What We Sacrifice for Magic by Andrea Jo DeWerd is a very long novel of a family who practiced magic during the 60s. I found the writing to be labored and in need of a great deal of editing. The main character, Elisabeth is turning 18 and ready to take on more magic, butt doesn't want to take on more. Her mother and grandmother are keeping knowledge that she should have from her and her story becomes tedious as she repeats things over and over. I stuck it out but the novel went as I expected it to. I couldn't wait for it to end. Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

As far as Elisabeth knows, one woman in her family controls the family's magic, binding her heart to it completely. But then she finds out that that this means giving up love or bringing a catastrophe on her town, she runs. Experiencing a different life, she considered for the first time who she wants to be beyond her family's expectations for her. It's a good story of magic and power and family secrets and coming-of-age, set in the American midwest in the 1960s, and draws on the heritage of the German settlers in that part of the country. It is, however, one of those books where sometimes you want to yell at a character because they have no common sense, or are withholding information for plot reasons, but it doesn't make sense in the context of the relationships and the character., and the characters are a bit underdeveloped. Bit it's a fine summer/beach read.

What We Sacrifice for Magic is a story about a magical family in a small, rural town in the 1960’s. The matriarch, Magda, is getting ready to pass the baton to her eldest granddaughter, Elisabeth, who just turned 18. Though Elisabeth has been training for this her whole life, she feels like something is missing; she’s starting to wonder what else is out there for her besides taking her grandmother’s spot.

As she starts to question her grandmother and her motives (why is this responsibility falling solely on her and not shared between her mother and sister as well?), Elisabeth uncovers secrets Magda has been keeping from the family. This causes a rift between all of them and kick starts Elisabeth’s road to self discovery.

The premise of this story is beautiful. It highlights the delicate balance of familial bonds and obligations against keeping the integrity of your own self. I enjoyed the plot, but the pacing of the story was my biggest issue.

It is incredibly slow in the beginning with repetitive inner monologue and then about 40% in, things happen one after another. I thought this would speed up the pace of the book, but it felt stilted and jerky which pulled me out of the story. There is a lot of telling and not showing in the secrets that are revealed which took the fun out of the story a bit as well.

The relationships between the characters were overall well done except for Magda and Elisabeth which is disappointing because they were such an integral foundation to the story. Magda in my opinion was too aloof and mysterious that we didn’t really learn anything about her personality except that she was secretive which made her one dimensional.

My favorite part was Elisabeth’s character growth and journey. She was a strong FMC and though (maybe because of the fact that) she was flawed, I was rooting for her the entire time.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone who likes low-stakes magical realism with a focus on witches and family. It is advertised parallel to Practical Magic and if that’s the vibe you’re looking for, this book is it.

Thank you to Andrea Jo DeWerd, the publishers and NetGalley for the eArc. All thoughts are my own.

<spoiler>Magda dying was unnecessary. I don’t think it added too much to the story or the characters. Though it created a major shift in the plot, it destroys Magda’s and Elisabeth’s potential of a renewed, more potentially significant , relationship. It further confirms Magda’s one-dimensionality and almost makes her character a plot pusher.</spoiler>

This book started off slow. Once it got to the climax it really went fast. The pacing could have been better but I understand the authors intention to build the story up.
Once the pace picked up I finished the book in one night. Well into the early morning. I kept reading until 2 AM. I enjoyed the story and wanted more. More time. More of the magic that was weaved in from the beginning.
I think this is a fun read and I loved the ending.


Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Books for this ARC.. ALL opinions are my own.


Description
Perfect for fans of Practical Magic and The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A coming-of-age novel following three generations of witches in the 1960s, this enchanting and heartwarming debut explores the...
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Description
Perfect for fans of Practical Magic and The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A coming-of-age novel following three generations of witches in the 1960s, this enchanting and heartwarming debut explores the importance of family and the delight and heartbreak of discovering who you truly are.

It’s 1968, and the Watry-Ridder family is feared and respected in equal measure. The local farmers seek out their water charms, and the teenagers, their love spells. The family’s charms and spells, passed down through generations of witches descending from the Black Forest, have long served the small town of Friedrich, Minnesota.

Eldest daughter Elisabeth has just graduated high school—she is expected to hone her supernatural abilities to take over for her grandmother, the indomitable Madga. She’s also expected to marry her high school sweetheart and live the rest of her life in Friedrich. But all she can ask is, why her? Why is her path set in stone, and what else might be out there for her?

She soon discovers that magic isn’t the only thing inherited in her family. That magic also comes with a great price—and a big family secret. The more she digs, the more questions she has, and the less she trusts the grandmother she thought she knew. Who is Elisabeth without her family? She must ultimately decide what she’s willing to sacrifice for her family, for their secrets and their magic, or risk it all to pave her own way.

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.
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Honestly, this book could have used some editing. The pacing was off and it really dragged in the middle. Also, the fact that the sister and mother knew things and they wouldn't just tell the main character was an annoying plot device to drag out the mystery.

3.5 stars— this story looks at familial obligations, small town life, and a girl who wants more. At times it was hard to read- the main characters relationship with her family is complicated and she wants and needs more from them (from every relationship, really). It was hard to root for her sometimes because of the choices she was making, but I had to keep reminding myself that she was 18 and her decisions would have been more selfish at that age.

Overall a good read and the author did a great job of immersing you in the time and place.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc

OK so I have some mixed feelings about this book! Slight spoilers up ahead, you are warned!


First, I would like to say that I absolutely loved the presentation of magic and the way it blended in the women's lives!! I found it very interesting especially the use of the elements and the application of practical magic!
I couldn't empathize with Elizabeth at all though. While I understood her motivation in wanting to grasp her destiny and future away from the family and the overbearing presence of her grandmother Magda, I just couldn't get into her mindset in making the choices she made. I felt like the chapters where she ran away were a bit unnecessary, however they helped in shaping her character a bit better for the reader!
Overall, it was an interesting book that I wouldn't mind seeing on my shelf when the time comes!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy and this is my honest review!

While I'm not one to read books that are set in older time periods (historical fiction is my least favorite genre), this book was a lot more fun and interesting than I expected it to be. There was magic, sisterhood, and a young girl coming of age and trying to find herself in a world already set for her.

My only complaint is that there were times when it was hard to root for Elizabeth. She wanted to be superior and special, but she also didn't want all her choices made for her. Unfortunately, she took a lot of the way she felt out on her younger sister, who didn't have any more choice in how things were going than she did. It made Elizabeth unlikable at certain parts of the story. I actually was rooting for the younger sister more than Elizabeth.

Nick was a great addition to the story, though, and I'm really happy with how that entire situation went.

This book is what I would refer to as a palette cleanser, something to turn your brain off and just follow along. There are no heart racing chapters or deeply emotional passages and there are clear indications that this is a debut novel, but all in all it's an enjoyable read.
I never had to force myself to keep reading and there were times where I just wanted to keep reading, but a real "wow" factor wasn't there.

Elisabeth has grown up in a family of magical women, knowing that the future of what they do and who they are lies solely with her. But as a teenager in the 60s, she struggles to find a life that makes her happy whilst remaining true to her family and all the things that come with being a Watry-Ridder woman.

I felt like this book had a lot of potential, but the pacing was off and there were large chunks that I felt could be edited out. The see-sawing of Elisabeth's emotions and stances felt contradictory at times, and I didn't feel particularly connected to any one character. I found it tough to get into initially, but the last 20% of the book was lovely and it finished well.

Overall, this book was okay but missed the mark for me. I really think it had the potential to be a much more engaging, powerful read. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for letting me read and review it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for approving this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly I had to DNF this one, the premise sounded interesting but the prose was really not my cup of tea.

I couldn't get into the story, because the way in which it is written, I found to be irritating (this is probably more of a me issue than an issue with the book).

I really enjoyed this book. It gives off practical magic vibes (I mean who doesn't love practical magic?!?!)
We follow three generations of witches in the 1960's in Minnesota. There are ties into German folk magic that was very interesting. A slower paced book. But I think it's very fitting to the story!
I enjoyed watching the characters grow throghtout the story, and loved that you get to see more of their story than meets the eye.
My only complaint is that I don't know German lol, and all the incantations were in German:)

The plot was a great concept, but there wasn’t enough action to keep me interested. I found myself bored a lot of the time and I didn’t like most of the characters.

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but this book was a slough to get through. The storyline was good but the pacing was rickety. It took me a while to get into it and then it took a turn that slowed me down again. The characters were hard to root for.

I didn't personally care for the writing style, so I stopped after chapter 1 (3%). This seems like a 3-4 stars for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC.

Such a good book that looks into the secrets a family will hide and what it takes to break free from the life that was put before you.

This book was okay - an interesting enough story but it felt a bit flat, like there was some unmet potential there. Reasonably well-written, but the stakes never felt that high.

Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding story. Elisabeth is having second thoughts taking over for her grandmother, Magda, and wants to have a life of her own, but Magda wants to make sure Elisabeth follows in her footsteps. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story captivating the reader from the first page of the story until the last page. Can't wait to read another story from the incredibly talented author, Andrea Jo DeWard!

This story was slower than I expected, but I did enjoy it. However, I struggled fully connecting with the characters. I feel like I needed more back story. I struggled accepting the side characters because I didn’t like them because I didn’t know much about them. I did like that she realized she didn’t need a man to be happy:successful, but as a hopeless romantic, I wanted to a more obvious happy ending with her summer romance. All in all, I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this ARC.

This might best fine story, but I couldn't get into the writing style. Just a huge disconnect for me and it didn't draw me in at all. DNF.