When I read the description and saw the cover I just had to try to get my hands on th ebook! I was able to receive it through netgalley.com and harlequin teen for an honest review.

This anthology was a bit of a mixed review for me. I wasn't fond of the modern day stories but loved those that went back in time as thats where my mind brings me with witches. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars with solid female witches

Toil & Trouble is a compilation of 15 feministic tales, both historical and contemporary, involving witchcraft mythology and folklore. This novel offers a diverse look at witchcraft origins, gender culture, persecution, survival, and love. Written by some of the today's award winning YA novelist there is sure to be something that appeals to all readers. Stories include: Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia, 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 Cordova, Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff, The Well Witch by Kate Hart, Beware the Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood, The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord, and Why They Watch us Burn by Elizabeth May

As a lover of witchcraft tales this novel was a must read for me. I especially love anthologies because of the diversity they offer but also because it often allows me to find new authors that I enjoy. As with any collection of tales, there were stories that I really enjoyed, some that didn't appeal to me, and some that were just ok. Overall an interesting and enjoyable novel, a must read for lovers of the genre.

strong woman, magic, witches what not to love. I like most of the stories, but loved four of them. This collection speaks to many females today, even those that are not fans of magic.

Starsong – Tehlor Kay Meija
This was a good start to the anthology with a more modern version of witchcraft and love. I actually wanted more of this story which got me jumping on to the next.

Afterbirth – Andrea Cremer
This was a little more of what most people expect when they think of witch stories. It was a good contrast to the first modern tale. I liked that we got many different perspectives of the story. This was quick and to the point and didn’t dawdle on unnecessary details.

The Heart in Her Hands – Tess Sharpe
This switched back to more modern tales. It was a good story of loving the one you love and not letting anything stand in your way. I was a little put off by the main character’s whiny behavior, yet understood her circumstances and continued to root for her to succeed.

Death in the Sawtooths – Lindsay Smith
I really liked this story and desperately wanted more. This could easily be made into a full length novel with back story, world building, and further character analysis. These characters had a relationship between them that begged for more information.
The Truth About Queenie – Brandy Colbert
This one was very different from the other stories. There was practically no magic in it. It was more about a girl finding herself and accepting herself rather than continuing to search for acceptance from others. I liked it, but it wasn’t my favorite as it was more about teen relationship drama than witchcraft.

Moonapple Menagerie – Shveta Thakrar
I did not care for this title. I found myself bored and skipping through it. It felt like there was much going on and too many characters vying for attention. There was too much conflicting magic tropes that they all blended together rather than stood out.

The Legend of Stone Mary – Robin Talley
I really liked this one. It was rich in history and had a great magical feel. The characters were well formed and it had a many twists and turns for a short story.
The One Who Stayed – Nova Ren Suma
This one takes a while to sink in. It is very heavy; dealing with harsh subjects and hard choices. I think it was dealt with well and had a great voice behind it. It was shrouded in mystery and remained that way, leaving the reader almost second guessing whether it happened now or was just a memory from a long time passed. It is a common subject nowadays that will get talked about.

Divine Are the Stars – Zoraida Cordova
Cordova continues to bewitch me with her writing. She has a great knack for writing about magic and has an easy flow to her style that makes reading her stories fun and quick. The tale was very ethereal and had great messages to convey in such a short time. Well done.

Daughters of Baba Yaga – Breena Yovanoff
I did not like this story. I felt that it had no real subject or plot line. It appeared to be a mash of different “magical” events that happened during a young girl’s life. None of them strung together very well and this left the reader unable to piece it all together at the end. Many of these moments were old tropes that have been done over and over again and are now almost commonplace. There is no continuing story and this makes it almost sure to be forgotten soon after it’s been read.

The Well Witch – Kate Hart
This story did not seem to fit in with the rest. It was more of a star stuck lovers romance than anything else. I did like the idea of the story and the actual story itself, but as part of a magical anthology, no. First off, there is not a lot of magic present. Her water sensing abilities are quickly glazed over, and then highly unutilized near the end. The ending itself is unfinished and also very “rides into the sunset” unoriginal.

Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths – Jessica Spotswood
I both liked and disliked this short story. I felt that it did not suffice as a short story and would benefit greatly from expansion into a novel about the sister’s lives. There were quick mentions, but no real history, of the sister’s lines and with many new names rambled off it was hard to keep anyone from the histories straight. The lesbian relationship felt off and forced. It did not fit with the time and place suggested and I think took away from the story as it would not be openly acceptable. This felt as if it had no conclusion or point. The future of the sisters is left unanswered, leaving the reader unaware as to whether the measures that were taken actually changed anything or resulted in the originally prophecy. Without this information, there is no real point to the story other than telling it.
Love Spell – Anna-Marie McLemore
This was a cute romance that discussed the religious boundaries dealt with in the magical society. It is a story about acceptance, both of others and yourself. The only thing I was not a fan of was the Spanish words italicized throughout the story. It was odd to highlight only a few words and change their language as they did not all seem to be a part of the magic. It took away from the story and, although I accept that words pertaining to the culture, Bruja for example, most were unnecessary and distracting from the overall story.
The Gherin Girls – Emery Lord
This one was also kind of a mish mash. I did not think that it needed to be split up between the different sisters. The breaks caused more harm than good. There was no real difference in voice between the sisters and was almost told from an outside voice. There was no details on what he had done to the sister, although abuse was definite. This both left the imagination to create whatever fears they could have, yet leave it open for sympathy as well. I liked the idea of sisterhood and forever standing by your family, yet there was too much repetitive ideas that it became a chore to read rather than enjoyable.
The Only Way Back – Tristina Wright
This one definitely didn’t hook me into the story. I did like the sense of twins completing each other with one being science and the other being nature. This story showed a sense of knowing your roots and accepting yourself. For me, it was just too long and drawn out. The narrative become very lengthy and confusing at times. It was confusing when they referred to the new child as they/them yet it seemed to be a single child. I feel that this was a comparison to the twins themselves (maybe they were one person instead of tow?) but it was not explained wholly. Interesting idea, but not for me.
Why They Watch Us Burn – Elizabeth May
I felt that this was a terrible end to the anthology and not such a great read on its own. This had the feel of a story from the 80’s or earlier where a girl was said to be responsible for her rape. With the #me too movement and women standing up for their rights, this seems archaic. I didn’t really have much of a witchy/magical feel to it. The message of being true to yourself still rings true, yet is marred by a religious and outdated overtone that, without historical references or a better knowledge of the world these girls live in, falls flat.

I worship a good anthology and witch novels… So how could resist requesting to read this ARC early?!? I literally squealed with delight when I was pretty much instantly approved, and I had to go brag to all those in my immediate literary world! I got it! I got it! Then I have spent every chance I get to reread the stories! I have already pre-ordered this book! It will be a great addition to my ever-growing library!

Of the 15 stories within this anthology, I am utterly, completely attached to three of them. I have read these three stories multiple times and they might be the best short stories that I have ever read. I will not do spoilers because I want everyone to love these stories and be touched by them like I was!


~ Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May had me so far up in my emotions that the inevitable fall was three times as hard! Thanks for making me ugly cry and for putting this story at the end because it really drives home the magic of feminism that is this anthology!

~Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore is a fantastic little Latinx short about a Bruja girl who went to live her tia because they are both exceptionally gifted at curing heartbreak. There is also a transgender boy in the story who has devoted his entire life to God and the Catholic Church. Now that statement right there is enough to give you pause because we all know how Catholics are all fire and brimstone. The story is so beautifully written and relevant! The story touches on prejudices, family, and learning to be exactly who you are meant to be! I have to say that I absolutely love this huge insurgence of books with wide varieties of diversity. The world is a very diverse place and literature worlds should be too!

~The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma
***I just want to say, this one might have some triggers that could leave a bad taste in your mouth. The story deals with molestation, and detrimental sexual assaults. If any of these things cause you to take note, then you might want to skip. ***
I’m a huge fan of witch movies with cult followings. This story reminded me so much of a modern-day retelling of one such movie, that it quickly soared to the top of my list. I’ll just say initiation is a bench and so are these ladies!

I will totally recommend this book to everyone and sing its praises from the top of roofs or whatever is required to get other women to read this book! The stories are so empowering and the messages within are so femininely fantastic!

I do have to say it is a shame that going forward there will only be 14 stories instead of the 15 that I got to read! I do support the publisher for revoking the one story from being printed because of the sexual allegations against the author. You cannot have a book that empowers women of all shapes, races, and sexual orientations and have this huge cloud of controversy throwing shade on the other 14 brilliant short stories! Thank you for being aware and putting the book 1st!

THANK YOU HARLEQUIN TEEN AND NETGALLEY! I am very honored to be able to read and review this book of anthologies before it has been published in exchange for an honest review! The views and expressions within are my own and were not influenced by previously mentioned parties.

Witches and female power= So good! Anyone looking for the perfect collection of witches and magic look no further. Rebellious women who ruled the world!

This is yet again another brilliant anthology about women. This time including witches. This book presents witches which were often women that were educated, unmarried, or didn't follow traditional expectations put in place by society. This book denies that if you're not following societal norms you're doing something wrong as a woman, which is true. Society expects women to be these perfect housewives when most women can do more than most men. Women have the right to worship, love, and do whatever they choose. Particular favorites include Jessica Spotwood's "Beware of Girl's with Crooked Mouths" and Tehlor Key Mejia's "Starsong."

Overall I really enjoyed this book, I felt the different settings, representations and spins on witchcraft were interesting and varied. Most of the stories were enjoyable to me, with a few that really stood out. Overall I felt like The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord was my absolute favorite out of all of them, it really pulled at my heart and felt so developed and real.

Overall I give the entire anthology 4 stars as I did truly enjoy it, but I've included ratings for all of the stories below.

Starsong - Tehlor Kay Majia
3.5 stars

Afterbirth - Andrea Cremer
4 stars

The Heart in her Hands - Tess Sharpe
4 stars

Death in the Sawtooths - Lindsay Smith
3 stars

The Truth About Queenie - Brandy Colbert
3 stars

The Moonapple Menagerie - Shveta Thakrar
5 stars

The Legend of Stone Mary - Robin Talley
3 stars

The One Who Stayed - Nova Ren Suma
2.5 stars

Divine Are the Stars - Zoraida Cordova
2.5 stars

Daughters of Baba Yaga - Brenna Yovanoff
3 stars

The Well Witch - Kate Hart
3 stars

Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths - Jessica Spotswood
3.5 stars

Love Spell - Anna-Marie McLemore
5 stars

The Gherin Girls - Emery Lord
5 stars

Why They Watch Us Burn - Elizabeth May
3 stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for giving me a chance to read this book prior to it's release.

Wow.

Just holy crackers wow!

These anthologies were amazing! It was so hard to put this book down.

Even harder to really decide which story is my favorite because I think they were all perfect in their own way.

I know there are going to be tons of people whom may turn their noses up at the idea of gay witch romance but you guys have no idea what you are going to be missing. These witches are wonderful characters whom are determined to chart their own course instead of allowing Lady Fate to determine it.

I really don't want to give up any spoilers to these wonderful stories since this is mainly the ARC and some things may change but really give these stories a chance to cast their spell upon you. You will not be disappointed. You will fall in love with each witch and their own tale.

Admittedly, short stories aren't my favorite and while the premise was intriguing, I wasn't hooked and had to give up about midway. Of the stories that I did read, The Heart in Her Hands was the one I liked most. Bette was an engaging character, one with whom readers might easily connect. And I do give the book points for it's inclusive cast of characters.

This collection of stories about witches and witchcraft has more to offer than the somewhat cutesy title may suggest. Instead of light fantasy romps of mischief and magic, this anthology gives us powerful allegories of persecution and inner strength. Through a diverse array of settings, styles, and characters, this book dissects what it is to be different, to be misunderstood, and, especially, to be a woman in a world that fears female power. Like any anthology, some stories are weaker than others, but stories like “The One Who Stayed” by Nova Ren Suma, “Why They Watch Us Burn” by Elizabeth May, and “The Heart in Her Hands” by Tess Sharpe really shine. Some stories provided such interesting world-building that they just begged for a full-length novel, such as "Death in the Sawtooths" by Lindsay Smith and "The Well Witch" by Kate Hart. One of the most wonderful things about this book is the sheer diversity of representation among the characters - PoC and LGBTQ characters abound in this anthology. Although at 300+ pages it did drag occasionally, this was an enjoyable anthology that I would recommend to anyone interested in reading about relatable, diverse, powerful women.

One sentence review: An anthology which captives the reader with magical characters and stories. 

I enjoy anthologies for the variety of perspectives the reader gets on a single topic. I love seeing the range of interpretation that different authors bring to the table. This anthology delivers diversity, strength, and magic on every page. 

The authors do not stray from situations faced by teenage girls from all background and walks of life. There is so much freedom to be yourself and strength in these pages that every young woman will find her voice somewhere within these pages. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin TEEN, for the opportunity to read this collection early, in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book from #netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When I first seen this book, I knew I had to have it. I love a good witch story. I know this book doesn't come out until August 2018 I believe, but I still had to get my hands on it. It did not disappoint.

There were so many good stories in the books. Several that were a little less impressive but still not bad. I love when you are able to get great stories from lots of authors together and put together a great book.

Way to go all the authors that were included in this book and the publishing company that picked this book up.

Collectively, I really enjoyed these stories. Using witchcraft as a way to explore feminism and female solidarity was ingenious, and I loved it. Some stories stick out more than others to me, like Andrea Cremer's Afterbirth, Brandy Colbert's The Truth About Queenie, Zoraida Cordova's Divine Are the Stars, and Kate Hart's The Well Witch.

I understand that Tristina Wright's story will not be published in the collection due to sexual harassment allegations, which is upsetting because the story was really good (to be clear, I'm not upset that the story will be removed, I am upset that Wright committed those actions in the first place).

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this collection!

This is a fantastic modern short story collection that will resonate with teen readers. One does not need to be a fan of witches or witchcraft to enjoy this story. With a diverse cast of authors writing #ownvoices stories, this short story collection belongs on every library shelf.

Toil & Trouble is an anthology series that contains 12 magical stories fit for a grimoire. There's romance, spells, drama, laughter, and tears all of the necessary ingredients for a powerful potion. Each story is a decent length that usually ends with a cliffhanger, so many of these tales rightfully deserve their own stand alone books. I applaud the uniqueness and boundaries that were pushed in this genre and can't wait to read more works by the featured authors.

What an absolutely GORGEOUS collection of short stories, resplendent in their feminist roots. These are delicious diverse, often own-voices, and overall just a stunning portrayal of witches and witchcraft around the world and through time. Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths was my favorite story - a tale of 3 sisters, who grow up knowing one will betray her siblings and kill them. Wonderful, vivid imagery and I can't recommend this enough - it deserved to be accompanied by a hot mug of tea and a cool, rainy afternoon watching steam rise from the pavement like a ghost.

I usually don't enjoy anthologies because the entries are either too long or too short for my taste. If I like the writing style I want more and if I don't I get bored and want to move on. This one read very smoothly and I enjoyed 85% of it. Some of the stories were a little disturbing but for a YA reader interested in magic, this was full of good storylines.

This is an anthology of stories about empowerment . Yes, witchcraft is a part of every story and I loved that they were all very different. Spells of hope, survival and love were cast, not just in the book but upon the reader as well. This is a quote from the story Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May which I loved "magic is not for wickedness, not for the devil, not for those with cruel hearts. It’s for hope. For survival." It is for young adults and adults as well. I was so happy to be able to review this book. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.

This is a really good collection of short stories about witches. Some were ok, but others had me completely entranced.