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thebookishunicorn's review against another edition
5.0
Actual rating 4.5 stars
"Here's how to fulfill a prophecy: you are a woman, you speak the truth, and the world makes you into a liar." -Why They Watch Us Burn
I really really loved this collection of short stories! They are all so different from one another but still feel like they belong together. The cultures and characters are so diverse, a ton of own voices, and amazing LGBTQ+ representation. It's a great spooky read, while also bursting full of female empowerment.
"Here's how to fulfill a prophecy: you are a woman, you speak the truth, and the world makes you into a liar." -Why They Watch Us Burn
I really really loved this collection of short stories! They are all so different from one another but still feel like they belong together. The cultures and characters are so diverse, a ton of own voices, and amazing LGBTQ+ representation. It's a great spooky read, while also bursting full of female empowerment.
nabiis's review against another edition
5.0
Toil & Trouble is a collection of stories about witches, but more importantly, it is a collection of stories about finding yourself, learning to love yourself and others, and using your greatest talents for what you believe is right.
When I requested to receive an ARC for this book, all I knew was there were gay witches. GAY WITCHES. It sounded exactly like what I wanted in my life and guess what? It was! It was everything I wanted and hoped for and so so much more. My favorite stories were "Love Spell" by Anna-Marie McLemore, "The Gherin Girls" by Emery Lord, and "Why They Watch Us Burn" by Elizabeth May.
Overall, I am giving this book five stars!!! I will also rate each story individually below and add where lgbt+ rep can be found.
"Starsong" by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Rating: 4 stars
Rep: f/f
"Afterbirth” by Andrea Cremer
Rating: 2.5 stars
“The Heart in Her Hands” by Tess Sharpe
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f
“Death in the Sawtooths” by Lindsay Smith
Rating: 2 stars
“The Truth About Queenie” by Brandy Colbert
Rating: 3.5 stars
“The Moonapple Menagerie” by Shveta Thakrar
Rating: 3.5 stars
“The Legend of Stone Mary” by Robin Talley
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f
“The One Who Stayed” by Nova Ren Suma
Rating: 5 stars
TW: sexual assault
“Divine Are the Stars” by Zoraida Córdova
Rating: 4 stars
“Daughters of Baba Yaga” by Brenna Yovanoff
Rating: 4.5 stars
TW: gore
“The Well Witch” by Kate Hart
Rating: 3 stars
TW: racisim, animal death
“Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths” by Jessica Spotswood
Rating: 4 stars
Rep: side sapphic character
TW: mentions suicide
“Love Spell” by Anna-Marie McLemore
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: trans love interest
“The Gherin Girls” by Emery Lord
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: two main sapphic characters
TW: abusive relationship
“Why They Watch Us Burn” by Elizabeth May
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f, trans side character
TW: sexual assault
This honestly was a beautiful anthology and I highly recommend that everyone reads it!!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I requested to receive an ARC for this book, all I knew was there were gay witches. GAY WITCHES. It sounded exactly like what I wanted in my life and guess what? It was! It was everything I wanted and hoped for and so so much more. My favorite stories were "Love Spell" by Anna-Marie McLemore, "The Gherin Girls" by Emery Lord, and "Why They Watch Us Burn" by Elizabeth May.
Overall, I am giving this book five stars!!! I will also rate each story individually below and add where lgbt+ rep can be found.
"Starsong" by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Rating: 4 stars
Rep: f/f
"Afterbirth” by Andrea Cremer
Rating: 2.5 stars
“The Heart in Her Hands” by Tess Sharpe
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f
“Death in the Sawtooths” by Lindsay Smith
Rating: 2 stars
“The Truth About Queenie” by Brandy Colbert
Rating: 3.5 stars
“The Moonapple Menagerie” by Shveta Thakrar
Rating: 3.5 stars
“The Legend of Stone Mary” by Robin Talley
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f
“The One Who Stayed” by Nova Ren Suma
Rating: 5 stars
TW: sexual assault
“Divine Are the Stars” by Zoraida Córdova
Rating: 4 stars
“Daughters of Baba Yaga” by Brenna Yovanoff
Rating: 4.5 stars
TW: gore
“The Well Witch” by Kate Hart
Rating: 3 stars
TW: racisim, animal death
“Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths” by Jessica Spotswood
Rating: 4 stars
Rep: side sapphic character
TW: mentions suicide
“Love Spell” by Anna-Marie McLemore
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: trans love interest
“The Gherin Girls” by Emery Lord
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: two main sapphic characters
TW: abusive relationship
“Why They Watch Us Burn” by Elizabeth May
Rating: 5 stars
Rep: f/f, trans side character
TW: sexual assault
This honestly was a beautiful anthology and I highly recommend that everyone reads it!!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
booklover160's review against another edition
5.0
Yes, I’m starting another anthology because I have no chill... and my boss handed it to me and I couldn’t refuse.
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia
4 stars
A magical story of a bruja recovering from addiction and meeting someone online. Super cute, super well written, and I wish there was more!
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
5 stars
I really liked the format of this one; first person POV interspersed with dialogue from a trial. I thought this was super interesting and eerie and totally cool. I really liked it!
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe
2 stars
I liked it but it was boring and long. Just not for me.
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
4 stars
This one felt like an episode of Bones meets Supernatural. I liked the eerie morgue setting and I found the magic system interesting. I didn’t like that it felt like we ended pretty much in the same place we started in terms of people’s prejudice. I hoped to see that maybe the town was easier on our heroine.
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert
4 stars
Only because I want to know what happened next. I really liked this one (maybe 4 stars is unfair. It could be 5 stars) and mostly because I loved Queenie. She’s in love with her semi-famous best friend who’s just revealed his girlfriend of two months. Queenie gets put into a tough situation where she has to reevaluate herself, her relationships, and who she is. And she handled it so well! One of my favorites so far!
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar
5 stars
I loved the magical language and the descriptive writing! I could easily be entertained by another 200 pages of this story! I will be adding more Shveta Thakrar novels to my TBR!!
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
3.5 stars
Not bad, but not stellar. Predictable but cool. It was okay.
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma
3 stars
TW: Rape
This one was hard to read but pretty good. If I could have revenge... I don't think I could do it. But my case wasn't as brutal as Mirah's. Again, pretty good but difficult to read.
Divine Are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova
3 stars
It was kinda weird and not in an easy to follow way. The blend between what's real and what's fantasy was a little too blurred for me.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff
4 stars
I liked this little arc. I want more actually. I couldn't tell if it was actual magic or cleverness that made up our heroine's witch (her friend is more of a cleverness is her magic than actual magic). I liked that the kids got what was coming for them.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart
5 stars
Feels like Holes meets Westworld (before you learn Westworld is an amusement park). I loved it. I want another two books about Elsa please!
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood
3 stars
I feel like this one needed a bit more fleshing out. It felt like a bare bones story, maybe still in drafting phase, and I needed more "meat". I liked it well enough, but I think it certainly could have been better.
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
3.5 stars
My religious trauma made this one bittersweet. I really loved that Adrian was trans and I loved the relationship with the main character. I liked their style of witchcraft too. Overall, a bittersweet story.
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord
5 stars
I think this one is my favorite. A beautiful story about three sisters who love one another unconditionally. I certainly identified with the middle sister, not only as a middle child, but also her situation. I LOVED it.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May
5 stars
This one made me emotional and I had to set it down every so often. It gave me a rage that could only be magical. I am a witch too.
Overall, a great collection of witchy tales. Particular favorites are ‘The Gherin Girls’, ‘The Moonapple Menagerie’, ‘Afterbirth’, ‘The Well Witch’, and ‘Why They Watch Us Burn’. Highly recommend!!
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia
4 stars
A magical story of a bruja recovering from addiction and meeting someone online. Super cute, super well written, and I wish there was more!
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
5 stars
I really liked the format of this one; first person POV interspersed with dialogue from a trial. I thought this was super interesting and eerie and totally cool. I really liked it!
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe
2 stars
I liked it but it was boring and long. Just not for me.
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
4 stars
This one felt like an episode of Bones meets Supernatural. I liked the eerie morgue setting and I found the magic system interesting. I didn’t like that it felt like we ended pretty much in the same place we started in terms of people’s prejudice. I hoped to see that maybe the town was easier on our heroine.
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert
4 stars
Only because I want to know what happened next. I really liked this one (maybe 4 stars is unfair. It could be 5 stars) and mostly because I loved Queenie. She’s in love with her semi-famous best friend who’s just revealed his girlfriend of two months. Queenie gets put into a tough situation where she has to reevaluate herself, her relationships, and who she is. And she handled it so well! One of my favorites so far!
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar
5 stars
I loved the magical language and the descriptive writing! I could easily be entertained by another 200 pages of this story! I will be adding more Shveta Thakrar novels to my TBR!!
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
3.5 stars
Not bad, but not stellar. Predictable but cool. It was okay.
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma
3 stars
TW: Rape
This one was hard to read but pretty good. If I could have revenge... I don't think I could do it. But my case wasn't as brutal as Mirah's. Again, pretty good but difficult to read.
Divine Are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova
3 stars
It was kinda weird and not in an easy to follow way. The blend between what's real and what's fantasy was a little too blurred for me.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff
4 stars
I liked this little arc. I want more actually. I couldn't tell if it was actual magic or cleverness that made up our heroine's witch (her friend is more of a cleverness is her magic than actual magic). I liked that the kids got what was coming for them.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart
5 stars
Feels like Holes meets Westworld (before you learn Westworld is an amusement park). I loved it. I want another two books about Elsa please!
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood
3 stars
I feel like this one needed a bit more fleshing out. It felt like a bare bones story, maybe still in drafting phase, and I needed more "meat". I liked it well enough, but I think it certainly could have been better.
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
3.5 stars
My religious trauma made this one bittersweet. I really loved that Adrian was trans and I loved the relationship with the main character. I liked their style of witchcraft too. Overall, a bittersweet story.
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord
5 stars
I think this one is my favorite. A beautiful story about three sisters who love one another unconditionally. I certainly identified with the middle sister, not only as a middle child, but also her situation. I LOVED it.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May
5 stars
This one made me emotional and I had to set it down every so often. It gave me a rage that could only be magical. I am a witch too.
Overall, a great collection of witchy tales. Particular favorites are ‘The Gherin Girls’, ‘The Moonapple Menagerie’, ‘Afterbirth’, ‘The Well Witch’, and ‘Why They Watch Us Burn’. Highly recommend!!
surreptitiously's review against another edition
5.0
This was so perfect I bought a hardback copy for my shelf.
This collection is so diverse and gay and I love it.
This collection is so diverse and gay and I love it.
helloheyitssara's review against another edition
3.25
Starsong - Tehlor Kay Mejia 3/5
Afterbirth - Andrea Cremer 4/5
The Heart In Her Hands - Tess Sharpe 2/5
Death In The Sawtooths - Lindsay Smith 4/5
The Truth About Queenie - Brandy Colbert 5/5
The Moonapple Menagerie - Shveta Thakrar 2/5
The Legend Of Stone Mary - Robin Talley 3/5
The One Who Stayed - Nova Ren Suns 5/5
Divine Are The Stars - Zoraida Córdova 2/5
Daughters Of Baba Yaga - Brenna Yovanoff 2/5
The Well Witch - Kate Hart 3/5
Beware Of Girls With Crooked Mouths - Jessica Spotswood 3/5
Love Spell - Anna-Marie McLemore 3/5
The Gherkin Girls - Emery Lord 3/5
Why They Watch Us Burn - Elizabeth May 5/5
Afterbirth - Andrea Cremer 4/5
The Heart In Her Hands - Tess Sharpe 2/5
Death In The Sawtooths - Lindsay Smith 4/5
The Truth About Queenie - Brandy Colbert 5/5
The Moonapple Menagerie - Shveta Thakrar 2/5
The Legend Of Stone Mary - Robin Talley 3/5
The One Who Stayed - Nova Ren Suns 5/5
Divine Are The Stars - Zoraida Córdova 2/5
Daughters Of Baba Yaga - Brenna Yovanoff 2/5
The Well Witch - Kate Hart 3/5
Beware Of Girls With Crooked Mouths - Jessica Spotswood 3/5
Love Spell - Anna-Marie McLemore 3/5
The Gherkin Girls - Emery Lord 3/5
Why They Watch Us Burn - Elizabeth May 5/5
smittenforfiction's review against another edition
4.0
Toil & Trouble is a unique short story collection of imaginative tales about witches learning to believe in themselves and face their fears. Some of the stories are light, while others are more serious and moving. Nothing can stand in the way of a woman who believes in herself. The real history of witches inspire a modern conversation about past mistakes as an opportunity for change. With a cast of diverse characters, many tales had me hooked from the first paragraph to the end.
Toil & Trouble is a commendable compilation for fantasy fans, especially for those interested in witches, but is also a significant piece of today's conversation about feminism and diversity.
Some of my Favs:
"Afterbirth" by Andrea Cremer
"The Heart in Her Hands" by Tess Sharpe
"Death in The Sawtooths" by Lindsay Smith
"Love Spell" by Anna-Marie McLemore
"The Gherin Girls" by Emery Lord
My favourite: "Why They Watch Us Burn" by Elizabeth May
All of the stories are at least ⭐⭐⭐ for me, my only complaint being that I found some of the endings abrupt/incomplete.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
Contributors:
Tehlor Kay Mejia "Starsong"
Andrea Cremer "Afterbirth"
Tess Sharpe "The Heart In Her Hands"
Lindsay Smith "Death in the Sawtooths"
Brandy Colbert "The Truth About Queenie"
Shveta Thakrar "The Moonapple Menagerie"
Robin Talley "The Legend of Stone Mary"
Nova Ren Suma "The One Who Stayed"
Zoraida Córdova "Divine are the Stars"
Brenna Yovanoff "Daughters of Baba Yaga"
Kate Hart "The Well Witch"
Jessica Spotswood "Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths"
Anna-Marie McLemore "Love Spell"
Emery Lord "The Gherin Girls"
Elizabeth May "Why They Watch us Burn"
Toil & Trouble is a commendable compilation for fantasy fans, especially for those interested in witches, but is also a significant piece of today's conversation about feminism and diversity.
Some of my Favs:
"Afterbirth" by Andrea Cremer
"The Heart in Her Hands" by Tess Sharpe
"Death in The Sawtooths" by Lindsay Smith
"Love Spell" by Anna-Marie McLemore
"The Gherin Girls" by Emery Lord
My favourite: "Why They Watch Us Burn" by Elizabeth May
All of the stories are at least ⭐⭐⭐ for me, my only complaint being that I found some of the endings abrupt/incomplete.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
Contributors:
Tehlor Kay Mejia "Starsong"
Andrea Cremer "Afterbirth"
Tess Sharpe "The Heart In Her Hands"
Lindsay Smith "Death in the Sawtooths"
Brandy Colbert "The Truth About Queenie"
Shveta Thakrar "The Moonapple Menagerie"
Robin Talley "The Legend of Stone Mary"
Nova Ren Suma "The One Who Stayed"
Zoraida Córdova "Divine are the Stars"
Brenna Yovanoff "Daughters of Baba Yaga"
Kate Hart "The Well Witch"
Jessica Spotswood "Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths"
Anna-Marie McLemore "Love Spell"
Emery Lord "The Gherin Girls"
Elizabeth May "Why They Watch us Burn"
classicbhaer's review against another edition
5.0
*I received this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
What I Liked
Both Tess Sharpe and Jessica Spotswood did an amazing job editing this short story collection together. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single short story that I read. Normally, in a short story collection there are one or two duds that just lay flat or I disliked the authors writing style, but that is far from the case with this collection.
This collection of stories that revolves around witches was amazing for multiple reasons. The first being that each author had their own view of what a witch was. You can see that these authors come from different backgrounds and have heard myths from their cultures about witches. I loved this. Not only did I get to read about witches, but I got to read about different interruptions on what a witch is.
On top of there being different takes on what a witch is the stories in this collection are not just modern, but also some are written in the past. Being a history lover myself I loved that some of the stories were from along ago when in the United States were just colonies. Even if history is not your thing I feel like you would love those stories anyway due to the plots of the stories themselves. Even though these stories are short I felt connected with the characters I rooted for them.
What I Didn’t Like
The only fault I have with this collection is the fact that it ended. I wanted the book to keep going and going.
Overall Thoughts
I adored this collection of short stories so much. I have to openly admit that this short story collection has truly been a winner in my eyes. There was not a single short story that I did not love. All the authors writing was wonderful and the varying takes and time periods that their stories took place in were all done so well. Each story was its own and was wonderful. I even loved that there was LGBTQ+ elements to this collection. I know that I am going out to the store and buying this collection when it comes out in stores. I will be rereading it and annotating it so much. I highly recommend this collection of you love reading stories about witches from long ago to modern times.
What I Liked
Both Tess Sharpe and Jessica Spotswood did an amazing job editing this short story collection together. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single short story that I read. Normally, in a short story collection there are one or two duds that just lay flat or I disliked the authors writing style, but that is far from the case with this collection.
This collection of stories that revolves around witches was amazing for multiple reasons. The first being that each author had their own view of what a witch was. You can see that these authors come from different backgrounds and have heard myths from their cultures about witches. I loved this. Not only did I get to read about witches, but I got to read about different interruptions on what a witch is.
On top of there being different takes on what a witch is the stories in this collection are not just modern, but also some are written in the past. Being a history lover myself I loved that some of the stories were from along ago when in the United States were just colonies. Even if history is not your thing I feel like you would love those stories anyway due to the plots of the stories themselves. Even though these stories are short I felt connected with the characters I rooted for them.
What I Didn’t Like
The only fault I have with this collection is the fact that it ended. I wanted the book to keep going and going.
Overall Thoughts
I adored this collection of short stories so much. I have to openly admit that this short story collection has truly been a winner in my eyes. There was not a single short story that I did not love. All the authors writing was wonderful and the varying takes and time periods that their stories took place in were all done so well. Each story was its own and was wonderful. I even loved that there was LGBTQ+ elements to this collection. I know that I am going out to the store and buying this collection when it comes out in stores. I will be rereading it and annotating it so much. I highly recommend this collection of you love reading stories about witches from long ago to modern times.
fussl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thatlizhunter's review against another edition
4.0
What magic is this? This anthology is diverse, and rich, and sweeping. My average rating is 4 stars, because I really enjoyed most of these stories.
And I even did this thing where I reviewed each of these short stories individually? What kind of magical creature am I becoming?
🔷 Starsong by Tehlor Kay Meijia // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ ownvoices Latinx, sapphic characters
CW - drug use
Okay, this was seriously cute. I love how even short stories can convey so much about a person. Luna was engaging and adorable, and I loved the way she narrated. The instagram DMing was adorable, from the way Luna counted each minute, and holder breath. And it was just a seriously fluffy story, ok?
🔷 Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: childbirth, blood, death
Golly, that was a DARK read. Good, but so dark. I actually wanted a tiny bit more closure? Just a reassurance that everything was actually going to be alright.
Set in Puritan New England, with a midwife accused of witchcraft. A bit gory, because childbirth isn't pretty.
🔷 The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ sapphic characters and sapphic relationships
CW: loss of a parent
Ah, I LOVED this short story SO MUCH. I'll admit, the very beginning was a touch confusing. I had no idea what was happening and who liked who, and when this story was set. Because there's cars and phones and magic? That's a weird mix.
But I DEF liked the matriarchal society and the strong message of girl power. SO COOL.
And the sapphic ship? WOW. And straight up, throw out the heteronormative life for running away to a sapphic coven hidden up in the mountains. YAY.
🔷 Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith // ⭐️⭐️
CW: CW: death, corpses, bullying
I'm still trying to feel out my thoughts on this short story? Like, I really liked the message. But the delivery was a bit too weird? And not just in a storyline, but the tone. The accent really, really threw me. The main character seemed to have a regular voice, but one of the characters had a very weird accent that was difficult to read.
And I didn't really like the overall theme of bullying. This girl was bullied, and she's rightfully angry. But the kids who bullied her don't seem to have learned? It was just mixed messaging for me and not my cup of tea.
🔷 The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert // ⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Characters of Color
I thought this was really great! Super touching story about growing to accept who you are and your own strengths. Maybe the love triangle was a tad cliche, and I felt really bad for Queenie. (Come on, Webb)
I also really, really loved the conversation about how people of color are stigmatized while white people can get away with being witches. I definitely saw this growing up in conversations about traditional African religious practices.
🔷 The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar // ⭐️
➤ South Asian rep
I was so confused. So confused. I'm not sure what part of this is part of a dream sequence and what part was actually happening? The writing was very picturesque but the story just didn't make much sense.
🔷 The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Sapphic Rep
Oh my goodness, this is my favorite! (at least so far) I LOVE the story, and the way it's told, and the rumors of curses and legends. And just EVERYTHING!
It's spooky and mired in mystery and sapphic and just GOOD.
🔷 The One Who Stayed by Nova Ten Suma // ⭐️
CW: rape, sexual assault
Um, I did not like this story. It's realistic to the feelings associated with sexual assault, but I just didn't appreciate the story. It was the vibe, people watching but doing nothing to stop the assault? I know some people really liked the empowering message, but knowing the girl was going to be assault, but doing nothing to actually STOP the rape from happening made me ill.
🔷 Divine Are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova // ⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Latinx rep
Um, I have no real idea what was happening most of this story. But it was lyrical and kind of pretty? I was just very confused and it was hard to keep ALL the names and characters straight.
🔷 Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: bullying, gore
Ok, I really, really liked this story! It kept me very engaged and I wanted to keep reading. and I was sad this was a short story because I could have kept on reading.
🔷 The Well Witch by Kate Hart // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Native American rep
CW: racism, animal cruelty, death
Oh my word, this is definitely my very, very favorite. Everything about this story made me fall in love. The setting, in West Texas. Elsa, and her resilience. Zeb, and his kindness.
I just LOVED this story. Now, parts of it made me very, very angry. But it just resonated with me so deeply.
🔷 Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Sapphic
How could this story end??? I was NOT prepared for this story to gut me. It had a very colonial vibe but it wasn't exactly colonial. There were sapphic characters and pirates and Scottish witches. Gosh, it was dark and gay all at once. I LOVED it and wish desperately for a full length novel. Because it was SO GOOD.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it just ended? And it definitely did not feel concluded.
🔷 Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh my goodness, I did not know this anthology could get even better, BUT IT DID. This story is sweet, and heartwrenching. It drags you on this breathless step into first love. I loved it so damn much.
🔷 The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: Absuive relationship
What a story. This is so powerful and beautiful. This is the sisterhood story we all need to read. It's moving, and emotional, and healing.
🔷 Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: assault
➤ Sapphic characters, F/F relationship with a POC
We are thirteen. We have always been thirteen. And we are wolves, and goddesses, and witch."
Wow, wow, wow. This story is just, so powerful. I cannot stop thinking about it. And reading this week, during the Supreme Court hearing, and seeing a woman testify, this story just resonates so powerfully. I will keep coming back to this and reading it, because it's so deep and powerful.
And I even did this thing where I reviewed each of these short stories individually? What kind of magical creature am I becoming?
🔷 Starsong by Tehlor Kay Meijia // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ ownvoices Latinx, sapphic characters
CW - drug use
“People find me when they need to see the beauty they feel.”
Okay, this was seriously cute. I love how even short stories can convey so much about a person. Luna was engaging and adorable, and I loved the way she narrated. The instagram DMing was adorable, from the way Luna counted each minute, and holder breath. And it was just a seriously fluffy story, ok?
🔷 Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: childbirth, blood, death
“In the eyes of the village, my truths cannot be suffered to live.”
Golly, that was a DARK read. Good, but so dark. I actually wanted a tiny bit more closure? Just a reassurance that everything was actually going to be alright.
Set in Puritan New England, with a midwife accused of witchcraft. A bit gory, because childbirth isn't pretty.
🔷 The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ sapphic characters and sapphic relationships
CW: loss of a parent
“He can’t fill the empty space in her because there are none. There is no emptiness in a devoted heart.”
Ah, I LOVED this short story SO MUCH. I'll admit, the very beginning was a touch confusing. I had no idea what was happening and who liked who, and when this story was set. Because there's cars and phones and magic? That's a weird mix.
But I DEF liked the matriarchal society and the strong message of girl power. SO COOL.
And the sapphic ship? WOW. And straight up, throw out the heteronormative life for running away to a sapphic coven hidden up in the mountains. YAY.
