My First Book Review and Giveaway.

After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart

After the Leaves Fall is a Christian fiction book by Nicole Baart, an author who happens to live near the town in which I live. I attended a bible study group that she lead once, not knowing at the time that she was an author until my sister-in-law pointed it out and loaned me a book by her, called The Moment Between. Not expecting to enjoy a "Christian" based book, as I figure most pour on the Get Saved and Why you Need God (or why the characters need God), which tend to come off as cheesy to me. Anyhow, I read The Moment Between and found it unexpectedly good and not at all the cheesy Christian book that I expected; this book made me laugh, cry, and wonder what's going to happen next. Anyhow, a few weeks ago I came across another book by Nicole Baart, After the Leaves Fall, so I purchased it. I think this book was even better then the last that I've read or her books, and defiantly one I would suggest and pass along to friends and family.

Nicole does well to relate family dynamics, friendships, and even the characters relationships with God to real life experiences. The story takes place in Northwest Iowa, which I couldn't believe how closely she described it, and wondered how many people from this area she may have offended and how many of them found it as comical as I did.

The main charter of the book, Julia DeSmit, is a teen-age girl who's felt the abandonment of a parent, the loss of another and the struggles of young love. Like most teenagers bounding out to college dream of leaving the small town that they grew up in for bigger and better lives, Julia does too, only to find things don't always go as planned. After many blunders, Julia returns home feeling defeated and more uncertain than ever before. Feeling as if she’s hit bottom Julia cries into the floor of her living room, and when her Grandma finds her she lays next to Julia, and within the conversations gives Julia hope by simply saying, “You turn around. You look up."

This book is bound to make you tear up a little, laugh a bit, and think about your own life and the relationships that you hold. Although its fiction, it's so well written you'd think that the characters were real, and the story was true. I can't wait to read the next book Summer Snow.

Like I said earlier in this post, this is a book that I would suggest and pass along to friends or family, so if you are interested why not get it free! I'm offering my book to one of you lucky readers out there. So from now until Oct. 27th you may enter the giveaway by becoming a public follower with GFC (post to let me know you are a follower) and with that post leave me a comment letting me know your favorite book genre. Please also post an email address so that I may contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.

*Disclaimer: This book was not giving to me, and Nicole Baart nor anyone affiliated with the book asked me to write a review on this book, After the Leaves Fall.
This Giveaway Has Ended.