Best book of 2019. Run, don't walk to get a copy. A heartbreaking story about mothers surrounded by a beautiful immigrant story wrapped in an intelligent and twisty courtroom drama. I couldn't put it down.

WOW, what a book. I started reading my NetGalley copy, then realized I wanted it to be my BOTM selection so I could have it in physical format.

This literary courtroom drama surprised me with how fleshed out its characters were. It kept me guessing, but it also had me thinking about immigration, autism, parenthood, honesty. Hoo-boy, what a web we weave when we set out to deceive.

Fast-paced, heart-wrenching, book hangover. There's no comic relief within, so be ready for heavy. Her writing is tight and beautiful, and I look forward to more from Angie Kim in the future.

Rated R for language, sexual situations, death.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an ARC of Miracle Creek in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

I was surprised to find out that this was the debut novel of Angie Kim! It was so wonderfully written and compelling (I finished it in 24 hours)!

A Korean family immigrates to America and opens an alternative health facility, Miracle Submarine, where patients (mostly young children) are exposed to pressurized oxygen to help them with their health issues. One day, a mysterious explosion kills two people. Was it set by the protestors who regularly protest this alternative 'medicine'? Was it Elizabeth, the mother of an autistic boy who was getting treatment at Miracle Submarine?

The pacing in this book is great: the story hits the ground running with the explosion, and then twists and turns are revealed in the courtroom setting and in recollections from the main characters.

I found myself constantly second guessing 'whodunnit' (even though I would say this book is more than your typical 'whodunnit' thriller) and the surprises and revelations along the way never felt cheap.

I look forward to reading what Angie Kim writes next!

Thank you @fsgbooks for providing me a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

MIRACLE CREEK surprised me so much. I’m not sure what I expected honestly but I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. This book touched on so many different aspect of life. I hope I do this review justice.

First, I would like to point out that as a mother MIRACLE CREEK pulled at my heart strings. I understand how it feels to want your child to make right choices and wanting them to do the right thing in the face of all the wrong things in this world. We see our children as perfect so when a child is diagnosed with any type of disorder the parent has to understand how to better handle the situation all while trying to keep from losing their own sense of identity.

With that being said I think its safe to get into the actual review. We are introduced to the Yoo family. They are Korean immigrants who have come to America and end up running their own business in hopes of improving the condition of autistic children. Their business was pretty much booming up until one troubling day when their equipment catches fire and multiple casualties are identified. This is when the story gets good We have multiple POVs throughout each chapter that goes back in time to before the fire and then fast forwards to the present day when the criminal trial takes place. The reader sees the wheels turning in each character’s head and is forced to figure out who set the fire and how lives will be changed as an outcome.

This book touches on the struggles involving an immigrant family, the struggles of caregivers/mothers raising special needs children and what a parent goes through to do the best for the kids.

MIRACLE CREEK went on sale today! Happy Pub Day -I wholeheartedly give this book 5 stars!

Pak and Young Yoo, along with their daughter, have moved to the United States from Korea. Ultimately settling in a small town by the name of Miracle Creek, Virginia, they decide to open a new business - the “Miracle Submarine.” An experimental treatment for various medical conditions, the “Miracle Submarine” is a hyperbaric oxygenation chamber that draws in many locals, particularly parents of children with special needs. Things seem to be going well until one day there is a horrific explosion, killing two people inside. A recounting of the subsequent courtroom trial unfolds, and what seems to be a straightforward case may not be as it first appears.

In her debut novel, Angie Kim unravels a gut-wrenching mystery. This book was not what I was expecting going in, and I mean that in the best way. I was gripped with emotion throughout at the powerful love, the grief and loss that is so skillfully portrayed. Kim examines the difficulties of parenting children with unique and intensive needs alongside the difficulties faced by an immigrant family in their new home. The way that she subtly deposits bits of information throughout leaves the reader navigating a maze of surprises until the very end. This feat is executed in part by alternating perspectives of the narrator from one character to another, which allows the reader to slowly piece together the truth of what happened the evening of the explosion.

This novel was so acutely emotional that it was painful to read in parts; however, the journey is worth the heartache. Kim skillfully examines how small decisions can lead to catastrophic consequences, how the concept of what is “right” or “best” is not always so clearly defined.

I really enjoyed this novel and definitely recommend it! Sincere thanks to NetGalley and FSG Books for the advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

This book started out a little slow, but it is worth the read. It is a really interesting story, and it all comes together at the end!

I really liked reading this book, and can't wait until Kim comes out with her next one!

Amazing debut novel! This author made me love all the characters and really empathize with them. It was a perfect, realistic ending, which I appreciated. The book focuses on the viewpoints of multiple characters in different situations, bringing you to a grand finale ending. The build up was worth the wait!

Thank you to Angie Kim, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for this Advance Reader Copy.

Miracle Creek is a thriller/drama that deals with different aspects of autism, caregiving, parenthood and immigration. It is a story about a crime told from the viewpoints of the various people who may have been the culprit. The story hones in on the trial after Young and Pak's privately owned medical treatment center blows up with people trapped inside. The story is exceptional, and the subject of Autism is handled very well. I found this novel hard to put down. I’m usually not a fan of courtroom dramas, but this one is exceptional. My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a BRILLIANT debut. This book was absolutely stunning! Filled with so many different aspects, it’s a book that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. At the heart of the book is a murder mystery, a case that looks open and shut, but is it? After a devastating accident takes the lives of two people in Hyperbaric Oxgen Therapy (something I knew nothing about), it quickly becomes clear that it wasn’t an accident at all. So many lives are destroyed, while many live with guilt and regret. Told in several voices, we find that there are many secrets and as they unfold, it leaves us questioning everything right up until the perfect conclusion. With an array of complex issues, every character rings true. The open honesty of the special needs moms was both heartbreaking and uplifting. With an edge of your seat courtroom drama, this book is impossible to put down. It’s about doing the right thing no matter what the consequences. “Unintended consequences of a good persons mistakes”.

This book is described as a “literary courtroom drama”, and it is, but it is so much more than that. This book tackles issues including autism, immigration. Infertility, motherhood, and death. The story is complex, but told from multiple perspectives it weaves together beautifully and allows the reader to put themselves in each character’s shoes. Don’t skip this book. You won’t want to put it down.

A hyperbaric chamber named the “Miracle Submarine” sits in the barn of a family that has recently immigrated to the US from South Korea. The chamber is used to “treat” a number of ailments, including autism. One day, the chamber explodes. The culprit appears to be on trial, but is it the correct culprit? Each piece of evidence is examined and examined again, and each character reveals how they play into the puzzle, and how they’ve interacted with the evidence. Sometimes, it felt a bit redundant to go over the same pieces of the story, even if the reader is being provided a new take on what happened. However, it does come together nicely in the end, and it is clear that Kim has made each move with intention, like a chess player who knows how she can win.

Besides presenting an interesting story, Kim presents themes that were both thought-provoking and to at least to me, novel. I had never heard of using a hyperbaric chamber for treatment (other than for infections), especially in the context of autism. Apparently, hyperbaric chambers are ubiquitous, and athletes and Justin Bieber use them.  On top of that, it was eye-opening to see what a parent of a child with special needs sometimes does to help their child: taking them to therapeutic appointments, monitoring their diet, ensuring their education meets their needs, and so on. There was also an examination of an immigrant family, including the struggles to stay connected when members are split between two countries and the hopes to obtain the “American Dream.”

There were some mildly repetitive, slower points, but Kim has written a well-written story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC copy of Miracle Creek in exchange for an honest review.

Miracle Creek is the definition of an explosion drama, no pun intended. I love stories that broaden my horizons and help me learn culture other than my own and this book definitely does just that! However, this book is not for everyone. You have to be ready to read about dark thoughts and cover topics that may be difficult for some.

This was my first book by Angie Kim that I read and I am so happy that I requested a copy! This book starts out with the mystery of a fire which killed a young boy and injured many others, altering their lives in huge ways. The court room all gathers to hear the story of Elizabeth and her struggles with being a mother to a son with autism. We venture through real life experiences for those who struggle in her shoes. It is the harsh and yet sad reality that perhaps all care givers and parents experience doubt and dark thoughts when caring for a dependent child. Angie handles this reality in a very lovely way that made my heart ache for those who experience these emotions on a day to day basis.

All in all I was very pleased with this read even though it is not my typical genre and will keep an eye out from Kim's books in the future!

“That was the thing about lies: they demanded commitment. Once you lied, you had to stick to your story.” What a great line!

Miracle Creek is described as a “literary courtroom drama”, and it is, but it is so much more than that. There is enough medical and legal drama in this to feel a bit like John Grisham, yet better constructed for suspense. Immigration, insurance fraud, interracial families, and infertility are themes. But, the theme that runs throughout the book is one of “autistic moms”, and their quest for a “cure” for autism.

As a speech language pathologist, I understand and have witnessed many families who literally mortgaged homes running after the next big thing in autism “therapies”. Miracle Creek addresses one, hyperbaric chambers and pure oxygen treatment. Initially created for healing wounds and treating the bends in divers, this treatment is supposed to help children, on the spectrum , “heal”.

This book starts with an explosion of the chamber, which kills several people who were inside at the time of the “dive”. We, as readers, are given several points of view and attempt to figure out who set the fire to blow up the chamber.

Elizabeth, who has been a “find the cure” mom for autism, is on trial for the arson and murder of her own child who perished in the fire. The author describes very well the feelings and desperation of those who buy into all the treatments. Pak Yoo, the owner of the business, is also suspected, and we find out just who is behind this vicious crime.

For a debut novel, this is simply a fantastic start to this author’s career. You will not be disappointed in the roller coaster of the book.

Release date is 4/16/19
Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.

“That was the thing about lies: they demanded commitment. Once you lied, you had to stick to your story.”

This story was FULL of lies, secrets, and heartbreak, and gahhhh I LOVED IT! No question this was 5 gut-wrenching, who did this Stars!

The book starts with a bang, literally, an explosion, and we the reader do not learn much about the crime. We know there are adults and children together in a pressurized oxygen chamber, on a therapeutic “dive”, receiving treatment for various ailments, most hoping for a cure. Issues can range anywhere from infertility to autism. This device, known as a Miracle Submarine, is located at the home of the Pak Yoo, in Miracle Creek, Virginia. Pak is the only member of his family certified in the use of the oxygen chamber, and therefore is the only one that can turn it on and off and let everyone out.

Then the book fast forwards to the trial, where a mother is being accused of setting the fire and killing her 8 yr old autistic son, who was in the chamber at the time of the explosion. The defense attorney introduces other suspects, for example, perhaps the fire was set by Pak, who might have collected an insurance payout and then could have put his daughter through college. There are still others that were there with secrets of their own, and as the story progresses, we learn they have been lying due to their own irrational fears.

The narrative is told through several POV’s, so we get to see what each of the characters are thinking, although least of these is the mother, we do not get her viewpoint until close to the end, and that is intentional.

I cannot say enough about how well done this book is. On top of all the above, Kim winds in relevant themes that occur today — themes surrounding how mothers with special needs children are treated if they don’t do things exactly how others think they should, how they are apparently never allowed to have a bad day. Themes surrounding Korean culture, interracial marriages, pressures to have children, affairs, oh and losing a child. I have not covered everything here, there simply is not enough time.

Release date is 4/16/19 - I highly suggest you pre-order this one if you cannot make it to the store that day. Thank you to NetGalley for an electronic ARC to review. All opinions above are my own.

Absolutely loved this book! Kept me on the edge of my seat and felt like a story I haven't heard before. The medical device was intriguing and interesting in and of itself....the courtroom drama was fantastic. Look forward to seeing more from this author.

Remarkable, riveting, and engaging are the words that came to mind when I finished.Miracle Creek.

What a stunning masterfully plotted debut novel!

I was not sure how I would react to this book as I am not a fan for courtroom drama storylines but this book had me from the first page.

Each of the realistically drawn characters had their own degree of "suffering" from being an immigrant, parenting, and/or mother of a special needs child.

This is a DEBUT??? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I was not sure about this one going in. I read a lot of details about it beforehand, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, immigration, autism, but mystery/legal thriller stood out so I gave it a shot. WOW!!! I can't say enough! This is all of the above and SO much more! I am still thinking about it. I'm so happy that I went out of my comfort zone and gave this a shot! Thank you to #NetGalley, Angie Kim and Sarah Crichton Books for this Digital ARC!!!

I am still rolling this one around in my mind. What an intense debut novel! There was controversy and suspense at every turn. I thought I knew from the very beginning what happened, and then I changed my mind about 30 times between pages. Miracle Creek is a book that shows we are all flawed, but for the most part we can all sympathize with these flaws. I enjoyed that the story was from several different viewpoints, because we did get to see more than one side to each story and then we got to see the side to most of those stories that came out in court and were not necessarily exactly what happened. It is a reminder that the justice system doesn't always work the way it is supposed to. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Literary Fiction. I will warn that there are some triggers in the book, so be cautious if reading about extreme depression might be a trigger for you. Otherwise, it was an excellent novel that I enjoyed and I can't wait to discuss with my book club.

Amazing, heartbreaking book. A phenomenal debut. I would recommend this one to everyone. Such a wide range of emotions as I read this - would make an excellent book club book. A must-read for 2019.

Boom!

The buzz around this mystery started early, and it started loud. If it hadn’t I am not sure I’d have asked to read it. When I saw the premise—the use of a hyperbaric oxygen tank to murder an autistic child—I thought wow, this author is reaching. But a quick web crawl taught me that though controversial, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is actually used to treat autism. The treatment is controversial but the basis of the story is a sound one, so I have learned something already, and now that I’ve read it, I am glad I didn’t let it pass me by. Big thanks go to Net Galley and Sarah Crichton Books for the review copy. Miracle Creek will be available to the public April 16, 2019.

The HBOT therapy device is owned by Pak and Young Yoo. A lot of hard work and financial struggle went into procuring this device; there were years when they had to live apart, with Young and their daughter Mary in Baltimore, Young working round the clock for room, board, and her daughter’s private school tuition while Pak worked two jobs in Korea, squirreling away resources. Now the unthinkable has occurred—the chamber has gone up in flames with patients inside it. Two people are dead and others are horribly injured, and there’s an intensive investigation that leads to an arrest. Elizabeth, a single mother, is charged with starting the fire in order to murder her little boy and free herself from the difficult caregiver role. On the surface, the facts are damning indeed, but what the cops don’t know, at least in the beginning, is that every single person that was there that day is lying about it.

Elizabeth, Kitt, and Teresa are mothers of autistic children, digging deep and running up their credit cards hoping for miraculous transformations. The seventh patient is Matt, whose wife has pressured him into trying this treatment to raise his sperm count. The other characters in this story are the Yoo family that own and operate the chamber, and the legal teams assembled for the trial.

Most legal thrillers and courtroom mysteries hinge heavily upon what happens in the courtroom. In contrast, although what plays out in court is not unimportant, the real meat of this story has to do with the actions, thoughts, and memories of the townspeople that are involved, primarily when court is not in session. Although our point of view is the third person omniscient, specific critical details are revealed to us in stages, and what we learn at the end differs greatly from the conclusions most of us will have drawn at the outset, when we had less information.

Why do people lie, and in particular, why would anyone lie to the authorities investigating a deadly disaster like this one? Make a list of the possibilities, and as you read, you’ll see them all, a veritable potpourri of bald-faced lies and critical omissions of facts. At the end of it, we find just one (lying) person that has integrity and pure motives, and everyone else has crossed a line, not only legally but ethically. And although there’s just one character here that I’d describe as dynamic, the others are developed to an extent as their layers of rationalization, anger, fear, resentment, and greed are revealed to us.

This is an explosive debut, and Angie Kim is a force to be reckoned with. You want to read this book, and happily, you won’t have to wait long. Highly recommended.