When Autumn Leaves

August 10, 2009
Foster's clumsy but ingratiating first novel is set in the “enchanting” little town of Avening, off the coast of British Columbia. Beyond its much-touted charm, Avening holds magical secrets, the most prominent being town witch Autumn. Autumn's bucolic lifestyle is interrupted when she finds out she's being admitted to a higher coven in an unknown location and that her first task is to find a replacement for herself among the women of the town. From there, readers meet a cast of offbeat women, each with her own special talents: shy Ellie, who can make herself invisible; middle-aged Stella, the local advice columnist, who is also a healer; and Molly, who has been hiding her preternatural gifts since she was a little girl. Unfortunately, Foster's attempts to charm and enchant are too heavy-handed and better suited to a YA offering, and her intriguing plot is subverted by wooden dialogue, predictability and an amateur approach to characters.

September 15, 2009
Small-town witch looks for her replacement.

The precise significance of Autumn's residence in the village of Avening isn't clear until the end, but it's evident from the beginning that she loves her quirky town (the novel's most appealing element) and all its mysteries. Located on an island in the Pacific Northwest, Avening is one of those idyllic spots with cozy bookstores and cafes—and, in this case, a rather high proportion of residents with special gifts: astral projection, mind-reading, invisibility, spell-casting, that sort of thing. Though individual abilities are generally kept secret, and the town seems like any other, all that magic lends the air a certain electricity. When a sister in the ancient coven of Jaen comes to tell Autumn it's time to leave her post, she's given a list of Avening residents from which she must choose a coven of 13 and a leader. Ellie seems an unlikely prospect. Withdrawn and sometimes invisible (literally) to the town, she is overtaken by a spell at the annual winter solstice party and loses the ability to speak, from that point on singing everything she needs to say. Ellie's friend Stella has a more straightforward talent. The granddaughter of an Appalachian medicine woman, she keeps a fully stocked herb cellar and is attempting to catch lightning in a bottle. Ana has until now lived a life without magic, but she goes to Autumn for help when she begins an extramarital affair; she and her lover learn how to bend time and memory so as to extricate themselves from their messy situation. Piper, another candidate, is diagnosed with terminal cancer and begins traveling to a different dimension, where she might escape death.

A charming debut in the tradition of Practical Magic and The Witches of Eastwick.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from September 1, 2009
In the tiny town of Avening in the Pacific Northwest, life hums with a peculiar sort of energy. Some call the town enchanted; others call it quirky. But all would agree that it is a special sort of hamlet, populated by some rather intriguing people. Perhaps the most intriguing is the town witch and wise woman. An individual of extraordinary, even magical talents, Autumn Avening is ready to retireand must find a replacement from among the local denizens. With one year to choose, Autumn begins keeping an ever closer watch on her friends and neighbors, looking for just the right candidate. Through her eyes, we get intimate glimpses of the locals of Aveningstrong men and women whose stories are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. VERDICT Loose ends in Foster's strong debut indicate sequel potential for those who enjoy following characters from book to book. Fans of Alice Hoffman ("Practical Magic") and Joanne Harris ("Chocolat") will love getting to know the residents of this cozy, charming little town. Highly recommended.Leigh Wright, Bridgewater, NJ

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2009
Magical things happen to the residents of Avening. The idyllic Pacific coast town is protected by Autumn, a powerful member of the Jaen sisterhooda sort of good-witch collective. But the time has come for Autumn to join her sisters and leave her beloved hometown in the care of a prot'g'. She is given a list of 13 names and must figure out why each person is on it. Among them is quiet Ellie, who can make herself invisible; brash Stella, who is a healer; sensual Ana, who can bend time; and writer Piper and her daughters, who all have special abilities. Debut novelist Foster is a songwriter, and it shows in the lyrical quality of this novel. Her interwoven plot is ambitious and, at times, murky. But the romantic, mystical setting and appealing characters will delight readers searching for a modern-day fairy tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)