In this complicated twentieth century historical fiction novel, readers visit 1968 and a small town in Minnesota where a family of witches from the Black Forest have made their home. Elisabeth, having just finished high school, is now meant to prepare to take on her grandmother Magda’s role in the coven, marry her boyfriend, and spend the rest of her life serving the inhabitants of Friedrich. However, a lot of family secrets are also inherited by the next head of the coven, and Elisabeth soon realizes that she does not like the answers to her questions, but making her own path isn’t as easy as it seems. The women in the Watry-Ridder family are all flawed and complicated -- and that’s not including a family history of witchcraft -- making for a fascinatingly immersive and complex novel. The small-town charm element is interesting considering the larger history of witchcraft in small towns and creates those societal expectations which Elisabeth is desperate to escape. DeWerd’s characters are the star of the novel and Elisabeth is a fascinatingly flawed, complex, and relatable (if unreliable and uninformed) narrator with the arrogance and flaws of a teenager, while the various familial, platonic, and romantic relationships further establish the Watry-Ridder family’s place in the town.

Magically intriguing. Very witchy, but it didn’t resonate with me too well, although I enjoyed it, I kept having to put it down 🙈

What We Sacrifice For Magic is a lovely story about family, witches and small town life. The magical realism was interesting. I loved the time period the book was set in and I felt this was portrayed realistically. Overall the plot is low stakes and the pacing slow but the vibes are pure autumn. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This is such an amazing coming of age story about a young witch trying to find her place in the world, while navigation family obligations and expectations. It was a very cozy, but emotional story and the writing was very well done!

I really loved the magical element to the story and how the characters used their magic. The family dynamics were also very interesting and especially our main character had a great character development.

The pacing was a bit slow at the start of the book and it took me a little while to get into the book, but towards the end it got very intriguing and it was really hard to put down the book at that point, so I ended up finishing the second half of the book in one sitting.

I can definitely recommend this book if you like witches and magic, but don’t necessarily want to read an epic fantasy book and rather want something closer to historical fiction with a hint of magical realism.

Navigating the bittersweet tension between self-discovery and living up to familial expectations, What We Sacrifice for Magic is a touching look at coming into one’s own.

When Elizabeth graduates high school in 1968, she's preparing to marry her high school "sweetheart" and take over the family business, using her supernatural abilities to take care of her town of Friedrich. But she has questions, the biggest being "why me??". 
This book is perfectly named - as Elizabeth navigates this turning point in her life, she has to figure out what is really worth the price. The story is a little slow paced and written from Elizabeth's point of view, so you get a lot of her thoughts and stream of consciousness which can feel repetitive at times yet also helps to reiterate how much she was struggling with the decisions being made for her without telling her the whole story. The touch of small midwest town with big German/Dutch influence really brings the story to life.
Overall, I liked this witchy read and think it will be a great fall read for those who like a touch of paranormal with their historical fiction, a little family drama, and a happy ending! 
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the eARC copy. All opinions are my own.

Andrea Jo DeWerd’s What We Sacrifice for Magic is a spellbinding journey through the complexities of family, tradition, and the search for one's true self. Set against the evocative backdrop of 1968 in Friedrich, Minnesota, the novel beautifully weaves together the magical and the mundane, creating a world where the past and present collide in unexpected ways.

What makes this novel truly special is how DeWerd explores the theme of inheritance—not just of magic, but of secrets, responsibilities, and the unspoken rules that govern family dynamics. The tension between Elisabeth and Magda is palpable, and as Elisabeth begins to uncover the darker truths about her family’s past, readers are drawn into a gripping narrative that balances suspense with profound emotional depth.

This book is for fans of practical magic.. and i remember as a teen just loving that movie - so i just didnt think twice and picked this up.
it took me a while to get into this story, but then the story of a family with magic and a girl wanting to find her own path made for a nice read.

*What We Sacrifice for Magic* is an enjoyable exploration of family, tradition, and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of a small town in 1968. While the story captivates with its blend of magic and family secrets, it feels like something is missing, leaving the narrative just shy of being truly unforgettable. Love the vibe and fun read for fall season

What We Sacrifice for Magic, by Jo DeWerd I really love the cover art, the time period, and the premise! I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.

A wonderful coming of age story centered around magic and family, this was such a cozy read! Definitely a good end of summer story.

What We Sacrifice For Magic was just a middle of the road read for me. I enjoyed the characters but the story pacing just wasn’t my favourite.

This coming of age novel discusses topics such as familial obligation and the weight it weighs on the members of the family. The setting placed in a small town in Minnesota in the sixties emphasises this burden by giving a perception of trap.
The writing is very slow at the beginning and it almost made me DNF the book.
As it is an ARC, I won't make any comment about misplaced part of the book (some parts need major editing) and this as nothing to do with the rating I gave.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the book for an honest review.

I tried, but I couldn’t get into this one. The main character was unlikable and the way she treated her sister made it even more so. The writing was good, but I did not care for the story.

Love love love!

I love a good witchy book and this hit every mark of a good one for me.

The only criticism I would have is that it ended. I wanted more.

If you loved Practical Magic or The Unfortunate Side Effect of Heartbreak and Magic, you will enjoy and should give this one a read.

For sure recommending to friends and family.

I liked the premise of this book a great deal - young girl coming of age with magic in her veins, fighting against a path already laid for her by family obligations.
The plot moved on a little slowly and was frustrating at times - you were given hints about the importance of other characters very obviously.
I did enjoy it and would read more by the author.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the ARC copy of this book.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. I loved this story, it was extremely well written. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This was a DNF for me. I made it about 30% in and realized that I didn't like the writing style. It was choppy and bounced around. The characters weren't holding my attention and I just wasn't enjoying it. It's not terrible, I may pick it back up someday, but for now, it's not for me. Two and a half stars.

Although this book had promise of a new interpretation of modern witches, the plot fell flat. A majority of the book was just Elisabeth moping after nearly destroying everything. Aside from that, not much else happens. I also felt like it was hard to comprehend the chest and the giving or taking of a heart. Even after finishing the book I don’t think I fully understood.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book -- 1960s midwest in a small town. The plot was interesting enough and the magical realism elements were quite fun. I really enjoyed the read and will be checking out what the author does next.