Cover Image: Such Sharp Teeth

Such Sharp Teeth

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was a really fun take on a werewolf story. I loved the dynamic of the two sisters. I kind of wish I got a little more about Rory's past and a little more of Mia but overall really good

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed the world this built, the connections and snark of the twins especially, from the very beginning. Wonderful exploration of how trauma changes us but doesn't necessarily have to end us.

Was this review helpful?

Rory isn’t exactly happy to be back home, but she knows her sister needs her. So here she is. Unfortunately for her, after a night out she hits an animal on the road, and while checking to see what she hit, she is attacked by an animal she cant even describe. She somehow survives the attack, but weird things are starting to happen. Will Rory be able to figure out what is happening to her?

Damn Rachel Harrison can write a super fucked up story. I loved it! Like seriously, her books are the perfect way to get yourself ready for Halloween! I loved the characters, and the story was just beyond crazy. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I will keep this brief, but if you love Harrison, or even just creepy halloween stories, you need to read this book!

Was this review helpful?

I read this amazing book in a single sitting! What Rachel has done here is absolutely incredible. Compelling characters, real life trauma and relationships, all woven into one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read!

Was this review helpful?

Review to be posted on RueMorgue.com

Rachel Harrison (Cackle, The Return) comes howling in for the Halloween holiday with SUCH SHARP TEETH [Berkley, October 4, 2022]—a werewolf body horror novel with every bit as much bite as the title promises.

When Aurora’s pregnant twin Scarlett calls her sister in for help, Rory puts her life in the city on hold to come home to take care of her sister. Her homecoming turns out to be even less exciting than she expects when she’s attacked driving home from a local pub (where she bumped into a high school pal turned new flame, rawr). Thinking she hit a bear, Rory gets out of her vehicle to check for damage and roadkill and is accosted and bitten by a strange animal. Luckily, the beast is distracted by an easier prey before it can finish its feast. Luckily again, the bite is healed by the time Rory wakes up in the hospital. Unluckiest of all, the aftermath of the damage left beneath her skin is far from over.

Besides bleeding silver goo and finding fur trapped under our skin, Rory’s acclimation to life as a werewolf isn’t the only body horror rollercoaster waiting for readers. Scarlett is experiencing a type of body horror too familiar to be foreign: pregnancy. Both sisters undergo mental and physical transformation as they face twin scenarios in which their body is no longer completely their own. Being unexpectedly pregnant and mutating into a werewolf every full moon are a contrast to be sure, but Harrison’s visceral, delicate handling of both serves not to diminish either woman’s experience but remind readers that even natural transformations can be monstrous. It’s creature feature meets body horror, fierce and female and never forgetting the power that women’s bodies are capable of.

Vivid and visceral, Harrison’s readers experience every stinging pain, every grotesque change, every absurd hunger that Rory experiences during her transformation, giving fresh bite to our inner wolves.

Was this review helpful?

Another fun guaranteed- entertaining- scary- quirky and addictive novel comes from Rachel Harrison!

I love this paranormal self growth- body shape positivity approach ( learning to love yourself even though you have silver blood, grey fur, sharp teeth and nails, red eyes) - romance story!

Characters are flawed but so much attachable, genuine, quirky! I loved Aurora/ Rory’s dark sense of humor and her twin Scarlet’s peculiar, artsy, unpredictable manners! They are flirty, smart, ballsy, self confident women, bottling up their pain, acting like invincible!

New Yorker, young, ambitious Rory who has her dreamy job, apartment, social life, reluctantly goes back to her hometown to support her very pregnant twin Scarlet who is abandoned by baby’s father and freaking out!

Rory is not pleased to return back, dealing with nosy small town gossip, reconnecting with her long time friend Ian who still has a big crush for her. She also has complex feelings about him.

After sharing drinks with him at the bar, she decides to drive to her sister’s home but on her way back she hits something with her car even though she doesn’t drive fast! When she gets out of the car, she sees something… a red eyed monster looking directly into her eyes… She starts running into the woods but she cannot escape!!!

And…she gets attacked by a massive fanged mystery beast! When she opens her eyes at the hospital, she realizes she’s alive and she’s told she got attacked by a bear but she is lucky! There are only a few scratches on her body! That’s all!

Unfortunately they didn’t realize she’s oozing silver blood and anytime she looks in the mirror she sees a werewolf stands behind her!

She starts craving meat, suffering from nightmares and on the full moon she handcuffs herself in a distillery because :tadaaa she turns into SHE-WOLF OF SMALL TOWN!

Rory has to deal with this transformation and she also has to confront the big trauma from her past, her harbored anger to her mother, her unresolved feelings for Ian! She has to find a way to survive with her new self! Can she manage it? Of course she can! She’s the coolest, craziest bitch who can do anything to take care of her loved ones!

This is so far my favorite work of the author! This is amazing Halloween reading choice including scary paranormal theme blended in sarcastic, entertaining women’s fiction- romance- mystery theme! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts!

Was this review helpful?

Rachel Harrison is one of my favorite authors, so I was beyond excited to get an ARC of "Such Sharp Teeth!" Thank you to Rachel Harrison, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Such Sharp Teeth" is about a girl named Rory, who returns to her hometown to help her sister through her pregnancy. Unfortunately for Rory, soon after getting to her hometown she is bitten, by a werewolf! Rory doesn't take this well and is mad she's turning into a supernatural creature. I mean how does a werewolf date?!

Rory is the most amazing character. Funny, flawed, truly herself, and honestly someone I want to be friends with! This book is such a great dark comedy and kept me laughing all the way throughout it. There is no other author that can write about horror in such a witty, fun way. This is truly the perfect book to kick off "spooky season."

5 Stars, A+, Order it now! You won't regret buying this book!

Was this review helpful?

This was an atmospheric seasonal read perfect for the Fall. I really enjoyed the idea of the story, but it fell bit flat with the actual werewolf bits. This was more of a coming into yourself/finding yourself story than a werewolf book. I enjoyed Rory’s story and the comparison between her and her sisters transformations. I thought the characters were well thought out and went through a lot, but the writing style was a bit blunt. I feel like I went into this with a different idea of what the story would be.

Was this review helpful?

And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program…

I took a break from thrillers for you know, 3 days? But you can’t keep this blood sucking, thrill loving, suspense junkie away for too long.

I’m jumping on the spooky season band wagon and I was looking for something to rock my world.

I found it!

Such Sharp Teeth

I took one look at this cover and got all the dark “little red riding hood vibes” and I was totally here for it. This might be one of my favorite horror-ish books to date.

I have read both Cackle and The Return which led to my undying love for Rachel Harrisons witty writing style. The characters are relatable and at times comical (rare for horror).

The other element of the book I appreciated was the love interest and family dynamic . Not all families are perfect and Rory’s family was no different . I developed a hatred for both her mother and sister .

If you, as an author, are able to have the reader develop such strong feelings for a character whether that be love or hate, you know you nailed it. Ian, on the other hand was the PERFECT love interest and just as Rory did, I fell in love with him.

Now let’s talk about Rory, besides the fact that I loved her, she was a charismatic, sassy and down right comical MC. I need more Rory in my life! I loved reading along with Rory’s storyline and the werewolf aspect was unique and NOT corny as one would expect .

Harrison has done it again! I absolutely loved Such Sharp Teeth and I believe a wide audience range will as well!


Teaser :

Rory Morris isn’t thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it is temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby’s father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she’d put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into Ian, an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she’s attacked.
 
Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She’s unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver—and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She’s changing into someone else—something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she’s putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside of her the key to acceptance?

5 stars !

Was this review helpful?

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Was this review helpful?

Cackle is one of my favorite novels, so I was delighted to receive this advanced review copy of Rachel Harrison’s latest novel, Such Sharp Teeth. This story centers around Rory, who is temporarily living in the town where she grew up. After a chance meetup over a few drinks with a guy from her past, she hits an animal on the way home. When she leaves the car to investigate, she is attacked. She convinces herself it must have been a bear, but as time goes on, strange things are happening to her body: fur is growing where it shouldn’t and she knows the moon’s cycle intimately. Juggling her twin sister’s complicated pregnancy and her attraction to this man from her past, how can she be there for others when she doesn’t even know who she is anymore? Harrison has the very special knack for making the unbelievable utterly and completely believable, complex, funny and scary. This is an engrossing novel about transformation, returning home and women’s bodies and people’s expectations of them. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

Was this review helpful?

The author of "Cackle" returns with her funny, irrepressible voice, this time tackling the horror mainstay of werewolves. She skirts the genre in a way that isn't too gross out and that readers who enjoy whimsy and romance will still find plenty to like.

Was this review helpful?

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
@RachelHarrisonsGhost
Pub date: October 4, 2022

“𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴. “𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵,” 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, “𝘐’𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳.”

Know that when I tell you I love Rachel Harrison’s writing, it is not an exaggeration! 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 and 𝑪𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆 are two of my favorites and now I’ll be adding 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒑 𝑻𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉 to this list. You can scroll down my IG feed to see my reviews and look for my audiobook review of her short story collection 𝑩𝒂𝒅 𝑫𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒔 next week!

When Rory decides to move back to her home town, all to help her pregnant twin, Scarlett, the last thing she expects is a) to be attacked by a wild animal and b) to fall for her childhood sweetheart.

As Rory slowly transitions, old friends come into her life – some are good for her, some not so much but she’s determined to face this on her own. Bleeding silver blood and catching sight of the wolf in the mirror every time she looks, she knows this is something she must face. Despite her habit of locking herself in her room and waiting for the bad to pass, Rory is a badass, make no mistake.

Following Rory throughout her journey combined with the drama that surrounds other aspects of her life makes for a page turner. While this is at times serious and filled with horror, there’s Rachels trademark humor imbued in every chapter. She is whimsy combined with blood and guts, what’s not to love?

I cannot recommend this book or author enough! Rachel has the perfect sense of horror and humor and when this combination happens, it is pure magic!

My sincere thanks to @BerkleyPub for this gifted DRC!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing and Rachel Harrison for my copy of this book. Weird, disturbing, creepy, and wonderful, Such Sharp Teeth is the perfect book for spooky season. Rory Morris is moving back to her childhood hometown to help out her pregnant twin sister Scarlett. As soon as she is back in town, two things happen almost at the same time. The first is she reconnects with Ian, an old high school friend who could have been so much more. The second is that she hits a large animal with her car and ends up in the hospital after being bit.

Now, strange things are happening. Rory is starting to become much stronger than she was before. Her blood looks silver and she is constantly craving meat. She is changing into something new, a monster with uncontrollable urges. In conflict with her unnerving situation, Rory is trying to prepare her home for a baby and start a new relationship.

Thoughts: Rachel Harrison is one of my favorite authors to read near Halloween. Her writing is hilarious and relatable and the dark comedy is perfect for the subjects she chooses. Harrison is the master of pairing a horrific plot with fun and witty writing. She layers the deeper subjects of vulnerability and trauma and rage within the story in a way that is stunning to read. I felt myself having a range of emotions while reading a book that should have been a simple scary story.

The romance in the book served to show a power dynamic that was so different in other characters' relationships. I loved the characters in this book and it was easy to imagine their looks and voices. The character development in this book was particularly enjoyable and if you’re looking for a dark comedic horror with powerful feminine themes, this is the book for you! 5-stars!

Was this review helpful?

#netgalleyarc This was a fun and quick supernatural, with a little romance thrown in, read. The characters were likable and not moody like characters often are in this type of genre. This is definitely a good read to get you in the Halloween spirit and headspace.

Was this review helpful?

I'm normally a fan of Ms. Harrison's books but this story wasn't quite up to her previous novels. The plot moved at a snails pace and the characters were difficult to connect with. Her main protagonist was off-putting even though the author tried to make her sympathetic with a backstory of abuse. I hope her next book is a bit more engaging.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely adored this book. At its core, it's about a young woman learning to deal with the trauma of the past... while dealing with trauma of the present. Both times represented a time when Rory was not fully in control of her own body. At the surface, it's obviously about Rory's adventures as a werewolf, which I found to be both laugh-out-loud funny and appropriately gory. I had an extremely hard time putting this book down, and thought the character development was top-notch. I'm genuinely excited to look for future books by Rachel Harrison, as both this novel and Cackle are in my top 20. 10 out of 10, easily.

Was this review helpful?

Rory loves her life in New York, but commits to temporarily moving back to her hometown where her pregnant sister, Scarlett, needs hers support. Rory runs into an old high school friend who is much more handsome and rugged than she remembers. Maybe things are looking up? Absolutely not. Rory is attacked in the night and miraculously survives but starts feeling a little…off.

I loved Such Sharp Teeth. Rarely do the components or gory horror, comedy, and romance intersect in such a successful way. I laughed at Rory and Scarlet’s wit, while was deeply impacted but the overarching themes of female vulnerability and self-ownership.

Was this review helpful?

There are plenty of vampire and ghost stories to be read, but this is the first werewolf/romance/thriller that I've read. It was also sweet - the interaction between the two sisters (one werewolf, one not) made me smile and even laugh out loud a few times. It was a quick read as I could not put it down because I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I would definitely recommend this for horror fans who don't like it TOO scary. There are definitely psychological aspects to this novel - parallel to family and trauma. But I prefer to focus on the supernatural.

Was this review helpful?

This is one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. The way that Rachel Harrison writes about Rory’s changing body and transformation following a brutal attack by a “monster,” is both fantastic and realistic, as though it could happen to any of us. Rory’s experience is visceral and terrifying, and yet it’s softened by the relationships she has (her sister and best) and is working on building (the long time love interest from her youth). I very much enjoy Harrison’s story telling and will be recommending this book to all my friends and patrons, especially since it will be released right in the middle of Spooky season!

Was this review helpful?