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Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic (Dowser Book 4) Kindle Edition

4.6 out of 5 stars 2,065 ratings

I had new cupcakes to bake, a new treasure to hunt, and a new dragon in town — literally. Who wouldn’t be ecstatic filling their days with chocolate, trinket collecting, and martial arts training?
Yeah … me.
Because no matter how much chocolate I ate, I couldn’t fill the dark pit in my soul. A darkness born from blood alchemy. A darkness that reeked of the black magic I now knew I was capable of creating.
Maybe it was time to walk away.
But what if there were important things left to do? What if I was the only one who could do what needed to be done?
I wasn’t sure I could handle the responsibility, but as long as I had my chocolate stash and a good friend to back me up, I was willing to give it a try.

Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic is the fourth book in the Dowser series, which is set in the same universe as the Oracle, Reconstructionist, Amplifier, Archivist, and Misfits of the Adept Universe series. While it is not necessary to read all the series, in order to avoid spoilers the ideal reading order of the Adept Universe begins with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1).
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Caitlin Davies is a New York City-based actress, director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She has narrated a number of popular series and has been nominated for multiple Voice Arts Awards.

Meghan Ciana Doidge is an award-winning writer and independent filmmaker. Her many books include the Dowser series, the Oracle series, and After the Virus. Meghan lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00TUIB5O8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions; 2nd edition (February 26, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 281 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 2,065 ratings

About the author

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Meghan Ciana Doidge
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Meghan Ciana Doidge writes tales of true love conquering all, even death. Though sometimes the love is elusive, the vampires and werewolves come out to play in the daylight, and bloody mayhem ensues.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
2,065 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a riveting read with a delightful suspenseful plot and lots of action. They appreciate the character development, with one review highlighting the kickass female protagonist. The writing style is well-executed and easy to read, while the book features yummy chocolate elements, with one customer inspired to make a chocolate blackberry cupcake. Customers describe the pacing as fast and the emotional content as realistic.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

115 customers mention "Enjoyment"115 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an amazing and riveting read that gets better with each entry in the series, and they love the world it creates.

"Cupcakes, adventure, and sci fi rolled up into a fun package. I'm hooked! Love the characters, she weaves a really good story" Read more

"...I've so enjoyed reading this series, as well as Oracle, and will be sad to put them aside for now...." Read more

"Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic is another great entry in this series. Familiar great characters, some new ones, and and interesting plot...." Read more

"Jade is a wonderful hero. Kandy rocks everything. Warner is definitely interesting. I can not wait to read the next installment!" Read more

48 customers mention "Storyline"48 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, which features lots of action and suspenseful twists of fate.

"as I have the entire series. The book's plot grabs you, the characters charm you, and you will find it hard to put any of the books in this series..." Read more

"...Familiar great characters, some new ones, and and interesting plot. Enjoyable and relaxing reading." Read more

"Really enjoyed this book! Great continuation of the story...." Read more

"I found these books to be a combination of humor, action, and romance. I've fallen in love with characters and the worlds they live in...." Read more

32 customers mention "Character development"29 positive3 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, finding them easy to follow, with one customer specifically praising the kickass female protagonist.

"...I'm hooked! Love the characters, she weaves a really good story" Read more

"as I have the entire series. The book's plot grabs you, the characters charm you, and you will find it hard to put any of the books in this series..." Read more

"...Familiar great characters, some new ones, and and interesting plot. Enjoyable and relaxing reading." Read more

"Jade is a wonderful hero. Kandy rocks everything. Warner is definitely interesting. I can not wait to read the next installment!" Read more

14 customers mention "Writing style"14 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted and easy to read.

"...series sound the same....awesome, great, action packed, fast paced, well written, good world building and tasty cupcakes...." Read more

"...The reading is smooth and easy to follow as well. It was interesting, fantastical and delightfully suspenseful and nerve wracking...." Read more

"And I loved it. I dug into this book so hard, I didn't realize I was even at the end till I had about 10 pages left...." Read more

"I'm hooked on these Dowser books. They are easy reading. Good to pick up and put down, not edge of your seat type stuff. I hope she writes more...." Read more

13 customers mention "Chocolate content"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the chocolate content in the book, particularly noting the cupcakes as a fantastic touch, and one customer mentions being inspired to make a chocolate blackberry cupcake.

"Cupcakes, adventure, and sci fi rolled up into a fun package. I'm hooked! Love the characters, she weaves a really good story" Read more

"...action packed, fast paced, well written, good world building and tasty cupcakes...." Read more

"...As per usual, there is a goodly amount of chocolate, cupcakes, action, shoes and LOL moments." Read more

"The series continues to entertain and is just as satisfying as good chocolate...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, describing it as fast-paced.

"...The pace of the story is fast. The female protagonist is kickass, beautiful and flawed, mostly too humble, surely too nice for her own good...." Read more

"...whole Dowser series sound the same....awesome, great, action packed, fast paced, well written, good world building and tasty cupcakes...." Read more

"On to #5. I am addicted to this series, I'm reading so fast I have to go back and reread...." Read more

"Cupcakes sound yummy as do the men😁. Story's are fast paced and fun. Look forward to next in series...." Read more

5 customers mention "Emotional content"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, noting its realistic character reactions, with one customer describing it as intense and nerve-wracking.

"...Even the supporting cast characters in this series are rich and lifelike. Read or listen as the audible reader is a good version of the leading lady...." Read more

"...It was interesting, fantastical and delightfully suspenseful and nerve wracking...." Read more

"This one was an emotional rollercoaster! I loved every minute of it!! I can not wait for more yummy chocolate!" Read more

"Captivating and enthralling with realistic emotions." Read more

5 customers mention "Strength"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the strength of the series, with one noting its solid development and another highlighting its strong female characters.

"Another excellent book to the series. Jade keeps changing and getting stronger...." Read more

"...such a talented writer get past a single good book and make a solid series out of it...." Read more

"...and excellent characters made me giddy with excitement, so many strong women and awesome men. The cupcakes are a fantastic touch to all these books!" Read more

"...Just finished Shadows, Maps,... and it still keeps going strong. Well done." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
    Cupcakes, adventure, and sci fi rolled up into a fun package. I'm hooked! Love the characters, she weaves a really good story
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2015
    as I have the entire series. The book's plot grabs you, the characters charm you, and you will find it hard to put any of the books in this series aside.

    The fourth book adds a new character as Jade, the witch, who isn't a witch, embarks on a new escapade to search out treasures for the guardians. There are plenty of the previous cast of characters involved, enough so rtf hat it would be prudent to read the books in order.

    I've so enjoyed reading this series, as well as Oracle, and will be sad to put them aside for now. I shall wait expectantly for new installments.

    Meghan, I'm waiting for my cupcakes, chocolate and magic. Thanks for the utter joy I've had reading your books!
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
    Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic is another great entry in this series. Familiar great characters, some new ones, and and interesting plot. Enjoyable and relaxing reading.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2023
    Jade is a wonderful hero. Kandy rocks everything. Warner is definitely interesting. I can not wait to read the next installment!
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016
    Really enjoyed this book! Great continuation of the story. There is a note at the beginning of this book that you should read the other series, 'I See Me' (Oracle 1) before reading this book. So there are a few spoilers for Oracle 1 if you decide to read it later. Also there is something major that happens between 2 of the main characters in Dowser series in Oracle 1. I did not read Oracle 1 first and I did find it a little odd to note the changes in the characters. I don't feel like you have to read Oracle first, but if you plan on it, then it might be worth it to read it first. Otherwise this book was great.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2020
    We knew we needed a new direction with Sienna gone, and this definitely shows the new potential nemesis being one that Jade will again struggle with but for a different reason. And I love the addition of Warner as I think Jade does need someone who is a dragon and not a shifter. From book 1, she was told that a shifter would not be someone for her. That they do have mates if they are lucky enough to find them. Having that possibility hanging over your head definitely dulls the hots for someone you may lose through no fault of yours or even his if fate is fate. Besides, I never did like Desmond for Jade. My struggle was Jade still drives me a little nuts and I did not get my fix of Kett. We still had Kandy, but honestly, the dynamics work better with the dowser, the vampire and the wolf.

    In this one, Jade is tasked with unlocking a map that leads to one of 3 "weapons" that can kill a dragon. The treasure keeper has decided that Jade needs to retrieve those for some odd reason. Seems to me that they are probably safe where they are, but I guess without this task, we'd don't get a new love interest or a new protagonist. With the help of Kandy, and Warner, a sentinel charged with ensuring no one gets the weapons, Jade does manage to read the map enough to locate the first weapon. As is par for the course, she and her team will have to battle "shades", shadows that can weaken an Adept if they touch you, and another Adept searching for the weapons. One that the dragons were not expecting, including Warner, and one that Jade underestimates which is definitely something she tends to do...especially as she unwittingly released S from the "prison" that prevented her from obtaining the 1st weapon before Jade.

    And the kicker? Kandy gets hurt. Enough that Jade may lose her best friend. I'm already missing Kett, don't take Kandy too. I need my snark.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2017
    No spoilers.
    This series made me a fan of Meghan C. Doidge. The series is set in the current day. Witches, Sorcerers, Shapeshifters, and Vampires inhabit this hidden-in-plain-sight magic system. The pace of the story is fast. The female protagonist is kickass, beautiful and flawed, mostly too humble, surely too nice for her own good. Even the supporting cast characters in this series are rich and lifelike. Read or listen as the audible reader is a good version of the leading lady. Catch the other series set in this author's world too.
    If this series makes you want to bake you can go to the author's page for recipes.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2016
    I found these books to be a combination of humor, action, and romance. I've fallen in love with characters and the worlds they live in. As always, the battle between good and evil plays a center role in this series. One of the aspects that allows the series to feel more real is that characters die. In addition, truly happy endings seem to be hinted at while not realized. I'm off to the 5th book in the Dowser Series.

    Please note: I stopped reading this book to read I See Me. It helped me understand the references made. And for the record, I thoroughly enjoyed that book,too.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • tarnz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spellbinding can't stop
    Reviewed in Australia on April 17, 2017
    Ok now I have to find the last two I just have to find out what happens next. ...... ..
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Indiana Jones she isn't
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2018
    Her treasure seeking is again required. Although now it is to find a deadly killing instrument. Along with a sentinel that has awoken from hundreds of years asleep and Kandy. Their only clue is a map that seems out of focus, magically so, and tattooed onto human skin. They need to decipher the map before the shadow demons try to take it. Sorcerers, a lighthouse that seems stripped of magic, traps, magical leeches and a killer (who although looking as if they were 4 years old, is a rabid, vicious killer). Can they survive the traps and the killer and recover the item that they have been sent to retrieve? What will it cost them? How will she and the sentinel overcome their personal differences? A great read but wish there had been more about the tasks before her. What is the Prophecy surrounding her?
  • Kerry Lalonde
    5.0 out of 5 stars Whats not to love? With great likable characters
    Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2015
    Whats not to love? With great likable characters, an exciting story line with some delicious chocolate and a touch of magic thrown in to the mix to make it all even better. Great place to lose yourself for a while.
  • TG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in France on January 25, 2025
    Good Read
  • M Mikalsky
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 29, 2015
    I've recommended this entire series to my sister and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

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