FROM AMAZON: Dr. Owen Whelan and his wife Sarah have seven bright and expressive children. However, one of them is very unique; he’s been followed since birth by lost souls.
However peculiar Ennis Whelan has been for the first six years of his life, not until the day he found the bird did the degree of his strangeness become so tangible.
Ennis claimed it flew away.

His sister Teagan was about to bury it.

Teagan becomes increasingly suspicious of his odd behavior but their mother dismisses her claims; that is until he starts healing people.
When he also reveals the gift of sight, he questions his father about visions of his past, including his voyage to America in 1844. Owen prayed he’d never have to share those tragic memories but he will share them, when he realizes he has no choice. Ennis’ life depends on it. ( )

This is the story of a young boy named Ennis. He lives with his parents and his 6 siblings in Pennsylvania. Since his birth, Ennis has been followed by lost souls. But nothing comes to light until he is 6 years old and helps a hurt bird by healing it. His sister, Teagan, witnesses this but tell Ennis that he can never tell anyone what happened. One day, Teagan is injured badly, and Ennis heals her. At this time, his sister thinks they must tell their parents because she does not understand what is happening.



Their mother dismisses the claim that Ennis is healing people until she and their father witness it for themselves. Soon Ennis reveals he has a gift of sight and soon starts questioning his parents about their past voyage to America from Ireland. And he can see that a neighbor is physically hurting his children. His gifts start to bring many past secrets to light, and soon Ennis realizes the connection between his father's past and the reason for his gifts.



This is a pretty decent story. It moves pretty fast. The writing isn't great - seems to be written for middle grade readers. She does a good job developing the characters. At the end of the book, it left me wanting to know what happened to them, so I took that as a good sign. The author wasn't consistent with her writing - the characters were immigrants from Ireland. Sometimes she would write as they had an Irish accent, and sometimes she wouldn't. It was like she forgot whom was speaking. But, if you can overlook that, it is a sweet story. ( )

I purchased this book last summer where it sat in my Kindle unread for months until I caught up with my to be read pile. After reading the first chapter, I was hooked on the Whelan family.

The story begins in Pennsylvania in the late 1880's. The Whelan's are Irish immigrants raising their family of seven children in what appears to be a typical setting for that era. The older children have come of age and are ready to leave the family nest.

Everything within this family seems normal until you meet six year old, Ennis, who the author, P. S. Bartlett, must have created and written with divine guidance. You immediately sense the child has an otherworldly quality about him. It is when the boy finds an injured bird and heals it that you begin to understand that something marvelous is waiting for you inside this book.

Ennis' oldest sister, Teagan, is the next to receive his healing energy when she cuts herself with a knife while washing dishes. With her life teetering on edge, Ennis heals her too. From then on, I realized the boy was a crystal star child, highly sensitive and psychic, with a primary life purpose.

As the story unfolds, Ennis and Teagan find themselves caught up in the reality of his gifts. They explain to their parents how Ennis has been employing his healing skills. The parents consult with the local pastor and come to the understanding that these miracles are truly heaven sent.

The parents have their own stories unfolding through flashbacks of their previous lives in Ireland and their journey to their new home in America. Be prepared to go on an emotional rollercoaster as their narratives unfold leading the reader to an explosive and startling ending.

I will hold the image of fireflies dancing around a small boy in my heart for a long time.

If you believe in the power of love this book will restore your belief in miracles. I loved this story and am sorry I waited so long to read it. I have read many of P. S. Bartlett's books, and this one really captured my heart. I've added "Fireflies" to my Me-Time paranormal fantasy category. This is one of those books whose message will stay with you! ( )

When a six-year-old starts showing some very unique abilities, life for his entire family will never be the same.

This book drew me in immediately with characters I easily found myself caring about. I never wanted to put it down, wanting only to continue reading and find out what would happen next. I would love to have the opportunity to read more about the Whelan family. ( )

Fireflies is one of those books that I just couldn't get a handle on. It is the story of the Whelan family, Irish parents Owen and Sarah and their many children, who live on a farm somewhere in Pennsylvania (I think). Owen is a doctor and Sarah runs the house and the children. The story centers on the youngest child, Ennis. Ennis starts to manifest a gift, paranormal power and the story goes from there (I don't want to give any spoilers).
The writing is fine, but rather simplistic and I thought I was reading a book for young teens until the second half of the book when it morphed into sex and violence (none of it is graphically described). The author also attempts an Irish accent which baffled me. Sarah and Owen were both raised in wealthy families and I couldn't see why they would talk like poor Irish or allow their second-generation children to speak that way. The Olsen family (Swedish neighbors) did not. It threw me out of the story.
I liked the first half of the book much better than the second and the ending left me confused. There were a few typographical errors and a few anachronistic phrases uses, but those were fine and shouldn't put a reader off. I was given this book in a LibraryThing giveaway for an honest review. ( )

If you enjoy a family saga with an added paranormal plot line climaxing at the end, this book is for you. If the flashbacks to Ireland confuse you, keep reading as the information becomes important later as the plot lines intertwine. If you liked the pacing and family values of the Little House books as a child, this book about life in the late 1800s is for you. I received a copy though LibraryThing in return for a review. ( )

Signed up to receive a review copy. Never received book from author/publisher, posting this so I do not lose credit for not reviewing the book.

Fireflies by P.S Bartlett

I read this book after reading Hope from the Ocean, although the two books could be read in either order I am glad I read the second one first. I first would like to say I am not and avid book review writer, but I am an avid reader.

This story was amazing! I loved the writing, the story and the characters. I found myself holding back tears ore then once, some happy and some heartbreaking tears. This story is written in such a way that it pulls the reader into the time and the place. Even my husband asked why I said something the way I did, then I realized it was the wording that someone in the story used.

This story has just the right amount of supernatural and spiritual for me. Ennis is not your typical 6 year old, after being resuscitated at birth he and his family seem to have guardian angels and the story begins with his older sister wondering why not one person in their house ever seems to fall ill when so many others around them have been fighting off flus and other sickness. I don't want to give anything of the story away so I am not going to go into a summary of the book.

After reading the last page I was sad to be leaving this family. I want more! I feel like I just need to share these books. Hope From the Ocean and Fireflies. I know what a few of my family members will be getting for Christmas this year!! ( )

I just finished reading Fireflies. It is a book written by P.S. Bartlett. It is about a gifted boy and his family. They are struggling to figure out what's happening and how to fix it. They are also struggling to figure out the answers in life and what to accept and what to fight. Most of the members in the family are burdened with secrets. This is especially so with the older ones.

I really loved this book. I can't give this book enough praise. It was a real page turner. I could hardy put this book down. It was intense. It was raw. It was emotional. It was an all around beautifully touching story. I couldn't get enough of it!

I had a few problems now and then with transitioning. It kind of jumped really quick back and forth without warning. After you get used to it, it stops getting so confusing. I also feel that it has a very slow start. I didn't mind though because for this particular story, I felt like it needed a longer introduction than normal.

This book has a little bit of fantasy, a little bit of historical value, and a little bit of, well, everything. I fully encourage everybody to at least check this out. Even if they don't buy it. Trust me you will not regret giving this book a chance. I absolutely adored this book, and I was sad to put it down. ( )

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great story about an Irish family trying to understand one of its members. I was drawn in from the first page and could not put the book down until the final page was read. (Yes it was another late night) I love the authors writing style. The characters are likeable and the storyline was well developed and flowed flawlessly. Can't wait to read more by this author. ( )

Fireflies by PS Bartlett is an enchanting story of the close-knit Whelan family, coming to terms with their unusual youngest member.

First Paragraph:

"Ennis found a bird. He stood like a fence post, straight and still and about half as tall, cupping the small brown sparrow between his chubby palms and looking down in sorrow. Its feathers were softer than he had imagined and it didn't try to peck him or escape as he'd expected. Its tiny talons scratched him lightly and tickled his skin. Its dark blank eyes stared open, yet its body didn't move."

PLOT

Set in the tiny village of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in the late nineteenth century, an Irish family's life is about to change. A big family, Owen and Sarah support their seven children, Fagan, Connell, Liffey, Teagan, Brogan, Patrick and Ennis.

Ennis was always an unusual baby, starting with his birth. He didn't cry out for many minutes after the delivery, and his parents feared the worst. Six years later, they cherish their little miracle, but being to notice he has a mature temperament far beyond his years.

The other children are growing up too, and the oldest will be leaving the nest any day now. Fagan is enchanted with a young woman down the street, and the two girls (Teagan and Liffey) are becoming women- finally noticing the men around them. But Teagan is ahead of the times. Her father is a doctor and she desperately wants to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, this is the era where genders have their specific roles. Men go out and work, women take care of the homestead and children. Teagan will have none of it.

However, her dreams are the last thing on her mind when Ennis begins to act strangely. First the bird- which Teagan was sure was dead. Then the cut on her hand, that mysteriously vanished after Ennis touched it. As the week progresses, as do Ennis's odd, new powers and soon the entire family is aware of them. Their only thoughts are of protecting the young boy, but what should they do? Who can they tell? Can they protect him? Are these powers a curse or a gift?

REVIEW

This is a captivating story. Somewhere between an Irish 'Little Women', "Little House on the Prairie' and its own story. It has the same rustic appeal, with the story relying on the characters to carry it. And oh do they carry it. Mixed in the the daily life of the Whelan family, is the plot around Ennis. His powers are done pretty subtley, and I wouldn't call this a paranormal book. I would say it's more historical slice-of-life, mixed in with a little coming-of-age and a dash of fantasy.

The story itself spans two generations. As their children grow and begin to think about starting their own families, both Sarah and Owen have flashbacks to their youths in Ireland, and the differences between them, as well as the coincidences that brought them both to America, where they met for the first time. Their strong, constant love, entwines with the new, exciting love their children are beginning to experience in a poetic contrast.

The story explores the complex relationships between one person and the next. How easily they can be made and how easily broken. How they can subtly shift or slowly fade. The bonds that can be made or lost. The potentials that were never realised and the unconditionals that are there through it all.

Ennis's powers are a little reminiscent of those of John from 'The Green Mile'. Even their personalities are a little similar- they're both very aware of the world, both soft-spoken, they never complain. If you were to be a healer, these would be the ideal components for it, so it's not surprising that they have similarities.

The characters are as realistic a band of personalities as you can get. The relationships they have with each other as so vivid, that you can forget sometimes that they aren't real people. This is especially true of the family. They are the core of this story. It's how they react to the changes in Ennis that makes this book so good. As the story progresses, a nervous energy settles over the house, and each family member goes through an almost 'five stages of grief' phase. Their inability to understand what's happening, mixed with their fear for Ennis builds and merges until it bursts out of them through anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance, guilt, fear and confusion.

The ending is nothing if not feel-good, and will leave you wishing for more of the lovely Whelan family. This is one of the few books I've read that kept me guessing till the end. I honestly had no idea how it would or could end. Once you get there, the reasons for the events become clear, but a little confused. I was left wondering why, but in the end it really didn't matter. I didn't read the story for the why, I read it for the who- for the family that are so warm and caring, and will take you in as one of their own. For the charm and description.

Because the description is beautiful and incredibly immersive. I could feel the summer heat, softened by a gentle breeze, as the fireflies glide around lazily and the crickets serenade the night. It's full of the simple pleasures of life, mixed in with a little magical wonderment.

A story that reminds me of lights on a Christmas Tree, glowing in the darkness- beautiful, safe and a reminder of the love and happiness you share with the people whose names are scattered beneath it. Reading this book is like going to sleep content, with a smile on your face. There is simply nothing else like it.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. ( )