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A review by booklover160
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft by Jessica Spotswood, Tess Sharpe
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!!