Check out our interview with Tori Anne Martin, the author of "No Charm Done."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
In a very literal sense, it was a 2012 romcom called "This Means War," about two CIA agents fighting over the same woman. I was playing a game with myself where I would take a romance concept and think about how the dynamic would change if I made it queer. It immediately struck me that this would be such a fun concept to play with, because obviously the two people fighting would fall for each other. I was writing adult witch romcoms at the time, but this felt like a concept that would work much better as YA. I hadn't written a YA in years, so I was excited to try it again. And of course, I had to make it about witches. I love writing about anything magical.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
It means books should represent the world around us in all its beautiful diversity. Readers should be able to find books filled with characters that represent their own life experiences, as well as be exposed to characters who are very different. Readers, especially teens, need to know they are not alone.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
Because the world is filled with variety, and our books should reflect that. Because lack of diversity is boring frankly, and reading is the chance to experience other lives, to expand our horizons. But mostly, because people deserve to feel seen and know they're not alone. I wish I'd had the book options that exist now when I was a teen.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"No Charm Done" is a romance about two witches who are very similar in many ways, but they don't see that because of their superficial differences. Lily outwardly leads a perfect, preppy life. Chrys is reserved and resentful of Lily for being rude to her when she moved to town years ago. When a new boy arrives, Lily believes her tarot cards are telling her that she needs to date him to have a perfect senior year of high school, and Chrys makes it her mission to prevent that. Ultimately, it leads them to hexing each other. The magic spins out of control, and they have to work together to stop it.
It deals with themes of making assumptions, learning to trust others, and the ways heteronormativity makes it difficult to understand ourselves.
What can fans expect from your book?
I hope it's a fun romcom that will make people feel good and even laugh a few times. The autumn and Halloween vibes are strong, so I also hope it puts people in a festive, fall mood. There are some very light horror-ish elements to some of the magic, but I kept it on the silly side of scary.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
I'm working on my next YA, and my next adult book will be out in March 2026. It's called "Witch of the Shadow Wood," and it's a sapphic Hansel and Gretel retelling.
