Andy Sommerville seems no different than others in his rural Virginia community, but what sets him apart is that his best friend is an angel. The angel is God's answer to a childhood prayer Andy offered to a twinkling star that his deceased mother once called "the door to heaven." The first angelic proclamation instructs Andy to find the wooden keepsake box in his grandparents' attic. Over the years, he directs Andy to fill it with apparently meaningless objects from twelve people with who Andy randomly crosses paths.
Andy's world is turned upside down when a brutal attack leaves Andy burned and the boy he loved as a son dead. At this crucial juncture, the angel abandons him to loneliness and pain. All that remains is the wooden box Andy has always kept safe, and a new angel, who will use its contents to reveal truth to him as a result, he discovers the defining truth of his life, new hope in the community he loves, and greater trust in the God who sustains him.
The story is told from Andy's hospital bed, where he awakes feeling God has abandoned him. Without being preachy or saccharine, the author brings the small town to life and reveals a spiritual secret--the presence of angels--that helps a wounded man discover the defining truth of his life, place new hope in the community he loves, and trust totally in the God who sustains him.
Billy and his wife, Joanne, live with their two children in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. A product of his small-town locale, Billy counts as assets his rural authenticity, unwavering sense of purpose, and insatiable curiosity--all of which tend to make his front porch a comfortably crowded place.
Not all angels look like cherubs. Andy Sommerville's personal angel looks like an old man and "Old Man" is just what Andy calls him. Ever since Andy was ten years old, the Old Man has been appearing to him - cautioning him, advising him, always trying to set him on the right path. And, over the years, the Old Man has encouraged Andy to collect mementos of the people who have been important to him and to keep them hidden inside an old wooden box.
Now, things have suddenly gone very wrong for Andy: The victim of a shocking and senseless crime committed at his gas station, he awakes in the hospital to find that he's been badly burned. Even worse, the Old Man - his lifelong friend - visits one last time to let Andy know that he won't be seeing him again. But Andy isn't alone. Beside him in the hospital room sits a woman, Elizabeth, whom Andy takes to be a counselor. With Elizabeth's gentle guidance, he goes through all the objects in his box, explaining - and reliving - the critical moments of his life. In the process, he discovers the wondrous meaning for which his seemingly ordinary existence has been preparing him. (except back cover).
In the latest novel due out in November 2011, Billy Coffey once more magically weaves his talent for telling stories with down home charm in Paper Angels. Andy Sommerville finds himself in the hospital, dealing with the physical and emotional pain left not only from his recent accident but in looking back on what his life has accomplished up to this point. Andy has spent most of his life, alone, withdrawn and not the type to make friends easily. Even though as owner of a gas station in town, he remains friendly but not the type to take it beyond his work place interactions.
This leaves Andy at the point in which his angel "Old Man" tells him over his life, to collect certain objects and keep them stored in a box. When asked why, the Old Man tells him, in time, all the answers will become known. Not quite knowing what the significance of certain objects he is asked to keep will do, he does as asked. Now recovering in the hospital, his counselor Elizabeth asks him to share the contents of the box and along with each comes the magical and gifted talent that readers of Billy Coffey have come to love and enjoy. In the end, Andy realizes that the ordinary life he has lived is not so ordinary in God's eyes.
I received this advance copy of Paper Angels by Billy Coffey compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups, for my honest review and couldn't wait to read it. Being a huge fan of Billy's since before his first book, Snow Day was published, one had to enjoy his daily stories through his blog, until his brilliance was seen for what it was to everyone who had been captivated by his words. If you have never read anything by Billy Coffey, I think you're missing out. Once you start, you won't be able to start. This one rates another perfect 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see what he will write about next. This one comes highly recommended and one that will always have a permanent home on my library shelf.
I hope that I can do this magnificent book justice with my review. I will give it my best shot, but just know that if I could give this book 10 stars, I would.
We live in a world that has been completely and thoroughly brain-washed by "the power of positive thinking" and "prosperity preaching." We are required to smile at all times, think happy thoughts at all times, and suppress anything that be even the slightest bit "negative." No pain, no sadness, no loneliness is allowed here -- and not because it doesn't exist. Its existence is very real indeed. But we are forced to suppress it all for convenience and appearances.
This is why Paper Angels is a soothing balm for souls that grieve. In the character of Andy, we can all see ourselves and what we have lost in life. And we take that journey with him, step by step, in uncovering our own grief and learning that our feelings are very real, and they are okay. I highlighted many many insightful passages in the book, but here are a handful:
"Life was full of tragedy and there was no reasoning with it. Sometimes 'I'm sorry' is all you can say because it's all you should say."
"To feel sadness did not mean I had no faith; it meant I had an abundance of it. It meant I could see things were not what they should be. What they were intended to be. That there had to be more. Better. It was not my fault and not my doubt that made me feel the way I did. I hurt for no other reason than because I was alive."
"Happiness is an overrated emotion at best. ... No one's here for happiness. ... God wants people to dry tears and mend hearts. That's pretty much an impossible task until you've shed your own tears and had your own heart broken."
