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Dark Earth Rising
The Root Witch
A beautiful forest. A terrifying legend.
It’s 1986. Two strangers, hundreds of miles apart, grapple with disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest.
Knox is a new Forest Service ranger assigned to a vast, remote territory in Utah.
Sandy is a producer fighting for her place in a tough TV newsroom.
Both have heard about the shadowy figure believed to menace visitors to the forest. When a man disappears and reports of the Root Witch begin coming in, Knox and Sandy are plunged into a living nightmare.
Their lives converge on Halloween. Sandy sends a news crew to investigate the sightings. But when the team goes missing, and a shocking video surfaces revealing the ghastly truth, Knox and Sandy face the biggest decision of their lives.
This novel is based on a short story, "The Root Witch: An Urban Legend Caught on Tape."
Content warning: Animal death; anxiety; profanity
It’s 1986. Two strangers, hundreds of miles apart, grapple with disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest.
Knox is a new Forest Service ranger assigned to a vast, remote territory in Utah.
Sandy is a producer fighting for her place in a tough TV newsroom.
Both have heard about the shadowy figure believed to menace visitors to the forest. When a man disappears and reports of the Root Witch begin coming in, Knox and Sandy are plunged into a living nightmare.
Their lives converge on Halloween. Sandy sends a news crew to investigate the sightings. But when the team goes missing, and a shocking video surfaces revealing the ghastly truth, Knox and Sandy face the biggest decision of their lives.
This novel is based on a short story, "The Root Witch: An Urban Legend Caught on Tape."
Content warning: Animal death; anxiety; profanity
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2022
485 people are currently reading
4954 people want to read
About the author
Debra Castaneda
26 books296 followersDebra Castaneda is an award-winning author of urban fantasy and dark fiction based on the central coast of California.
Her works include Barely Magic, the first book in the Maddy Madrigal Mysteries series of urban fantasy novels; The Spore Queen, The Devil’s Shallows, The Root Witch, The Copper Man, Circus at Devil’s Landing, and A Dark and Rising Tide, which comprise the Dark Earth Rising series of standalone novels, and The Monsters of Chavez Ravine, an International Latino Book Awards gold medal winner.
Debra loves writing character-driven stories about people who experience scary or magical things, and how they react when confronted with the unexpected. She’s committed to representing Latinas and Latinos in her books.
For inspiration, she draws from her experience as a TV and radio journalist, and as a third-generation Mexican American
Debra now lives on the central coast of California with her husband. She enjoys rediscovering the Mexican dishes of her childhood and texting her two daughters about her latest binge-watch.
~Subscribe to her newsletter for the occasional giveaway and the latest news at www.debracastaneda.com;
~Stay in touch with her at: @castanedawrites on Facebook & @castanedawrites on Instagram .
Her works include Barely Magic, the first book in the Maddy Madrigal Mysteries series of urban fantasy novels; The Spore Queen, The Devil’s Shallows, The Root Witch, The Copper Man, Circus at Devil’s Landing, and A Dark and Rising Tide, which comprise the Dark Earth Rising series of standalone novels, and The Monsters of Chavez Ravine, an International Latino Book Awards gold medal winner.
Debra loves writing character-driven stories about people who experience scary or magical things, and how they react when confronted with the unexpected. She’s committed to representing Latinas and Latinos in her books.
For inspiration, she draws from her experience as a TV and radio journalist, and as a third-generation Mexican American
Debra now lives on the central coast of California with her husband. She enjoys rediscovering the Mexican dishes of her childhood and texting her two daughters about her latest binge-watch.
~Subscribe to her newsletter for the occasional giveaway and the latest news at www.debracastaneda.com;
~Stay in touch with her at: @castanedawrites on Facebook & @castanedawrites on Instagram .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
November 5, 2022
“The Root Witch” by Debra Castaneda had everything I was looking for when it comes to reading a horror novel. Scary cover. Check. Intriguing title. Check. Description hitting me with mentions of “disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest” which sounded terrifying. Check. So, what exactly went wrong here?
For starters, it wasn’t until 125+ pages in that something scary actually happened which was around the halfway mark. To me, that is unacceptable for a horror novel. There was way too much time spent on another story within the story that it just dragged on to where I was desperately waiting to read something, anything, to do with these disturbing incidents. Once they were eventually revealed, they seemed very basic and generic to me.
The hyping up of the Root Witch before making me, as a reader, scared or terrified of her, was just beyond frustrating. I’m talking a massive letdown because there was nothing explained, described, or crazy that would make anyone fear this Root Witch at all. This would have been a better read if instead of dedicating all those chapters to Sandy and her newsroom crew nonsense, there should have been many more on, you know, the actual Root Witch. Maybe situations that add to why I’m supposed to be scared of her? Events that send a chill down my spine that she does to others? Something? Anything? Common now, there was not enough horror at all in this novel for a title called “The Root Witch” where I didn’t get any witch vibes at all from this entity.
I felt very misled reading this as it’s more of a thriller if anything. Besides a boring story that dealt more with relationships, therapy, and work-related issues in a newsroom, I found three typos that took me out of the immersion. Typos like using “he” to describe Sandy (female) or “she” to describe Knox (male) which to me, is inexcusable. If you publish a novel for the world to read, it has to be perfect. I’m not sure if this was edited properly or even edited at all to allow this same exact typo to happen three times.
The ending wasn’t even all that climactic and ended in a dud. I was expecting a lot more after 250+ pages of reading but nope, it was quick and nothing creepy. I figured the ending wouldn’t do much to change my mind about this one but as always, once I start a novel, I finish it. Whether it’s a masterpiece or abysmal, I will read it to the end. I did exactly that here and well, it shouldn’t be a shock as to what I’m giving this novel.
I give “The Root Witch” by Debra Castaneda a 1/5 as I lost interest in this quickly because no horror happens at all. It took all the way to the 50% mark for anything remotely scary or interesting to happen as this wasn’t a horror novel at all. The horror aspect needed to be tremendously increased by many notches. This story drags on with the most annoying parts being all the wasted dialogue involving news reporters that work at a news station. That should have been cut in half and more chapters spent on the Root Witch. At any rate, this should not be labeled a horror novel at all as I would not recommend this to my fellow horror fans.
For starters, it wasn’t until 125+ pages in that something scary actually happened which was around the halfway mark. To me, that is unacceptable for a horror novel. There was way too much time spent on another story within the story that it just dragged on to where I was desperately waiting to read something, anything, to do with these disturbing incidents. Once they were eventually revealed, they seemed very basic and generic to me.
The hyping up of the Root Witch before making me, as a reader, scared or terrified of her, was just beyond frustrating. I’m talking a massive letdown because there was nothing explained, described, or crazy that would make anyone fear this Root Witch at all. This would have been a better read if instead of dedicating all those chapters to Sandy and her newsroom crew nonsense, there should have been many more on, you know, the actual Root Witch. Maybe situations that add to why I’m supposed to be scared of her? Events that send a chill down my spine that she does to others? Something? Anything? Common now, there was not enough horror at all in this novel for a title called “The Root Witch” where I didn’t get any witch vibes at all from this entity.
I felt very misled reading this as it’s more of a thriller if anything. Besides a boring story that dealt more with relationships, therapy, and work-related issues in a newsroom, I found three typos that took me out of the immersion. Typos like using “he” to describe Sandy (female) or “she” to describe Knox (male) which to me, is inexcusable. If you publish a novel for the world to read, it has to be perfect. I’m not sure if this was edited properly or even edited at all to allow this same exact typo to happen three times.
The ending wasn’t even all that climactic and ended in a dud. I was expecting a lot more after 250+ pages of reading but nope, it was quick and nothing creepy. I figured the ending wouldn’t do much to change my mind about this one but as always, once I start a novel, I finish it. Whether it’s a masterpiece or abysmal, I will read it to the end. I did exactly that here and well, it shouldn’t be a shock as to what I’m giving this novel.
I give “The Root Witch” by Debra Castaneda a 1/5 as I lost interest in this quickly because no horror happens at all. It took all the way to the 50% mark for anything remotely scary or interesting to happen as this wasn’t a horror novel at all. The horror aspect needed to be tremendously increased by many notches. This story drags on with the most annoying parts being all the wasted dialogue involving news reporters that work at a news station. That should have been cut in half and more chapters spent on the Root Witch. At any rate, this should not be labeled a horror novel at all as I would not recommend this to my fellow horror fans.
July 16, 2023
The cover drew me in and the writing held me.
Great character and world building. Unique mythology and likeable characters. I'm moving on to The Devil's Shallows by this author next. Hope it is as enjoyable.
Great character and world building. Unique mythology and likeable characters. I'm moving on to The Devil's Shallows by this author next. Hope it is as enjoyable.
October 15, 2022
Sometime you get the things you need, even when you did not know you needed it. I was just looking for "Witch" read for the Goodreads Horror Aficionados 2022 Halloween Season Challenge. I was just checking out Kindle Unlimited when I stumbled upon This book. It was not yet available, but I chose to Preorder it, and I am so glad I did. What a great story!
This is a slow burn, book and with each page turned, the stress level and anxiety increases. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, in all the best ways.
The main characters, Knox, Colleen, Sandy, and Mitch were well developed characters. I personally did not care that much for Colleen, and I found her and Knox's relationship to be problematic. Why would someone who does not like the very idea of a rural community want to marry a Forest Ranger? It would seem that job by it's very nature would require a rural setting.
In spite of that, the story was so engaging. Slowly ticking up the threats and the danger made for a hard to put down story. I really enjoyed that there were questions left unanswered at the end of the book.
As a bonus. This book is set at Halloween, so this was the perfect read at this time and I have found a wonderful new author.
This is a slow burn, book and with each page turned, the stress level and anxiety increases. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, in all the best ways.
The main characters, Knox, Colleen, Sandy, and Mitch were well developed characters. I personally did not care that much for Colleen, and I found her and Knox's relationship to be problematic. Why would someone who does not like the very idea of a rural community want to marry a Forest Ranger? It would seem that job by it's very nature would require a rural setting.
In spite of that, the story was so engaging. Slowly ticking up the threats and the danger made for a hard to put down story. I really enjoyed that there were questions left unanswered at the end of the book.
As a bonus. This book is set at Halloween, so this was the perfect read at this time and I have found a wonderful new author.
October 26, 2022
Bravo, Debra! I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Root Witch and now looking forward to reading The Devil's Shallows by her. This was a fast-paced and thrilling read with a bunch of hair-raising components. If you're a fan of Missing411 and/or forest hauntings, then you'll love this read. I adored all the true aspects throughout the book: I now even want to visit the actual physical locations in Utah as I researched them while I reading this! I also appreciated her description of the chaotic atmosphere and merciless competition of the newsroom (Castaneda mentions in the author's note how she previously worked in one). The atmosphere of it being Halloween in the 1980s was the icing on the cake. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy from BookSirens in exchange for my honest review, above.
I received a free copy from BookSirens in exchange for my honest review, above.
October 31, 2022
A Killer Forest
This book was selected for my November read and I finished it early ! This book was really hard to put down it was captivating from the very first page. This book is about a forest that has a dark and violent history. This history follows to the present day. The characters were very well developed and relatable. This book is a good read and will keep you up at night. A definite read.
This book was selected for my November read and I finished it early ! This book was really hard to put down it was captivating from the very first page. This book is about a forest that has a dark and violent history. This history follows to the present day. The characters were very well developed and relatable. This book is a good read and will keep you up at night. A definite read.
November 10, 2022
First of all, would you just look at that cover! I try to not judge a book by its cover, but this one is so compelling. It promises dark, creepy, maybe even a bit violent reading ahead. When I saw a few early reviews from friends that had high praise for The Root Witch I added it to my TBR. I was thrilled to see it picked as a group read in one of my GoodReads groups! I couldn't wait to dig in.
I quickly found in order to enjoy The Root Witch, you need to be ok with slow burns. It takes a while for the action and creepiness to kick in. I'm perfectly fine with slow burns, but I know they're not for everyone. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and their backstories while I waited for the action to begin.
The book takes place in the 1980s. Sandy is a news producer prone to panic attacks. Knox is a park ranger, new to the area that includes a very special forest of aspens. Both Sandy and Knox have their own personal struggles and stories going on, which leads us to get to know them better while the deeper story is brewing in the background. You feel the story growing and anticipate something big is about to happen.
When the action takes off, it doesn't slow down. There is a lot of suspense, but I wouldn't say there's much horror to be found in this book. This fact could be a letdown for some who decide to read it based on that gorgeous cover. But I'd say if you're ok with high suspense and implied horror, you shouldn't be disappointed. I enjoyed it.
There were a couple of drawbacks that kept me from giving the book five stars. I wish there was more of the book's namesake in the story. When a book is named for a particular creature or monster, I want to know all about it, especially its origin. The Root Witch's origin is touched on very lightly, almost in passing. There could have been so much more there. My only other disappointment was how quickly things were wrapped up at the end of the book. It just felt rushed to me. I think that was a missed opportunity for even more suspense and/or horror.
These points weren't enough to make me dislike the book, however. I thought it was very well written and it held my interest throughout. I'm giving The Root Witch four out of five deeply rooted stars.
I quickly found in order to enjoy The Root Witch, you need to be ok with slow burns. It takes a while for the action and creepiness to kick in. I'm perfectly fine with slow burns, but I know they're not for everyone. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and their backstories while I waited for the action to begin.
The book takes place in the 1980s. Sandy is a news producer prone to panic attacks. Knox is a park ranger, new to the area that includes a very special forest of aspens. Both Sandy and Knox have their own personal struggles and stories going on, which leads us to get to know them better while the deeper story is brewing in the background. You feel the story growing and anticipate something big is about to happen.
When the action takes off, it doesn't slow down. There is a lot of suspense, but I wouldn't say there's much horror to be found in this book. This fact could be a letdown for some who decide to read it based on that gorgeous cover. But I'd say if you're ok with high suspense and implied horror, you shouldn't be disappointed. I enjoyed it.
There were a couple of drawbacks that kept me from giving the book five stars. I wish there was more of the book's namesake in the story. When a book is named for a particular creature or monster, I want to know all about it, especially its origin. The Root Witch's origin is touched on very lightly, almost in passing. There could have been so much more there. My only other disappointment was how quickly things were wrapped up at the end of the book. It just felt rushed to me. I think that was a missed opportunity for even more suspense and/or horror.
These points weren't enough to make me dislike the book, however. I thought it was very well written and it held my interest throughout. I'm giving The Root Witch four out of five deeply rooted stars.
October 8, 2025
Very good. I really enjoyed this book ❤️🔥 if you liked Blair Witch, you would like this book
November 17, 2022
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. The writing was good, but truly not much really happened until at least halfway through. I liked the legend told of the Root Witch, but really there wasn’t that much to go on. Then the ending…it was just over. I turned the page thinking I was starting another chapter and that was it.
November 2, 2022
If you’ve not figured it out yet – I’m a huge fan of reading, watching and writing folklore themed stuff set in the woods. Could be creature features, could be supernatural occurrences, or it could be legends passed down come back to get vengeance. No matter the who, what, why or how – sign me up. Even if things have been covered before or are ‘similar’ to other releases (and I’m not saying that about this book or any book in particular), I don’t care – each author offers their own unique experience. Heck, I could read three novels back-to-back-back about witches and each would be completely different while still treading some familiar ground.
Which brings us to ‘The Root Witch.’ I connected with Debra Castaneda over on Twitter a little bit ago and it’s been fantastic seeing what she’s been getting up to and what she’s working on. When I saw this book – I had to snag it – I knew it was right up my alley, and I even bumped it way up my TBR to read it sooner, as I felt it really fit into the October spookiness.
I went in making sure I knew the bare minimum – a terrifying legend set in a forest, in the late 80’s. I love when stories are set before the advent of modern technology as it creates a chaotic energy knowing that help isn’t simply a text message or phone call away.
What I liked: The story is told through two different main characters. First up is new Forest Ranger Knox. He gets the job and moves with his frustrated and reluctant wife. She doesn’t want to live outside of a city and definitely doesn’t want to live as remotely as they’re about to be. The second is Sandy, local TV producer, working her behind off to keep things operating, while dealing with a jerk of a newcomer.
When Halloween arrives and strange occurrences begin in the forest, Knox and Sandy’s stories collide.
Castaneda does a phenomenal job of teasing out what is happening and creating a book that is paced really well, but is always slowly turning up the tension and dread with each chapter. When we get to the point where two reporters go missing, things really escalate and Castaneda pounces, driving the horror home and battering us over the heads with it.
No surprise here, I loved the setting and the way she uses the forest as a character itself, not just a set piece. The trees and leaves and branches play just as much of an important role as do the shadows and palpable air. It works really well to keep the readers on the edge of their seats.
The ending is spot on and while it does close the chapter on this book, it does leave a sliver of potential for a further story down the road.
What I didn’t like: This might be considered a tiny bit on the spoiler-ish side, so maybe skip if you want – but I was honestly expecting some sort of tucked away figure who lived in the woods and ‘resembled’ a witch in some capacity. What happens here is great and really spot on for the story, but I was still perplexed about how it became called ‘The Root Witch’ in the local lore, when it was a bit away from that.
Why you should buy this: If any of what I said in my intro resonated – then you’ll love this one. Crisp pacing, great characters and plenty of action-packed moments, Castaneda has done a solid job of creating a story that resonates with Folklore fans while also etching her own space in that genre. This was great and had me racing through to see what happens!
Which brings us to ‘The Root Witch.’ I connected with Debra Castaneda over on Twitter a little bit ago and it’s been fantastic seeing what she’s been getting up to and what she’s working on. When I saw this book – I had to snag it – I knew it was right up my alley, and I even bumped it way up my TBR to read it sooner, as I felt it really fit into the October spookiness.
I went in making sure I knew the bare minimum – a terrifying legend set in a forest, in the late 80’s. I love when stories are set before the advent of modern technology as it creates a chaotic energy knowing that help isn’t simply a text message or phone call away.
What I liked: The story is told through two different main characters. First up is new Forest Ranger Knox. He gets the job and moves with his frustrated and reluctant wife. She doesn’t want to live outside of a city and definitely doesn’t want to live as remotely as they’re about to be. The second is Sandy, local TV producer, working her behind off to keep things operating, while dealing with a jerk of a newcomer.
When Halloween arrives and strange occurrences begin in the forest, Knox and Sandy’s stories collide.
Castaneda does a phenomenal job of teasing out what is happening and creating a book that is paced really well, but is always slowly turning up the tension and dread with each chapter. When we get to the point where two reporters go missing, things really escalate and Castaneda pounces, driving the horror home and battering us over the heads with it.
No surprise here, I loved the setting and the way she uses the forest as a character itself, not just a set piece. The trees and leaves and branches play just as much of an important role as do the shadows and palpable air. It works really well to keep the readers on the edge of their seats.
The ending is spot on and while it does close the chapter on this book, it does leave a sliver of potential for a further story down the road.
What I didn’t like: This might be considered a tiny bit on the spoiler-ish side, so maybe skip if you want – but I was honestly expecting some sort of tucked away figure who lived in the woods and ‘resembled’ a witch in some capacity. What happens here is great and really spot on for the story, but I was still perplexed about how it became called ‘The Root Witch’ in the local lore, when it was a bit away from that.
Why you should buy this: If any of what I said in my intro resonated – then you’ll love this one. Crisp pacing, great characters and plenty of action-packed moments, Castaneda has done a solid job of creating a story that resonates with Folklore fans while also etching her own space in that genre. This was great and had me racing through to see what happens!
November 7, 2022
Despite the slow build-up this was a quick read for me. Even though there is a lot of content devoted to the internal struggles and stress faced by both Knox the forest ranger and Sandy the television news producer their stories were just as fascinating as the slowly developing threat presented by the aspen forest.
It all comes to a head in the final third of the book and the pace picks up immensely, rewarding readers who stayed with it this long. I'm glad I did. The ending is satisfactory and leaves a subtle message.
I appreciate how the author came up with the idea for this story after reading about this unique Utah forest and allowing her imagination to extrapolate from there. Very well developed, and a story that has a good overall flow.
It all comes to a head in the final third of the book and the pace picks up immensely, rewarding readers who stayed with it this long. I'm glad I did. The ending is satisfactory and leaves a subtle message.
I appreciate how the author came up with the idea for this story after reading about this unique Utah forest and allowing her imagination to extrapolate from there. Very well developed, and a story that has a good overall flow.
November 15, 2022
She strained her ears, listening, too afraid to crane her neck and look because whatever it was might look back.
A creepy, suspense-filled novel set in a 1980's Utah national park, where a clone forest of aspen trees with a local legend of the Root Witch delivers thrills and chills. Besides the woodsy setting, it's set during Halloween, when lots of camper families come to spend Halloween night in the 'haunted' forest.
The strength of this novel lies with its characters - the gutsy tv station producer who's trying to make it in the cutthroat tv news industry, the newly hired forest ranger with the bitchy novelist wife, and all the side characters that surround them. This is where the heart of the novel beats, and once they enter the creepy forest looking for the Root Witch, it starts to beat faster.
I enjoyed this book very much! Kudos to the author!
A creepy, suspense-filled novel set in a 1980's Utah national park, where a clone forest of aspen trees with a local legend of the Root Witch delivers thrills and chills. Besides the woodsy setting, it's set during Halloween, when lots of camper families come to spend Halloween night in the 'haunted' forest.
The strength of this novel lies with its characters - the gutsy tv station producer who's trying to make it in the cutthroat tv news industry, the newly hired forest ranger with the bitchy novelist wife, and all the side characters that surround them. This is where the heart of the novel beats, and once they enter the creepy forest looking for the Root Witch, it starts to beat faster.
I enjoyed this book very much! Kudos to the author!
November 4, 2022
I have to thank my GR friend Badseedgirl for bringing The Root Witch in my feed 🙂 I hadn't heard about this book previously and it would have been a huge miss!
The Root Witch is a great reading and I devoured it in as little sessions with small kids all around me as possible 😄
The magic about The Root Witch is that the atmosphere is way more important than the action in the first half and still you get enthrilled and cannot put the book down. It all gets faster at once and the second half is a blast! Even with the said kids nearly destroying the house I had to read it through. It's been a looong time it didn't happen to me and I'm glad to have encountered this feeling today 🙃
Five stars !!
The Root Witch is a great reading and I devoured it in as little sessions with small kids all around me as possible 😄
The magic about The Root Witch is that the atmosphere is way more important than the action in the first half and still you get enthrilled and cannot put the book down. It all gets faster at once and the second half is a blast! Even with the said kids nearly destroying the house I had to read it through. It's been a looong time it didn't happen to me and I'm glad to have encountered this feeling today 🙃
Five stars !!
December 9, 2022
THE ROOT WITCH, by Debra Castaneda, is a novel that tackles a legend in a Utah Forest, by the same name. First of all, I LOVED the cover--that alone would cause me to look twice. The writing was easy to follow, and when actually IN the forest, the atmosphere and descriptions were vivid.
Unfortunately, the book seemed to be almost broken into two parts: the first being Knox, the newly hired ranger, and his wife Colleen, who just moved out there, knowing next to nothing about the root witch phenomenon. The second part being Sandy, who works in a newsroom and deals with petty coworker problems for the majority of the novel. Ironically, I did like Sandy, but the fact that nothing "scary" really begins to happen until 2/3 into the novel (and Sandy's personal drama just didn't help add anything for me during that that large "beginning") had me getting a little impatient to skip over her half and get back to the forest.
On a positive note, the last third was something I was NOT expecting--in a good way! I only wish we could have had more dynamic scenes and hints like that along the length of the entire novel to keep the interest going. In the end, I was satisfied, but would have still enjoyed more scenes/information involving the unique forest.
Unfortunately, the book seemed to be almost broken into two parts: the first being Knox, the newly hired ranger, and his wife Colleen, who just moved out there, knowing next to nothing about the root witch phenomenon. The second part being Sandy, who works in a newsroom and deals with petty coworker problems for the majority of the novel. Ironically, I did like Sandy, but the fact that nothing "scary" really begins to happen until 2/3 into the novel (and Sandy's personal drama just didn't help add anything for me during that that large "beginning") had me getting a little impatient to skip over her half and get back to the forest.
On a positive note, the last third was something I was NOT expecting--in a good way! I only wish we could have had more dynamic scenes and hints like that along the length of the entire novel to keep the interest going. In the end, I was satisfied, but would have still enjoyed more scenes/information involving the unique forest.
June 14, 2023
Normally, I'm not a fan of these books where there's a lot of character building and the action comes close to the end of the book but in this case the characters were really compelling and I found myself enjoying my time with them. I would have liked more about the root witch but I can appreciate why we didn't get any (why would WE get answers when the characters didn't).
April 19, 2023
This book is amazing. I loved the folk horror/Blair witch vibes it had going on. The writing was sooo solid and the story flowed freely. There was no point in this that I was bored! Fast paced and genuinely spine chilling, if you haven't checked this one out then I highly recommend it! I just adore when an author takes something or somewhere real and puts their own dark spin on it. 10/10 for imagination Debra! I immediately checked out Castaneda's other titles and I'm excited to read them too!
November 9, 2022
This book was awful. I’m shocked at the number of positive reviews. The writing was fine, that’s the best I can say. The story was a mess. We spent way too much time listening to an unpleasant, put-upon TV producer complain about her coworker to anyone who will listen, including multiple sessions with her therapist. The therapist, the shitty coworker…neither of these people matter! They have nothing to do with the plot and they do not advance the story. Why are we going to so many therapy sessions in such a short book, which is allegedly a horror story about a monster in the woods?! All the crap about how mean the TV producers mother was when she was a kid… it goes nowhere and it means nothing! Plot wise, there is not a single surprise. It’s immediately clear what the monster is, and the idea never gets fleshed out into something more interesting. All of the horror elements take place off page. The ranger character does nothing and serves no purpose. Everyone in this book just calls everyone else on the phone to talk about how they have no new information and don’t know what’s going on.
This is the worst book I have read this year.
This is the worst book I have read this year.
February 13, 2023
Knox has landed a new job with the U.S. Forest Service. He will be working in the Fremont River district, which includes the famed aspen forest, home to the urban legend of the Root Witch. As strange disappearances begin to occur and people talk of being attacked, Knox begins to wonder if there might be some truth to the urban legend. While in a newsroom out of Salt Lake City, Sandy, the acting producer, decides to send a crew to the aspen forest to cover the supposed attacks for a Halloween story. When she losses contact with the crew, a search team makes a gruesome discovery that leaves Sandy battling her guilt.
This book was perfectly written. It was engaging from the first scene and relentless from that point on. The writing was clear and concise creating detailed images of a creepy, dark forest and the fast-paced, stressful atmosphere of a newsroom. It left me feeling as if I was part of the story unable to actually put it down until the last page.
This book was perfectly written. It was engaging from the first scene and relentless from that point on. The writing was clear and concise creating detailed images of a creepy, dark forest and the fast-paced, stressful atmosphere of a newsroom. It left me feeling as if I was part of the story unable to actually put it down until the last page.
March 1, 2023
shout out to mizzou
April 4, 2023
This is my first time reading Castaneda, and I was immediately impressed with her writing style. While slow burn isn’t my go to pace for horror, sometimes the payoff makes it all worth it. The final act did just that! The characters were well developed, and there were some genuine creepy moments. I only wish there was more of the final act, but again that’s just because it’s hard for me to stay with a slower paced story because my brain is all over the place. That’s on me though 😂. Anyone who enjoys a character-driven, slow burn that’s doused in folklore, will love this story. I want to reiterate that the slow burn aspect was very well written, so again, I think it’s worth reading even if slow burn pacing isn’t your thing. Check it out!
October 19, 2022
well..that was disappointing. This was not creepy or scary like most reviews said.
September 24, 2022
I wanted a paranormal story and this hit the spot in that regard.
The character development was great. Sandy, Mitch, and Coleen were so likeable, Jack was unlikable, Knox was frustrating as a husband. I was invested in their stories and relationships. The only character that was lacking development for me was The Root Witch itself, I wish that background and how it was manifested had been developed more.
Overall well written and kept my interest from beginning to end.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
The character development was great. Sandy, Mitch, and Coleen were so likeable, Jack was unlikable, Knox was frustrating as a husband. I was invested in their stories and relationships. The only character that was lacking development for me was The Root Witch itself, I wish that background and how it was manifested had been developed more.
Overall well written and kept my interest from beginning to end.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
January 1, 2023
I’m sorry but I didn’t enjoy this book. The story idea was good but it was overshadowed by unnecessary details about the characters and their jobs that didn’t contribute to anything.
It wasn’t scary, not even creepy, just very bland.
The story could have been more interesting if there was more history about the forest and the Witch and how it all started, or something to that effect, instead it was more about everyone else and very little about the trees, the woods and of course, the Witch. I feel it lacks imagination.
PS: I did enjoy the Author’s Note at the end of the book, I think it was much more intriguing than the book itself
It wasn’t scary, not even creepy, just very bland.
The story could have been more interesting if there was more history about the forest and the Witch and how it all started, or something to that effect, instead it was more about everyone else and very little about the trees, the woods and of course, the Witch. I feel it lacks imagination.
PS: I did enjoy the Author’s Note at the end of the book, I think it was much more intriguing than the book itself
January 7, 2024
Utah, Aspen Forests, Producer, and Forest Services all meld together for interaction with an urban legend "The Root Witch". It's different in that we don't actually deal or see the witch, but the consequences are real. A quick read and the parts I liked the best involved Knox, the forest service officer. Not very scary, so if you like quick reads without a lot of thrill, you will feel comfortable reading this.
May 3, 2024
Utah, forests, an urban legend. . . sign me up!! After reading and seeing the cover, I needed to read this book. Honestly, I do not think that I was the audience for this story.
Forest Ranger Knox gets a new job and moves his wife to a live-in near Fish Lake National Forest. His wife was reluctant to leave the city. Knox starts to learn more about the forest, its root system. and the legend surrounding the forest.
Castaneda wrote a well-developed story with a great atmosphere and fleshed-out characters. There was a pretty good plot. At the same time, Sandy a local TV producer is dealing with work politics and a newcomer. On Halloween, Knox and Sandy come together in response to strange occurrences.
The book begins with the development of two stories. When the horror begins, the stories and characters collide. The first half of the book was spent developing both Knox and Sandhy. While the chapters alternate between Sandy and Knox, aspects of the witch are sprinkled into the book.
I would have liked more description and an in-depth origin story for it. The author could have expounded on the legend and the trees. In my opinion, this story lacked the depth that I look for in a story like this. It felt more like a thriller than a horror story that I was expecting. Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable story.
I recommend this book for readers who want a thriller with horror elements.
October 10, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
***
A new ranger in a remote cabin near a potentially haunted woods with a wife who hates being away from civilization (and, seemingly, the fact that her husband works). What could go wrong?
Answer: Lots of things. Right away.
I started this one in the morning and then had to put it down for the day, but once I was able to pick it up, I stayed up until 4AM to finish it.
The Root Witch is pretty much non-stop action. I loved some of the characters and hated others. The author did a great job developing interesting flawed characters.
I'd say this one is the definition of a page turner. So much happens between the ranger and park folks as well as the crew of a local TV station who cross paths after a Halloween sighting of the infamous root witch.
There's death, some gore, mystery, and supernatural elements. It's a recipe for success.
***
A new ranger in a remote cabin near a potentially haunted woods with a wife who hates being away from civilization (and, seemingly, the fact that her husband works). What could go wrong?
Answer: Lots of things. Right away.
I started this one in the morning and then had to put it down for the day, but once I was able to pick it up, I stayed up until 4AM to finish it.
The Root Witch is pretty much non-stop action. I loved some of the characters and hated others. The author did a great job developing interesting flawed characters.
I'd say this one is the definition of a page turner. So much happens between the ranger and park folks as well as the crew of a local TV station who cross paths after a Halloween sighting of the infamous root witch.
There's death, some gore, mystery, and supernatural elements. It's a recipe for success.
July 11, 2023
This book was great! There's this aspen forest and there's a legend that a root witch lives there and protects the forest. If that isn't creepy enough for you, the whole forest is just a clone and it all works on the same root system and instead of being a bunch of individual trees, they're all clones of the same tree. That whole part seemed really spooky to me. How the forest was regenerating itself, and what's even creepier is that I looked it up and it's a real place. A place that I will never venture to thats for sure. Obviously this is fiction, but I want nothing to do with it. The book was great. The setting was clearly horrific. The characters were well developed. I enjoyed Sandy's story and really wanted to her succeed and pull through all her issues in the book. Knox frustrated me because I liked him but he was a bit dense when it came to dealing with people. I think Colleen got the outcome she deserved in life. It was a slower burn, which isn't always my thing but it really worked out in this one and I loved the building anticipation of what was to come. I never thought trees and deer would freak me out but here we are.
May 8, 2023
I’ve seen a couple reviews that called this one too slow, but I disagree. Atmospheric seems more appropriate. The world of this…haunted?….possessed?…forest really drew me in. I was surprised such a slow burn in such a short story worked so well for me, but it definitely did! The different professions felt lived in in such a way that I never doubted any characters professionalism. I especially loved the way it brushed up against the drama between ecologists and ranchers, which is something I’ve got some experience with. (I was once screamed at in a gas station parking lot in Idaho by some good old boys who saw my “wolves belong” bumper sticker and did not like that wolf ecology and care was my job at the time.)
Really my only complaint here is that it felt like there could be more book here, but if wanting more is the worst problem a reader has, that means you did pretty great in my book!
Also the narration was well done. Highly recommend tackling this one on audible.
Really my only complaint here is that it felt like there could be more book here, but if wanting more is the worst problem a reader has, that means you did pretty great in my book!
Also the narration was well done. Highly recommend tackling this one on audible.
September 1, 2025
When Knox takes a rangers' job in Utah, he knows it will mean resistance from his wife Colleen. The job comes with a rustic cabin close to the rangers' office and slap bang in the wilderness area that will be his responsibility: a location his city-loving wife will loathe. In fact, the cabin is on the edge of a notorious area of clone aspens known to locals as the root witch. For years, animals and people have been coming to violent and macabre ends almost as if the trees are protecting themselves from grazing and human intrusion.
Sandy is a survivor of an attack by the trees: a memory she has tried to suppress for many years. But her work as a producer and overworked Jill-of-all-trades at a local radio station brings her in closer contact to the root witch, when reporters whom she sends on a story also fall victim to the wrath of the trees.
I liked the story on the whole and found it creepy in an Algernon Blackwood vein ( 'Wendigo ' , 'The Willows'). Overall, I would rate it at 3 stars.
Sandy is a survivor of an attack by the trees: a memory she has tried to suppress for many years. But her work as a producer and overworked Jill-of-all-trades at a local radio station brings her in closer contact to the root witch, when reporters whom she sends on a story also fall victim to the wrath of the trees.
I liked the story on the whole and found it creepy in an Algernon Blackwood vein ( 'Wendigo ' , 'The Willows'). Overall, I would rate it at 3 stars.
October 13, 2022
I am a huge fan of folk horror, and that is exactly what you get in The Root Witch. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and Debra Castaneda’s writing flows like a lazy river. The storyline is original, and the character development is great; I cheered for most and jeered a couple of others. The author subtly creates an unease for the reader throughout. I also quite enjoyed the behind-the-scenes peak into a local TV news broadcast.
I only have one complaint, and it is a small one. I would have liked a little bit more horror. Perhaps reading about the attack on the boy as it happened instead of hearing about after the fact.
I’m vacationing in the mountains next week and if there is an aspen forest nearby, no lie, I am going to be a little nervous.
I only have one complaint, and it is a small one. I would have liked a little bit more horror. Perhaps reading about the attack on the boy as it happened instead of hearing about after the fact.
I’m vacationing in the mountains next week and if there is an aspen forest nearby, no lie, I am going to be a little nervous.
July 25, 2024
1 star for a 'story'.
This was a waste of time. I read the Spore Queen, and that one was decent. This, however, was a throwaway story. 85% of it was just Sandy's problems with life and work, and Collene hating the forest and wanting to go to Salt Lake. 10% was ranger work and the remaining 5% was about the Root Witch. The final battle between the humans and the creature was all of 3 paragraphs.
This was a waste of time. I read the Spore Queen, and that one was decent. This, however, was a throwaway story. 85% of it was just Sandy's problems with life and work, and Collene hating the forest and wanting to go to Salt Lake. 10% was ranger work and the remaining 5% was about the Root Witch. The final battle between the humans and the creature was all of 3 paragraphs.
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