What do you think?
Rate this book
A Single Bead
On the anniversary of the plane crash that took the life of her beloved grandmother and threw her own mother into deep depression, 16-year-old Katelyn Marie Roberts discovers a single bead from her grandmother’s rosary—a rosary lost in the crash. A chance encounter with a stranger, who tells Katelyn that a similar bead saved her friend’s life, launches Katelyn and her family on a quest to find the other missing beads. Their journey, filled with glimmers of hope, mystical events and unexplained grace helps Katelyn understand that faith, family and the help of others can restore what was lost.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2016
23 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Engelman
6 books26 followersStephanie Engelman spent most of her teen years staying up well past bedtime devouring one novel after another. Reading until four in the morning carried over into reading while she blew her hair dry, ate her breakfast, and, once she had her license, drove herself to school. Mostly at the stoplights, but... let's just say it's a miracle she's alive. That love for reading morphed into a love for writing, and she figures God must have rescued her from her idiotic driving for a reason. Therefore, she's using her talents to share her love for all things Church. Her goal is to write stories that will change the lives of young adults, while still touching the hearts of the adults who love them.
Stephanie's life was turned upside down when her 43 year old husband suffered a heart attack and subsequent serious brain injury. She shares the story of her family's journey on her blog, http://www.afewbeadsshort.com. When she's not corralling her five children, cleaning house, or working to help her husband in his rehabilitation, Stephanie still enjoys a good book, and is (very slowly) working her way through all of the Catholic teen fiction she can get her hands on. She also enjoys any excuse to get outside, especially gardening, hiking and biking, and is notorious for starting but rarely finishing projects around the house.
Stephanie's life was turned upside down when her 43 year old husband suffered a heart attack and subsequent serious brain injury. She shares the story of her family's journey on her blog, http://www.afewbeadsshort.com. When she's not corralling her five children, cleaning house, or working to help her husband in his rehabilitation, Stephanie still enjoys a good book, and is (very slowly) working her way through all of the Catholic teen fiction she can get her hands on. She also enjoys any excuse to get outside, especially gardening, hiking and biking, and is notorious for starting but rarely finishing projects around the house.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 21, 2017
This book took me completely by surprise. It is a wonderfully written story. I really did not know anything about the book other than that it was on a recommended list. The list highlighted 30 Catholic YA books in 30 days. I first say this list posted by Susan Peek, she posted a list of Catholic Teen Fiction a day for June, I believe that the list originally comes from Theresa Linden. Of the 30 books in the list I have already read and reviewed over half. And have picked up a few more. But to be honest I was drawn to this book. All I had put together was that it was about a rosary in some way, shape or form.
This is a story that deals with faith, family, loss and mental health. That is a lot to pack into 208 pages but Engelman does it and does it well. I found that the writing especially around an extended family was very intriguing. I also really appreciated the parts of the story when one parent is not Catholic, but supportive of the family's faith and traditions. The book begins at a memorial service for the matriarch of the family. She had passed away the year before in a plane crash, and the family had gathered on the anniversary in the field the plan went down in. Katelyn Marie Roberts, who is 16, is struggling with the event, and the impact the last year has had on her family. She wanders off to the edge of the woods when the family decides to pray the rosary. She finds a small bead; it is a rosary bead from her grandma's rosary. She knows this because it has her initials on it. And so begins the adventure. Soon Kaitlyn and her cousin Evelyn are trying to track down the beads.
And that is where it gets really interesting. They start hearing stories of miracles. Each person who found a bead or the person who they gave it to has had a miracle happen. A young girl healed from cancer, a man freed from addiction, a girl saved from a car accident. In each case a woman came and helped the person. But when Kaitlyn's mother finds out what they are doing and why, her depression gets worse, soon she needs to be hospitalised. This makes Kaitlyn desperate to find the bead with her mother's initials on it so she can experience a miracle again. But as in most of our lives things do not always go as planned.
This book is very well written. Before I had finished it I searched to see if the author had other books available. Unfortunately not yet! The weaving of faith, hope, hardships and family in this story makes the book hard to put down. I look forward to reading it with my oldest soon and my youngest when she is a little older. A wonderful faith filled Young Adult Story.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2017 Catholic Reading Plan!
This is a story that deals with faith, family, loss and mental health. That is a lot to pack into 208 pages but Engelman does it and does it well. I found that the writing especially around an extended family was very intriguing. I also really appreciated the parts of the story when one parent is not Catholic, but supportive of the family's faith and traditions. The book begins at a memorial service for the matriarch of the family. She had passed away the year before in a plane crash, and the family had gathered on the anniversary in the field the plan went down in. Katelyn Marie Roberts, who is 16, is struggling with the event, and the impact the last year has had on her family. She wanders off to the edge of the woods when the family decides to pray the rosary. She finds a small bead; it is a rosary bead from her grandma's rosary. She knows this because it has her initials on it. And so begins the adventure. Soon Kaitlyn and her cousin Evelyn are trying to track down the beads.
And that is where it gets really interesting. They start hearing stories of miracles. Each person who found a bead or the person who they gave it to has had a miracle happen. A young girl healed from cancer, a man freed from addiction, a girl saved from a car accident. In each case a woman came and helped the person. But when Kaitlyn's mother finds out what they are doing and why, her depression gets worse, soon she needs to be hospitalised. This makes Kaitlyn desperate to find the bead with her mother's initials on it so she can experience a miracle again. But as in most of our lives things do not always go as planned.
This book is very well written. Before I had finished it I searched to see if the author had other books available. Unfortunately not yet! The weaving of faith, hope, hardships and family in this story makes the book hard to put down. I look forward to reading it with my oldest soon and my youngest when she is a little older. A wonderful faith filled Young Adult Story.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2017 Catholic Reading Plan!
February 11, 2016
Every aspect of this book is beautiful: cover, font choices, formatting, and writing. This Catholic novel is marketed as young adult, and the main character is sixteen years old. However, the clean content and easy-to-read text (though expertly written) might be appropriate for a good reader as young as ten years old or in fifth grade. At the same time, it is a worthwhile read for adults.
The story is powerful, filled with family drama and human emotion. I love the young protagonist, Kate, and the growth she experiences. The secondary characters are memorable as well.
This is not one of those fast-paced YA novels but rather one that causes reflection in anyone with a spiritual nature. It made me believe more strongly in miracles--miracles through the power of prayer.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is powerful, filled with family drama and human emotion. I love the young protagonist, Kate, and the growth she experiences. The secondary characters are memorable as well.
This is not one of those fast-paced YA novels but rather one that causes reflection in anyone with a spiritual nature. It made me believe more strongly in miracles--miracles through the power of prayer.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2016
A Single Bead, by Stephanie Engelman, is not only well written: it tells a good story and taps into the heart of the reader.
It's good fiction that has Catholic themes. If you're not Catholic, you'll still enjoy it. If you are Catholic, you'll "get" it.
The storyline explores death and prayer, but in a completely natural way. It also considers how adults don't have it all together, how families, though imperfect, can pull together through hardship, and ways to pray and not be a total dork about it.
This book, while being unabashedly Catholic and Christian, is not unabashedly boring. It explores grief and depression and faces the burden of both. It's also a perspective that feels very real: the teens in this book aren't goody-two-shoes who pray all day, and there's even a scene where there's a "speed rosary" prayed. (That made me laugh.)
The characters have their flaws and foibles, just like real people. As someone who's been hanging around teens for the last few years (though not living with them, tis true), it struck me as very spot on.
It's good fiction that has Catholic themes. If you're not Catholic, you'll still enjoy it. If you are Catholic, you'll "get" it.
The storyline explores death and prayer, but in a completely natural way. It also considers how adults don't have it all together, how families, though imperfect, can pull together through hardship, and ways to pray and not be a total dork about it.
This book, while being unabashedly Catholic and Christian, is not unabashedly boring. It explores grief and depression and faces the burden of both. It's also a perspective that feels very real: the teens in this book aren't goody-two-shoes who pray all day, and there's even a scene where there's a "speed rosary" prayed. (That made me laugh.)
The characters have their flaws and foibles, just like real people. As someone who's been hanging around teens for the last few years (though not living with them, tis true), it struck me as very spot on.
December 13, 2016
Have you ever read a book that you felt was written just for you? Like somehow God put exactly the story you needed to read into an author's head, so it could be written? That's how I felt when reading Stephanie Engelman's beautiful young adult novel, "A Single Bead."
From the very first page, I couldn't put it down. It opens with Kate -- a teenage girl who, although a Catholic, does not have a close relationship with God-- as she and her extended family visit the field where her grandmother died in a plane crash a year ago. While the other family members say a rosary, Kate feels an inexplicable urge to wander towards a nearby clump of trees, where she finds a single bead from her grandmother's beloved rosary. Her grandmother, a very prayerful woman, had marked each bead for one family member, and the bead Kate finds is her own. Thus begins an incredible adventure, and a very moving spiritual journey, as Kate tries to hunt down the other beads, especially for one particular family member (I won't say which one!) who desperately needs help from Heaven.
I don't want to spoil the magnificent plot, so I'll stop right here. But the author weaves in twist after twist, leaving me gasping on one page, chuckling on the next, and crying so hard in some chapters that I literally had to stop reading because my eyes were blurred with tears.
The author did an incredible job of crafting an exciting story, with characters that leap off the page, realistic dialog, and a plot you won't soon forget, while at the same time delivering an amazing spiritual punch. Although I've said a daily rosary for decades, this story brought me closer to the Blessed Virgin and the amazing power of her rosary. I truly think EVERY Catholic needs to read this novel!
From the very first page, I couldn't put it down. It opens with Kate -- a teenage girl who, although a Catholic, does not have a close relationship with God-- as she and her extended family visit the field where her grandmother died in a plane crash a year ago. While the other family members say a rosary, Kate feels an inexplicable urge to wander towards a nearby clump of trees, where she finds a single bead from her grandmother's beloved rosary. Her grandmother, a very prayerful woman, had marked each bead for one family member, and the bead Kate finds is her own. Thus begins an incredible adventure, and a very moving spiritual journey, as Kate tries to hunt down the other beads, especially for one particular family member (I won't say which one!) who desperately needs help from Heaven.
I don't want to spoil the magnificent plot, so I'll stop right here. But the author weaves in twist after twist, leaving me gasping on one page, chuckling on the next, and crying so hard in some chapters that I literally had to stop reading because my eyes were blurred with tears.
The author did an incredible job of crafting an exciting story, with characters that leap off the page, realistic dialog, and a plot you won't soon forget, while at the same time delivering an amazing spiritual punch. Although I've said a daily rosary for decades, this story brought me closer to the Blessed Virgin and the amazing power of her rosary. I truly think EVERY Catholic needs to read this novel!
July 5, 2017
A "summer read" for the tween/teen girl in your life. It's smart and sassy with very real characters. No perfect Catholic girls, here. The storyline is great, and very moving at times. I teared up on occasion!
I'm taking two stars away because it still manages to get "preachy" at times in a few paragraphs that are easily skimmed.
Oh! I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hope that I would provide a (complimentary) review. Free books aren't necessarily good books, though, and my opinions are my own.
I'm taking two stars away because it still manages to get "preachy" at times in a few paragraphs that are easily skimmed.
Oh! I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hope that I would provide a (complimentary) review. Free books aren't necessarily good books, though, and my opinions are my own.
September 7, 2021
This is such a sweet book! It's a quick read but a story that will stay with me for a while. Long after a plane crash takes the life of Kate's grandmother, the beads on her much-used rosary, one with the initials for each person in Kate's family, survive. Each bead brings comfort and healing to the new owner to whom it's given. This really makes a person think about the power of prayer and especially the power of paying the rosary.
May 23, 2017
A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman, is a beautiful young adult novel that centers around a family in need and a special rosary that affects the lives around them.This engaging story touches on very real and difficult issues such as loss and depression while focusing on the power of prayer and the importance of family.I was intrigued with the main character, Katelyn, and how she was influenced not only by the crisis of faith in her own personal family but also the very strong beliefs held by her large extended family. The journey that Katelyn is drawn into surrounding her grandmother’s rosary is mysterious, thought-provoking and moving. What a joyful message for anyone that our prayers can be so powerful and life-changing.
March 9, 2016
This book is a wonderful testament to the power of prayer, the power of faith, and the power of family. I would highly recommend this book to any Catholic teens or tweens. It would make an excellent Confirmation present. Pauline Books and Media provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2016
If I could give ten stars, I would. Just saying!
