The Toil and Trouble Trilogy, Book One

The Toil and Trouble Trilogy #1

by Val St. Crowe

The jettatori are male witches. They make and sell illegal magical charms. Their underground network controls the city, and it’s boys’ club—no women allowed.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Calabrese is tough as nails. She not only wants in, she wants to be boss.

She’s got the pedigree. Her father ran the crew until he was arrested and locked up.

She’s got a secret weapon. Brice Ventresca—super powerful, super gorgeous.

Now all she has to do is survive the competition against her cousin and scrabble her way to the top.

Except her cousin’s not playing fair. He whispers something to her that throws her off track. Says that her dead mother wasn’t killed by stray bullets from the police, like she thought. It was a hit, one ordered by her father.

Now Olivia’s determined to find out the truth.

And gorgeous Brice? Well, he’s contracted a magical virus that makes him turn into a rage-filled monster every night at midnight.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction

235 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2016

About the author

Val St. Crowe is the fantasy and sci-fi pen name for USA Today Bestselling author V.J. Chambers.

Under the name V.J. Chambers she writes mysteries, thrillers and horror.

Under the pen name Jove Chambers she writes dark romance.

A Joss Whedon fanatic, she loves all that is speculative, from Elemental Assassin to Arrow to The Lost Boys.

She lives in Shepherdstown, WV with her partner Aaron, their son, and their kitty cat.

Reviews

[Jennifer Holzapfel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing collaboration of mob families and magic charms. Olivia Callebrese has two forms of magic running through her system. The good from her mother's family, and the dubious from her father. Her father is in prison and her mother is dead, killed in a standoff between her father and police. Her father sells charms that are tainted with the beserker virus, which slowly infect people and turns them into monsters who kill without thought. Her almost first time sexual partner Brice turned into a beserker before her eyes. Her father has pitted her against her cousin Vincent for head of the family when his father is shot. The farther down the cesspool of the organization she looks, the worse it becomes. As the first in the series, I have become hooked on the magic and the almost romance between Olivia and Brice.

[Airwreckah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic system is a bit thin, but it feels very unique

[Tena Boutang · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was okay but I may not continue reading the trilogy

[Annarasumanara · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok, this was quite good. recommend.

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Toil and the Trouble Trilogy: Book One (T&T 1) by Val St. Crowe The Toil and the Trouble Trilogy: Book One (T&T 1) by Val St. Crowe is a paranormal book. Olivia Calabrese's father ran the crew before he was imprisoned. Brice Ventresca is a cousin and super powerful. He doesn't play fair. I gave it five stars.
 
"Mass itself isn't that bad. I like to go. I like how pretty the inside of the church is, and I like the way everything feels ceremonious and serious. Being in church makes me feel part of something ancient and powerful. I feel tied to tradition. It's similar to the way I feel about family." I received a complimentary kindle copy from Amazon. That did not change my opinion for this review.
 
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Toil-Trouble-T...

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in the Toil and Trouble trilogy is such a major pageturner I read the whole thing in an afternoon. There are witches with a very intriguing magic system, modern mafia, and a touch of Shakespeare. It's a little dark, but I thought very hopeful overall. A bit YA, but very mature. Highly recommended! (And free!)

[Patricia Burleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Very good book lots of action the characters are great the story line is good. So grab your copy and enjoy reading it. Can't wait for the next one.