According to this book, 80% of Americans believe in miracles. Talking publicly about that belief, however, is another thing.

The authors of this book, along with Mary Beth Phillips who was their co-author on their previous book, The Miracle Chase, are three close friends who met through their kids. They each had a Catholic background, which may have contributed to their openness to seeing the miraculous, and each had had an experience that was life changing and that they felt was a miracle. They wanted to pay it forward. In this book, their stories are told again, along with many stories that they have collected, and the book also aims to encourage readers to find the spiritual in every day. The focus isn’t on religious experiences, though some are. The authors feel that all religions have reference to miracles, and that even science has some interesting things to say on the subject.

I review a lot of different books, and I’m always looking for something outside my usual reading to keep expanding myself. I also was drawn to this book because a lot of books I read are mystery or crime, or dramas. Stories with a lot of emotion and turmoil. And I was also seeing a lot of that on social media and the news. It’s been a tumultuous year. A book about seeing the miraculous in every day and looking for the blessings and the positive felt like a nice change. And this book was a real palate cleanser, like a nice lemon sorbet. Refreshing.

I’m not sure that I believe in miracles, in the traditional sense. But I agree with a lot of what this book is about. When you’re mindful and grateful, a sunrise really is a miracle. I really liked that this book focused on aspects of life and positivity that really helped me feel more thoughtful, calm and comforted. I do love stories of synchronicity. This book doesn’t say that science doesn’t have a hand in all this, it’s more that it’s so nice to hear stories that are hopeful, of times when some kind of leap happened and help or comfort or safety was suddenly there where before there was none.

When it comes down to it, this book reminds me of books like Chicken Soup For The Soul or pop psychology books, but not in a bad way at all. It was a really pleasant read and just what I felt like reading after a tough few weeks. I really liked the overall hopeful tone. It felt really nice to read these stories after hearing to much anger and negativity. The book doesn’t have an agenda, religious or otherwise, it’s non-denominational, so to speak. It does encourage people to tell these stories and it has little thought exercises at the end of the chapters to allow you to challenge yourself and open up your thinking, and to help readers see the miraculous in the everyday.

Read It If: you’re looking for something uplifting and positive to read, or if you’ve had an experience that could be called a miracle, this one is for you. I know for some this will feel too twee, but I liked how it reminded me to think positive and look for the magical in the everyday.

Thank you Hachette Canada for the copy of this book for review. The Miracle Collectors is out now.