An intriguing and interesting delve into the history of witchcraft and the occult throughout the ages. A fresh and inspiring look at the women who shaped this era of history right through to the present day.

While I wasn't able to finish this, what I did complete was an interesting read. Nothing was particularly eye-opening.

Totally fascinating and recommend to any fan of women's history and history of the occult!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and educational read. The formatting brings each introduction to life and allows the reader to learn about the various "witches" in bite-size sections.

This is a cute book that would make a great gift. The organization of the book allows you to pick it up and read a section at random here and there, or cover to cover. Although it doesn't give any deep dives into the topics presented it's still an interesting and worthwhile overview.

Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson are the horror academics behind the wonderful MONSTER, SHE WROTE. MONSTER, SHE WROTE focused upon women’s contributions to the horror genre over the years - TOIL AND TROUBLE (Quirk Books, 2022) emerged from an abundance of material unearthed during the writing of the previous book. Women like Maila Nurmi (better known as Vampira) and Elizabeth Montgomery (better known as Samantha in Bewitched) straddle the line between pop culture staples and very real inspirations to women, both inside and outside of occult communities.

The book’s definition of women is one that is broad and inclusive. Throughout the pages the reader encounters people whose identities more closely align with non-binary or genderfluid, along with trans women like Krysta Verona. Perhaps the most notable example of the first is the Public Universal Friend who, living in the 1750s, would not have had an adequate vocabulary for defining themselves by today’s standards, but nonetheless was living as their authentic self. inclusivity is something that not everyone within the book would have found acceptable, whether due to the time in which they lived or personal prejudice. The authors don’t shy away from these complexities, but it is clear that the authors - and most of the people within the occult communities - seem to be striving for this progressive view.

The book then tackles the political aspects of occult belief and practice. By telling the stories of women throughout history, the authors are able to convey how the occult has been used as a way for women to voice their opinions when none were willing to listen to them. Spirits were ways for women, especially women of color, to have their opinions heard. The link between Spiritualism and Abolitionism is a well-known one, but this section further highlighted the way that occult practices were used to challenge political standards of the day. And, of course, the authors talk about the astrologers in the White House - how much influence they may or may not have had over presidents and policies. The history of astrology in particular is an interesting one, as it seems to have arisen as a way to further legitimize occult belief through the lens of science - again, due to the heavy questioning of women.

The book then proceeds to highlight the more skeptical arena of the occult: the monetization of occult practices, and the investigation of the veracity of occult claims. The most well-known figures in these sections would be Miss Cleo and Stormy Daniels, respectively. Miss Cleo is well-known to anyone who watched television throughout the 90s. Her actual biography is something far less-known, as is the fact that she was not even necessarily Jamaican, having grown up in Brooklyn. Miss Cleo was embroiled in a lawsuit, but only named within it due to being one of the recognizable voices of the Paranormal Reading Network, which had been fleecing both its customers and those who worked for it. Her reputation was ruined, even though she was dropped from the lawsuit and had little to do with it. Stormy Daniels, a well-known sex worker infamous for breaking her NDA and exposing Donald Trump for financial fraud, is less known for being an active paranormal investigator with a show called Spooky Babes. Paranormal Investigation, particularly on television, is a field rife with men with often only a token female in the group shy and flighty. Stormy is fighting against that prejudice, as well as prejudice against sex workers.

The final section of this book is a look forward to the future. Women’s place within the occult is complicated. In America, women are best known for their role in Salem, hurling accusations at one another and being murdered on charges of witchcraft. Reconciling that past with a future where you can title yourself, confidently, “100% That Witch” and post spells and potion recipes on Pinterest or TikTok is a difficult thing. There’s a danger of cultural appropriation and commercialization that some argue began with Silver RavenWolf and has continued through white sage being sold bundled in Witch Kits at Sephora. Some are fighting against this cynical commercialization, and painting their way to a brighter future. The authors highlight them all in this book - and give plenty of options to pursue further education elsewhere.

Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson are the horror academics behind the wonderful MONSTER, SHE WROTE. MONSTER, SHE WROTE focused upon women’s contributions to the horror genre over the years - TOIL AND TROUBLE (Quirk Books, 2022) emerged from an abundance of material unearthed during the writing of the previous book. Women like Maila Nurmi (better known as Vampira) and Elizabeth Montgomery (better known as Samantha in Bewitched) straddle the line between pop culture staples and very real inspirations to women, both inside and outside of occult communities.

The book’s definition of women is one that is broad and inclusive. Throughout the pages the reader encounters people whose identities more closely align with non-binary or genderfluid, along with trans women like Krysta Verona. Perhaps the most notable example of the first is the Public Universal Friend who, living in the 1750s, would not have had an adequate vocabulary for defining themselves by today’s standards, but nonetheless was living as their authentic self. inclusivity is something that not everyone within the book would have found acceptable, whether due to the time in which they lived or personal prejudice. The authors don’t shy away from these complexities, but it is clear that the authors - and most of the people within the occult communities - seem to be striving for this progressive view.

