Review: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder 

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.
A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review:


The Probability of Miracles was a bittersweet and inspiring debut novel that had me experiencing a range of emotions from page one. Cam Cooper is one hell of a protagonist and her character was wonderfully developed. I loved her sassy and independent spirit and she is certainly a memorable character. The plot was original and unique; it was a contemporary novel with a twist. Wendy Wunder is certainly an author to watch and I'm anxious to see what's next for her.

Campbell Cooper was a spitfire protagonist, that I adored. Everything about her was unique and real. She was such a believable narrator and I connected with her from the start. Her sarcasm was great and added a lot to her character. Cam wouldn't take crap from anyone and I loved how independent and strong she was. All of the characters in The Probability of Miracles were well done and although there were very few of them, each of them stood out to me.

Everything that happened in The Probability of Miracles either made me smile, cry, gasp, or laugh. Each page, paragraph, line, and word was perfectly crafted and proved how great of a writer Wendy Wunder really is. There were quite a few twists in the plot and I became so invested in Cam's story, I had a hard time putting this book down after I'd finished. And this truly was Cam's story. Watching her struggle with cancer was heartbreaking and it was just as hard to see how it impacted her family and friends.

If you are expecting a teary, Nicholas Sparks-esque read with The Probability of Miracles, think again. This book was romantic, yes, emotional, yes, but it also had so much more to it. 

To elaborate, the romance was there, but it wasn't everything. Asher was a great character and he had a real connection with Cam. Watching them spend time together was one of my favorite parts of the book and I'm so glad Cam met Asher in Promise.

Promise was a character in itself and everything that happened there was a miracle. Amazing, unexpected things happened and I can only hope you will give this book a chance to experience them for yourself. 

It is hard to put into words my feelings for this book because I loved it. I have found myself wondering about it time and time again after finishing, and remembering that powerful last line. I highly recommend picking this up one day soon, it is an emotional and romantic read, with a sarcastic and strong protagonist that will steal your heart. There were so many small things occurring in The Probability of Miracles and, tied together, it made a masterpiece. I will definitely be purchasing this for a ton of people for Christmas!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

December 8, 2011/Razorbill/336 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher (ARC)