The 13th Daughter

by Apryl Baker

Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town, and still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness coming for her?

The smoke from the fire burned her eyes, its heat caressed her skin and the taste of fear choked her. She was going to burn just as her ancestor did all those centuries ago in New Salem Village. How could she have been so wrong about everything?

Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in a town of witches where the Coven rules all. When a stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, everything she thought was true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her sister’s death.

Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her to the very depths of her soul....

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

So who am I? Well, I'm the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn't love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep.

Growing up in a small town, I learned a lot of values and morals, I also learned parents have spies everywhere and there's always someone to tell your mama on you. So when you get grounded, what is there left to do? Read! My Aunt Jo gave me my first real romance novel. It was a romance titled "Lord Margrave's Deception." I remember it fondly. But I also learned I had a deep and abiding love of mysteries and anything paranormal. As I grew up, I started to write just that and would entertain my friends with stories featuring them as main characters.

Now, I live Huntersville, NC where I entertain my family and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce...lol.

I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories.

You can reach me at any of these places:
Blog: http://apryl-baker.blogspot.com/
Twitter:@AprylBaker
The Promise Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO2zTi...

PS: DO NOT GET IN MY WAY IF THERE IS A SALE ON AT TARGET - my home away from home!

Reviews

[Angela Brannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 13th Daughter is a fairly predictable YA tale about a town of witches with a coven with secrets. Coven holdout Cassie has to try to solve a mystery involving a curse and her upcoming 18th birthday. However, since she refuses to join the coven, no one will talk to her about it. All she knows is that she promised her sister on her deathbed that she would never join the coven that the entire town belongs to.

Cassie was a likeable FMC who refuses to believe in magic. Her best friend and all her classmates pressure her to join the coven but her inner voice warns her away. When a mysterious but gorgeous boy arrives in town, he breaks down her resolve. Her love for Ethan blinds her to the premonitions warning her away.

The story mostly centers on solving the mystery. The outcome is fairly predictable, but there are a few good twists and turns along the way. I wish the author had explored the school setting a little more thoroughly and expanded on the secondary characters, but this is the first in a series so I hope that is covered more in the next books. ,

I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to YA lovers of fantasy and horror. There is one bedroom scene, but it is a closed door scenario, so I recommend it for the 14 and up crowd, and any adult wanting a slightly spooky witchy read. It is released just in time for Halloween, which is the setting for the big showdown. Happy haunting!!.

I read an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, The 13th Daughter had me hooked. Apryl Baker knows how to pull you straight into the fire—literally—and keep you hanging on every word. Cassie Jayne Bishop (CJ) might be surrounded by witches, but she’s spent her whole life trying to believe in anything but magic. The irony? Turns out the truth is darker, twistier, and more dangerous than she ever imagined.
What I loved most was CJ herself. She’s stubborn, fiery, and doesn’t let the Coven’s power intimidate her—even when she’s in way over her head. I was cheering her on with every clue she uncovered about her sister’s death, even when the answers got terrifying. Add in Ethan, the mysterious stranger with the whole Mr. Melt-In-Your-Mouth vibe (yes, please!), and suddenly the stakes felt even higher. Their chemistry sizzles without taking away from the tension and suspense—exactly how I like it.
This book is equal parts paranormal mystery, witchy intrigue, and spine-tingling suspense, with a heroine who doesn’t back down, even when the darkness is coming for her. If you love witches, secrets, and the kind of story that keeps you reading way past bedtime, The 13th Daughter is absolutely worth diving into.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch stories can be a hit and a miss for me, but I did not feel that with The 13th Daughter! An interesting story with even more interesting characters, I was hooked from the beginning and enthralled with the every twist and turn. Cassie's 18th birthday is on the horizon, and being the last holdout from going the town's coven, she is set to solve a mystery surrounding her sister's death and a curse. Given that she has refused to join the coven, much is kept from her, and when Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous, Ethan, makes an appearance, there is even more intrigue to follow. I look forward to reading more in The Witches of New Salem series.

[Andra Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 13th Daughter is the first book in the Witches of New Salem series. It is a story of true love. It is is full of intense betrayals, a romance for the ages, suspense, supernatural action, drama, and a love that transcends evil. the characters are wholesome and some scary in the same light. There are still mysteries to be solved and Mistress CJ is just the one to do so. It will be interesting to see what future books in this series do by way of dealing with the mysteries of the past Salem and New Salem.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Full of teen angst, secrets, surprises, mystery, and a new boy in town with secrets. Plus its a town settled by witches and stars the only non-believer in town to add to the drama. I laughed, groaned and loved the twists as CJ works to uncover what is really going on and fitting clues together. Loved the build up and characters and the suspense. Cannot wait to see what happens next.

[Ruth Mccaleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was long enough to dig into and kept me coming back for more. In the beginning it reminded me of the days when I discovered Lois Duncan books and it got better from there. A little bit of teen romance, a whole lot of mystery and magic. Fantastic!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vanessa Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 1 of The Witches of New Salem and a standalone. I loved the characters, the suspense and danger. Surprises are throughout the book. I cannot wait for the next in the series and to see how Cassie grows into her role in life.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story of witches living in New Salem. CJ thought she knew everything about her life. When a new stranger comes town, everything shifts in her beliefs. What really happened to CJ's sister? This is a well written book that will keep you engaged.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book, lots of twists and turns drawing you into the story of Cassie and her family's history. Lots of action drawing you in as CJ is in the middle of everything and who knows what's going to happen. If you like well written YA with interesting characters and a good storyline, you'll like this book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lilithya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the witchy vibes and the expansion of the world as well as the background and the lore surrounding it.

I would have liked more development and flexing of the characters and their dynamics with each other as they felt rushed.

As well, the romance didn't have any chemistry or emotional connection between the characters, didn't have any sort of depth and felt rushed.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie Jayne Bishop (CJ) is a girl who lives in Salem but does not believe in magic. She lives in a town full of magic and a coven of witches. She still says she doesn't believe. CJ's sister dies young and she believes it was not an accident. This book was good and I love the author's style and many if not all of her books. I can't wait to see what Apryl writes next.

[LizJ. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
The 13th Daughter Book 1 of new series The Witches of New Salem by Apryl Baker is a good read, just very predictable YA story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

As with all April Baker books, this felt too short.
The love aspect was very insta-love, but I guess that p!ayed into the destiny aspect.

[Rachel Joi Maples · Rating 5 out of 5]

great new series of The Witches of New Salem … book 1 “The 13th Daughter” by Apryl Baker was captivating

[Crystal Bartelsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

page turner

Once again Apryl Baker has me sitting on the edge of my seat. I could not put this book down and read the whole thing in one sitting. The characters are well thought out and developed. Your pulled into the story and can see vividly its development and growth. I cannot wait to see what the next story will bring and will be eagerly sitting on the edge of my seat.