I couldn't love this collection anymore if I tried. A group of women gathered together to write stories about witches, sexuality, queerness, diversity, empowerment, feminism and magic (to name a few)...count.me.in! I loved all of stories so much, but the last one by Elizabeth May titled, 'Why they watch us burn' was everything! I got chills reading it, felt empowered, and even more proud (if possible) to be a magical women.

I’ve put of writing this review for a couple days because this collection means so much to me that I’m not entirely sure if I’ll be able to fully get my thoughts across. We’re going to try though because all of these stories deserve so much love. I’ve included a list of the stories and my star ratings for each at the end of the review if you’re curious, but nothing is less than 4 stars so that should tell you all you need to know.

From the first line of the first story I was completely in love with this collection, and I finished it in a couple days while taking super long breaks at work because I refused to stop reading before the end of a story. Every single story in here is so unique and so distinct but they are all so vivid and beautiful and they flow so wonderfully from start to finish. I also just really loved how different the elements of witchcraft were in each story, I’m really not familiar with the practices but they were all so beautifully written that I just couldn’t help but be drawn in.

Honestly this book means the world to me, I was thinking about it a few hours after finishing it and I got so emotional because of how special this entire collection is. The power and strength in women is something that I’ve never doubted or questioned, but to get to read 15 distinct stories all showcasing how incredible all women are is just everything I’ve never needed or wanted. It also features so many different perspectives on what it means to be a woman, which is so important and beautiful. And my god, the fact that the majority of the romantic relationships were f/f was just…almost too much for my heart to handle. I really can’t emphasize enough how much it means to me to read so many stories about ladies loving ladies and all the different forms that love takes and how normal it was in each story. I’m basically crying right now writing this because it just means so much to me. I wish I had this book when I was younger but my god I’m so happy that I have it now and I can’t recommend it enough.

Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Divine Are The Stars by Zoraida Córdova ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Breanna Yovanoff ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Well Witch by Kate Hart ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I tried so hard with this one, I really wanted to like it. I am fascinated with witchcraft, and even a frequent visitor to Salem, despite living no where near it. But not one of these stories clicked with me. Maybe if they were shorter I could have been interested. But I just skipping to get to the next story to no avail. Not for me.

My Review:

As soon as I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I just HAD to read this book! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love Paranormal reads and this book is about witches. Need I say more?? This is my first time reviewing an anthology so bear with me since this review will be longer than normal.

Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia

This was a short story centering around a Latina teenage witch. Luna had a rough upbringing and has made some questionable chickens while struggle with her powers. This was a cute story and I would have liked more and I felt like I was left hanging. Nonetheless it was a good opening story for the anthology.

Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer  

This was such a haunting and lyrical story that I really enjoyed! The story takes place in the 1600’s. During this time they burned witches and people suspected of witch craft at the stake with no hesitation. This story revolves a midwife and a baby delivery gone wrong. This one had me under a spell (no pun intended) and when it was over it made me tear up. So I’m listing this one as one of my favorites.

The Heart In Her Hands by Tess Sharpe   This was a well written story of how love is love. I loved how feisty the main character was and she didn’t do what she was told. She challenged and asked questions.

Death In The Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith This story had to deal with dead bodies and souls. It wasn’t as bad read but I’m not a fan of the undead. Does have a good message about judging people and making amends.

The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert

This was a cute story about believing in yourself and doing the right thing no matter how hard it hurts. I loved that the characters were people of color and the story was diverse.

The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar

This was a nice magical story about being honest and having self doubts. The author had a good wonderful description to detail and I felt like I was in the book as I read.

The Legend Of Stone Mary by Robin Talley

Wendy and her family are pretty much the town outcasts and are judged and treated badly based on family history. I really enjoyed this story a whole lot! It touched on judging and forgiveness. It kept me intrigued the whole time I was reading and I wish it was longer!

The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma

Powerful story!! This one was rather intense and I knew it was going to be heavy. I had a sense a dread while reading and I loved the message behind this story. Very well done.

Divine Are The Stars by Zoraida Cordova

The story was okay. Nice message about greed and family.

Daughters Of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff

Not bad.

The Well Witch by Kate Hart

This story was set in the 1800’s and I really enjoyed the plot. I just wish the ending was a little longer. There was a good build up and then it just ended.

Beware Of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood

Not bad.

Love Spell by Anna -Marie McLemore

This was a cute story about a teen witch and an altar boy falling in love. It was well written and I loved the story. Will be checking out more books from this author.

The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord

I really liked this story about three sister who are witches. It kind of reminded me of Charmed and I loved the love they have for each other . They way they protected each other and lifted each other up as well. It was told in all three sisters points of view which was awesome! One of my favorite stories of the anthology.

Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May

“The most terrifying thing in the world is a girl with power. That’s why they watch us burn.”

This was the best story of the whole anthology! Powerful. Moving. Thought provoking. So fitting and if you only read one story from this anthology, read this one!Overall, I was very impressed with this anthology. Some stories I loved more than others but it was still a good reading experience. Every author was a new to me author and I’m happy to have found some new authors to support. I really loved the message behind this anthology! I love reading about strong women and I loved how the focus was about empowering teenage girls! This is a very important anthology and I hope you all read and enjoy.

<i>ARC provided by Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review</i>

Average rating for the novel was 3.5.

There were some definite highs and some definite lows for this series. At one point I was about to give up on this but the last couple stories WERE SO GOOD I'm glad I didn't. Here are my ratings for each story:

<b>Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia:</b>
Three stars. (Note: The story ended up abruptly and just at the point where it was picking up.)

<b>Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer </b>
Four stars.

<b>The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe</b>
Four and a half stars.

<b>Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith</b>
Three stars.

<b>The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert</b>
Five stars. I loved this one and wish it was a full novel.

<b>The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar </b>
Two stars. (Note: I could not for the life of me get into this one. I tried. I failed.)

<b>The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley</b>
Three Stars.

<b>The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma </b>
Four stars. (Note: I cried.)

<b>Divine are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova</b>
Four stars.

<b>Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff</b>
Three stars.

<b>The Well Witch by Kate Hart </b>
Four stars.

<b>Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood</b>
Four stars.

<b>Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore </b>
Five stars. THIS STORY IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

<b>The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord </b>
Five stars. If a story mentions abuse I tend to be a smidge critical but this one did the topic justice.

<b>Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May </b>
Five stars. This was the perfect conclusion to the book. <3

Thank you NetGal and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I’m such a huge fan of anything magical and witchy. Anthologies are hard to rate since not every stort will appeal to everyone. Some I absolutely loved, others I enjoyed, others I had to push through. Overall great series of stories and would love to see more witches in books.

Overall Rating 4.5. Check out my mini-reviews of each story as well as an overall review of the complete works on my blog today!

It was so much fun getting to know Flavia throughout reading each of these stories the past few weeks. We got to discuss the one’s we enjoyed and the one’s we struggled with. It confirmed even more just how much we have in common when it comes to the books we enjoy!

Each story was unique in storyline, setting, and all together feel. I thought it was well put together and there were so many stories that left me wanting more. No matter what time period or setting each story was set in I felt like the witches were realistic and the world building in each one of them was well done. I hope to see more anthologies involving witches because this was a lot of fun to read!

I'm making a sure effort to read more books in the young adult genre that my teenage daughter can get into as well. When I saw this come across Netgalley I was excited at the prospect of a unique and witchy anthology. After having read it I'm excited to purchase the book for my home library as a good book for my daughter to read this coming school year. It's great for reading short stories that are intriguing without being bogged down with an entire book - this information for a teenager who isn't in love with reading like my daughter. Being an anthology makes each story it's own identity. Some you'll resonate with and some you'll just find ok. I like that about Toil & Trouble.

What I loved most about the anthology was the overwhelming sense of girl power in each and every story. A sense of true belonging in some way with all of these female characters that gave them powerful characteristics making lasting impressions. In fact all the characters I met charmed me in different ways. Overcoming in troubling times in life and maintaining rightness with yourself. I tell my daughter a lot "keep doing you" and these stories resonated on that level with me. What more could you want for your own daughter in her reading, right? For the sake of honesty, out of 15 stories obviously there were a couple that I wasn't keen on or skimmed through. But for the majority I felt delighted reading for each was quirky, fun, mischievous, and a bit dark & mysterious.

This is the second YA anthology collection I’ve read this year and there were enough gems to make me very glad I asked for a review copy. All the stories feature witchy heroines in a variety of genres and I was fascinated to see the authors take their stories in such different directions. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, whether sexuality, race, class, etc.

Anne-Marie McLemore’s Love Spell was the best in this collection. I loved the imagery, what it meant to be a bruja in the town, the way the heroine’s Catholic faith was woven in, the blighted Harrow pear tree, the acolyte Adrian. All of it. This is the second short story I’ve read by her and the second time her writing has blown me away. I really need to read one of her novels!

“Every woman is never enough; she’s always too much. We angered someone, somewhere, for our too muchness.” Why They Watch Us Burn, p. 453


Right up there with Love Spell was Elizabeth May’s Why They Watch Us Burn. The writing was absolutely stunning and the story incredibly empowering. I don’t want to say anything about the plot beyond that. But Love Spell and Why They Watch Us Burn are enough reason to read this anthology.

Among the other standouts, Tess Sharpe subverts our ideas about fate and curses in The Heart In Her Hands. Lindsay Smith’s Death In The Sawtooths had just the right amount of creepiness. I liked how Mattie viewed her gift from Lady Xosia in spite of everyone else’s reaction and the way bullying factored into the story.

Brenna Yovanoff wove in the effects of the Cold War in Daughters Of Baba Yaga, which was such an interesting focus. I really liked how Emery Lord’s The Gherin Girls explored gaslighting and emotional abuse in the context of Rosie’s past relationship, as well as how she and her sisters supported one another.

There are several stories that explore issues that may trouble sensitive readers. One that stands out to me is The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma, which needs a trigger warning for sexual assault, molestation, and rape. It was hard to read in places and I’m not someone who needs TWs. It’s a very powerful and a worthwhile story but tread carefully if those triggers are upsetting for you.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The stories in this one were hit or miss for me. While there were a few I loved, there were also a lot I didn’t love. I did enjoy the culture and diversity in this one, though! These stories feature a myriad of POC and LGBTQ+ characters. I also quite loved the girl power that this book had going for it!

Favorite stories: Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff, Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May, Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith, The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley

See link for review breakdown for each story!

Toil & Trouble was one of my more anticipated reads for the year: I love magic and witches and the more feminist those reads are, the better. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint.

My favourites:
- Why They Watch Us Burn
- Lovespell
- Daughters of Baba Yaga

Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia ★★★★

“When I sacrifice my custom ringtone to the vibration gods and sit down at my desk, the scent of the stars blowing across the Santa Anas and into my open window, I feel it wake up. The real magic. The kind that’s bound to blood and culture. To history. To violence I say a thousand thanks a day for never knowing.”

Starsong features astrology, a bruja who excels at nail art and Instagram, and some cute girl crushing. I absolutely loved the discussions of science vs. magic, how relatable it was seeing Luna try to figure out if her Instagram crush was queer, and the poly representation. Mejia’s writing is also gorgeous so I can’t wait to pick up more by her!

Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer ★★★

Afterbirth takes place in New England in the late 1600s, alternating between a child’s birth and a midwife’s trial for witchcraft. It was an incredibly atmospheric read but there were so many questions that were left unanswered that I found myself disappointed when it ended.

The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe ★★★

“It’s a spell, the purest kind of magic. Born from love and truth and unshakable belief.”

The Heart in Her Hands establishes a world where witchcraft is commonplace, soulmates can be identified by their first words, and kitchen witches are incredibly powerful. I loved the discussion of Fate and familial expectations vs. choosing your own path - especially when it comes to who you love. My only complaint is that it felt rushed and could have benefitted from more explanation at times.

Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith ★★★★

“A person can tell you anything, but bones — those tell the truth.”

The reappearance of childhood bullies, magic that is used to lay spirits to rest, and the perversion of that magic make Death in the Sawtooths an enthralling story that emphasizes that it’s our choices and actions upon which we should be judged.

The Truth About Queenie — Brandy Colbert ★★★★★

“Sometimes if you pretend like a part of you simply doesn’t exist, you can will it away.”

I absolutely loved The Truth About Queenie. It has a strong family focus (something I wish more YA would have!) and touches upon a number of issues including grief, loss of a loved one, and the difficulty of being the only black family in an all-white neighbourhood (not to mention being witches on top of that). I also liked that the key to Queenie’s magic wasn’t a spell or a specific item; instead, it was believing in herself and having the right intentions.

The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar ★★

“She often drank up the moon’s intoxicating radiance, stirring it into her thoughts and letting it illuminate her heart.”

I just couldn’t get into The Moonapple Menagerie, likely because the writing and storyline felt more juvenile than its predecessors.

The Legend of Stone Mary ★★★

“Everybody for miles around used to remember the story of Mary Keegan’s curse, but you wouldn’t know it now.”

The Legend of Stone Mary is the perfect Halloween read: it has a cursed town, a creepy statue in the woods, and the descendants of witches. I didn’t love the romance (it felt forced) but I did like that the story served as a cautionary tale about how those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma ★★★★★

“We used to think we had no recourse for making someone’s heart ache like ours have ached, for resetting the balance in the universe, for striving for the thing we’re not supposed to want but we still do want: revenge.”

The One Who Stayed is a haunting story that deals with a lot of heavy themes, including sexual assault, rape, and molestation. I dreaded where the story was going and it broke my heart, though the solidarity between the women is exactly the type of coven that I would expect from today’s witches.

Divine Are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova ★★★

“Memories make things grander and more beautiful when you want to think fondly of them.”

Divine Are the Stars is a beautifully written story about family, complete with magical realism. It emphasizes how we become what we need and the importance of accepting ourselves and our culture.

Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff ★★★★★

“There’s magic in the little things, even if my dad doesn’t see it. It’s there in the secret lives of girls, most of all. The way we smile and straighten our hair. We do magic every single day. We have to.”

I enjoy Brenna Yovanoff’s writing, so I’m not surprised that I adored Daughters of Baba Yaga. I love the idea of righteous magic, especially when it’s conducted in the name of feminism. Also, the idea of wanting invisibility so that men don’t harass you on the street? I feel that on such a deep level.

The Well Witch by Kate Hart ★★

I’m not a fan of westerns so I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t love The Well Witch. For a story featuring a witch that can identify water sources, it was much darker than expected, but I just wasn’t invested in the characters, the romance, or the events leading up to the dramatic ending.

Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood ★★★★

I would love if this story were a full-length novel; I was completely enthralled by the notion of a family where only one sister ever survives to adulthood and each sister has an affinity for magic. It’s a cautionary tale about how the choices we make can have impacts far beyond what we can see and how even the best intentions can go awry.

Lovespell by Anna-Marie McLemore ★★★★★

It’s no secret that I love McLemore’s lyrical writing so I’m not surprised that I adored Lovespell. I’m a sucker for star-crossed lovers so I quickly fell for the romance: a bruja who is trained to cure lovesickness and an acolyte of the Catholic Church (who happens to be trans). It’s a beautiful tale that discusses the importance of family and community, along with the impact of prejudice.

The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord ★★★★★

The magic in The Gherin Girls is the magic of love, comfort, and family. Instead of spells, it’s choosing the right comfort meal for someone or being able to read their emotions - a kind of everyday magic that everyone could benefit from. Though the story switches perspectives between three sisters, it’s truly a story about being in an abusive relationship and the damage that can linger even years after you’ve found the courage to leave.

Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May ★★★★★

This was such an incredibly powerful read about how society punishes women for standing up for themselves, for speaking up, and for being women. The “witches” are women who named their sexual abusers - and, in this found family of sorts, they are able to reclaim their identities and, by extension, their power.

She didn’t understand she’d done it. We all had, and we were only getting started. She didn’t realize that all her roaring, living, breathing anger could create so much light.

When I heard that this incredible, diverse cast of women were gathering to create an anthology about witches, feminism, queer girls, girls of color, survivors, and so much more, I was sold from the jump. This isn’t something I talk about often online, because it feels like baring my soul a little too much, but much of my childhood was spent with my grandmother—a self-proclaimed witch herself—and after the things she taught me and what I have seen and done, I’ve identified as one for a very long time. Growing up with those beliefs and feelings made it difficult to see the constant negative and horrifying portrayals of witches. Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy a villainous witch as much as the next person, but sometimes, I just wanted the angry, vengeance-seeking witchy girls to be the heroes for once. Enter Toil and Trouble.

Nothing about this collection disappointed me in the slightest; in fact, I can confidently say that this is the SINGLE best anthology I have ever read in my life. I have never loved a collection of short stories so much, and I cannot begin to describe how much the witches in these stories meant to me. I’ve rambled enough at this point, though (and I’m sure a few of you are side-eyeing me a little after that last paragraph, but that’s okay, too), so let’s jump into the breakdown.

→ F A V O R I T E S ←
The Gherin Girls — Emery Lord
The One Who Stayed — Nova Ren Suma
Death in the Sawtooths — Lindsay Smith

→ Starsong — Tehlor Kay Mejia ★★★★★ ←
Maybe we were just two people chasing numbness because we didn’t know what the stardust inside us was for.

Ever since I read Tehlor’s story in All Out , I’ve wanted more of her writing, and this did not disappoint! It’s a story of a young Latinx girl who is an Instagram model and a bruja, and it’s full of magic and remorse and healing and cute girl-on-girl flirting. My favorite aspect was the narrator’s confidence in her own appearance, which is something we don’t see nearly enough of. ♥ This piece is written for people who believe in the stars, and magic, and more, and I loved every word of it.

→ Afterbirth — Andrea Cremer ★★★★★ ←
“They will see the devil in those pages because they will choose to.”

Afterbirth alternates between a young apprenticing midwife’s narrative, and a legal trial for her teacher, a woman now being accused of witchcraft for saving a newborn that appeared stillborn. The story is set in the 1600s, and the writing feels so gorgeous and atmospheric. There are a lot of things left to be questioned, but it fits the scene somehow.

→ The Heart in Her Hands — Tess Sharpe ★★★★☆ ←
There is no emptiness in a devoted heart.

This was my first time reading Tess Sharpe’s writing, and I have to say, it was lovely. This story tells of a world where witchcraft is seemingly considered altogether normal, and Bette comes from a line of healers who are marked with the first words of their soul mate. The problem is that Bette already loves someone, and she’s determined not to give up her love for Fate’s idea of what her future should look like. My only complaint is that parts felt rushed and under-explained; it could have benefited greatly from being longer. That said, it was beautifully queer and feminist, and the “kitchen witch” line (if you’ve read it, you know) had me grinning ear to ear.

