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The Reed Hollow Chronicles #1
Touch of Light
"Witch, witch, you make me itch. I'd like to beat you with a switch."
Baylee Scott has the gift of touch. Except it’s not a gift. Seeing other people's memories doesn't make her very popular in Reed Hollow. It was one of the reasons she left the small town as soon as she was able.
But after losing her ghost-hunting husband, Baylee returns home to help her brother run the family business: a defunct antique shop and tea house. It’s a dull existence that leaves her dreaming of adventures elsewhere.
Then, a mysterious jewelry case appears in her office, followed by a note detailing a connection between strange lights appearing in the sky and the disappearance of local women. Suddenly, Baylee’s life becomes more exciting.
Aided by her animal-loving brother, her tarot-card reading cousin, and the ghost of her dead mother, Baylee must unravel the clues to stop the strange lights from taking yet another victim.
Baylee Scott has the gift of touch. Except it’s not a gift. Seeing other people's memories doesn't make her very popular in Reed Hollow. It was one of the reasons she left the small town as soon as she was able.
But after losing her ghost-hunting husband, Baylee returns home to help her brother run the family business: a defunct antique shop and tea house. It’s a dull existence that leaves her dreaming of adventures elsewhere.
Then, a mysterious jewelry case appears in her office, followed by a note detailing a connection between strange lights appearing in the sky and the disappearance of local women. Suddenly, Baylee’s life becomes more exciting.
Aided by her animal-loving brother, her tarot-card reading cousin, and the ghost of her dead mother, Baylee must unravel the clues to stop the strange lights from taking yet another victim.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2017
499 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
April Aasheim
40 books242 followersApril Aasheim is the second oldest of six children. She spent her early years traveling the western part of the country with her mother and step-father. During this time she met a lot of interesting people and developed a love of 'characters'.
April is married and lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and her cat Boots.
April is married and lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and her cat Boots.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 14, 2017
Not sure about this one. I feel like it started in the middle without a lot of explanation along the way. A quick paranormal read, but I have more questions after reading it.
January 9, 2021
An unusual paranormal mystery. I liked it in spite of a few grammatical errors. The characters were pretty likeable, but it was jarring the couple of times we switched from reading Baylee's first-person account to Alex's third-person story. I did not think that the switch was necessary and it made things confusing for a few minutes, pulling me out of the story.
The cat connections confused me a bit, too. Also the fact that Alex was in prison for catnapping was a touch farfetched. He wasn't stealing cats but rather freeing them from cages, yet he was treated like a hardened criminal. Not believable.
Still, I enjoyed the characters and storyline. Interested to see the outcomes from number 2!
The cat connections confused me a bit, too. Also the fact that Alex was in prison for catnapping was a touch farfetched. He wasn't stealing cats but rather freeing them from cages, yet he was treated like a hardened criminal. Not believable.
Still, I enjoyed the characters and storyline. Interested to see the outcomes from number 2!
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April 13, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/13/2020)! 🎁
January 22, 2017
Touch of Light
Loved reading this book. Great start on a new character & series. It amused me reading that Baylee's mother haunted her consistently. Just like she had not died at all. Her brother Alex is a wonderful character too. Baylee goes back to her home town after her husband Ryan goes missing. She takes over her mother's quaint antique shop. Baylee is also a witch. Led on a quest by a woman named Laura. This book kept me interested and waiting for the second book of this series to be released. Happy reading
Loved reading this book. Great start on a new character & series. It amused me reading that Baylee's mother haunted her consistently. Just like she had not died at all. Her brother Alex is a wonderful character too. Baylee goes back to her home town after her husband Ryan goes missing. She takes over her mother's quaint antique shop. Baylee is also a witch. Led on a quest by a woman named Laura. This book kept me interested and waiting for the second book of this series to be released. Happy reading
February 2, 2017
Loved it!
I really enjoyed this book. Read some of your other books too. Can't wait for the next one to come out
I really enjoyed this book. Read some of your other books too. Can't wait for the next one to come out
July 10, 2021
Quick Summary: Baylee’s husband disappeared followed by the death of both her parents and then her brother being released from prison to her custody. She moves back home to help run the failing family businesses and before she knows it, she’s swept up in a mystery that she’s not sure she’ll be able to solve before someone else disappears. Using her gift of being able to read people’s memories at the slightest touch, she’s hoping to make things right before it’s too late. But will she be able or will she end up the next one to disappear?
I would say about 94% of this book was told from Baylee’s POV. She had an interesting back story but there were aspects of her personality & demeanor that were just annoying. I understood her desire to wear gloves so that she wouldn’t risk touching someone, what I didn’t understand is why she claimed to be worried about what people thought of her abilities but she still spoke to her ghost mother as if she was alive and present regardless of where she was and who she was with. Her storyline with her ex-fiancé was well written & intriguing. I found myself wanting them to come back together and support each other. Between that and her interactions with her brother & cousin, you were able to see her vulnerable side & understand the love she truly had to give.
The two chapters told from Alex’s POV dealt primarily with why he was in jail and how much he wanted to save a cat called Mr. B. I found myself wanting to learn more of his story and would have been completely ok if Baylee had given up a few chapters to dedicate to him.
Lastly, there were two chapters written ABOUT Kayla, Baylee & Alex’s cousin. I like Kayla but I hated the fact that her chapter were told as if someone was telling a story about her and not from her POV. I feel like that change for those chapters made the book feel semi-disjointed. I ruined the flow for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and will probably read the next book in the series.
I would say about 94% of this book was told from Baylee’s POV. She had an interesting back story but there were aspects of her personality & demeanor that were just annoying. I understood her desire to wear gloves so that she wouldn’t risk touching someone, what I didn’t understand is why she claimed to be worried about what people thought of her abilities but she still spoke to her ghost mother as if she was alive and present regardless of where she was and who she was with. Her storyline with her ex-fiancé was well written & intriguing. I found myself wanting them to come back together and support each other. Between that and her interactions with her brother & cousin, you were able to see her vulnerable side & understand the love she truly had to give.
The two chapters told from Alex’s POV dealt primarily with why he was in jail and how much he wanted to save a cat called Mr. B. I found myself wanting to learn more of his story and would have been completely ok if Baylee had given up a few chapters to dedicate to him.
Lastly, there were two chapters written ABOUT Kayla, Baylee & Alex’s cousin. I like Kayla but I hated the fact that her chapter were told as if someone was telling a story about her and not from her POV. I feel like that change for those chapters made the book feel semi-disjointed. I ruined the flow for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and will probably read the next book in the series.
March 26, 2018
Interesting start to a Paranormal Series by an author I have never read before. All the main characters are quirky, at times snarky, and have interesting metaphysical gifts. Love the relationship between Baylee and her brother Alex and that Mom is dead, but present and interfering in a loving way in their lives all the time.
Very interesting exploring the challenges in Baylee's life due to her being so open and being spiritually gifted, particularly at psychometry, so she has to guard against touching things or even people or she is overwhelmed by information. I am intrigued enough to want to read the next book in the series.
Very interesting exploring the challenges in Baylee's life due to her being so open and being spiritually gifted, particularly at psychometry, so she has to guard against touching things or even people or she is overwhelmed by information. I am intrigued enough to want to read the next book in the series.
September 10, 2018
TOUCH OF MAGIC
What a fun story with very interesting characters. Baylee has come home still mourning her husband who disappeared almost 3yrs ago. She bemoans the fact that everyone has left her, except for her brother and cousin and her ghost mother. Her mother is driving her crazy, Baylee is the only who could hear her and see her. She has always felt uneasy living here, she was always bullied as child and today is no exception. The boring ,uneventful life is about to become too eventful, the magic that is happening is Dark Magic. Can Baylee hold her own and get to the source and stop the sinister events from continuing??? The story will enchant you, so be aware.
What a fun story with very interesting characters. Baylee has come home still mourning her husband who disappeared almost 3yrs ago. She bemoans the fact that everyone has left her, except for her brother and cousin and her ghost mother. Her mother is driving her crazy, Baylee is the only who could hear her and see her. She has always felt uneasy living here, she was always bullied as child and today is no exception. The boring ,uneventful life is about to become too eventful, the magic that is happening is Dark Magic. Can Baylee hold her own and get to the source and stop the sinister events from continuing??? The story will enchant you, so be aware.
June 29, 2017
This is a quirky little story about a woman trying to discover what happened to a long lost childhood friend. It is quirky because of the cast of characters. There is the man who had loved her from afar, the brother who runs a bakery and talks to animals, a cousin who is just plain strange, a woman who wants a cat, and an old lady who won't let go. But strangest of all is Baylee. The story is a fun read told with plenty of humor.
August 26, 2017
Bayllee Scott is good witch who"s husband is missing and she's caught Up In a mystery of her old friend Carrie's disapperance.
She also runs into her first love end while she is still married there doesn't seem they can have relationship, so he goes along with helping solve the mystery of finding out what happened to Carrie. It's a well written story and I enjoyed it very much and I hope you do to.
She also runs into her first love end while she is still married there doesn't seem they can have relationship, so he goes along with helping solve the mystery of finding out what happened to Carrie. It's a well written story and I enjoyed it very much and I hope you do to.
March 28, 2018
Spoilers Alert
I liked the story and characters very much up until the very end. The end felt flat and left me wanting a much better resolution. The girl is saved, but no real justice for all the others who disappeared. Telling a policeman who is responsible for all the disappearances, without giving any kind of substantive evidence that can be taken to a human court, results in no justice at all. Very disappointing.
I liked the story and characters very much up until the very end. The end felt flat and left me wanting a much better resolution. The girl is saved, but no real justice for all the others who disappeared. Telling a policeman who is responsible for all the disappearances, without giving any kind of substantive evidence that can be taken to a human court, results in no justice at all. Very disappointing.
April 13, 2018
Witch or not?
Baylee Scott returns home after her husband disappeared and her parents die, well one dies and other disappeared. They are not the only ones disappearing around the town. Others are too and it is not even a blip on the town’s radar. Mysterious lights and women disappearing. What is going on? Baylee Scott soon gets involved and she follows until the end. You need to find out what it is all about.
Baylee Scott returns home after her husband disappeared and her parents die, well one dies and other disappeared. They are not the only ones disappearing around the town. Others are too and it is not even a blip on the town’s radar. Mysterious lights and women disappearing. What is going on? Baylee Scott soon gets involved and she follows until the end. You need to find out what it is all about.
October 15, 2020
A nice entry into the genre, this novel presents supernatural abilities as a fait accompli, and doesn't waste the reader's time with the anguish of discovering and denying one's innate abilities. The mystery is a bit obscure, but within the context of witchcraft and covens, not unbelievable. Characters are reasonably well-developed and enjoyable. Though the mystery of Ryan's death/disappearance is not completely clear, perhaps it is covered in subsequent entries to the series.
January 11, 2018
A sweet and fun story
A sweet read with excitement and love and family. A must read for those that love family, magic, and mystery. Bayley is a sweet character and so is her brother. I find the cast of characters a great mix of whimsical and catty, with some strength and daring thrown in.
A sweet read with excitement and love and family. A must read for those that love family, magic, and mystery. Bayley is a sweet character and so is her brother. I find the cast of characters a great mix of whimsical and catty, with some strength and daring thrown in.
April 10, 2018
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It was a great cozy, paranormal mystery. The characters were delightful - quirky, sassy and fearless. I especially loved the ghost of the dead Mom who was a hoot! The story itself was a little convoluted, but very suspenseful. I look forward to reading another book in this series.
July 13, 2018
If I didn't have a job to go to I definitely could have read this in a day. Touch of Light is what I would call a paranormal cozy mystery. The book does kind of start abruptly and you have to catch up a little but it's very easy to lose yourself in this story that involves witches, ghosts, brothers who can talk to animals, and a whole bunch of disappearances.
September 8, 2020
Baylee returns to her childhood home to help her brother run the family business after her parents are gone, and her husband disappears. With her witchy family history, a town mystery, and an ex fiancee the story evolves into an interesting read.
This is book one in the Reed Hollow Chronicles and I can't wait to dive into more of this series.
This is book one in the Reed Hollow Chronicles and I can't wait to dive into more of this series.
October 14, 2020
Loved, loved, loved this book! I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!
I loved the characters and the story line so much and I wish that I had read this book before now. Really really impressed and loved the way that this author wrote this book!
Definite 5* rating and highly recommend it
I loved the characters and the story line so much and I wish that I had read this book before now. Really really impressed and loved the way that this author wrote this book!
Definite 5* rating and highly recommend it
July 31, 2017
Convenes ho
Magic, special gifts, coven powers, whatever you call it it is definitely strange. It isn't weird if you've grown up with it, but it is always going to annoy someone.
Cute twist to a magical problem. Lots of room for sequels. An enjoyable read.
Magic, special gifts, coven powers, whatever you call it it is definitely strange. It isn't weird if you've grown up with it, but it is always going to annoy someone.
Cute twist to a magical problem. Lots of room for sequels. An enjoyable read.
August 17, 2017
A touch of...
Great start to the series! I really enjoyed the family dynamic. The characters were lovable and you really want to root for them! One mystery was solved but others are still left! I look forward to the next book!
Great start to the series! I really enjoyed the family dynamic. The characters were lovable and you really want to root for them! One mystery was solved but others are still left! I look forward to the next book!
October 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this book
Another great book by April Aasheim. The story line was great as always. I loved the characters and I couldn't put it down I wanted answers to like bayley did lol.
Another great book by April Aasheim. The story line was great as always. I loved the characters and I couldn't put it down I wanted answers to like bayley did lol.
December 24, 2017
It was a free e book on amazon.com
This is the first book I have read by April Aasheim.
The premise sounded really interesting, but for me it did not deliver.
There were a few editing issues with the Kindle edition I read. Mainly missing words etc.
3 stars. ok read.
This is the first book I have read by April Aasheim.
The premise sounded really interesting, but for me it did not deliver.
There were a few editing issues with the Kindle edition I read. Mainly missing words etc.
3 stars. ok read.
January 21, 2018
Charming and imaginative!
I received this book free from Amazon to read. If you like the paranormal and a little romance and mystery you are sure to love this book. An easy read just to mentally get away for a while.
I received this book free from Amazon to read. If you like the paranormal and a little romance and mystery you are sure to love this book. An easy read just to mentally get away for a while.
February 28, 2018
My very first paranormal cosy mystery and the jury is still out. Very different from the usual books I read but will read another before I make up my mind. The story itself was ok - nothing spectacular.
April 9, 2018
Fabulous read!
Enjoyed this book immensely! Little slow at the beginning but stick with it, the pace picks up before long and you'll be drawn into the magickal world of Bog Hollow just the way I was! Coven meeting anyone?
Enjoyed this book immensely! Little slow at the beginning but stick with it, the pace picks up before long and you'll be drawn into the magickal world of Bog Hollow just the way I was! Coven meeting anyone?
July 15, 2018
This book was good. I liked it.. The writing is similar to this authors other books. But, this book is "heavier" and "darker" than the Magic of Dark Root books I have read so far (1 and 2). I look forward to reading the next book!
September 11, 2018
An enjoyable escape from the every day. A fun summer read, well written!
I recommend this book as an easy summer read. Sometimes we all need to escape reality, and this fits the bill.
I recommend this book as an easy summer read. Sometimes we all need to escape reality, and this fits the bill.
April 12, 2019
Good story with reservations
I found the story interesting the main characters enjoyable and it was interesting storywise. I'm mainly not into witches being heroes or making light of ghosts.
I found the story interesting the main characters enjoyable and it was interesting storywise. I'm mainly not into witches being heroes or making light of ghosts.
June 23, 2021
Magical mayhem
A magical tale full of witches and a ghost, old tragedies and new! Loss and grief, and family, both good and bad! Old friends reconnect and secrets are revealed! Lots of magical mayhem and betrayal, mystery and secrets!
A magical tale full of witches and a ghost, old tragedies and new! Loss and grief, and family, both good and bad! Old friends reconnect and secrets are revealed! Lots of magical mayhem and betrayal, mystery and secrets!
October 21, 2021
Fun book to read!
Very cute and entertaining book wrapped up in mysteries. This one had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the next step. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Very cute and entertaining book wrapped up in mysteries. This one had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the next step. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews