Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A captivating read by an awesome author. I loved her poetic style. It is well worth reading.
Wondering if I want to know what happens to her by reading the rest of the series and actually want to give it 3 stars but I believe 2.5 stars is more like it.
The story is there and I can see lots of people enjoying the story but this is not my cup of tea.
The story is there and I can see lots of people enjoying the story but this is not my cup of tea.
Just finished this one. Was a free ebook and I enjoyed it.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I unknowingly read book three of this series last month so I'm backtracking a bit and reading books 1 and 2 this month. This is book 1. Although the books in this series could easily be stand alones. I enjoyed it. Baart has a lovely writing style.
In this first book we meet Julia DeSmit at age 16 when she has just lost her father. Her mother had left them 7 years prior so Julia is now parent-less. Fortunately she has her Grandma, a wise and wonderful woman. As Julia navigates a life without parents but being parented by her Grandma the reader travels with her through leaving God behind, boy relationships, and heading off to college. Once in college, on her own, Julia makes strides in trying to figure out who she is. What does she want to do with her life and who does she want to be? Her first semester proves to be tougher than she anticipates and she feels at loose ends with herself and her life.
Baart weaves a tale of Julia coming of age but since this is book 1 the reader gets to journey on with Julia in books 2 and 3 as she comes into her own for good. Since I have already read book 3 I really appreciated the peek into Julia's beginnings. Baart has done an outstanding job of developing Julia and her Grandma and the supporting characters. She even manages to give the reader a good sense of the absent mom and passed on dad. I'm looking forward to book 2 and allowing the story of Julia to be completed.
In this first book we meet Julia DeSmit at age 16 when she has just lost her father. Her mother had left them 7 years prior so Julia is now parent-less. Fortunately she has her Grandma, a wise and wonderful woman. As Julia navigates a life without parents but being parented by her Grandma the reader travels with her through leaving God behind, boy relationships, and heading off to college. Once in college, on her own, Julia makes strides in trying to figure out who she is. What does she want to do with her life and who does she want to be? Her first semester proves to be tougher than she anticipates and she feels at loose ends with herself and her life.
Baart weaves a tale of Julia coming of age but since this is book 1 the reader gets to journey on with Julia in books 2 and 3 as she comes into her own for good. Since I have already read book 3 I really appreciated the peek into Julia's beginnings. Baart has done an outstanding job of developing Julia and her Grandma and the supporting characters. She even manages to give the reader a good sense of the absent mom and passed on dad. I'm looking forward to book 2 and allowing the story of Julia to be completed.
I thought that this book was very beautifully written, but also because of that it was difficult to follow at times. I think this is the kind of book where the more that you read it, the more you understand it. A book that keeps on giving.
"After the Leaves Fall" was an amazingly beautiful book, with lyrical prose and an enthralling storyline. Nicole Baart writing flows and there were moments in the book where I could relate to the main character and numerous times when I had to stop and get a post-it to mark an especially beautiful quote.
I loved this book and highly recommend it.
I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Sweetly poetic, with a reality that reminds me of my own early adulthood in some ways. I truly enjoyed it
I was totally into this book right up until the end. UGH! I hate the non-ending. In hindsight, the girl was sort of a born victim. I think I was just really waiting for something to turn for the better. Grandma rocks though.
I didn't really realize this was Christian fiction till about halfway through when I read the author bio on the back that told me Nicole Baart was married to a pastor.
I have consciously been avoiding Christian fiction: it no longer feels relevant to my life and even if it did, who wants to read the sticky and trite form the prose of Christian fiction generally takes? But this was not like that at all. It's the perfect kind of Christian fiction. It doesn't even feel right to label it as Christian fiction. The author obviously cared more about creating real characters and lovely, intelligent prose than smacking you repeatedly with various hackneyed sermons.
This was actually a book I randomly pulled off the library shelves. Lately when I've done that, I've struck out. This was a much-needed gem. It has a sequel too! Though I wouldn't be surprised if the sequel has a more religious nature, since the last part of this book contained more about God than the rest. But I'm not adverse to that. Plus I care too much about my new friend Julia DeSmit to not read it.
I have consciously been avoiding Christian fiction: it no longer feels relevant to my life and even if it did, who wants to read the sticky and trite form the prose of Christian fiction generally takes? But this was not like that at all. It's the perfect kind of Christian fiction. It doesn't even feel right to label it as Christian fiction. The author obviously cared more about creating real characters and lovely, intelligent prose than smacking you repeatedly with various hackneyed sermons.
This was actually a book I randomly pulled off the library shelves. Lately when I've done that, I've struck out. This was a much-needed gem. It has a sequel too! Though I wouldn't be surprised if the sequel has a more religious nature, since the last part of this book contained more about God than the rest. But I'm not adverse to that. Plus I care too much about my new friend Julia DeSmit to not read it.