Love love loved this!!! This was my first read by this author and I'm gonna need her whole backlog because I am obsessed. Small town werewolf romance and family drama say less.

This author has been one of my favourites for a while so I was super excited to read this. It didn’t disappoint! It was full of well developed characters, an engaging plot, and gripping writing. Perfect for long, dark nights.

"Such Sharp Teeth" by Rachel Harrison is a chilling and immersive horror story. Harrison's prose is captivating, her characters deeply authentic. The narrative unfolds with a sense of dread, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. As the mysteries surrounding the sinister events unravel, it's a spine-tingling journey into the supernatural. A gripping and suspenseful read for those who relish a good scare.

This was such a great read. I loved how the opening scene sucked you straight in, and the book kept you guessing for a long time about who the werewolf was. Her books don't always work for me, but this was great. Such a page-turner, perfect for spooky season.

There's a lot going on with this - contemporary fiction urban fantasy style featuring childhood trauma, sisterhood, romance and werewolf related body horror. I liked the main character, the witty dialogue and how it went from warm and fuzzy to horrific in the blink of an eye. I'll have to dig out my copy of 'Cackle' to read ASAP.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

What sharp teeth you have! What sharp wit you possess!

Rachel Harrison struts back into position as my favourite witty, horror author. At its essence, this is a love story, a love between sisters, family, old flames and erm…giant smelly dogs. Don’t mistake this for another werewolf story. This is a story of self acceptance, trauma and family. All polished off with the famously dark humour of the author.

A couldn’t put this down. The horror premise was always going to be a hit with me and the horrifyingly descriptive human/Wolf transitions made me nearly vomit. That is down to the exceptional writing abilities of Rachel. I have never known an author who can display their wit with such exceptional ability. At times it feels like the main characters in Rachel’s books are versions of herself… I hope you are ok Rachel! Haha!

My absolute favourite aspect of this book is the relationship between the sisters, their combined humour and trauma make this story. Each of the supporting characters are brilliant in their own right but it is the sibling relationship that cultivates the book superbly.

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison is an exceptionally dark horror story but sprinkled with humour that makes it so brilliantly unique. Thank you Titan Books for the opportunity to read and review this book! I can’t wait for more by Rachel!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
4.5*

On the surface, this is an entertaining read about werewolves. Having a soft spot for werewolves, vampires and the ilk, it didn't take much to persuade me that I'd like to read this novel. It can be read entirely on the level of the lycanthropy story, and it is excellent if you're happy to focus on this. Well paced, intriguing story, interesting character development, witty dialogue... Rory is a fun, wonderful protagonist and I was rooting for her at every step!

But there are layers to this book. While reading, I soon started to think of it in more serious terms. I felt that the underlying theme was more about the effects on the body of trauma, and I couldn't stop thinking about it in between reading sessions. And then, on reading the acknowledgements at the end, it turned out that I wasn't seeing what wasn't there; indeed, the author mentions Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score, one of the many (and one of the best) books on mindbody theory.

I really liked this mixing of genres - lycanthropy fantasy + mindbody theory. I hugely admire and am grateful to Rachel Harrison for taking this serious topic and turning it into a story I could really *feel*. I think it's really psychologically useful to verbalise trauma in imagery -- such as a werewolf attack and its aftermath.

I just loved it!

Such Sharp Teeth (fantastic title!) is about rage, trauma and resilience, and transformation, about women finding strength within themselves and learning to face the world without (or with less) fear. It tapped into my own rage, but also into my fighting spirit!

Such Sharp Teeth is a modern take on werewolves, and it's a whole lot of fun!

Lead character Rory is hospitalised after a "bear attack" and soon finds her body changing in uncontrollable ways. The book isn't played for laughs but Rory views her situation with wry humour throughout. Harrison has a nice line in sardonic, edgy dialogue and the cast of young characters, for the most part, felt real and relatable.

The book is slightly let down by what I felt was a weak ending, there was no big climax. However, the journey had plenty of bite.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for sending me this ARC! As I’ve said in a couple of my other reviews I’ve been really sick so I’m catching up on all of my ARCs slowly.

This is a horror novel following Rory who moves temporarily back to her hometown to move in with her pregnant sister to help out. After a night out at a bar she hits an animal with her car, gets attacked and then realises that she has in fact been bitten by a werewolf and is now turning into one herself. As her transformation progresses she desperately tries to find a way to control herself and navigate her relationships with those around her. After a while though she starts to wonder whether becoming a werewolf was the curse she thought it was or if it could in fact become a gift.

This was one of my most anticipated releases and ughhh I loved it! I loved it with my whole heart. Rachel Harrison just does it for me, she creates the perfect blend of horror and satire without it being cheesy. This book dealt a lot with trauma as well and the acknowledgments at the end state that the author read The Body Keeps the Score in order to write Rory’s story. I just want to commend Rachel for doing that because it definitely showed and she handled this topic with the care and dedication it deserves.

