"Riveting...not to be missed!" –The Midwest Book Review
Aine believes herself to be a regular teenager in 1930s Alabama, but when a blue-eyed monster named Biblos attacks, she discovers that the reclusive woman raising her isn't really her grandmother and that she's been living inside a book for the past five years.
With her blind brother, Spenser, she flees the pages of the novel she's called home, one terrifying step ahead of Biblos' black magic. Her only chance at survival lies in beating him to the three objects that he desires more than life. 
As she undertakes her strange and dangerous odyssey, Aine must choose between a family she doesn't remember and her growing attraction to a mysterious young man named Gilgamesh. Only through treacherous adventures into The Time Machine, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, A Tale of Two Cities, and the epic Indian saga The Ramayana will she learn her true heritage and restore the balance of the worlds...if she can stay alive.
"Lourey never slackens the pace!" –St. Paul Pioneer Press
"Riveting reading with a fascinating concept, The Toadhouse Trilogy is not to be missed." –The Midwest Book Review
"Readers will, like the protagonists, literally get lost in this book. Beautifully written and unquestionably entertaining, this projected trilogy truly does have the potential to become a young adult classic." –Paul Goat Allen (The Chicago Tribune reviewer)
“Lourey's wonderful way with words will whisk readers away to an amazing new world!” –Anthony and Agatha Award winning author Chris Grabenstein

The Toadhouse Trilogy: Book One

Lourey, Jess

Toadhouse Books

"Think Alice Hoffman...spell-binding." ―Midwest Book Review 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, A Discovery of Witches, and Practical Magic. An intoxicating, epic, one-sitting read. 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 Queen Anne's twisting stairs lies the 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 soul of the man she murdered appears at her door inhabiting the body of a wicked sexy bluesman. His return pulls Jasmine, Ursula's daughter, back into the fold. Once the most powerful of the Catalains, Jasmine foreswore her gift and her family to bury a shameful secret. But the bluesman's true target is beautiful Katrine, Ursula's youngest. She ran all the way to London to escape her Catalain gift. When the sinister, seductive magic of the bluesman lures her home to have his revenge, the clashing Catalain women must band together or lose themselves forever. BONUS: Includes exquisitely-illustrated pages from the ancient Book of Secrets. The Catalain Book of Secrets is a luscious, enchanting tale that will wrap you in its spell, fill you with hope and passion, and lead you to your own magic. Read this Amazon bestseller today! "Life-affirming, thought-provoking, heart-warming, it's one of those books which―if youhappen to read it exactly when you need to―will heal your wounds as you turn the pages." ―Catriona McPherson, Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, and Bruce Alexander-winning author "Prolific mystery writer Lourey tells of a matriarchal clan of witches joining forces against age-old evil...The novel is tightly plotted, and Lourey shines when depicting relationships―romantic ones as well as tangled links between Catalains...Lourey emphasizes the ties that bind in spite of secrets and resentment." ―Kirkus Reviews "Lourey expertly concocts a Gothic fusion of long-held secrets, melancholy, and resolve...Exquisitely written in naturally flowing, expressive language, the book delves into the special relationships between sisters, and mothers and daughters." ―Publishers Weekly

The Catalain Book of Secrets: Hardcover 2nd Edition

Literature & Fiction

Lourey, Jessica

Contemporary

"The Catalain Book of Secrets opens with a bang and keeps on firing off the unexpected. Think Charles deLint or Alice Hoffman...spell-binding." ―Midwest Book Review Faith Falls is a snug little Minnesota town constructed overa mystery, a place where the most impressive building is a gorgeous Queen Annewith turrets, cantilevered gables, and a wraparound porch. In a concealed roombeneath the twisting stairs of the Queen Anne lies the Catalain Book ofSecrets, the repository of the wisdom the Catalain women have gathered sincethe beginning of time. Ursula Catalain, current keeper ofthe Book of Secrets, is content to concoct spells in her garden cottage untilthe ghost of the man she murdered appears at her door in a new form. His returnpulls Jasmine, Ursula's daughter, back into the fold. Once the most powerful ofthe Catalains, Jasmine foreswore her gift to bury a shameful secret. The ghost of the murdered man alsocalls home Katrine, Jasmine's sister, who's been banished for fourteen years.Finally able to return to Faith Falls and the beloved Queen Anne, Katrine mustclaim the Catalain power she's spent her whole life running from if she is tosave her mother and sister from the murdered man's curse. Toldin 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, EvaLuna, and Practical Magic.

The Catalain Book of Secrets

Aine believes herself to be a regular teenager in 1930s Missouri, but when a blue-eyed monster named Biblos attacks, she discovers that the reclusive woman raising her isn't really her grandmother and that she's been living inside a book for the past five years. With her blind brother, Spenser, she flees the pages of the novel she's called home, one terrifying step ahead of Biblos' black magic. Her only chance at survival lies in beating him to the three objects that he desires more than life. As she undertakes her strange and dangerous odyssey, Aine must choose between a family she doesn't remember and her growing attraction to a mysterious young man named Gilgamesh. Only through treacherous adventures into The Time Machine, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, A Tale of Two Cities, and the epic Indian saga The Ramayana will she learn her true heritage and restore the balance of the worlds... if she can stay alive. "Lourey never slackens the pace!" --St. Paul Pioneer Press "Riveting reading with a fascinating concept, 'The Toadhouse Trilogy' is not to be missed." --Midwest Book Review "Readers will, like the protagonists, literally get lost in this book. Beautifully written and unquestionably entertaining, this projected trilogy truly does have the potential to become a young adult classic." --Paul Goat Allen (The Chicago Tribune reviewer) “Lourey's wonderful way with words will whisk readers away to an amazing new world!” --Anthony and Agatha Award winning author Chris Grabenstein

Teen & Young Adult

Lourey, J. H.

Brimming with humor and heartbreak, hope and magic, this enchanting novella takes readers deeper into the world of the Catalains and the magic that binds them. Every one of Helena Catalain's handmade candies carries magic. Her black currant truffle with the deep purple center removes all symptoms of menopause. Her Bittersweet Money bar lights the path to riches.But when a pain begins to grow and spread from her left breast, rather than face what it might mean, Helena puts on a smile and goes about her day. Ashamed of what she is hiding, she rejects the affection of Artemis, the man who's waited his whole life to court her. Then the quarter-century revelation of snakes descends upon Faith Falls. About to lose everything, Helena must face the possibility that love is only magic strong enough to save her. If you enjoyed Seven Daughters, you'll love The Catalain Book of Secrets,a full-length novel featuring the beloved Catalain family and never-before-seen spells from their secret book.

Seven Daughters: A Catalain Book of Secrets Novella

Every one of Helena Catalain's handmade candies carries magic. Her black currant truffle with the deep purple center removes all symptoms of menopause. Her Bittersweet Money bar lights the path to riches. But when a mysterious pain appears in her left breast, Helena doesn't want to trouble anyone about it, not even herself. So ashamed is she by the secret she's keeping that she can't see the true love Artemis Hartshorn Buckley offers her.When the quarter-century revelation of snakes descends upon Faith Falls, they bring with them an abundance of unwanted clarity, as they always do. Realizing she's about to lose everything, Helena must face the possibility that love is the only magic strong enough to save her.If you enjoyed Seven Daughters, you'll love The Catalain Book of Secrets, a full-length novel featuring the beloved Catalain family and never-before-seen spells from their secret book.

Seven Daughters: A Catalain Book of Secrets Novella (The Catalain Witches)

From the Amazing Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things, Bloodline, and Litani comes a gripping paranormal mystery featuring four generations of Catalain women battling the curse that threatens to destroy their already-divided family ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\nKatrine Catalain returns from London, broken and bereft, her life there destroyed. She finds Faith Falls just as she left it, a snug little Minnesota town constructed over a mystery, a place where the most impressive building is the gorgeous Victorian mansion she calls home.\nThe Catalain women have always had an uneasy truce with the people of Faith Falls, but Katrine's return brings all the bad blood to the surface, dredging up secrets, bitter curses, and more than one unexplained murder. The Catalain women must find a way to make peace with their past or lose everything that's ever mattered to them.\nThis lush, intoxicating tale weaves together fear, love, mystery, and magic. Read this thrilling Amazon bestseller today! If you'd like to spend more time with the Catalain women, check out Seven Daughters, a Catalain novella.\n"[T]ightly plotted, and Lourey shines when depicting relationships―romantic ones as well as tangled links between Catalains...." ―Kirkus Reviews\n"Lourey expertly concocts a Gothic fusion of long-held secrets, melancholy, and resolve..." ―Publishers Weekly\n"Think Alice Hoffman...spell-binding!" ―Midwest Book Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Catalain Book of Secrets (The Catalain Witches)