As far as the story itself, I found it very moving and beautiful. And I will just say -- watch out for the ending. It will blow your mind and warm your heart.
I would recommend this book to Mitch Albom fans and, honestly, everyone I know.
FaithWords Hachette Book Group Now Available Andy Sommerville seems no different than others in his rural Virginia community, but what sets him apart is that his best friend is an angel. Andy’s world is turned upside down when a brutal attack leaves Andy burned and the boy he loved as a son dead. At this crucial juncture, the angel abandons him to loneliness and pain. The entire story is told from Andy’s hospital bed as he relives his like through memories. Each of the memories is triggered by something Andy has kept in a special box.
Dollycas’s Thoughts I started to read this book awhile ago and had to put it down because I could tell where it was headed. With its release date last week I made myself finish it so I could honor my commitment for an honest review. In the meantime, I had seen a few five star ratings, so I thought: What is wrong with me? This has to be a good book, you just have to finish it.
It is well written and definitely has strong message but it just hit me wrong and after thinking about it, I now know why.
As many of you know I had a traumatic experience myself back in 2001 when I was in a motor vehicle accident and spent 75 days in the hospital. I do not remember much after getting transported by Med-Flight to the hospital except for a few moments in the emergency room when everyone was talking how dire my prognosis was, then a solid tone from a monitor, then darkness, then “she’s back”. (Note to medical personnel, we can hear you!) The next 3 weeks are gone from my memory. I know it is a miracle I am here and that it “wasn’t my time”, but the only angels I had were humans that took care of me, rehabilitated me to move on my own and my family, friends and all their prayers. I had actual counselors to help me heal. So maybe I didn’t like the story because I felt slighted because I had no angels sent by God, at least that I know of.
Spoiler Alert Maybe I didn’t like that Andy poured his heart and soul out to an angel and in the end after tragedy he was a better man. Coming out on the other side of an event like this does not get better overnight. Yes, Andy will wear his scars forever as will anyone who survives a terrible injury but this all just happened to easily and was tied up too nicely with a hairband in the end. Yes, I am a Christian and I believe in God and things happen for a reason but life is not easy and being disabled in life adds to the strife.
The reason I didn’t like this book is because of who I am and the life I had and the life I continue to lead. My journey is totally different than anyone else’s as are my feelings. This book just didn’t give me that good feeling that the other reviewers felt, but that is on me. Maybe my expectations were too high. You may totally enjoy this book depending on where you are in your journey. I think I may have read this book at the wrong place in mine.
The author is very good. I loved his book Snow Day. I look forward to reading his work in the future. I always say that if we all liked the same things life would be pretty boring and that is the case with this story, it just wasn’t “my cup of tea”.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
As I read this book, I laughed and I cried. But through every page I was reminded of things I already knew about life and faith and I was encouraged. The plot had some captivating twists, the characters are as real to me as my own neighbors. I recommend it highly
For the last year I have lived through my past for some unknown reason and as Andy in this book struggled to make sense of it all, so did I. Just walking through this book with Andy's angel, the Old Man put some sense to my life as well. As Andy said, "there is a purpose in our walk and it is up to us to find that purpose." Mr. Coffey mesmerized me with the person of Andy and when his life hit a major crunch all of his past came flooding back. It was through Elizabeth that he was able to put the puzzle pieces together so he could understand God's plan for his future.
Terrific book that captures the heart and soul of a simple gas station owner who has tried to live an exemplary life but without a seeming purpose. Yet an old box full of small treasures with no apparent purpose drew him out of his shell to see that his life had purpose and meaning and he needed to find it.
Gripping and tender both at the same time draws the reader into the life of Andy. Each of us has things in our past that we have kept hidden but should be revealed to help us know our purpose. Don't miss reading this book this advent season. Jesus is our reason and our purpose to share the love of God with those that cross our path. Will we keep those hidden treasures or share the lessons learned from each?
Definitely going to have to buy this one to add to the books that I keep to read over and over again!! I think that Billy Coffey is my favorite, just discovered by me, author!! He writes such complex characters and such compelling storylines that I just disappear into them and become immersed in the drama!! He makes me laugh and cry and at one point I felt punched in the solar plexus and wasn't sure I was going to recover. Such a wonderful story, I think I went through the entire range of human emotions on this one and came out a little better on the other side!! Recommend to one and all who love a wonderful story !!! I will definitely be reading more from Billy Coffey and will quite likely read them again and again!!!
Such a beautiful writer, that I underlined many quotes while I read. The only reason that I didn’t give this 5 stars was a couple of points near the end that I felt took a weird turn. However, as a believer, I loved this book. It’s one of those that was like The Shack, that takes a horrible thing happening and incorporates faith into it in a way that makes sense. But for those who are non-believers, it would be over the top (at the end).
This book was so fullfilling! I wanted to quote everything because so much of it was so profound. It made me think, wonder, and ponder. I HIGHLY recommend reading this book! Take your time and savor every word!
Everyday people, everyday lives. Third book I have read by accidently finding this author. Very descriptive, full of surprises, page turner, hopeful and inspiring.
Andy Sommerville awakes in the hospital, badly burned; facing a box of memories he has collected. His angel ‘The Old Man’ encourages him to save items of significant memory to him. As he lies in the hospital bed, he awakes to see Elizabeth, a counselor sent to work with him emotionally. Elizabeth asks Andy to tell her about the memories in his box, something he hasn’t really ever shared. Andy reminisces about lessons learned, heartaches remembered, and memories of times with The Old Man. Having his own private angel was his blessing and his curse. Blessed to have an angel sent to him by God, but cursed in that he didn’t feel he could share his secret with anyone, causing him to lose the love of his life. Deep, reflective look back over one’s life. Andy’s unhappiness in life and his ‘just getting by’ attitude has Elizabeth helping him to reflect on if he has really let a happy fulfilled life. Will sharing with Elizabeth bring out his desire for happiness and recovery? I struggle to get into this book. It felt like a self help book in fiction form. Andy spilling his memories with Elizabeth and working through his life’s history. Just a bit too philosophical for my tastes. I received a copy of this book from Faith Words in exchange for an honest review.
As mentioned in the synopsis, this book was not preachy. It starts out with Andy, who is in his 50's, in the hospital, recovering from burns. While there he goes through the wooden box with his 'therapist' and finds meaning behind things that otherwise would seem meaningless. An example of what's in the box is a homemade slingshot that he made while upset about birds in his grandparents yard. He received a lesson that day that you should practice patience and not let your anger and frustration overcome your circumstances. As you read, you can't help but to keep going on to find out what the meaning of the next item is. It's a very nice story!
Beatifully written book about how our lives happen to us, sometimes without us even realizing it. Author does a wonderful job of revealing just how the simple, everyday moments (which at the time seem so insignificant) when we look back on the story of our lives, they STAND out b/c that is when we were able to actually touch another human being. It does not take some HUGE ACT towards another human being, but our love for one another is shown in the smallest of gestures, a touch on the shoulder, a hug, sitting with someone in silence, a smile, a simple "hello, how are you?" but really meaning it. This book embodies all of this, fixing to start on a next book called Snow Days!!
This was such a powerful book. While Andy goes about living his ordinary life an angel often visits and shares some insightful wisdom. As he lays in the hospital recovering from an accident, he tells his story and lessons learned through some important objects in his woooden box the angel (which turns out being himself) told him to keep as reminders of God's purpose for him. The surprise ending blew me away. It gave me chills, and made me really think! I loved every part of this book and I couldn't put it down!
I finished this book tonight....I am still contemplating my review of this one. I loved Billy Coffey's book Snow Day. I was anxious to read this book because of how much I loved Snow Day. This book feels as though I need some time to think about it after reading it. I felt that it took me a very long time to read this book, and that I struggeld through it. It seemed to remind me a little bit of The Shack. I don't know if that was just my imagination, or because of the subject matter??
I won this book through the giveaways here on goodreads.com.
This book kept my interest the whole way through. The characters struggles throughout the book made you want to see how they could recover, and if they would succeed or fail in their own challenges.
It was something that I would recommend, as it is a good read.
This book was an excellent. While Christian principles were discussed, there weren't Bible verses and other mentions that seem to turn some people away from Christian fiction. I took notes on this book - and looking them over I can see myself using the author's quotes to explain several of life's big questions to my kids - and to remind myself of God's love and His big plan.
This book is such a great book. I didn't know much about it when I bought it. I was just looking for something to read and the title reached out to me. You will run through the gamut of emotions in this book. I laughed, cried, and then immediately would laugh again. I believe that Angels are everywhere and we don't even know it. I think you would not be disappointed in this book!!
My friend loaned me this book and I really enjoyed it. Andy has an angel to guide him and point out life lessons. It is a journey through his memories when something bad happens to him. I found it to be enlightening to think that even the bad things in our lives happen for a reason and sometimes the angels in our lives are people we meet along the way. A spiritual book without being preachy.
This is the second book I have read by Billy Coffey, and I love the way he can tell a story. I can relate to his small town characters instead of the wealthy/famous/powerful of so many novels. I like to be challenged to think instead of being able to escape. I feel that Coffey addresses questions we have about God (addresses, not answers), so I mildly compare his books to The Shack.
I was enthralled with this novel from the very beginning. There was so much within the dialog for me personally to take along in my life. It was a great blending of main storyline and telling a story within a story too. Very well written and I completely enjoyed it.
Billy Coffey is currently my favorite author. I only read"Snow Day" a few weeks ago and was ready to devour everything he has ever written. His beautiful prose make you want to become a more caring and compassionate person. I would recommend his novels to everyone!
This was a very heartfelt read. The lessons he learned really do hit close to home. I felt like his walls were up but then he realizes life is not always what you think you see but feel... The big plan takes awhile to see :)