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Circle of Air
Tara seems like a perfectly normal person. She works two jobs to cover the rent. Her boss and her co-workers exploit her good nature so she ends up working even more. And of course she constantly studies so she can pass into the next circle of witchcraft.
Then a stranger visits "Ye Olde Magick Shoppe"--not the tourist section at the front of the store, but the section at the back that only the real witches and beings of power use. He carries with him the smell of the river, the sound of the gulls, the taste of salt air.
And the feel of wet ropes, dragging Tara down beneath the water.
Circle of Air --the first book in a new urban fantasy series The Witch's Progress--brings you into the slightly twisted heart of old Portland and the magical battles that happen even among friends.
Then a stranger visits "Ye Olde Magick Shoppe"--not the tourist section at the front of the store, but the section at the back that only the real witches and beings of power use. He carries with him the smell of the river, the sound of the gulls, the taste of salt air.
And the feel of wet ropes, dragging Tara down beneath the water.
Circle of Air --the first book in a new urban fantasy series The Witch's Progress--brings you into the slightly twisted heart of old Portland and the magical battles that happen even among friends.
194 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2019
About the author
Leah R. Cutter
306 books28 followersLeah Cutter writes page-turning fiction in exotic locations, such as New Orleans, ancient China, the Oregon coast, rural Kentucky, Seattle, Minneapolis, Budapest, and other places.
Her fiction includes literary, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and horror, and has been published in magazines, anthologies, and on the web.
Read more stories by Leah Cutter at www.KnottedRoadPress.com.
Follow her blog at www.LeahCutter.com.
Her fiction includes literary, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and horror, and has been published in magazines, anthologies, and on the web.
Read more stories by Leah Cutter at www.KnottedRoadPress.com.
Follow her blog at www.LeahCutter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 20, 2020
Classic Urban Fantasy with an Interesting Magic System
I love the chapter intros that have "historical" journal entries. The way they develop from a sane, mundane history that seems nearly unrelated to the main story, and then slowly tie back into the challenges Tara faces was very well done.
This book starts off feeling like a slice of life. Tara, an aspiring witch, working two jobs to make ends meet. Dissatisfied with life, her roommate, perhaps herself. Living in Portland, Oregon by a river. A-typically confident in her appearance. Sharon, her roomate, focused on different things, they never really get along.
Tara works in an herb shop, also a front for a magical supplies shop. She sidelines as a part time nanny. She has friends she works with and past lovers, and friends, guides and acquaintances from the magical community. Work demands collide with a need to focus on magical studies to gain the next level. Then a chance encounter with a strange man embarks her on an investigation and discovery, over the course of a few days, of a complex web of witches being sacrificed to maintain a magical protection over bridges, and Tara has been marked as the next sacrifice. Well paced culminating in a test of strength and connections, leaving Tara with an enemy to be faced again in the future, no doubt.
Six circles of witchcraft to advance through, each elevating the witches understanding and power. Spells are created by imaging the herbal combinations and the various powers they provide, and manifesting them. Potions are in play, as well as elemental communication and guidance to cause elements like water, fire, and nature to bend to the casters will. Not explained in great detail, but at least plausible and interesting.
Han Su, Vietnamese co-worker, rich kid.
Patricia, demanding boss and higher level witch.
Kyle the male witch aspirant, who minimize physical touch due to a bad past experience.
Aaloka, Tara's current teacher and mystic of Indian descent.
Leaders of covens tend to be well off and have nice houses with cool architecture that sound like neat places to visit.
Frequent impactful use of olfactory descriptions, subtly reinforcing Tara's close connection to the natural world.
Miss Lucy, Tara's previous teacher and coven leader of more ambiguous moral character.
The Martin family, who have power and support Tara's development.
I love the chapter intros that have "historical" journal entries. The way they develop from a sane, mundane history that seems nearly unrelated to the main story, and then slowly tie back into the challenges Tara faces was very well done.
This book starts off feeling like a slice of life. Tara, an aspiring witch, working two jobs to make ends meet. Dissatisfied with life, her roommate, perhaps herself. Living in Portland, Oregon by a river. A-typically confident in her appearance. Sharon, her roomate, focused on different things, they never really get along.
Tara works in an herb shop, also a front for a magical supplies shop. She sidelines as a part time nanny. She has friends she works with and past lovers, and friends, guides and acquaintances from the magical community. Work demands collide with a need to focus on magical studies to gain the next level. Then a chance encounter with a strange man embarks her on an investigation and discovery, over the course of a few days, of a complex web of witches being sacrificed to maintain a magical protection over bridges, and Tara has been marked as the next sacrifice. Well paced culminating in a test of strength and connections, leaving Tara with an enemy to be faced again in the future, no doubt.
Six circles of witchcraft to advance through, each elevating the witches understanding and power. Spells are created by imaging the herbal combinations and the various powers they provide, and manifesting them. Potions are in play, as well as elemental communication and guidance to cause elements like water, fire, and nature to bend to the casters will. Not explained in great detail, but at least plausible and interesting.
Han Su, Vietnamese co-worker, rich kid.
Patricia, demanding boss and higher level witch.
Kyle the male witch aspirant, who minimize physical touch due to a bad past experience.
Aaloka, Tara's current teacher and mystic of Indian descent.
Leaders of covens tend to be well off and have nice houses with cool architecture that sound like neat places to visit.
Frequent impactful use of olfactory descriptions, subtly reinforcing Tara's close connection to the natural world.
Miss Lucy, Tara's previous teacher and coven leader of more ambiguous moral character.
The Martin family, who have power and support Tara's development.
February 6, 2021
I picked this up in an urban fantasy bundle, and it was decent. It is set in a Portland seemingly full of witches, with different covens having different approaches to magic. The main character Tara works in a tourist trap/magic shop, and is studying to advance into the next circle of witchcraft when she encounters a mysterious and threatening man.
The witchcraft system was interesting, and the descriptions of that aspect were probably the strongpoint of the book (if a bit long-winded). Tara and her friends/enemies/mentors were all non-entities, most were characterized purely by their appearance and maybe one bit of backstory. I really disliked the villain. Although the idea behind him was threatening enough, the way it was implemented fell flat (especially his name). I might have read the other books in the series, but it seems they all continue to feature this same villain, so I'll pass.
The witchcraft system was interesting, and the descriptions of that aspect were probably the strongpoint of the book (if a bit long-winded). Tara and her friends/enemies/mentors were all non-entities, most were characterized purely by their appearance and maybe one bit of backstory. I really disliked the villain. Although the idea behind him was threatening enough, the way it was implemented fell flat (especially his name). I might have read the other books in the series, but it seems they all continue to feature this same villain, so I'll pass.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews