I really like Rachel Harrison’s writing and for the first half of the book I sympathized with Annie as a protagonist, but this didn’t really work for me. It wasn’t particularly scary, thrilling, or interesting. It dragged and felt repetitive in multiple places. There are some good cozy/spooky vibes at the beginning that might suit your October reading, but it gets a little old after a bit. I think Sophie and Annie both start out as likable and as the book goes on their actions get more and more cruel and I felt bad for people around the town, who are seemingly terrorized by them. I needed to be given more of a reason to root for both of them. The development of Annie’s character and her coming into her own happened too slowly and then all at once in a way that was paced very strangely. 

Also, there was SOOO much potential for going deeper into the lore of Sophie’s magic and the history of the town, but none of that was explored. Annie’s powers were never explained or defined.

Too many elements felt half-baked and under developed.