Title:  The Catalain Book of Secrets
Series:
Author:  Jessica Lourey
Genre:  Paranormal
Published:  January 1, 2015
Publisher:  Toadhouse Books
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley

Story Blurb:

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.

Read on for my thoughts on The Catalain Book of Secrets.  No true spoilers, promise.

Sometimes a novel stumps  me on how to share my thought about it with you.  Sometimes I don’t really want to share at all – because I want you to make your own judgement, experience the words, the atmosphere, the story all on your own.

I know, that is incredibly unfair for a reviewer on a review site to say to a reader.

Nonetheless, it is true.  So instead of telling you about the story let me give you my reaction to the book.

The Catalain Book of Secrets is told in a variety of viewpoints.  We will hear each woman’s part of the story or reaction to the situation in her own words.  Which for me, made this story come even more alive.  I wasn’t an outsider, hearing only one voice of this story – I was seeing the story through different eyes throughout it, and that made this an amazing tale.

I totally fell in love with the Queen Anne home – oh, how I want to find one of my own.  The house had just as much personality as those living within it’s walls.

I enjoyed the “practicing” part of this novel.  And the FOOD…my goodness, I certainly hope that you are a muncher while reading ‘cos you’re going to be hitting the snacks during this one.  Okay, back to the practicing – reading how some of these delightful concoctions were put together was such fun for me.  (I’m convinced I was a practicing witch in a former life)

Most of all I enjoy the intertwining story of all of these women and the secret that is causing such a commotion in their lives.  I completely loved being invited into their home and their lives  The story told cannot be the only tale these ladies have to tell.  Because I want more.

What I’m trying to say, dear readers, is you need to read this novel.  You don’t need me spoiling the experience for you.  It is an amazing novel, it touches one on so many levels but you need to let it touch you because I’m convinced each person reading it will come away with something far different.

I highly recommend it, give it a 4 outta 5 on my rating scale — now you go pick it up somewhere and get lost in the pages of a really good read.  Go.  Now.

*I received an e-ARC of The Catalain Book of Secrets  from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

This novel and it’s companion novel, Seven Daughters, is available for the Kindle at Amazon