Ok, so... Cackle is a prime reason why I never write an author off after only reading one of their books. Her previous book, The Return, was just an ok read for me and I wanted to see where Cackle was going to take me. I love the title and it makes SO much sense once you get to a certain point in the book.

At first I thought this was going to be a bit annoying in the terms that the dialogue seemed weird at times and not natural. And I found the book to be just about as cheesy as Jill BUT then something just clicked and I found myself relating a ton to Annie and loving her inner monologue: "She stares at me. Seconds pass. in these seconds babies are born, people die, stars burn millions of miles away and I may or may not have let out a silent, nervous fart." And for some reason, one of my favorite lines, "Am I going to have to eat sausage in front of strangers?" 🤣 Yeah, I'd be friends with Annie for sure. Just in case her and Sophie are listening, "hi, hello, I'd like some of that tea please!"

Remember when I read Bunny and groaned about the word 'bunny' being in it so many times? That's how I felt about Sophie using the word 'pet'. UFF. That's now my least favorite term of endearment and for those who have read this already, you'll know the part where I actually cheered. 😉 But really, the star of this show is RALPH. I want to make tiny little hats for him. At the very, very least, read this book for him.

This was an amazingly entertaining read and gave me a little Drag Me to Hell vibes. A bit like a horror comedy but with a LOT of heart. Any New Yorkers want to road trip upstate? 😈

Okay, I think I’ve found my new comfort read. I’m going to need a physical copy of this one asap so I can reread it anytime I’m feeling sad or down. 😭

The only way I can describe this story is Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls combined into a cozy magical witchy read.

I related to the main character Annie so much. She would say something and I could see myself nodding along and I saw myself in her. She’s extremely realistic and I can see a lot of people being able to connect with her.

This story is absolutely wonderful and heartwarming, I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s like a big cozy blanket enveloped me from start to finish. While it’s not scary or even too spooky, the vibes and atmosphere throughout the entire thing make this the absolute perfect read for October.

I’m absolutely in love with this entire book and will probably be thinking about it for months to come.
It also made me look at spiders in a different light, which I thought was an impossible feat.

If you are a seasonal reader, or just want to read something wickedly fun for Halloween sans the gore of monsters and macabre killings/hauntings, then you gotta pick up Cackle. It’s a quick read, with lots of dark and quirky humor, lovable pet spider, and oozing with witchy vibes. The story is both endearing and empowering —- I love Annie and Sophie’s friendship! It’s everything we want in our own bffs! Don’t be fooled by the simple witchy story, it’s actually packed with subtle life lessons which makes this novel a winner for me. Like any good book, it’s one that you wanna read again and again!

Another perfect read for October. I loved this one. This is not your average story of a girl who loved a boy, who broke her heart. Sam did break Annie’s heart but her life is upended. She can’t afford to live in NYC any longer and she needs to move out of the apartment they share She heads upstate to a town straight out of a Hallmark movie. The town is perfect and picturesque, even if there is a spider infestation, and no, not like Charlotte’s web
.
She loves this town and is immediately drawn to Sophie. Sophie wants Annie to start living her life unapologetically but there’s definitely more to Sophie then meets the eye. Also, I really would love to visit Sophie’s house with that full library! Anyway, this book is so fun. It has all the spooky vibes, while being quirky, funny and soulful.

This book is out today!

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley

Thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for the gifted ecopy and @letstalkbookspromo for the great buddy read !

Annie has always played it safe. Until her boyfriend of 10 years dumps her. She moves to a small town for a fresh start and quickly meets the bewitching Sophie who becomes her close friend. But there’s something different about Sophie…

What a FUN read ! This book delivers laughs, witchy vibes and some serious girl power and friendship. The sarcastic tone throughout the book was perfectly balanced with heartwarming moments, including the second time in my life that I’ve ever wanted to meet a spider (#teamralph and his fashion). Speaking of fashion, I want all of Sophie’s wardrobe and kept picturing a glamourous (brunette) Stevie Nicks type.

Highly recommend this book! And even if you don’t typically read scary books, this one is totally approachable and a great addition to your #spookyseason reading.

Annie is completely devoted to her boyfriend of 10 years and thinks they’re going to get married. Unfortunately, life has other plans for Annie, and she ends up getting a new job in a small town and moving there on her own. She meets beautiful and charismatic Sophie, who takes Annie under her wing. There’s just one problem - Annie can’t help but wonder why everyone in town seems to be afraid of Sophie.

I went into this blind, and while reading I kept wondering if it would stay light and fun or get darker and creepier. There were definitely strange and spooky things happening, but this was not a scary read. It was more about self-love and acceptance, friendship, living your best life, and not judging a book by its cover (although I’m in love with the cover for this book)!

The characters were charming and interesting, albeit peculiar - especially Ralph! He was awesome and you’ll have to read this book to find out about him! I also loved the friendship between Annie and Sophie, the small town setting, and the positive messages sprinkled throughout this story. I wanted to drink wine, read books, watch movies, and play dress up with Sophie and Annie, even if it was in an eerie mansion in the middle of the woods! This was an enjoyable story with just the right amount of creepy vibes! Perfect for kicking off spooky season!

If you’re looking for a fun, slightly spooky read with positive vibes, then go pick up Cackle!

*Thank you so much Berkley Publishing for gifting me with an eARC through NetGalley!

Thank you to Netgalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review. Cackle started out really interesting, but to be honest it was a little sad and although I wanted to know the ending I just didn't really like the complete story. The plot had an interesting twist, but it still just wasn't for me.

Thank you Berkley & NetGalley for gifting me an advance ecopy!
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What a cute but also uplifting horror book! I never thought I’d place “cute” and “uplifting” in the same sentence with horror but here we are. I would not exactly classify this book as horror, maybe YA horror. More importantly, it’s a book about a woman who thinks she’s very average but begins to gradually rediscover herself with the help of a witchy friend and interactive spiders. Actually, quite a lot of spiders are involved but Ralph is the most adorable spider!

Annie moves to a small town for her school teacher job after being dumped by a douche boyfriend, Sam. To be fair, Annie is also very clingy and submissive. The first person Annie befriends is Sophie, considered to be the witch of the town that everyone hates. As you read the book, you’ll have to decide if Sophie is a good witch or a bad one or somewhere in between.

The rest of the time when she’s not with Sophie or teaching, Annie is mostly brooding in her apartment and getting drunk, mostly hoping for a single text from Sam that he wants her back. Then things begin to happen, a lot of witchy things that makes Annie pause and think about who she really is.

So here’s a book that to me, didn’t really have a plot. It’s more of a book about self-discovery. And yet, I really LOVED this book because there are strong messages geared towards women that we are enough. We don’t need to depend on men or anyone else for our “measure of joy” which I use the author’s words in quotes. I was expecting this book to be in the wavelength of her previous novel The Return but this book was completely different. Just as The Return was among my top 3 books last year, I have a feeling Cackle will make it to my top 3 this year as well.

Two things to start this review:

1. This book is being classified as a horror, fantasy, paranormal read. While I agree with the witchy vibes this story gives off, to me this isn’t what I would consider to be a ‘Horror’ book. So don’t let that sway you away from reading this book.
2. I adored Harrison’s first book The Return, which fell much more into the ‘Horror’ Genre. If you’re truly looking for something scary, I would suggest starting there.

Annie is stuck. She’s just gotten out of a long term relationship and she’s finally heading out of their shared apartment, and out of NYC completely. She’s starting over in the small town of Rowan where she’s hoping to wallow in her self pity. Her first night in town she meets Sophie, who befriends Annie and sets her off on a journey to own who she is.

I really enjoyed Annie and Sophie’s friendship. They’re completely opposite characters. Annie is meek and conforming while to Annie, Sophie eludes confidence and beauty. As the two begin to build a stronger friendship, Annie starts to wonder if maybe Sophie might be a witch, which honestly would that be so bad?

This was such a uplifting story about friendship, with just the right amount of magic mixed in. I especially loved our little spider character Ralph, who made me think a spider could actually be adorable! While I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t my favorite and falls more into the hallmark/cozy story classification for me, which is why I didn’t rate it higher.

If you’re looking for a fun and cozy witchy read to get you into the Halloween spirit, than Cackle is perfect for you!