A Single Bead, by Stephanie Engleman,A Single Bead is indeed a very powerful book. Written with teen girls in mind, I feel it is appropriate for age 6th grade and up. The story is about losing hope and faith, and finding a way back to the Church through a series of miraculous events.
The death of a parent or grandparent is devastating, to say the least. Kate, the leading character in the book, finds herself the target of her mother’s anger and depression since a plane crash took her grandmother’s life a year earlier. While Kate is at the Memorial marking the First Anniversary of her grandmother’s death, she feels the need to walk away from her family and, in her own words,
“I keep walking toward the trees, and it's almost like I'm being drawn by some kind of invisible force. Stooping down to push the flowers aside, I discover a small, silver bead, and my heart flutters. I have to hold it, touch it-feel the ridges of the letters imprinted on three sides, and run my nail along the cross on the fourth. Everything I am zones into that tiny, little bead. . . . It's just a little fragment of a piece of jewelry, right? But it's not. It's a bead from Grandma's rosary. And not just any bead. My bead.”
Through a series of miraculous events, Kate talks to and meets other people who find her grandmother’s beads. Through their stories, which are true miracles, not only Kate, but her father (a non-Catholic) are growing closer to God. One of my favorite devotions is praying the Rosary and I am thrilled that the power of the Rosary is woven into this story. Kate realizes how blessed she is to have a faith-filled family, and turns to the Rosary to calm and focus herself on the tasks ahead.
I think what appealed to me most was the honesty in the story. My mother suffered from mental illnesses and much of what this character feels, I have felt. Honesty may seem like an odd word here, but it is so important to me that the book acknowledges that people fall away from the Church and that they come back.... that we question our faith, and get great answers from the history and Tradition of Catholicsm… that people with mental illness can get help, and so can the people their illness affects…. That prayer REALLY comforts, inspires, and heals. In short, PRAYER WORKS!
Additionally, I can not tell you what it meant to me when I came into the Catholic Church and acknowledged our Blessed Mother Mary as MY Mother. I did not feel the loss I had for decades, and it was freeing. This book touched my heart, and lifted me up. For that I am so grateful.
Bravo to Mrs. Engleman. She is clearly a fantastic story-teller and I can not wait to read more of her books.
As always, thank you Cathy @ Pauline Books & Media, for sending me this book so that I could write a review. I can tell you all, I have not met a Pauline Book that I did not love. I'm so blessed.
A Single Bead, by Stephanie Engleman,A Single Bead is indeed a very powerful book. Written with teen girls in mind, I feel it is appropriate for age 6th grade and up. The story is about losing hope and faith, and finding a way back to the Church through a series of miraculous events.
The death of a parent or grandparent is devastating, to say the least. Kate, the leading character in the book, finds herself the target of her mother’s anger and depression since a plane crash took her grandmother’s life a year earlier. While Kate is at the Memorial marking the First Anniversary of her grandmother’s death, she feels the need to walk away from her family and, in her own words,
“I keep walking toward the trees, and it's almost like I'm being drawn by some kind of invisible force. Stooping down to push the flowers aside, I discover a small, silver bead, and my heart flutters. I have to hold it, touch it-feel the ridges of the letters imprinted on three sides, and run my nail along the cross on the fourth. Everything I am zones into that tiny, little bead. . . . It's just a little fragment of a piece of jewelry, right? But it's not. It's a bead from Grandma's rosary. And not just any bead. My bead.”
Through a series of miraculous events, Kate talks to and meets other people who find her grandmother’s beads. Through their stories, which are true miracles, not only Kate, but her father (a non-Catholic) are growing closer to God. One of my favorite devotions is praying the Rosary and I am thrilled that the power of the Rosary is woven into this story. Kate realizes how blessed she is to have a faith-filled family, and turns to the Rosary to calm and focus herself on the tasks ahead.
I think what appealed to me most was the honesty in the story. My mother suffered from mental illnesses and much of what this character feels, I have felt. Honesty may seem like an odd word here, but it is so important to me that the book acknowledges that people fall away from the Church and that they come back.... that we question our faith, and get great answers from the history and Tradition of Catholicsm… that people with mental illness can get help, and so can the people their illness affects…. That prayer REALLY comforts, inspires, and heals. In short, PRAYER WORKS!
Additionally, I can not tell you what it meant to me when I came into the Catholic Church and acknowledged our Blessed Mother Mary as MY Mother. I did not feel the loss I had for decades, and it was freeing. This book touched my heart, and lifted me up. For that I am so grateful.
Bravo to Mrs. Engleman. She is clearly a fantastic story-teller and I can not wait to read more of her books.
As always, thank you Cathy @ Pauline Books & Media, for sending me this book so that I could write a review. I can tell you all, I have not met a Pauline Book that I did not love. I'm so blessed.
January 21, 2016
The plot of this clever story is based on an ingenious idea. The protagonist's grandmother dies in an airplane crash, and the beads of her rosary are scattered over a wide area of the crash site. When some of the beads wind up in the hands of people who never knew the grandmother, miracles occur in their lives. The idea gives me goose bumps. The characters and their conflicts are believable, and you want to keep reading, in order to find out about the next stray bead, and to find out how the protagonist and her mom resolve the issue between them. The story presents basic values, such as the importance of family, trust, forgiveness, perseverance, and, of course the value of prayer and faith. I love the way the story reminds the reader that miracles still occur and that prayer is a powerful recourse. This is a thoroughly Catholic book, but the plot is so intriguing, it should be a good read for non-Catholics, as well.
December 31, 2015
In this new YA novel, a teenage girl finds faith in an unlikely way: through the stories of others who have been touched by the prayers of her grandmother, killed in a plane crash a year ago. This compelling story is appropriate for students in grades 5 and up and challenges the reader to lay aside the idea that a prayer or a sacramental can be a "magical" thing. It is refreshing to read about an extended family whose life is centered on faith.
My review is based on an advance reader copy of the novel, provided by the publisher. I received no compensation for sharing my impressions of this book.
My review is based on an advance reader copy of the novel, provided by the publisher. I received no compensation for sharing my impressions of this book.
January 4, 2016
I am the publicist for this author. This debut teen title deals with tragedy, grief and faith in varying stages. When Kate's grandmother dies in a tragic plane crash, she finds a bead from her grandmother's rosary at the crash site during the memorial service one year later. After a chance encounter with a stranger, Kate embarks on a journey to find the lost rosary beads. As she and her large extended family family delve deeper into the mystery surrounding the beads, their travels take them on an adventure that is filled with faith, growth and mystical events. Recommended for teen audiences.
May 17, 2017
I'm often leery of contemporary YA fiction in present tense with a first person POV. I have been unable to finish several because the MC came off as whiny. But Engleman's voice is perfect for the story, and her 16 year old MC Katelyn is so believable and likeable, I wondered if the author had based her on a real person. Her family's situation is real and heart-breaking, but hope is woven into this story on every page. While dealing honestly with the real problem of depression, A Single Bead is a celebration of family and love and the power of prayer.
January 26, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this book and found myself anxiously turning the pages. It's a beautiful experience that begins when Kate finds a single bead. We follow her as she uncovers the mystery of the beads, but even more we accompany her on a faith journey as she discovers the mystery of her own life, of her faith and family. When you finish this book you will have deepened or awakened a special devotion to Mary and the rosary.
March 26, 2017
My 7th grade daughter and I love this book! It belongs on the "must read" list of every Catholic kid aged 10 and up. I'm planning on buying a bunch of copies to give to various friends and family members. This story is so meaningful in that it gives solid examples of how miraculous things happen, especially when praying the rosary, to regular people in every-day-normal-life situations. I can't recommend it enough!
February 1, 2016
Tightly written story about a teenager exploring her faith after her grandmother dies. It reminds me of Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok although the main character was younger. It's rare to see a good story written so appropriately for a YA audience. I know the author who grew up in my neighborhood and her sister is one of my best friends. Bravo Stephanie! I hope to read many more from you!
April 2, 2016
I devoured this book in a matter of hours. While it was a little trite, I chalked that up to being YA and easily got over it for the beauty of the story. I look forward to sending it on to my niece and recommending it to anyone who will listen.
January 26, 2016
A touching story about faith and the power of prayer. It was a much needed spiritual pick me up.
March 10, 2020
A few of the reviews I read made note of the fact that while this is geared towards a YA audience, it’s more of a middle-grade writing style. And that is something I agree with. Some of the behavior is a bit juvenile, which works for the characters themselves; but the writing itself lends a tone more appropriate for younger readers instead of teenagers. That’s not to say that teens are not an appropriate audience, but that pre-teens would probably enjoy this more.
I almost see it as the lead character, Kate, is a role model for the younger group.
Kate and her [large] extended family meet up a bit away from their home town (her mom and five of her siblings all live within 20 minutes of each other, including her brother who’s a priest) in memory of her grandmother. Grandma died the year before in a plane crash.
There is quite a bit of information as the story goes on about their family, their dynamics, and how life has made things fluctuate.
One thing that bothers me about the beginning of the first scene is that her Aunt Mary Ellen’s rosary beads are described as “being spared from total annihilation” but they were never mentioned before. It was a piecewise start IMO.
Kate walks away from the gathering and feels drawn to a place where she finds a silver bead from her grandmother’s rosary beads--a strand that she had made to incorporate the initials of all her children (even those she miscarried) and grandchildren.
Kate finds HER bead.
She learns that a girl a bit older than herself (named Chelsea) found a similar one, which happens to be her aunt’s--the one relative not living in town. And she thinks it saved her friend’s life.
I love that Kate can talk to her cousin Evelyn, who also happens to be her best friend. And that Evelyn says that telling a single lie about sneaking out is not as bad as having possible future lies pile out.
I love that their families don’t let the teens under the age of 18 have Smartphones.
I hate how Kate’s mom behaves towards her. I get that she’s depressed, but living with that attitude in that way for a year is devastating and drives me bonkers. Then the fact that she went a week without saying anything to her daughter and being snippy about things is utterly juvenile.
It's also very strange that Kate doesn't know what INRI means (despite going to a Catholic school) but knows that she is leaving the church's narthex.
With both their families on board, Kate & Evelyn work on finding the other beads. And, in turn, they find miracles that have happened along the way.
Kate learns to deal with more pain and grief than from the year before, and it helps her turn to God more, to pray for Mary’s intercession more. She experiences dreams and visions of Jesus, among the many little miracles she is exposed to each day.
And faith really helps us get through grief.
The discussion questions are also not appropriate for teens--in that, I mean they're too simplistic and more geared towards MG readers.
I almost see it as the lead character, Kate, is a role model for the younger group.
Kate and her [large] extended family meet up a bit away from their home town (her mom and five of her siblings all live within 20 minutes of each other, including her brother who’s a priest) in memory of her grandmother. Grandma died the year before in a plane crash.
There is quite a bit of information as the story goes on about their family, their dynamics, and how life has made things fluctuate.
One thing that bothers me about the beginning of the first scene is that her Aunt Mary Ellen’s rosary beads are described as “being spared from total annihilation” but they were never mentioned before. It was a piecewise start IMO.
Kate walks away from the gathering and feels drawn to a place where she finds a silver bead from her grandmother’s rosary beads--a strand that she had made to incorporate the initials of all her children (even those she miscarried) and grandchildren.
Kate finds HER bead.
She learns that a girl a bit older than herself (named Chelsea) found a similar one, which happens to be her aunt’s--the one relative not living in town. And she thinks it saved her friend’s life.
I love that Kate can talk to her cousin Evelyn, who also happens to be her best friend. And that Evelyn says that telling a single lie about sneaking out is not as bad as having possible future lies pile out.
I love that their families don’t let the teens under the age of 18 have Smartphones.
I hate how Kate’s mom behaves towards her. I get that she’s depressed, but living with that attitude in that way for a year is devastating and drives me bonkers. Then the fact that she went a week without saying anything to her daughter and being snippy about things is utterly juvenile.
It's also very strange that Kate doesn't know what INRI means (despite going to a Catholic school) but knows that she is leaving the church's narthex.
With both their families on board, Kate & Evelyn work on finding the other beads. And, in turn, they find miracles that have happened along the way.
Kate learns to deal with more pain and grief than from the year before, and it helps her turn to God more, to pray for Mary’s intercession more. She experiences dreams and visions of Jesus, among the many little miracles she is exposed to each day.
And faith really helps us get through grief.
The discussion questions are also not appropriate for teens--in that, I mean they're too simplistic and more geared towards MG readers.
