Cackle by Rachel Harrison (Review by Caitlin Winkler)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Yes! The perfect October new release! Love a good “spookiest time of the year” read, and this book did not disappoint. While I would not describe this book as a horror or thriller by any means, I did find it to be a very enjoyable Halloween-type story! I found myself laughing a lot more than I expected, but also found myself rooting for the journey of self-love story that unfolded in this novel.

Annie has lived most of her adult life with relatively no surprises and minimal risk. However, after her long-time boyfriend, and roommate, breaks off their relationship with no warning, Annie finds herself moving out of Manhattan and up to the suburbs in upstate New York. Her new town is quaint and picturesque and, frankly, perfect-but doesn’t have her ex-boyfriend and, therefore, is not right for her. Shortly after moving and starting her new job as a high school teacher, Annie meets Sophie. Gorgeous, beguiling, and charismatic she instantly takes Annie under her wing and encourages her to take control of her life. Annie is thrilled to have made a friend, which is so hard to do as an adult, and finds herself gravitating towards Sophie and her way of life. But why does everyone in the town seem so afraid of her? Could there be more to Sophie then meets the eye?

What I loved about this book was that it conveys the spookiness of a story related to witches but is also infused with humor and feminism and the importance of self-love! Tis the season for all things witch and ghost and haunting and this book slips right in! For all those who love Hocus Pocus and are looking for a work of literature to supplement their addiction to the Sanderson Sisters, this book is for you! I highly recommend picking this book up this October and getting the chance to meet Ralph-a one of a kind character for sure