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The Catalain Book of Secrets
The Catalain Book of Secrets
Faith Falls is a snug little Minnesota town constructed over a mystery, a place where the most impressive building is a gorgeous Queen Anne with turrets, cantilevered gables, and a wraparound porch. In a concealed room beneath the twisting stairs of the Queen Anne lies the Catalain Book of Secrets, the repository of the wisdom the Catalain women have gathered since the beginning of time.
Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. His return pulls Jasmine, Ursula's daughter, back into the fold. Once believed to be the most powerful of the Catalains, she foreswore her gift years before to bury a shameful secret. The ghost of the murdered man also calls home Katrine, Jasmine's sister, who has been banished for fourteen years. Finally able to return to Faith Falls and the beloved Queen Anne, Katrine must claim her true Catalain power to save her mother and sister from the dark family curse.
Told in a majestic mosaic of strong women’s voices, The Catalain Book of Secrets weaves together alchemy, hope, tragedy, and true love to spin a tale in the style of Garden Spells, Eva Luna, and Practical Magic.
“The novel is tightly plotted, and Lourey shines when depicting relationships—romantic ones as well as tangled links between Catalains…sweet and sassy…” –Kirkus Reviews
“The Catalain Book of Secrets picks you up and sweeps you away until you're completely intoxicated by its magic. Life-affirming, thought-provoking, heart-warming, it’s one of those books which—if you happen to read it exactly when you need to—might heal your wounds as you turn the pages.” –Catriona McPherson, Agatha, Macavity, and Bruce Alexander-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series and The Day She Died
Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. His return pulls Jasmine, Ursula's daughter, back into the fold. Once believed to be the most powerful of the Catalains, she foreswore her gift years before to bury a shameful secret. The ghost of the murdered man also calls home Katrine, Jasmine's sister, who has been banished for fourteen years. Finally able to return to Faith Falls and the beloved Queen Anne, Katrine must claim her true Catalain power to save her mother and sister from the dark family curse.
Told in a majestic mosaic of strong women’s voices, The Catalain Book of Secrets weaves together alchemy, hope, tragedy, and true love to spin a tale in the style of Garden Spells, Eva Luna, and Practical Magic.
“The novel is tightly plotted, and Lourey shines when depicting relationships—romantic ones as well as tangled links between Catalains…sweet and sassy…” –Kirkus Reviews
“The Catalain Book of Secrets picks you up and sweeps you away until you're completely intoxicated by its magic. Life-affirming, thought-provoking, heart-warming, it’s one of those books which—if you happen to read it exactly when you need to—might heal your wounds as you turn the pages.” –Catriona McPherson, Agatha, Macavity, and Bruce Alexander-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series and The Day She Died
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
February 15, 2018
Lourey, a successful murder-mystery author, has begun a promising foray into magical realism with this tale. While maybe a bit too reminiscent of Alice Hoffman, particularly Practical Magic, the story is strong, the characters are engaging, and the premise is promising.
Katrine Catalain feels strongly compelled to return to the small Minnesota town in which she grew up, reeling from her husband's betrayal, to find comfort with her family (who happen to be witches). She's been away for 15 years, and a lot has changed. For one thing, her sister Jasmine doesn't seem to want to do magic anymore and although Katrine believes it was Jasmine who called her home, Jasmine doesn't seem to want anything to do with her. While Katrine comes to terms with her heartbreak; gets to know her young niece, Tara; and tries to repair relationships; she is unaware that the family curse is stalking both her and Tara, and that Jasmine's secrets might be the key to breaking it.
Being a sucker for both magical realism and Minnesota authors, I just had to request this book when I saw it come available on NetGalley. I was really not at all disappointed! I hope to read more from this author, and wouldn't mind another book set in the world of the Catalains.
Katrine Catalain feels strongly compelled to return to the small Minnesota town in which she grew up, reeling from her husband's betrayal, to find comfort with her family (who happen to be witches). She's been away for 15 years, and a lot has changed. For one thing, her sister Jasmine doesn't seem to want to do magic anymore and although Katrine believes it was Jasmine who called her home, Jasmine doesn't seem to want anything to do with her. While Katrine comes to terms with her heartbreak; gets to know her young niece, Tara; and tries to repair relationships; she is unaware that the family curse is stalking both her and Tara, and that Jasmine's secrets might be the key to breaking it.
Being a sucker for both magical realism and Minnesota authors, I just had to request this book when I saw it come available on NetGalley. I was really not at all disappointed! I hope to read more from this author, and wouldn't mind another book set in the world of the Catalains.
December 19, 2014
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Publisher: Toadhouse
Publishing Date: January 2015
ISBN: 9780990834212
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.5/5
Publisher Description: Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. His return pulls Jasmine, Ursula’s daughter, back into the fold. Once believed to be the most powerful of the Catalains, she foreswore her gift years before to bury a shameful secret. The ghost of the murdered man also calls home Katrine, Jasmine’s sister, who has been banished for fourteen years. Finally able to return to Faith Falls and the beloved Queen Anne, Katrine must claim her true Catalain power to save her mother and sister from the dark family curse.
Review: This really wasn’t a book built for logical and cogent people that operate in the real world. I guess that’s why we have escapist fiction. This novel really didn’t transport my imagination anywhere. It was at once pedantic, verbose and filled with internal ruminations. Much like a cow chewing endlessly while standing in a field, this novel encompassed the realities and past experiences of three very boring people.
Most of this novel reads like a journal diary or an expository oration where the characters are just there to educate and inform the reader. There is some man crushing by one of the witch girls which flattens the story line even more. I have read this story numerous times in all its clichéd’ inventions. From Accession to the Witches of Eastwick only this iteration is neither creative nor riveting. A very good writer with a bad idea.
Publisher: Toadhouse
Publishing Date: January 2015
ISBN: 9780990834212
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.5/5
Publisher Description: Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. His return pulls Jasmine, Ursula’s daughter, back into the fold. Once believed to be the most powerful of the Catalains, she foreswore her gift years before to bury a shameful secret. The ghost of the murdered man also calls home Katrine, Jasmine’s sister, who has been banished for fourteen years. Finally able to return to Faith Falls and the beloved Queen Anne, Katrine must claim her true Catalain power to save her mother and sister from the dark family curse.
Review: This really wasn’t a book built for logical and cogent people that operate in the real world. I guess that’s why we have escapist fiction. This novel really didn’t transport my imagination anywhere. It was at once pedantic, verbose and filled with internal ruminations. Much like a cow chewing endlessly while standing in a field, this novel encompassed the realities and past experiences of three very boring people.
Most of this novel reads like a journal diary or an expository oration where the characters are just there to educate and inform the reader. There is some man crushing by one of the witch girls which flattens the story line even more. I have read this story numerous times in all its clichéd’ inventions. From Accession to the Witches of Eastwick only this iteration is neither creative nor riveting. A very good writer with a bad idea.
December 14, 2014
"It's only possible to provide help when it's asked for. The rest of the time, all you can give is love."
(My favorite quote from the book)
Four generations of women are living alone with their guilt/grief/personal demons. Each also has a unique gift to help them navigate the world. The curse that came about to hurt them all is here to destroy them again.
There were parts of this book that were very raw. I'm guessing that the author is intimately acquainted with grief since she was so apt at capturing it on paper.
There is a lot of internal dialogue, memories, and shifting points of view. I like that sort of thing but many people find it distracting. The writing is poetic and evokes a melancholy and yearning feeling throughout the book. Some may find it a bit too flowery, but I felt it set the mood for the tone of the book. I do think it took a little to long to get to the climax of the book. I'm a more patient reader than most, so I think some people may find this their biggest gripe of the book.
There was a good focus on the strength of women and how we can nurture each other through personal demons (or be horrendously viscous to each other).
I found the ending satisfying, but at one point in the last chapter, I felt like I was reading a completely different style/author. I'm not sure if it was the writing style that changed to match the change in tone or what, but it was noticeable. The best books keep me ignorant to the fact that I'm reading, and that moment brought me out of the magic of the book for some reason.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, haunting read for me. Just a few nit-picky things above to be aware of in case they are deal breakers for you.
I received a free digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As this was an advance reader copy, the quote listed above may not be the same as in the final copy of the book.
Four generations of women are living alone with their guilt/grief/personal demons. Each also has a unique gift to help them navigate the world. The curse that came about to hurt them all is here to destroy them again.
There were parts of this book that were very raw. I'm guessing that the author is intimately acquainted with grief since she was so apt at capturing it on paper.
