This was a book I put off for a long time, fearing it would be too fantasy based for my liking, despite being witchy in nature, and unfortunately I was correct in my assumption. I had liked the idea of the Norwegian folklore and sisterhood, like a darker Frozen, but it didn't quite hit that mark. The dual POV with little dialogue was hard to follow and made for a difficult read.

This book sounded so interesting! Unfortunately, it fell a little bit flat for me in terms of the world building and pacing. The sister’s dynamic was a little difficult to work through with their ups and downs with each other. I’d try another bloom by this author!

The Witches at the End of the World by Chelsea Iversen. Pub Date: October 17, 2023. Rating: 3 stars. This is a story about sisters, both witches in Norway who want different things in life. Rooted in personal trauma of their mother being burned for being a witch and having to flee afterwards, one sister wants to return to the village where this happened to live a "normal life outside of witchcraft." This realization sets a tidal wave of emotions between the sisters resulting in one sister cursing the entire village that her sister returns to. This book highlights witchcraft and crimes committed against known witches. I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of one wanting to maintain being a witch and the other wanting to explore a life outside of being a witch. This was a good read and perfect for fall. Thanks to #netgalley and #sourcebookslandmark for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love anything that includes witches so I was not surprised that I ended up liking this one! So good!

The Witches at the End of the World by Chelsea Iversen has an intriguing setup with two sisters navigating their magic and their differences. While the premise promised a dark, atmospheric story full of tension and drama, I found the execution to be just okay. The relationship between Kaija and Minna had potential, but I struggled to fully connect with their story. The pacing felt uneven at times, and while there were moments of intensity, they didn’t always land as powerfully as I’d hoped.

That said, the setting of the Norwegian birchwoods added a moody backdrop, and the exploration of sisterhood and betrayal did have its highlights. If you enjoy witchy tales with a focus on family dynamics, this might still be worth checking out. For me, it was a mixed experience.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC provided!

dnf at 3%. This was definitely a me thing. I just couldn't get into this one, despite it being about witches and set with a magic system in Norway.

Man, I tried but I just couldn't get into this one. Not sure what the problem was; it just didn't hold my interest. It vs left my mind as soon as I finished it.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

Didn’t have time to read it but it looks interesting and promising so I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually my to be read pile is just getting to big and I’m a mood reader so these arcs are getting hit. So maybe at a later date I’ll finally read it

First of all... This cover is really well done and so beautiful. I loved the sisterly bond throughout this book and found their dynamic to be really believable. I loved this book and am looking forward to more by this author.

Weaving a lush tale from the perspective of two sisters, this book caught me immediately by its premise of witches, and the promise of feminine rage.

While it was interesting to have so much insight to the inner monologue of our characters, it felt a bit one dimensional. Long pages of dialogue with an inching slow plot line can make the overall enjoyment of the book a bit stale.

Regardless, this is a novel I think anyone would enjoy if they want to see portrayals of strong women, close knit family dynamics, magick, and the fight to be yourself in a world that may fight back.

This was a beautifully written novel, but definitely a challenging read at times. While I enjoyed the atmospheric setting and engaging prose, the two main characters were not the easiest people to enjoy getting to know. I was also hoping, due to the setting, more history, folklore and cultural elements, than the book contained. But if you are looking for an easy and light read, this is entertaining.

This book just was not for me. I tried to get through it but I had a hard time getting into the story. It has a lot to do with me being a mood reader.

A story about sisterhood which centers around the sisters having watched their mother get burned for being a witch and having to escape from their village.
A good debut for sure, a bit slow at the start but it had some twists I didn’t expect and picked up in the end.

This wasn’t my favorite. I found it to be slow to get into and the world building lacking. It was hard to put myself in the story.

The Witches at the End of the World by Chelsea Iversen was not for me, personally. I am still thankful that I got to read this! I think I'm over white women writing about witches.

Really great audiobook! I loved this story of sisters each learning and growing together and apart. The pacing slowed a little toward the middle but I’m really glad to have read it.

This book was a disappointment for me. The cover and the title captured my attention, but it's sad to say those were the most exciting parts.

The inner monologue narration was not it for me and it dragged the story down. Which to be honest, the story was already a drag to read that it didn't need to be dragged down any further. The bonds of Sisterhood were not enough to keep me invested in the story and I ultimately DNF'ed this one.

I love witchy books, but that certain magic spell that draws me to them was lacking in this one. I wish there would have been more action and communication between the sisters. This book had a great set up and setting but lacked the emotional depth I was looking for.

I really enjoyed this story. I Loved the old world setting and the way that the author made it feel almost like two stories in one. The relationship between the two sisters felt genuine and I liked the messages in the story as far as being careful what you do out of anger in the moment. I liked that this wasn't just a happy story and that there were real struggles and emotions behind some of the things that happened. I also appreciated the way that the author handled sensitive subjects. I will definitely be watching Iversen to see what she writes next!

The bonds of sisterhood are at the forefront of Chelsea Iversen’s historical novel The Witches at the End of the World. Kaija and Minna are witches, forced to flee their home and live in the birchwoods after their mother was burned at the stake. Yearning for a fuller life, Kaija returns to their former village while Minna stews in the anger and hatred she harbors from the past. As curses are cast and decisions are made, the course of fate will be altered forever.

The way Iversen sets the scene is atmospheric, placing readers in the heart of Norwegian woods, shores, and villages. I enjoyed reading about the sisters’ day to day lives in both the birchwood and the village and was interested in the community dynamics that took place in these differing areas.

Much of the story is told via Minna and Kaija’s internal thoughts and I wish that we had seen them express these sentiments and have tangible interactions with each other. This caused much of the middle to feel slow because it lacked action sequences. Towards the end, the action did pick up and a few plot twists occurred that had me invested, needing to know the outcome of Kaija and Minna’s stories.

All in all, this is a fairly solid debut novel and I will be looking out to see what the author does next.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.