Review: Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft by Tess Sharpe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75ish Stars

Toil and Trouble is an anthology of 15 tales of women and witchcraft. It is the very definition of LGBTQ 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.

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