This was my first experience with Rachel Harrison’s work, but I have to say that I really like her writing style. It was engaging and wasn’t as straightforward as your typical chick-lit style. I think she did a good job keeping the pace pretty steady throughout the beginning of the book before ramping it up towards the climax. There were only a few times in the middle that I felt were a little slow but I never lost interest in the story. If anything, it matched the sleepiness of small town life.

Here is where things got a little dicey for me… Annie. As our main character, she’s just not someone that I was able to really connect to. She suffers from a sense of self, independence, and mental toughness that makes it hard for you to want to root for her. Or should I say, for ME to root for her. Because honestly, I spent the first half of the book just wanting to smack sense into her. I have never been the type of person to tie myself completely into whatever relationship I’m in. Which is exactly the opposite of how Annie has lived her entire life (I’m going to say that’s affected by some daddy issues but the story only barely touches on it, so we’ll ignore for now). However, that is the point of our story. You’re not supposed to necessarily like Annie, you’re supposed to want better for her. And I did do that. And while I may not have seen any connection between myself and Annie, I know that a lot of people will. Then we have Sophie, our resident mystery woman that’s full of confidence, independence and resilience. She is the complete opposite of Annie and is someone that the young woman wants to become. Luckily for Annie, Sophie sees something special in her and takes her under her wing.

The plot here is what really shines. As I mentioned earlier, I thought this was going to be horror-lite and full of suspense. Instead, this is a character driven story about a woman finding herself after ending a long term relationship, while under the influence/tutelage of an older woman with “special” abilities. I loved watching Sophie’s influence over Annie transform her. She starts out very timid and holding on to her relationship with her ex, Sam. After their break up, Annie is lost and unwilling to replace him and the hole their relationship has left in her heart. She’s still believing that they will get back together and things can go back to the way they were before. It was nice to see her VERY slowly come to the realization that she can be alone and live her life without needing someone else to validate it.

I think my biggest issue with the book is that it seems marketed as horror-lite with a spooky mystery. That is completely and utterly incorrect. You might could say there is a bit of a mystery aspect as to learning who or what Sophie is and what her background is with the townsfolk, but that’s it. There are a couple of spooky moments but they almost seem out of place due to the tone of the rest of the book. Had there been more and if they were better integrated to the overall plot, I would have preferred that. But as it stands, they stood out too much and not in a good way. To me, this was a missed opportunity in really pushing the mystery aspect and building more tension. I think that change would have really elevated this book.

I loved this book so much! It totally surprised me. I thought it was going to be another sappy rom-com and instead it was an empowering, funny, and remarkably charming gift. I am recommending this to EVERY woman I know.

Annie can no longer afford to live in New York City, after breaking up with her boyfriend of ten years. So, she accepts a teaching position at a high school in upstate New York. Understandably, she is nervous about being on her own and living in a town where everyone is a stranger. But, she discovers that most people are very friendly and she almost immediately makes a new friend. Sophie is beautiful, sophisticated, charming, and practically revered by the residents of the town. But some act scared of Sophie and Annie begins to wonder if she should be as well.

Cackle is an interesting book with a good premise and imaginative plot. I enjoyed the writing style and the setting. But, even though it is described as a horror story with paranormal elements, it was quite subtle and intermitted. Rather the focus seemed to be about a woman trying to come to grips with the breakup of a long-time relationship and the discovery of a new and intriguing friend.

Sophie has a backstory, although much of it is left to the reader’s imagination. It would have been interesting to know more about her and her past dealings with the town’s residents. Meanwhile, I never felt very sympathetic for Annie. She seemed to be quite immature for someone her age. Overall, I found Cackle to be less than what I anticipated and, for me, it seemed more superficial than what I would have liked.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Cackle by Rachel Harrison is a mixed bag of emotions. The story centers on Annie Crane, a woman looking for a fresh start after her boyfriend moves their relationship into the friendzone. She leaves the city for a quaint, little rental in a small town.

Things do not go well. Annie is consumed with her feelings about the break-up and her new job at the local high school is only adding to her lack of self-esteem. None of her new co-workers make her feel welcomed and the students in her class are not cooperative.

Then she meets Sophie and everything begins to change.

First of all, I want to set some early expectations here. I don’t know why Amazon has this book under “vampire fiction” because there are no vampires. Don’t come to Cackle looking for any blood-suckage. But can I interest you in some cozy Witch-Lit?

As Sophie and Annie’s friendship develops, it becomes increasingly obvious there is something different about Sophie. Annie takes note of how the townspeople engage with her new friend; the way people seem almost frightened by her. Annie is utterly mesmerized by Sophie’s charisma but also a little thrown off by how intense she is about everything.

Honestly, Sophie’s behavior toward Annie gave me anxiety. As an introvert who enjoys my own company and a low level of social commitments, the way Sophie courts Annie for friendship is a lot. There are invites for breakfast, trips to the café, so many tokens of affection and gestures of kindness, even an invite for an overnighter after just a few days. Not to mention, Sophie clearly wears her neediness for a bestie on her sleeve. I felt like the author did an amazing job communicating how exhilarating all of that attention can be while, at the same time, how overwhelming it would be. I think some women were made for that level of intimacy between friends and seem to thrive in situations where there is daily interaction, but I felt validated by Annie’s hesitancy to jump into it with the enthusiasm Sophie was expecting.

This book is really about Annie and the rollercoaster of emotions she goes through during the course of this novel. Themes of self-care and personal introspection. Setting healthy boundaries in relationships. The process of learning to love yourself in any setting-alone or moving through life with a partner.

Layered into Annie’s journey of self-discovery is the story of Sophie and why she’s so unique. It’s a lot of fun because it never really crosses into dark horror territory. Harrison keeps this tale pretty light, all things considered. This is the perfect kind of book for readers who like to read something a little spooky and dark for October but aren’t really looking for traditional horror scares. I enjoyed this one and had it perfectly cast with actors who fit the various roles for the movie that played in my mind while I was reading. So much fun.

One, what a gorgeous cover. Two, I picked it up on a whim to read a few pages and before I knew it I was 75 pages in. Always a good thing!

You have Annie, who at the start of the book is devastated. It’s her birthday, she’s 30 years old, and her live in boyfriend of years, Sam, has just broken up with her. He gave her the old “I love you but i’m not in love with you anymore…” so she’s forced to move out. She can’t afford to rent a place in Manhattan on her own so she moves to a small town in upstate NY. Surprisingly, when she gets there things work out. She gets another job teaching and she’s renting an apartment in a charming town. Unfortunately, despite the new setting, she’s still not over Sam, but then she meets Sophie. Sophie is stunning and generous and seems to take to Annie right away. There’s something a bit off about her, and the people in the town seem afraid of her, but she lives in this gorgeous mansion at the edge of the woods and Annie falls under her spell.

There are some mentions of spiders and a couple of things that would fall under the lightly creepy category, but I think even sensitive readers would be just fine with this. It’s more about friendship, finding yourself, and refusing to make yourself smaller to appease other people. The dialogue is funny and what Rachel Harrison is really good at is writing vivid imagery. I could see Sophie’s mansion and got hungry from the food she was describing. I have one issue with the book that comes out toward the end that left me with a question mark, but I’ll get over it. This is kind of a twisted fairy tale meets horror story…A late stage coming of age novel with some great magical elements and it’s perfect for the season!

When Annie’s boyfriend Sam decides its over, Annie is devastated and takes a job in a small village upstate for a change of scenery and a fresh start. When she moves in, she is surprised to continually find spiders in her new apartment. Then she meets Sophie. A friend like no-one she has ever met before. Sophie wants Annie to take her life back, and plans to help her do so, but why does everyone in town seem to be afraid of her?

Y’all. If I moved into a new apartment and there were spiders every time I turned around? Nuh uh. This does not work. I’m staying at a hotel! In all seriousness though, this was the perfect October read! It has some witchy vibes and had me so intrigued about what was going to happen. I absolutely loved Ralph! I mean not that I want a spider for a pet, but I could just imagine how cute he and cuddly(?) he was! I really hated that Sam seemed unable to let her go, I just wanted her to be like f you-go away, but I understand why she had trouble doing so! If you are looking for a Halloween read look no farther!

Let it be known that I’m an absolute ninny and easily spooked. That plus reading this in the middle of the night had me jumping more than once. I wouldn’t call this a scary book at all, it just had its anxious moments and again, I’m a ninny. That and I hate spiders so very much. If you know, you know. If you don’t, be warned.

Otherwise - I really enjoyed this! Annie’s internal monologue was constantly cracking me up. I was living for the sarcasm. Her character development was great throughout the book. I loved Sophie immediately.

This is a quick read and definitely fun for fall. The plot is solid without being too predictable. I recommend adding it to your TBR if you love anything witchy or the “I am woman, hear me roar” vibes.

This was such a fun book! I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen, but I was wrong. I was pleasantly surprised by the "love story" and the message that it sent (don't want to spoil the story, so I'll be careful here). I will definitely recommend this book as it was cute and fun but still positive. A perfect read for Halloween!!

Annie Crane’s life feels like it has ground to a halt. She’s the type that hates being alone, and she assumed she and Sam would be forever together. After he dumps her AND manages to keep the apartment, she’s at a loose end. She reluctantly takes a job as a high school teacher in upstate New York, and lands a delightful loft apartment in the idyllic small town of Rowan.

The villagers are friendly enough, although the teens in her high school class are difficult. Things take a turn, however, when she meets Sophie. Sophie is always immaculately turned out in something form fitting and flared. She lives in a giant house all by herself, and is adept at baking and making teas and lotions and things like that. She’s warm and friendly to Annie, always encouraging her that she doesn’t need Sam or anyone else, really. She’s kind and generous. But…the villagers all seem to be afraid of her, so much that she never has to pay for anything.

I’m not going to even give you a spoiler warning, because it’s pretty obvious to everyone that Sophie is a witch. The question is, good witch or bad witch? There’s plenty of evidence both ways. On the one hand, she’s wonderfully warm to Annie. She’s obviously lonely, and the two of them spend weekends together, eating pancakes and trying on fabulous outfits. But on the other hand, there are just some creepy things. Like the way the kid who’s rude to Annie has that weird fit, or the ghosts in the mirrors of her castle, or the way the spiders in Annie’s apartment seem to be spying on her. Annie can’t make up her mind about her. And then comes the blind date, where even without Sophie, some very strange things happen.

Cackle is a kind of modern fairy tale that is really about discovering oneself and one’s true nature, but it’s delightfully creepy and keeps you guessing. I enjoyed it, and it’s a great Halloween read if you’re in the mood for ghosties and ghouls without getting too dark or gory.

During spooky season, I love a good witch book or two. Cackle by Rachel Harrison delivers in spades. I was not too sure what to expect, but I just dove right in. Going in not knowing a lot was a good choice. However, I think I still would have enjoyed this book had I known a little bit about it beforehand. Cackle is well written and had exactly the sort of vibe I was looking for.

Harrison’s Cackle follows main character Annie who is a school teacher. Annie has been dumped by her boyfriend of many years. Unfortunately, that means she can no longer afford to live in Manhattan. And so, Annie accepts a job upstate and moves to a small charming village called Rowan. Turns out one of Rowan’s residents is the most elegant, glamourous woman that Annie has ever met. Her name is Sophie and although she’s so nice, there’s something off about her. It could be the ghosts that live in her mansion. It could also be the distrust the residents have in her. Regardless, Annie strikes up a close friendship with Sophie and learns to value her independence.

Overall, I found Cackle to be such a good read. It sucked me in and I read it quickly for me these days. I found Annie to be relatable — having been through a rough break up once in my lifetime as well. Her reactions were very accurate and true to life — even if there was a little bit of magic sprinkled in the pages. There is zero romance in this book. So, don’t pick it up looking for spice. Instead, pick up this book if you are looking for an empowering, magical read about adult friendships. I do think I will certainly be seeking out more books by Harrison — particularly as I can always use a well paced book.

This book was not what I was expecting! It gives cozy, women's fiction vibes, with a big dollop of contemporary witchyness and "love yourself" messaging. A woman truly content with herself needs no man to make her whole, and she shouldn't settle for making herself smaller to be with someone. That's the general gist, and then there are some cute spider-pets! I definitely enjoyed the read, was not scared or spooked at any point, and it was a lot of dark fun. A bit of fallish, Halloween fluff, with a great message for how to be a strong woman.

WOW! I loved this one. I couldn't put it down. I found the story clever and so entertaining. I enjoyed the witchy themes and the paranormal aspect ( which I don't read much of). I need to read more books by this author because this was just such a great read with wonderful characters and an adorable spider!

I absolutely devoured this story! I was so excited for Harrison’s new tale— THE RETURN is one of my fave horror books. CACKLE was witty with the perfect dash of scary and I absolutely want a little Ralph of my own! 🥰😂

My face throughout this whole book was like this :O
What the heck did I just read?? I was expecting something weird, based on her last book, The Return. But it is a thousand times weirder. And I liked it wayyy more!

Three things we have in this book:
-Weirdness. Lots of it.
-Women empowering one another.
-Witchcraft.

This is one of those books where going in blind would completely change your experience. I highly expect you to do so. Only expect weirdness, creepiness, and lots of spiders. If you’re arachnophobic, you’ll have a hard time lol

4.5 stars

Thank you Berkeley and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this one. It was the right balance of creepy, fun, and flirty! Who doesn't want that? While I found Annie a bit whiny at times, I did love the mystery of Sophie and the strangeness of small-town life. Some supernatural elements just make things more fun. And the spiders! So strange but somehow they managed to be cute.

4 stars.

The perfect read for October! It definitely had some spooky moments but nothing too terrifying … is cozy horror a thing? Ralph, the sentient spider, definitely steals the show. I loved this witchy story and how it kept me guessing until the end. The epilogue was so satisfying, and I could totally see this book as a movie.

This enjoyable read centers around Annie and her move upstate after being dumped by her live-in boyfriend. Her life changes for the better when she meets Sophie the resident witch. Eventually she has to decide if she wants to return to her old dull life or continue along the path Sophie is teaching her. An enjoyable modern day which story.

Here's my thoughts on witches. Can we leave them bad-ass and strong-willed and not make cutesy stories about them struggling though romance and crying over boys? Witches don't do that nonsense!

So now that that is behind me - I LOVED Cackle. When Annie is dumped and moves to a tiny town upstate the first friend she meets is Sophie and I LOVE SOPHIE. She is what bitchy and witchy dreams are made of. And she is the perfect friend you need when you need to wash that boy right out of your hair. Like witchy shampoo. Fire burn and cauldron bubble!

I loved the mystery surrounding the town - why is everyone so scared of Sophie? What are these powers she has? Why is she so interested in Annie. Is she a good witch? A bad witch? IS SHE REALLY A WITCH? Who knows.. but it's so dark and deliciously fun finding out.

And then there is Ralph. Oh my heart Ralph. You can be something cutesy in my witchy book anyday. I DARE you all to read this book and still step on spiders.

Color me impressed. This one is definitely perfect for the season and worth any toil and trouble to bump it up on your TBR,

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love this book!!! If you want a fun, witchy read to get you in the Halloween spirit, this is your book! Annie is a likeable character and it satisfying to watch her grow in confidence as the story progresses. She is someone you want to root for. Sophie is a fascinating and intriguing character, and I never stopped wondering where she falls on the good vs. evil setting. The village setting was the perfect backdrop to this spooky story. This is a must read for anyone who loves a little bit of Halloween whimsy!

This is totally my face anytime I find a witchy book.


I've seen this book shelved as horror. I must be jaded because honestly it was a bit fluffy for me. Annie has been dumped by her boyfriend. (Who just wanted to be friends for the last six months that they were together.) She takes a new job and moves to a picture perfect small town. Once there she makes friends with a woman named Sophie.
Now Annie has a ton of whine time in this book. I'm sorry. I know you have a right to whine when life is crap but damn.


Needless to say. I was not an Annie fangirl.

Now on to Sophie. I kinda hate that she was a secondary character that really never had her time in this book. She was there but I really felt her character did not get the time that she truly deserved.


That's right Sophie. Rock on with your bad self.

I did read this book in one day because it's totally readable. I just wish that there had been a bit more nasty to the story.
I did like the fluffy little spider though. He gets a star all by himself.


Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.