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90th out of 168 books
—
222 voters
After the Leaves Fall
by
Nicole Baart (Goodreads Author)
Julia DeSmit can't wait for her life to begin. After her mother leaves when Julia is nine years old, she's raised by an unassuming, gentle father and a saintly, matriarchal grandmother until her father dies just as Julia is becoming a young adult. On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect p...more
Paperback, 358 pages
Published
September 19th 2007
by Tyndale House Publishers
(first published September 5th 2007)
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My review:
The following section contains one of the most beautiful concepts I've read in a Christian novel.
(It seemed like a strange thing to say, but with every repetition she drove a tiny seed of hope further into my heart. I almost didn't want it there--hope is not a promise, merely a wish, a yearning for something that may never materialize--but it sank down deep where I could not extract it and began, even in that moment, to put down fragile roots.
It was the hope that scared me most of all,...more
The following section contains one of the most beautiful concepts I've read in a Christian novel.
(It seemed like a strange thing to say, but with every repetition she drove a tiny seed of hope further into my heart. I almost didn't want it there--hope is not a promise, merely a wish, a yearning for something that may never materialize--but it sank down deep where I could not extract it and began, even in that moment, to put down fragile roots.
It was the hope that scared me most of all,...more
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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 Christia...more
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 Christia...more
One word: heart-breaking. I didn't know I was going to get into some major fireworks when I opened this one and so, I spent last night in a pool of tears... on my pillow. My blankie also became a hanky. I am so going to try my best to get the sequel because I need to know what happens to Julia deSmit after all that... shit. Woo, that rhymed. (Also, I feel uncomfortable using 'shit' in a sentence that contains Julia deSmit. It's just that she's gone through so much pain, she doesn't need someone...more
This is a good story about Julia DeSmit's struggle to find her place and her path amidst abandonment and death by her mother and father, respectively (her mother left when she was 9, her father died when she was 15). While she's raised by her grandmother, she still seeks acceptance, which is hard for her to find. She's not super outgoing, she feels like she doesn't fit in, and she's socially awkward. Her only friend is her next door neighbor Thomas, and he knows she sees him more than a friend,...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Dec 02, 2011
Klaudyna Z.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle-books,
series
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Feb 25, 2011
Amanda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Amanda by:
Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck spoke at my college graduation last spring and I've since been following him on Facebook. On Valentine's Day, he shared that his wife Tania and several of his staff members hadn't been able to put this book down and that for a limited time it is free for the Kindle on Amazon. He said, "Fair warning, while it may not cost you any money, it will definitely cost you some sleep." Well, Glenn, it did cost me some sleep last night and now it's going to cost me some money! After reading Afte...more
Wow. This is one of those books that left me breathless. I need to preface this by saying Ms. Baart is lucky there IS a sequel, otherwise this review might not be pretty. As an author myself, I'm quite selective in what I read. I download a lot of stuff to my iPad. Not everything makes it into my TBR or AM READING pile. I sifted through a couple of choices before I hit on After The Leaves Fall. I'm not sure what it was that hooked me. This is not your average let's all be good Christians and pre...more
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I loved this book and the main character. I didn't realize it was a Christian fiction book until I added it here on Goodreads, but the story and the prose had hooked me enough by then I was willing to give it a chance. Luckily, the book did not disappoint with a heavy-handed, didactic message. Quite the opposite, in fact. The story was genuine, and the anger and struggles of faith were the authentic struggles of everyone as they grow up. The Goddy part didn't come until the very end, and while i...more
After the Leaves Fall tells the story of young Julia DeSmit who is only used to being left behind and forgotten. Her mother leaves the girl at the age of 9. Years later, at 16, Julia's father passes away, and Julia is left to live in the old farmhouse with her grandmother. Julia finds that the only people she can really relate to are her beloved grandmother and her neighbor/best friend, Thomas. Over time, Julia realizes that she's been harboring romantic feelings for Thomas. When he leaves for c...more
I heard this on one of my talk shows I listen to, said his wife and staff members couldn't put it down and it was offered free on Amazon Kindle on Valentine's Day. I had no idea what this book was about. But I wanted to read it anyway.
Once I started, I was sucked in. The main character was real and down to earth. Her mom left, her dad died, and she went to live with her grandmother on a farm in some small town. Her life turned upside down and semi-bitter, her faith became questionable as she wen...more
Once I started, I was sucked in. The main character was real and down to earth. Her mom left, her dad died, and she went to live with her grandmother on a farm in some small town. Her life turned upside down and semi-bitter, her faith became questionable as she wen...more
I started out LOVING this (free on Kindle!) book...then it started to not go anywhere. Once instance has bugged me throughout the book. Julia is painfully unsocial & while away at college twice has an opportunity to make a friend...1st day of class a girl is kind enough to curl Julia's hair for her with her curling iron. But Julia forgets to get her name..or did she just forget it? Then she sees her again while popping popcorn & is invited to join their group for TV watching. Again..does...more
Wow, I just didn't really connect with Julia or her problems. I got tired of hearing her complain. Every time she got a chance to create more drama in her life, she made the wrong choice. Every time she could have acted like a mature adult, she blew it. So don't care what happens to her.
Since Julia DeSmit's mother left her and her father died, Julia has become bitter and no longer believes in God. She tries to start a new life for herself at college, but makes bad choices that will forever change her life. Broken and ashamed, she returns home to her loving Grandmother and to God. There she finds love and forgiveness greater than she could have imagined.
I neither loved nor hated this book. It had some good things in it, and some good messages. But for some reason, it just real...more
I neither loved nor hated this book. It had some good things in it, and some good messages. But for some reason, it just real...more
This is a great coming of age story about a young girl struggling to find her identity when it seems the whole world is against her.
It is Christian fiction, but I assume only because the God and the bible are mentioned more than just in passing. As someone who freely reads Christian fiction, I know not everyone is as open to the genre, so I feel it needs to be said that this book is not so much about faith in God as it is in having faith in oneself and in the family that we are given, and in lif...more
It is Christian fiction, but I assume only because the God and the bible are mentioned more than just in passing. As someone who freely reads Christian fiction, I know not everyone is as open to the genre, so I feel it needs to be said that this book is not so much about faith in God as it is in having faith in oneself and in the family that we are given, and in lif...more
Nicole Baart's AFTER THE LEAVES FALL was strikingly mediocre, moreso because of the writing itself than because of the story. At approximately the 40% point, the writing deteriorates - specifically, there is far too much exposition ('telling' / narration), and unnecessary clarifications of the main character's thoughts. Again, too much exposition. I only finished the book because I wanted to see whether or not the main character would end up with the character I hated.
In summary, this book wasn'...more
In summary, this book wasn'...more
Truly enjoyed this author's beautiful and often poetic writing style. The book was a quick read, probably more along the lines of a young adult selection, but, being much older than that, it still drew me in. The main character was real enough, she could easily be someone you know or have met along the way. Personally, having been a child of divorce with an almost non-existent father of my own, I could naturally relate to the pains, emotions, and thought processes so deftly displayed in this sto...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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An intriguing beginning, but the plot soon sinks into predictability and the characters become more shallow and underdeveloped as the story progresses.
I liked this book, but not enough to read the next one. The main character, while you care about her and sympathize with her in every aspect of her life, unfortunately was a bit unlikable to me. Julia has nearly everything go wrong for her that can... abandoned by her mother, loving father dies during her teen years, boy trouble, school trouble and extreme loneliness. Maybe my life has been too simple to relate to her, but it frustrates me when a character refuses to create friendships. I've rea...more
I got this as a free kindle download and wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed it.
Spoiler Alert;
I love how after all of the pain and loneliness and mistakes the main character finds her way and makes this statement: "Janice left, my father died, and Grandma will follow. Who is my constant? Who will walk with me when everyone else has faded to the background to a place where they exist in little more than carefully preserved memories? There is something inside me that knows beyond ever...more
Spoiler Alert;
I love how after all of the pain and loneliness and mistakes the main character finds her way and makes this statement: "Janice left, my father died, and Grandma will follow. Who is my constant? Who will walk with me when everyone else has faded to the background to a place where they exist in little more than carefully preserved memories? There is something inside me that knows beyond ever...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age book - it totally tugged at my heartstrings and I found myself with eyes so filled with tears I couldn't read the words on the page.
I don't know if I would have liked it as much if I weren't feeling so lonely at the moment. I was totally relating to the main character and her lack of anyone to talk to and feeling like there really isn't anyone who cares (even when there is). It is so easy sometimes to forget our support system and feel all alone in the wor...more
I don't know if I would have liked it as much if I weren't feeling so lonely at the moment. I was totally relating to the main character and her lack of anyone to talk to and feeling like there really isn't anyone who cares (even when there is). It is so easy sometimes to forget our support system and feel all alone in the wor...more
The book was an emotional read. There were a lot of complex emotions that were dealt with realistically. I expected the book to leave me depressed because of all the tragedies in Julia’s life but strangely it dint. I landed up adoring the strength that Julia exhibits with the help of her grandma.
Anyone who has faced a few tragedies in life would deeply relate to Julia and sympathize with her. She is genuine and reacts to people and situations just as any of us would – sometimes strong, sometimes...more
Anyone who has faced a few tragedies in life would deeply relate to Julia and sympathize with her. She is genuine and reacts to people and situations just as any of us would – sometimes strong, sometimes...more
This was a page-turner for me. It had me wiping tears at some parts. I have to say I did not like the way it finished. To me it wasn't a redemptive enough ending - too much of a melancholy end. With that said it did make me want to keep reading so I have already downloaded and started the next in the series, Summer Snow.
Nicole Baart creates beautiful images with her descriptive writing. She does a fabulous job describing life, nature, people, etc.
Nicole Baart creates beautiful images with her descriptive writing. She does a fabulous job describing life, nature, people, etc.
***SPOILERS***
Another great read by a Christian author. I was captivated in the first chapter when she writes:
"He was buried on a rainy day in October, and I remember the sound of the raindrops on the lid of the sleek black casket and how it seemed like music to me. The pastor was doing his best to make sorrowful and occasion that seemed anything but--the leaves on the trees above us were burnt amber, the consoling sky around us was velvety gray, and the rain was singing softly. I didn't feel sa...more
Another great read by a Christian author. I was captivated in the first chapter when she writes:
"He was buried on a rainy day in October, and I remember the sound of the raindrops on the lid of the sleek black casket and how it seemed like music to me. The pastor was doing his best to make sorrowful and occasion that seemed anything but--the leaves on the trees above us were burnt amber, the consoling sky around us was velvety gray, and the rain was singing softly. I didn't feel sa...more
Review by Gigi Hoffman
Julia DeSmit hasn’t had the easiest life. Her mother deserted her when she was nine and her father died when she was fifteen. The only people left are Thomas, her best friend and first love, and her loving grandmother. But when Thomas falls for someone else, leaving Julia with a broken heart, she decides to get away and discover the real world by going to college.
College seems like a great escape and a new beginning, but it’s not all it was cracked up to be. Classes are ha...more
Julia DeSmit hasn’t had the easiest life. Her mother deserted her when she was nine and her father died when she was fifteen. The only people left are Thomas, her best friend and first love, and her loving grandmother. But when Thomas falls for someone else, leaving Julia with a broken heart, she decides to get away and discover the real world by going to college.
College seems like a great escape and a new beginning, but it’s not all it was cracked up to be. Classes are ha...more
"In her promising debut novel, Baart writes compellingly about a young girl's struggle with loss, love, identity and faith... Sparkling prose makes this new novel a welcome addition to inspirational fiction."
Publisher's Weekly
"Debut author Baart's writing is evocative and beautiful "
Romantic Times
“After the Leaves Fall is a novel that soars with significance.”
Joyce Handzo (In the Library Reviews)
“Beautifully and sensitively written, Nicole Baart’s debut novel, After the Leaves Fall, is a breath...more
Publisher's Weekly
"Debut author Baart's writing is evocative and beautiful "
Romantic Times
“After the Leaves Fall is a novel that soars with significance.”
Joyce Handzo (In the Library Reviews)
“Beautifully and sensitively written, Nicole Baart’s debut novel, After the Leaves Fall, is a breath...more
While I enjoyed the story and related to it on some aspects, there was too much religion for my taste. The book started out well and as situations developed which were challenging to the main character, the answers became faith related. I found this a bit unconvincing as the main character was so thoughtful about everything but when the going got tough she just surrendered to faith. Perhaps this is how it happens for some but from my perspective it was unrealistic and disappointing.
Having a Kindle, I download lots of freebies. As most Kindle users know, that means lots (and LOTS!) of Christian fiction. I read a fair amount - it's my mindless filler reading. I rarely put it on GoodReads because it's not "real" reading to me - just filler.
This book was different. It wasn't the best book every - it's fairly routine coming of age stuff. But the writing is lovely. I really enjoyed it and would actually pay money to read something else by they author. If you have a Kindle, check...more
This book was different. It wasn't the best book every - it's fairly routine coming of age stuff. But the writing is lovely. I really enjoyed it and would actually pay money to read something else by they author. If you have a Kindle, check...more
I liked this book -- can't really decide between three and four stars. Obviously I leaned a little more to three than four. I thought the author did a very nice job with character development. I really liked how she told a "real," coming-of-age story without crude language or graphic details. It was a story that kept my interest. Was a little disappointed at the quick/too-soon ending, but I always want a good story to keep going....
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Nicole Baart lives in a small town in Iowa and is the mother of three young sons. After the adoption of her second son from Ethiopia, Nicole discovered a deep passion for global issues and co-founded a non-profit organization, One Body One Hope, that works alongside a church and orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia. An accomplished novelist, she was a 2009 Christy Award finalist for fiction. Visit her w...more
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“It isn't true that whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger...but whatever doesn't kill you does leave you vulnerable to another day.”
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