Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing an ARC copy of The Witch’s Heart via NetGalley for review!

THE WITCH’S HEART delves into the story of Angrboda, a witch whose heart Odin tears out and thrice burns at the stake when she refuses to look into the future for him. She survives and retreats only to be discovered by Loki as he attempts to return her heart. Angrboda makes her home in a forest at the edge of the world, falling in love with Loki, building a friendship with Skadi, and becoming the mother of monsters. Angrboda raises her three children far away from Asgard, hoping to protect them from the glimpses she’s seen of their participation in Ragnarok as Loki flies in and out of their lives. But the future and Asgard eventually catch up to Angrboda, triggering a series of challenges for her to face in her attempt to protect her children.

I had a bit of trouble getting into the story. The beginning features some highly entertaining banter between Angrboda and Loki; however, I found myself putting the book aside more often than not as I tried to immerse myself in the retelling. As the stakes rose, my interest in the story followed. The latter half of the book felt much quicker as Angrboda’s fierce resilience and determination shine through as she embarks on her quest.

Though my knowledge of Norse mythology is basic, THE WITCH’S HEART is an immensely accessible read. The prose is lovely, presenting a world of magic and scope. I appreciated that the story isn’t about her romance with Loki but is rather a tale about a woman who is determined to do what feels right to her as she finds herself. All too often the women in mythology are brushed over, mentioned in relation to their partners and children, and Angrboda is no exception to this. The Witch’s Heart also sketches her character in relation to Loki, Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand but also vibrantly layers in her feelings, goals, motivations, and history in vibrant color.

I’d recommend this if you’re in the mood for a humanizing mythological reimagination with a splash of witchiness.

(THE WITCH’S HEART reminded me a lot of CIRCE as both provide voice to often voiceless characters with strong themes of motherhood.)

I feel as though I don't have the appropriate words to describe how wonderful THE WITCH'S HEART is. Poetic, tragic, hilarious, bizarre, romantic, and so many other things in their turns, it's the most innovative and fascinating retelling of Norse mythology, indeed of ANY mythology, right up there with SONG OF ACHILLES and CIRCE, I've read in a very long time. Anghrboda has always deserve her chance to speak and Gornichec has given her the perfect voice, a voice that refuses to be buried or silenced by Loki, by Odin, by history, by time, or even by the forces of nature. She is the witch women need and the witch we deserve. I can't wait to see who Gornichec gives life to next.

If you are in the mood for a retelling of the story of Ragnarok and how it came to be, this is a book for you. Angrboda is the main character, although she has other names. She survived being burned 3 times before she woke on the edge of Ironwood missing her heart. Loki returned it to her and thus the tale begins. The tale spirals through the familiar story of the Norse gods but framed from the view of Angrboda and her concerns. This framing makes the tale much more personal and less abstract as so many retellings are. A very nicely paced tale.

This was a lovely and really beautifully written retelling of Ragnarok. Great for fans of Tolkien and similarly epic storytellers.

This might just be my favorite read of the year. An exceptional story, and a wonderful debut. I hope we hear many more stories from Ms. Gornichec.

My entire knowledge base of Norse mythology comes from two sources: Neil Gaiman and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As I read this book, I had Neil's voice telling me the story and I pictured Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Yes, Loki's description is different in this novel, but he's still the charming trickster, and we get to see beyond the front he hides behind.

If you've ever introduced yourself as "So-and-so's parent" or maybe "So-and-so's wife/husband/spouse" and it made you pause, you'll understand why this story is so important to put into the world. All we know about Angrboda according to the mythology is that she's Loki's first wife, and the mother of monsters. But she must have had a life beyond those two characterizations. She must have had her own wants and dreams. Finally, Angrboda's story is told.

This book was getting no shelf-love at my library so I've taken to pushing it (kindly and politely) on patrons I know will enjoy it. So far, so good.

Love this book! The writing is poetic and gorgeous. Gornichec effortlessly pieces together Norse sagas and eddas in a surprising new way, all from the point of view of Angrrboda, Loki's wife. For fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, this book won't dissapoint.

I really loved the subject matter but had a hard time getting into this book. There will be specific customers I will recommend to

Took a little time away from this book after reading it to process it. My initial inner review was less than favorable. I still can't quite put my finger on why, but possibly because for some reason I didn't go into this book realizing it was Norse mythology themed! Not that I dislike Norse Mythology, it just wasn't what I expected. Maybe I need to pay closer attention the back covers!

However the book grew on me, the main character is likable and I appreciated the a non mortal "outsider" view of the gods.

I wanted to love this book. It seemed like it had all of the bones of a good story but I really struggled to get into it. I gave it about 150 pages and had to throw in the towel and DNF. I would like to think that I will go back and try to read it again but I don't think I will. I appreciate you all sending me this title but it wasn't for me.

An interesting take on the Norse myths told from the point of view of one of the “monsters”. Heartwarming and heartbreaking by turns.

I really enjoyed this one! There was enough "familiar" with the myths that the story was accessible and there was a really nice movement to the story, fast paced but took its time with character development. While it's blanketed in Norse mythology, it's also a great story about family, friendship, perseverance, and forgiveness.

I really loved this. Despite a somewhat slow start, I ended up devouring The Witch's Heart and am now having a desire to read more stories featuring Norse mythology (there was even a handy list at the back for recommended reading!). Beautifully written, this both made me smile and broke my heart. This will be a contender for one of my favourite books of the year.

The story of Angrboda, wife of Loki, from Norse Mythology. If, like me, your knowledge of Norse mythology comes from the Thor Marvel movies, you need to read this book. There are so many inaccuracies in the movies, and much more complexity to the characters in this book. The difference between villain and hero is not as black and white as the cinema might imply; you just might find yourself rooting against the “good guy”. I couldn’t wait to see what happens, but sad to reach the end.

Genevieve Gornichec has taken the world of Norse myth and told their stories from outside the view of the main characters in a new and exciting way. The book follows the story of a powerful witch in her own right, who is influenced by and influences the lives of the Norse gods, most specifically Loki. You learn who she is as she does, and the ending might break your heart, but its a powerful tale of a mother's love.

#TheWitchsHeart #NetGalley

Wowowee! This book is something else!!! I didn’t imagine that I’d absolutely enjoy this Norse Mythology retelling so much! Beautifully written with action packed scenes especially during Ragnarok (a.k.a. End of the world), it felt like I was watching a movie. I enjoyed being re-acquainted with the gods/goddesses sans the Marvel costumes. The suspense leading up to Ragnarok kept me glued to the book. It sustained my interest because every scene was depicted very clearly that I had no problem recreating them in my mind. There was no lull or boring moment for me. I also didn’t mind the foreign-sounding names, google was a big help in the pronunciation department😆. I love love love Angrboda and Skadi, these 2 women were fierce and brave and had so much heart that I was literally cheering them on until the end. Angrboda’s truly the epitome of a selfless mother! I even liked Loki, the charming Trickster (which I’ll forever imagine as Tom Hiddleston). The ending left me teary-eyed, but also happy and satisfied because everything came full circle. The conclusion was fitting and it did not disappoint. If this was a movie, I’d clap and give standing ovation. This is how much I love the book! Hands down 🔖🔖🔖🔖🔖/5 rating for me! 💖💖💖

If you enjoyed Circe or The Song of Achilles, or just want a story about strong badass female characters, be sure to grab this. You won’t regret it.

Favorite quote:
“The ending doesn’t matter. What matters is how we get there. To face what’s ahead with as much dignity as we can muster and make the most of the time we have left.”

A magical Norse Mythology tale filled with gods and monsters that’s perfect for fantasy and mythology lovers. ⁣
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Confession - I was drawn to this because I love the Marvel movies. This book took my love of Thor, chewed it up and spit it out in the best way! Talk about reading outside my comfort zone! ⁣
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Angrboda is a witch with a special sight of foreseeing the future. Angered because she would teach him her ways, the God Oden burns her three times, leaving her without her heart and a mere husk of the woman she was. Loki steals her heart and returns it to her thus beginning a love affair with her and fathering her children. I won’t get into any specifics because the story is best left to unfold naturally as you read but it is a powerful tale of love, resilience, friendship and ultimately motherhood. ⁣
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There is a lot of world building and overall character development versus lots of action but it was all so fascinating that I just went with it and the story paid off. Angrboda is such a captivating character. ⁣
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A great book to pick up if you enjoy fantasy and/or mythology or are just looking forward a change of pace! ⁣
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I thought the synopsis for The Witch's Heart sounded so interesting, and a debut with a sapphic love story? Yes please! Unfortunately I should have learned already that I really struggle with mythology being in fiction books. I lost interest partway through, but I may try again at a later point. DNF

Just amazing. Emotionally devastating, especially the end. If you're even a little bit familiar with Norse mythology I think you'll dig it.

The Witch’s Heart is a gripping retelling of Norse mythology and the take on what we knew, The Witch’s Heart shows us a whole new tale of the unknown. From love, to betrayal, to family, to war, The Witch’s Heart was the perfect story of all of these combined and the story of Angrboda and the life she lived.

The Witch’s Heart was the perfect introduction to Norse mythology for me, prompting me to give it five stars. It was a heart-wrenching tale of love, betrayal, family, and war. It was everything I was looking for. I loved that we saw the transition of Angrboda’s life and how her relationship with Loki developed. Their relationship was unexpected but it was beautiful because they were there for each other.

When the tables turned and the plot thickened, it was amazing. I felt so emotionally invested that when The Witch’s Heart ended, I didn’t want it to end. The characters and the plot were amazing and I thought that it was something I looked forward to every time I read The Witch’s Heart. I knew from the beginning that The Witch’s Heart was going to be an amazing introduction to Norse mythology for me and I was right. It wasn’t too heavy on evidence and information like it would be in nonfiction, and it was a perfect balance of fiction and mythology.

The Witch’s Heart made me smile, made me nervous, made me sad, and sometimes, it made me really angry, but each moment I continued to read it was the moment I knew that this truly was an amazing read.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Ace Books for inviting me to read The Witch’s Heart and providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Witch's Heart is a Norse Mythology retelling, and I am unfamiliar with it, so my review will be from an unbiased perspective.

I enjoyed this novel, as much as one who does not typically read fantasy novels can. It was pretty far outside my comfort zone, but it was beautifully written, with a unique storyline that held my attention the entire book. The relationship between Angrboda and Loki was so foreign to me but I enjoyed Loki's innocence and Boda's love for him despite his flaws.

I would highly recommend this to readers at my library who enjoy Fantasy novels, but perhaps not ones who are looking for witch books in the magical realism genre (as I thought perhaps this was going to be). This was a great read, and it makes me want to read more in the Fantasy genre in the future