Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

26 reviews

itsalina's review against another edition

dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Murder, and Emotional abuse

bluelillybooks's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Menacing, magnanimous, magic.

Annie is a 30 year-old teacher who suffers from depression after her boyfriend broke up with her. She moves through life trying to be as inconspicious as possible, while her mind is haunted by anxiety. Now that she has to move cities and live on her own, she is confronted with her bad drinking habits and loneliness. Then she meets Sophie, who carries herself with a grace and confidence that inspires awe in Annie. They quickly become friends, but if Sophie is that wonderful, then why are the other villagers always nervous around her? And why are there so many spiders in Annie's appartment?

I have never before seen myself in a character as much as I saw myself in Annie. "Cackle" describes anxiety attacks, self-doubt and depressive symptoms in such an accurate way that I highlighted some of the passages to show to my therapist. Not even joking. I've seen some reviews calling Annie gullible and annoying, but girlies that's literally how anxiety works *shrugs*. 

Without spoiling anything, because I think everyone should read this book, "Cackle" is about finding the courage to live life for yourself and all the magic in yourself that is just waiting to come out. Also spooky vibes!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Bullying

Moderate: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Eating disorder, and Grief

Spiders

blacksphinx's review against another edition

dark funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Grief

Moderate: Bullying and Sexism

Minor: Blood and Infidelity

coco78337's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was such an easy and amazing read. I would genuinely recommend this book to anyone who is in a transitionary period of their life or just feels stuck. I loved the platonic love is this book, it really made me want to hang out with my girl friends and move to a small quaint town. This book gets 5 stars with flying colors.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Vomit, Gore, Alcoholism, Body horror, and Alcohol

caitevans7's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

elsebeok's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Vomit, Blood, and Death of parent

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Oooooooh, what a quick and fun read! Who doesn’t love witches? The story was super cute, as we watch ‘just turned 30’ Annie attempt to restart her life after a breakup. Slowly, she learns to call the village of Rowan her home. She makes friends along the way, but is there something fishy going on with this Sophie woman the whole town seems to be afraid of…? I would recommend this book to anyone who feels sad, lost, or entirely too single. Its message was great and I loved every minute!

Final thoughts: you couldn’t pay me enough to have a pet spider. 

“Is this how it happens? Is this how you make friends as an adult? You stumble upon someone wonderful, and all of a sudden, you’re close?” 

“I will not meet him there. I will not shrink myself down to his size, or anyone else’s, for their comfort. For their appeasement.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Violence, Gore, Bullying, and Blood

Minor: Vomit

emoryjoy's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The back of the book sounds like it will be a queer romance. It is not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Gore, Stalking, Blood, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Body shaming

Arachnophobia - there are lots of spiders in this book

cavernism's review against another edition

dark lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This book made me realize writing style is a big sticking point for me. The writing in this was simplistic in an annoying way ("___", I say. "______," she said, for all dialogue). I also found this messaging to be very white girl feminist and pretty didactic. I love a story where a character finds agency and self-worth, but not when the authors bangs your head with a brick to show off The Point. In general, the concept of "show, don't tell" doesn't come up much in this writing. 

There were parts I enjoyed (Ralph! His little hat! Be still my heart!), there were character moments that really worked for me, and the cozy setting of a small New England town was appealing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Alcoholism, and Blood

bitterseason's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Body shaming, and Body horror

Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, Vomit, Bullying, Sexism, Cursing, Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail