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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
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.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-catalain-book-of-secrets.html
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-catalain-book-of-secrets.html
rntylr22's review against another edition
3.0
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is like [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388207715s/22896.jpg|4030671] by [a:Alice Hoffman|3502|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1390431605p2/3502.jpg] meets [b:Garden Spells|1158967|Garden Spells ( Waverley Family, #1)|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347309330s/1158967.jpg|2689445] by [a:Sarah Addison Allen|566874|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1372537232p2/566874.jpg] . Ursula Catalain uses her garden to create spells in which to help anyone who comes to her door. Her daughter Jasmine, for reasons only known to her, has rejected her magical gift of evoking emotions through her cooking. Her other daughter, Katrine believes she is the weak link in the family; with no real powers except the ability to glean a few stray thoughts from people's minds.
The story begins as Katrine's life is falling apart and she feels the tug of her sister pulling her home. She arrives just in time for the once every 25 years event of snakes taking over the town and a family curse coming back to haunt the Catalains.
I enjoyed the magical component; I love Sarah Addison Allen and this book was quite similar, but with darker undertones similar to Alice Hoffman's work. I liked the rawness of the characters; how full of flaws they were. These are stubborn women who somehow have to express their feelings for each other if any of them are going to begin to heal. I enjoyed the fluidity of the narration up until the last couple of chapters. It seemed like everything was tying together nicely but it felt like it was written by a different author. The pace grew quicker with less attention to the detail and workings of the characters and then ended abruptly with a happily ever after line.
Overall I liked this book, however I wish it went more one way or the other in terms of genre. At times it felt like a typical chick-lit novel which is fine until it tried to go darker into a thriller type novel. I would have enjoyed it either way but I feel it would have been better if it was darker and more focused on a couple of characters rather than an entire family of women.
This book is like [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388207715s/22896.jpg|4030671] by [a:Alice Hoffman|3502|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1390431605p2/3502.jpg] meets [b:Garden Spells|1158967|Garden Spells ( Waverley Family, #1)|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347309330s/1158967.jpg|2689445] by [a:Sarah Addison Allen|566874|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1372537232p2/566874.jpg] . Ursula Catalain uses her garden to create spells in which to help anyone who comes to her door. Her daughter Jasmine, for reasons only known to her, has rejected her magical gift of evoking emotions through her cooking. Her other daughter, Katrine believes she is the weak link in the family; with no real powers except the ability to glean a few stray thoughts from people's minds.
The story begins as Katrine's life is falling apart and she feels the tug of her sister pulling her home. She arrives just in time for the once every 25 years event of snakes taking over the town and a family curse coming back to haunt the Catalains.
I enjoyed the magical component; I love Sarah Addison Allen and this book was quite similar, but with darker undertones similar to Alice Hoffman's work. I liked the rawness of the characters; how full of flaws they were. These are stubborn women who somehow have to express their feelings for each other if any of them are going to begin to heal. I enjoyed the fluidity of the narration up until the last couple of chapters. It seemed like everything was tying together nicely but it felt like it was written by a different author. The pace grew quicker with less attention to the detail and workings of the characters and then ended abruptly with a happily ever after line.
Overall I liked this book, however I wish it went more one way or the other in terms of genre. At times it felt like a typical chick-lit novel which is fine until it tried to go darker into a thriller type novel. I would have enjoyed it either way but I feel it would have been better if it was darker and more focused on a couple of characters rather than an entire family of women.
cathyatratedreads's review against another edition
4.0
Quite entertaining. Magic isn't my favorite topic, but occasionally I enjoy a magic-related book. I read that the author crowd-funded self-publishing this even though she'd already been successfully published as a mystery writer. It mystifies me she couldn't find a publisher because this is quite good. (Ah, the vagaries of the publishing business! Don't get me started.) Those who love any magic or magical reality will surely appreciate this one.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/catalain-book-secrets-fiction-book-review/
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/catalain-book-secrets-fiction-book-review/
mlindsey441's review against another edition
3.0
My favorite part of this novel?
The first line. Killer first line. It pulled me right in.
That and the food descriptions. Oh, there is lots of lovely food in here.
It's a good story, filled with magic and sister-drama. Lots of small town life, too. I love magic, so I would have liked to have seen more magic in here -- and more development of the other sisters. My primary complaint is that I would have liked to have read more -- a longer story, more development of characters, and a few more plot twists. The story starts out with such a dramatic moment and I kept wishing I could get back to that.
Jess can tell a good story, which is probably why I found myself at the end wishing for more.
The first line. Killer first line. It pulled me right in.
That and the food descriptions. Oh, there is lots of lovely food in here.
It's a good story, filled with magic and sister-drama. Lots of small town life, too. I love magic, so I would have liked to have seen more magic in here -- and more development of the other sisters. My primary complaint is that I would have liked to have read more -- a longer story, more development of characters, and a few more plot twists. The story starts out with such a dramatic moment and I kept wishing I could get back to that.
Jess can tell a good story, which is probably why I found myself at the end wishing for more.
faerietears's review against another edition
Just couldn't get into this book. Then it came due at the library and I didn't bother renewing. Not poorly written, just not my type of book. (I'm mostly a YA reader after all.)
I think I made it to chapter 3 or 4?
I think I made it to chapter 3 or 4?
rntylr22's review against another edition
3.0
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is like [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388207715s/22896.jpg|4030671] by [a:Alice Hoffman|3502|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1390431605p2/3502.jpg] meets [b:Garden Spells|1158967|Garden Spells ( Waverley Family, #1)|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347309330s/1158967.jpg|2689445] by [a:Sarah Addison Allen|566874|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1372537232p2/566874.jpg] . Ursula Catalain uses her garden to create spells in which to help anyone who comes to her door. Her daughter Jasmine, for reasons only known to her, has rejected her magical gift of evoking emotions through her cooking. Her other daughter, Katrine believes she is the weak link in the family; with no real powers except the ability to glean a few stray thoughts from people's minds.
The story begins as Katrine's life is falling apart and she feels the tug of her sister pulling her home. She arrives just in time for the once every 25 years event of snakes taking over the town and a family curse coming back to haunt the Catalains.
I enjoyed the magical component; I love Sarah Addison Allen and this book was quite similar, but with darker undertones similar to Alice Hoffman's work. I liked the rawness of the characters; how full of flaws they were. These are stubborn women who somehow have to express their feelings for each other if any of them are going to begin to heal. I enjoyed the fluidity of the narration up until the last couple of chapters. It seemed like everything was tying together nicely but it felt like it was written by a different author. The pace grew quicker with less attention to the detail and workings of the characters and then ended abruptly with a happily ever after line.
Overall I liked this book, however I wish it went more one way or the other in terms of genre. At times it felt like a typical chick-lit novel which is fine until it tried to go darker into a thriller type novel. I would have enjoyed it either way but I feel it would have been better if it was darker and more focused on a couple of characters rather than an entire family of women.
This book is like [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388207715s/22896.jpg|4030671] by [a:Alice Hoffman|3502|Alice Hoffman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1390431605p2/3502.jpg] meets [b:Garden Spells|1158967|Garden Spells ( Waverley Family, #1)|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347309330s/1158967.jpg|2689445] by [a:Sarah Addison Allen|566874|Sarah Addison Allen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1372537232p2/566874.jpg] . Ursula Catalain uses her garden to create spells in which to help anyone who comes to her door. Her daughter Jasmine, for reasons only known to her, has rejected her magical gift of evoking emotions through her cooking. Her other daughter, Katrine believes she is the weak link in the family; with no real powers except the ability to glean a few stray thoughts from people's minds.
The story begins as Katrine's life is falling apart and she feels the tug of her sister pulling her home. She arrives just in time for the once every 25 years event of snakes taking over the town and a family curse coming back to haunt the Catalains.
I enjoyed the magical component; I love Sarah Addison Allen and this book was quite similar, but with darker undertones similar to Alice Hoffman's work. I liked the rawness of the characters; how full of flaws they were. These are stubborn women who somehow have to express their feelings for each other if any of them are going to begin to heal. I enjoyed the fluidity of the narration up until the last couple of chapters. It seemed like everything was tying together nicely but it felt like it was written by a different author. The pace grew quicker with less attention to the detail and workings of the characters and then ended abruptly with a happily ever after line.
Overall I liked this book, however I wish it went more one way or the other in terms of genre. At times it felt like a typical chick-lit novel which is fine until it tried to go darker into a thriller type novel. I would have enjoyed it either way but I feel it would have been better if it was darker and more focused on a couple of characters rather than an entire family of women.
hazel_reads's review
4.0
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book! It had my attention right from the start and never let go. I was sad to have it end! I found myself attached to many of the characters. I loved the magic, and all of their unique relationships. I would love to read more about this family!
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