I find Billy Coffey being amongst the best authors of Christian fiction, as he understands brokenness, pain, the lack and need of hope and love deeply and he writes about them in unique way. But be warned - he certainly is not your everyday author and you better be very open person. He is hard to put in a genre box, but I sometimes think of him as of Christian Stephen King with very lyrical storytelling and with a very special way to bring a deep meaning on the table. But before you get to the said meaning, there is a journey to be had.

Young “special” boy Abel with a condition of having very fragile bones is to enter the journey, looking for the healing, reward and treasure promised to him. But promises might mean something entirely different, something strange, eerie and much bigger than Abel can imagine. Accompanied by Dumb Willie, another “special needs” guy and young hobo Dorothy, they embark on a journey through darkness, their friendship being the bond that will get them through - that and a very deep things that are meant to be all along. And the love.

Honestly, this is not my favourite Billy Coffey novel (that might be Devil walks in Mattingly), but I am always in awe how well Mr Coffey gets the human brokenness, weariness and the need for light, change and rest. For healing. He can see the hardness of the living and he is not shy to show it. But he also sees much deeper, to the heart of that brokenness and to the beauty that moves this world.
To be frank, I would love to have less journeying and more interactions with the people (of Mattingly mostly, because I like them), as I think the author can get carried by his imagination a bit much here in this novel. But otherwise - this is a very fine food for thought and as always the food to nurture my soul.

This is my first book by Coffey and I must say it is different, how ever it is a very engaging story with twists, surprises, terrific characters and beautifully crafted human moments that draws you in. I would not say it is "Christian" but this is a fictional work intended to give interesting insight into life and death.  It is a powerful story of friendships and compassion.....I was given a copy from the Thomas Nelson the publisher via NetGalley and this review is in my own words.

Poignant and moving, Some Small Magic is a beautiful tale of hope set against the backdrop of small town Virginia through the mountains, Tennessee, and finally to Carolina where young Abel Shifflett longs to find a way up for him and his mother. Coffey writes with purpose, each word set in just the right place, pulling readers into the novel with rich descriptions and full emotion. Abel is a character that readers are drawn to; young and just naive enough to believe he can do the impossible, while his broken body elicits sympathy and concern. Some Small Magic is a story of determination and love, and it is a story that longs to be told.

this book turned out to be something very different than i expected- but in a good way.
I was not expecting the supernatural elements in it but it kind of worked overall even if it was a bit difficult to figure out at first.
I liked the writing, characters and overall plot.

A nice book all in all!

I try not to read too much about a book before I actually read the book. I like to be surprised by where I am taken. Wow! Did not expect the turn taken early in, that guides the rest to father story. While I am often turned off by stories with a truly spiritual theme (too preachy or trite), this tale was thoughtful and accessible. Moving and thoroughly engaging.

I was intrigued by Billy Coffey's book "There Will Be Stars", as it was extremely different from anything I had read before. I was looking forward to reading "Some Small Magic" when it came out, but found this one to be even more odd and very hard to muddle through. Not quite my cup of tea this time.

Another fabulous book by Mr. Coffey. Captivating from page one, and holds you ensnared until the last page.

I always enjoy Billy Coffey's stories...this one was no exception. Have recommended it to many.

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz is the first novel I have read by this author. When I first started reading, I was unsure about the setting, and the characters. I am more drawn to modern, current fiction than to any other period or place in history, I determined to just read a couple of chapters, and then move on.

This book surprised me! The pioneer element was fascinating. Reading about women with courage, mettle, and strength to survive some of the plights of those "westward expansion" days was compelling. Tempe, one of the main characters, has suffered loss. The man she had chosen to marry had been brutally killed, her father stayed on the run, and danger surrounded her and her family on all sides. Potential dangers, at least.

The Moonbow Inn is a shelter and sanctuary that her family runs. It offers shelter and food, and even amateur medical attention, to those traveling the same pioneer trails and need rest or direction.

Frantz crafts a story in this novel that weaves its way into your heart. You gather questions about her, her life, and her future, as you read. Revelations about the different characters are sprinkled throughout the chapters to keep you reading.

I cannot imagine the depth of research necessary to write a novel like this one. Add to that creativity, heart, and beautiful language, and you have just a glimpse of this story.

Indians also appear in this novel; of course they would, as main actors on Amerian soil during pioneer days. Frantz shows through her story that the encounters between Indians and "white men" were often much more complex than people realize. Her story reveals the nuances of compassionate, Godly people who must grapple with the realities of life during this strained time in our history.

In the end, I am glad I met Tempe, Sion, Russell, and the others. It is well worth the journey!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Some Small Magic is a heartwarming, heart wrenching, amazingly touching and GOD Blessed story.  From page one it takes you on a magical journey with CHRIST.  It's about a little boy - a very special little boy named Abel - and his journey's in life, with a special friend named dumb Willie.  Abel is special because he is a broken boy meaning his bones are so soft if he were to get hit - fall - etc - that it would very serious.  He was raised without a Dad - told he was a dead but he found something that might cause some confusion.  He goes somewhere using something serious to get there with dumb Willie - they meet someone who is important to them, but I cannot tell you all this  - it will ruin your read - tell you what - it is serious - surprising - and amazing- you see Abel did a trick on a boy at school and now - oh boy the boy is after him and if the boy catches him well - he is dead - for real - but the trick he did was so very nasty - you would not believe it - Then a man comes to town who can commit miracles - can he cure Abel?  will he get beat up? will he die? what happens with his father?  The best thing about this book is that it is full of JESUS - yay JESUS - Amen?  you cannot beat a book full of JESUS.

This is the first book I’ve read by Billy Coffey, and while neither the title, the cover or the description especially appealed to me, I requested it for review because of the good things I’ve heard about his previous books. I read a lot of ‘Top Ten’ lists at the end of 2016, and several of them mentioned Coffey’s previous book, The Devil Walks in Mattingly.

I was also interested to read it from a writing perspective. One of the (many) online writing/editing groups I’m part of had a discussion about point of view. The specific discussion was around omniscient point of view, and whether it’s an acceptable option in modern fiction. Someone cited Billy Coffey as a current CBA author writing omniscient point of view. So you see why I had to read it …

The result is I started reading Some Small Magic without knowing much about it, but with the expectation of something worth reading, and something a little different.

And yes, different is what I got.

The story is told in a weird kind of third person. Most of it is from the viewpoint of Abel, an eleven year old boy who is described as special (a word he and his mother both hate, and one that doesn’t really describe him). Other scenes are written from the viewpoint of his mother, his father, his best friend, and even his worst enemy.

Modern writing ‘rules’ would say that the scenes from Abel’s viewpoint have to be seen through his eyes and described in words he would use, but they aren’t. Not really. Some of the vocabulary is too advanced for even the most special eleven year old, but it works. Somehow. Even though it feels like I’m being told a story rather than experiencing the story through Abel’s eyes (which is what third person deep perspective should be).

But it works. Abel is only eleven, and a boy, and every parent knows small boys aren’t the most reliable of narrators. The voice is unique, and what’s even more impressive is that each character has a distinct voice.

That’s the good stuff.

Unfortunately, there was also not-so-good stuff which had me wanting to put the novel down several times.

The theology in Some Small Magic is up there with the theology in The Da Vinci Code in terms of its consistency with the Bible. In this fictional world, pretty much everyone goes to heaven, especially children. Even if they’re nasty bullies who show every indication of turning into serial killers. There's no mention of Jesus, of salvation.

Then there are the main characters. One is Death, who appears in the form of a young woman. Then there is Abel, who [spoiler] is a ghost. Now, I have nothing against ghosts in general market fiction (e.g. JK Rowling). I wouldn’t even mind a ghost in Christian fiction if it turned out to be the product of some kind of mental illness. But this is a proper ghost. A spirit-still-on-earth-because-it-hasn’t-been-shown-The-Path ghost. And I don’t think that has any place in Christian fiction.

Despite this, there was something compelling about Some Small Magic, perhaps in the same way as Twilight was compelling. But the end was all a bit of a let-down. It was pretty much what I’d been expecting since the halfway point (despite some red herrings suggesting the contrary). While there was some great writing, it didn’t make up for dodgy theology or the lack of character development (although, in fairness, am I being unreasonable to expect character development from Death, a ghost, and an idiot?).

Overall, this is a novel I don’t mind suggesting that writers read for the writing, but not one I’d recommend as a good example of Christian fiction.

After all, Christian fiction should be Christian. At least, that's what I think.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

While interesting, this book wasn't quite my cup of tea. It's perfect for others, I'm sure, but not quite a fit for me.

Some Small Magic by Billy Coffey

I’ll start with a disclaimer: I don’t find magic in the charm of Southern hill people’s poverty. I don’t find ignorance endearing. I don’t find struggle necessarily enlightening. I think to enjoy this book you would have to appreciate all three.

Abel Shifflet is used to things not going his way. A young man with brittle bones who can be hurt just by tripping he literally lives a “hard knock life”. When he discovers a set of letters from the father he believed to be dead but who is very much alive, he decides to set off for the town of Fairhope to meet him. Abel’s desire is to discover some magic to alleviate the pain and poverty of his existence. But like the song says, we don’t always get what we want, we get what we need. Along the way he will meet people who will change his perspective, remind him of what’s important, and ultimately, will lead him to the home he’s been longing for.

A celebration of the quaint quirkiness of life in the South, I found this tale a painful reminder of everything that has created the division this country experiences right now. My heart ached every time I read the phrase “Dumb Willy”, which was a descriptor of one of Abel’s good friends who was mentally handicapped. And while I appreciated the effort to write a Christian perspective into an Of Mice and Men style tale, it just didn’t work for me. Mr. Coffey gets full credit for being able to produce lyrical prose but his loving, nostalgic look at people who made me long to slap them hard in the face left me feeling disgruntled and dissatisfied.

Grade: C Sensuality: N/A

This well written novel has an engaging story line and a big heart. I'd not read Coffey before so thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this if you'd like a plot driven tale which can prompt discussion and some complex characters you will find yourself caring for deeply.

Billy Coffey is a new author to me, and I was delighted to find this book. Misfits Abel Shifflett and Dumb Willie ride the train in the hope of finding the town of Fairhope, where a little magic may be found. I found the written almost lyrical, and very good characterization.

Every book of Coffey’s dives a little bit deeper and a little bit darker.

Abel Shifflet’s life needs a little bit of magic. He was born with soft bones and messed up insides, which the other kids at school take advantage of. He and his mom are very poor as she can only wait tables and any money they have tends to go to mending Abel’s bones when they break. At a mountain revival in the hills outside Mattingly, Abel watches Reverend Johnny Mills heal others with the touch of a hand. Abel can’t decide if it is real or just tricks, so he decides to seek out Reverend Johnny after the revival is over. After Johnny takes his money for a “word”, he is soon overtaken by a spirit that tells Abel that he will find treasure, healing, and reward.

Soon after this meeting, with his mother upset about the money he lost to Reverend Johnny, Abel begins to clean the house for forgiveness. While cleaning he finds a treasure, several letters from the father he thought was dead. With this new mystery, Abel decides it is part of the sign and decides to run away to find out the truth in the town of Fairhope, North Carolina. With only his slow minded friend Dumb Willie for a companion, they hope the night train that runs by the trailer park. But someone awaits them in the boxcar and the real danger begins. Is there really magic in the world, big or small, that could help Abel?

I love Billy Coffey’s writing. I love that he is not scared to show the evil of the world in his books and through his characters. But this book is really, really deep. It’s really good, but does it ever dive deeper than anything he has written so far. And if you’ve ever read one of his books, you know that you have to pay attention to the details, otherwise you’ll be reading along and realized that you missed the train somewhere and have to go back to find out where.

All of his books have a supernatural element. It is similar in regard to There Will be Stars with death, but not on the Groundhog Day aspect. I’m still trying to figure out if this is more of a story about Abel or about Dorothy. Both learn a lot in the pages of this book, so it could really be about either. I so want to dive into who these characters are, but feel like I would be ruining the story for anyone who hasn’t read the book. However, I will say that reading the chapters narrated by Dumb Willie are very powerful. Coffey wrote these sections just as if the reader were mentally challenged. The language, word order, and thought process is very powerful and makes the reader really consider these individuals throughout the world.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this is Coffey’s best book. It is still really good, but it just didn’t do as much for me as some of the others. This may be because I have become very attached to several of the main characters that appear in many of the novels. Sherriff Barnett still appears briefly. I also loved the reference to “time is a circle” with Dorthea Cash. Be sure to read There Will be Stars to make that connection if you haven’t.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

This is a sweet story, very moving and well written with a likable lead character . I liked the pace of the book and enjoyed reading it.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Billy Coffey really weaves a tale! I'd enjoyed other books by this author, and was excited to see this new title. He had me hooked from the initial visit to the principal's office. Be careful though, there's a lot of wisdom in this story, and it will leave you thinking. Likeable characters and unexpected plot twists - this fictional account had it all.

The Curse of Crow Hollow was the first Billy Coffey book I read. It was spectacular. One thing is for sure, he does write odd stories. Make you think and also they are like watching an episode of The Twilight Zone. Odd and very interesting. This one pulls at the heartstrings. Sad to the very end.

Note: There are a good many uses of the word 'b-----d' and one other foul word. I did not appreciate that and felt it was unnecessary in a book labeled Christian fiction.


I was given a preview copy of this book by