I found this book to be a truly unique look into the magickal perspective. Burroughs is quirky and eccentric, his fresh perspective was interesting and enchanting. This book begins when he is a young boy , but without recanting his previous books. Burroughs has led a difficult life through no fault of his own, but his humor and blunt words will have you laughing. I would recommend this book to any interested in the real life of a witch.

Like all Augusten Burroughs books, he takes you painfully deep into his own life. He's a great writer and a delight to read, no matter the subject.

A good book by a great author. I really wanted to like this book as most of it is excellent as is in a similar vein as Burroughs previous work. I just couldn't get past the witch part.. He talks about witches a lot. All the chapters are about his life which is funny but basing everything on being a witch was too much for me. Others may love it, It just wasn't for me but I look forward to his next non witch book.
Thank you Netgalley, Augusten Burroughs and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my review.

Only Augusten Burroughs can get me to go from being nervous about a beloved author going off of the deep end as he comes clean about being a witch to making me wonder if I don't have some witch in me myself. I love his writing style, and have since Running With Scissors. He makes the mundane everyday banality readable. This won't be for everyone but the true Augusten fans will be happy to be back with an old friend. I loved his anecdotes about his dogs, house, and neighbors. Domestic bliss at its finest.

I love any book that deals with magick especially memoirs. This book did not disappoint. This was a beautiful book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it

This was a digital ARC from netgalley and it did not disappoint! It was the engaging, humorous, and almost unbelievable memoir I expected from Augusten Burroughs, this time about his being a witch. I thoroughly enjoyed each story. I'm delighted that the author manages to keep churning out memoirs without running out of material. What a life!

I haven’t enjoyed an Augustan Burroughs memoir so much since Running with Scissors. Touching, funny, quirky and a bit mystic. Written with Burroughs’s usual wit, he tells us of his marriage and moving to the country from the city, as well as his magick.

Reading the new Augusten Burroughs is like getting together with an old friend. It may not have the emotional heft of Lust & Wonder, but Burroughs’ dry wit is as intact as ever, and he can still make me laugh out loud.

I haven't read anything by Augusten Burroughs that was short of phenomenal. Toil and Trouble did not disappoint. Reading one of Augusten's books feels like having a conversation with your closest friend. You can almost picture yourself in whatever scenario he's describing. Toil and Trouble gets into his witchy side that was inherited from his infamous mother. I would have never believed anyone that told me they were a witch...until now! Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Not Augusten Burroughs best book, but somewhat enjoyable just the same. Most of the chapters are interesting essays about things that happen when Augusten and his husband buy an old Connecticut farm house. Unfortunately, to tie these stories into a theme, Augusten shares with us that he is a witch. We then get endless examples of superstition and coincidences that "prove" this. I could have done without that. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It’s pretty impressive that one person can write so many memoirs. In this one, he reveals that he’s a witch, from a long line of witches. He’s otherwise a nonbeliever, of ghosts, God, zombies, Bigfoot and so on. He explains that being a witch isn’t supernatural, it’s natural. For him it’s about seeing things just before they happen (across the country sometimes) and setting intentions—in his case, he creates rhyming spells to create something he wants to attain or avoid. Dubious? Yeah, me too, although his tales are provocative. He’s such a good writer that after I finished and had started reading another book, I found myself wondering what was going on with Augusten, his husband Christopher, their four dogs, and the intriguing characters they’ve met since moving from Manhattan to the Connecticut countryside.

Many years ago, my publisher asked me to write a novella for an anthology that featured a witch. I thought I should study up on Wiccan because I thought that’s what a witch was. I was way off according to Mr. Burroughs. I learned a lot about witches in this book, which is a subject I find fascinating, primarily because uppity women were drowned or burned on a pyre, and uppity women are my people.

The very little I studied on Wiccan, it seemed like nice stuff, not that far off from what I understand (from books and movies) are some of the rituals of Catholicism with lighting candles and, instead of saying prayers, saying kind of incantations—things to do to attract love and financial stability or to banish a bad experience. I think setting intentions is great. What I learned in Toil and Trouble, however, is that Wiccan is something a guy in England came up with in the 1950s. What Augusten is talking about is quite different, and I found it extremely interesting.

This book has some chuckles, although it’s not as funny as some of his earlier works. I enjoyed it, and I appreciate the opportunity for an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. The RELEASE DATE IS OCTOBER 1, 2019.

I was hesitant about this one because of the witchcraft. But, boy, I was wrong to be cautious! This is old Augusten, comforting and lyrical, like sitting down with an old friend with a cup of coffee. If you keep an open mind, this book is great!

This book was received as an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book so much because of the wordplay Augusten Burroughs used throughout the book that made it more interesting and I could not keep my eyes from finishing this book. What impressed me most about this book is the amount of magic Burroughs had to think of the fact that Beavers are from Satan and innocent looking trees want to kill you and take your life. I really feel that a certain crowd of people (me being included) will appreciate this book a lot more than the average reader. With that said, this book was very fun to read, easily addicting and will be a hit throughout our library soon enough.

We will consider adding this title to our Biographies and Memoirs collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Another entertaining memoir by Augusten Burroughs! I really enjoyed Running with Scissors so I thought I would enjoy this book as well and I was correct. This was such a fun read and even though some parts are unbelievable he writes in such a way that makes you want to believe. Such a fun and enjoyable book to read.

This story follows the life of a witch as he discovers what being a witch really means. There are many humorous moments in the book as the main characters deal with an old house and their new neighbors. A lesson in self-discovery and being content with yourself and the past.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very insightful and funny at times. This is definitely a book I'd love to buy as soon as it comes out! Thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!

First, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!
When I heard that Augusten Burroughs was writing a new memoir, I was ecstatic. I have read all of his books but one, and have loved them all. Toil & Trouble is nothing short of classic Burroughs with the same wit, humor, and unflinching honesty that we know and expect from him by now. I was unsure how I was going to feel about him writing a memoir about being a witch, but it is just as fantastic as his others. It was interesting learning a little more about his mother, and how she was before she went insane. I like that it wasn't a lecture about what being a witch is like, but more so how his experiences in his day to day life have been aided by his abilities. I loved reading about his life with Christopher, as I think its wonderful that Augusten has been able to create such an amazing and loving life out of his previous one of hardships. If you love reading about Augusten's life and all the crazy things that surround it, you're going to love Toil & Trouble.

Thank you very much for allowing me the opportunity to read this book! I appreciate the kindness. <3

This was an interesting read. I've read most of Augusten Burroughs books, so I knew he had a uniquely chaotic upbringing, but this book showed a completely new facet to him.

Admittedly, I am a huge fan of Augusten Burroughs so when I saw this as an offering at Netgalley, I couldn’t have jumped any faster to click the request button. He could write about horse shit ten times over, and I would leap every time. So, I have known two very lovely people in my lifetime who claimed they are a witch, and I am open minded and have no real reason to doubt their beliefs. I was a bit skeptical on Augusten’s claim but no worries...this book is way more than about witches or witchcraft. He has a compelling story of witchcraft. This book takes a turn from his previous books in that it’s not dark at all. He has found true happiness, and to me this is the epitome of life. To have come from darkness to see the light. I loved it when he said he wouldn’t discuss his marriage because he was so disgustingly happy. I can relate as I also feel that way about my husband of nearly 28 years. Not only is he happy, he is deliriously funny, and I caught myself laughing out loud so many times. Don’t let the name fool you. Toil & Trouble is a wonderful read. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading one of my favorite authors. When I am asked which author I’d like to meet..it’s Augusten and until a few years ago when I found him there was no other author that I would have said that about. LOL. Thanks again.