Friday, February 22, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: LEAVES by MICHAEL BARON





Leaves

by

Michael Baron


Book Details
 
Genre: Fiction
Published by: The Story Plant
Publication Date: September 25th, 2012
Number of Pages: 332
Purchase Links:    


About the book . . . 

Welcome to Oldham, CT, a small town rich in Colonial heritage while being utterly contemporary. Situated along the Connecticut River Valley, Oldham bursts with color every fall, as the leaves on its trees evolve into an unmatched palette of scarlet, orange, purple, yellow, and bronze. For more than three decades, the Gold family has been a central part of Oldham in the fall, its Sugar Maple Inn a destination for “leaf-peepers” from all over the country, and its annual Halloween party a stirring way to punctuate the town’s most active month.

But this year, more than just the leaves are changing. With the death of their parents, the Gold siblings, Maria, Maxwell, Deborah, Corrina, and Tyler, have decided to sell the Sugar Maple Inn, and this year’s Halloween party will be the last. As October begins, the Golds contend with the finality that faces them, and the implications it has for a family that has always been so close. For some, it means embracing new challenges and new love. For others, it means taking on unimagined roles. And for others, it means considering the inconceivable. Complicating it all is a series of “hauntings” that touch each of the Gold siblings, a series of benign interventions that will remain a mystery until October draws to a close.

Filled with romance, tension, and unforgettable family drama, Leaves is the first in a series of novels about a world and a family that readers will want to make their own. 
  
Buy the book at: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Apple * Chapters/Indigo 


Author bio . . . 

I  grew up in the New York area and I’ve lived there my entire life. I worked in retail and taught high school English before I got my first book contract. I have gotten several additional book contracts since then, which is fortunate because I didn’t have the patience to work in retail and, while I quite enjoyed teaching, my approach was a bit too unconventional for most school systems. One school administrator told me that, “there are more important things than being a dynamic teacher.” Since I couldn’t name any of those things (at least in the context of school), I figured I didn’t have a long-term future in the profession. Hence, I became a writer, where I believe people appreciate a certain level of dynamism.

Though I started with nonfiction, I have always loved fiction and I have always wanted to write it. Since I can remember, I’ve had a particular affection for love stories. In fact, the very first book-length thing I ever wrote, when I was thirteen, was a love story. Mind you, it was the kind of love story that a thirteen-year-old boy would write, but it was a love story nonetheless. I have a deep passion for writing about relationships – family relationships, working relationships, friendships, and, of course, romantic relationships – and I can only truly explore this by writing fiction. These novels have given me a way to voice the millions of things running through my head.

My wife and kids are the center of my life. My wife is the inspiration for all of my love stories and my children enthrall me, challenge me, and keep me moving (and have served as the inspiration for several of the kids I’ve written about). One of the primary reasons I wrote my first novel, WHEN YOU WENT AWAY was that I wanted to write about being a father. Aside from my family, I have a few other burning passions. I’m a pop culture junkie with an especially strong interest in music, I love fine food (as well as any restaurant shaped like a hot dog), and I read far too many sports blogs for my own good.

  

Reader review . . . 

After decades of being a family-run business, the Sugar Maple Inn has been sold and will soon transfer to the new owners.  The Gold siblings, Maxwell, Deborah, Maria, Corrina, and Tyler, are hosting one last Halloween party at the Inn.  October has arrived and the family members are dealing with the changes in their lives in their own individual ways.  As it looks as though  they may go their separate ways, unexplainable happenings trigger memories of happier times and remind them of their family bond.  

This is not a fast-paced, action-packed, "can't put it down" book; but that's a good thing, in this case.  This novel is the literary equivalent of a leisurely drive through the country, winding around country lanes and enjoying the scenery.  Each time I picked up the book, it was like a visit with old friends.  I couldn't wait to find out what was going on in their lives.  

The storyline is linear, beginning with October 6, twenty-five days before the party.  The narrative is clear, always in the third person, and is told from the point-of-view of the various family members.  The countdown to the party is a nice touch; the chapter headings and subheadings give the date and time remaining to the party.  Of course, as the time drew closer to the party, I grew sadder as I realized my time in Oldham, CT was coming to an end.

Each of the characters was interesting in their own way.  Often, a novel with this many characters suffers because they lack enough individuality to stand out in the reader's mind, but this was not the case with the Gold family.  Deborah was, of course, my favorite.  For a food blogger and  "foodie", the scenes set in the kitchen while she was cooking were fascinating.  

As I stated earlier, this was a book that I returned to eagerly each time.  As the date of the party grew closer, I hated to see it end.  The only bright spot:  this is the first in a series.  I eagerly await the next installment in the Gold family saga.

Appropriate for adolescents and up, but probably enjoyed and appreciated more by adults.

5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Providence Book Promotions. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.


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2013 A-Z Reading Challenge


Do you love to read? You know I do! Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book is hosting a reading challenge for 2013.This challenge will run from January 1st, 2012 until December 31st, 2013.

You can join anytime. It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book starting with every letter of the alphabet.


So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.


A - Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.


OR


B - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A – The Azalea Assault B- Blue Monday C – Crops and Robbers D – A Deadly Grind etc.



Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – audio – are acceptable for this challenge!
Ready to join??
Sign up at Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book and grab the button.


Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish and enter a link below if available or sign up in the comment section. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track!


Need some help finding titles to match the alphabet –
Jandy’s Reading Room has a wonderful list to get you started.

Here is my list: 
GOODNIGHT, BRIAN - STEVEN MANCHESTERH
I ICONIC SPIRITS: AN INTOXICATING HISTORY - MARK SPIVAK
J
K KILLER RATINGS - LISA SEIDMAN
L TO LOVE A WOLF - BK WALKER
M MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER - ROBIN OLIVEIRA
N NEVER LET YOU GO - ERIN HEALY
O O! JACKIE - MERCEDES KING
P PERIL: FROM JACKBOOTS TO JACK BENNY - PEARL GOODMAN - 4 STARS
Q QUEEN OF THE AIR: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY AT THE CIRCUS - DEAN JENSEN
R RAISING CUBBY-JOHN ELDER ROBISON
S SECRETLY SMITTEN - COLLEEN COBLE, DENISE HUNTER, KRISTEN BILLERBECK, & DIANN HUNT
T THE POSTMISTRESS-SARAH BLAKE
U UNCONQUERED: THE SAGA OF COUSINS JERRY LEE LEWIS, JIMMY SWAGGART, AND MICKY GILLEY - J.D. DAVIS
V VANISHED-IRENE HANNON - 5 STARS
W
X
Y
Z

I will be updating my list and will keep it posted on here. Check back to see what I've read, and comment and let me know when you join the challenge. Here's to a year of good reading!

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Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat watching is a near-perfect method of writing avoidance. - Dan Greenburg
 

   

2 comments:

CMash said...

So happy you enjoyed this read. I agree, I hated to see it end and am also anxiously waiting for the sequel. In the meantime, I recommend reading his previous novel, "Spinning". You wont be disappointed. Wonderful review and post. Great job!! Thank you!

Teena in Toronto said...

I enjoyed it :)

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