March 7, 2022
Loved, Loved this book. It’s just a simple story of a family dealing with grief, due to the tragic death of their mother and grandmother in a plane crush. However, its woven through one’s faith journey and what it means for different people. As, the main character Katelyn needs to found her faith, when her mother becomes very depressed, which causes a lot of pain for her husband and 3 children, as it seems their family is falling apart.
Yet, after coming across one bead, from Katelyn’s dead grandmother’s rosary, which she used every day, places the teen on a wonderful faith journey.
I admit I cried a few times in this book, and so wish I got to know one of my grandmothers, to whom passed away before my parents married. Both, of these women had strong faith, that grew in both of parents, to whom have great devotion to Mother Mary.
Guess, I am getting off track. I needed this book when growing up, but there was nothing out there. Thus, I praise God, that catholic authors are now writing these sorts of books for teens, which I know is even more confusing and hard to tackle now, than 20 years ago when I was going through it.
So, if you’re a parent, please get this book for your kids. It has powerful messages, as I can relate to all characters in this book, and know many of them in my own family and friends. A must read! There is good role models for teens.
Yet, after coming across one bead, from Katelyn’s dead grandmother’s rosary, which she used every day, places the teen on a wonderful faith journey.
I admit I cried a few times in this book, and so wish I got to know one of my grandmothers, to whom passed away before my parents married. Both, of these women had strong faith, that grew in both of parents, to whom have great devotion to Mother Mary.
Guess, I am getting off track. I needed this book when growing up, but there was nothing out there. Thus, I praise God, that catholic authors are now writing these sorts of books for teens, which I know is even more confusing and hard to tackle now, than 20 years ago when I was going through it.
So, if you’re a parent, please get this book for your kids. It has powerful messages, as I can relate to all characters in this book, and know many of them in my own family and friends. A must read! There is good role models for teens.
October 9, 2021
In this captivating book for teens, Stephanie Engelman grabs the reader from page one with an original and engaging opening scene involving a single rosary bead found by Kate, the protagonist, in the field where a plane crashed, killing her grandmother a year earlier. Along this faith journey, we accompany Kate on her search for more of the miraculous rosary beads, even as her own family is falling apart due to her mother's depression. The book deftly handles sensitive issues of mental illness, the power of the rosary, and the place of the Blessed Mother in the lives of Christ's followers. A strong book for teens of all ages.
November 18, 2019
In general, I enjoyed the story and could definitely see myself giving this to my future child to read, but there were definitely times I felt the writing was more suited for middle grades than high schoolers.
There was a definite message in the text, which was great. It just felt more like a teaching text than the straightforward story featuring a Catholic lead that I was looking for.
I think the story would have been stronger if the main character was just a few years younger or was written in a way that lined up more closely to teenagers.
There was a definite message in the text, which was great. It just felt more like a teaching text than the straightforward story featuring a Catholic lead that I was looking for.
I think the story would have been stronger if the main character was just a few years younger or was written in a way that lined up more closely to teenagers.
February 7, 2018
this is a wonderful read. I am not a Catholic so some of the stuff said in the book I did not understand at all. the jist of the book is Faith and hope and GOD. through prayers and him anything is possible. it's a great read for someone that is struggling with anything in life. it gives you hope and some understanding to bring a person through.
July 7, 2020
The sudden death of her grandmother in a plane crash causes soul-searching throughout Kate's family. This is the story of her journey toward understanding her Catholic faith and the power of prayer. I read this book hoping it was something I might want my own granddaughters to read--hard to know what to offer them these days!
May 11, 2020
The writing is more centered on telling me how to feel while reading this book versus showing me, but the story in and of itself is a good one that has helped me feel more faithful and excited to pray my rosary.
August 2, 2017
Absolutely loved this book!
October 17, 2017
If I could give this book more stars I would. Totally inspirational and full of hope.
August 21, 2020
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: 6 and up
Do you believe in miracles? This story will make you believe that anything is possible even when you are grieving for a lost loved one.
Grade Level: 6 and up
Do you believe in miracles? This story will make you believe that anything is possible even when you are grieving for a lost loved one.
February 16, 2022
Wow! I just finished reading this book and cannot believe how good it is. It’s an easy read, but the story has me going from sad to happy to angry, happy again and crying at the end. Wow.
October 3, 2022
Really amazing read of faith. Inspired me to start praying again❤️❤️❤️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews