Sever the Circle

by Amanda Leanne

Life for me and mine was set. Wood Women, witches to many, had a cycle. There were only two Wood Women alive at a time, a mother and her daughter. As the daughter beget her own, her mother would cease to be. But that wasn't the only circle that justified our life. The town was ours and we belonged to them. The crops flourished and the seasons changed, as was our want. We wove the tapestry of the town, trimmed the frayed threads, added the new ones, removed those that had faded, and kept the picture beautiful and trapped within a bubble of our making. They knew only of which we wanted them to, no more or less, . As stories are often about a change, a disruption, so is this one. The circle of the lives of the Wood Women, the life of the town, and the sphere we had built to keep it all contained in was challenged, attacked, and eventually severed. There was another darkness in the night, untouched by moon and fire, and it held the secrets that would be our undoing.

Genres: Horror, Novella, Book Club, Fiction, Witches

134 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2018

About the author

Amanda Leanne began reading at a very young age and has been writing since grade school. She is a prolific reader, book collector, and writer with an interest in all aspects of art including sewing, painting, sculpting, jewelry design, soapmaking, and various other hobbies. After spending nearly a decade working on her degrees in forensic sciences, abnormal behavioral science, and neurological psychology with the prospect of joining the FBI ViCAP unit, Amanda's health took a turn for the worse. Daily struggles with her medical issues hasn't stopped her from pursuing her childhood aspirations to become an author. She currently lives with her spouse (Kris), her son, and their menagerie in the mountains of Northern Alabama. Leanne writes non-fiction books as well as fictional novels. Her non-fiction books delve into topics such as medical conditions, true crime, lifestyles, and crafting. Her fictional stories delve into mystery, thrillers, eerie tales, science fiction, and paranormal worlds.

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy guacamole what a read. I can't say better things about this.
Do yourself a favor and read this if you're looking for a read that hits in similar ways as the movie the Witch. So good.

[Heather Heckadon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not my typical genre read, but I LOVED it. It started out with practical magic vibes with a darker undertone, had a wonderful time piece feel that wasn't overdone, and didn't disappoint with the ending. Intoxicating story that sends your head spinning just to get smashed at the end. (In a good way!)

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and good read

[CopperMoonWitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so, I spent the first four fifths of this thinking that this is perfect for a novella... then I got to the ending, and was suddenly sad that it wasn't a full novel.

The ending was interesting and surprising, but felt rushed to fit into a novella length. I'd much rather have had more exposition, more subtlety and exploration of the really great ideas leading up to the reveal, giving the conclusion the time and space it needed.

I really like how Amanda Leanne writes, and I would love to see this story fully fleshed out. ✨️

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. The reveal just didn’t hit for me.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the story in this novella, and the writing style really worked for me. It really kept my interest, and I could barely put it down! The ending was a complete and utter surprise. Honestly, I'm still deciding if I love the ending because it's so unique or hate it because I loved the rest of the book so much. Either way, I'm still thinking about the book, so the author has definitely done something right!

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only ever heard of this one time and why that is I’ve not a clue. This book deserves to be read by many! I’m not sure I can exactly wrap my head around what really happened and I’m not certain I even know what happened. I may need to reread the last few chapters or maybe I’ll leave it be. What a visual journey it all was. I can relate it to Gone To See The River Man in a way although the two are entirely different. The similarity though is the imagery in my head while reading and the way I’m left with swirling thoughts now that I’ve just finished. F’ Amazballs!!
Quick read and worth the few hours of your time definitely. One of my favorites for sure!
I think it will be a bit before I’m no longer revisiting the imaginary visuals and the many interesting conversations especially those of the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[ꉔꁝꋪ꒐ꇙ꓄ꌦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me guessing and I had no idea what to expect when I reached the final pages. It kept me on the edge of my seat and eagerly turning to the next page. There is no heat or gripping horror in this book, but it is a quick read that had me scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on! There were times I questioned if I should be rooting for the FMC, and there were times my heart broke for her. Sadly, this book was not a HEA, but it was still worth the read!

[DA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful!

Fantastic story with rich descriptions that brought this world to life. Beautiful and terrifying like a dark fairytale I couldn't put this book down and read it in less than a day. The increasing tension throughout the book kept me on the edge of the seat trying to figure out where is was going. With a powerful and emotional ending I was left breathless with a pounding heart.

[Kaycee Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept trying to figure out what exactly was going on throughout the book. Don't get me wrong - It made perfect sense.. I just knew the story had to have more than it was telling and I ended up being completely surprised on how it all came together.

[Christine McDevitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a circle always stay a circle?

Rituals, Witches and Gods are all a part of this interesting and intense tale.
At the beginning, these is Wood Woman and they control the town, and in turn they have their own cycle. One day, everything changes.
The land becomes dark, the women darker and the cycle breaks.
But what or who broke it?

I enjoyed this story and would love more!

[Kimberly Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! The plot twist at the end was mind blowing. A seemingly predictable plot turns on its head in the last three chapters.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been on a bit of a witchy kick lately so I snatched this up when it was recommended to me.
My reason for giving three stars and not four was I didn't love the ending. The rest was so good! It had me completely engrossed. Then I got to the end and was just like.."huh?" It's entirely possible the problem is me. Maybe there was something I missed or I was too distracted. Perhaps I'll give it another chance at some point.