SOLVED. A Fantasy Fiction book [s]

[Keri]

I am looking for a book I read in 2004 or 2005 the only part I can remember is a lady on a hill in the woods watching some demon ritual with a bunch of women in a valley below. The lady ends up dying by being cut in two...I am just looking for the title or author. Oh, and the society deemed long hair to be a symbol of status, and there was a girl child that everyone was after.

[Michele]

Do you know if it was a new book at the time you read it or an older one? Was it YA or more adult? Was the feel of the book more like fantasy or horror? Anything you recall about the cover?

[Aerulan]

Maaaybe the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind?
It's got the long hair as status and the woman -who dies- after watching other women in a demon ceremony thing. Don't remember anything about a girl everyone was after ....oh wait yeah that kinda fits some stuff that happens too, the girl's traveling and she's got a loaf of bread with something important hidden in it. So the series is actually not a bad prospect for the one you're looking for.
Wizard's First Rule is the first book. The demon ceremony thing takes place in one of the later books but I don't remember which one off the top of my head.

ETA in those books the demon ceremony is pretty explicit and rather ick. So if you're looking for a YA book they're absolutely not it.

[Keri]

Aerulan wrote: "Maaaybe the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind?
It's got the long hair as status and the woman -who dies- after watching other women in a demon ceremony thing. Don't remember anything about a ..."

Actually that may be it! TY soo much!

[Aerulan]

You're welcome!