There is a lot of internal dialogue, memories, and shifting points of view. I like that sort of thing but many people find it distracting. The writing is poetic and evokes a melancholy and yearning feeling throughout the book. Some may find it a bit too flowery, but I felt it set the mood for the tone of the book. I do think it took a little to long to get to the climax of the book. I'm a more patient reader than most, so I think some people may find this their biggest gripe of the book.
There was a good focus on the strength of women and how we can nurture each other through personal demons (or be horrendously viscous to each other).
I found the ending satisfying, but at one point in the last chapter, I felt like I was reading a completely different style/author. I'm not sure if it was the writing style that changed to match the change in tone or what, but it was noticeable. The best books keep me ignorant to the fact that I'm reading, and that moment brought me out of the magic of the book for some reason.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, haunting read for me. Just a few nit-picky things above to be aware of in case they are deal breakers for you.
I received a free digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As this was an advance reader copy, the quote listed above may not be the same as in the final copy of the book.
January 14, 2015
I contributed to the Kickstarter project that made this book possible, and I am so glad that I did. In Jessica Lourey's Catalain Book of Secrets, a family of witches fight a curse in Faith Falls, a snug little Minnesota town that is disrupted every 25 years by an eruption of snakes and evil.
Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. He comes for the rest of her family: her daughters and grand-daughter. It will take powerful magic to break this curse, but the Catalain women are far from their most powerful. They each hide secrets that keep them from trusting each other or their gifts.
Lourey spins a tale thick and warm with suspense, family love and family hate, spells and potions, hope and magic. But I think her true gift to the reader is her wonderful language. So many times I savored a sentence here or there, rolled them around in my mind: "The house creaked, almost as if it wished for arms to hold them." She writes of hearts "lined with ice" and gazes that "felt like butterfly fingers." Let yourself visit Faith Falls, step over a snake or two, and enjoy.
Ursula Catalain, current keeper of the Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage until the ghost of the man she murdered when she was 12 appears at her door in a new form. He comes for the rest of her family: her daughters and grand-daughter. It will take powerful magic to break this curse, but the Catalain women are far from their most powerful. They each hide secrets that keep them from trusting each other or their gifts.
Lourey spins a tale thick and warm with suspense, family love and family hate, spells and potions, hope and magic. But I think her true gift to the reader is her wonderful language. So many times I savored a sentence here or there, rolled them around in my mind: "The house creaked, almost as if it wished for arms to hold them." She writes of hearts "lined with ice" and gazes that "felt like butterfly fingers." Let yourself visit Faith Falls, step over a snake or two, and enjoy.
April 23, 2022
I took a couple of stars off because I just don’t think this genre is a fit for me. The character development and world building is strong but I just couldn’t get into the premise. I recommend for people who like magic realism.
Read
March 15, 2016The description makes major claims: a book that is in the style of Garden Spells (by Sarah Addison Lee), Eva Luna (Isabel Allende) and Practical Magic (Alice Hoffman). The trouble is that whilst all three of these books are magic realist books with strong female characters they are very different and appeal to different readerships. Of these readerships I think the Addison Lee crowd are the ones who are going to have most problems - with the rape that forms a major plot element in the book and with Ursula's sexual promiscuity. You know that I do not have a problem with grittiness in a story (it's one of the reasons I like Alice Hoffman) but others will and I don't understand why you would invite Addison Lee readers to buy the book.
So what did I make of The Catalain Book of Secrets? There is a lot of magic in this book - all the Catalain women are witches and each has a different form of magic. One makes magic food, one brews potions in the garden shed, one makes magic sweets, one sees people's potential, another their emotional wounds... Usually in magic-realist books (particularly of this type) the central characters will have one form of magic. Add to this that the Catalain witches are fighting a demon and I begin to wonder if this is close to being urban fantasy or something similar.
A main theme of the book is that of sisterhood both in the literal sense but also in the sense of the sisterhood of women in the face of violent men. As the Catalain Book of Secrets says:
"Nothing multiplies your power like a sister."
And the converse is also the case: what weakens women's power are secrets kept from one another, silence in the face of male abuse, and the rivalry and tensions we feel for one another. When the Catalain women act on their own, they are too weak to take on the male demon, but when all seven act together...
The mother/daughter relationship is also explored with both Ursula and Jasmine trying not to be like their mothers and making different mistakes. As a mother and a daughter that theme rings very true to me.
This is a more demanding book than those by Addison Lee and similar cosy magic realism writers. Not only because you are made to think, but also because of the narrative style. The book is written from the points of view of the main characters and moves between them. There is also some movement in the time settings. This does have the effect of slowing the book a bit as we get up to pace with the different characters, but after a while the story really kicks off. The author's slightly poetic style of description also might slow things for some people, but I enjoyed her turns of phrase - there are some particularly good descriptions of taste as you might expect given the food magic.
I understand that this is Jessica Lourey's first magic-realist book and one which she used crowdfunding to publish - she already has a successful career as a writer of mysteries. I am fascinated to find out why she decided to diversify into magic realism and will be interested to see what she produces next.
I received a free review copy from the author in return for a fair review.
So what did I make of The Catalain Book of Secrets? There is a lot of magic in this book - all the Catalain women are witches and each has a different form of magic. One makes magic food, one brews potions in the garden shed, one makes magic sweets, one sees people's potential, another their emotional wounds... Usually in magic-realist books (particularly of this type) the central characters will have one form of magic. Add to this that the Catalain witches are fighting a demon and I begin to wonder if this is close to being urban fantasy or something similar.
A main theme of the book is that of sisterhood both in the literal sense but also in the sense of the sisterhood of women in the face of violent men. As the Catalain Book of Secrets says:
"Nothing multiplies your power like a sister."
And the converse is also the case: what weakens women's power are secrets kept from one another, silence in the face of male abuse, and the rivalry and tensions we feel for one another. When the Catalain women act on their own, they are too weak to take on the male demon, but when all seven act together...
The mother/daughter relationship is also explored with both Ursula and Jasmine trying not to be like their mothers and making different mistakes. As a mother and a daughter that theme rings very true to me.
This is a more demanding book than those by Addison Lee and similar cosy magic realism writers. Not only because you are made to think, but also because of the narrative style. The book is written from the points of view of the main characters and moves between them. There is also some movement in the time settings. This does have the effect of slowing the book a bit as we get up to pace with the different characters, but after a while the story really kicks off. The author's slightly poetic style of description also might slow things for some people, but I enjoyed her turns of phrase - there are some particularly good descriptions of taste as you might expect given the food magic.
I understand that this is Jessica Lourey's first magic-realist book and one which she used crowdfunding to publish - she already has a successful career as a writer of mysteries. I am fascinated to find out why she decided to diversify into magic realism and will be interested to see what she produces next.
I received a free review copy from the author in return for a fair review.
December 17, 2014
The Catalain Book of Secrets by Jessica Lourey is a delightful and magical book! The Catalain ladies are magical. Velda, Ursula, Helena, Xenia, Katrine, Jasmine, and Tara are the Catalain women. Each has their own magical gift. Katrine has been gone from Faith Falls for a number of years, but has now felt the call to come home. Jasmine (Katrine’s sister) has been keeping a secret, and, unfortunately, secrets can be this families undoing. You need to read The Catalain Book of Secrets to see what happens to these magical ladies and how revealing their secrets can free them. I loved this book and did not want it to end. I hope there will be more books about the Catalain family.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
January 8, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The writing itself was a bit disjointed and seemed to assume the reader knew these characters as well as the author did. Skipping past that, you are then faced with the rampant promiscuity of the Catalain family. Throw in a heaping helping of spells, incantations, and candle rituals and you have this book in a hand basket.
Not for me.
The writing itself was a bit disjointed and seemed to assume the reader knew these characters as well as the author did. Skipping past that, you are then faced with the rampant promiscuity of the Catalain family. Throw in a heaping helping of spells, incantations, and candle rituals and you have this book in a hand basket.
Not for me.
March 18, 2015
***disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
DNF 12%
There is nothing terribly wrong with this book. I found it boring and knew early on it was not a book for me. I think women who have gone through a divorce and enjoy magical realism will like this book.
DNF 12%
There is nothing terribly wrong with this book. I found it boring and knew early on it was not a book for me. I think women who have gone through a divorce and enjoy magical realism will like this book.
August 1, 2018
Not worth the 99 ¢ I paid for this...
Hard to believe that this was written by a seasoned author....started off well but bogged down in the middle and became tedious and boring...kept reading in hopes that it would get better...