Genre Fiction

Review\nPRAISE FOR MAY DAY\n"This trade paperback packed a punch...I loved it from the get-go!" ―Tulsa World\n"What a romp this is! I found myself laughing out loud..." ―Crimespree Magazine\n"Mira is the strength of the book. She has a unique voice, full of irreverent humor...I couldn't help rooting for [her]." ―All about Romance\n"Meet this witty heroine in Lourey's engaging new series." ―Mystery Scene Magazine\n"May Day starts the action rolling with a clever mystery and some snappy writing . . . These pages are filled with fresh dialogue!" ―In the Library\n"Mira digs up a closetful of dirty secrets, including sex parties, cross-dressing and blackmail, on her way to exposing the killer. Lourey's debut has a likeable heroine and surfeit of sass." ―Kirkus Reviews\n"A hilarious and sexy small-town mystery!! Loved it!!" ―Anniereader (online reviewer, five stars)\n"Tight plot and funny." ―Betti (online reviewer, five stars)\n"Read this now! I had a hard time putting this one down...Good thing there are more in the series I haven't yet read. I'm looking forward to devouring them!" ―S. Waters (online reviewer, five stars)\n*Jess Lourey named to BookRiot's "10 Funny Mystery Authors Like Janet Evanovich" list!\n✨ "Janet Evanovich fans have a new reason to celebrate!" ―Gemma Halliday, bestselling author of Mayhem in High Heels ✨\nThe not-so-proud owner of a waitressing career and a cheating boyfriend, cosmopolitan Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake. When she immediately lands a librarian job and meets a sexy small-town hunk, she wonders if she's finally made a good life decision.\nUntil that hunk turns up dead between the library's reference stacks.\nAnxious to learn more about the man who briefly stole her heart, Mira delves headfirst into the mysteries of Battle Lake. The first thing she discovers is that she'd chosen the wrong guy all along. The second? That unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky town, and revenge is a tator tot hotdish best served cold.\n⭐ "What a romp this is! I found myself laughing out loud..." ―Crimespree Magazine\n⭐ "Mira is the strength of the book. She has a unique voice, full of irreverent humor...I couldn't help rooting for [her]." ―All about Romance

May Day: Hot and Hilarious

Humor & Satire

The Ice Man SuccumbethPrivate-eye-in-training Mira James loves Minnesota's crisp January days, as long as she can spend them in the arms of hunky Johnny Leeson. But when Mrs. Berns' erratic Zamboni driving uncovers an icebound dead man, Mira's cold-weather tranquility threatens to melt away.With a frozen corpse in the lake and a freak January thaw descending on town, neither Johnny nor generous portions of high-octane comfort food are enough to ease Mira's frazzled nerves. If Mira can't figure out who's behind the murder, the next time she feels sub-zero temperatures, it may be because she's sporting a toe tag in the town morgue.

January Thaw: Humor and Hijinks

“The best outing yet for Mira.”—Kirkus Reviews
All Aboard the Murder Express!
Mira James’ hot and heavy relationship with Johnny Leeson is definitely warming up her winter. But when Johnny has to travel to Portland, Oregon, for an internship, airplane-averse Mira lets Mrs. Berns talk her into a visit. On the plus side, Mira can make the trip a tax write-off by attending the International Private Investigator Conference. On the down side, Mrs. Berns books them—much to Mira’s dismay—on the Valentine Train, a place for singles to mix and mingle.
After a few glasses of champagne and Mrs. Berns’ encouragement, Mira begins to relax and enjoy herself . . . until a fellow passenger is murdered and a snowstorm traps the train in the Rockies. If Mira can’t track down the killer, she may end up derailed—permanently.
Part of a twelve-book series, February Fever is perfect for readers who love to escape into the humorous mysteries of Janet Evanovich, Denise Grover Swank, Margaret Lashley, and Stephanie Bond. Or, if you love to belly-laugh while reading a heart-pounding mystery, then this series is for you! February Fever is the tenth in a series of laugh-out-loud-funny, romantic, comic caper mysteries featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots. The books do not need to be read in order; each novel stands alone. Get all the Mira James mysteries today!
May Day June Bug Knee High by the Fourth of July August Moon September Mourn October Fest November Hunt December Dread January Thaw February Fever March of Crimes April Fools
Or, if you love a good binge read, check out the bundles!
Mira James Mysteries Summer Bundle, Books 1-4 (May, June, July, and August) Mira James Mysteries Fall Bundle, Books 5-7 (September, October, November) Mira James Mysteries Winter Bundle, Books 8-10 (December, January, February)
PRAISE FOR FEBRUARY FEVER
“Lourey skillfully mixes humor and suspense . . . the characters are wonderful and wacky, and the mile-a-minute pace never falters.”—Booklist (starred review)
"[An] incredible series…."—Suspense Magazine
“I can’t wait to see what Mira does next.”—Crimespree Magazine

February Fever: Hot and Hilarious

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Toadhouse Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Toadhouse Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Toadhouse Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Toadhouse Trilogy: Book One

The Catalain Book of Secrets: Hardcover 2nd Edition

The Catalain Book of Secrets

The Toadhouse Trilogy: Book One

Seven Daughters: A Catalain Book of Secrets Novella

Seven Daughters: A Catalain Book of Secrets Novella (The Catalain Witches)

The Catalain Book of Secrets (The Catalain Witches)

May Day: Hot and Hilarious

January Thaw: Humor and Hijinks

February Fever: Hot and Hilarious