I want to thank the author and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I liked the two sisters and how they are so different. I also liked the duel POV. I liked the setting. Sisterhood standing the test of time. I wish there was more dialogue in the book. It did seem to drag a bit in the book. It was sometimes hard to read because it was slow. Also, it seemed like not much was going on in the book.

I was intrigued by the description, and I liked the cover design.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I would describe it as a dark fantasy novel. The writing had a dark, eerie quality, but at the same time, it felt magical. I was very interested in the characters and the stories they had to share, and I was gripped. I understand that this is the author's debut novel, and I hope there will be more, because I'd be interested in reading them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Fantasy books involving magic and witches are among my favorite tropes, so I was so excited to read this book. A darker fantasy that I loved. The magic system was intricate and exciting, and the world-building was fantastic. I loved it. I’m going to add this one to my favorite list.

✨ The Witches at the End of the World // Chelsea Iverson ✨

Details: 320p, 2023, fantasy/historical fiction
TW/CW: witch hunts and misogyny?

First notes: I got this book as an arc, thank you very much NetGalley! I put in the request because I saw witches, Norway, birchwood, sisters, small village, curses and burnings and did not need to hear more, everything there to convince me, elated when my request was met.

⭐️⭐️ 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: However… However. The plot sadly lacked. It had promise, but from the beginning on the sister bond feels off, they seem to want to love each other, but with so much bitterness and regret. It makes us expect something around their sisterhood will evolve along the way, but the entire story feels like a build up. Everything was cliche and their relationships with everyone, including their sister story, felt unbelievable.
⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: This made me feel distanced from every single character (save Aunt Tilde). Kaija seemed incredibly naive and almost plain stupid, while I wondered if Minna also missed a brain (the boldness, do excuse me). Never could I understand their actions, and again their relationships were unconvincing.
⭐️⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: We switch from sister to sister, which could work, but did not (sorry).
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 + 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞): A positive aspect! Set in Norway in both a dark forest and a small village, it theoretically fit perfectly with the 1600s and witch trials. Beautifully described as well!
⭐️⭐️ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞: Lastly: the sentences were pretty, but my praise regretfully ends there. Too much anticipation packed in words that didn’t say much at all.

Final notes: With some heartache I regret to inform you: I really wanted to not finish this but surprisingly did, I’m just sad to say I don’t feel the slightest connection to this story in any way. It could be alright had it been written differently and to be fair now I write this, maybe it could not be alright no matter what (sorry again). Actually, not a sorry, it just wasn’t for me! Maybe it is for you, but I can’t recommend it.

2⭐️

I really enjoyed this! If you like witches, magic, and a well done and easily pictured setting, this is for you.

Loved the story, the setting and the magic. This was well-written and easily consumed. My only issue was it was a bit slow in places, but still a good read.

Would definitely read more by this author.

Thank you so much for letting me be an ARC reader!

4.5 stars rounded to 5.

This book was very good. This is new author to me. I will look forward to reading more by this author.

A fun and magical story about two witches, who are sisters in Norway, that look at their magic and past in vastly different ways. I loved this one it's has such a unique concept, two sisters who want different things in their life and have to deal with the consequences of their actions. There's an overarching darker feeling to tis as well, especially with the magic element which was interesting to explore and great to see it in different forms with dynamic, strong female leads who show their strength in different ways. This was slow in parts and I agree with other reviews that I wish there was more dialogue between the sisters and we got to see their relationship more together but overall I really enjoyed this.

Unfortunately I found this extremely slow and tedious and could not get into it. Although the setting was not bad the two sisters seemed unengaging and very stereotypical. More plot please!

This story, set in 1677 Norway, is reminiscent of the TV series Vikings and a harsher version of the movie Frozen. Kaija and Minna are sisters, who have been living deep in the birchwood forest ever since their mother was burned as a witch. When their Mormor dies, Kaija knows it’s time to leave, as she has dreamed of living a normal life in the village she left years ago. Minna, who is much younger, only remembers the bad things, and is angry when Kaija leaves. Minna, impulsively casts a curse upon the village.

Several women help introduce Kaija to the village as Kirsti, explaining her as a distant cousin. As much as Kristi tries to fit in, she doesn’t know the customs and can’t subdue her inner witch. Kirsti weds Jon Pedersen and thinks she has it all - a loving husband, a home of their own, and a baby on the way. Unfortunately, Minna’s curse isn’t selective and Kirsti’s love is taken by an unexplained illness. Soon gossip becomes dangerous and villagers believe Kirsti is to blame for their misfortune.

Minna doesn’t realize the impact of the curse she swore. She never intended to take away Kaija’s happiness, nor did she mean to put her sister in danger.

Both sisters love each other but have a hard time accepting the other for who they are. They both grow and learn more about themselves and each other. Their bond is unbreakable, but they can hurt each other in the way that only sisters can. Minna is the dark where Kaija is the light. Minna is brooding where Kaija is hopeful. As the story develops so do the characters. Minna gentles while Kaija becomes more protective. Kaija proves to be stronger than she thought and Minna appreciates her sister’s more subtle magic.

Witches at the End of the World is perfect for readers of historical fiction or those looking for an engaging escape. It is compelling and richly detailed with a true sense of place.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Kaija and Minna live in the birch forest with their grandmother. They both were born to a family of witches but they have very different types of magic. Minna's magic is dark and wild and fierce while Kaija's magic is gentle yet strong. When their grandmother dies Kaija makes the decision to return to the village where they were born- and where their mother was burned as a witch .The events that unfold will test both girls to the limits of their strength and beyond. Hypnotic storytelling and fascinating characters make for a gripping and compulsive read. Don't miss this one, it will have you holding your breath until the very end!

*Thank you to Sourcebooks, Chelsea Iverson and Netgalley for a e-arc of "The Witches at the end of the world" in exchange for an honest review *

I could see this being popular to people who like history and Witches. There wasn't enough dialog for me so I lost interest in the story.

the story follows two witches - Minna and Kaija, living alone in the forest, after the death of their grandma, as they decide what to do with their lives next.
i loved the writing and the witchy vibes in general. i also really enjoyed the difference in the sisters' povs, in how they both see the world in such different ways that it's impossible for them to understand eachother with ease.
overall, i liked the story and the way it was told a lot. and it had some good plot twists too. great book!

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book. I love witchy/magical vibes. The writing could be a little slow at times and I would have enjoyed more dialogue from the sisters versus so many inner thoughts. The world building was really good and made for an appropriate and easy to picture setting and vibe.

I want to start off with a thanks to the wonderful author, Chelsea Iversen and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

The Witches at the End of the World follows two sisters living in Norway. They're both witches and watched their mother burn many years ago. When Kaija decides that she doesn't want to live secluded in the birch forest anymore, and leaves her sister to go live in the village where their mother was burned, Minna is furious and casts a curse. This backfires, to say the least!

The synopsis of this book really hooked me. I live in Norway and I love stories about witches, so it seemed like the perfect book. I liked the ominous and dark feel of this. Even when things are good, there is this vibe that something ain't right. Just like Kaija and Minna's inner witch is scratching their insides, my insides felt a little scratchy too, and not in a bad way. This book almost read like a history book and not fiction at times. It talks about women, and about the persecution of the Sami people in Norway, it feels pertinent for our time.

Now to what made this book land in the middle for me. The story starts off a little slow and kind of continue that way. There isn't that much dialogue and we're left with just the thoughts of both sisters, this makes the pace slow at times. Sometimes it feels a little repetitive, both Kaija and Minna has strong minds and they're stubborn, this reflects in their thoughts and I caught myself thinking "just get on with it!! I know what you're thinking by now!". There was a few words the author decided to write in Norwegian instead of in English and I couldn't figure out why? Some of them was okay, but for non-Norwegians I'd think this would be a little frustrating.

All in all this was a decent book, I never wanted to not finish it and it kept me interested enough. I will keep my eyes on this author and her work!

I really enjoyed this book! In truth, it felt more like quiet, dark fantasy. The prose was lyrical and poetic. The worldbuilding was beautifully and intricately done. The cast of characters was amazing. Especially Tante Tilde's mentoring of both Kaija and Minna. I especially loved the juxtaposition between the scenes of the village as Kaija desperately tried to reclaim ownership of her own life, albeit by changing her identity, and Minna's scenes in the woods, her growing desperation and fury. At the heart of this story, though, was the relationship between the two sisters, which was great. You could tell that they were so intertwined with each other that there was no removing each other from themselves, no matter the depths of their betrayals or sins against each other.

Definitely would recommend this book to others!

I really enjoyed the story of the sisters and how they both tried to embrace who they were. Minna and her internal struggle and Kaija with trying to hide her true self, you couldn’t help but to feel for them both and the things they’ve been through in their lives.

Even though the book was good, it just didn’t have 100% of my attention.

When I finished The Witches at the End of the World I was a bit unsure as to my thoughts. On the positive side it was an interesting exploration of the relationship between two sisters and how that connection is tested by their different approaches to their magical heritage. It's a story of whether one should embrace one's true nature or conform to expectations. There was nothing wrong with the story or even the writing, but somehow the book never fully captured my attention, the characters not speaking to me in anything but a cursory way. I was tired during the evenings when I read it, so that could possibly be a factor, but overall for me it lacked a certain spark to make it memorable. As such, I am giving it 3.5 stars. The writing was good and the premise interesting, and even though it didn't 100% appeal to me, I'm sure there are many readers out there who will love it.

(My review will go live at the links below on 2 October 2023. At that time I will also share across social media.)

Short Synopsis: Hidden in the woods in Norway is an old cottage where two magical sisters live. After their mother was burned for witchcraft, their grandmother hid them away to protect them. Kaija, sweet and innocent, is ready to leave and explore the nearby village. Minna, full of wrath, cannot fathom why her sister would want to surround herself with the same villagers who burned their mother. Kaija leaves and in her anger Minna casts a curse against the village but her action causes a terrible chain of events.

If you enjoyed Spells For Forgetting, I think you'll enjoy this one! It's magical, dark, and witchy vibes struck all the right chords for me. The sisters have such a strong bond and I loved when they were reunited. It's incredibly atmospheric and with such descriptive writing sometimes the pacing was a little slower than I'd like.
I enjoyed Kaija's perspective the most because she's a witch trying to fit in with the villagers but never fully feeling "at home" because she has to keep her true self hidden. There's a bit of suspense as you read her chapters wondering if she'll get caught. Minna's perspective was more about her internal battle with who she is and why she feels the way she does, so it was a lot of internal monologue.
A good read--I recommend!

Thank you @netgalley and @bookmarked for the ARC.

Wow this was a beautiful and unique story. The writing style was mesmerizing and the characters, concept, and storyline was intriguing. There was a lot of depth in this book and I couldn't get enough.