I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of a woman transforming into a werewolf while her twin sister also has her own kind of transformation as a pregnant woman. I think it offered a lot of commentary about our bodies not feeling like our own and how we are expected to react in a certain way to appease others. I just loved the characters as well. I could relate to the main character and saw reflections of my own trauma in her. Her relationship with her mother is extremely complex and reminds me a lot of people in my family as well.

Overall this was a beautiful, funny and witty story that is so much more than it’s premise and deserves to be read by everyone. I wholeheartedly recommend this and Rachel Harrison’s work in general, she’s an absolutely brilliant and talented author. Honestly I get so excited for everything she releases! This one came out on 9th May 2023 so you can check it out now!

A darkly humorous paranormal story with a cozy side and some horror elements. I thoroughly enjoyed it, loved the characters and had fun.
ecommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I picked this up because it was listed in the horror category. I prefer to go into books blind and avoid reviews until after I’ve read it. I will have to start with the fact that this one should’ve never been listed under horror. It’s definitely a family drama. It’s like 70% miscommunication/ no communication drama, 20% werewolf and 10% romance. And for that I will say, my review is a little clouded by the fact that I did not enjoy this breakdown. The writing was entertaining. It picks up the werewolf entertainment more at 80% if that’s what you’re in for. It felt a bit “new adult” not adult. So if this sounds like your cup of tea, it’s a good story, I just didn’t love it.

I'd like to first thank the author & publisher for the eArc reveived in exchange for an honest review. Next, I'd like to thank the author again for writing the BEST werewolf book I've read in such a long time - yeah, yeah, I know there's probably better books out there but remember this is all subjective. This book just clicked with me in a way most don't. I picked it up because of the gorgeous cover and flew through it - not only the writing is excellent but the story is extremely absorbing and kept me at the edge of the proverbial seat until the end.
The story follows Rory Morris, a young woman who recently moved back to her hometown to help her pregnant sister through a rough patch when she's attacked by something in the forest - a furry, dangerous something that gives her an unwelcome present: a wound that won't heal... and lycantrophy. We follow her along coming to terms with who she now is and who she can no longer be, the inevitability and the violence of it all.
This story feels realistic in a way that other werewolf fiction doesn't, with gritty details that add a layer of credibility to the whole transformation business. The characters also layered, believable and interesting... especially Rory and her sister Scarlett, who is also going through drastic change that she is terrified of.
Overall - excellent read. Will definitely recommend to all my monster loving friends.

Within the first few pages, this book has thrown you to the wolves and in doing so it immediately sunk it’s sharp teeth right into me! I loved this book! I devoured it in less that 24 hours. Ok…enough with the all the references I promise!! The author created a main character who was so identifiable and I have no doubt that if Rory and Scarlett existed in real life we would absolutely be BFFS!! Yes there is a horror tale in here which is written so horrifically and tragically, but this story is so much more than just that. It’s a personal journey of self discovery, revisiting friendships and relationships with family and the dynamics between the characters just drew you to them even more. I was really rooting for our MC and invested in her well-being. I absolutely love the spin that @rach gives to traditional horror. In both books I have read by her, she managed to take things we tend to view as monsters and make them undeniably human, evoking so much empathy for them from the reader.

There are no words to express how excited I am for Black Sheep.

Oh what a read! When I first started reading it I wasn't really sure what I was getting into, and then when Rory turns into a werewolf I thought "really?"
But I was proved wrong, I became hooked and the description was so scary and ick that I had to keep reading. When the reader finds out who bit Rory I did find that predictable but the little bit at the end just made it!

Rory, hands down, is probably one of the best characters I've ever read. Her sense of humour is very similar to mine and I've never read a character like her. She was completely brought to life for me, and all the characters were well written. The BEST werewolf I've ever read.

There is so much to enjoy in this dark yet fun (and funny) werewolf novel. I loved the way Rachel Harrison explores female relationships through Rory's bond with her sister Scarlett, and the difficulties she has in forgiving her mum for childhood trauma. Lots of meat (pun intended) in what a woman wants from life and from her sexual partners, how friendships can range from nurturing and toxic. I appreciated the rage Rory feels and how she's both attracted to and repelled by the her transformed self. The scenes of werewolf transformation were suitably brutal and visceral. A lot of fun.

Reseña de «Such Sharp Teeth», de Rachel Harrison
El año pasado leí uno de los mejores libros de brujas que he leído en mi vida: «Cackle», de Rachel Harrison. Tanto la obra como su mensaje me marcaron mucho, y por eso no es de extrañar que le tuviera ganas a «Such Sharp Teeth», de la misma autora.
(Antes de comenzar con la reseña, quiero dar las gracias a Titan Books por enviarme un ejemplar en digital).
Tanto por el título como por la cubierta, salta a la vista que este libro va sobre… mujeres lobo. A la protagonista, Rory, la ataca una criatura extraña una noche cualquiera en la que se reencuentra con el amor de su juventud. Rory no tardará en descubrir que ese fatídico suceso, del que creía haber salido ilesa, le traerá consecuencias letales.
Aunque en general «Such Sharp Teeth» me ha gustado, reconozco que me costó hacerme a él por mis expectativas. Claro, venía de leer «Cackle», un libro que me define como lectore, y le pedía lo mismo a este también. Y el listón estaba altísimo.
Aun así, llegó un momento en el que todo encajó y empecé a verme reflejade en la protagonista y en su hermana, los dos personajes que más destacan a lo largo de la obra. Otros, en cambio, se me han quedado un poco planos, como Ian, el interés amoroso.
En definitiva, de «Such Sharp Teeth» me quedo con el fuerte vínculo entre los personajes y la aportación interesante de la autora al lore lobuno. He aquí mis impresiones resumidas:
-Inicio lento, final conmovedor.
-Dos hermanas gemelas como protagonistas que lo molan todo.
-Interés amoroso un poco soso.
-Temas sobre los cambios terroríficos que trae el embarazo, sobre los traumas pasados y exigir responsabilidad a los culpables.
-Mensajes importante sobre las relaciones consanguíneas (porque nunca son perfectas ni nos determinan) y la independencia y la rabia de las mujeres.
-Escenas un tanto gore (pero yo soy muy miedique).
Cabe destacar que tanto «Such Sharp Teeth» como «Cackle» siguen inéditas en español.

A smart (and smart alek) young woman travels back to her home town to help support her twin sister through the last few months of her pregnancy. Back home she catches up with the guy who was never her boyfriend (though she wishes he was) and the local werewolf. With life forever changed, can she plan to go home to the city, can she start the relationship that always alluded her before - can she cope with everything armed with just sarcasm? Yes she can

Such Sharp Teeth very much feels like a “what if Hallmark made a werewolf film” and I’m 100% behind that idea. It’s definitely very cosy horror and low-stakes, but I also think that that’s exactly what this book needs to be. It was a super quick and fun read, and while I didn’t love all of it, what I did love really did make it a solid read for me.

I definitely think if you’re into horror and you often read extreme or dark horror, and need something lighthearted in between your other reads, that this is perfect for that.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

“It’s a miracle and it’s a curse, the secrets our bodies keep.”

When Rory agreed to temporarily move back to her hometown to support her pregnant twin, Scarlett, irrevocable changes to her life (and body) weren’t what she had in mind. After running into Ian, who’s been in love with her forever, at a bar, she has an accident on her way home.

It wasn’t a bear that attacked Rory that night under the watchful gaze of the full moon. It turns out werewolves aren’t as fictional as we’ve all been led to believe.

““Yep. Werewolf,” I say. “A real thing apparently. Who knew?””

While Rory was justifiably concerned about Bambi’s welfare after the accident, it’s not Rory’s car Bambi needs to worry about; it’s her appetite.

The body horror is strong with this one, with the transformation process a particularly visceral experience. The close encounters with a smorgasbord of meats will mean you’re likely to either crave a big juicy steak while reading or reconsider your carnivore status entirely. Or, if you’re like me, your stomach will be turning even as you wish you had a cheeseburger in front of you waiting to be devoured.

Having a female werewolf central to the story doesn’t just make for an entertaining read. It also paves the way for themes of power and control, rage, how we live after trauma and the reclamation of bodily autonomy when your body has been used by another as an object and it doesn’t feel like you inhabit it anymore. Rory’s struggles with what her life looks like now and with her family and past are explored while she works her way through the deli section of the local supermarket.

“In all the fairy tales, the wolf is big and bad and dangerous. A predator. Devious and evil. Something to be feared. But fairy tales are bullshit. Maybe wolves just get a bad edit.
There are worse things to be. I know because I’ve faced those monsters.”

Content warnings include mention of domestic abuse, grooming, physical abuse and sexual assault. If you have emetophobia, do an about-face now. This is not the book for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison is a horror with a twist of dark comedy that made for a really fun and entertaining read. When Rory's pregnant twin sister calls her in desperation and begs her to come back to their hometown, a place filled with dark memories for Rory, she puts her misgivings aside and heads for home, determined to support her sister in her time of need. While there she reconnects with an old flame at a local bar, but on the way home she hits a large animal and is savagely attacked when she gets out of her car to investigate. Although she survives, Rory is changed in unexpected ways by the experience, and soon figures out that she is becoming a werewolf. How will she handle this, how can she share this secret with her twin, and how will her potential love interest react if he finds out? All of these questions are cleverly and often humorously answered as the book unfolds. The pacing is sharp, the characters engaging and the plot is fun, so this book moves along rapidly and definitely kept me turning the pages. I found the comparisons between pregnancy and lycanthropy interesting, focussing on the changes to the body that are beyond the person's control, and also the idea that people can be more monstrous that "monsters" at times. This was a really fun and entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it.
I read an reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.