While I did really enjoy reading this book and found the journey both sisters took to find exactly who they are and where they belong to be satisfying and poetic, I found the writing style to be a little redundant. There were times where I felt like I was reading the same emotions or situations over and over again. This didn't happen all that often though and I was really pleased with the portrayal of magic being in the mundane and magical. There were scenes that had me close to tears and others that filled me with rage for the injustices that the women of the village faced in the name of fear. In my opinion, any book that can move me emotionally is one that I can rate highly, as it gave me a gift I can always bring with me going forward. This novel taught me that not everything is as one-dimensional as it might seem, and that there is no bond stronger than the one between sisters...I think I need to call mine now.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and synopsis. I love witchy stories so was excited to read this one. After trying to get into it for over a month, I had to dnf the book at 30%. It was to slow paced for me and I wasn't connecting with the characters. I would put it down and have no desire to pick it back up again. Unfortunately this is one qitchy book that didn't do anything for me.

I wanted to love this book - witches, female leads, and the hot topic of grief and trauma is just right up my alley. I had a hard time keeping my attention with this book, and I'm not sure if it was the pacing or that I just didn't connect to the characters but I just really snail paced through this read.

I do think this is a good read, and I wouldn't tell someone not to read it - it just wasn't for me.

A poignant tale unfolds as we delve into the lives of two sisters, Kaija and Minna. Despite their stark differences, they share a common struggle with anger and their magic. Witnessing their journey from their perspectives offers a unique insight into their contrasting paths. Kaija's yearning for acceptance drives her to forsake her true identity, while Minna, bereft without her sister, succumbs to her anger and seeks vengeance.

However, the crux of the story lies in forgiveness, as the sisters realize their mutual dependence for survival. Through their divergent experiences, they learn to forgive and support each other, culminating in a heartwarming conclusion.

Set against the backdrop of Norway's witch trials, the narrative also delves into the palpable fear stemming from naivety and superstitions among the townspeople, which profoundly impacts the lives of both sisters and another marginalized group.

Kaija and Minna were raised by their grandmother in the woods after their mother was burned for being a witch.  Kaija yearns for a normal life in the village, while Minna wants nothing to do with that place.  After their grandmother passes, Kaija jumps at the chance to return to the village and start a family. 

It was interesting and different that the witch inside was described as a separate entity.  It showed up when it wanted to, and energy needed to be released to appease it.  It was pretty unique.  This story is more about sisters than witches, I feel.  The witch part was a little anti-climatic, but the way the sisters fought, were different, had different wants, but came together in the end was touching.  We got to listen to both perspectives through the book, which was nice because they were both so different.  I related to parts of each sister.  We got to see them grow and develop as well. The writing was decent, but the plot was slow and hard to get into at times.  If you like stories about witches in the 1600s, then this would be for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The concept of this is really cool. I have a best friend from Norway, love witchy stuff, and am from MA where the most notorious witch trials took place.
Unfortunately this book could not keep my attention, and I didn’t feel that invested in the story or characters. Maybe it just didn’t pick up fast enough for me and the vengeful sister feeling spiteful to the other sister who was just trying to live a different life wasn’t doing it for me.
I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book though so thank you, it just didn’t work out for me!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this book!

This is a unique witchy historical fiction book with really strong magic and “witch vibes.” I also liked the dual POV and sister story aspects. However, it was a little slower moving and hard to get into since there wasn’t much dialogue and was mostly just Kaija and Minna’s thoughts. I think if someone is a lover of more lyrical writing and historical fiction, this would be great for them, but it wasn’t really for me.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this story it’s fine, it’s entertaining… but I know In a years time I won’t be able to recall anything about the plot.

I enjoyed the prose, but I must admit I was expecting a bit more action. The introspection of the characters isn't sufficient for me, although I appreciated the parts with Kaija as she goes through many different experiences while her sister spends all her time complaining about everything, which makes her particularly unsympathetic and completely disconnected me from what could happen to this character. However, the atmosphere set is very well done, and I would be curious to read another title by this author.

Thanks for the arc!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of fall, and omg it was all I could hope for and more.
Minna with all her rage is my guiding spirit. I disliked the sister more because of her choices, but the character was well written anyway.
The setting? Stunning. I felt the bone chilling cold and night of the birchwood as I was there casting curses with Minna.
The only thing I did not like about this book was the ripetition of “the witch inside me”

3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the copy. The opinion is my own.

A story of two sisters that want different things for their lives and the consequences of their choices.
Minna is the younger sibling, wild and full of rage at the injustice her family suffered through, a scar on her hand and brief memories all she has from life before.
Kaija wished to return to the village they ran from as children despite the tragedy that unfolded there, the danger that comes from being a witch in a town at that time. She wishes the life of a normal woman, not a witch.
The two sisters are interesting and their individual and yet intermingled stories told through moments are good, from the day to day to the explanation for their magic and how each sister prefers to do it and what each thinks about it.
This story is missing something in its pacing admittedly. It goes through a year and it feels like nothing happens even though it does? Also, the moments of high emotion somehow don't tend to hit as hard as they should. Which is odd because they truly should, Maybe it's me, I found there was not actual time spent truly simmering in the emotion. For example: deep feelings of Betrayal? It lasts a couple of chapters even though it's weeks in story.
All in all, I think it makes a good debut novel.

I so badly want to love this one! The premise was interesting and the setting was spot on but in the end it all fell flat for me. I needed more depth of character and more consistent pacing. There are still a few people I could think of to recommend it to but it wasn’t for me.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. What an imaginative book, featuring two sisters and their individual struggles to become women in the world they live within. An interesting take on how religion altered Norwegian society, and the peoples who may have practiced other types of ceremonies or traditions before Christianity. I have to admit I was surprised by the ending, even though I normally can see the plot twist coming a mile away with many books. This one surprised me in a great way! Strongly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available October17,2023!

Witchy sisters deep in the birch woods of Norway. They’ve lived alone outcasted for years by sweet tempered Kaija is tired of living in the shadows and longs for a life in a community even if it means stifling her magic. But Minna is a witch through and through with wrath always simmering below the surface. Different as they may be they will always remember the day they were outcasted from their village and their mother was burned. So when Kaija leaves to pursue a new live Minna is left alone in the darkness of the forest. So naturally she sends out a devastating curse that has long reaching consequences.

I enjoyed this book but it was a read one time and done kinda enjoy. That is not to say that it is a bad book. No quite the opposite. I thoroughly enjoy my time between these pages. Great plot, engaging characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Source Books for providing this e-arc.

”You can’t cook mothers alive and not expect their daughters to pay.”

Set deep in the ancient Norwegian forest, two witch sisters, who couldn’t be more different, must decide what direction they want their lives to take after their grandmother passes away.

Kaija, who is sweet and tame, decides she wants a new life and all of the things she has dreamed of: friends, a husband, and children. She leaves the cabin to begin again- in the same village that burnt her mother at the stake for being a witch. For this, she is willing to shut out the witch inside her.

Minna, who is wild and full of fire decides to stay by herself in the secluded cabin. Bitter that her sister has actually left her, Minna casts a curse that will change the course of everyone’s lives forever, including the dream life her sister always wanted. With this, she fully gives in to the witch inside her.

The Witches at the End of the World is a dual POV first-person novel about retribution, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the tumultuous relationship between sisters.

The writing is extremely flowery and descriptive, allowing the reader to easily picture themselves walking through a snowy forest or treading along the rocky shore of the frigid ocean, smelling the salty air.

The novel got a bit slow at times, leading me to skim here and there, hence the 3.75 stars. I just didn’t feel all that invested much of the time. I typically prefer more gripping stories, but if you are a reader who likes something mellow, I think you would enjoy this. At 320 pages, this book would be great to curl up under a blanket with and read on a drizzly day.

For a debut novel, I thought this was great. Releasing October 17, it is arriving perfectly in time for fall.

Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows two sisters, living in the era of witch hysteria in Finnmark. This gave me The Witches of Vardo vibes, which is a book I absolutely loved and enjoyed, so it got me even more excited to read this book.

The plot was really fun to read, using the dual POV to show the difference in sisters and the comparison of where each sister is. I also really enjoyed the use of Norse Mythology, being a Norse pagan who practices green witch craft it was a wonderful sight to see. Like the mentions of Jörð, Odin, Sól, Njörun and Nótt, and recognising their names and how the characters talk about them was amazing. I also loved the mentions of different norse practices, you can definitely tell the author has done her research. Which in these kind of books is amazing to see, too often I see historical books with no research which is a struggle to read, but this book you can definitely see the reasearch. Anyway, tangent aside, the plot was fun, watching the love of two sisters and their connection, despite having such a drastic difference in how they live.

We follow Mina the younger of the two, a commited witch, stubborn and very much against the people who wronged her family. She wants to do right by her sister and by their grandmother, carrying on their legacy and expecting her older sister to follow suit. Kaija, the older sister is very different, she wants to leave and live in the town they lived in before they went to live with their grandmother, she doesn't want anything to do with magic and wants to have a normal life. For Kaija, we get to see a sprinkling of romance which I find very nice and definitely gives you reprieve from other events in the story. I loved the two sisters embodied a contrast, one who is civilised, a good 'Christian woman' the other a wild uncivilised, witch who lives in the woods. We see these contrasts through their personalities and how they hold themselves. We see these two women differ in opinion, one gets her wish and the other is left behind. We see later on in the book something that happens (I won't spoil what) that brings them back together, although at first reluctantly but they grow to love each other once again. I really enjoyed the theme of sisterly love and sisterhood prevailing, being prominent throughout the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was emotional, it was magical, it was relatable. I will definitely be treating myself to a physical copy of this book once it releases.

Regrettably, this book falls short of its potential. While it's beautifully set in 1600s Norway, its promise fades as the plot struggles to evolve.
The sisterly bond between Minna and Kaija lacks authenticity & it felt hard to connect with either character.
Although the writing is picturesque, it's overshadowed by the lack of a substantial plot, meaningful dialogue, and essential lore. There were quite a few scenes that were just day to day stuff in each of their lives which made it hard to connect with & the plot was severely lacking.

While atmospheric and descriptive, this book ultimately fails to engage readers.

Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for an honest review

"The Witches at the End of the World" is a mesmerizing and thought-provoking tale of survival, resilience, and the enduring strength of human spirit, set in a post-apocalyptic world where magic is both a gift and a curse. This enthralling novel, penned by Chelsea Iverson, explores the depths of human nature and the boundaries of morality in a world on the brink of collapse.

The story follows Kaija, a young woman with a unique and powerful magical ability that sets her apart from the remnants of society struggling to survive in a desolate world. Chelsea Iverson paints a hauntingly vivid picture of this bleak landscape, where scarce resources and dangerous creatures pose constant threats. The world-building in this book is nothing short of exceptional, immersing readers in the stark reality of this post-apocalyptic setting.

At its heart, "The Witches at the End of the World" is a character-driven narrative. Kaija is a multifaceted protagonist whose internal conflicts and external challenges make for a deeply engaging reading experience. The author masterfully delves into the psychological toll of survival, making it easy for readers to empathize with Kaija's choices and dilemmas.

The themes explored in the book, such as the consequences of wielding power and the blurred lines between good and evil, add layers of complexity to the narrative. The moral quandaries faced by the characters are thought-provoking and invite readers to ponder the choices they would make in a similar situation.

The pacing of the story is generally well-executed, with moments of tension and quiet introspection that provide a satisfying ebb and flow. However, there are a few instances where the narrative slows down, which might test the patience of readers seeking a more action-packed plot.

The prose in "The Witches at the End of the World" is evocative and lyrical, enhancing the emotional impact of the story. Chelsea Iverson demonstrates a talent for creating atmospheric scenes that transport readers into this harrowing world.

While the novel excels in many aspects, some readers may find that the ending leaves certain questions unanswered, which could be seen as either a tantalizing ambiguity or a minor frustration, depending on personal preferences.

In conclusion, "The Witches at the End of the World" is a haunting and immersive journey through a post-apocalyptic landscape that will resonate with readers who enjoy character-driven narratives and moral exploration. Chelsea Iverson has crafted a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. This book is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.

This is one of those debut titles that you just know that it was a debut. It felt unfleshed out and really needed something to hook the reader. I felt like this had the potential to being an amazing story but lacked that something special to keep the reader hooked until the end. It wasn't pray tell a bad book but with the synopsis stating things like "Rage burns brighter than any spellfire, casts a curse to punish, deadly chain of events, and of course Someone will have to burn. I felt this should have been far more exciting.

Two witchy sisters, one wants to rejoin society despite witches still being burned and the other wants to be feral and seek vengeance.
This story had multiple components that I enjoyed. I love witchy sisters, a societal battle of old gods vs the new god, and stories that have tragedy - sometime I just can’t stomach a happily ever after. Yeah the sisters survived and so did the baby, but Jon and the aunt died making it more realistic.
I wish we would have gotten more of Olen as he felt like a really promising character.
I really like dual POVs, but at some points this one shifted too quickly and I felt like I was getting whiplash.