Cackle comes out October 5, 2021. Huge thank you to Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Rachel Harrison for my ARC of this book that comes out on October 5. Weird, disturbing, creepy, and wonderful, Cackle is one of my favorite books of the year. Annie has been safe and normal her entire life. After being dumped by her boyfriend of ten years, Annie needs to get away. She takes a teaching job in an idyllic small town where everyone seems to know each other. Things are looking up, because on her very first day she meets the gorgeous and magnetic Sophie who wants to be her friend.

Sophie is self-confident, strong willed, and doesn’t need anyone to be happy. She tries to mentor Annie and Annie starts to wonder why she seems to be the only person who isn’t afraid of Sophie. But Sophie has it all- a huge mansion in the woods, seemingly ageless beauty, and skills and talents that are pure magic. Annie soon begins to suspect that there is more to Sophie than meets the eye, and she can’t help but be intrigued.

Thoughts: Rachel Harrison is one of my new favorite authors for her creativity and lyrical writing. Cackle was everything a book needed- spooky, empowering, campy, and uplifting. Harrison marries that eerie plot with witty and fun writing. It’s if a disney story came to life, using the supernatural with wonderfully human characters. But beware, if you aren’t a fan of spiders this story will really make you squirm.

The characters in this book were what really made the story enjoyable. They were interesting and unique and flawed in a wonderful way. I didn’t know where the story was going, but I really enjoyed where it ended up. There were many deeper lessons to be learned beneath the main story about women empowerment, inner strength, and finding who we are. This is the perfect book to read around Halloween and will be one I come back to again and again during spooky season! 4.5-stars!

A perfect book for the fall season which definitely was right up my alley. After a break up from a 10 year relationship, devastated and heartbroken, Annie decides to accept a teaching position and moves to a small town upstate. A picturesque town with a charming new apartment, Annie meets the beautiful and alluring Sophie. She is perfect in every way, however the town's community seem to be a little afraid of her. Sophie lives in a mansion in the middle of the woods and seems otherworldly. Full of secrets and strange occurrences surrounds Sophie, will Annie be able to find the truth in regards to Sophie's mysterious identity?

This book felt like a warm Autumnal hug. I absolutely loved every moment with my whole heart. A wholesome and intriguing premise with perfectly measured pacing that never faltered my interest. This is mainly a character-driven story and Rachel Harrison very much nailed it. The seductive and charming Sophie is set as a perfect role model for Annie. The mysterious vibe surrounding her was riveting and wanting to peel the many layers and the drive wanting to learn more about her. Annie, on the other hand in a vulnerable and low-spirited state firmly believes true happiness is found in romantic partnership. The portrait of her imperfections was very relatable as it humanized her circumstances and experiences that truly connects with us all. Most importantly, I would like to spotlight the empowering message it conveys. I appreciated following Annie's journey and witnessing her growth and her inner strength she slowly begins to embrace. Annie and Sophie are the epitome of a perfect female friendship we all need in our lives. A sweet, lighthearted novel filled with humor that will sure to give you a hearty 'cackle'. Brew a cup of warm tea, cozy up in your reading nook and brace yourself for some wicked adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a gifted galley of CACKLE by Rachel Harrison for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

CACKLE begins with Annie at a low point in her life. Her long time boyfriend doesn’t see a future with her. She’s out celebrating her birthday with a coworker and the psychic they visit can only see darkness around her instead of a future. Annie is setting out to start over in a new place with a new job, but she isn’t expecting much from it.

It turns out her new home town is full of very friendly people, though her new job is at a school where the people really aren’t. She’s still questioning her life when she meets Sophie, a woman who instantly draws her in as a friend and frequent companion. Sophie encourages her to leave her boyfriend behind an embrace a new life. But there’s something different about Sophie and about the way people act toward her. Is Sophie the friend she seems or is there something else afoot?

This was such a fun read! The coffee shop, the food vendors, and the wine shop definitely make me want to visit! The spider infestation might have made me wary, but Annie seemed okay with it. This might not be the best book for the truly spider averse, but I wound up mostly charmed by the spiders by the end (though I’m still not sure I’d want them in my home).

I was very unsure about Sophie and her motives throughout the book, but she was fascinating to read about and she made for some interesting discussions in our buddy read groups. Annie was a struggle because you had to feel bad for her, but also could be easily frustrated by some of her choices as well.

This book brought a few creepy moments, but I think it would be perfect who want a bit of seasonal reading without the big scares!

Wow. This book.
I loved this one!

Fantastic message for all women, wrapped up in a wonderfully cozy bow and presented to you by an adorable spider (read the book!). More gallows humor than horror, in my opinion. I started in the evening and read most of the day away, just enthralled with this story.

The best D*sney princess that never was (including an adorable companion creature); this is the story every girl needs.

Thanks to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

The Return was one of my favorite books in 2019, so when I was given the chance to read an arc of Cackle, Rachel Harrison’s sophomore work I was cautiously ecstatic. Could her second work really be as great as her first. The answer? A resounding yes!

I loved everything about Cackle. In an attempt to start over a bad break-up, Annie moves out of New York City to the small town of Rowan. And while she finds Rowan perfectly cute and charming she still spends most of her time pining over her ex, Sam. And then she meets Sophie.

Sophie is beautiful and glamorous and everyone in the town seems to be a little bit afraid of her. And she lives in a mansion in the woods. And when Sophie takes Annie under her wing, Annie’s life seems to get so much better. But is it magic or….

Annie’s character made me laugh out loud and made my heart hurt. She is utterly real and flawed and magical in her own right. I wanted to hug her and befriend her myself. Rachel Harrison writes seamlessly about women’s friendships under the most interesting guises—with a friend who is back from the dead in The Return, and among witches in Cackle. And no matter the dressing, the sentiment at the heart of the stories is the same—about recognizing worth in yourself and the people around you. There were so many amazing quotes in Cackle, but these had to be two of my favorites:

“‘I gave you so much of myself…and you wasted me.’”

“‘What is it about a woman in full control of herself that is so utterly frightening?’”

Harrison is such an amazing writer and I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.

Anyone with arachnophobia should not read this book! Spiders everywhere!! Lol Although this is said to be spooky and dark, I didn’t find it to be either of those. Weird? Yes. Witchy? Yes. But spooky? Nope.
Annie has been with her boyfriend and living in the city for the past 10 years. When they split up, she is heartbroken and decides she needs a fresh start so she take a new job in a small town upstate New York. The town is quaint and almost storybook like. That is until she meets Sophie! Sophie and Annie hon right from the start and Annie feels like she made the right decision moving until she finds that the people of the cute little town are scared of Sophie, and Annie doesn’t know why. As their friendship grows, Sophie reveals some of her more mysterious ways that the others are afraid of, but Annie seems drawn to. And Sophia’s best friend…well he’s not who you think he is!
I think this may be mor suited to be labeled YA, but if you’re in the mood for a quick and different story for the Halloween season, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Thanks to Berkley Publishers and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

Rachel Harrison made me laugh out loud with her book, Cackle. That’s right--Cackle made me cackle. I wrote so many quotes to remember from this book that I feel like the main character Annie may have sprung right from my own head. Who hasn’t cried “into a venti caramel consolation latte,” right?

Main character Annie finds herself starting a new life in a small town in upstate New York after her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her. She’s shocked by the break-up and at a loss for what to do next in her life, but the town of Rowan seems like just the answer she needs. It’s a quaint picture-perfect town where she meets her new best friend, Sophie.

But wait. Why is everyone in the town afraid of Sophie? Why are there spiders everywhere Annie looks? In this strange new town, Annie might find not only her strangely perfect new life, but she might finally find herself as well!

I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. What a perfect, not-too-scary book to get a reader into the Halloween spirit!

When Annie’s long term boyfriend breaks up with her, she finds herself leaving NYC and moving to a small town and starting over. She makes friends with a mysterious local woman Sophie. Only to find out there’s something very different and special about Sophie….

Picking this book up, I expected to get a spooky thriller, maybe get a little scared. This book is not that at all. Instead, I got a charming women’s fiction book about friendship and finding yourself with lots of spiders and some witchy vibes. That being said, I did enjoy this one and thought it was a light, fun Halloween season read. I loved the message that you don’t need a relationship to be complete and that women shouldn’t make themselves small to make others more comfortable. Most importantly, let’s talk about Ralph the spider who might be one of my favorite characters.

Thank you to @berittalksbooks @thephdicabooks and @dg_reads for arranging a buddy read, and to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

2.75 stars

When Annie is told by her long-time boyfriend that they're better as friends, she decides to make a fresh start with a new teaching position in a small town in Upstate NY. Everyone in the small town is overly friendly, especially Sophie, one of the residents that takes an instant liking to Annie. Annie loves spending time with her new friend but she can't help feeling that she is missing something. The people of the town seem frightened of Sophie. Should Annie be wary of her new and only friend?

I really wanted to love this story. And some things I did. For instance this book almost changed how I look at spiders. Almost! Annie makes friends with Ralph, a cute little spider that keeps watch over her and wears adorable hats and has a tiny little bed. I was here for Ralph. And Sophie's character had so much potential. I really wanted more of her backstory. I feel like this is where the true story was...her past and what happened to her. We never got it sadly.

Our MC, Annie was so annoying. She constantly brought up Sam, and apparently can't go on without a man in her life. I hate nothing more than weak woman as MC's. I was hoping for a nice character arc where Annie would transform into a strong women...and Annie did change- just not in the way I was hoping and it she didn't really earn it, so I didn't find it fitting.

Besides this the story was pretty boring tbh. While marketed as horror, this is really a cozy story about friendship where nothing ever happens. I kept waiting for the horror, for something major to happen, and it never did which just let me down. It was sweet, and like I said, Sophie and Ralph were great, and probably saved this book for me.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Can you imagine being in a long-term relationship with the man of your dreams, only to have him dump you after ten long years of your life? The nerve of him to just up and call it quits. The first thing that usually comes to mind is what did I do wrong? Where could I have been more understanding and supportive? Of course, it’s always the one who is dumped that thinks it is something they did wrong, but is it really? These are questions Annie Crane found herself asking after Sam left her. He not only left her but left her emotionally drained.

What Annie needed was a fresh start. Her coworker decided to drag her from her haven of despair and make her go out for her birthday. Annie truly wasn’t interested but she forged along to make Nadia happy. That was Annie’s problem—always pleasing others instead of looking out for herself. As they are out in Manhattan having the time of their lives, Nadia has the bright idea that they should go get their palms read.

Annie was dead set against this idea but being the trooper (or fool) that she is, she goes and when the palm reader gets done with Annie, she flees the scene and tries to forget her birthday and this night that she wished never happened. With bags packed and Sam out of her life, she heads upstate to start a new teaching position in a very small town setting. This is just what the doctor ordered.

While settling into her new place, she noticed the apartment appeared to be infested with spiders of every size and variety. I don’t know about you, but that would have caused me to move back to New York, but at any rate, Annie wasn’t afraid of the spiders. In fact, she went out of her way to not kill them, and she befriended them of sorts. One day while Annie was out, she meets a gorgeous, mature woman who appeared to not only have her looks together, but everything about her aura said she was confident and strong. Annie was immediately drawn to her and was smitten right away. Luckily for Annie, the feelings were reciprocated. Sophie introduced herself and almost immediately, Annie knew Sophie was something “special.” The townspeople seemed to just do whatever Sophie wanted and went out of their way to be extremely kind. No matter, Annie thought it was great seeing a woman who was strong and confident and was a boss. She aspired to be so great.

The more Annie got to know Sophie, she noticed strange occurrences and people had a way of doing exactly what Sophie wanted. There were whispers throughout the town about Sophie and things she did and/or had done to certain individuals, but this was mere myth, right? The more Annie got to know Sophie, the more she loved her until she crossed Sophie and that, readers, is where this story gets interesting.

OMG, I loved this story! What an amazing tale? I had no idea where this story was going to go. Every time I thought I was on the right path, Harrison took me in a completely different direction. I could not get enough. This book was so good. I gobbled it up in no time, as you will undoubtedly do as well. The characters were awesome, and I enjoyed following the relationship between Annie and Sophie. My, if I could be so lucky as to have a friend like Sophie. I need to get me one of those. (chuckle).

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts I am not sure exactly what genre this fits into. Sometimes I thought it was YA and others more women’s lit. But either way it was an adorable story.

It was hard for me not to imagine “Beauty and The Beast” as I read this story. Not because there was a beast but more that the place Annie comes to is magical. But what is also magical is the way that Annie blooms once she gets to know Sophie.

I found this book just adorable. And a joy to read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.