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.

“I’m not ashamed of who I am. Of what I am. What is it about a woman in full control of herself that is so utterly frightening?”

When 30-year-old Annie is dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years, her world is shattered. The person that she has spent the last decade making her life revolve around no longer wants her. Big oof. She packs up, leaves NYC, and makes for her new life of singledom in the small, idyllic upstate town of Rowan. Here she meets the gorgeous and sophisticated Sophie, who showers her with kindness and friendship. Sophie strongly encourages Annie’s journey of healing and self-discovery as well as growth of confidence and self-love. However, something is slightly off and mysterious about Sophie and Annie quickly learns that there is a lot more to her than meets the eye.

I want to move to an idyllic ‘gingerbread house’ town with witches that live in mansions in the woods with their spider friends, spending my days baking pies and making soaps! This is a perfect witchy feminist read to welcome in spooky season! It can be dark and delightfully wicked in parts; however, I wouldn’t say that it’s a horror or a thriller, as marketed. I loved the autumnal feel of the story as well as the focus on female empowerment and friendship. You don’t need man to be happy, Annie!

I felt that the friendship and kindness aspects with all of Annie’s ‘growth’ were sort of thrown out of the window a little towards the end of the book when Annie makes certain decisions, even though the ending turned out well. I also got frustrated with the lack of communication between the Annie and Sophie about vital things that could have potentially avoided some of the conflict in the final chapters. Additionally, something PRETTY HUGE was revealed about Annie at about three quarters of the way in that was just kind of dropped there with no further explanation, possible links to her past or anything. I wanted a little more from this one, but it was still enjoyable!

A solid 3/5 stars with an extra half thrown in for Ralph the spider.

I feel like this would be enjoyed by those who read and like spooky romcoms like The Ex-Hex and The Kiss Curse.

Enjoyable read. A cosy book for autumn. Didn’t suck me in to begin with but after the first chapter or two it did

“WELCOME TO ROWAN, AMERICA’S BEST-KEPT SECRET.”

Annie is newly thirty and newly single when she moves to Rowan. Recently dumped by her long term boyfriend/best friend, Annie is on her own for the first time and she’s not a fan. When she’s not teaching “hormone-addled, angst-driven evil meat sticks”, she’s hitting the bottle.

It isn’t long before Annie meets Sophie, who’s beautiful and self-assured. The people of Rowan behave differently when Sophie is around, though. It’s almost as if they’re scared of her.

““Want me to curse them for you?”
“Sure,” I say.
“Done.””

Annie loves the attention and care that Sophie lavishes on her but it made me feel claustrophobic. The relationships in this book (Annie and Sam, Annie and Sophie) are all kinds of messed up. It’s no coincidence that the first movie Sophie watches with Annie is Gaslight.

I wanted Sophie’s wardrobe and wouldn’t have said no to her home cooking but wasn’t a fan of her. To be fair, she does want Bruce to win in Jaws so she can’t be all bad, but I don’t know if I can trust someone who hates unicorns. I’m all for having the confidence to be who you truly are but if claiming your power results in an entire township being terrified of you, then that cheapens it for me.

My favourite character, Ralph, had no lines but he made up for it in personality. I’m a sucker for spiders who can pull off wearing a top hat, especially when they also have a great smile.

Overall, this was a lighter read than I was expecting but that’s not to say there weren’t some memorable lines:

“My insecurity returns like a villain in a sequel. The same but worse.”

“I embrace the next morning with all the enthusiasm of a goat entering Jurassic Park.”

Readers with emetophobia may have trouble with some scenes.

“NOW LEAVING ROWAN. KEEP OUR SECRET.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

3.5/5

Cackle is a fun read. Let me start by saying, as other reviews have, this has wrongly been marketed as Women's Horror and that's not really accurate. It's creepy in places, certainly, but it's not full on horror.

It's feminist prose, focusing on female empowermant, with witchcraft, a plethora of delicious food and a pet spider! Neither of the main characters are particularly likeable, which is a shame, considering the genre, but the storyline had me intrigued and plenty happens, so it kept me entertained.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this in advance of publication. Cackle is not what I would immediately deem horror (and I’m unsure why someone might regard it as such) but it does use witchcraft to explore the theme of friendship and it has plenty of good-humoured moments.
Our main character has been dumped by her boyfriend. She moves to a new town, where she knows nobody, and is befriended by Sophie. Sophie is beautiful, glamorous and everyone in the town seems in thrall to her (though some are happier about this than others).
As Annie settles into her new routine, she starts to feel more and more indebted to Sophie. She heard rumours about her new friend, and when she is gifted a spider as a housewarming gift we know there’s something odd about her.
The question soon becomes about how quickly Annie is prepared to accept these changes to her life. She veers between desperate to salvage her previous existence and determined to forge a bright new path. Ultimately something of a middle ground has to be found, but Annie learns what is important to her and what boundaries she is prepared to put in place to live her life.

A magical voyage of self discovery, mystic abilities and friendship.

Cackle by Rachel Harrison is a whimsical novel that has a lot to say about self love and the power of the human mind. Rachel presents to the reader a really light, easy read that is both humorous and exciting in equal measure. A true fantasy story that, although about witchcraft, isn’t overly dark but has moments of pure terrifying suspense.

Annie is a wonderful character that I’m sure can relate heavily to a lot of people, I certainly can to some aspects of her life and the parts that aren’t quite as relatable to me cast a feeling of “that’s Sod’s law’! An English term that boils down to…that was a typical outcome!
Sophie is a foreboding and mysterious character who has such pleasantness on display. You can’t help but be wary of her and what can only be assumed as an underlying mighty power!

The story plays out at a beautiful pace with plenty of lightheartedness to match the shadowy presence of suspense that is a constant throughout the story. Whilst focusing on Annie and Sophie a superb cast of supporting characters ensure a deep character driven story.

Cackle is a must for all fantasy fans, especially those that are fans of witchcraft and mystics. Rachel Harrison has a brilliantly humorous way with words but can also hold down heartfelt, powerful scenes. Cackle is a fantastic addition to any bookshelf, I’m really excited for what Rachel has in store for us next.

Rounded up from 4.5 stars

This is such a cozy little horror novel. It doesn't lean into the horror as much as I think it could have but it was a really great read. It's definitely the book is give people if someone asked about my taste in literature.

Also as someone who is afraid of spiders, this book did a great job at endearing them to me which is quite a feat.

I do feel that maybe Sophie was forcing her world view on Annie a bit much but then I think most of the conflict in the book wouldn't have happened so probably necessary in this case. Also Annie's dependency on alcohol probably could have done with a bit more serious discussion.

Overall great read though. Very much enjoyed it.

After being dumped by her long term boyfriend Sam, Annie is looking for a fresh start. So she accepts a teaching job in a small village upstate. Her new home is quaint and perfect and everyone seems so friendly. Then she meets Sophie who is beautiful and charming and takes Annie under her wing wanting to be her friend. She wants Annie to start thinking of herself instead of everyone else. Annie can't stop wanting to spend all of her time with Sophie even though everyone treats her like they're afraid of her. Is there a reason Annie should be afraid too?

This was a quick read and kept me gripped. I did not enjoy Annie as a character she spends a lot of time wallowing in self pity and doesn't try to make any friends or be nice to anyone other than Sophie. There were a lot of spiders in this story so if you have any fear of spiders proceed with caution.

I feel this could've been better if the author made Annie a bit happier and friendlier.

The ending was good and I'm glad Annie finally felt happier by that point. Will definitely read more by this author.

I absolutely loved reading Cackle and although I thought it would be a lot creepier than it was I actually really liked that it felt a little lighter.
The story follows Annie who, after splitting with her long term boyfriend Sam, finds herself in a sleepy, cosy little town where she is befriended by the bewitching Sophie.
The places and people were brilliantly described and I was instantly lost in Annie's world where I became unusually fond of a spider named Ralph and obsessed with knowing what would happen to Annie as the story progressed and got a little darker
It was a really fun read and perfect for a spooky autumnal evening because who doesn't want to read about witches and their spidery pals at this time of year!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for letting me escape into this perfect witchy world.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
I have been waiting for this book for such a long time, and it did not disappoint! Deeply feminist at its core, this book gave me a new profound look at my own life and what I want it to be (I basically want to live in a mansion in the middle of the woods, alone and unbothered by people like Sophie).
Annie, for me, was a little windy for some of this but that's just because I don't understand people who make having a partner in their life their entire being, which was what she had been doing since adolescence; making sure she was in a relationship, and then took on the personalities of those partners. This isn't inherently her fault, as the book shows, it's just what society thinks women should do - get a partner (preferably a man because homophobia), settle down, make sure he's happy all the time and then your life is perfect. But fuck that! I was completely on Sophie's side and for a moment there I was worried that the book was going to end in some romantic, cookie cutter way but thankfully it didn't.
I loved the magical elements, and the fact that Annie starts to see beauty in the world where she finds it, not just where society tells us to find it; she makes friends with spiders, sees the beauty in bones and the act of doing things for yourself rather than someone else.
Gosh I loved this book! Yes, it did get a little dark at times, and if you don't like spiders then maybe don't read this one, but for a summer-into-fall spooky read, this will do you a treat!
Trigger warnings for:
depression, alcohol dependancy, blood, spiders, drowning, bullying, mention of bulimia, and being dumped.

Let me start this review off by saying this is in no way a horror book and definitely not a thriller. Instead I found this to be quite a charming, funny story where not a lot really happens.
I have previously enjoyed this authors work so I went into this with high hopes and thankfully I wasn't disappointed.
I loved the dark, morbid humour this author always writes as this is right up my street!
I also find her writing to be light, enjoyable and easy to read.
If you are looking for a slightly dark, funny read, full of vibes for the spooky season then I definitely recommend this one.
Also, I will never look at spiders the same ever again.

This wasn’t the kind of book I thought it would be based on comments like ‘deliciously dark feminist’ story and being listed as horror.

There are a few dark moments in it (which I did enjoy) but overall this was a cosy small town story about a 30 year old woman Annie who spends the vast majority of the book moaning about missing her ex-boyfriend and clinging pathetically to her new best friend. Right at the very end she has an epiphany and then becomes incredibly unlikeable and arrogant. If she had been a 17 year old student instead of a teacher she might’ve been more believable or relatable.

Sophie is an intriguing character but we don’t get any of her backstory and there are others loose ends like Oskar the coffee shop man and what happened with his wife. In fact, beyond Annie, Sophie and the largely absent Sam, the rest of the characters are forgettable as they are just there to populate the town rather than bring anything to the story.

I didn’t see this as feminist or thrilling. It’s a quick, easy, light read which was pleasant enough and I may have enjoyed it more if I didn’t feel I’d been misled. Its certainly not horror, it’s best described as paranormal women’s fiction.

Thank you to the publishers for my copy of Cackle on Netgalley, this is a fabulously cozy read and met my desires for a witchy mysterious easy ready to bring in Autumn, it gave me all the Practical Magic vibes that I could desire with a message about independence and endurance that I really connected with.

If you take a spoonful of Wisteria Lane, a smattering of Hocus Pocus, a generous dollop of The brothers Grimm, mix them together in a cauldron and let it bubble away….you’ve brewed Cackle.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read before; a magical fairytale which is both sassy and fantastical, with a little hue of darkness. I love the character of Annie and the dry wit throughout her narration. I enjoyed the contrasts between her and Sophie and the deliciously wicked and at times savage sense of humour they shared. The story itself is fun, lighthearted and quaint but maintains that element of mystery and spookiness in just the right measure. I found it as mesmerising and as hypnotic as Annie found Sophie.

Deeper themes are explored such as friendship, acceptance and fear of abandonment and at its very creepy core Cackle is ultimately about that journey of self discovery and making peace with who you really are.

If you are looking for your cozy autumn read….THIS IS IT! It’s mystical and modern. Make a hot chocolate, get your blanket, grab your copy of Cackle and coorie in! You’re in for one heck of a (broomstick) ride!

Annie and her long term boyfriend Sam break up and she moved to the idyllic town of Rowan. Here she meets the beautiful Sophie who is beautiful, confident but a bit strange. They become friends and Sophie takes Annie under her wing and guides her in how to become more self sufficient. But Sophie isn't normal, and the town fears her. Oh and let's throw in some cute spiders.

I loved it. Its not necessarily a horror, more a cosy witch story about growth and empowerment. Perfect for Halloween season.

Following a break up, Annie moves from New York City to upstate where she takes a teaching job and uncovers her witchy powers alongside Ralph the spider. This is a lighthearted read, cozy not spooky and easy YA fiction for Halloween.

A young woman, a teacher, moves out of NYC as after a recent split-up with her boyfriend, there is no way she can pay the rent in the city. Her new home seems to good to be perfect, and she quickly finds a friend who makes the world sparkle.

It's been a while since I read it due to health related reasons, so if you need warnings, please check other reviews as well. I am not sure I got everything.

I liked the whole thing and had a lot of fun with the friendship between those two, and I like that we have aro-ace rep in the witchy witch of witchtown. Our protagonist gets the cutest spider to ever be an animal companion and it almost makes me want to have one of my own, too, despite preferring dogs and cats. But please, if you have arachnophobia, make sure you're reading this prepared for some gruesome scenes you won't like at all.

I would love to read more set in this world, but part of this story is the chemistry between the two women we meet, Annie and Sophie, and I am not sure it would work with only one of them because they balance each other out and would be annoying on their own.

Additionally, this is more vibes than plot and low on the horror level, because this is not out to shock you but to give atmosphere and tell the story of friendship - which I liked a lot, but if you're a reader who frequently goes to horror books for spooks, you might be disappointed.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

There was a lot to love in this quirky, small-town tale of witchcraft and feminism.

When Annie breaks up with her boyfriend, she ups sticks to move to a small town in America, where she meets Sophie, an impossibly beautiful woman, who the whole town seems to be afraid of.

When Sophie reveals she’s a witch, Annie makes a choice to stay her friend and then starts discovering that she might also have powers.

Featuring a truly lovely spider companion (possibly the best character), some terrible dates and good messages about feminism, friendship, and knowing your own worth.

While I enjoyed the book, I wanted more. More about Sophie, more background, more witchcraft etc. I felt like there were tangles still to be unweaned (for instance I wanted more about the coffee shop owner and what happened to his wife).

I also felt like it could have had more of an ending. I’m all for denouncing crap men - and Annie finally finding her voice wrt that was great. But there was a bit of an anticlimax after that.

While I liked Sophie, I felt like to truly grow Annie needed to hold her to account. And I’d liked to have seen more resolution with the townsfolk (not necessarily happy flappy acceptance - but something. Even if that was just showing Sophie and Annie terrifying them into compliance).

In any case. I enjoyed the read. It was nice and easy. The language was lovely. The author had a cracking use of metaphor and a lovely turn of phrase, which meant people and places were brought thoroughly to life. So while I wanted a bit more, I enjoyed what was there a lot.

I read this book in two sittings as I just had to know what was going to happen!
It had a creepy and sinister edge to it throughout but also remained a lighthearted read. I think this is because we heard the story through Annie who is way more accepting and laidback than I would be….especially with the spiders!
Thank you for the E-ARC and and enjoyable read.
3.5⭐️