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April Aasheim

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The Witches of Dark Root: A Contemporary Witchy Fantasy (Daughters of Dark Root Book 1) Kindle Edition

by April Aasheim (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 3,350 ratings

Book 1 of 5: Daughters of Dark Root

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"There are some secrets darker than witchcraft." - Dora Maddock

My name is Maggie Maddock, and I'm a wilder—a natural born witch who cannot control her powers. A dirty word, in our community; hardly better than a warlock.

My sisters and I were trained in the old ways of magick by my coven-leading mother, my Aunt Dora, and various members of The Council. With Dark Root's steady supply of magick, and our talents, we were deemed the generation destined to save the world.

But there was a rift in the Council, between those wanting to follow a darker path, and those committed to the light. When The Council fell apart, Mother stopped caring, and the town, and it's magick, began to die.

One by one, we moved away, leaving the ghosts of our childhoods behind, and forging new identities for ourselves.

Now, 7 years later, I've been called home: Back to my overbearing mother, who has succumbed to her delusions; back to my sisters and our childhood rivalries; back to the boy who carved our initials into a tree; and back to the demon that tormented me since childhood.

But there is even more waiting for us in Dark Root—secrets Mother and The Council went to great lengths to keep hidden.

Secrets that change everything.

***
Welcome to Dark Root. We've been expecting you.

Books in The Daughters of Dark Root series:
The Witches of Dark Root
The Magick of Dark Root
The Curse of Dark Root: Part One
The Curse of Dark Root: Part Two
The Shadows of Dark Root

The Children of Dark Root Series (Sequel Series):
Inherited Magick: The Children of Dark Root, Book One
Gifted Magick: The Children of Dark Root, Book Two

Alchemy of a Witch Series: (Prequel Series)
Alchemy of a Witch: Part One--Calcination and Dissolution
Alchemy of a Witch: Part Two--Separation and Conjunction
Alchemy of a Witch: Part Three--Fermentation
Alchemy of a Witch: Part Four--Distillation and Coagulation

Other Dark Root Novellas and Short Stories:
The Council of Dark Root: Armand
A Dark Root Christmas: Merry's Gift
A Dark Root Halloween: The Witching Hour
A Dark Root Halloween: The Pumpkin Problem
The Mystery of Ice Pond Road
A Dark Root Samhain: A Lesson in Magick
Magick Mistletoe

Miss Sasha's School of Magick Series:
Abracadabra and Alchemy
Bloodlines and Bindings
Constellations and Candles
Dowsing and Demons
Elm Trees and Elementals

From the Publisher

The Final Trial has Begun

The world is ending. We can all feel it. The Final Trial is upon us. But only a few of us can do anything about it. Witches. Wise Women. Magicians. Warlocks. Psychics. Alchemists. Demons. All choosing sides in this war against darkness and light.

My sisters and I stand with the light.

But is that enough?

Four Sisters Try Their Hands at Life, Love and Magick in this Beloved, Multi-generational Witchy Saga.


Maggie--The Wilder Maggie is the middle daughter of the Maddock family. Known as a 'Wilder,' she can't control her magick, until she learns to control her temper. With her insatiable curiosity, Maggie finds herself enmeshed in the many mysteries of Dark Root, bringing her sisters along with her.	Merry--The Empath Merry is the healer of the family, with a kind heart and a compassionate nature. She has taken on the motherly role, and is the keeper of family history.	Eve--The Charmer Eve is the most glamorous of the Dark Root girls, with a knack for potions and charms. But sometimes, a little too much charm, can be costly.	Ruth Anne--The Lore Keeper Ruth Anne is the eldest of the Maddock sisters. When not writing paranormal romance books, Ruth Anne is out investigating ghosts and local hauntings.

The Dark Root Universe: Begin Your Paranormal Journey Today

How To Navigate the Dark Root Universe

The Dark Root universe is vast and includes four series. To fully immerse yourself in the world and characters, and limit spoilers, here is the suggested reading order:

1) The Daughters of Dark Root Series: Maggie and her witchy sisters return to their enchanted home, only to discover Dark Root has lost its magic.

