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Fall to Grace
Where was God on the morning of October 15th as two 13-year-olds knelt beside their dead fathers?
Fall to Grace opens unforgettably when Joseph, an Ojibwe farm boy, stands at the car wreck that killed his father. Sixty miles away, Cory, a city kid on a fishing trip, survives a boating accident that takes his father’s life. Now two boys the same age have lost their fathers on the same day.
The story bends and twists through eight years, revealing the true impact of this tragic coincidence. For the hard-luck young priest who brings the boys together, it takes beating alcoholism and re-examining his calling to discover true love and grace. For the reclusive widow trapped between emptiness and forbidden love, grace proves to be elusive. And for the boys who grow to become best friends and star teammates in college, the very existence of grace is something they couldn’t have disagreed on more.
Fall to Grace is picturesque, spiritual, and reflective—while never forgetting its first to be a flat-out page-turner. The story takes you to the far edges of loss where love can do surprising things for those willing to reach again. And it reminds us, none too gently, that only angels fall from grace. The rest of us fall toward it.
Fall to Grace opens unforgettably when Joseph, an Ojibwe farm boy, stands at the car wreck that killed his father. Sixty miles away, Cory, a city kid on a fishing trip, survives a boating accident that takes his father’s life. Now two boys the same age have lost their fathers on the same day.
The story bends and twists through eight years, revealing the true impact of this tragic coincidence. For the hard-luck young priest who brings the boys together, it takes beating alcoholism and re-examining his calling to discover true love and grace. For the reclusive widow trapped between emptiness and forbidden love, grace proves to be elusive. And for the boys who grow to become best friends and star teammates in college, the very existence of grace is something they couldn’t have disagreed on more.
Fall to Grace is picturesque, spiritual, and reflective—while never forgetting its first to be a flat-out page-turner. The story takes you to the far edges of loss where love can do surprising things for those willing to reach again. And it reminds us, none too gently, that only angels fall from grace. The rest of us fall toward it.
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 31, 2012
Two boys, the same age, on the same day suffer a horrible tragedy, the loss of their fathers. Joseph is living on a farm in a small town near the Canadian border. He is an only child, he loves hockey and he is a great kid. Cory is the oldest of three, all around sportsman and lives in an apartment in St. Paul. They are brought together by unspeakable tragedy and become fast friends.
Cory and Joseph have dreams to play against each other in the Minnesota high school hockey tournament's championship game and they want to play college hockey together on the same team. Every year, they get together at Thanksgiving with Joseph's mom and their priest, Pat, to play pond hockey, go hunting, and of course eat. They are best friends and share everything, but deep down, Cory is troubled and is trying hard to cover up his imperfections.
Fall to Grace is full of entertaining characters that will make you thank God for the wonderful life you have. There is an alcoholic priest, a beautiful widowed mother, a chain smoking overweight cop and a blind monsignor as well as two teenage boys that are almost too good to be true. All combine to create a wonderful, heartfelt story that is sure to keep you turning the pages.
The theme of religion and spirituality runs deeply through Fall to Grace but it is not preachy. Fall to Grace is graceful, reflective and beautiful. The writing style is poetic with creative images and metaphors galore. Casey has a penned a lovely novel that will appeal to women and men alike.
Casey reminded me that life carries no guarantees and that we must accept God's gifts, cherish all we are given but most of all we should be thankful.
Go hug your children and call your mom and dad. Life is short, so make the time to read Fall to Grace.
Cory and Joseph have dreams to play against each other in the Minnesota high school hockey tournament's championship game and they want to play college hockey together on the same team. Every year, they get together at Thanksgiving with Joseph's mom and their priest, Pat, to play pond hockey, go hunting, and of course eat. They are best friends and share everything, but deep down, Cory is troubled and is trying hard to cover up his imperfections.
Fall to Grace is full of entertaining characters that will make you thank God for the wonderful life you have. There is an alcoholic priest, a beautiful widowed mother, a chain smoking overweight cop and a blind monsignor as well as two teenage boys that are almost too good to be true. All combine to create a wonderful, heartfelt story that is sure to keep you turning the pages.
The theme of religion and spirituality runs deeply through Fall to Grace but it is not preachy. Fall to Grace is graceful, reflective and beautiful. The writing style is poetic with creative images and metaphors galore. Casey has a penned a lovely novel that will appeal to women and men alike.
Casey reminded me that life carries no guarantees and that we must accept God's gifts, cherish all we are given but most of all we should be thankful.
Go hug your children and call your mom and dad. Life is short, so make the time to read Fall to Grace.
September 22, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It is obvious the author thoughtfully wrote it, and at times it seems as if he is talking to you through the characters. In essence, even the author becomes your friend while reading.
Each of the characters: Joseph, Cory, Pat, HomeSky, and even Sherriff Harris seem real. They have their own issues to deal with, and we never truly get the 'whole' story, which makes them seem all the more real. I'm paraphrasing here, but more than once it is brought up, that once we pigeonhole people we take away their mystery, and it is no one's business to do that. I like that.
I think this is a book people should read, because it is about finding grace, no matter your lot in life.
Each of the characters: Joseph, Cory, Pat, HomeSky, and even Sherriff Harris seem real. They have their own issues to deal with, and we never truly get the 'whole' story, which makes them seem all the more real. I'm paraphrasing here, but more than once it is brought up, that once we pigeonhole people we take away their mystery, and it is no one's business to do that. I like that.
I think this is a book people should read, because it is about finding grace, no matter your lot in life.
September 16, 2014
After reading the last line of this book I'm left feeling sad, pensive and amazed. Not a loud, "wow, that was amazing!" but a subtle sense of amazement, if that makes any sense. This novel is the first from this author and coming in at 518 pages is no small feat. "Fall to Grace" was beautiful and centered around the things in life that break us, or try to, and how it's always possible to put yourself back together with help. If you read the book, which I highly recommend, you'll be left wishing you were more like Joseph (or Father Frank) and realizing that there are a lot of Cory's out there that need a Joseph in their life.
August 2, 2020
Let me start with this book would have gotten 5 stars if I was a different person. In other words it's me not you in a book break up. I am going to open up a can of worms with my next statement and not one for fishing either. This book is the equivalent of chick lit for men. Don't get me wrong I think there is a dearth of transformation/coming of age/what it means to be a complex human books for the opposite sex. This book had it all in terms of exploring relationships and spirituality and what it means to face heartache and to keep letting your heart beat but completely from a Y chromosome point of view. I can barely follow an athletic event in person, I have never been fishing or hunting, and I have never been a boy turning into a man. I would recommend this book to anyone who can read the play by play of a hockey game and understand the emotions that fuel the players, and you can appreciate the intimacy of a duck blind or the complexity of a fishing trip then this is the book for you. The relationships explored in these pages are almost entirely between men. It was fascinating to try and wrap my head around how they communicate and connect but if I am being honest it was almost like reading a foreign language. If you are a Minnesota/Wisconsin native or transplant the book will have several more hooks to catch your attention. The book got three stars from me but is a record winning catch for the right sportsman.
May 12, 2015
I loved this story. It took place mainly in northern MN, a region with which I'm familiar. You can read the description of the story about 2 boys whose fathers die suddenly on the same day when they're 13 years old. They are brought together by a priest who feels their friendship is pre-ordained, and they become best friends even though one lives in far northern MN and one in the Twin Cities. Their struggles and strengths growing up fatherless make a great story. The priest, Father Pat, is also a major character. The author weaves a great story of growth, relationships, and hockey. I can't wait to read the sequel.
November 18, 2008
I am not sure what it is about this book but it really got to me. I pretty much cried through the whole entire thing. It was wonderful! I got toally sucked in by the characters. One of which is a priest- it is not an overly preachy book quite the contrary I think. it did give some good lessons and had practical application in life but that was for you to take or leave. It is written by a guy and is about death so it is not overly emotional- which is why the crying took me by surprise ( my crying that is)
November 23, 2015
I did like it a lot: set in Minnesota, compelling characters, wonderful thoughts on the power of reading,some great lines about God and His Grace tragic circumstances of losing fathers..so relatable..BUT it sometimes felt a little badly written...certain uses of cliches.."that is a story for another time" too much detail...no I never need to know what your cooking for dinner and breakfast and lunch unless it really is some strong metaphor about the novel, and a little too easy of fixing problems sometimes. Still a good read and should be read.
May 16, 2017
This book is totally outside my normal genre. I usually like suspense, mystery and thriller. But this one caught my eye since I live about 2 hours away from Baudette, MN, where a lot of this story takes place. Very good book. Very descriptive, I could picture everything like I was actually there.
September 10, 2009
This book is an amazing read. The 2 boys catch you at first read and keep drawing you in more and more as their characters grow and experience life. Lots of surprising twists and little moments that make the book.
February 4, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! The characters are so well-developed that I grew to think of them as friends. I am surprised that many of the larger bookstores do not carry this novel, but it is available on Amazon. This is now my third time reading this novel and it still ranks among my favorites!
March 9, 2023
A "must read"! I'm an avid reader who is seldom found without a book within reach no matter where I am. (I'm the person in the next car over reading while waiting for a train to pass.) One of the best books I've read!!
March 7, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, especially since he is a local author and it's about hockey. I love coming of age stories and this really hits that.
September 23, 2018
Minnesota author. Read it for book club long ago. Too disjointed and needed editing badly. Could've been a good story.
December 7, 2024
I would have to say that this is the best book I have read in years! Very well written. I can’t wait till Kerry Casey writes another one!
March 11, 2020
Although it was a page turner, and I loved the characters, I was sort of disappointed with how things went. It ended up being sort of a downer.
Couple quotes I liked:
“This was work with immediate results. It was so unlike faith-building, which so often had an intangible impact. No wonder Jesus was a carpenter, Pat thought. It helped him through those long patches when his work was invisible.”
“Only angels fall from Grace, the rest of us all fall toward it.” Father Pat
Couple quotes I liked:
“This was work with immediate results. It was so unlike faith-building, which so often had an intangible impact. No wonder Jesus was a carpenter, Pat thought. It helped him through those long patches when his work was invisible.”
“Only angels fall from Grace, the rest of us all fall toward it.” Father Pat
January 17, 2018
A true page turner. I could not read it quickly enough - because I was so enveloped and engaged.
The characters are so genuine, endearing and definitely memorable.
The author’s description of locales, scents and environment were captivating.
Perhaps not Hemingway quality. But a wonderful read - for SURE!!!
The characters are so genuine, endearing and definitely memorable.
The author’s description of locales, scents and environment were captivating.
Perhaps not Hemingway quality. But a wonderful read - for SURE!!!
April 2, 2018
Written by a Minnesota Author about fictional Minnesota characters that ring true to life. I enjoyed this book very much and took the death of one of its characters very seriously. I would love to talk to the author and convince him not to kill that particular character off....this is a must read.
March 15, 2020
First of three in this exciting trilogy, large books but couldn’t put them down. Great new context and themes making the stories a breath of fresh air for me. Really enjoyed learning about an area of MN I had visited but not spent a lot of time in. The people, themes and heart of the trilogy will stay with me.
May 17, 2025
I don't really know how to rate this. 4 stars feels both too high and too low so I guess that makes it just right. I think I would have adored this book if I was religious but it felt a little too God heavy for myself. I did adore the characters and their growth though. That really made the book for me. This is a trilogy but I won't be continuing.
August 1, 2017
Drama, Emotional, Challenges
First of three books. A lot of action and heartache. Definitely will leave you with a broken heart, tears, very emotional. Many times you will ask yourself why?
First of three books. A lot of action and heartache. Definitely will leave you with a broken heart, tears, very emotional. Many times you will ask yourself why?
January 6, 2021
Probably one of the best books I have ever read. I cried through the last 100 pages or so but this story was absolutely amazing. I will not soon forget this amazing story and the characters that came to life during the story. Very proud of the Wisconsin Badgers in this story.
May 26, 2021
5.0/5.0 STARS!
Fall to Grace is my first read from Kerry Casey, and will not be my last. For Indie Bookstore Day I went on a little shopping trip with my sister, and found myself at an Indie Bookstore (because who can resist stopping at a new bookstore when you're a bibliophile?) I picked up a copy of Fall to Grace and the sequel, Singer, based on a recommendation from one of the bookstore employees. I didn't realize initially, but both were signed copies (Extra Bonus!) Kerry Casey is a Minnesota Native, which enticed me to read even more.
This is a book about two teenage boys in Northern Minnesota. Both boys are thirteen years old, and lost their father's to tragic accidents on the same Winter day. Joseph was an Ojibwe farm boy, whose family chose not to reside on their reservation due to differences in views. Joseph's father passed due to a tragic accident, that Joseph heard and was at his side. Joseph went on a "vision quest" this day in a winter storm, following a calling he had in tradition. Cory was a city boy who was on a fishing trip with his father, and they had a boating accident where his father passed. Cory then had to row the boat back across the Lake of the Woods in a storm with his father's body.
Kerry painted a beautiful picture of two boys who come together out of a tragedy and overcame obstacles together. A beautiful friendship was formed between Joseph and Cory, and so much love and growth outweighed the tragedy that they both endured. Fall to Grace was a book that I struggled to put down, and struggled to not pick up Singer right away upon completion. I am thankful I was able to discover Kerry Casey, especially as a local author. This is a tale, that I highly suggest to read!
This book took me 6 hours to read from start to finish.
Fall to Grace is my first read from Kerry Casey, and will not be my last. For Indie Bookstore Day I went on a little shopping trip with my sister, and found myself at an Indie Bookstore (because who can resist stopping at a new bookstore when you're a bibliophile?) I picked up a copy of Fall to Grace and the sequel, Singer, based on a recommendation from one of the bookstore employees. I didn't realize initially, but both were signed copies (Extra Bonus!) Kerry Casey is a Minnesota Native, which enticed me to read even more.
This is a book about two teenage boys in Northern Minnesota. Both boys are thirteen years old, and lost their father's to tragic accidents on the same Winter day. Joseph was an Ojibwe farm boy, whose family chose not to reside on their reservation due to differences in views. Joseph's father passed due to a tragic accident, that Joseph heard and was at his side. Joseph went on a "vision quest" this day in a winter storm, following a calling he had in tradition. Cory was a city boy who was on a fishing trip with his father, and they had a boating accident where his father passed. Cory then had to row the boat back across the Lake of the Woods in a storm with his father's body.
Kerry painted a beautiful picture of two boys who come together out of a tragedy and overcame obstacles together. A beautiful friendship was formed between Joseph and Cory, and so much love and growth outweighed the tragedy that they both endured. Fall to Grace was a book that I struggled to put down, and struggled to not pick up Singer right away upon completion. I am thankful I was able to discover Kerry Casey, especially as a local author. This is a tale, that I highly suggest to read!
This book took me 6 hours to read from start to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2012
Each month I buy a book authored by a Minnesota writer at a local independent bookstore. I have now bought two back-to-back gems and hope my luck continues. In April I bought In Caddis Wood and Fall to Grace this month.
It's hard to assign a genre to this book. I guess I'll just say it's a damned fine storybook in one of the finest traditions as it tells the story of two boys who develop a binding friendship out of shared love of hockey and common circumstances that set them apart from others but unite them. This is a story that is part a coming-of-age book; part a subtle spiritual exploration of our relationships to a higher power and with each other; and, part how personal development and character building aren't smooth trajectories but occur in fits and starts.
It's hard to assign a genre to this book. I guess I'll just say it's a damned fine storybook in one of the finest traditions as it tells the story of two boys who develop a binding friendship out of shared love of hockey and common circumstances that set them apart from others but unite them. This is a story that is part a coming-of-age book; part a subtle spiritual exploration of our relationships to a higher power and with each other; and, part how personal development and character building aren't smooth trajectories but occur in fits and starts.
November 10, 2013
This book is written by a Minnesota author and the setting is Northern Minnesota. It is a long book but easy to read as each chapter is written from the viewpoint of the different characters. It is not available through Barnes and Noble nor Nook, but can be ordered for the Kindle through Amazon. Otherwise, the printed version can be ordered from a small bookstore in Cable, Wisc. for $15.00, free shipping and no tax. Casey's sequel is called Singer. I have already ordered it and plan to read it soon!
October 25, 2009
This is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read in quite some time. Rarely does an author's first work of fiction have the depth and all the elements that this book has.
The story of two boys, Joseph and Cory, is both heart-wrenching and uplifing. It is impossible to not get emotionally invested in all of the primary characters, as Kerry Casey does a great job of building the characters in such a way that you feel you know them personally.
The story of two boys, Joseph and Cory, is both heart-wrenching and uplifing. It is impossible to not get emotionally invested in all of the primary characters, as Kerry Casey does a great job of building the characters in such a way that you feel you know them personally.
December 13, 2011
I was initially skeptical when I picked up this book. I am not one for religious message books. However, this book is about humanity -- about the choices we make. It was an enthralling, emotionally invested ride for me.
This is the author's first book -- it is independently published, http://www.fivefriendsbooks.com/ The writing isn't perfect, he telegraphs a lot of his moves, but it didn't bother me. The story is worth it.
This is the author's first book -- it is independently published, http://www.fivefriendsbooks.com/ The writing isn't perfect, he telegraphs a lot of his moves, but it didn't bother me. The story is worth it.
September 29, 2012
It was a great book. It sure makes you think about life. If you're looking for a book full of emotion this one is for you. It is about two boys that embark on a journey after the unthinkable happens. The boys are brought together by fate, which happens to be a troubled priest. The boys become friends with the help from the sport that they truly love - hockey.
February 3, 2013
LOVED this book! Read it a few years ago while on a hockey road trip for my son's team. As a hockey mom I could easily relate to the passion the boys have for the game. As a mom I could feel their pain and loved watching them grow throughout the book. You don't have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this book, just love a good story that causes you to feel all sorts of different emotions.
September 15, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this story about two friends who meet through the experience of sharing a similar family tragedy on the same day. The story follows these two young men through their high school hockey experiences and into college, along the way exploring different perspectives of dealing with loss, grief, friendship, and relationships.
August 20, 2015
This may not be a great work of literature, but I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this story. It has grit and real emotion. And, I especially love that this guy left the ad world to pursue his dream...plus it was a gift from a friend, which is a big part of this author's philosophy and success. He believes in the power of friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews