When Lou’s gran passes away, she inherits a small wooden box—nothing like the flashy car her sister, Cindy, receives. But hey, it’s better than Gran’s creepy collection of toenail clippings…or so Lou thinks. That is, until she opens the box and a guy the size of a stick of gum falls out. Suddenly, the toenails don’t seem so bad.
From the moment he arrives, Lou’s life spirals into chaos. The pint-sized stranger spills secrets that turn her world upside down: Gran was a powerful sorceress, Cindy is a witch, and they’ve been hiding Lou’s own magical abilities “for her protection.” Now, with her magic awakened, Lou is caught in a dangerous game. Without it, she’s defenseless against the shadowy forces hunting her. With it, she’s marked for something far worse than death.
Can Lou survive the secrets her family kept locked away, or will this unexpected gift be her undoing?
Christina G. Gaudet is an author of young adult books and an illustrator of children's books. Her stories feature strong female characters in magical settings with just a dash of romance. She draws inspiration from folklore, nature, and her love of mythology, creating worlds where magic feels as real as the emotions of her characters. When she's not writing or drawing, she's likely tucked into her basement with her nerdy friends playing Dungeons and Dragons.