2) The Children of Dark Root Series: The sisters battle demons and adulting as the next generation of witches is born.

3) Alchemy of a Witch: A medieval fantasy series providing lore and context to the other series. Can be read alone.

4) Miss Sasha's School of Magick: While training the next generation of young witches, the sisters are forced to reconcile with their own pasts, and a very uncertain future.

There are various other short stories and novellas to check out, all are stand alone stories and do not need to be read to enjoy the series.

A Message from the Author

Having grown up in a Haunted House, and being raised with my three sisters, by my witchy mother, I love more than writing about the paranormal. The Dark Root Universe is a collection of books, focusing on a multi-generational cast of witches, inspired by my own life stories.

I hope you enjoy reading about the magickal town of Dark Root, and the witches destined to save the world.

--April Aasheim

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The story was full of action, drama, and just really interesting. I found myself finishing this book in about three days and that was because I had to chase after my children. I strongly recommend this book and I am positive you will enjoy it just as much as I did. My hat is off to you author for doing such a great job on your story through and through." - Librarything Review Jennifer35k

"I loved how this book showed the magical side to life, love and family. It transports you to the town Dark Root and makes you want to be a part of bring it back to life. I can't wait to read the second part of this story and see what happens next with these sisters. This book was a greatread, I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it to others!!!" - Goodreads Review Theresa El-Thomas

From the Author

I want to thank all my readers. Dark Root has become a magical, sacred place I look forward to returning to each year.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00D6OUDDG
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dark Root Press (May 31, 2013)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 31, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1715 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 365 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #283,335 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #313 in Metaphysical Fiction
- #664 in Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction (Books)
- #76,951 in Literature & Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 3,350 ratings

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April Aasheim

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***USA Today Best Selling Author. Avid Reader. Amateur Ghost Hunter. Author of Witchy Things.***

April Aasheim is an avid researcher, and a believer in all things magick. April lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family and her familiar: Boots the Cat.

Books by April Aasheim

(MAIN SERIES)

The Daughters of Dark Root Series.

Book 1: The Witches of Dark Root (2013)

Book 2: The Magick of Dark Root (2014)

Book 3: The Curse of Dark Root: Part 1 (2015)

Book 4: The Curse of Dark Root: Part 2 (2016)

Book 5: The Shadows of Dark Root (2017)

(DAUGHTERS OF DARK ROOT SEQUEL SERIES)

The Children of Dark Root Series:

Book 1: Inherited Magick: Coming Fall 2018

Book 2: Gifted Magick: Coming Fall 2019

(DAUGHTERS OF DARK ROOT PREQUEL SERIES)

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH-PART ONE: Calcination and Dissolution

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART TWO: Separation and Conjunction

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART THREE: Fermentation

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART FOUR: Distillation and Coagulation

Dark Root Companion Short Stories and Novellas

Prequel: The Council of Dark Root: Armand (Novella, 2014)

Prequel: A Dark Root Christmas: Merry's Gift (Novella, 2015)

Prequel: A Dark Root Halloween: The Witching Hour (Short Story, 2016)

Prequel: A Dark Root Samhain: A Lesson in Magick (Short Story, 2017. Available in Witch or Treat multi-author anthology)

Prequel: A Dark Root Solstice: Aunt Dora's Dilemma (Short Story, 2017. Available in Jingle Bells and Spells Multi-Author anthology)

The Pumpkin Problem

Magick Mistletoe

The Reed Hollow Chronicles:

Touch of Light: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery

Touch of Shadow: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery

Touch of Lace: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery Short Story (Available Summer 2018 in Spell or High Water)

Also available from April Aasheim:

The Universe is a Very Big Place (A quirky romantic comedy)

The Good Girl's Guide to Being a Demon (Part of The Woodland Creek Series).

The Last Soldier (A short story in The Ghost and the Cigarette.) June 2018.

Follow April Aasheim on Facebook:aprilaasheimwriter

Sign up for April's newsletter at aprilaasheimwriter.com to receive information on new releases, book promotions, contests and giveaways, and more about the author and her books.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

3,350 global ratings

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Kindle Customer

Excellent First Book in a Great Series

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024

Verified Purchase

Wonderful characters who come to life as you read about them. Uplifting tale of light overcoming darkness and love being the strongest magick of all. A very satisfying read.

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JudeR

This book will bewitch you!

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

Many, many books and stories have been written about witchcraft. Many are banal with weak story lines and insipid characters. And many more are just plain silly, badly written and dull and easily put down and forgotten.
I enjoy all types of books, and this is one of the most enjoyable and well written of its kind. Interesting story line and good character development.
It is the story of a small community founded and developed by women and men with skills and abilities beyond those of the normal person.....otherwise known as witches and warlocks. Their major purpose in life and in establishing this community is supposed to be to prevent the rise of evil in the world.
But when a number of the males and one or two of the women attempt to use extreme and dangerous methods to accomplish their original purpose, the group's main family falls apart and scatters far and wide.
This is the story of that family coming back together and trying to reestablish their original goal.
The magic is there throughout the story, just not in a silly abra cadabra....presto chango way.

The ending comes gently and timely and is a good lead in to the next in the series.

One person found this helpful

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Freddy Walsh

Great Book !

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. Am looking forward to the next one in the series. I know I will have a great time reading it. Keep up the great work so I will continue having something really good to read.

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Lora S.

Somewhat disappointing

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2022

Verified Purchase

The Witches of Dark Root doesn’t appear to exactly qualify as a cozy Witch Mystery. There are a few unanswered questions here and there, but no murders that I can remember. Many of the other standard components of a cozy Witch Mystery are present, though. There is a magic shop belonging to the main character’s mother. It is in a tiny town far from everywhere. And this is a town whose main business is tourism focused on Halloween and an annual Halloween festival of which Maggie’s family of witches is a central focus.

Years ago, Maggie Maddock, impatient to get out of Dark Root, left town in the company of a man who was founding a great new religion and didn’t look back. But now, with her boyfriend suddenly taking up with a new woman and her mother seriously ill, Maggie returns to find the town nearly dead, as most of its witches have either died or left town.

I didn’t particularly like Maggie – she came across as cold and somewhat hostile. I couldn’t understand her driving rush to leave town, either the first time or as soon as she can get a lift to some larger city now. Perhaps her only redeeming qualities are her love for her aunt, her older sister, and her niece.

But she does demonstrate some ability to grow emotionally – which is good because it turns out that some of her grumpiness is because she is pregnant. We get to watch her battle a literal demon, discover what is causing her mother’s illness, and orchestrate a ‘lighting ceremony’ to protect the town on Halloween.

One person found this helpful

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Barbara Marie

The Witches of Dark Root: A Contemporary Witchy Fantasy (Daughters of Dark Root Book 1)

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024

Verified Purchase

The Witches of Dark Root: A Contemporary Witchy Fantasy (Daughters of Dark Root Book 1) I absolutely loved 🥰 the book 📕 The characters are real people with scars and baggage like us. I read on and discovered I was feeling they were real friends. The story is real, I just could not read fast enough. Going to go read book 2 and then the rest of the series. What a fantastic weekend this will be …Definitely recommend reading this book 📖

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D. Zendel

Well-developed characters and plausible paranormal happenings

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Maggie Maddock returns to the small Pacific Northwest town of Dark Root, where it’s “always Halloween” to lick her wounds after a disastrous relationship with a doomsday cult leader. It’s just a stop on the road for her until she figures out what to do next with her life. When she gets there, though, she finds her mother in ill health and the town crumbling in ruin.

I’m not exactly sure what drew me to this story – for some reason, I thought it was a mystery with paranormal elements, but it turned out to be a paranormal story focusing on family, forgiveness, and love. There are some mystery elements, of course – what’s going on with Maggie’s mother, when did her sister Merry pop out a child, whatever happened to her older sister, Ruth Ann, and what about that boob job younger sister Eve got? What’s that about? But it mainly focuses on the relationship between the sisters, and their crazy mother.

Whatever it was that caused me to buy the book, what drew me in was a surprisingly interesting plot with great settings, well-developed characters who experienced growth over the course of the story, strong family relationships, plausible paranormal, and snappy dialogue. The book was a weird mix of lovely writing and weird editing problems (words missing, and grammatical errors), but the story and the characters kept me coming back for more.

Amazon describes this as being in the vein of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic and Rebecca Wells’ Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. I didn’t read the latter, and the former just pissed me off (at least the movie version, I wanted to slap everyone involved). But if you liked those books, you might want to give this a go. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would – I found myself wondering what was happening when I wasn’t reading the book, and I became attached to Maggie and her sisters and the various secondary characters. I liked it enough that I bought (and started) book 2 in the series when I finished book 1.

2 people found this helpful

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Judi Easley for a thoughtful reveal

A great intro to a new to me author and a new series

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024

Verified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in Ms. Aasheim's series, Daughters of Dark Root, and I am happily moving on to book two.
In book one, the author introduced Maggie, one of the daughters of Sasha. All the daughters were brought in, but Maggie was the focus. She apparently is to play a pivotal role in what is ahead, and she is the strongest witch of the four sisters. Each of the girls has escaped the small town and tried to make a life for themselves. But their mother is ill, the town is dying, and evil seems to be taking over. The girls will have to work together for the first time in their lives if they are to save any of it. Recommended

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AM Brum

Book 1 Witches of Dark Root.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022

Verified Purchase

Good as a standalone or to carry on with the series.
I enjoyed the characters, the background details and the little journeys back to their past.
Really good read, like I said it does not finish on a cliff hanger so can be enjoyed on its own, however, I think I will carry on with the series.

Gabi

Wunderbar

Reviewed in Germany on December 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

Spannend, herzzerreißend, humorvoll und wundervoll geschrieben. Ich freue mich schon auf die nächsten Teile. Ich habe das Buch auf Englisch gelesen und wurde jedem der Englisch versteht empfehlen das ebenfalls zu tun. Jede Uebersetzung nimmt etwas vom Orginal imho.

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Debra Purdy Kong

Great Story, Beautifully Written

Reviewed in Canada on September 8, 2020

Verified Purchase

It’s always a treat to come across the work of an author I’m unfamiliar with, as is the case with this book. The Witches of Dark Root is the story of four sisters and their difficult mother who happens to be a witch and coven leader. Family dysfunction is at the heart of this urban fantasy. Dark things and dark people are blended into a plot that involves saving the town of Dark Root, Oregon from falling into complete darkness, where evil could truly take over.

The story centers around Maggie, the third eldest daughter. Maggie has some magical abilities, but because she doesn’t understand them and can’t control them, she rejects everything to do with witchcraft and witches, especially her mother. She and the three sisters still living at home are anxious to move away, so when Maggie falls for a man and leaves, she thinks she’s found herself. Seven years later, that belief abruptly changes.

Her mother’s illness, among other things, bring three of four sisters home, but it’s an unhappy reunion as unresolved issues still fester. Each daughter must find her truth path which is both a painful and enlightening journey. Not many urban fantasies delve this deeply into characters and backstory but this author does, and she does it beautifully. Highly recommended.

janita monteiro

atirei no que vi e matei o que não vi

Reviewed in Brazil on October 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

Aconteceu o clássico caso de julgar um livro pela capa ou assunto.
Lamento mas não correspondeu as minhas expectativas. Many tks to the author for the deal.

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Wallace Hill

Bewitching story

Reviewed in Australia on September 27, 2017

Verified Purchase

A slow start almost had me put this book down but I kept coming back to it as the story built with as many twists as a crime mystery this book should appeal to a diverse group of readers. The next book is definitely on my must get list.

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The Witches of Dark Root: A Contemporary Witchy Fantasy (Daughters of Dark Root Book 1) Kindle Edition

From the Publisher

The Final Trial has Begun

Four Sisters Try Their Hands at Life, Love and Magick in this Beloved, Multi-generational Witchy Saga.

Maggie--The Wilder

Merry--The Empath

Eve--The Charmer

Ruth Anne--The Lore Keeper

How To Navigate the Dark Root Universe

A Message from the Author

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Author

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

April Aasheim

Customer reviews

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