The famous MacBeth witches cry “Double, double, toil and trouble/Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Cool it with a baboon’s blood, Then the charm is firm and good.” This chant inspired the title of the newly released novel “Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft,” immediately captivating readers who remember those eternally famous Shakespearian lines.
October calls for all kinds of spooky stories, which can be seen in the novel ‘Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft.’ The anthology recounts the tales of 15 prominent witches in modern times as they practice witchcraft, making the book the perfect eerie read this month.
“Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft” is a total of 405 pages, with each tale ranging from 20-30 pages and featuring works by female authors in an effort to unite feminist points of view. Editors Tess Sharpe and Jessica Spotswood wove together the works of respected writers such as Brandy Colbert, Zoraida Córdova, Andrea Cremer and Kate Hart.
Historically, members of the LGBTQ+ community have been previously associated with witchcraft. Unlike most other novels, Sharpe and Spotswood incorporate lesbian characters, making the stories original and diverse. For this, the book received support from the LGBTQ+ community, who enthusiastically promoted the book’s release through social media sites, such as Goodreads.
A central aspect of this anthology is women empowerment, which appears in all 15 tales. Each chapter is based on an independent female figure, superior to all other characters in the story. Incorporating a feminist point of view entices a variety of readers, while also inspiring women with fierce and determined female characters.
The tale, ‘The Heart in Her Hands’ by Tesse Sharpe depicts a love story between two female teenage witches, Bette and Auggie, who fight against their own fate to proclaim their love for one another. The heartwarming tale captivates readers with the character’s tender and uplifting love story, motivating one to follow their hearts’ genuine desires regardless of the consequences.
Anna-Marie McLemore narrates a thrilling and enchanting tale about a young witch studying the ways of the black magic in the short story, ‘Love Spell.’ With the help of her aunt, she masters her craft, which is used to mend those with broken hearts and provide hope and courage. The heart-wrenching story catches the attention of readers who have also suffered from heartbreak, providing them with a motivating force to embrace their pain and move on from it.
The final tale ‘Why They Watch Us Burn’ by Elizabeth May recounts an emotional story of 12 witches who use their magic to evoke guilt in men who have engaged in physical assault. The story is centered around the sensitive yet relevant topics of rape and sexual assault. The heavy topic is overwhelming but immensely inspiring and provides a new sense of hope to those who are victims of sexual assault or rape.
With a total of 15 compelling and powerful tales, “Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft” enchants lovers of fantasy stories with original and intriguing plots. The stories successfully stir up feelings of sympathy and love, while simultaneously bewitching readers with tales containing fierce and passionate women in the realm of witchcraft in past and previous years.
Harlequin Teen released “Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft” on Aug. 20 and can be purchased at stores including Barnes and Noble, Target and Amazon. The ebook is also available online platforms such as Kindle and iBooks.
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