Weird.

Weird, weird, weird, weird, weird.

Annie and her long-term partner have broken up, she moves out into a small town where she teaches at a high school. She meets Sophie and Sophie is kind and pretty and helps her to move on.

Although, all is not as it seems...! Sophie lives in a huge mansion, there maybe a ghost or two, a pet spiders (Ralph) and some magic.

For some reason I thought this was a witchy romance book.... no no no...! It's more horror (there are some horrific scenes!) and spiders and creepiness. Not my usual genre but I did enjoy it.

I liked the message it portrayed, I liked Annie's journey to resilience. I did like the "feminist" message but it was bordering on man-hating, not every man is as bad as Sam was in the book. I liked the side characters in the town, however I would have liked their story to be more explored - was Oskar flirting with her, would that have been a future romance there? (oh yes... not a romance book!).

However, I spent most the story not knowing what was going on and I don't like that in a book. Sophie was quite a controlling character and some things didn't sit right with me.

The best thing about this book was, believe it or not, Ralph - the spider!!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this advance copy (and sorry for the late review!).

What a cute and spooky halloween read! I love witchy books, and this one was good. Perhaps not my favourite, but a book I really enjoyed nonetheless. PS: the spider companion is the BEST.

This was a really enjoyable, witchy, female empowering tale set in the small town of Rowan.

Annie is a high school teacher who has recently split up with her boyfriend of ten years. Because of this, she can no longer afford to keep living in Manhattan, and makes the move to the small town of Rowan to take up a new job as an English and American Sign Language teacher. Rowan is a beautiful, magical town with delicious coffee, friendly neighbours, and lots of spiders!!

Annie meets Sophie, who is somewhat of an enigma. She is ethereal and mysterious and Annie is drawn to her seemingly kind and soothing nature immediately, with the two of them striking up a friendship. Annie cannot understand why the rest of the inhabitants of Rowan act so distant and strange around Sophie.

It’s not long before things get spooky, and Annie discovers that Sophie has strong powers, some that she uses for good, and some that she uses for revenge. Essentially, Sophie is a witch. And Sophie helps Annie to discover her own powers, and to understand that she doesn’t need to rely on love and validation from someone else to be happy. Sophie helps Annie find true happiness, with a little help from some potions, spells, ghosts and spiders!

A lot of powerful messages in this book that essentially equate to the only person who can truly make you happy is yourself, and that we should stop putting our happiness into the hands of other people. Self validation is the only validation we should require.

A really fun, spooky, inspiring read!

I loved this book! Honestly. There's so much that I could gush about this book. Annie had a spectacular voice. Her obsession with Sam and their breakup, which morphed into an obsession around Sophie and spending as much time with her as possible came out in the best way. I think the best part, though, was the creeping horror that underlined this entire story. Annie came off as a really good horror/dark fantasy protagonist in that she has very little suspicion of what's going on and why it's wrong/not the best thing for her right now, but is unable to drag herself from that pattern. We have the townspeople exhibiting bits and pieces of their suspicions but not enough for Annie to have red flags and run away. The relationship with Sophie was captured really well, how Sophie took advantage of Annie's not-so-great state of mind post breakup, and the beginnings of suspicion as it managed to slide into Annie's conscience slowly. Basically, a really wonderful, thoughtful book with a seriously hooky plot!

A delightful feminist horror novel exploring the experiences of Annie, who moves on from a breakup by moving to a small town and forming a close relationship with a local woman, who may or may not be a witch. I love how Rachel Harrison upends horror tropes in her novels and she is becoming an auto-buy author for me.

I heard a lot about this book when it was released in the US last year so my expectations going in we're fairly high and it definitely lived up to the hype. This is a deeply enjoyable cosy witchy novel set in a small town with a dark past. It's largely about female empowerment and friendship with some darker elements thrown into the mix and I found the ending to be very satisfying. Perfect read for autumn/spooky season.

Razor sharp and wickedly funny, this wasn't quite what I was expecting - but I still enjoyed it greatly regardless!

This is exactly the kind of book I really crave in the autumn.

Cackle follows Annie who has recently broken up with her long time boyfriend and moved to a new town where she meets Sophie. But, all is not as it seems with her new friend. Can Annie ever get over her ex-boyfriend? Is she safe?

I haven’t read a witchy book in so long, this really hit the spot for me. This is an absolutely perfect book for October/Halloween but would be enjoyable at any time of year. I loved the creepy horror moments that were woven throughout. But despite these horror flashes, this was quite an easy and light read with an important message hidden amongst the pages; a message of self acceptance and love. I really liked the positive spin that was added to topics that are usually handled with suspicion and mistrust in books like this. It really added a different perspective.

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but my favourite character in this was Ralph the spider. I’m usually terrified of spiders but Ralph had a charm and sweetness that had me giddy with glee. I found myself noting every single passage involving Ralph so that I could return to his cuteness whenever I feel like it! I’m still not sure how I feel about real spiders, but I certainly have a deep love for Ralph now! I feel I may read this book again during future Halloweens because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I would recommend Cackle to anyone who likes a Halloween/witchy read. I want to thank Netgalley, Titan Books and Rachel Harrison for sending me a copy of this book so I can give my personal thoughts.

Annie is looking for a fresh start. The little village of Rowan is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Everyone knows everyone and is so friendly. Sophie is especially welcoming and becomes an instant friend but not everyone likes in town likes her....in fact it's more like they are afraid of her.

Witchy reads have not been something I have ever read until this year and to be honest I have had mixed success. I like the sound of them but sometimes the delivery misses the mark, however I am delighted to say that Cackle delivered completely and utterly! Maybe the book came with some kind of enchantment spell but I absolutely loved every minute and read it cover to cover in 24 hours. Whenever I had a spare minute I found myself picking it up as was completely entranced! It even managed to exceed any expectations I had. Cackle was modern, relevant, humourous and even creepy at parts, I couldn't have asked for more. Rowan and its inhabitants came alive from the rich descriptions. Then the introduction of Sophie and the consequences of knowing her made me smile one minute, recoil the next! Rachel Harrison has weaved pure fictional magic!

And enjoyable story, but I found the main character a bit repetitive. I did like the witchy elements to the book but I wouldn't say it was a horror novel, probably because I prefer a darker horror, this was more of a creepy atmosphere.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Hmm. I have very mixed feelings about this one.

Up to the halfway mark I was preparing for this to be a new 5 star favourite. I don't agree with the reviews that claim this book isn't horror because horror, like any genre, has many subgenres, and in my opinion cosy horror is still horror. But whether or not this book is horror isn't what demoted Cackle from a 5 star to a 3 star read for me.

I love the concept of a 30-year-old woman fresh out of a long relationship befriending an older woman who introduces her to literal empowerment through witchcraft. I would also like to move to a new a town and befriend a witch. Initially Annie is someone you can't help but feel for; she was convinced she and her ex, Sam, would get married, and instead she finds herself single and having to leave New York City to start a new job in a small town where she can afford rent.

Then Annie meets the glamorous Sophie who takes her under her wing. Annie is enamoured by her, even though the rest of the townspeople seem to be almost... scared of Sophie.

There's a lot about this novel I enjoyed. It's such an easy read and there are several air-punching moments where Annie finds gumption.

But I think Cackle could have done more with the ideas it had. There are brief mentions of some of the things Sophie's done to protect herself and the friends like her she's lost because, throughout the ages, townspeople have been threatened by her being a woman who's quite happy and comfortable in her own company, but I don't think Sophie got as much attention as she should have. This isn't Sophie's book, but because we didn't see more of her it ultimately felt like Annie went from doing everything her ex-boyfriend suggested to everything Sophie suggested. She does stand up for herself eventually, but it feels a bit too little too late.

For a book about friendship, I actually thought what was missing the most was kindness. I love that Annie learns to stop pleasing everyone around her to the detriment of her own happiness, but she's very quick to doubt Sophie despite the various ways she helps her, and having the novel end with the townspeople also slightly scared of her didn't feel like the feminist win I think Rachel Harrison was aiming for. I was hoping Annie would breach the gap between Sophie and the rest of the town rather than merely joining Sophie as someone who can wander around without paying for her coffee and her groceries because she can curse anyone she likes if she doesn't get what she wants.

Ultimately I still had a lot of fun with Cackle and I'm still keen to read more from Rachel Harrison, but I wish I'd loved it more.

Annie has been broken up with by the love of her life. She runs to a small upstate New York town to run away from her problems and heartache.

And then she meets Sophie; the town witch. Their ensuing friendship thrusts Annie into a life she never thought possible.

My thoughts 💭
I originally very much liked the idea of Annie and Sophie bring witchy bff’s in the forest and being feared by all. However, the back and forth “is she scary, or just my friend” really did get old after a while. Love the women empowerment aspect, but felt the ending rushed and not really zipped up as neatly as I would have liked.

Overall: 3⭐️/5
Recommend: sure, if you’re into this sort of thing
Genre: fantasy/fiction

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/10/17/cackle-by-rachel-harrison/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Is Cosy Horror Even Possible?

Well, when I picked this up I had few expectations. I didn’t really read the blurb and I hadn’t realised that the book was shelved in the Horror section. Given the title I was expecting a healthy dose of witchery and with Halloween looming I thought this would be the perfect read for an autumn evening. In that respect, if cosy horror is a ‘thing’ then you’ll love this. It’s not blood soaked and scary. Sure, there are a couple of scenes that feel menacing but I don’t think you’ll need to hide behind a cushion at any point. I had strange Witches of Eastwick meets Stepford Wives vibes – although I’m not saying this story resembles either of those per se. More I just got a feel in those directions occasionally. Basically, this is more a book about finding yourself and discovering what you’re capable of.

The main character, Annie, has recently split up from her boyfriend. This was a long term relationship that Annie seemed to think was the ‘real deal’. Unfortunately, her ex, Sam, had other ideas. In an attempt to start afresh Annie leaves Manhattan to live in a small village when she’s offered a teaching position. When she arrives she can’t believe how beautiful and picturesque the place is. Everyone is kind and thoughtful and one resident in particular catches her attention. Sophie is beautiful and sophisticated, graceful, generous and pretty soon an almost constant companion of Annie’s. Oddly enough the rest of the residents seem strangely wary of Sophie or desperate to stay on her good side. Soon Annie starts to suspect that people are afraid of her new friend although she can’t understand why.

Sophie lives in a beautiful mansion deep within the forest. She’s capable and pretty soon it becomes evident that there’s more to her than originally meets the eye. I won’t elaborate on that here.

So, the characters. Well, Annie is a strange character to really like at first, in some ways she comes across as a little lacking in backbone. Her main focus in life is Sam and she practically fantasises about getting back together with him. I do sympathise with her over the loss of a relationship that she thought was special but at the same time I wanted her to move on. And, I guess Sophie wanted the same thing. Sophie is a fascinating character and I confess that sometimes I was puzzled why she so quickly took Annie under her wing. But, I think, in a town where people are mostly suspicious of her, Sophie is also keen for friendship and at the same time sets herself up as a sort of mentor, trying to encourage Annie to stand up for herself. Eventually, the two form a firm friendship and with guidance Annie slowly starts to realise that she doesn’t need a man in her life to be complete – or is she just kidding herself, us and Sophie?

The small town of Rowan is where my Stepford vibes came into play. The village is positively idyllic. Everywhere is beautiful and to be honest Rowan seems to glow with prosperity and success and yet the locals all seem to know their place when it comes down to their own local ‘wise woman’. It feels like there’s an almost collective sense of fear or is it hysteria and people harking back to older times when a woman living alone was clearly a threat of some kind and surely meddling in the dark arts.

There is a creeping sort of menace. You’re never really sure what route this strange new relationship will take. Will it become obsessive or dangerous. Without doubt Sophie can sometimes come across a little unnerving, like you wouldn’t really want to upset her even if you’re not sure why that is. That being said Annie does begin to undergo a transformation of sorts, she eventually realises that she is capable of standing up for herself even where Sophie is concerned.

I mentioned above that this is cosy and I stand by that. There’s a lovely warm feel to the story overall. Even when some darker elements crop up. The writing is really good, and although I might have had the odd issue here and there they don’t really merit a mention and I found myself quite absorbed, bewitched even. A very easy to read story that I raced to complete mostly because I was never keen to put it down and always keen to pick it back up. A book about self realisation, coming to terms with who you are, self love and worth that includes magical elements and curses. A great book to curl up with at this time of the year.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Many of my overseas friends read this last year and it was hyped to be very special. When I got a chance to read I, I jumped at it.
Sadly, I found it did not live up to the hype. It started off great and had the potential to be amazing, but I felt that it fell flat. It was more of a cosy mystery than I expected.
It was written well but just did not do it for me.

“You’re a special person,” I say. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Overall I wasn't much of a fan of this book.

There was a promise for horror but from my reading of it there was none, and I didn't connect with the characters at all.

The relationship between Sophie and Annie was uncomfortable to read, mainly because throughout you could tell that Sophie was manipulative and a stalker but still Annie seemed to love and enjoy her company.

There are some positives with it being a more chill read for anyone who would like to read a feminist witchy book for Halloween, but even with that promise, the book was unsatisfying and the plot was minimal.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review. There are many who did enjoy this book, and I am just unfortunately one of the few who did not.

What an absolute wonder this book was. It had ll the elements of an amazing witchy fantasy. It was dark, mysterious, light and full of magic. I loved Annie and Sophie, such well written characters. One of my favourite books this year.

I absolutely loved this witchy book about finding yourself and the importance of friendship. It was a rich and comforting read with a beautifully drawn setting. It gave me a craving for lavender lattes and fluffy pancakes and for a friend like Sophie.

This was such a fun and entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed while I was away on holiday. It felt like the perfect autumnal read, escapist and with a touch of the magical. Annie Crane has been in a long term relationship with Sam, so is shocked when he breaks off their relationship with the rather clichéd comment that they should stay friends and move on to pastures new. This leaves Annie at a crossroads - should she make other big changes in her life? With change in mind she accepts a new teaching position in a small town in Rowan, upstate New York. It’s a really picturesque place to leave and she finds a beautiful apartment. She also meets Sophie, a rather beautiful girl who doesn’t seem like a stranger. Yet Annie can’t think of where they would have met before? There’s only one thing that seems strange - other locals seem to love Sophie and will bend over backwards to accommodate her. Is it her natural charm or are people scared of her?

I may well be a witch, but I could actually see some elements of Sophie in me and the courses I do for women. She had a way of empowering Annie that was rather familiar. She taught confidence and the benefits of female friendship. If that’s witchery then sign me up!

There are some spooky happenings, but mainly weird and wonderful events that could be blamed on alcohol and high spirits, but that might be magic. Anything that happens, whether a hex or a spell or a ghostly apparition felt so natural within the story and I accepted it completely. There’s even a lovely charming spider, the first I’ve encountered since Charlotte’s Web. I devoured this book over 48 hours and loved the main message which is simply about being the woman you are inside and celebrating your uniqueness. I had great fun with this book and I will be recommending it to friends and buying it for those who have autumnal birthdays.

I've round this up to a 4 star simply because of the ease at which I read through the book. I found it very cozy and comforting. It also made me very claustrophobic because of all the gaslighting going on in it! Anyway, if you want a cozy witch book for spooky season that is teetering on the edge of paranormal fiction you can't go wrong and will in fact recommend this to most during this season's reading

Unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I think it's largely down to the way this is marketed - I was expecting stepford wives meets witches but what I got was womens fiction and a character in a journey of self discovery following a bad break up. And then she just happens to befriend a witch.

I found too much of the focus to be in Annie and this journey she's going on to find self empowerment, and honestly it just really wasn't my vibe at all. I'm sure those who love a cosy mystery without much of a plot. Just don't expect much in terms of character development beyond Annie, or any kind of explanation behind the fantasy elements.