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Penny Pickle
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A Shortage of Angels: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Penny Pickle (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
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Rural East Texas, 1968 Calvina ("Cal") Jean Prather is a 10-year-old precocious angel hunter living in Onward, Texas. She is blessed by birthright to be a "special purpose" child who can see the angels on Earth as they go about their celestial tasks. She lives with her mortician granddaddy in their combined house and funeral parlor. Cal's best friend is Moody, a child with social challenges. Enthralled by local legend, the duo secretly heads for the forbidden reaches of the Sabine River Bottom, where they witness a murder confession while playing an innocent game of Indian scouts. When the killers seek to silence Cal and Moody as witnesses, the children realize that they are tangled in a dangerous web. Cal must soon choose between her solemn oath not to call on the angels to intervene in Earthly matters, or risk the lives of those she loves. Only one angel can be summoned on such short notice who has the light and power to save her: Lucifer. Her gamble with the devil brings her to the jaws of death, and Onward to a reckoning with their own prejudices. Cal must choose between her promise, her loved ones, and her own place in eternity. The revelations reveal the circumstances of her mother's death, the origin of her powers, and who she can claim as her father.
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  1. Print length
    145 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Roundfire Books
  5. Publication date
    October 27, 2023
  6. File size
    3491 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

I have to fully admit that aside from the enthralling synopsis, I didn't have a clue as to what I was truly in for by reading this book and for that alone, when all has now been said and done, I was mighty blessed as A Shortage of Angels: Diary of an Angel Hunter is one of those rare books that you should only know the title before giving yourself to its most wondrous prose.
Told with a folk-hued spirituality, nearly from the off you can hear the narrator Calvina East's lower South dialect, which adds a sumptuous, warmly layered feeling to the way the book is read within our heads.
I dare not give away anything about the ebb and flow of this book, save for suggesting you have a hankie to hand come the end as it is one that will, unless you are made of stone, have you welling up; whilst at the same time having your ponder the larger, relatively unknown aspects of our lives. Exclusive Magazine

Review

A Shortage of Angels is an unusual story that blends a folksy aesthetic with a more pointed reflection on spirituality, as members of a Southern community cross paths with angels in their midst. Pickle attempts to capture narrator Cal's East Texas drawl and sometimes morbid sense of humor as she grapples with and comes to accept her haunting powers. Calvina (Cal) is perceptive to small details in the world around her and often in awe at the appearance of the angels. The dialect shines most when describing members of the community and their dynamics.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CJL6DVS8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Roundfire Books (October 27, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 27, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3491 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 145 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1803413743
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

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Penny Pickle

Penny Pickle

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Penny Pickle holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Baylor University, and is a practicing Nurse Practitioner in a small Pediatric Clinic in rural East Texas. She lives alone on a country lake. She has twins who attend universities, Peter and Neely.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
38 global ratings
Beautifully written
5 Stars
Beautifully written
It’s amazing when a writer can put so much thought and detail into a book that you feel as if you were there with these characters. From seeing Clovis in the casket to seeing Charlotte at the windmill; Penny really gives you a clear picture of every moment in this wonderful novel.It was a beautiful read that will have the reader fully invested and wanting more; truly can’t wait to read more novels by Penny Pickle.
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Top reviews from the United States

J. Motley
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I’ve read in many years! Fond Memories of Childhood!
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I finished this book in two days because I couldn’t put it down! It brought back so many childhood memories for me that I felt like Calvinia was one of my childhood friends. After reading it the first time, my OCD kicked in and I had to go back through it again to map out all the relationships!😅

I thought I had everyone figured out except the Rev C.J. Ellison?? I thought for sure that he was Moody’s father and Jewel Ellison’s husband, but I couldn’t make the connection to all of his quotes?? Imagine my surprise when I found out who C.J. Ellison really was!! I won’t spoil it for anyone else, but it really caught me by surprise!

There were so many references that brought back so many fond memories that I’d need a couple of pages to cover them all! Suffice it to say that it was the best book that I’ve read in many years, because of the fact that I could relate to so many facets of the story.

Thank you, Penny Pickle, for taking the time to put pen to paper for us all to enjoy!😊
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P. Phifer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Spiritual Messages
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
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I grew up in a small farming community in West Texas and enjoyed being reminded of life in a small town. I know Penny, having gone to the same church and studying with Rev Kay Hunter and she did a beautiful job writing the spiritual messages of C J Ellison! Calvinia is a wonderful character that you can't help but fall in love with. Great read and very enjoyable, I highly recommend.
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Eva Green, OTR
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024
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The southern, East Texas drawl of the main character was audible as I read this book. Sharing similar temporal and geographical experiences as the author made the book particularly relatable. In this book Penny weaves a fictional story of angels, drawing on her life experiences in a small, rural town. A must read for anyone interested in stories of small town USA, angels, relationships, and suspense. I look forward to future books by the author!
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LLFinATL
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
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A Shortage of Angels was such a fun weekend read. A sweet and captivating story set in 1968 East Texas. Even though this is fiction, expect to the characters to speak with profound spiritual and Biblical insight. I loved getting to know each of the characters, even the angels. I like to believe that I have my own angels who guard over me. This book helped me to visualize just that.
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Kim Strube
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story!
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2024
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I loved this book! I bought it because of the author. I love to support local authors. I read it twice…in 2 days. I am not sure what I expected but I usually figure out everything before I’m halfway through a book. That was not the case here. I was so surprised when I discovered the identity of the Reverend. Worth the read…once or twice…or maybe three times. Very well done!
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LT
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2024
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Absolutely a must read! Growing up in East Texas the characters were exactly like most small towns. The story will keep you spellbound.
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Marcia Mainord
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable short read full of twists and turns. The ending made me say “WOW”
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved this book because it had so many underlying messages of real life: empathy, spiritual beliefs and thought provoking attitudes. This book was filled with hidden stories based on real events in my hometown , which is also the hometown of the author. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a short, feel good about life , book to read!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book was an absolutely wonderful read! I looked forward to picking up where I had left off, knowing this story was feeding my mind and soul. Good books make you see the world a little differently, and this one certainly did.
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