I enjoyed visiting the world Craig created in the follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows. The sequel follows youngest sister Mercy as she accepts an invitation to the mainland where she will paint a portrait of a duchess's son. At first, Mercy is captivated by the manor and the family it houses until strange things happen that make Mercy question the reasoning on why she was invited to the manor.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and could overlook the instant love coupled with a random insertion of a love triangle that absolutely did not make any sense. After one twist was revealed, it was easy to predict the others and so I focused more on the world of the manor instead of the mystery.

Writing: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5

Themes: Gothic, Romance, Mystery

House of Roots and Ruin is about the youngest Thaumas girl trying to find a way to live her life and not being labled as crazy. When she is asked to paint a future young Duke far away from her home she jumps at the chance to see new things and hopefully begin living. This book had such a spooky atmosphere that had me hooked in just a few pages. When I first read House of Salt and Sorrow I thought there was no way this book could top that, but it did! I love the characters, especially Varity and Alex. It had a gothic romantic feel but also a mystery. If you liked the first book you will love this one.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

Verity has never left the safety of life at Highmoor. She’s the last of the cursed Thaumas girls and desperate for adventure. When she tries to plan a trip, her sister Camille forbids her and reveals that Verity has always seen ghosts. Verity’s world is shaken, so she hastily decides to accept an invitation to paint the portrait of a young man. At the Bloem’s floral estate, peacocks scream in the night and the meaning of flowers holds dangerous messages. Verity must unravel the secrets of the estate before she becomes permanently intertwined with the mysterious legacy of the Bloems.

Erin A. Craig is one of my favorite authors! She excels at fantastical stories with that creeping sensation that something isn’t quite right. I could not put this book down! Verity’s ability to see ghosts was fascinating and I loved the twist that she doesn’t initially know if she is talking to a ghost or a real person. The vivid descriptions of the estate and flowers were beautiful. I enjoyed how Verity was able to use the language of flowers to communicate and reveal secrets.

I loved Verity’s bond with her sisters, which held even when she tested it by leaving the safe haven of Highmoor. I enjoyed the cameos from Annaleigh, Camille, and learning what happened to the other sisters from House of Salt and Sorrows. The world-building was richly detailed and it feels like there are more stories to tell in this world. There were SO many excellent twists! I can’t talk about most of them without spoilers, so I'll just say that I highly recommend you pick up House of Roots and Ruin.

The ending made me shriek! Craig is so elegant with her writing and can change the trajectory of a story with two simple lines. I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out what happens next! Readers who enjoy a spooky atmosphere, complicated family dynamics, and a house with dark secrets will love House of Roots and Ruin! I would recommend this for readers who enjoyed House of Salt and Sorrows (Erin A. Craig) and Within These Wicked Walls (Lauren Blackwood).

Thank you so much to Erin A. Craig, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

This was an atmospheric and incredibly Gothic tale that I enjoyed. I wasn't aware going in that this was part of a series, but this worked as a standalone! However, it just fell a little short of my expectations.

Thank you to PRH and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

PLEASE tell me there is going to be a sequel. Because that last line -- and that epilogue were EVERYTHING.

This book is everything a good gothic mystery should be. Old houses, screaming, weird noises, don't know who to trust...yeah, this book was everything. Sometimes plots are predictable -- this plot wasn't. There was so much going on, that I was in awe. Craig is an absolute genius at crafting such masterful plots.

I absolutely adored Verity, LOVED her so much. Her narration made this book spectacular. I loved that she was coming into herself. The romance between her an Alex was nice, but honestly, I wasn't as invested in that as I was the mystery. It was a nice aspect of the book, but this book was -- I have no words.

My heart was pounding the whole time I read this, and when I got to the last 30% I could not put the book down, and then the final bit? WOW. This is how you write a gothic thriller. THIS is one of the best gothic mystery/thrillers I have EVER read.

I'm speechless. Godsmacked.

No words.

This was an absolute page turner and I am eagerly looking forward to all the other things Craig has in store for us!

Seizing an opportunity to experience life away from the tragic, haunting past of her family, one young woman learns that all families seem to have unpleasant things lurking beneath the surface in House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig.

The youngest daughter of the cursed Thaumas family, Verity lives at the family estate under the protective care of her older sister Camille and spends her time sketching and painting, but she’s eager to experience the world beyond Highmoor, daydreaming of adventure. When an invitation arrives from the Duchess of Bloem for Verity to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander Laurent, Verity is excited for the opportunity, but Camille quickly dismisses the notion. After her heated exchange with Camille about her confinement to Highmoor, Verity has an unsettling encounter with two of her dead sisters, an experience that’s unique to her that her remaining sisters have kept secret from her, which forces Verity to confront an uncomfortable realization about herself. Shocked by the revelation, Verity flees toward adventure, heading to Bloem to begin the commissioned painting. Captivated by the lush landscape and the charms of the Laurent family, especially those of Alexander, Verity is quickly drawn in by the wonders of this life and the potential of a blossoming romance. But not all is as wonderous as it appears when Verity is plagued with nightmares, kept awake by screams in the night, and repeated warnings from ghostly beings to leave the Laurent estate. With the dark secrets and plots of the Laurent family stemming from the Duke of Bloem’s botanical experiments surfacing, Verity faces the reality and consequences of the situation she’s in as she makes her decision of who to trust with her future.

Depicting the life of the youngest daughter of the Thaumas family twelve years after the events of The House of Salt and Sorrow, this tale presents a slowly building plot devised by meticulous and manipulative cultivating characters whose actions contribute to an ominous, yet enticing, atmosphere. As this story focuses on a different sister than the first novel of the series, there’s relevant information provided in the text on an as-needed basis to flesh out and connect the stories and the world the characters reside in, but the story can stand on its own well. There was interesting representation of disability and the accommodations for Alexander as a wheelchair user to function independently were inventive and fittingly within the scope of technology of the established world. The prose of the novel was highly descriptive with floral imagery and an added layer through the language of flowers featured prominently throughout the narrative; those details and other abundant clues offered foreshadowed what’s to come during the more slowly moving middle portion of the story, though the clues presented shine clearly and brightly as Chekov’s guns, leaving readers to ponder just when they’ll finally come into play. Similar to the structure of the first in the Sisters of Salt series, the supernatural elements were gradually introduced, ramping up in presence and involvement for driving the narrative forward to a wild, rapid series of events constituting the ending, which teasingly raises some unanswered questions to pique interest in what Verity’s future might hold.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been around six months since I read Erin Craig’s other books and the horror of them has stayed with me the whole time—I have no doubt this will stick around in my head, too! Where “Small Favors” dealt more with a distrust in others and “House of Salt and Sorrows” was more of an atmospheric horror, this was psychological to the very end (and by that I mean to the very last word). There were clues all through the story to hint at where different parts would lead, and seeing them all come together in the last couple of chapters was extremely satisfying—and the ending? I’d pay money to see Alexander wake up in the crypt and immediately beat the crap out of Viktor, but I know that won’t happen (and honestly, the horrifying realizations that the reader is only able to imagine coming after the story’s end is probably the best part of the story, and probably the best part of all of Erin Craig’s books).

Rest assured, Ms Craig will have me deep in her pockets for the rest of my life. Nothing I can do about it. Keep writing horror. Please.

This is a dnf for now. I might get back to the book in the future but for now I could not get into the story and will have to set it down.

“The House of Roots and Ruin” is Erin A. Craig’s follow-up to “The House of Salt and Sorrow.” Years after the setting of the first book, the narrative follows the youngest Thaumas sister, Verity. She’s recently learned a secret about herself and decides to flee home and strike out on her own. The opportunity comes in the commission to paint a young ducal heir on the far side of the country. Verity takes the job without consulting with her older sister. The duke, his wife, and his son (the subject of her painting) welcome her into their lush home. Verity is happy at first, but she begins to uncover secrets in the house that suggest something more sinister is going on. While her relationship with the duke’s son progresses beyond painter and subject, Verity learns she’s part of the plot and must decide to who to trust.

This was a thoroughly entertaining sequel to “The House of Roots of Ruin.” It starts a little more froufrou with flowers and pink candles, but the gothic qualities catch up by the end. There a few predictable bits that left me a smidge disappointed, but in all I was well satisfied by the story. I can’t say I loved it AS MUCH as the first in the series, but I eagerly await additional stories in this universe. I received this book from NetGalley.

WOW! This is one of my favorite books to be released this year! I loved it, it was such an excellent sequel to the first book. I am a big fan of this author. The gothic elements were enjoyable as well as the writing style and characters. I would definitely recommend this book if you like gothic or horror in your books!

Loved this return to the world of the Sisters of the Salt, even if I may have forgotten what happened in the last one. This book had me in a trance - Verity arrived at the eerie estate of Chauntilalie, where nothing is as it seems, and I simply couldn't put it down until I figured out what was going on there. With Verity hardly able to tell who's a ghost and who's real, I was left questioning everyone she met through the secret passageways and poison gardens of her new home.
I wish we knew more about the gods and how they play into this society, because I'm still not entirely understanding their role in this world, let alone where the Thaumas sisters fit into it all.
Still, the overwhelmingly creepy setting, the mystery of it all, and the sweet sweet romance kept me hooked, and with that ENDING I'm expecting a sequel that will hopefully answer some of my questions.
3.5 stars

Erin A. Craig is the best at writing spooky atmospheric tales. I loved the descriptions of Bloem and the incorporation of flowers and their meanings. I didn’t really remember the first book, but it was fun to revisit Verity and her sisters nonetheless.