🔷 Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith // ⭐️⭐️
CW: CW: death, corpses, bullying
“A person can tell you anything, but bones—those tell the truth.”
I'm still trying to feel out my thoughts on this short story? Like, I really liked the message. But the delivery was a bit too weird? And not just in a storyline, but the tone. The accent really, really threw me. The main character seemed to have a regular voice, but one of the characters had a very weird accent that was difficult to read.
And I didn't really like the overall theme of bullying. This girl was bullied, and she's rightfully angry. But the kids who bullied her don't seem to have learned? It was just mixed messaging for me and not my cup of tea.
🔷 The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert // ⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Characters of Color
I thought this was really great! Super touching story about growing to accept who you are and your own strengths. Maybe the love triangle was a tad cliche, and I felt really bad for Queenie. (Come on, Webb)
I also really, really loved the conversation about how people of color are stigmatized while white people can get away with being witches. I definitely saw this growing up in conversations about traditional African religious practices.
🔷 The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar // ⭐️
➤ South Asian rep
I was so confused. So confused. I'm not sure what part of this is part of a dream sequence and what part was actually happening? The writing was very picturesque but the story just didn't make much sense.
🔷 The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Sapphic Rep
“Everybody for miles around used to remember the story of Mary Keegan’s curse, but you wouldn’t know it now.”
Oh my goodness, this is my favorite! (at least so far) I LOVE the story, and the way it's told, and the rumors of curses and legends. And just EVERYTHING!
It's spooky and mired in mystery and sapphic and just GOOD.
🔷 The One Who Stayed by Nova Ten Suma // ⭐️
CW: rape, sexual assault
Um, I did not like this story. It's realistic to the feelings associated with sexual assault, but I just didn't appreciate the story. It was the vibe, people watching but doing nothing to stop the assault? I know some people really liked the empowering message, but knowing the girl was going to be assault, but doing nothing to actually STOP the rape from happening made me ill.
🔷 Divine Are the Stars by Zoraida Córdova // ⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Latinx rep
“…But memories make things grander and more beautiful when you want to think fondly on them.”
Um, I have no real idea what was happening most of this story. But it was lyrical and kind of pretty? I was just very confused and it was hard to keep ALL the names and characters straight.
🔷 Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: bullying, gore
"I was born to bury saints in the yard."
Ok, I really, really liked this story! It kept me very engaged and I wanted to keep reading. and I was sad this was a short story because I could have kept on reading.
🔷 The Well Witch by Kate Hart // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Native American rep
CW: racism, animal cruelty, death
"She brought nothing but the water along behind her."
Oh my word, this is definitely my very, very favorite. Everything about this story made me fall in love. The setting, in West Texas. Elsa, and her resilience. Zeb, and his kindness.
I just LOVED this story. Now, parts of it made me very, very angry. But it just resonated with me so deeply.
🔷 Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
➤ Sapphic
“But she would trade it all to be able to remember her little sister’s smile.”
How could this story end??? I was NOT prepared for this story to gut me. It had a very colonial vibe but it wasn't exactly colonial. There were sapphic characters and pirates and Scottish witches. Gosh, it was dark and gay all at once. I LOVED it and wish desperately for a full length novel. Because it was SO GOOD.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it just ended? And it definitely did not feel concluded.
🔷 Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The way my mother told it, girls always held on tighter than boys. A boy moved on while the girl still scribbled her first name with his last."
Oh my goodness, I did not know this anthology could get even better, BUT IT DID. This story is sweet, and heartwrenching. It drags you on this breathless step into first love. I loved it so damn much.
🔷 The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: Absuive relationship
"In a way, you're related to many women who have suffered for misunderstanding and fear."
What a story. This is so powerful and beautiful. This is the sisterhood story we all need to read. It's moving, and emotional, and healing.
🔷 Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: assault
➤ Sapphic characters, F/F relationship with a POC
We are thirteen. We have always been thirteen. And we are wolves, and goddesses, and witch."
Wow, wow, wow. This story is just, so powerful. I cannot stop thinking about it. And reading this week, during the Supreme Court hearing, and seeing a woman testify, this story just resonates so powerfully. I will keep coming back to this and reading it, because it's so deep and powerful.