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Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments: Bewitching Stories of "Hysterical" Women

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Fear the hunter, never the witch.
​
A spirit wanders the Scottish moors, desperate for answers. An Empress and her mistress seek revenge in the Chinese Imperial Court. A Black freewoman scavenges for truth in the bodies of Confederate soldiers. A damsel flees to a convent to escape a knight-in-obsessive-armor.

Across every manner of time and place, women have been labelled crazy. Hysterical. Witches.

To be labelled a witch was once a death sentence. Persecuted for existing and condemned if they dared to speak out of turn, women were unjustly hanged and burned in the name of patriarchal justice. The label remains a way for those in power to discredit and disenfranchise empowered women.

But there is power in defiance. There is power in reclamation. There is power in embracing one's inner witch.

With a foreword by author M.B. Thurman, Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments presents 9 stories of feminine love, rage, and empowerment, all imbued with the magic of witchcraft—tales of cursed women, charming smiles, and enchanted ever-afters.​

Paperback

Published September 22, 2026

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About the author

M.B. Thurman

6 books47 followers
M.B. Thurman traded her career as an executive assistant to fulfill her dream of becoming an author. When she isn’t writing, she’s operating the Miller Tree Inn and researching for her next book. Thurman has embraced the lifestyle of the magical Pacific Northwest after settling in Washington State with her husband and feisty felines, Midnight & Tobias.

Thurman’s work explores the intersection of witchcraft, folklore, and the feminine experience, ranging from romantic fantasy to atmospheric horror. Her settings echo her love of travel—especially areas of the world that brim with magic and echo ancient marvels. Her company, Firecracker Entertainment, is dedicated to bringing Thurman’s novels to life through immersive storytelling in mediums ranging from screen to audio and beyond.

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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Aidyn Long.
35 reviews13 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
July 23, 2026
Thank you to the Publishers for this ARC!!! It was a very nice surprise in my order and I appreciate the free book

I have been struggling for the last couple of hours with whether to power my way through this and read the stories I had planned or just straight DNF the book. While I was reacting to the book on Threads, I made a comment about there needing to be trigger warnings for slurs. I did not mention this book by name but the Publisher still commented and apologized and said it was an oversight that will be corrected. I appreciated the comment and the correction but I was a bit weirded out by them directly replying to a post that didnt mention them or even the book name

where things started to get weird was when I was reading the forward. I made a post on Threads about being discontent about this forward painting witches in an ahistorical white feminist lense, especially as I am a pagan and a witch myself who decolonizes in my practice and I have a very important interest in historical witch trials and witch hunts and the historical usage of the word witch

The forward started off decent but devolved the further along it got and went completely off the rails when it painted witches as historical women who men couldn't control. this. is. not. true. the people who were accused of being witches were vulnerable populations, especially women and Jewish folk and other vulnerable people. These people would be *offended* to be considered witches. They were real people and they died and are not inspiration porn for a rah rah sisterhood fuck the patriarchy definition of the word 'witch'. it reeked of neopaganism and wicca which is famous for stealing indigenous practices and bastardizing them

I made a post saying I was going to mention this in my review

moving on to the second story, which is as far as I got, the story is set in 1300s Holy Order France about a lesbian nun and there is enough anachronisms in the half of the story I read to cuddle milk. even an allusion to Jekyll and Hyde which wouldn't be published until roughly 800 years later

My mutual also read this story and talked about the historical inaccurates as they are very, very knowledgeable on this topic and the usage of a slur that didnt even exist in this time period

then came the issue. not only did *I* receive an email, as did my mutual. both emails said the publisher usually stays out of reader spaces but felt the need to urgently address our concerns. I didn't mind. I explicitly said I hoped my concerns are addressed- my mutual said no such disclaimer and was left uncomfortable

I replied to the email and thanked them, gave some of my backstory and why the forward especially concerned me, especially as it needs to be made clear *these are not witches*. These were innocent Jewish and Christian women. A few hours later they responded and thanked me for "being gracious" and told me that *I*, a random person complaining on my social media page was a catalyst to have them go back and fix things but they couldn't guarantee id be satisfied because they were focused on "harm reduction" and didnt want to reduce the "message of the forward"

This made me uncomfortable. This is a huge responsibility they just put on my shoulders, *knowing* I plan on leaving a review and now I feel trapped and like I cant leave an honest and like my review has been tampered with. While I genuinely do think the Publisher has good intentions here I am so uncomfortable by this power imbalance that was created and im sorry but the current forward reeks of white feminism and "daughters of the witches you couldn't burn"

I dont know how I can leave a review for something I know is going to be changed and I dont know what is being changed. Are citations going to be included? footnotes? a source list? is the author going to take out the ahistorical idea that witches were all just free women who danced under the moon and challenged the patriarchy? I dont know!

the second story is also going to be tweaked to be inspired by history but set in a fictional time period and im not sure how well that's going to be accomplished as so much of this story is *baked* into 1300s Holy Order France and the Knights Templar unless its just changing names and making it just vague enough it reads like a knock off version of the Holy Order. Idk. curious how that plays out

I do my very best to remain as fair as possible in my critiques. Unfortunately I felt like my hand was forced. I now feel like I need to appease the publishers in my review bec they saw my criticisms and are fixing them but i also feel like my boundaries as a reader were violated and now I am being pressured into saying something i don't mean

I wanted to read a couple of more stories in this book but got distressed enough due to the Publishers interference I can't read them. Maybe I will get to them eventually but for now they're going to have to remain unread. Im sorry I couldn't give a better review
Profile Image for Natasha.
18 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 3, 2026
(Recieved as ARC from NetGalley) overall, the book is a little above a 3 stars for me. It's not at all bad, but the stories aren't mind blowing either. That said, I really appreciate that these aren't well-established authors. It's refreshing to read authors I've never heard of, some of them probably living similar lives as me. I'll give a breakdown of all the stories (no spoilers), but overall the book succeeded in writing about magic and women, usually who have been wronged. Lots of queer characters, too.

Lucrative Spells for the Enterprising Witch- 4 stars. Loved the writing, though the plot/story wasn't crazy. It did it's job of helping me imagine a world in which magic is real. Just good fantasy escapism, and probably my second favorite story.

Proudly to the Flame- 3 stars. Went on for too long, some parts were fun to read but in the end I don't really remember the story

From the Snare- 3.5 stars. Not my favorite, and the beginning was a little too slow, but I did start enjoying the story as the climax approached. One of the more satisfying endings.

The Ballad of Daphne Dark- 3.25 stars? I remember liking it more than others, but I honestly don't remember what happens in the end.

Yours Eternally- 2.5 stars. I liked the format, but I wasn't a big fan of the story itself. It's not BAD, but probably my least favorite.

Mirena of the Green Glass Sea- 3 stars. There were some pacing issues. It was a little too slow/nothing happened for a while, and I think overall a little too long the first half. The climax was a little anticlimactic, though not illogical. The story felt very unfinished and just when the story was getting good, it stopped. It probably should've been a short novella on its own and I'm very conflicted. Loved some parts, hated others.

How the Old Stories Go- 2.75 stars. I get the meaning and that's good, but I had to look it up to remember literally anything about it. I think it was just too short. I wish the story continued on, but I think(?) where it ended was part of the point. I don't know, I really liked the beginning and it reminded me of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novella The Lover, but how short it was combined with the ending makes me think it probably should've continued. My initial response was what do you mean that's it???

The Empress and Her Witch- 3 stars. I was a little lost at first and got lost as I was reading. I wish this were a novella instead because there were too many characters for me to remember/keep track of. Normally that's whatever, but given the format of the story, most of the characters aren't active so i personally struggled to keep track of thing. But it was interesting and different, and I give it big props for that. Again, really liked some parts and didn't like others.

She Who Calls the Tide- might be my favorite of the stories, 4 or 5 stars? It's not life changing but I loved the story and the writing and the characters. I don't really have any complaints. It's a short story so you don't KNOW KNOW the characters, but I didn't feel like I was struggling to keep up like in other stories. I loved the first story too, but theres less substance than in She Who Calls the Tide
Profile Image for Marie Sinadjan.
Author 11 books84 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 8, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

I really liked this! I especially enjoyed the cultural variety, which is something I still don't see a lot of and is important to me as a BIPOC reader. There was a Chinese story and a Scottish story (the dialogue was a bit of a challenge for me but this isn't a criticism, I'm only not used to the accent!), one set in Italy, one that had something about the Crusades and a Roma character, and there was even one set during the American Civil War with a Black protagonist. Though none of them actually felt historical to me, rather just historical inspired, if that makes sense? I could be wrong, but that's simply how it came across to me, in the same way that the "witch" theme was really more of a feminist, speculative reclaiming instead of historical. All I'm saying is, if you're here for historical accuracy or something like that, this might not be the book for you.

The variety in writing style was fun to see! It's probably what I enjoy most about anthologies, getting to take a peek at different authors' writing styles and finding new favorites. My favorite is the last story, She Who Calls the Tide by Michelle Khalil, while Yours Eternally by Lily Meade is a close second; I especially liked the surprising and emotional resolution of the latter. Lucrative Spells for the Enterprising Witch deserves a mention too, it's cozy and sweet and the worldbuilding is fantastic for something so short.

Most are sapphic stories, but there's also a trans one. Lots about men being men, but for a change, they get what they deserve. If you support women's rights and women's wrongs, you'll might like this collection!
Profile Image for Caralee Wells.
39 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
June 24, 2026
Absolutely enthralling, magical snippets of storytelling, bringing to the front realities of living as a woman and the curses and great love they carry with them in order to survive.

As a queer witch with a penchant for folklore and history of working in male-dominated spaces, I really appreciated these tales for what they were; fantastical but believable, genuinely voiced, harrowing, raw, and devastating. Each of them read like a cautionary tale about the dangers of scorning a woman, and what fate befalls those that take advantage of societally expected kindness. Women in these stories find solutions where there are none, love even when they are scared, and rise above what is expected of them to transmute into something even greater. While these stories are touched with magic, they are also reflections of a woman's spirit and a desire for freedom we can all relate to.

A woman bears a curse - a fate interweaved since the beginning of storytelling, to be less than. But curses are meant to be broken.

A woman charms, beguiles - a serpent full of sin and lust. Or is it simply that powerful men tell tall stories to cover their own desires?

A woman enchants with words and potions - she cannot be allowed to lead with such silly convictions. But perhaps open ears and eyes would have conjured an expansion of what thought possible.

Explore the many facets of magical women in these stories and what redefines them as forces to be reckoned with. To be labeled a witch isn't a curse; it is a public recognition of clarity, purpose, and a spirit that shines bright among those that seek to conquer and take.
Profile Image for Lilliana.
50 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 12, 2026
A beautiful and heart-wrenching read!

I'm speechless and consumed with so many emotions after finishing this collection of short stories. I told myself I'd sit down and collect my thoughts before writing this review, but even then, I'm at a loss, so here we go!

These stories were written in such a way that you could feel how the authors had plucked pieces of themselves out and allowed them to bleed onto the paper.

The struggles of women within this book are told from different perspectives, different cultures, and different walks of life, but each message remains the same: when women do not fit into a neat box, they are suddenly labelled as untamable, emotional, a witch, hysterical, unreasonable, dramatic. They suddenly become a problem needed solving. How is it that a woman caring for herself, and the earth around her, is an inconceivable idea to men who do nothing but cause rot and conquer things they don't understand?

Everyone who identifies as a woman needs to read these stories. As the editor wrote it so beautifully in the foreword:
"The world needs women's stories now as much as it ever has. Stories that guide our daughters, stories that teach how we might defeat great evil, stories that remind us we are not alone, that we have each other."

Thank you to all the authors for sharing these pieces of your soul; after reading these I do not feel so alone and so hopeless in the world we live in.
14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
August 14, 2026
I will always pick up an anthology when I see it, and with a cover as pretty as this one, it was hard to ignore.

The concept behind the anthology worked well, looking at showcasing stories female empowerment, set in eras where they might have been passed off by people as “crazy. Hysterical. Witches” and many of the stories lean into this well, offering up a well rounded display of different time periods and settings.

I enjoyed it, for the most part, but did find overall that none of the stories particularly gripped me in they way other anthologies with similarly defined themes have.

That being said, there were a few I wanted to highlight that I did really enjoy!

First up, ‘The Ballad of Daphne Dark’ by Rain Sullivan, which focuses on the rage of younger women, and how far people will go to protect and try to bring back those that we love.

‘Yours Eternally’ was one I also very much enjoyed, by Lily Meade. I am always a fan of prose written like letters, and this is one that fit the bill, with an interesting exploration of grief and heartbreak.

Finally, I really enjoyed ‘Mirena of the Greenglass Sea’ by Night Rain. The prose in this were great, with some excellent character work that I really enjoyed.

I wish the other stories were just as engaging, and I think some adjusting of order might have helped the flow of them a bit more!

I will definitely be trying to read some more stories from these authors!

Profile Image for Midlife Fantasy Reader.
38 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 19, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions and views are my own.

3.75* rounded up to 4.

Overall I thought this collection of stories had a good range of voices, times, genres, cultures, queerness and feminine love. There will definitely be something for everyone. As the description says, the stories are all connected by having women front and centre, fighting against what society try to force them to be; wives, servants, meek and mild.

Some of these tales are dark and violent, and do not have neat happy endings. Some are about self-discovery and belonging, other's about finding your power. My favourites were 'Mirena of the Greenglass Sea', 'From the Snare' and 'How the Old Stories Go'. Perhaps because these tales had a folklore-like quality that I connected with.

I do understand how other reviewers would have preferred there to be fewer men, as most of the women in these stories are escaping men in some form or other. However I would argue that this is what most women are fighting against in their lives, not individual men per se, but the patriarchy, and in these stories that is what these men are; reflections of the patriarchal society most of us women are fighting against.
Profile Image for SIERRA.
10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 2, 2026
**Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the editor for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.**

I really wanted to love Curses, Charms, and Other Enchantments, especially because the premise of a magical-themed anthology sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to the expectations I had going in.

That said, there were definitely some standout stories. A few were absolutely phenomenal and showcased the creativity and variety that I had hoped to find throughout the collection. Those stories are what ultimately earned this book three stars.

However, I found the quality to be inconsistent from one story to the next. While some immediately drew me in, others were difficult for me to connect with, and I struggled to stay engaged. I even found myself skipping a couple of stories because I simply couldn't get invested in them.

Anthologies can be challenging since every reader will connect with different voices and styles, and I appreciate the range of authors included. While this collection wasn't the right fit for me overall, I think readers who enjoy sampling a variety of magical stories may still find several gems within its pages.
Profile Image for Timea Andoczi-Balogh.
37 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for the early access copy of Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments: Bewitching Stories of "Hysterical" Women by M.B. Thurman and Jamie Ryu.
 
Obsessed with the cover, absolutely stunning!
 
This was a wonderfully curated anthology of witchy stories. My favourites were "From the Snare" by M.B. Thurman, "Yours Eternally" by Lily Meade, and "Mirena of the Greenglass Sea" by Night Rain.
 
Without giving too much away, each story explores very real and often difficult subjects in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Many of the themes felt deeply relatable to my own experiences, and they left me wondering what I might have done if I had the power to practice magic myself. Every story felt empowering, and more than once I felt seen and that my feelings were truly validated.
 
Favourite quote:
"The world needs women's stories now as much as it ever has. Stories that guide our daughters, stories that teach how we might defeat great evil, stories that remind us we are not alone, that we have each other."
 
I would recommend this anthology to everyone. These stories are powerful, moving, and incredibly important, I genuinely think everyone should read them
Profile Image for Carmen.
21 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 13, 2026
Advanced reader copy was given to me by NetGalley • Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments: BeWitching Stories of “Hysterical” Women is about female rage and magic told by authors including M.B. Thurman, J.A. Espermyth, Lily Meade, and Shar Khan.

I could not put this book down after falling for the cover! The little kid in me will always love seeing covers of books with people who look like me. I will be purchasing my own copy on it’s release date 📚🐛✨

Without giving much away, each story is about very real, very hard subjects that are relatable to my own journey. It made me wonder what I might have done if I practiced magic. Would I bring a loved one back from the dead or call upon a deity for protection? Would I be vengeful or lead with compassion following my rage? 🤔 It’s a book like this that not only kept me engaged and wanting more - it made me feel seen and valued for the woman that I now know myself to be.

I recommend this to anyone who might relate to one or more of these witches stories.
Profile Image for Paige.
70 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2026
Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments is the kind of anthology that feels like opening a spellbook filled with rage, desire, grief, rebellion, and beautifully complicated women. Each story brings its own flavor of magic—from sapphic romance and enchanted shops to revenge, necromancy, sea magic, folklore, and forbidden love. I especially loved how different the characters and settings feel while still connecting through the larger themes of autonomy, sisterhood, resilience, and refusing to be silenced. The sapphic stories add so much warmth and longing, while the darker tales bring a sharper edge of anger and vengeance. This collection doesn’t portray women as one single thing—they can be tender, furious, ambitious, grieving, powerful, messy, loving, and dangerous. A gorgeous celebration of witchcraft, feminine voices, and the magic of taking back your own story.
TROPES :
Witches & Witchcraft
Sapphic Romance
Women Reclaiming Their Power
Found Family & Sisterhood
Folklore Retellings & Dark Fairytales
Profile Image for Rachel.
93 reviews4 followers
September 1, 2026
A beautiful collection of witchy feminine rage. I honestly believe every woman can relate to an aspect of at least one story in this collection, if not more.

Feminine rage fills every one of the 278 pages in this book. Worlds full of entitled men, entrapped women, and love that is unabashedly deserved. Every story is unique, and with each new perspective comes a new reason to wish to burn the world down.

My personal favorites were Yours Eternally by Lily Meade and The Empress and Her Witch by Dawn Chen. Both are set up in letter style,which truly makes my little writer heart happy.

I would recommend this collection for anyone that loves witches, magic, rage, men being humbled, sapphic love, and short stories that connect without tying to each other directly.

Thank you to Contrarian Publishing for the gifted copy!
Profile Image for Amanda.
42 reviews3 followers
September 28, 2026
All throughout history, women have been oppressed, with decisions constantly being made for them. I love how this collection shows that even when everything is taken away from us, we can still rise above it and choose our own path. Whether the choice is good or bad, and even if it comes with death or loss, we still have the power to decide for ourselves. I really loved this collection of stories. Each one felt meaningful and thought-provoking, and I especially enjoyed how they explored women, power, and the choices we make.

For me, and I think it’s almost unfair to say I had favorites, because I think each story will speak to different people in different ways. But for me, From the Snare, The Ballad of Daphne Dark, and She Who Calls the Tide spoke to me the most. I think it will be a while before I can get them out of my head.
Profile Image for Emma.
382 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 4, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded down.

Curses, Charms & Other Enchantments is a collection built around feminine vengeance and sapphic love across a multitude of cultures, from the cozy interior of a candle shop to the beautiful shores of Italy and everywhere in between. Some stories felt stronger than others, but I appreciated the variety each author brought to the similar storylines nonetheless. While this collection’s definition of “witch” may not fit the common historical interpretation, each story does a good job of what it set out to do: give the woman her freedom however she chooses to take it, often with another woman. If you’re looking for a new set of bite-sized stories this Sapphic September, this would be a great place to start.
Profile Image for Taylor.
9 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
July 13, 2026
This was a wonderfully put together anthology of witchy stories. My favourites were From the Snare by M.B. Thurman, Yours Eternally by Lily Meade, and Mirena of the Greenglass Sea by Night Rain.

I found it really interesting that despite the uniqueness of each story, a lot of them, if not all, had similar characteristics in terms of their antagonists. I think it just goes to show that it is unfortunately a situation or relationship that many women have experienced to varying degrees.
Profile Image for Ura Bookworm.
105 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 19, 2026
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity*
Each story had me captivated but I will be biased to say that The Empress And Her Witch by Dawn Chen was my favorite. Characters were complex, backstory was intriguing and finale was beautiful. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the rest. Each character was courageous and deserved their happy endings even though I felt some were unsatisfying.
Profile Image for bette perry.
205 reviews
September 29, 2026
thank you netgalley and IBPA publishing for this arc.

it was fine, but i wasn’t super gripped by this book. for an anthology about women’s empowerment and exploring witches/witch craft i felt like it centered men and their actions, their feelings a bit too much. i would’ve liked it better if there was more emphasis on women embracing themselves away from men. overall i did enjoy lily meade and michele khalil’s stories and i’ll definitely be checking out their other works.
3 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy
June 15, 2026
Witches & enchantresses me, oh MY! A delightful read full of empowered women in various short stories who overcome barriers and explore what happens when life experiences test individual will. Each story took me away on magical rides that taught valuable lessons on who in life is really worth the effort.
Profile Image for Tye Rose.
261 reviews6 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 10, 2026
This was a well written and enjoyable short story collection full of witchery, magic, and revenge. There was also a lot of queerness in these stories, which is always a plus for me. Definitely a good collection to pick up if you support women's rights and women's wrongs. A book that will make you say, "Good for her."

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc!
Profile Image for Ice Angel.
792 reviews14 followers
July 8, 2026
A very charming collection of short stories I must say. I did enjoy some and some not so much but regardless I did enjoy the book overall. I think it explores important themes.
Thank you to NETGALLEY for the ARC. I appreciate
Profile Image for CozyKettleOfFish.
55 reviews
September 28, 2026
[First and foremost: his is an ARC review]

Fun, feminist and utterly magical!
An anthology bursting with women discovering the truths of their magic, their worlds, and most importantly: themselves!
Love, betrayal, revenge! You will find it all, woven into these pages!
Profile Image for Ale.
71 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 31, 2026
Give me anything women's literature!!
I enjoyed this anthology on women's societal role and condicion.

What I especially loved was that every protagonist was a witch and how it highlighted how women are perceived as an enemy for just being women and/or knowledgeable(which is the whole point of the book, I know).

It is a fantasy anthology, but it's clearly something more, so I hope people won't stop at that and actually read the book as it's very deserving.

I also enjoyed the diversification of the authors.
Profile Image for Candace Croasdale.
Author 1 book1 follower
October 7, 2026
It's tricky to create an entire anthology around the concept of women being wronged without it becoming depressing, but M. B. Thurman manged it. I'll definitely be re-reading several of the selections.

A couple of the earlier stories didn't land well with me, which had me worrying that I wouldn't like this anthology. I'm glad I kept reading, though. I was impressed by the breadth of stories; this collection offers a range of locations (in our world and others), time periods, and notions about magic. Most of the works were very well written, and some of them will stay with me for years.

I'm grateful to have received a free copy of this book.
Profile Image for Chloe.
187 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
August 29, 2026
I would love to highlight some of the stories I enjoyed from this anthology

“Lucrative Spells for the Enterprising Witch” by J.A. Espersmyth
This was tense and forbidden and I loved the use of candles for mood enhancement.

“Proudly to the Flame” by Shar Khan
This had me on the edge of my seat and screaming at my phone. It was so interesting and kept me hooked and that ending...

“How the Old Stories Go” by Nico Silver
This was great, the magic, connections to nature, and how the characters drew you in.

“She Who Calls the Tide” by Michele Khalil
This was emotional and the setting really added to the whole mood of the story, as well as Layla realising what she needed, her connection to the sea and learning to stand up for herself.
Profile Image for Rachael.
38 reviews11 followers
July 27, 2026
"The world needs women's stories now as much as it ever has. Stories that guide our daughters, stories that teach how we might defeat great evil, stories that remind us that we are not alone, that we have each other." -M.B. Thurman

I was lucky enough to received an early copy of Curses, Charms, and Other Enchantments, and it was such a great read! This anthology is filled with beautifully written stories about strength, resilence, and sisterhood. While most of the stories overall themes were the same, each author's specific writing was so unique and I loved being transported to the different worlds. From The Snare by M.B. Thurman allowed us to take a look into a character we briefly meet in Forged, and it was so cool to get her story, even if it was sad. I immediately pulled out Forged after reading it so I could see my girl in a new light! The other stories had such great and badass characters, and I would love to see more in other stories!

Curses, Charms, & Other Enchantments is out now, with a portion of proceeds being donated to Planned Parenthood and The Joyful Heart Foundation!
Profile Image for Katelyn Fenech.
32 reviews
August 12, 2026
I absolutely enjoyed this collection of stories! Each one is vastly different, but they all had overlapping themes and struggles the FMCs went through. Which goes to show that we as women often times may have different stories, but the emotions and feelings we experience are often very similar. There is a bound I found between many of the main characters of each story that created this sense of sisterhood. Absolutely recommend this one, especially if you’d like to share some solidarity through female rage
Profile Image for Zenna.
53 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 19, 2026
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I really wish I love the stories more! There is nothing bad about the stories they're all okay. I just didn't feel any connection with the stories and I found the stories a bit flat.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews