percys_panda_pillow_pet's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This short story collection has been on my TBR for a while now, and I really only put it on there because of the title/subtitle, and the inclusion of Anna-Marie McLemore, a favorite author of mine. I point this out because I was a little afraid that perhaps I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. Short story collections can be difficult because different authors naturally have different styles, and not all stories and authors are going to vibe with the reader. However, I am so happy that I enjoyed almost every story in this book!
So, I won't go through every single story in this collection, as that would be too much for one review, I will just pick my favorite and least favorite story, to the best of my ability.
There were so many good stories in here, it really is hard to say I have a favorite, especially when each one tackled different themes and ideas, and utilized different settings and characters. But I think if I had to choose, I could definitely say that The Heart in Her Hands by Tessa Sharpe is up for contention! I just loved the way that magic was portrayed and used in this story, and I am always a sucker for not just Sapphic romance, but also choosing your love over what the fates say. I also really liked the personification of Fate as a more antagonist figure; usually, in stories of witchcraft, fate is equal to karma, something that many witches believe in. So this was a really unique take for me. And finally, I just loved the end of the story, it was the perfect conclusion.
For my least favorite story, unfortunately, there is no contest for it; I did not like The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar. I thought the idea was interesting and unique, and the characters were lovely. But I just felt very overwhelmed with all the sudden worldbuilding in the story and had trouble differentiating between the story itself and the play the characters were supposed to be putting on. I couldn't really follow what was happening easily and just couldn't wait until it was over so I could get to the next story. Either the story needed to be a novel or the author needed to cut some darlings to clear things up. There's also the possibility that this isn't the story for me and that's okay. As I've said, there's no guarantee you'll like every story in a collection, so the fact that only one didn't vibe with me was actually a really good thing.
If you like witches (and feminism as they do often go hand-in-hand) I have to recommend this collection to you, especially if you're looking to get into reading more short stories. I wish I could read more of each of these awesome characters and worlds, and that's how I know these authors did a great job. To finish things off, I will say that my favorite witch is Akko from Little Witch Academia.
So, I won't go through every single story in this collection, as that would be too much for one review, I will just pick my favorite and least favorite story, to the best of my ability.
There were so many good stories in here, it really is hard to say I have a favorite, especially when each one tackled different themes and ideas, and utilized different settings and characters. But I think if I had to choose, I could definitely say that The Heart in Her Hands by Tessa Sharpe is up for contention! I just loved the way that magic was portrayed and used in this story, and I am always a sucker for not just Sapphic romance, but also choosing your love over what the fates say. I also really liked the personification of Fate as a more antagonist figure; usually, in stories of witchcraft, fate is equal to karma, something that many witches believe in. So this was a really unique take for me. And finally, I just loved the end of the story, it was the perfect conclusion.
For my least favorite story, unfortunately, there is no contest for it; I did not like The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar. I thought the idea was interesting and unique, and the characters were lovely. But I just felt very overwhelmed with all the sudden worldbuilding in the story and had trouble differentiating between the story itself and the play the characters were supposed to be putting on. I couldn't really follow what was happening easily and just couldn't wait until it was over so I could get to the next story. Either the story needed to be a novel or the author needed to cut some darlings to clear things up. There's also the possibility that this isn't the story for me and that's okay. As I've said, there's no guarantee you'll like every story in a collection, so the fact that only one didn't vibe with me was actually a really good thing.
If you like witches (and feminism as they do often go hand-in-hand) I have to recommend this collection to you, especially if you're looking to get into reading more short stories. I wish I could read more of each of these awesome characters and worlds, and that's how I know these authors did a great job. To finish things off, I will say that my favorite witch is Akko from Little Witch Academia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Animal death
Moderate: Transphobia, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Bullying, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape
owlieowlies's review
3.0
I enjoyed the stories towards the end of the collection the best. I think if I had read this book backwards I would have had a far more enjoyable experience.
Overall rating: 2.7
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 2.5
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer: 3.5
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe: 1.5
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith: 1.5
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert: 2.5
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar: 1
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley: 4
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma: 2.5
Divine are the Stars by Zoraida Cordova: 1
Daughters of Baba Yaya by Brenna Yovanoff: 1.5
The Well Witch by Kate Hart: 3.5
Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood: 3.5
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore: 1.5
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord: 4
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May: 3
Overall rating: 2.7
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 2.5
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer: 3.5
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe: 1.5
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith: 1.5
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert: 2.5
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar: 1
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley: 4
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma: 2.5
Divine are the Stars by Zoraida Cordova: 1
Daughters of Baba Yaya by Brenna Yovanoff: 1.5
The Well Witch by Kate Hart: 3.5
Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood: 3.5
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore: 1.5
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord: 4
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May: 3
novelheartbeat's review
3.0
3.5/5
The stories in this one were extremely hit or miss for me. While there were a few I loved, there were also a lot I didn't love. I did enjoy the culture and diversity in this one, though! These stories feature a myriad of POC and LGBTQ+ characters. I also quite loved the girl power that this book had going for it!
Favorite stories: Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff, Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May, Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith, The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia - 3/5
This one was cute! I was skeptical at first because the MC of the novella, Luna, is extremely shallow. She's the exact opposite of me - contours her face (waste of time), gets her nails done (waste of money), and always looks like she's ready for a photoshoot. Not a character I can connect with, considering I literally never wear makeup, don't care about the way I dress, and the only money I ever spend on 'pampering' myself is to have my hair professionally dyed. But I enjoyed the writing style and found it to be engaging, and I love astrology, so I loved that part of it!
Someone paints a picture of you. It's not a photo. Your hair is more blue than black, your eyes more gold, but does that mean it can't tell you anything about yourself?
I loved that explanation of astrology!
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer - 4/5
Okay, in the first couple of pages I was super iffy. It was a hrreligious for me, and it's also historical, and anyone who knows me at all knows I hate anything historical. But, when I got to the part about the birth I was hooked! I actually found it quite interesting, and I loved the idea of the book and its secrets. Especially the way it had been passed on! The way it was told jumped back and forth between the first person POV as events happened and a third person account of the trial after said events, which seems like it'd be hard to follow but it really worked for me. I kind of wish there had been more to this one!
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe - 3/5
This was a good story about creating your own destiny! I loved the concept of the soulmark and everything it entailed, and I thought it was awesome that Bettina basically gave the bird to the idea of her soulmate and made her own choice - her childhood best friend and the love of her life. I liked the magic in this one a lot, and I especially liked how she turned things around in the end. [spoiler]Her gift of healing turned into the curse of death when she defied Lady Fate, but she made the most of it![/spoiler]
While the concept was intriguing, I wasn't a huge fan of the prose in this one.
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith - 4.5/5
This was such a cool story! I loved that it was a little bit dark. The main character served the Lady of Slumber (Death, basically), which was totally awesome. The prose was engaging and kept me interested. I think this would have made a great full length novel. I definitely want to check out more of the author's work!
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert - 4/5
Okay, so I despise love triangles. And this one made me feel a bit sick, because it would be horrible to be in Queenie's shoes. But at the same time, it means I connected to her, so that's good! I actually really liked Queenie as a character. I would have liked to have more of this story! I enjoyed Brandy's storytelling a lot. My favorite part of this story was the catharsis at the end - but it wasn't about anyone else, it was about Queenie. She did it for herself and it was awesome!
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar - 2.5/5
What in the world did I just read?? This is the second short story I've read by this author - the first one was in A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, and I quite liked it, but I do remember thinking it was borderline magical realism. This one wasn't, but it was still very whimsical and kind of strange, almost in a disjointed manner? I had some trouble following what was going on - mostly, telling the difference between the play in the story and the actual story itself. It was a little bit confusing. I was intrigued by the premise, though! And the storytelling was enchanting. Not sure how I feel about it, haha!
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley - 4.5/5
Wow, I loved this one!! The prose was highly engaging and I was really digging Talley's storytelling. And the story was awesome, too! I loved the mystery of Mary's statue and the legend of her curse. [spoiler] And also the fact that the girl that the MC was interested in turned out to be a witch hunter! [/spoiler] Would have made for a great full length novel for sure. I would love to check out more of Robin's work!
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma - 4/5
That was...interesting? The way the Circle scenes were written was definitely intriguing. This one is kind of like a tease though, because you never really get anything. A lot of it is left up to your imagination. It was weird but I liked it!
Divine are the Stars by Zoraida Cordova - 1/5
WTF did I just read? I don't even know how to review this one. For the first half I was bored out of my ever loving mind (pretty bad for a story that's only like 12 pages long), and for the second half I had no clue what the hell was going on. It read like magical realism, which I hate. Not for me at all.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff - 5/5
The moon is full, and even the stars are scared of me.
Whoa, that was BAD. ASS!!! Going in I figured this would be hit or miss for me - I hated Fiendish and really enjoyed The Space Between. But I was pleasantly surprised!! First of all, the writing style is amazing and engaging. Even though it was high school stuff happening most of the time, I was never bored. Brenna has a way of making mundane things interesting!
Secondly, this short was SO quotable!! I don't even know what the narrator's Russian name was, but the line everyone calls me Stony, and sometimes, I just want to bite a hole in the world. YOU GO, GIRL. I don't know, I just found that inherently bad ass?! Then later, there was this one: With silver nails and the right kind of smile, you can bite through anything. TELL ME MOAR. Keep going, Ironteeth Witch. (winks)
I also LOVE LOVE LOVED her answer to slut shaming:
[...]Wyatt Carlson broke up with Katya R., and then called her a slut all over school even though that's a two-person activity and it's not exactly like he just fell in there accidentally.
BEST. LINE. EVER.
Also this:
(after Maya called her a pizda, I'll let you look that one up lol) I was just mad. Mad at Maya, and mad that the meanest, most hateful thing that someone could say was just another way of pointing out that you were a girl.
I honestly loved the girl-power-rise-up-against-female-injustice feel it had to it, kind of like The Female of the Species. And the last line was totally bad ass too! *fist pump*
I also loved the Russian culture in this one! Basically it was awesome and I wish it were longer. Kudos, Brenna. Kudos.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart - 4/5
Well that was depressing O_O
I mean, I enjoyed the story despite it being historical (I hate historical). But my goodness I need some rainbows and unicorns after that.
Also, a cliffhanger on a short story?! I NEED TO KNOW. Sigh.
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood - 4/5
Hmm, what an interesting story! I really liked the concept of the sister witches and the family curse for the sisters to destroy each other. I think I would have loved to see this as a full length novel! The ending was rather unsatisfying, though. I want more!
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore - 4/5
This one was a little strange, but I enjoyed it! I quite loved McLemore's prose, it was very engaging. I loved the magic in this story as well as the culture. I'll have to check out more of her work in the future!
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord - 2/5
This one was okay. It read more like a contemporary (which may be just because it's a contemp author?) with a teeny tiny hint of almost magic. [spoiler]One girl has an affinity for growing things, one has an affinity for knowing what to cook to comfort someone (I think??), and the other can feel emotions through touch. That was literally the ONLY thing magical about this story is that the one sister was basically an empath.[/spoiler] To be honest, I don't really think it fit in with this anthology. It was basically a lot of focus on relationships and romance, not magic (like this anthology is supposed to be focused on), and honestly that's not my cup of tea. The writing wasn't anything spectacular, either. I feel pretty 'meh' overall about this one. Which was made harder by the fact that this is probably the longest story in the whole book.
The Only Way Back by Tristina Wright - 1/5
I really struggled with this one. I liked the alchemy and magic in tandem, but that was about it. The prose was really difficult to follow - it felt kind of disjointed and vague. I had extreme difficulty picturing anything because I had no idea what the setting was. There was mention of mountains, and a village - but I had no idea if this was in the future or the past, or what kind of technology (or lack thereof) existed. The world building was horrible, even for a short story. It was like a bunch of characters just floating around in my head.
I did like that one of the characters was gender fluid - this was a new reading experience for me, as I've never read about a gender fluid character for me. The alchemy bit was interesting. But other than that, I'm sad to say that this one wasn't for me.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May - 5/5
The most terrifying thing in the world is a girl with power. That's why they watch us burn.
Wow, this one was epic! I adored the writing style in this one, it was so engaging! I really want to check out more of May's work. I loved the girl power feel it had going for it, too. A very feminine righteousness.
Every woman is never enough; she's always too much. We angered someone, somewhere, for our too muchness. If to be too much is to be a witch, then I am a witch, and we are all witches.
*pumps fist in air*
I understand now that magic is not for wickedness, not for the devil, not for those with cruel hearts. It's for hope. For survival. It thrives in the darkness not because it is dark in nature, but because the fire shines brightest then.
This is what witchcraft looks like: It is women holding hands, harnessing power, and changing their fate. If every woman practiced such a thing, we would learn what Eve did after she ate that apple. When she held knowledge in her hands. We would upend the world.
YASSS. For being a short story it just felt so powerful. And holy shit that ending gave me goosebumps! They definitely saved the best for last!
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
The stories in this one were extremely hit or miss for me. While there were a few I loved, there were also a lot I didn't love. I did enjoy the culture and diversity in this one, though! These stories feature a myriad of POC and LGBTQ+ characters. I also quite loved the girl power that this book had going for it!
Favorite stories: Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff, Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May, Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith, The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia - 3/5
This one was cute! I was skeptical at first because the MC of the novella, Luna, is extremely shallow. She's the exact opposite of me - contours her face (waste of time), gets her nails done (waste of money), and always looks like she's ready for a photoshoot. Not a character I can connect with, considering I literally never wear makeup, don't care about the way I dress, and the only money I ever spend on 'pampering' myself is to have my hair professionally dyed. But I enjoyed the writing style and found it to be engaging, and I love astrology, so I loved that part of it!
Someone paints a picture of you. It's not a photo. Your hair is more blue than black, your eyes more gold, but does that mean it can't tell you anything about yourself?
I loved that explanation of astrology!
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer - 4/5
Okay, in the first couple of pages I was super iffy. It was a hrreligious for me, and it's also historical, and anyone who knows me at all knows I hate anything historical. But, when I got to the part about the birth I was hooked! I actually found it quite interesting, and I loved the idea of the book and its secrets. Especially the way it had been passed on! The way it was told jumped back and forth between the first person POV as events happened and a third person account of the trial after said events, which seems like it'd be hard to follow but it really worked for me. I kind of wish there had been more to this one!
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe - 3/5
This was a good story about creating your own destiny! I loved the concept of the soulmark and everything it entailed, and I thought it was awesome that Bettina basically gave the bird to the idea of her soulmate and made her own choice - her childhood best friend and the love of her life. I liked the magic in this one a lot, and I especially liked how she turned things around in the end. [spoiler]Her gift of healing turned into the curse of death when she defied Lady Fate, but she made the most of it![/spoiler]
While the concept was intriguing, I wasn't a huge fan of the prose in this one.
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith - 4.5/5
This was such a cool story! I loved that it was a little bit dark. The main character served the Lady of Slumber (Death, basically), which was totally awesome. The prose was engaging and kept me interested. I think this would have made a great full length novel. I definitely want to check out more of the author's work!
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert - 4/5
Okay, so I despise love triangles. And this one made me feel a bit sick, because it would be horrible to be in Queenie's shoes. But at the same time, it means I connected to her, so that's good! I actually really liked Queenie as a character. I would have liked to have more of this story! I enjoyed Brandy's storytelling a lot. My favorite part of this story was the catharsis at the end - but it wasn't about anyone else, it was about Queenie. She did it for herself and it was awesome!
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar - 2.5/5
What in the world did I just read?? This is the second short story I've read by this author - the first one was in A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, and I quite liked it, but I do remember thinking it was borderline magical realism. This one wasn't, but it was still very whimsical and kind of strange, almost in a disjointed manner? I had some trouble following what was going on - mostly, telling the difference between the play in the story and the actual story itself. It was a little bit confusing. I was intrigued by the premise, though! And the storytelling was enchanting. Not sure how I feel about it, haha!
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley - 4.5/5
Wow, I loved this one!! The prose was highly engaging and I was really digging Talley's storytelling. And the story was awesome, too! I loved the mystery of Mary's statue and the legend of her curse. [spoiler] And also the fact that the girl that the MC was interested in turned out to be a witch hunter! [/spoiler] Would have made for a great full length novel for sure. I would love to check out more of Robin's work!
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma - 4/5
That was...interesting? The way the Circle scenes were written was definitely intriguing. This one is kind of like a tease though, because you never really get anything. A lot of it is left up to your imagination. It was weird but I liked it!
Divine are the Stars by Zoraida Cordova - 1/5
WTF did I just read? I don't even know how to review this one. For the first half I was bored out of my ever loving mind (pretty bad for a story that's only like 12 pages long), and for the second half I had no clue what the hell was going on. It read like magical realism, which I hate. Not for me at all.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff - 5/5
The moon is full, and even the stars are scared of me.
Whoa, that was BAD. ASS!!! Going in I figured this would be hit or miss for me - I hated Fiendish and really enjoyed The Space Between. But I was pleasantly surprised!! First of all, the writing style is amazing and engaging. Even though it was high school stuff happening most of the time, I was never bored. Brenna has a way of making mundane things interesting!
Secondly, this short was SO quotable!! I don't even know what the narrator's Russian name was, but the line everyone calls me Stony, and sometimes, I just want to bite a hole in the world. YOU GO, GIRL. I don't know, I just found that inherently bad ass?! Then later, there was this one: With silver nails and the right kind of smile, you can bite through anything. TELL ME MOAR. Keep going, Ironteeth Witch. (winks)
I also LOVE LOVE LOVED her answer to slut shaming:
[...]Wyatt Carlson broke up with Katya R., and then called her a slut all over school even though that's a two-person activity and it's not exactly like he just fell in there accidentally.
BEST. LINE. EVER.
Also this:
(after Maya called her a pizda, I'll let you look that one up lol) I was just mad. Mad at Maya, and mad that the meanest, most hateful thing that someone could say was just another way of pointing out that you were a girl.
I honestly loved the girl-power-rise-up-against-female-injustice feel it had to it, kind of like The Female of the Species. And the last line was totally bad ass too! *fist pump*
I also loved the Russian culture in this one! Basically it was awesome and I wish it were longer. Kudos, Brenna. Kudos.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart - 4/5
Well that was depressing O_O
I mean, I enjoyed the story despite it being historical (I hate historical). But my goodness I need some rainbows and unicorns after that.
Also, a cliffhanger on a short story?! I NEED TO KNOW. Sigh.
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood - 4/5
Hmm, what an interesting story! I really liked the concept of the sister witches and the family curse for the sisters to destroy each other. I think I would have loved to see this as a full length novel! The ending was rather unsatisfying, though. I want more!
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore - 4/5
This one was a little strange, but I enjoyed it! I quite loved McLemore's prose, it was very engaging. I loved the magic in this story as well as the culture. I'll have to check out more of her work in the future!
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord - 2/5
This one was okay. It read more like a contemporary (which may be just because it's a contemp author?) with a teeny tiny hint of almost magic. [spoiler]One girl has an affinity for growing things, one has an affinity for knowing what to cook to comfort someone (I think??), and the other can feel emotions through touch. That was literally the ONLY thing magical about this story is that the one sister was basically an empath.[/spoiler] To be honest, I don't really think it fit in with this anthology. It was basically a lot of focus on relationships and romance, not magic (like this anthology is supposed to be focused on), and honestly that's not my cup of tea. The writing wasn't anything spectacular, either. I feel pretty 'meh' overall about this one. Which was made harder by the fact that this is probably the longest story in the whole book.
The Only Way Back by Tristina Wright - 1/5
I really struggled with this one. I liked the alchemy and magic in tandem, but that was about it. The prose was really difficult to follow - it felt kind of disjointed and vague. I had extreme difficulty picturing anything because I had no idea what the setting was. There was mention of mountains, and a village - but I had no idea if this was in the future or the past, or what kind of technology (or lack thereof) existed. The world building was horrible, even for a short story. It was like a bunch of characters just floating around in my head.
I did like that one of the characters was gender fluid - this was a new reading experience for me, as I've never read about a gender fluid character for me. The alchemy bit was interesting. But other than that, I'm sad to say that this one wasn't for me.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May - 5/5
The most terrifying thing in the world is a girl with power. That's why they watch us burn.
Wow, this one was epic! I adored the writing style in this one, it was so engaging! I really want to check out more of May's work. I loved the girl power feel it had going for it, too. A very feminine righteousness.
Every woman is never enough; she's always too much. We angered someone, somewhere, for our too muchness. If to be too much is to be a witch, then I am a witch, and we are all witches.
*pumps fist in air*
I understand now that magic is not for wickedness, not for the devil, not for those with cruel hearts. It's for hope. For survival. It thrives in the darkness not because it is dark in nature, but because the fire shines brightest then.
This is what witchcraft looks like: It is women holding hands, harnessing power, and changing their fate. If every woman practiced such a thing, we would learn what Eve did after she ate that apple. When she held knowledge in her hands. We would upend the world.
YASSS. For being a short story it just felt so powerful. And holy shit that ending gave me goosebumps! They definitely saved the best for last!
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
jordancsmith16's review
3.0
As with most compilations of short stories by various authors, some stick out more than others.
Starsong
3/5 stars
A good read, nice diversity and an overall strong start to the tales.
Afterbirth
4/5 stars
I really liked this one! A good historical fiction short story.
The Heart In Her Hands
3 1/2 stars
I enjoyed this one, but the 'soulmark' thing is something I've seen played out too often in fanfiction.
Death in the Sawtooths
4/5 stars
A forensic science witch solving mysteries was really engaging, but I didn't feel connected to the reveal of the villain.
The Truth About Queenie
3/5 stars
Love, loss, witchcraft and skateboarding-this one was fine.
The Moonapple Menagerie
2/5 stars
I didn't connect to it, and that's saying something since it has a play in it.
The Legend of Stone Mary
3/5 stars
I liked the concept, but overall was not memorable.
The One Who Stayed
3/5 stars
I should warn that many of these short stories connect to rape and this one could be triggering for sure. It had an odd narrative voice, but I think that helped it.
Divine Are the Stars
4/5 stars
The familial connections were great and added more to the mystical and fantasy elements when they were treated as ordinary.
Daughters of Baba Yaga
3/5 stars
As a descendant of butchers, I appreciated the protagonist, however the story itself was meh.
The Well Witch
4 1/2 /5 stars
A western with a witch, and a compelling tale.
Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths
2 1/2 /5 stars
A lot of the stories deal with family, mostly female connections between mothers and daughters, granddaughters and grandmothers, aunts and nieces and many with sisters. This one deals with sisters and it left a sour taste in my mouth. It was memorable.
Love Spell
3 1/2 /5 stars
I liked this one. The characters were well fleshed out and the conclusion was satisfying.
The Gherin Girls
4/5 stars
This is one of my favorites. Sister witches with mundane powers trying to trek through regular problems together. I liked each sister and their individual arcs. Trigger warning for emotional abuse.
Why They Watch Us Burn
3 1/2 /5 stars
Very handmaids tale, this one has a lot of strong ideas. It also deals strongly with rape, so trigger warning for anyone who needs it.
Starsong
3/5 stars
A good read, nice diversity and an overall strong start to the tales.
Afterbirth
4/5 stars
I really liked this one! A good historical fiction short story.
The Heart In Her Hands
3 1/2 stars
I enjoyed this one, but the 'soulmark' thing is something I've seen played out too often in fanfiction.
Death in the Sawtooths
4/5 stars
A forensic science witch solving mysteries was really engaging, but I didn't feel connected to the reveal of the villain.
The Truth About Queenie
3/5 stars
Love, loss, witchcraft and skateboarding-this one was fine.
The Moonapple Menagerie
2/5 stars
I didn't connect to it, and that's saying something since it has a play in it.
The Legend of Stone Mary
3/5 stars
I liked the concept, but overall was not memorable.
The One Who Stayed
3/5 stars
I should warn that many of these short stories connect to rape and this one could be triggering for sure. It had an odd narrative voice, but I think that helped it.
Divine Are the Stars
4/5 stars
The familial connections were great and added more to the mystical and fantasy elements when they were treated as ordinary.
Daughters of Baba Yaga
3/5 stars
As a descendant of butchers, I appreciated the protagonist, however the story itself was meh.
The Well Witch
4 1/2 /5 stars
A western with a witch, and a compelling tale.
Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths
2 1/2 /5 stars
A lot of the stories deal with family, mostly female connections between mothers and daughters, granddaughters and grandmothers, aunts and nieces and many with sisters. This one deals with sisters and it left a sour taste in my mouth. It was memorable.
Love Spell
3 1/2 /5 stars
I liked this one. The characters were well fleshed out and the conclusion was satisfying.
The Gherin Girls
4/5 stars
This is one of my favorites. Sister witches with mundane powers trying to trek through regular problems together. I liked each sister and their individual arcs. Trigger warning for emotional abuse.
Why They Watch Us Burn
3 1/2 /5 stars
Very handmaids tale, this one has a lot of strong ideas. It also deals strongly with rape, so trigger warning for anyone who needs it.
petrel's review
1.0
I was not expecting to read stories about women being bludgeoned over the head with various personal traumas and sexual assault, all the while their witchcraft is not comprehensive enough to prevent harm or to aid them in any meaningful way. Idk the pervasive lack of personal autonomy just felt too depressing and the book did not feel at all empowering as I had assumed it was meant to be.
Many of the stories were boring and forgettable. The sole star I give is reserved only for the story about defying fate/soul-marks that has the kitchen witch in it.
Many of the stories were boring and forgettable. The sole star I give is reserved only for the story about defying fate/soul-marks that has the kitchen witch in it.
ecoandi's review
4.0
I never know how to rate collections of short stories. Some of these I really enjoyed and some I found just "meh". If it helps those reading, the first one was one of my least favorites, so don't give up early!
saaambino's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0