I have to admit I do not read that many adult books these days. I am always reading my review pile and lately they seem to be middle grade or young adult books. But I jumped at the opportunity to review this new novel by Lisa Carter. I love mysteries and it is one. I love some romance--it's in there. And I love God and yes religion plays a part as well. This book is right up my alley. It is The Sound of Falling Leaves. I have to say it has been hard to wait for this week and Friday to share this book with you. I loved it that much! This week is the Blog Tour for the book so I had to wait.
After experiencing her own scary tragedy, Tessa rushes to her aunt's ranch to help since her aunt got hurt. However she is greeted by the new orchard caretaker and they do not hit it off to well. Strange things seem to be going on in the small North Carolina town and Tessa is trying to figure it out and figure out who she can trust. She is still struggling to get her own life in order let alone help her aunt with the orchard. And will she ever be able to sing again? She was an opera singer but she seems to have lost her voice or at least will to sing since the fire.
This book has mystery, corruption, family, love, finding one's own way, church and even murder. It gives a glimpse into life in a small mountain town and a bit about the Appalachians. It pulls you in. First you want to know what happened in Tessa's past which slowly gets revealed throughout the book and then what Zeke, the orchard manager is up to. The ending brings in even more twists and more surprises. I love how both Tessa and Zeke seem to find God again in their lives and Aunt Dicy finds a way to bring them there. The story has the young and old helping each other and shares the present with the past and its effects.
This is the perfect book to curl up and read. I will admit it took me a few chapters to get into it but it did pull me in with the mysteries of the past and I kept waiting to find them out, but before I did I was into the whole story and wanted to keep reading because the characters come alive. I could feel Tessa's pain and caution. There is so much to life and this book seems to encapture it all including some of the daily tasks that many do not think about but somehow affect our lives. As a result it feels like the whole story is told and not just important parts.
Now the only question of course is what is the sound of falling leaves? Most leaves fall silently. It is however a line in the book and plays a role. It also of course is a calling to when the book is released in the fall. Of course I was all set to take a picture of the beautiful fall colors, but this morning it is snowing. Apparently Mother Nature wants to mess with 2020 as well. Here is the view from my window today.