The book then tackles the political aspects of occult belief and practice. By telling the stories of women throughout history, the authors are able to convey how the occult has been used as a way for women to voice their opinions when none were willing to listen to them. Spirits were ways for women, especially women of color, to have their opinions heard. The link between Spiritualism and Abolitionism is a well-known one, but this section further highlighted the way that occult practices were used to challenge political standards of the day. And, of course, the authors talk about the astrologers in the White House - how much influence they may or may not have had over presidents and policies. The history of astrology in particular is an interesting one, as it seems to have arisen as a way to further legitimize occult belief through the lens of science - again, due to the heavy questioning of women.

The book then proceeds to highlight the more skeptical arena of the occult: the monetization of occult practices, and the investigation of the veracity of occult claims. The most well-known figures in these sections would be Miss Cleo and Stormy Daniels, respectively. Miss Cleo is well-known to anyone who watched television throughout the 90s. Her actual biography is something far less-known, as is the fact that she was not even necessarily Jamaican, having grown up in Brooklyn. Miss Cleo was embroiled in a lawsuit, but only named within it due to being one of the recognizable voices of the Paranormal Reading Network, which had been fleecing both its customers and those who worked for it. Her reputation was ruined, even though she was dropped from the lawsuit and had little to do with it. Stormy Daniels, a well-known sex worker infamous for breaking her NDA and exposing Donald Trump for financial fraud, is less known for being an active paranormal investigator with a show called Spooky Babes. Paranormal Investigation, particularly on television, is a field rife with men with often only a token female in the group shy and flighty. Stormy is fighting against that prejudice, as well as prejudice against sex workers.

The final section of this book is a look forward to the future. Women’s place within the occult is complicated. In America, women are best known for their role in Salem, hurling accusations at one another and being murdered on charges of witchcraft. Reconciling that past with a future where you can title yourself, confidently, “100% That Witch” and post spells and potion recipes on Pinterest or TikTok is a difficult thing. There’s a danger of cultural appropriation and commercialization that some argue began with Silver RavenWolf and has continued through white sage being sold bundled in Witch Kits at Sephora. Some are fighting against this cynical commercialization, and painting their way to a brighter future. The authors highlight them all in this book - and give plenty of options to pursue further education elsewhere.

An interesting book on women’s history focusing on the occult. I found this to be written in a clear and engaging way, full of females I have never heard of. Certainly one to recommend for anyone interested in this area or female studies in general.

So pleased I requested this one! Not only is the cover stunning but it’s packed with incredibly interesting information and I had so much fun reading it!

I gave this a four out five stars I really enjoyed this book. I'd love to add it to my book collection, this was interesting. I think my partner would really enjoy this book.

This was a really interesting read. I loved learning more about occult history. There were some things I was familiar with but a lot to learn.

This is written in a really accessible and engaging way. I thoroughly enjoyed it

This is a decent light history of women in the occult designed to be an entry point for deeper research/study of their lives and practices. Aimed at a general reader or someone new to occult interests, this is a physically attractive book meant to be showcased on instagram or booktok. While it is light reading, the breadth of women occultists included is refreshing.

Toil and Trouble was a great collection of information connecting women and witches throughout the years. Very interesting and compelling points. I look forward to reading more from these authors in the future!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This book is a great introduction to the history of women, witches, and the occult. But whilst I enjoyed reading it and found it full of fascinating stories - I did find it repetitive and lacking in some depth. I would recommend this for people with a passing interest in the topic who don’t have that much of a background in the history.

That being said, as a celebration of women, witchcraft and rebellion I thought it did a great job of showcasing how radical it can be to step into the occult as a woman.

This was a fantastic non fiction exploration of witches. The book itself is a beautiful object, but this is more than a pretty coffee table book. There is a lot of substance in the pages. The book explores the history of witches but also explores the modern manifestations today. I also really appreciated the inclusive nature of this book. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an entertaining but informative exploration of historical and modern witches.

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

Toil and Trouble was exactly the book I was hoping it would be. This is a book which explores women's history of the occult in a way which feels halfway between storytelling and historical reflections. I loved the variety and diversity of tales being told, and the many influences on how the occult has been portrayed over the years. This would be a great read for someone interested in the history of magic, occult, women, and power over the ages, and the influence of these factors on more modern histories as well.

This was a NetGalley read.

Although the subject is interesting and many of the case studies would potentially be fascinating, this book seemed to race through too many examples in too short a time. A more selective approach would, perhaps, have allowed for more detailed accounts and more compelling reading beyond what felt like an elaborate list.

On an initial glance, Toil and Trouble: A Women’s Guide to the Occult looks to be a short overview of various women who have been important to Occultism and related areas (e.g. Witchcraft, Wicca, tarot) through the ages. On a closer read, however, I was most disappointed by this title.

As I read this book, I noticed — time and again — evidence of bad research (where are the citations, sources?) despite this being written by academics. There were facts that were misleading — Salem being the first instance of the Occult in the USA? Really? — and others that were just plain wrong. For instance, Pamela Colman Smith died in poverty in Cornwall (not London, as is claimed) and her grave is most likely to be in Bude. She also converted to Roman Catholicism, not Catholicism. These are just a few examples of the many errors in this book, which is mainly US-focused and not a complete guide by any means.

As an experienced Witch, tarot reader, and Occultist, I found this book to be a poor addition to the field, and would not recommend it to anyone. Avoid.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Quirk Books, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable, though short, dive into the history of the occult. It was an interesting and quick read, but I couldn't help wishing that it was longer and dived in with a little more detail. A nice book to gift for a small present I reckon.