→ Death in the Sawtooths — Lindsay Smith ★★★★★ ←
Folks can hate me, shun me, fear me all they want, but I’ll lay their bones to rest.

I love stories about necromancers, but we never see enough of them—and especially not ones like this, where the spirits are being laid to rest, rather than being raised. Mattie is a servant of Xosia, the lady of death, and her gift is to lay spirits to rest, but the entire town spurns her out of fear—until they need her talents, of course. This was my whole witchy aesthetic, with a touch of eeriness to it, and frankly, now I just want an entire urban fantasy series about Mattie.

→ The Truth About Queenie — Brandy Colbert ★★★★☆ ←
Sometimes if you pretend like a part of you simply doesn’t exist, you can will it away.

After hearing so many rave reviews of Brandy’s writing, I was eager to finally check out her style through this short story, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s hard enough on Queenie’s family to be the only black people in the neighborhood, but being witches on top of it? That’s just asking for trouble. Queenie tries her hardest to hide her powers and even convince herself they don’t exist, but when her pro-skaterboarder best friend comes home for a visit, she finds herself in a place where she’s forced to use her gifts, or leave her friend broken-hearted. It reads like a fluffy contemporary with a touch of magic, but I loved the sentiment that Queenie doesn’t need spells or crystals, just belief and energy.

→ The Moonapple Menagerie — Shveta Thakrar ★★★☆☆ ←
Some things, though, you had to do without your sisters. That was why she would never tell them she’d petitioned the bone palace for help.

When Shalini is tasked with writing a play that she can’t quite seem to nail the ending on, she reaches out for help, but forgets that assistance from feyfolk and spirits always comes at a price. This story is definitely a mixed bag for me. The girls are almost all POC, and the author herself is South Asian. There’s a lot of lore thrown in, which I LOVED, but some of it does require you to have pre-existing knowledge of the stories, so if you don’t, it may not carry the same weight. Unfortunately, the writing just didn’t mesh with me (which surprises me, since I loved this author’s submission in another anthology earlier this year!). It felt a little immature and something about it reminded me of children’s fairytales (albeit creepier), which isn’t what I was hoping for.

→ The Legend of Stone Mary — Robin Talley ★★★★☆ ←
Everybody for miles around used to remember the story of Mary Keegan’s curse, but you wouldn’t know it now.

Wendy Keegan is the descendant of a famous witch in her small town, and the townspeople never let her forget it, ostracizing and bullying her relentlessly for her birthright. Desperate for friendship, she agrees to tag along to visit her ancestor’s memorial statue one Halloween night, but strange occurrences will change the way the town views her family—for better and for worse. Let me tell you guys, I am a total sucker for curse stories—stuff like this is honestly one of the things I live for in witchy tales, so I knew this would be a winner for me, and it was. I did take off a star because the romantic aspect felt forced (which doesn’t surprise me, because I’ve never felt any chemistry in any of Talley’s writing), though I appreciated that it was f/f regardless.

→ The One Who Stayed — Nova Ren Suma ★★★★★ ←
The storm inside her could fill this whole wooded grove and take us over. She was coming. Were we ready?

A group of witches circle a fire in the woods, waiting for the girl that will come running to them—hoping that, this time, she stays and fights. This was easily my favorite in the collection so far. The writing is haunting and lyrical and gorgeous, immediately making me want to pick up full works from Nova Ren Suma, and the content is heavy and heartbreaking. I figured out what was going on pretty quickly, and watching it come together was enough to make me cry through most of the story, but the solidarity between these girls is everything. Stories like this represent precisely the type of modern witches we need.

→ Divine Are the Stars — Zoraida Córdova ★★★★☆ ←
“We become what we need,” Marimar said, and though the stars were hidden, she knew they were listening.

The fact that I love magical realism so much makes it shocking that this was my first taste of Zoraida’s writing, I know, but I definitely want to read more from her now. Marimar travels home to visit her dying grandmother, and finds a strength and connection to her roots that she’d always been missing. It’s not just a story of witchcraft or magic; more than anything, it’s a tale of family, and loving and accepting yourself, as well as your history and culture.

→ Daughters of Baba Yaga — Brenna Yovanoff ★★★★★ ←
This time, the magic was cool and slow. I was a poison night-flower blooming on black, not righteous, but vengeful.

I always loved the legend of Baba Yaga, so I get really excited about any sort of retellings involving that story, and this did not disappoint. In this story, the main character is alienated at her school a bit, but she is approached by another girl who knows Stony is a witch, and who claims to be a witch as well. She quickly proves herself to Stony, though her form of magic is entirely different, and throughout the piece, we are shown this idea where Stony explains that there are different types of witches who perform their magic differently, but they’re all valid and need to support one another. It was a little creepy, a little strange, and a whole lot of righteously angry feminism, and I loved it.

→ The Well Witch — Kate Hart ★★★★★ ←
Men were the most unpredictable animals.

I was not expecting a 19th-century western story in this collection, but I got it, and I loved it. Elsa is a witch who can conjure up water in the desert, and she’s been living alone in her late parents’ cabin for three years when a trio of men show up, seeking shelter. While one of them has pure intentions, the other two are less than noble, and Elsa is forced to find a way to save her own life with her magic. This one was surprisingly sad and dark, but I really enjoyed Elsa’s character and the entire setting—simplistic, but immersive.

→ Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths — Jessica Spotswood ★★★★☆ ←
In every generation, one Campbell witch goes mad and murders the others. It has always been so. Will always be so.

I have heard such rave reviews of Jessica Spotswood’s writing that I was eager to get to this story, and it truly had such a unique and incredible plot. In this family of witches, each generation is cursed with a forced matriarchy: only one girl from each generation will live, and she will carry on the household until the next girls take it. Because of the curse, these three sisters are forced to grow up distrusting one another, but they are determined to beat the curse—until one of them has a vision that tells her the other two girls can only live if she can force them to go far away and never return. It was such an intriguing and heartbreaking scenario, and I loved the execution of it until the ending, where it suddenly fell flat enough for me that I had to knock off a star. That said, I can’t wait to read more from this author!

→ Love Spell — Anna-Marie McLemore ★★★★★ ←
La Virgen may be our Mother of grace and mercy, but She is also more mischief than our priests will ever admit.

When a bruja falls in forbidden love with an acolyte from the local cathedral, she can’t decide whether it’s fortune or tragedy that her tía has raised her with the knowledge for offering remedies to cure lovesickness. Not only am I a sucker for these angst-filled, starcrossed lover sorts of stories, but in Anna-Marie McLemore’s own-voice fashion, our protagonist is a girl falling in love with a trans boy, and the scenario is depicted so beautifully. I could just get lost in her lyrical prose for days, and never tire of it.

→ The Gherin Girls — Emery Lord ★★★★★ ←
What a wonder—love that powerful, but so careful to never break anything in its path.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to pick a favorite story from this collection until reaching this piece, but this is absolutely, hands down, my favorite. The three Gherin sisters take care of one another; in a family known for magic, they simply consider themselves “gifted”, but their capabilities are incredible and nurturing. The oldest, Nova, always knows exactly what food or drink will best comfort a person in that moment. The middle girl, Rosemary, tends to plants and all things green. The youngest, Willa, can detect a person’s entire range of emotions with a moment’s touch.

As the story switches perspectives, we get to learn about each of the girls in turn, like Nova’s bisexuality and her need to be recognized as queer, alongside her blossoming crush on a man she works with. Willa is a lesbian in love with her best friend, and then Rosemary is in the middle, and really, this story revolves around her most of all, because she’s recently escaped a terrible, emotionally abusive relationship, and none of the trio have quite recovered from her losses.

This story had my favorite representation of being a survivor of emotional abuse I have ever read in my life. I have read entire novels about abuse victims, and while many of them were incredible, none of them were so entirely, 100% me and my story as this one was. I just cried through most of this short story and wanted to spend chapter upon chapter nestled in the protective and understanding love Rosemary’s sisters had for her. On top of everything else, this entire depiction that these girls’ magical abilities were about comfort and love, not casting spells or curses, was so wonderful to me, because those are my witchy goals, too. I honestly cannot say enough about this story, or how badly I want to now read everything Emery Lord ever has or ever will write, just based on these few pages.

In my ARC, there is a Tristina Wright story here, but I won’t be reviewing it because it won’t be included in the final printed editions, so I didn’t think it was fair to count it into the average rating at the end.

→ Why They Watch Us Burn — Elizabeth May ★★★★★ ←
Every woman is never enough; she’s always too much. We angered someone, somewhere, for our too muchness. If to be too much is to be a witch, then I am a witch, and we are all witches.

Thirteen girls are taken to a lumber camp in the woods to pay penance for their “witchcraft”, or as you might more accurately call it, for accusing their sexual assailants of abuse. This entire story is a stunning metaphor for how society treats women who speak up, and it definitely is a punch to the gut in a few places. While Night, our narrator, is learning how to survive and to hold on to the righteous fury she holds for the man who hurt her, she is also falling in love with a beautiful Indian girl who helps her to remember that no amount of imprisonment or stoning can ever take away her power—and that is why the world is so terrified of “witchy”, angry women.

FINAL AVERAGE RATING: 4.6/5
This is easily the highest average score I’ve ever given to an anthology, and it is with no hesitation whatsoever that I’m rounding up to a solid 5 stars. I adored every moment of this collection and hope that it will get every ounce of the hype it deserves.

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Harlequin Teen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book sneaks up on you.

That's putting it mildly.

I was SUPER pumped for this book when I requested it from Netgalley. As literally every other Goodreads review will tell you, GAY WITCHES. And not only gay, but the diversity here is so rich, it will choke anyone who would dare to complain. Race, religion, creed, gender, non-gender, it's all here. Along with almost every conceivable trigger warning you can think to throw on a book.

In my opinion, we start out too slowly. The stories are good, really good, but not BAM, in your face. The build is slow, but it's there, and it will steam roll over you if you're not prepared for it.

From Instagram witches to Salem witches, backwoods to inner city, past and future, every single scenario of what could conceivably be called a witch is here. These women are strong as hell. They're vulnerable, they're proud, they're scared, they're hesitant, they're bold, they're magical. Whether the specific stories appeal to you or not, there is literally no denying this.

I was enjoying the stories, truly and genuinely. But I wasn't getting any of that good, deep-down tingly feelings about any specific story. Until we got to Love Spell, by Anna-Marie McLemore. This is the story that knocked me on my ass, and it's the third to last story.

A bruja who specializes in healing the heartbroken and an acolite headed for the priesthood fall in love.

I...I have no words for this story. Is it the long-abandoned Catholic upbringing kicking in? I don't know. But that story just...was a punch to my heart. In all the best ways, but I finished it and had to set the book down for about an hour to deal with my feelings. Because goddamn.

And the last story is so painful, and so real. It's set in the future, Salem Witch Trials meets The Handmaid's Tale, and if that combination doesn't scare the shit out of you, wait until you read the story. It's upsetting. It's really upsetting. But it's beautiful, and just entirely too fucking real for me to handle at 9:00 at night.

The stories that don't work for me really don't work. But the ones that do, the ones that touched a part of my soul, are going to stay with me for a really long time. And I think that's the best part of this book, it will leave a mark.

However, I genuinely hope that in the non-ARC version, there's an introduction. I'm disappointed that there wasn't one here.

This was a very good anthology. The stories showed a lot of diversity; they spanned across cultures and time periods. I did enjoy some of the stories more than others. I have studied the Salem Witch Trials in depth, so I particularly liked “Afterbirth,” because it was set in the same time period. I liked the message in “The Truth About Queenie,” and the study of a young girl coming to grips with both her emotions and her powers. I particularly liked the style of “Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths.” The sisters and their family background reminded me a little bit of the TV show “Charmed,” but this was more interesting. I wish that it had actually been longer. All in all, I think there was a little bit of something in this book for everyone who is interested in the subject matter. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Teen, and the authors for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The title says it all.  This is a collection of 15 short stories about magic and witchcraft, but it’s a lot more than that.  Each of the stories uses fantasy elements as a metaphor for real life experiences and social issues.  I was attracted to this anthology because it was touted as being a diverse anthology, and it does not disappoint. 

There are some recurring themes that are worth mentioning, but I’ll avoid any spoilers in this discussion.  This book definitely has literary merit.  Some of the short stories deal with overcoming the oppression of being a woman – how “witches” were viewed historically (and even in present day).  There are common themes of “growing up” and maturation, overcoming fears and obstacles, coming out as LGBTQ+, and becoming an adult.  This is a must read for any teenager who just happens to like magic. (So basically all teenagers).

This anthology is captivating and breathtaking, with some stories making my skin tingle and others making me tear up (just a little).  Some stories had me holding my breath in anticipation, and others had me whipping through the pages, desperate to find out what would happen next. But as with any anthology, a few of the stories didn’t quite work for me.  But that’s the thing with short story collections – there’s something for everyone—and I guarantee that most young adult readers will find at least one story that speaks to what they’re going through in their own lives.

Since it’s a book about witches, there are some tropes that I hadn’t even realized were tropes until I noticed them popping up in multiple stories.  The trope of three sisters being witches, or the “spinster” witch trope. This anthology does a decent job of breaking through these stereotypes and surprised me as an avid fan of all things witchcraft related.  I couldn’t quite tell if the recurrence of these tropes served well to link the stories in the anthology or if it was catering to the presumptions that many readers have about witches.  Either way, I was hooked. 

My favourite stories were “The One Who Stayed” by Nova Ren Suma, “Daughters of Baba Yaga” by Brenna Yovanoff, “The Gherin Girls” by Emery Lord, and “The Heart in her Hands” by Tess Sharpe.  I had a hard time whittling down this list to only four! Any of these short stories would make a beautiful, best-selling full-length novel.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading stories that use witchcraft and magic as a metaphor for real-life experiences.

This review will be posted on powerlibrarian.wordpress.com on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

3.75ish Stars

<i>Toil and Trouble</i> is an anthology of 15 tales of women and witchcraft. It is the very definition of LGBT friendliness, which is why I give it that bump (as some will remember, anthologies usually aren't my thing...). For teens and young adults (I'm sending a copy to a loved one) seeking to find stories with characters that truly feel like their fantasy lives, they have arrived in a friendly environment. Dedicated to "troublemakers and those who need a little magic," this selection of magical and bruja-based short fiction includes some of my most enjoyed witchy authors, like Anna-Marie McLemore and Zoraida Córdova. While I enjoyed all of the short stories in this volume, of particular note were the adolescent mood swings and longings captured beautifully in Tehlor Kay Mejia's "Starsong," Brenna Yovanoff's feisty "Daughters of Baba Yaga," and Kate Hart's gripping "The Well Witch."

This is an enjoyable anthology, and they're usually a darn tough sell for me.

I received a Digital Review Copy and a paper copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft is full of magic and wonder, of strengths and weaknesses, of love and fear and despair and power. It's a collection of stories highlighting young women and their abilities, be they accepted or hidden, honoured or feared, as they live their lives freely or in secret.

Sometimes it's a little hard to review anthologies because in an anthology there are usually two or three stories I really like, two or three that I don't, and the rest are okay. In this anthology I, at the very least, liked all of them. It's so much fun, reading all the different stories about everyone's different versions or adaptations of young women being witches or practicing some kind of witchcraft. Whether it was an inate power or something from a Goddess or passed down through families. Whether it was set in the past or in the present. Stories full of complicated politics, star-crossed lovers, moments between sisters, and young women rising up against the men that fear them. Stories about star signs, fear, faith, and fate. There are a few I love more than the others, the ones by Tess Sharpe, Zoraida Córdova, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Emery Lord, but all the stories are magical and powerful. They all speak to the power of young women, whether it be magic or determination or an indestructible combination of the two. It was such a joy to read this anthology and I hope there will be more like it in the future.

I'm not typically a huge fan of short stories because I tend to want more. But I love Witch stories. The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert was my favorite in the collection. This book was a great way to start Fall!

A wonderful anthologies of short stories about witches.
I really loved this book and I think can be fully appreciated by adults even if the target are teens.
There's a mix of fantasy, urban fantasy, feminism that works well and keep you reading story after story.
Not all the stories are at the same level but all are quite good.
My favourite were The Heart in Her Hands and Death in the SawTooths (this good be turned into a wonderful novel or series).
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Harlequin Teen and Netgalley for this ARC

I am in absolute and utter love with this collection of short stories! “Toil & Trouble” is a beautiful collection of tales focusing on women and witchcraft that soard beyond all expectations I had of this highly anticipated Fall release. To be clear, my expectations were pretty high going in as I adore stories about witchcraft and was thrilled that Harlequin Teen was offering the in short story form - a genre I believe is lacking in YA literature. Editors Tess Sharpe and Jessica Spotwswood have curated an impressively diverse group of stories offering meaningful and inclusive representation.

Each story carries it’s own weight with no weak link. Readers will surely gravitate to different tales based on their own interest and personal experience as in these pages lies the voices of many women past, present, and future. Each offers something: spiritualism, romance, horror, history, fantasy, realism, grief, and solace. There are truly too many standouts too count but for me there were two stories left an emotional mark and will stay with me for quite some time.

“The Gherin Girls” by Emery Lord is a beautifully written piece that quickly pulls the reader into the lives of three sisters, each with their own unique powers. The complicated but fierce bond these sisters have is impressively relayed and the author must be applauded for permeating her story with such authentic emotion in so few pages. I grew deeply attached to these characters, Rosie especially, and I suspect many other readers will as well.

The final story in the book, “Why They Watch Us Burn” by Elizabeth May, was well chosen as it offers a commanding close to a collection that radiates female spirit and strength. With no specific setting or time attached, only a few clues are offered that suggest it’s likely much more close to our present day than is comfortable to think about. Locked in a cell, we meet a woman convicted of witchcraft. Smelling the ashes of women burned before her, we learn her “crime” was naming and speaking of an assault experienced in her workplace. Young and able-bodied, she is deems too valuable to burn and sent instead into the forest to work cutting down wood for the homes of established men and the pyres for which they burn “undesirable”women. Writing her story and that of those women who share her plight with charcoal each day on the floor of her locked cabin, the main character uses her own words to find inner strength and begins to realize the power of female connection as she begins to bond with the other female labourers. With numerous memorable passages, Elizabeth May has created a feminist tale for not only this generation but for all women in all times.

In conclusion, “Toil & Trouble” is an outstanding Shirt story collection that demands to be read several times over by reader young and old. This is a book with buying! In fact, buy more than one copy and share it with the women in our lives who lift us up and remind of our individual and unique strength and power.