DNF’d at page 115. I couldn’t do it. I’ll write a more in-depth review later once I’ve recovered from this book disappointment lmao

I was really disappointed. I was told by SOO many people that this book would be a really great read. I was promised spooky and wholesome but I didn’t find it that way. At first I did really like the narrative and the author’s writing was really enjoyable. But as I continued to read, I found the descriptions to be so so repetitive and annoying. Like we did NOT need a grand description every other paragraph!! And that’s seriously saying something from me because normally I am ALL about the sensory imagery. That’s literally exactly why I loved Great Gatsby so much and my favorite poems are the ones chock full of glorious descriptions. But in Cackle, it was very overdone. Moderation is key.
Next, the plot. It took WAY too long to establish the point of the story. 115 pages in and I STILL could not tell you where the plot was going. Wine-obsessed stereotypical 30 year old thinks she’s ancient because she’s just turned 30, moves to a small town and sees a bunch of spiders in her new apartment while getting bullied by obnoxious high schoolers and meets a mysterious woman who’s supposed to be charming but is just plain annoying with like 45 red flags. So that’s the set up and scene but where is it going? It’s not a terrible premise I suppose but it had no direction and the main characters got really annoying really fast. 115 pages into a 305 page book is too far in to not have a point to the plot. That far in to the book and we’re still at the very beginning of the story. That’s messed up.

Now the characters. Annie was relatable and sweet at first. As someone with depression and other mental health struggles myself, I could really relate to her and empathize with her. But then it went on and on and on. And I know this is a me problem but it really did make me think about how other people view me when I’m feeling crappy. Like wow if Annie is really annoying am I that annoying too when I rant about my struggles??😳😳 And will she ever stop with her ex?? I know that people get caught up on their exes and do exactly what Annie did all the time irl. But it was annoying and painful to read. And oh my GOd the drinking. Girl. I know that everyone has different relationships with alcohol but come on man. That is not healthy. It felt like I was watching a friend spiral and spiral and do really unhealthy things and all I could do is sit and watch. At one point she went and started drinking rum and I literally audibly out loud said “no oh my god don’t do that”. And then Sophie just enables Annie’s drinking problem!!! I have so many complaints about Sophie. Like seriously, Sophie is the crazy lady that approaches you at the grocery store and will not shut up when all you wanna do is buy groceries and leave. At first she seems nice but then suddenly after knowing her for 10 min, you know everything about her grandsons soundcloud career and her weird possibly contagious skin condition. I digress.. I felt like the author REALLY wanted the reader to be smitten with her. But I did not find her charming. Clearly lol. I don’t understand why Annie didn’t see all of these red flags about Sophie. If it were me my red flag radars would being going off left and right and I would already be trying to work out a safety plan so that I could avoid Sophie at all costs. And the fact that all of the townsfolk act weird around her isn’t something I would just brush off. I don’t get it. I know people ignore red flags all the time, I’m not exactly innocent of that myself. But ya gotta draw the line at some point.

Even though all of the things I found annoying about Annie are mostly realistic and people do that stuff and act like that all the time irl, it doesn’t make it any more tolerable. That shit is annoying in real life. I read to escape that shit, not to read about it more. If this book was marketed as a contemporary fiction piece set in a small town like it actually is, then fine, I wouldn’t be complaining so much. But it’s supposed to be a cozy spooky witchy fantasy/thriller. Which don’t even get me started on how this book is the farthest thing from a thriller I’ve ever read. I could see the author trying with the spooky stuff. But it didn’t work at all. It kinda felt like getting stuck on Space Mountain at Disneyland and all of the lights come on and suddenly the magic and thrill of it are gone because you see how it all works. Underwhelming as all hell. Except at least the engineering of rollercoasters is actually interesting. This is just as if the lights came on and all you could see was a flat track going in a small circle for like 20 minutes straight.

Who knows, maybe it does get better farther into the book. But I had other books I would rather read. perhaps I’ll revisit it and give it a try another time. But it’s unlikely. life is short, why should I read books that piss me off when there are so many incredible ones waiting to be read? ( )

I"m frustrated that this book is now effecting my book suggestions. >. ( )

A good break-up book, with delicious food, sumptuous dresses, and a very cute spider. ( )

Omg everything about this book annoyed me. ( )

Finally! A supernatural story that isn't ruined by forcing the narrative into a romance. I'm sick of choosing books about witches or magic and finding instead men with ripped chests and obscure coloured eyes who charm the knickers off the heroine but bore me silly. This is the book I've been searching for - chick lit, Hallmark Christmas movies and Stephen King, but in a good way!

After being relegated back to the friend zone by her best friend turned boyfriend, Annie Crane leaves New York on her thirtieth birthday and moves upstate to a new life and new job in Rowan, a small town with a secret. Main Street is like a scene from a Hallmark movie, with coffee shops, bakeries and a farmer's market, and everyone is friendly and welcoming. The only downside seems to be the spiders in her apartment. Annie is battling her own demons, however, feeling depressed and lonely. Until she meets the stunningly beautiful Sophie, the best friend she has always longed for, who takes the newcomer under her wing and invites Annie out to her mansion in the woods. But why is everyone else seemingly afraid of this enigmatic beauty with a kind heart?

I absolutely loved this story, from the characters to the setting - in fact, I wanted to be both Annie and Sophie! And the only man on the scene is Annie's ex, Sam, who is likeable enough but neither an Adonis or a romantic risk. I enjoyed Annie's new start in Rowan, shared her neuroses while teaching a class of obnoxious teens, but was glad that she was allowed to find herself rather than a man. I'm not sure about the message - all single women over 30 are witches? - but I was all for not having to endure another romance. Sophie is also a fabulous character, comfortable in who she is but understandably lonely. The darker scenes - mostly involving spiders and ghosts - were also well written and unnerving.

Funny, moving, comforting, spooky, relatable, Rachel Harrison has thrown every emotion into the cauldron bar lust, which is fine by me! Definitely recommended, and I might even buy a printed copy to read annually during spooky season! ( )