📗+🎧: What We Sacrifice for Magic-a standalone

✍🏾By: Andrea Jo DeWerd-debut author

🗣️ Narrator: Sara Van Beckum voices all the characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Elisabeth, Magda, and Mary. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the eBook and audio.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️ Run Time: 9:58

📃 Page Count: 308 eBook

📅 Publication Date: 9-24-24 | Read: 9-30-24

Genre: Historical Fic, Fantasy, Women's Fic, Occult Fic

Tropes: small town, witches, magic, sisterhood, coming of age, hidden secrets

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press, Highbridge Audio, and Andrea Jo DeWerd for this ARC and ALC🧙🏾‍♀️! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

🌎 Setting: 1968- Friedrich, MN to Minneapolis (St. Kate's Dormitory)

⚠️ TW: death of family member, stroke-mentioned, h is a virgin, black magic, dysfunctional family, arson0-mentioned

☝🏾POV: single, 1st person-Elisabeth

💭 Summary: Elisabeth is carrying the burden of running her family now that she's eighteen. Groomed by her grandmother Magda she learns to practice magic for the townspeople waiting for her planned out life to begin. She will marry John, her high school sweetheart, live in Frederich forever, and run the family. When she discovers a family secret, she breaks away to a new life and end Magda's control over her.

🚺Heroine: Elisabeth "Lisbett" Watry-Ridder-18, a seer and practitioner heiress to Magda Watry. Grew up with three generations of women casting spells, charms, and energy healing.

🎭Side cast

John Weseloh-18, Elisabeth's high school boyfriend, farmer's son

Mary Watry-Ridder -16, Elisabeth's younger sister, great at magic but Magda doesn't believe Mary has the right magic

Magda Watry-Elisabeth's grandmother and mentor

Dorothy-Magda's mother-deceased, warns Elisabeth about Magda

Annie Holbrooke-18, Elisabeth's BFF

Jacob Ridder -Elisabeth's father, runs family business-Ridder Family Company mills and grain elevators

Helene-Elisabeth's mother, close to Mary. She does animal magic.

The Ridders- Elisabeth's paternal grandparents-against them using magic

Nick-23, a bartender Elisabeth meets after leaving Friedrich

🤔 My Thoughts: Other than slow plots, I enjoyed rooting for the heroine Elisabeth. She questioned why she was the "chosen one" and not her mother or sister. She distrusted her grandmother after finding a grimoire with a vision of Magda taking half her heart to the cedar chest as sacrifice. I wanted to get a real conversation between Magda and Helene because they chose Elisabeth's path.

🔥: Spice 2/5-h has her 1st time + another time w/ someone else
🗣️️: Narration 4/5
😭: Emotion 4/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑: Couple 3/5-Elisabeth and John
⭐ ️: Rating 4/5

Loved the narrator of this one - This coming of age story looks back in time at a farm that conjures up spells and charm. Elisabeth is graduating from high school and off to find a life of her own, but she is also expected to take over for her grandma in the family tradition of sorcery and magic making spells / charms.

She is expected to make her long time city her home and carry on the tradition for her family. As she searches for her truth and what she wants in her own future, she discovers some family secrets that help her find they are passing down more than just magical traditions, but a big secret. She has to decide which direction to go, form her own route and go her own way, or stay and keep the family secret and keep their magic flowing.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Out on 9/24/24.

This was wonderful and I love the narration. The story is pretty wholesome and it is ultimately about family. This is not my usual read but I liked it.

I was really excited about this book when I first got it because I love the vibes of magic and wishes and I live in Minnesota. I have to say I did not connect to any of the characters and I found this book to be very boring. I didn't like the cheating aspect and I didn't like the chemistry between the male and female lead. I did like the family and sister aspects. I thought that that was cute but overall this book was just boring to me.

Seeing as this was a debut novel, I would pick up another work, if they come out with one. But you can kind of tell it’s a debut.

This book couldn’t end fast enough. I really wanted to like it but there are so many reasons why I didn’t. I like the idea and concept, but I feel like it might not have been well thought out. It seems like the author might have had a few ideas for what they wanted to do and tried to do it all but did it halfway.
Things I liked:
1. The sister bond, sort of.
2. The magic system. Water magic. Family magic
3. The way the actual love interest treated her. (Not the one you meet in the beginning)

Things I didn’t like:
1. The magic “words”. I didn’t think saying the words were as necessary each time. It could have been alluded to after being said once. It was distracting.
2. The fact that she was made to seem so old but she was so young. It took me a bit to realize what time period we were in (I didn’t read that ahead of time)
3. It was all over the place but also not involved enough. If that makes sense. The FMC wanted to do so much and then tried to do it but was so conflicted the whole time. I didn’t feel like there was real growth until the final chapters.
4. She wanted her sister to be part of all of it. Then when it was time to have her be part of it, she didn’t want it. Like seriously!? Pick! You want the life or you don’t.
5. It all just felt anticlimactic. Like it was half built up but didn’t deliver fully. Things just happened and you’re like , “ok sure”.

I love witchy books and thought I’d love this, but it wasn’t for me. Could be great for someone else, just not me.

This debut novel by Andrea DeWard was a great fall read! Hovering somewhere between YA and NA in its writing style, I would personally consider it to be on the cozier side of things with major themes of family drama and self-discovery. There are romantic elements with a couple instances of mild spice that doesn’t go into too much graphic detail.

I listened to this on audio, and the narrator was great. No issues at all with following the story.

Overall, I think this book was well written. It is a bit slow paced to begin with, but it kept my interest and was comparable to many of the other witchy reads out there. It is a great start, and I look forward to seeing what this author does next.

🧚🏻 A massive thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and author Andrea Jo DeWard for providing me with a free audio version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks netgalley and highbridge audio for this audio ARC.

Don't they say every town of a certain size has a witch?

In Fredrick, Wisconsin, they have a family of witches- the Watry women, who work their arts to help their neighbors- a water charm here to help the fields, a love charm there to help feelings grow. Far from outcasts, they are pillars of the community, and elisabeth has always known that she will become the face of her family business when her grandmother steps back, the chosen daughter, the powerful one. But then she learns there was a choice, and her life could have been different. In an act of defiance she runs from home and burns the bridges behind her, but what comes next?

I really liked this book. I feel like if witch books qre always....i dont want to say a lil glamorous but sure lets go with that, and this one was so...homey. i loved that it was set in wisconsin and had a german tradition, which i dont think ive ever read before. The magic casting system was very cool and i like that the family was central rather than ostracized from the town. I really loved the strong feel of time and place. I love an audiobook but i feel like this narrator could have given a little more to this story. I feel like some of elisabeths highs and lows came across a little stunted.

I'm so sorry but I cannot read any more of this book. I am 76% through and nothing of interest has happened and I do not see this improving. I had hoped for more with the magic and family genre's but no, it's just not working for me. The plot is all over the place and it seems to be going nowhere. Unfortunately this story is just not for me. My apologies to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for not finishing. Thank you anyway. 2 stars.

What We Sacrifice for Magic by Andrea JoDeWerd is a historical fiction coming of age story full of magic and sisterhood. Ths premise of this book seems enjoyable but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me. The pace was the incredibly slow. It seemed like nothing was happening most of the time. I did like the vibe in general but it was lacking in world building. What I did like was the magic system. I love magical realism and this really delivered. I just wish the magic had been more defined and detailed. So overall, What We Sacrifice for Magic wasn't for me but I'd recommend giving it a try if you're a fan of historical fiction and magical realism.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story was more family drama and coming of age in the Midwest during the ‘60s with a hint of magic. Though I had hoped it would have more magic it was a decent quick read.

Thank you so much High bridge audio and netgalley for the gifted audiobook.

I really wanted to love this story but unfortunately I had such a hard time getting into it. I restarted the book several times and unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I am sure many other will love it.

happy reading

This book was beautiful. It was like receiving a warm hug from someone you never thought you'd see again.

The complex relationship between all the characters was so relatable. The magic system was top tier. And the love story? Ah, it had me kicking and giggling. I really recommend everyone to add it to their fall tbr.

I did not really enjoy the majority of this book, but I think it was really a me issue because I do have a lot of good things to say about it:
1. The magic at the beginning was super super cool with the widow. I wish more scenes like that were incorporated throughout!
2. I think this would be a great book club read- there is a lot to dissect and discuss in terms of relationships and character choices. It's a perfect fall book club pick.
3. I absolutely loved the ending of this book. I really think the story came to a really strong conclusion and I probably enjoyed the last 15% of the story the most.

I did receive an audio ARC of What We Sacrifice for Magic. I listed to quite a few audiobooks and I think I've been spoiled by stronger narrators. I found the story to be pretty monotone and wonder if I would have enjoyed it more had I read it in a physical format.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the Audio ARC.

First off, I loved the cover art for this book and the title is perfect for the story that follows. A coming of age story about Elizabeth finding her place in her family’s legacy and the pressure of following their expectations vs. finding her own place in life. It was a little bit slow in spots, but kept me listening. Main character learns about her family’s past, the plans they have for her future, and finds a way forward in the legacy with help of sisterhood. A classic coming of story with a twist of magic. A good read for the fall season without gore or horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the audiobook for review.

A coming of age, magical realism fictional novel based in small-town Minnesota at the end of the 1960s. Elisabeth Watry-Ridder has just graduated high school and expected to take over the family business, which is witchcraft, from her grandmother, Magda. She is also supposed to marry her high school sweetheart and live out her days serving her small mid-western town. But Elisabeth balks at this and wonders why no one else in the family can take over. She goes on a self-exploration that leads her to many family secrets and conclusions about her life.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for this audio e-arc.*

A new to me Canadian author, a fantastic fall cover and tons of witchy #spookyseason vibes had me clicking request on this one so fast. Sadly I could not get invested in the story, the characters or the plot. It felt a bit all over the place and while I did like the narrator, overall this one fell flat for me and I gave up half way through. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book and the cover are all autumn vibes. I enjoyed the story and the narrator was good and held my interest. Overall it won't be one I reread next fall but glad I got to read it. Perfect for some autumnal reading.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me an arc of this book for an honest review. This was a fine coming of age story, including sisterhood, the bonds of family, and coming to terms with your responsibilities. The characters and the magic system were interesting. The love interest threw some developmental work for the main character and wasn't just thrown in randomly. A good Fall read.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

The description sucked me in "for fans of Practical Magic" small town witchy family, generational bond, group of women... sold to me! Except, it didn't quite hit me the same. Right now I am totally into fall vibes, despite the 100⁰ weather we are still having locally, I just want it to be cool and witchy. The tone of this book definitely did that. As a mood reader 10/10 recommend for the vibes only.

As far as content, it fell a little flat. Nothing really happened, I don't feel connected to any specific character. Elisabeth wasn't very likeable. I just feel like it could have been flushed out a little better.

As far as the audio, I did not like this narrator. She didn't have the whimsy in her voice I expect in a magic realism work. Also, the German. Wow. It is not a delicate language. It doesn't roll off the tongue. As a non German speaker, I am sure reading a physical copy of this wouldn't be a problem, I could gloss over it. But to hear the sounds in audio totally sucked me right back into reality. It was jarring.

I think overall I would have preferred an ebook/physical copy of this work versus the audio. Still recommend, but audio with caution :)