Unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations. It was my first time reading this author, and after hearing so many positive things about her work, I was disappointed. There was also more profanity than I preferred, and I didn’t enjoy the frequent feminist commentary throughout the story. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

However, I did enjoy the characters of Annie and Sophie. Annie was extremely relatable, while Sophie had a mysterious vibe that made me want to learn more about her. Their dynamic was definitely toxic, and I wished the book had explored their friendship more deeply. Overall, I wanted more from this story—more magic, creepy supernatural elements, romance for Annie with a new guy, and a better backstory for Sophie. The plot felt flat and boring, and I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, but it never did. Some scenes had potential, but it wasn’t enough. This read more like women’s lit or chick lit, not the horror fantasy I was expecting. It wasn’t scary at all—just a few gross moments. I was hoping for more fantastical elements to truly capture the feel of a witchy fantasy horror book.

The highlight of this book was definitely Ralph, the adorable fuzzy spider who behaved more like a pet dog than an insect. I kept picturing him as an animated or CGI character with loads of personality. He brought some much-needed comic relief, especially in a few fun scenes toward the end.

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this book. There are plenty of better witchy reads out there without such an overt feminist tone. However, if the premise appeals to you, it might be worth a try—you may enjoy it more than I did. While this one didn’t work for me, I’m still interested in checking out a few more of the author’s books and hoping those will resonate better.

**This book is part of a witchy real-time reaction episode, which you can listen to here.