It didn't....waste of time
Hard to believe that this was written by a seasoned author....started off well but bogged down in the middle and became tedious and boring...kept reading in hopes that it would get better...
It didn't....waste of time
August 16, 2018
A truly enjoyable magical book, tossing in family dynamics, small town Minnesota, and more.
Quite often, I feel that the publisher's blurb, comparing a book to other well-known books in the same genre, is a disservice. The Catalain Book of Secrets was compared to Practical Magic, which I thought unwise. In this case, the story line is quite comparable to PM. Jessica Lourey's writing style, however, is completely different from Alice Hoffman. This book is filled with evocative phrases to describe the hardening of one's heart, the scent in the air, the tears on a cheek - and while some reviewers have been critical of the descriptions, I loved them. I highlighted several, hoping to remember to use similar descriptors in the future. The visuals were strong in this book, and I loved that about the story.
Quite often, I feel that the publisher's blurb, comparing a book to other well-known books in the same genre, is a disservice. The Catalain Book of Secrets was compared to Practical Magic, which I thought unwise. In this case, the story line is quite comparable to PM. Jessica Lourey's writing style, however, is completely different from Alice Hoffman. This book is filled with evocative phrases to describe the hardening of one's heart, the scent in the air, the tears on a cheek - and while some reviewers have been critical of the descriptions, I loved them. I highlighted several, hoping to remember to use similar descriptors in the future. The visuals were strong in this book, and I loved that about the story.
February 10, 2020
Everything about this story rings reminiscent of the "Practical Magic" but in a very watered down and altered way. Spoilers Ahead.
This story keeps so many of the good key points about the line of magical witches living in a small town where their gifts are rarely seen as a good thing, but a lot of it is overshadowed by forced in elements of sexual assault and the nearly identical banishing scene. As the story had gone on, and I learned more about the family, I had been hoping that the too similar elements would fade away. Instead, I found the climax of the story to be so close to that of "Practical Magic" that the rest of the story lost all allure to me.
It is not a bad story by any means. It's well written and the characters have unique personalities and motives to their own. However, it is definitely a story I have read before.
This story keeps so many of the good key points about the line of magical witches living in a small town where their gifts are rarely seen as a good thing, but a lot of it is overshadowed by forced in elements of sexual assault and the nearly identical banishing scene. As the story had gone on, and I learned more about the family, I had been hoping that the too similar elements would fade away. Instead, I found the climax of the story to be so close to that of "Practical Magic" that the rest of the story lost all allure to me.
It is not a bad story by any means. It's well written and the characters have unique personalities and motives to their own. However, it is definitely a story I have read before.
August 6, 2018
Sheer beauty in writing
This is not really a genre of books I read, but I loved this one because of the amazing writing. Descriptive sentences are poetry, but do not overpower the story. The pages from the original Book of Secrets were great! Lots of practical advice for living a good life are included in these "spells". The Book is filled with gentle humor and the silver lining of human suffering.
This is not really a genre of books I read, but I loved this one because of the amazing writing. Descriptive sentences are poetry, but do not overpower the story. The pages from the original Book of Secrets were great! Lots of practical advice for living a good life are included in these "spells". The Book is filled with gentle humor and the silver lining of human suffering.
September 10, 2018
Magical!
If you liked Alice Hoffman’s The Rules of Magic you’ll love Jessica Lourey’s The Catalain Book of Secrets. Written in beautiful poetic language it is filled with heart, humor and wisdom. From the intriguing first sentence to the suspenseful conclusion I was enthralled. I wish in real life I could try on one of Xenia’s handmade dresses at Seven Sisters Shop, bite into Helen’s delicious candy and order one of Ursula’s love potions. I can’t wait to read another Lourey novel.
If you liked Alice Hoffman’s The Rules of Magic you’ll love Jessica Lourey’s The Catalain Book of Secrets. Written in beautiful poetic language it is filled with heart, humor and wisdom. From the intriguing first sentence to the suspenseful conclusion I was enthralled. I wish in real life I could try on one of Xenia’s handmade dresses at Seven Sisters Shop, bite into Helen’s delicious candy and order one of Ursula’s love potions. I can’t wait to read another Lourey novel.
December 22, 2019
Minnesota? Boy was I fooled. We come to expect witches and their mysteries straight out of London or New York, encased in all Victorian. Except for this Queen Anne!Thankfully, a well written story of homegrown potions, curses and beautiful women. Lourey fascinates the reader with her words: a story well grounded in the lives of women. I’m wondering what will follow: the novella, perhaps a telling if forebears?
May 2, 2018
I guess I've been reading more books lately that I know are going to be "bad" as a way of managing stress. I think that's fine and valid. This wasn't particularly fun to read though, I was hoping it would be a ridiculous but fun romp like the "Discovery of Witches" series but it was overly serious & ended up being a slog to get though. Oh well!
July 13, 2019
I love magical stories, and I especially love those that focus on strong women. The Catalain sisters in this book have gone through tests and trials (some of their own makings, and some as a result of another’s choices/decisions), but it was the greatest magic when they band their strength together to lift one another up - the same thing can happen in the real world as well!
March 9, 2020
Open
Secrets and lies prevent healing, especially when the secrets pass through multiple generations. When the truth is finally told evil is conquered and the healing begins.
Easily relatable story, like an onion with its many layers. Enjoyed the powerful women who carried on despite the malevolent townsfolk.
Secrets and lies prevent healing, especially when the secrets pass through multiple generations. When the truth is finally told evil is conquered and the healing begins.
Easily relatable story, like an onion with its many layers. Enjoyed the powerful women who carried on despite the malevolent townsfolk.
April 18, 2022
middle of the road
This is the first time reading this author and don’t think I will again. I thought the story started off well but then sort of dropped in the middle and then just became so hard to finish. I liked the magical aspect (as I liked Practical Magic) but this fell way short of the expectation. This book might be fantastic for others but it wasn’t for me.
This is the first time reading this author and don’t think I will again. I thought the story started off well but then sort of dropped in the middle and then just became so hard to finish. I liked the magical aspect (as I liked Practical Magic) but this fell way short of the expectation. This book might be fantastic for others but it wasn’t for me.
April 20, 2022
I finished the book, but had trouble getting past the second chapter. I don't like to quit, so I made it through, but would not have chosen this if I had previewed a chapter. The focus is on human emotions, life, tragedy, etc. There is a little paranormal, but way too much romance for me. I love fantasy and science fiction; this is not either.
December 12, 2018
If you like Practical Magic or A History of Witches or basically anything in the witchy genre you are going to want to block out a few hours to read this one. Well paced, excellent storytelling and some fantastic spells/illustrations mixed in made this one feel like something special.
January 4, 2020
Gratifying
I was completely caught in this wonderful web of family. I envisioned it as my own, although we didn't have the abilities they had we did have love. I would love to find out why the grandparents moved there and where they went. All in all a wonderful read.
I was completely caught in this wonderful web of family. I envisioned it as my own, although we didn't have the abilities they had we did have love. I would love to find out why the grandparents moved there and where they went. All in all a wonderful read.
January 7, 2020
Magical Story
This book has a bit of everything and was delicious. White witchcraft, secrets spanning generations, love, loss, redemption, forgiveness and new beginnings. The characters were strong and well written.
This book has a bit of everything and was delicious. White witchcraft, secrets spanning generations, love, loss, redemption, forgiveness and new beginnings. The characters were strong and well written.
July 30, 2018
I love books about witches and magic, but this one...meh!
August 19, 2018
Similar to Practical Magic, but with a generational twist that adds a lot of depth. I enjoyed the description of magic and akin to love.
September 26, 2018
Practical Magic?
This was a cute, but pretty predictable story that has many similarities to Practical Magic. If you liked that book, you’ll love this one.
This was a cute, but pretty predictable story that has many similarities to Practical Magic. If you liked that book, you’ll love this one.
September 2, 2019
A little like Practical Magic. Well worth the read.
January 2, 2020
An enjoyable, easy to read book of magical realism with the emphasis on magic. The tale of a contemporary family of witches, the community they live in, and the curse that follows them.
February 1, 2020
Unusual
Seven women, each with her own story. There is magic, despair, desperation. There is more sex than I anticipated. Altogether, it a story of family.
Seven women, each with her own story. There is magic, despair, desperation. There is more sex than I anticipated. Altogether, it a story of family.
February 2, 2020
I don’t typically love fantasy type books, but this one was really good. I was captivated by the story and fought putting it down, but you know, life...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews