When Autumn Leaves

by Amy S. Foster

This is a town where the shoes in the window always fit, where you can buy a love potion at the corner shop, and where the woods at the outskirts of town just might be the door to another world. And, of course, there's Autumn, Avening's beloved resident witch. From what's known of its mythical founding, Avening has always been a haven for people who are a little bit different, a place where they can come to discover what makes them so special. When Autumn receives news that she's been promoted to a higher coven, she also learns she has to replace herself. But who in Avening is in tune enough with her own personal magic to take over the huge responsibility of town witch? Autumn has a list of thirteen women and men who just might have what it takes-but how can she get them to open their eyes to the magic in their lives? This endlessly surprising and heart-warming debut is the story of coming to terms with the magical things we take for granted every day-our friends, our community, and, most of all, ourselves.

Genres: Magical Realism, Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Witches, Paranormal, Chick Lit

283 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2009

Reviews

[Jen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't explain the hold this book has over me. I first read it about three years ago and just recently I picked it up again off of my bookshelf.

The book deals with the unknown and unexplained that livs in our world, our hearts and our minds. Yes it deals with magic but not in a supernatural way. More of how magic is all around us and the more we look within ourselves we'll find our own powers and how to use them. Whether it be to understand people, feel the earth and the elements around us or how to heal with either our words or the touch of our hands.

Without out going into too many details or spoiler it centers on a wise woman named Autumn and the small town in Nova Scotia called Avening that many people call home. Those who grew up there and those who were drawn there by something they can't explain, but once they arrived they knew it was where they belonged.

It centers on Autumn needing someone to be her apprentice, so she asks for women around the town to submit why they believed they would be the best to work with and eventually take over for her. Anyone can enter, but what they don't know is that she already has a list that those who are higher powered than she have given her.

How she helps these women find who they really are is best left for you to find out.

I do know that as I read this book I find myself calming internally, it really does have this quality about it where you start thinking about who YOU are.

[Gail Kesslar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was added as a Book Club selection by my local group. It was a good read. Not a great one, but the writing itself was good. Then, seeing as it was #1 of an expected 13, one of the Book Club members sent Ms. Foster an email asking when the next books would be released. The reply?..."Yeah, I've decided not to write the series..." and on she goes with her life.

Despite her obvious talent as a songwriter as Mister Buble can attest, I don't think I'll be reading anymore of Ms. Foster's books, just on principle.

Note to Ms. Foster - don't start what you're not prepared to finish - for goodness sake's hire a ghost writer with Daddy's millions if you don't want to do it yourself. Chances are we would never have noticed.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t explain the hold this book had over me.

It just was different.

This story is magical.

It is about the unknown and unexplained- perhaps best described as Magical Realism.

The message...magic is all around us and the more we look within ourselves, the more we can find our own positive powers to create our best life.

Even as a fictional story, there was something special about the message.

As a reader you wanted to personally know the characters. You wanted to live in this town.

Okay, I admit it...it is a feel good book. But, don’t we need this sometimes?

Interesting tidbit about the author. She is a songwriter of many number one hits, and a lyricist who has written with Michael Buble. She is also the daughter of award winning composer David Foster.

[Beulah · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few books left that truly capture the joys of magic and the divine and yet this is one of them...
As soon as i held this book in my hands i knew it was going to be special. I had no idea why. I just sensed it.
Maybe it is because i am a woman and this book speaks to women inparticular (tho dont worry guys - im sure you'll love it equally - though it may confuse you even more about our species!!)
Or maybe it was the fact i could identify with every character Amy S Foster portrays here - the woman who is desperate to help anyone in pain... the one who manipulates a situation to get what she wants (oh come on girls you know we're like that!!)...or the woman who simply feels invisible...
It is clear that Amy has created every character with care and attention and love. She lives through these women and these women live through her. She clearly adores writing and she is incredible at it. The proof is in these pages...

[Jen McLeod · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book a rating of 2.5, but goodreads does not allow for half-stars, so I had to choose - two stars or three? I wanted it to be at least a three-star book, because I felt the story held some potential, but it just had too many other strikes against it:
The book is riddled with sentence fragments.
The writing style is immature and seems unrefined.
The author uses far, far too many figures of speech.
There are far too many inane details (ie we don't need to know that Sylvie cut up the vegetables at home - this is not relevant information).
The characters are all two-dimensional. The space used for inane details could have been put to use to remedy this.
The characters seem too stereotypical.
None of the characters has her own distinctive voice. All the grown women talk in the same way. Sylvie and Molly talk in the same way. Maggie and Siobhan have the exact same speech patterns. Their speech seems based on stereotypes of their ages.
And finally, the dialogue between Maggie and Piper made me laugh because of how much it reminded me of an introductory level of a Legend of Zelda video game.
Despite all this, the story was pleasant and somewhat interesting. If I had not read the final chapter before writing this, I would have dismissed the book entirely, but there was a shimmer of potential there.
If the author writes a sequel, I may read it but I hope she gains some experience in prose before then.

[Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Written in an almost lyrical style, it focuses on a town that draws people to itself. In the town, the first pair of shoes that you see in the shop window, will always be your size, the woods is a place to meet your dearly departed and pranksters can repair your shoes so that you will sing every time they're on your feet. The plot surrounds Autumn, a healer with magical powers who holds a contest to find her replacement. Each woman that submits an essay to her contest is covered in the chapters of the book and ultimately will find her unique magic/self.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's as if someone took one of those "coexist" bumper stickers, assigned a story to each character, then threw them all together in a book bound by an attractively seasonal cover with a punny title.

The spirituality presented is nebulous at best, and the ending came together much too perfectly and quickly to be realistic-- although in a story about earth witches, I guess I'd have to hold off on some levels of realism. While I was completely charmed by the first chapter's story about Ellie and her singing, by the time the chapter chronicling and justifying another character's extramarital affair rolled around, the book had lost its magic, and it was mostly downhill from there.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's my own fault for reading this, because Julie's review had already said, basically, don't bother. But I thought, how can this be bad? Look at the cute cover! Look at the cute title! Read the description, where they invoke Sarah Addison Allen! How can this be bad? Well, let me tell you. The dialogue was terrible. Really, really bad. The book was divided into sections, and each section dealt with one character. Don't get attached to any of these people because in the course of the book you never meet them again. I probably wasn't even a quarter of the way into it before I was trying to figure out how in the world this had found its way into print. I kept struggling through it, though, because -- Hey, look at the cover! Look at the title! There has to be something redeeming in it. Wrong! From now on I'll listen to Julie! I can't believe I wasted a week of lunch hours on this mess.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very short, only 300 something pages, but I wanted it to go on and on. It's by Amy Foster, who is a songwriter, and it was her first novel. I am an atheist by nature, but I love pagan things, just can't get my head around a goddess. The story is set in this wonderful little town called Avening. It makes you want to live there. The beginning of the story is about Autumn Avening, who is some what of a witch, though she hates that word, and she must choose her replacement because she has been called to leave. You can just imagine her home and little store. She is given a list of women to consider, and their stories are fascinating -- that was the part I would have loved to have delved further into. Their stories were just enough to make you beg for more. I wanted the tiny little plot lines of their lives to keep going, especially the woman who had breast cancer and was dying but was given the option to go some place else...very interesting....or the girl who could astral project. She wrapped the story up nicely with truths about Autumn you suspected but ended up being much deeper than you realized, but I felt there was so much more to tell about each of the women in the story, and I'm still craving it.

[Jeanmarie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh, my what a lovely, amazing feel- good book. another one to hug when you finish, my heart felt so warm and soft as it ended. Hard to explain the book. very different, in a woman/family/hometown sort of magical way. but bigger then life and everyday sorts of emotions. I didn't know where things were headed or how they would turn out; but that was just a lovely way of the book.

[Kayla · Rating 1 out of 5]

WHEN AUTUMN LEAVES by Amy S. Foster

My Thoughts:
It won't be a shock to say after my quickie review (on my blog), but I did not enjoy this book at all. The writing left a lot to be desired and the characters were either dull or just plain annoying. I couldn't believe some of the choices these characters made, or the words that came out of them, they were completely ridiculous. Sadly, the only thing I liked about this book was it's format - that each chapter was a Pagan holiday, as shown in an illustration at the beginning of the book, and the fact that each new character was a branch off the previous one. I can't say anything else really stood out to me, besides a couple choice quotes. Without giving away the entire book I can't really explain why I thought this book was eye roll worthy, but all I can say is that I won't be wasting my time on this book again.

Favorite Quotes:
"Not everyone may believe in the same thing, but everyone can believe that even the darkest, coldest winter will move over and make room for spring." (Page 10/11)
"Infatuation consumes, but it doesn't settle." (Page 126)
"Nothing that feels that good could ever be ignorant of its darker twin." (Page 147)

