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Birch: A Witch Tree
“Megan comes to understand the dead not only speak, sometimes they cry out for justice.”
Ten years ago, Megan stole forty dollars and a gas card, packed her belongings into her father’s rusty Ford, and put her small-minded hometown in her rearview mirror. She drove east through the Cascades and began art school in Seattle, trying not to think about the carnage she left behind.
After her father’s unexpected death, Megan must return home for his funeral. Standing at the base of the tree where he took his last breath, the past engulfs her like fog around a tombstone. As a child on this very spot, she made a pact with a witch. In exchange for protection, Megan vowed to help the witch and offered up her most prized possession, a charm bracelet, as collateral. When the charms of the bracelet begin to turn up at her father’s funeral, Megan knows her debt to the witch has come due.
The charms, collected with her father as a child, show up at the strangest times and fill the gaps in her memory. They also raise questions. Why was Preacher axing down the birch tree with Megan’s bracelet in his pocket? Was the woman buried beneath it really a witch? Why is Megan waking up to find canvases propped on her easel with the paint still wet? And why is the birch tree always the subject of those phantom paintings?
As Megan researches the woman buried beneath the tree, she comes to understand that the dead not only speak, sometimes they cry out for justice. Megan hopes she is able to unearth the truth before she ends up dead like her father.
Megan’s journey of self-discovery mirrors that of the accused witch buried under the birch. Their lives and the life and death of Megan’s father plait together into a tale of forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption.
Ten years ago, Megan stole forty dollars and a gas card, packed her belongings into her father’s rusty Ford, and put her small-minded hometown in her rearview mirror. She drove east through the Cascades and began art school in Seattle, trying not to think about the carnage she left behind.
After her father’s unexpected death, Megan must return home for his funeral. Standing at the base of the tree where he took his last breath, the past engulfs her like fog around a tombstone. As a child on this very spot, she made a pact with a witch. In exchange for protection, Megan vowed to help the witch and offered up her most prized possession, a charm bracelet, as collateral. When the charms of the bracelet begin to turn up at her father’s funeral, Megan knows her debt to the witch has come due.
The charms, collected with her father as a child, show up at the strangest times and fill the gaps in her memory. They also raise questions. Why was Preacher axing down the birch tree with Megan’s bracelet in his pocket? Was the woman buried beneath it really a witch? Why is Megan waking up to find canvases propped on her easel with the paint still wet? And why is the birch tree always the subject of those phantom paintings?
As Megan researches the woman buried beneath the tree, she comes to understand that the dead not only speak, sometimes they cry out for justice. Megan hopes she is able to unearth the truth before she ends up dead like her father.
Megan’s journey of self-discovery mirrors that of the accused witch buried under the birch. Their lives and the life and death of Megan’s father plait together into a tale of forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption.
- GenresParanormalMystery
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2021
3 people are currently reading
638 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer L. Hotes
9 books44 followersRaised across the river from a nuclear reactor, Jennifer thought two-headed animals at the county fair were normal until she moved to the big city. Jennifer has been looking at the world through a cracked kaleidoscope since she was born and has been writing since her parents pushed her crib against a blank wall.
She would give her last possession for a bowl of gumbo from Disneyland's New Orleans Square and tries to run five days a week.
Fortunate enough to marry her best friend, she and her husband reside in Seattle and the proud parents of two strong, fierce daughters.
She would give her last possession for a bowl of gumbo from Disneyland's New Orleans Square and tries to run five days a week.
Fortunate enough to marry her best friend, she and her husband reside in Seattle and the proud parents of two strong, fierce daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 30, 2021
Author Jennifer Hotes is a gifted storyteller, master of authentic dialog, bringing this spine-chilling tale to the next level of suspense. The story felt more than a little real, set in real PNW locales, adding all the more color to this paranormal mystery. Warning: only read at night if you are NOT a scaredy-pants like me!
February 10, 2022
I received a free kindle copy of this book via the Goodreads Giveaways program and am thankful to anyone who had a hand in making that happen.
I loved the premise of this novel but it felt a little disjointed to me, like it couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. There was lots of good creepy stuff at the beginning that felt like it was building up to something, and then when the something came it just fell flat and was very anticlimactic. Certain things that I was really curious about ended up being left in an ambiguous place with no answers as well, which was a little disappointing. I did really enjoy reading about witch trees and found the concept fascinating!
I loved the premise of this novel but it felt a little disjointed to me, like it couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. There was lots of good creepy stuff at the beginning that felt like it was building up to something, and then when the something came it just fell flat and was very anticlimactic. Certain things that I was really curious about ended up being left in an ambiguous place with no answers as well, which was a little disappointing. I did really enjoy reading about witch trees and found the concept fascinating!
June 11, 2022
Ten years ago, Megan stole money and a gas card, packed her belongings into her father’s rusty Ford, and left. She began art school in Seattle, trying not to think about the carnage she left behind. After her father’s death, Megan returns home. Standing at the base of the tree where he took his last breath, the past engulfs her like fog around a tombstone. As a child on this very spot, she made a pact with a witch. In exchange for protection, Megan vowed to help the witch and offered up her most prized possession, a charm bracelet, as collateral. When the charms of the bracelet begin to turn up at her father’s funeral, Megan knows her debt to the witch has come due.
LGBTQ paranormal thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters were interesting in a way that makes you want to learn more about each character. Reading this book, I felt like I was reading a Stephen King with how creepy the book could be at times. The page breaks were place in such great places, that it allowed me a chance to think about what I just read. The only issue with this book would be that the pacing of the story did not stay the same it would be slow, then speed up, then slow once again.
LGBTQ paranormal thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters were interesting in a way that makes you want to learn more about each character. Reading this book, I felt like I was reading a Stephen King with how creepy the book could be at times. The page breaks were place in such great places, that it allowed me a chance to think about what I just read. The only issue with this book would be that the pacing of the story did not stay the same it would be slow, then speed up, then slow once again.
October 24, 2021
Another win from Goodreads Giveaway & Amazon/Kindle. I really enjoyed reading about GHOSTS in this book. The characters are wonderful, Megan, Julia, Preacher, Charlie, all of them. Trees, Charlie went after Witch trees. Cool. Don't know if I believe it them but I do like that preacher that comes after Preacher. I have a charm bracelet. It is up in the attic in a box. I need to find it. Steve got it for me when we were dating so it has to be over 50 years old. Seventy comes fast. Enjoy reading or doing whatever you want in life because it goes by fast! Jennifer L. Hotes' book is good and worth the read! Definitely!
October 5, 2021
Thank you NetGalley, Jennifer Hotes and Storm Mystery Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Highly recommend this book for the fall/spooky season. Jennifer Hotes does a great job building tension and creating some genuinely creepy scenes. The pace was a tad slow at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and was thrilled to see that this is the first book in a series. I will be checking out the next Witch Tree book!
October 6, 2021
"Birch: A Witch Tree by Jennifer Hotes was independently published (June, 2021). The thirty-three chapters are split into sections of three parts: “Death”, “Grief”, and “The Rebirth”. Each section page has an epigraph quoted from Edgar Allen Poe. The sections are not necessary, as the plot does not jump between moments in time, but ultimately follows Megan’s journey in a linear fashion to the end. The section breaks do provide nice moments of pause and reflection. The narrator of the story is told from the first-person perspective of an adult painter, Megan. The setting is Washington state..."
Read my whole review on Reedsy Discovery!
Read my whole review on Reedsy Discovery!
June 29, 2022
I love the creepy vibe of the book! I was hooked from the start. :)
Ten years ago Megan stole the money and few belongings and left home. She began school and never looked back. After her father dies, she returned home. She stands at the very same place where she made a pact with the witch. She offered her her charm bracelet, and when the charm started to appear, she knows it was time for debt to be paid.
Received from Hidden Gems Books, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ten years ago Megan stole the money and few belongings and left home. She began school and never looked back. After her father dies, she returned home. She stands at the very same place where she made a pact with the witch. She offered her her charm bracelet, and when the charm started to appear, she knows it was time for debt to be paid.
Received from Hidden Gems Books, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews