanted the best for their daughter. I liked how much they cared about her education - not just high school, but looking ahead to college; they wanted to see to it that Ana had a good future. Although they were too strict in some cases, I liked that they didn't want her to have a boyfriend at her age. Fourteen is not grown and boyfriends can be a distraction. But then again, since, according to their culture, she would be seen as a woman at age fifteen, I was a bit confused about some of the decisions they made.
Riley: A cheerleader with a super genius math brain. This girl is intelligent enough to be accepted into an Ivy League school. I liked that because it seems most times cheerleaders are seen as airheads.
Christine: She wasn't concerned about appearances and she certainly wasn't out to impress anyone. She kept me wondering what hair color she was going to choose next.
Zoe: She's into music, plays the piccolo. She has a love for God and the color lavender, she's not quick to speak unkindly of others and she loves to eat snacks. Her parents seemed to be a little `out there' spiritually and in other ways, so I was glad that she joined in on Ana's church youth group.
Amongst The Miracle Girls, I found Christine to be the one I was most interested in; I felt for her because of her home life. However, the story as a whole - Dave Brecht stood out more than any other. He was a nice guy, caring and full of life. He's a Christian teen who knows The Word and, when the need arose, he would explain Scripture to other teens without one bit of shame. No, he doesn't tote a Bible wherever he goes or quote Scripture to his peers uninvited, but anyone in his presence would know He loves God, because he let his light shine. He had a thing for ties, which I thought was unique and cute. He cared about people and it seemed he had a special place in his heart for the elderly. And he doesn't hold a grudge. Dave is an extremely likable character. It's always nice to be introduced to a guy like him in young adult fiction.
The Miracle Girls was an okay read that I began to like more somewhere around the middle, and I learned a bit. For instance, when a Latino girl turns fifteen, there is a big celebration that acknowledges her transition from childhood to womanhood; it's called a quinceanera. The planning and shopping for the quinceanera dress and the discussions Ana had with her mother, it was all interesting.
There is nothing preachy about this Christian teen novel. The story is realistic and the characters are believable. Like I mentioned before, I liked Miracle Girl Ana, however, I plan to buy the next book because I want to learn more about Miracle Girl Christine.
Ana chose to speak up in class when she should have remained silent and her choice got her into trouble. During detention she and the other students were given an assignment and she found out that she had something in common with some of the girls in her class. One of the girl's, Zoe, didn't think it was a coincidence that they shared similar experiences; she felt that she, Ana, Christine and Riley had been thrown together for a reason. Soon after, Ana, Zoe and Christine called themselves 'The Miracle Girls' - they are here for purpose; they just needed to figure out what that purpose was. Zoe also had to figure out how she was going to get Riley to join. Not that Ana was sure she wanted the most popular girl in school to be included.
Ana: She's a freshman in high school, wears Christian T-shirts and some students call her `God Girl'. She's an intelligent girl and hopes to become class valedictorian. Because of something she went through when she was a baby, she believes that God called her to save others so she wants to go to Princeton and eventually become a doctor. Even though I felt she was too critical of others at times in her thinking, I liked Ana. She was insightful, honest and witty. I especially liked how she thought of just the right Scripture when she was worried about something, because she knew it would bring her peace.
Ana's parents: They wanted the best for their daughter. I liked how much they cared about her education - not just high school, but looking ahead to college; they wanted to see to it that Ana had a good future. Although they were too strict in some cases, I liked that they didn't want her to have a boyfriend at her age. Fourteen is not grown and boyfriends can be a distraction. But then again, since, according to their culture, she would be seen as a woman at age fifteen, I was a bit confused about some of the decisions they made.
Riley: A cheerleader with a super genius math brain. This girl is intelligent enough to be accepted into an Ivy League school. I liked that because it seems most times cheerleaders are seen as airheads.
Christine: She wasn't concerned about appearances and she certainly wasn't out to impress anyone. She kept me wondering what hair color she was going to choose next.
Zoe: She's into music, plays the piccolo. She has a love for God and the color lavender, she's not quick to speak unkindly of others and she loves to eat snacks. Her parents seemed to be a little `out there' spiritually and in other ways, so I was glad that she joined in on Ana's church youth group.
Amongst The Miracle Girls, I found Christine to be the one I was most interested in; I felt for her because of her home life. However, the story as a whole - Dave Brecht stood out more than any other. He was a nice guy, caring and full of life. He's a Christian teen who knows The Word and, when the need arose, he would explain Scripture to other teens without one bit of shame. No, he doesn't tote a Bible wherever he goes or quote Scripture to his peers uninvited, but anyone in his presence would know He loves God, because he let his light shine. He had a thing for ties, which I thought was unique and cute. He cared about people and it seemed he had a special place in his heart for the elderly. And he doesn't hold a grudge. Dave is an extremely likable character. It's always nice to be introduced to a guy like him in young adult fiction.
The Miracle Girls was an okay read that I began to like more somewhere around the middle, and I learned a bit. For instance, when a Latino girl turns fifteen, there is a big celebration that acknowledges her transition from childhood to womanhood; it's called a quinceanera. The planning and shopping for the quinceanera dress and the discussions Ana had with her mother, it was all interesting.
There is nothing preachy about this Christian teen novel. The story is realistic and the characters are believable. Like I mentioned before, I liked Miracle Girl Ana, however, I plan to buy the next book because I want to learn more about Miracle Girl Christine.
July 9, 2015
This book took me through a soothingly realistic adventure through Ana Dominguez's life. She moved to a new place, a new school, new people. But one day while she's in detention for interrupting class, the people at detention's assignment was to write a story titled, "The Day My Life Changed" and were placed in groups. Ana's group that consisted of Ana herself, Zoe, Riley, and Christine. They all strangely had very similar stories of tragic times that were life threatening, and how God saved them. They all (with a lot of convincing/friendliness
and hope) became best friends and were known as, "The Miracle Girls) which explains the title. Many teens can relate to Ana in many ways. Her parents are very strict, but trying to keep her safe, and Ana learns the hard way. This amazing story taught several life lessons, and changed the way I think about things. This book is good for ages 12-15. If you want a realistic, happy (some parts romantic) book, read this. P.S, I've seen some really horrible written 1 star reviews, and I strongly disagree. If you think this book is cheesy and dumb, and hate the fact that it has, "Too much God stuff" you need to not pout about it. This book made me feel like Ana was my best friend, someone I knew. I hope you enjoy it just as much as me! :)
and hope) became best friends and were known as, "The Miracle Girls) which explains the title. Many teens can relate to Ana in many ways. Her parents are very strict, but trying to keep her safe, and Ana learns the hard way. This amazing story taught several life lessons, and changed the way I think about things. This book is good for ages 12-15. If you want a realistic, happy (some parts romantic) book, read this. P.S, I've seen some really horrible written 1 star reviews, and I strongly disagree. If you think this book is cheesy and dumb, and hate the fact that it has, "Too much God stuff" you need to not pout about it. This book made me feel like Ana was my best friend, someone I knew. I hope you enjoy it just as much as me! :)
January 31, 2012
blegh. It's like the authors found a website with 101 plot devices and decided to use all of them. gaaaaah. this book feels like one of those bad chick flicks where the main character's voice comes on at the end and explained that they all lived happily ever after. slightly sickening and totally cheesy. and there's not much in here to suggest that uh...whatever the main character's name is...actually cares about God. it's just lame on so many levels.
June 19, 2019
Cute YA story about four girls and their lives. Worth reading for a light selection from the genre.
June 12, 2024
As a child Ana survived a heart condition that left the doctors amazed. When she ends up in detention at her new school, she meets 3 other girls who also should have been dead (surfing accident, car accident, horse back riding accident) and one of them decides they all should call themselves Miracle Girls. Ana is glad to gain some friends, but is also focused on getting the #1 spot in her class, getting Tyler to notice her, and having her parents realize she's practically an adult now. When she discovers her long time nanny is ill, Ana wonders how much more she can take in her life.
I had bought the books in this series several years ago but only just discovered I hadn't read them yet. All in all it was a sweet storyline that covers (from what I remember) typical teenage woes
I had bought the books in this series several years ago but only just discovered I hadn't read them yet. All in all it was a sweet storyline that covers (from what I remember) typical teenage woes
June 16, 2018
Authentic characters
This book was certainly aimed at teens (of course, since it is YA fiction) and I haven't been a high school student in decades. I have taught in high school, so the events, trends, worries, classload, etc were accurate depictions of high school life.
What drew me to keep reading was the characterization and voice. I am on to book #2 and Ana has inspired me to tweak a young adult character in a book I am slowly writing.
I also liked that, despite the age difference, I could see myself in the characters which resonated with me.
This book was certainly aimed at teens (of course, since it is YA fiction) and I haven't been a high school student in decades. I have taught in high school, so the events, trends, worries, classload, etc were accurate depictions of high school life.
What drew me to keep reading was the characterization and voice. I am on to book #2 and Ana has inspired me to tweak a young adult character in a book I am slowly writing.
I also liked that, despite the age difference, I could see myself in the characters which resonated with me.
September 19, 2017
I felt nostalgic while reading this teenaged girl's story. Anna moves away from her childhood home and wants to make new friends in her new high school and her new youth group. Her parents are strict and have high expectations, including attending Princeton University. Anna connects with three girls in afternoon detention. Their story was great and they help each other through their freshman year in high school.
October 24, 2017
An interesting mix of characters with an interesting plot line.
December 12, 2024
I had high hopes for this book at the start, and it was ok, but the spiritual content was a bit wishy washy.
March 7, 2013
The Miracle Girls is a book about a high school freshman named Ana Dominguez. Ana is a normal high schooler, who is brilliant at math, and had a lot of friends. However, everything changed when she moved to Half Moon Bay. Because she couldn't adjust to her new school, she was quiet all the time, which caused her to be almost invisible at school, and even her crush didn't know if she existed. One day, something worse happens. Ana saw Riley cheating on the math pop quiz. Ana hesitated to tell the teacher about it, because Riley was the most popular freshman at school, and Ana feared that she would fail the test. Despite these problems, Ana ended up telling the teacher about it. After a tiresome conversation, Ana and Riley had to be in detention after school. While the two girls were in detention, they meet with Christine and Zoe. They had to write about the event that changed their lives, and share it with a group. Surprisingly, all of the four girls had life threatening experiences when they were young, while the other groups had silly stories, like when their pet died, when they had a crush on somebody for the first time, etc. These four girls go through a lot of conflicts, however their strong friendship didn't break.
I really enjoyed this book, because it was a topic that I could sympathize with easily, because of two reasons; first, I knew exactly what Ana felt when she moved to a new town and a new school, because I have the same experience and I how hard it is to adjust to a new environment. Second, the writing style of this book made the storyline lively, as if I'm living in the situation. The author did a great job writing in first person, which is a very hard skill to do, unless the author is in the character's situation, and the author did a great job expressing the unpredictable mental state of teenagers. In addition, I liked how this book was different to other teenage novels, because it was hard to predict the storyline, it showed everyday experience of teenage life, which was appealing to readers, and it had a fresh topic. From this book, I also realized the importance of friendship, which is valuable in teenage life.
I recommend this book to middle and high school girls, who are usually concerned with friendship issues.
I really enjoyed this book, because it was a topic that I could sympathize with easily, because of two reasons; first, I knew exactly what Ana felt when she moved to a new town and a new school, because I have the same experience and I how hard it is to adjust to a new environment. Second, the writing style of this book made the storyline lively, as if I'm living in the situation. The author did a great job writing in first person, which is a very hard skill to do, unless the author is in the character's situation, and the author did a great job expressing the unpredictable mental state of teenagers. In addition, I liked how this book was different to other teenage novels, because it was hard to predict the storyline, it showed everyday experience of teenage life, which was appealing to readers, and it had a fresh topic. From this book, I also realized the importance of friendship, which is valuable in teenage life.
I recommend this book to middle and high school girls, who are usually concerned with friendship issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2017
So, I read this based on a friend's review. And all I can really say about it was that it was okay. Not bad. Not great.
The story is a sweet idea and it might have resonated with me more if I was a teenager. It was refreshing to read something wholesome, not filled with violence, profanity, and/or sex. I would have no issue with letting my daughters read this if they were so inclined.
I really liked two of the Miracle Girls – Zoe and Christine. Their characters worked for me because they were similar to girls that I knew in high school, but didn’t feel like stereotypes. They had personalities that felt believable. But Ana and Riley felt like forced caricatures of typical types found in high school. This made me really not care about what was going on in their stories. And several of the situations presented to further to plot just felt trite and cliché.
Though I wasn’t super impressed with character development, I really enjoyed the writing style. The way things were described wasn’t over the top in detail, but I knew exactly what was happening. Specifically the scenes of Maria and Ana in the kitchen, when she was getting food out of the fridge. Or whenever they were drinking diet coke. I enjoyed the way these descriptions were written because they felt natural and real.
So, to sum up. I enjoyed the ideas and writing style, but felt the character development was lacking.
The story is a sweet idea and it might have resonated with me more if I was a teenager. It was refreshing to read something wholesome, not filled with violence, profanity, and/or sex. I would have no issue with letting my daughters read this if they were so inclined.
I really liked two of the Miracle Girls – Zoe and Christine. Their characters worked for me because they were similar to girls that I knew in high school, but didn’t feel like stereotypes. They had personalities that felt believable. But Ana and Riley felt like forced caricatures of typical types found in high school. This made me really not care about what was going on in their stories. And several of the situations presented to further to plot just felt trite and cliché.
Though I wasn’t super impressed with character development, I really enjoyed the writing style. The way things were described wasn’t over the top in detail, but I knew exactly what was happening. Specifically the scenes of Maria and Ana in the kitchen, when she was getting food out of the fridge. Or whenever they were drinking diet coke. I enjoyed the way these descriptions were written because they felt natural and real.
So, to sum up. I enjoyed the ideas and writing style, but felt the character development was lacking.
November 18, 2016
Ana, a 14 year old girl, and her family move from San Jose to a small town called Half Moon Bay, where her father has opened a law practice. Ana is a typical teenager who is angry and sad because she has to leave her friends and school and come to a place where she does not know anybody. She tries to fit in the school and the kids but fails every time. Then she complains about a popular cheerleader Riley during a test where she thinks Riley is cheating. I was very angry with her at that point. I mean why do you want to complain about a fellow student, especially when you are trying to fit in? Forget right and wrong, for me that was a very stupid thing to do.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying cheating is right, but I believe in minding my own business. She could have handled it a little differently instead of directly complaining to the professor. And I am forgetting that this is just a book. Oh well.
In fact to tell you the truth, I could identify with so many situations that Ana went through (except the cheating incident of course).
The pain of having strict parents, the fear of doing something by hiding it from them, the fear of getting caught, the guilt. And the authors have written it so well I could almost relive those moments, not that I wanted to.
At detention she is grouped with 3 other girls, Christine, Zoe and Riley, where they have to share one day or incident which changed their lives. The four girls end up sharing their deepest secrets. Zoe wants all the girls to come together for having in common the fact that they went through life threatening incidents and still lived. She calls this group the miracle girls.
The book is filled with typical teenage incidents, camp fires, crushes, jealousy and stuff. A teenager’s view of Christian youth groups is also well described. It’s like reading a teenager’s personal diary. I found the writing very easy to read, fun and humorous. I finished this book in 2 sittings. And considering the pace with which I read books lately, that’s quite a feat.
I recommend this book to everyone who likes to read a fun and a clean YA novel.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying cheating is right, but I believe in minding my own business. She could have handled it a little differently instead of directly complaining to the professor. And I am forgetting that this is just a book. Oh well.
In fact to tell you the truth, I could identify with so many situations that Ana went through (except the cheating incident of course).
The pain of having strict parents, the fear of doing something by hiding it from them, the fear of getting caught, the guilt. And the authors have written it so well I could almost relive those moments, not that I wanted to.
At detention she is grouped with 3 other girls, Christine, Zoe and Riley, where they have to share one day or incident which changed their lives. The four girls end up sharing their deepest secrets. Zoe wants all the girls to come together for having in common the fact that they went through life threatening incidents and still lived. She calls this group the miracle girls.
The book is filled with typical teenage incidents, camp fires, crushes, jealousy and stuff. A teenager’s view of Christian youth groups is also well described. It’s like reading a teenager’s personal diary. I found the writing very easy to read, fun and humorous. I finished this book in 2 sittings. And considering the pace with which I read books lately, that’s quite a feat.
I recommend this book to everyone who likes to read a fun and a clean YA novel.
to-read-i-own-it
November 8, 2012Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
Was it just bad luck for Ana Dominguez to call out the most popular girl in school, Riley, for cheating on a quiz in front of her crush, resulting in both of them getting detention? Or was it fate?
Ana just came to Half Moon Bay from San Jose, and starting a new school definitely isn't easy, especially since she doesn't know anyone there and still hasn't made any friends.
Her first time in detention (ever), Ana is a little relieved that her favorite teacher is the one overlooking the class. That is until she gives the students an assignment which involves getting into groups of four, writing an essay, and sharing it with the group. What makes the situation even worse is that Riley is in her group.
Each girl begins to read her story on the one moment that changed her life forever. Turns out all four had survived accidents that could have cost them their lives. Automatically, Ana and Zoey see something special between them and they know it wasn't just a coincidence that the four girls were grouped together. Starting a new friendship will be easy - getting the other two to join them is the hard part.
Four completely opposite girls will journey into a friendship that may just last forever. From faith to family to guys and school, each will battle them all, but they have each other to help them get through it.
A promising beginning to a new series, THE MIRACLE GIRLS will entice all readers who enjoy a well-written and thoughtful novel. The characters are well-developed, each girls' story is extremely heartbreaking, and their blossoming friendship is just heartwarming.
Dayton and Vanderbilt have outdone themselves this time, and the best part is, there will be more books being released.
Was it just bad luck for Ana Dominguez to call out the most popular girl in school, Riley, for cheating on a quiz in front of her crush, resulting in both of them getting detention? Or was it fate?
Ana just came to Half Moon Bay from San Jose, and starting a new school definitely isn't easy, especially since she doesn't know anyone there and still hasn't made any friends.
Her first time in detention (ever), Ana is a little relieved that her favorite teacher is the one overlooking the class. That is until she gives the students an assignment which involves getting into groups of four, writing an essay, and sharing it with the group. What makes the situation even worse is that Riley is in her group.
Each girl begins to read her story on the one moment that changed her life forever. Turns out all four had survived accidents that could have cost them their lives. Automatically, Ana and Zoey see something special between them and they know it wasn't just a coincidence that the four girls were grouped together. Starting a new friendship will be easy - getting the other two to join them is the hard part.
Four completely opposite girls will journey into a friendship that may just last forever. From faith to family to guys and school, each will battle them all, but they have each other to help them get through it.
A promising beginning to a new series, THE MIRACLE GIRLS will entice all readers who enjoy a well-written and thoughtful novel. The characters are well-developed, each girls' story is extremely heartbreaking, and their blossoming friendship is just heartwarming.
Dayton and Vanderbilt have outdone themselves this time, and the best part is, there will be more books being released.
May 31, 2013
A girl named Ana Dominguez has moved to a new state with her family. Her first few days as a new student, she has an enemy named Riley, who isn’t very nice. She also has a crush on a boy named Tyler, who is part of a band called Three Car Garage. Ana gets in trouble one day for calling out that Riley was cheating, so she is sent to detention. During detention, she meets two girls, Zoe and Christine, who becomes friends later on. When they are put into a group and write a story that changed their life, Zoe has this belief that they were put together for a purpose. As a result, the three come up with the name, Miracle Girls. They find out that they have a lot in common. It tells about how their friendship gets stronger and more is revealed about each girl as the story progresses.
Anyone who is a teenager would like it because it is about how three girls become friends. People who just want a good book to read would enjoy this. It has really good themes throughout the book. One of them is do not judge someone based off how they dress. I wouldn’t suggest it for adults. The story is written for young teenagers. I can relate to it in a way and even daily life.
I gave this book four stars because it had many good messages throughout. The story itself was good. I was able to understand what was going on by the usage of words and vocabulary. It isn’t a very long read. It kept my attention and was very detailed in what was going on. You would be able to relate to it in a way. It was one of the best books I had read.
Anyone who is a teenager would like it because it is about how three girls become friends. People who just want a good book to read would enjoy this. It has really good themes throughout the book. One of them is do not judge someone based off how they dress. I wouldn’t suggest it for adults. The story is written for young teenagers. I can relate to it in a way and even daily life.
I gave this book four stars because it had many good messages throughout. The story itself was good. I was able to understand what was going on by the usage of words and vocabulary. It isn’t a very long read. It kept my attention and was very detailed in what was going on. You would be able to relate to it in a way. It was one of the best books I had read.
December 3, 2024
This was cute!
It was definitely hard to get into, but once I was immersed, I really enjoyed it. The faith content was light but still great, and I think I would’ve really benefited from reading a book like this a few years ago.
There were so many charming details too! (like the nursing home, my favorite)
Age recommendation: 11-12+
Content: none
<3
It was definitely hard to get into, but once I was immersed, I really enjoyed it. The faith content was light but still great, and I think I would’ve really benefited from reading a book like this a few years ago.
There were so many charming details too! (like the nursing home, my favorite)
Age recommendation: 11-12+
Content: none
<3
March 15, 2013
More like a 3.5! I did enjoy this book, I enjoyed watching god's hand in these girls daily lives and that God and religion played important roles in their lives! They believe he is what has brought them together and why they have survived their individual tragedies, and also believing he must have a plan and a path that he wants them to take! As a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, I have a very easy way of seeing that he does have a plan and a path mapped for them. All this aside, I did enjoy the relationships and bonds that formed between the girls, I loved that you still had very realistic characters and family scenarios. Being 15 and moving to a new school and having to make new friends I'm sure is very hard but Ana did a good job! I thought her parents were a bit much and maybe a little over protective, but we know that we have those types of parents out there. One thing that did bother me is how they were so strict for so long and once they started to let go a little, they didn't seem to ease in to it, they just kind of said ok we think you have matured you can have your "somewhat" freedom...it was almost too easy, a little rushed and not very realistic, especially because how strict they were.
Overall I did enjoy this though :-)
Overall I did enjoy this though :-)
June 13, 2015
Forewarning: If you are at all offended by Christianity or the mention of God, church, or prayer, do NOT read this book. A lot of this book takes place in church, and the main character prays often.
When I started this book, I wasn't sure I'd like it. I felt super bad for the main character, Ana, who was new to school and a social outcast. To top it off, she has overly-strict parents who seemed to care a little too much about her academic success. I mean, near-perfect grades aren't good enough if you're not ranked #1 in your class?
Thankfully, the story turned around! It was a great journey to watch Ana come out of her shell and become more confident as she made friends. It was really easy to connect with her because she faced many of the same issues most teenagers face: gaining independence, trying to find an identity, making friends, falling in love, etc. But the story isn't all teen angst, love, and happiness. Some not-so-great things happen, too. There are a lot of changes... some good, some bad. Life is in no way perfect and this story is a great example of that.
This book had fun, laughter, sadness, fear, anger, suspense... it seemed to have it all. I'm very excited to start the next book in the series!
When I started this book, I wasn't sure I'd like it. I felt super bad for the main character, Ana, who was new to school and a social outcast. To top it off, she has overly-strict parents who seemed to care a little too much about her academic success. I mean, near-perfect grades aren't good enough if you're not ranked #1 in your class?
Thankfully, the story turned around! It was a great journey to watch Ana come out of her shell and become more confident as she made friends. It was really easy to connect with her because she faced many of the same issues most teenagers face: gaining independence, trying to find an identity, making friends, falling in love, etc. But the story isn't all teen angst, love, and happiness. Some not-so-great things happen, too. There are a lot of changes... some good, some bad. Life is in no way perfect and this story is a great example of that.
This book had fun, laughter, sadness, fear, anger, suspense... it seemed to have it all. I'm very excited to start the next book in the series!
October 29, 2013
I started to read a book called ‘Miracle Girls’. It is about these girls that don’t know each other but they come together from learning about each others past. I got to the middle but it got a little boring so I stopped. I stopped because the booked seemed like it wasn’t going anywhere and I like books that get to the point and are exciting. If was good at the beginning because I got to learn about the characters and their stories and how they are connected but then the excitement disappeared. I kept reading but I eventually decided to stop. There were parts in the story where the characters were just at school and at their clubs and when the characters saw each other it got exciting because they are connected from all their problems in the past. 2 of the characters do hang out but I was waiting for them all to get together. Overall the book was good at the beginning because the characters were being introduced and it also explained what the book was about but toward the middle it made me lose interest. I do recommend this book still to others between the ages 10-15 because I think some people will really enjoy it.
May 30, 2015
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I stayed up till 1:30 finishing it! The friendship, family, Faith and romance was so good! Ana thought her life was pretty awful and it was pretty sad how in her sadness she thought God had let her down and thought he didn't favor her. It shows true faith to still believe in God's promises when our life's aren't what we want. Her parents were VERY suffocating but considering she's only 14 and what happened when she was young I can see them being that way. Can I just say from almost the first I knew who she was going to end up with, and I was VERY happy when it happened. I like him SO MUCH better than the first guy and it killed me when she didn't realize he's perfect for her and that she liked him. When they held hands and the mistletoe scene I DIED! The plot twist at the end made me feel so much dread it was AWFUL! But, I enjoyed the ending. Her hand of BFF's were such a diverse group I loved all of their personalities! Riley turned out to be a very different person than I thought she was and I enjoyed reading their friendship form. can't wait to read the sequel.
August 15, 2014
This book actually annoyed me in the start because of its Jesus-related stuffs. Don't get me wrong, I do respect others' religions, it's just that I'm not a religious person. So anyway, aside from that, this book is actually really great. The dramas, especially between Ana and her parents (Oh my God, her parents) and that of hers and her own feelings. It basically centers around these girls who realised that they actually are similar in a way that they're supposed to be dead, but by some miracle, they survived. Hence, it draws them closer. I actually envy people who has a close knit of friends that they could actually rely on. Anyway, yeah. Trust me, I was so pissed with Ana's parents at the start, the way they were so controlling, making me want to strangle them at times, HAHA. But yeah. And the fact that this book was written by two different authors, which always amazes me, because it's like two people combining their opinions and thoughts into this book. And yeah, HAHA this book is awesome, and some parts of it actually made me cry. :')
November 29, 2012
There were a lot of things about this book that frustrated me and made me wonder why I got it. Mostly stuff that had to do with Ana and her parents because they fought so often, yet they couldn't just freaking sit down and try to meet halfway. Conflict like this is, honestly, unnecessary.
So why did I keep reading it?
The way that Anne and May write immediately sucked me in. It's probably the first time I'd ever been so mesmerized by the writing style. Even at parts where I thought, "(insert name here), WHY DID YOU DO THAT," I wanted to keep reading and reading until the end. The Miracle Girls are also real great (I especially love Christina and Zoe), although I wish the "miracle" aspect wasn't just something random used to come up with a good title for a girl group.
So. Two stars off for never-ending frustration, but three stars kept for good characters and writing. It's worth a shot.
(Yes, this is a book with Christianity in it. Just so you know.)
So why did I keep reading it?
The way that Anne and May write immediately sucked me in. It's probably the first time I'd ever been so mesmerized by the writing style. Even at parts where I thought, "(insert name here), WHY DID YOU DO THAT," I wanted to keep reading and reading until the end. The Miracle Girls are also real great (I especially love Christina and Zoe), although I wish the "miracle" aspect wasn't just something random used to come up with a good title for a girl group.
So. Two stars off for never-ending frustration, but three stars kept for good characters and writing. It's worth a shot.
(Yes, this is a book with Christianity in it. Just so you know.)
July 4, 2013
This was a great Christian book, maybe one of my favorites.
Miracle Girls was a fun book to read because the characters were all unique and interesting to read about. There is Anna, with strict Christian parents who don't let her even talk to boys on the phone. There is Riley, a daredevil who doesn't get along with Anna...at all. There is Zoe, the dependable best friend with hippie parents. And there is Christine, the rebel.
All the girls are different from each other, which I liked. They weren't clones or anything, they each had their own personalities.
I liked reading about how they became friends, because it was a really great transition from absolute enemies to BFFs.
I would recommend this to Christian fiction lovers, girls in particular. It's the characters that make this book good!
Miracle Girls was a fun book to read because the characters were all unique and interesting to read about. There is Anna, with strict Christian parents who don't let her even talk to boys on the phone. There is Riley, a daredevil who doesn't get along with Anna...at all. There is Zoe, the dependable best friend with hippie parents. And there is Christine, the rebel.
All the girls are different from each other, which I liked. They weren't clones or anything, they each had their own personalities.
I liked reading about how they became friends, because it was a really great transition from absolute enemies to BFFs.
I would recommend this to Christian fiction lovers, girls in particular. It's the characters that make this book good!
June 20, 2014
I guess it's the first Christian young adult novel I've read, and I kinda liked it. It's the first book of a four-part series, and I'm looking forward to reading them all. At first, I thought it's a dragging story, but as the paths of the four girls meet, the story became much more interesting. Told in Ana's voice, the story is very realistic. Ana reminded me of my rebellious teen years, growing up with strict parents and the academic pressure they piled on me.
This novel is much more than a typical teen lit novel. It talked about the importance of faith, virtues, family, friends, acceptance and dreams. It's not important to be a part of the "in" crowd, what's important is that there are people who will accept and love you as you are, and these people are for keeps.
This novel is much more than a typical teen lit novel. It talked about the importance of faith, virtues, family, friends, acceptance and dreams. It's not important to be a part of the "in" crowd, what's important is that there are people who will accept and love you as you are, and these people are for keeps.
April 20, 2016
A história é super bem escrita e eu admito que me fez relembrar umas coisinhas não muito felizes da época de escola (graças a Deus que esse tempo passa!). Vamos acompanhando Ana, a personagem principal, em suas escolhas e suas dúvidas a respeito da sua fé. Ela começa a questionar algumas coisas, e entender outras. Aos poucos você se vê torcendo pra que ela entenda de uma vez as consequências de suas escolhas, e em outros momentos você quer se rebelar junto com ela. É ótimo!
A história também traz personagens secundários muito interessantes/engraçados. Minha preferida é Christine e seu senso de humor sarcástico, mas Dave, garoto com uma quedinha pela Ana, também é ótimo!
Enfim, se você, como eu, gosta deste tipo de literatura, vale a pena conferir!
A história também traz personagens secundários muito interessantes/engraçados. Minha preferida é Christine e seu senso de humor sarcástico, mas Dave, garoto com uma quedinha pela Ana, também é ótimo!
Enfim, se você, como eu, gosta deste tipo de literatura, vale a pena conferir!
August 20, 2016
I gotta say first of all that I loved the photo on the book cover. I know that you should't judge a book by its cover, but when it's nice to look at, well it doesn't hurt. haha. Anyways, the book was a good read for a number reasons. It explored the relationships between parents and their children. It shows the way that God plays miracles in people's lives. It shows first love isn't the same as having a crush. All in all, I can believe in the characters in the book. It is rewarding to watch them grow and learn to become friends despite all their problems and troubles in life. The end of the book leaves it open for the authors to keep writing about the girls as they grow up.
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