Review: Leaves by Michael Baron

Leaves by Michael Baron
Expected publication: September 25, 2012
Format: NetGalley
Publisher: The Story Plant
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
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.

My Thoughts
I was really excited to read this book. After reading this I felt really connected to the Gold family. Their closeness and troubles can resonate with many of us. Although there is a large cast of characters in the book you never lose track or get confused by it at all. To me that's a sign of a great writer. Each and everyone has a story of their own. Their stories intertwine and flow so seamlessly. The way the author describes the setting and characters makes me feel like I'm right there in Oldham.

There's one quote that stayed with me way after I finished the book.
"You may think you don't need each other anymore, but this love will prove important again. More than you could possibly know."
This quote not only sums up the book but life itself. Never take for granted anything or anyone because you never know what life has in store for you.

I was glad to find out this book is one of a series to focus on the Gold family. I can't wait to continue to see what each sibling and their families have in store for them. Leaves not only symbolizes and reflects the changing of seasons but the changes in their lives as well. This book wasn't the end of the Gold family but merely the beginning of things to come.