Overall Opinion: C-

~Kayla
http://kaylasbookcase.blogspot.com/

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay this was not at all written in the same vein as Alice Hoffman's work. The problems I had with this novel were many. For one, I didn't believe in any of the reactions people had when witnessing the 'impossible'. Open minded, spiritual, or not, someone would have a far bigger reaction to someone disappearing and someone visiting you when they are having an out of body experience than just being 'cool' with it. Even the most open minded, new age thinking person would be shocked. The characters stories were too rushed, almost as if the author herself was bored by her own creations. Hoffman does write magical stories, but they don't verge on the ridiculous in the way this book did and Hoffman's writing can be pretty 'out there' but always entertaining. The writing seemed more like something a teenager could get into, it was missing maturity. So I will not agree that Foster is a new Hoffman, NO WAY.
When Autumn Leaves had sweet moments, but sometimes it just got too hokey. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters and the ending was weak.I am not sure what this book is about. I wonder if she was trying to set up for a series of books. Maybe if Foster could have focused on one or two of the women and their gifts rather than trying to shove too much in one novel, then it could have developed into something deeper. I also prefer a little darkness when reading anything 'magical'. I felt like I was reading a pamphlet some new age enthusiast forced on me. Seems like she had a checklist of paranormal science and just added little stories to it. I gave it two stars because the writing wasn't horrible and I didn't give up reading. It really was just okay. Definitely not for me.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because this book was a gift to me that was thoughtfully-chosen by someone I admire, I wanted to read this cover to cover. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. I wanted to since it was written by David Foster's daughter, but perhaps that is actually the whole problem with this book? I got the feeling that this book would never have been published had Daddy not intervened and made sure someone would produce it for his daughter. She has no talent for writing. None. What-so-ever. Usually in fiction, an author tries to make dialogue sound realistic, but Amy seemed to think it was fine to have characters saying "like" in between every second word. She also thought it was a good idea to use a fair amount of expletives. I never realized it before reading this book, but a good author doesn't just make the words sound as if someone would really say them, but also elevates them to sound intelligent.

If this is the way fiction is going with today's youth, I'll stick with the classics. (Fortunately, though this book is much more likely to be indicative of the ridiculous power of nepotism.)

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mythic fiction / magic realism read for fans of Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen. This book leans more towards the Allen side of the spectrum, with heartwarming tales that don't ever really delve into serious psychology or dark subjects. At times, the book can lean a little too heavily on New Age phrasings and plot, but each section, telling the story of different residents of a magical small West Coast town, captures your attention.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy's book is a lovely story of women, magic, and faith. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

[Renae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this is not my cup of tea. I didn't buy into the magic of the story at all. I couldn't wait to be done with this book. She uses the word "friggin'" one too many times also.

[Nely · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Autumn, the town of Avening's resident witch, gets news that she must move away from her beloved town because of a promotion to a higher coven, she must find a way replace herself as town witch. But who in Avening is in tune enough with her own personal magic to take over this huge responsibility?

Autumn has a list of likely candidates for the position, but she takes it upon herself to put an add in the paper seeking an apprentice. She has a year to find a high witch and the women who will be part of her coven - but how can she get them to open their eyes and believe in the magic in their lives?

This was actually surprisingly really good. I was a little thrown off when I realized that each chapter was a (loosely related) short story. As some of you might know, I am not a fan of short stories and after recently reading Olive Kitteridge, which sadly was a massive fail for me, I honestly thought this would fall in that same category. But, to my endless surprise, this was really good. I felt that I could relate to each story and each character in one way or another.

Throughout the book we encounter many of the town's gifted and unusual residents... but in the end who will she chose? Will it be Ellie the invisible researcher - who thanks to a magical pair of shoes becomes the life of the party? Ana - a married woman who falls in love with another woman's husband? Stella - a healer who needs change in her life and can only do that by capturing lightning in a bottle? The letters continue to arrive and, as each applicant's story entwines into Autumn's, the suspense begins to grow as to who her successor will be.

I was initially intrigued by the title and the (oh, so pretty) cover. But the tales in this book were all heart-warming, touching and, on more than one occasion, brought a tear to my eye. Although magic plays a big part in this novel, the subject matter was anything but light. These were real women, with real everyday problems - none were perfect but each was endearing in her own way.

As a woman, I felt that this book called to me. These women were brave, strong, and I saw aspects of myself as well as of my family and friends in some, if not all, of the characters. This is a heart-warming debut of coming to terms with the magical things we take for granted every day - our friends, our community, and, most of all, ourselves.

All in all, this is an exceptionally imaginative story riddled with vivid and quirky characters - making it a delightfully magical escape. It is a charming, cozy and very enjoyable book that I highly recommend.

[Bethany Preble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book...it wasn't earth shattering or complicated..it was just a great read. I think it has a cadence to the words which is unusual, and I love.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book only 2 stars because for me there was still a lot left unexplained. I really liked the overall idea of the book dealing with magic that could be real. I picked up this book because I thought the magic aspect would make for a really interesting read.

However, I had a few problems with the book. For one, some of the characters that were introduced I would have liked to get to know better. Like Ellie, after the first chapter she's never spoken of again. Or some of the characters on 'the list' were hardly ever brought up but then why were they on the list, and what powers do they have? Some characters had too much detail though, that it felt a little unbalanced.

I didn't really understand the purpose of the Jaen folk and who exactly where they? What is their mission?

If Foster took the time to fully explore these questions in the book I think i would have actually enjoyed it. But instead, I'm left with more questions than answers; and frankly, I was never given the chance to be invested in the characters enough to care about finding the answers.

[Joanne Moyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a nice enjoyable read - not the best I've ever read but certainly not the worst.
It takes place in a magical kind of town which people with special gifts are drawn to.
"Autumn' is a member of an ancient group of women with 'gifts' who guide the other gifted ones through their lives. It is time for Autumn to move on and she must choose the next woman to guide the town. There are stories about some of the women she chooses which all intertwine in ways. I did enjoy it and would recommend it to anyone who likes this type of book

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick fun plane read. While the author started a lot of interesting plot threads and populated her town with intriguing characters, I think she had trouble tying things up and giving her characters the resolution they deserved. In many ways this seemed like the prequel for another story. Lots of ideas bouncing around ,but not really getting settled by the end. If she writes another follow-up book, I might reconsider what I think of this one.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Didn't want it to end.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a very long book, but magical and heartwarming. I did want more though.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This book started off promising, but the more you got into it, the more boring it got.

I thought this book was going to be a lot different. I was expecting more of a magical realism plot, like you get with Sarah Addison Allen, but instead, you have a women's magic order that you get the explanation of at the end, and throughout the book, you're left with the knowledge that the High Sister, who, in this case, is named Autumn, needs to leave, and she has to pick someone to replace her.

At first I enjoyed the little snippets of the women's lives, who are the women on Autumn's list to replace her. Then, we got to Anna. I didn't like her as a character (although, that could absolutely just be on me, because I have a coworker by the same name who I can't stand), I didn't like her story, and that's when I started to lose interest. Of course, it also had to do with the slut shaming that was introduced with her story, and the fact that the man she's in love with runs his hands through his hair, and that's "girly".

I was also upset by the fact that those snippets really are just snippets. We don't really learn about all the women's lives after everything happens. How did Ellie cope with what happened to her? What did she do? Did she change? We don't know.

The ending was wrapped up nicely. It's explained why Autumn chose who she did, why the women were on the list in the first place, and then why she didn't choose them. I did enjoy that. However, we're still left with a sense of wondering, because Autumn leaves, and that's it. She doesn't even say goodbye. Not really. I heard that the author was originally going to write 13 books, but after this one, she chose to not write any others, which is, honestly, really annoying.

The writing wasn't that great, and in some parts, were really cheesy and uneven. The line that sticks out to me the most was, "'I'm soooo ready', said Sylvie. She was!" Not only is it cringe worthy, it caught me completely off guard. Throughout the entirety of the book, I can't think of any other instance the author commented on a character, so why did she do it here? The use of the many o's to draw out the word were also annoying. I understand Sylvie is a teenager, but, really.

To get really blunt, the author should probably not write books, ever. The premise was interesting, but too long and drawn out, she doesn't have the ability to write in different voices, her syntax isn't great, and she doesn't know how to hold a reader in. I only finished it to see who she chose, and, honestly, you could just skip to the end, because it doesn't make a difference anyway.

Two stars, because it wasn't the worst book I read, but, you get the idea.

[Heidi Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

An original novel that seeks magic in women that surround us. Each chapter follows the life of one woman in a small town. Like the House at the end of Hope Street, this book tackles an ambitious concept/story line for a short novel.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the plot lines and characters in this debut novel; it was a light, happy, quick read. I'm disappointed that the series won't be continued but it works as a stand alone for me. It could have used additional proofreading; I found some of the errors very distracting.

[andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at page 118. Chapter headings were wiccan holidays (Beltaine, Samhain, etc.) and the writing had nothing to do with the holidays which disappointed me. Didn't really care much for anything going on in this book, sorry.

[Christina Yorke · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful debut novel. Foster has created a magical town full of women with special powers, and a few men too. We meet many characters throughout the book, briefly, and are left to wonder about their fate. I was especially connected to Piper, a young woman dying of cancer who found her way. The ending was imperfectly perfect, and shows the reader what faith is. A feel-good book that was the perfect curl up with companion in these chilly November days.

[Trudy Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably a 3.5 book but I thought it deserved more than the generic 3 stars I tend to hand out. Mystical. Magical. A bit out there for me. But I liked how it was basically eight stories based on the Celtic pagan calendar and how each one tied into the next by introducing a character. And I just love the title! Autumn, the village witch, needs to find a replacement so she can move on. It wasn’t hard to recognize that Avening was really Salt Spring Island. And we can all use a little more magic in our lives. Enjoyable book with things to ponder and think about.

[Melilycui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and quick read