While I loved the book overall, a couple things kept me from rating it 5 stars. One, I liked Verity but I thought she was a little too oblivious at times to the point of it not really making sense. And two, the romance went in a really strange direction - I won’t say any more but it did turn out alright in the end.

The story gets dark and unsettling at times but it’s definitely a page turner. The villain was obvious but there were still plenty of other twists and surprises. The ending was wild and the last sentence has me wanting the series to continue.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC!

I'll be upfront and share that I did not read the first novel in the series - but despite not having that background information I don't think it took away from my experience!

House of Roots and Ruin is crazy!! Erin A. Craig creates a masterpiece with her intricate descriptions - from Verity's paintings to the ghosts that she sees; Craig creates this world in a way that was easy to follow. Although the pacing can feel a little slow at times and the dialog drags a bit - I enjoyed the unpredictable twists that unfolded and the development Verity goes through with the relationship with her sisters as well as with Alex and some other surprising characters.

I appreciated the inclusivity with our main character Verity's love interest being a young man in a wheelchair.

I am so grateful to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review! I look forward to the next book in the series ◡̈

Book Name: House of Root and Ruin
Author: Erin A. Craig

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for Erin A. Craig’s House of Root and Ruin

Stars: 5
Spice: 1.5 (quickly closed door)

Sequel to House of Salt and Sorrows
MAJOR Cliffhanger
Fast Paced
Character Centric
Quick Moving Plot
FMC POV
YA High Fantasy Romance with Gothic Undertones

- Topics
- Finding Yourself
- Accepting Your Uniqueness
- Dark (Death of Children, Drugging ECT)
- MMC Disability Representation
- Ghost Story
- Anxiety Representation
- Tropes
- “Love at First Sight”
- Gothic Mystery
- First Love
- Thoughts.
- Gothic Garden Party Romance
- Crazy Twists
- The Cliffhanger Had Me Screaming

Utterly Masterful!

I honestly didn’t think that Craig could live up to the gothic wonder of ‘House of Salt and Sorrows’ but…she delivered and more!

Full of twists, turns, beauty, and horror… House of Roots and Ruins will constantly draw readers in for more.

Verity, the youngest of what used to be twelve sisters, is ready to leave her childhood home of High more. Her sister Camille highly disagrees. As a talented painter, Verity sees a chance for freedom when the Duchess of Bloem offers to commission a portrait from her. Camille, of course, says no.Verity can’t figure out why her sister won’t let her leave until one fateful night when Verity realizes she can see ghosts.

Thinking herself cursed and sensing her home becoming her prison, Verity flees to the Bloem estate and takes up the chance to paint Alex, the heir of Bloem. Surrounded by the flowers and beauty of the estate, Verity starts to bloom but, she can’t escape the ghosts.

Can she free herself of her curse? Will the sickly sweet secrets of the Bloem family drag her down? Will they all end in ruins?

If you even remotely like YA suspense, pick this book up immediately. 10 out of 5 stars from me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

One of my students kept recommending 'House of Salt and Sorrows,' and I finally got around to it around Thanksgiving break. I was hooked on that novel, and I wanted more. This is exactly what I wanted. This book has incredible pacing, with twists and turns galore. Don't even get me started on how haunting and beautiful the prose is. This is THE gothic fiction you need in your life.

"House of Roots and Ruin" is the sequel to "House of Salt and Sorrows" which I read again before reading this book. I was intrigued to continue the story of the youngest Thaumas sister, Verity. Craig does a brilliant job of intertwining mystery and gothic eeriness in this book just as she did the first book.

Verity, who still lives under the care of older sister Camille, wants to leave HIghmoor and experience a life of her own. When Mercy sends word to Verity that the Duchess of Bloem wants to commission a painting of her son, Alexander Laurent, Verity seizes the chance to escape the life she's always known leaving the ghosts behind her. Verity is intrigued by the beauty of Bloem and drawn to Alexander. It isn't long before Verity realizes there are much darker things lurking beneath the beautiful facade.

I enjoyed this book much better than "House of Salt and Sorrows." I did feel that the story began to drag in the middle and found myself skipping over parts to get to the dialogue. Craig does an amazing job with her vivid descriptions. There were a few times I put the book down to catch my breath. And that ending will leave you wanting more.

CONTENT WARNING: ableism, death, violence, gore, murder, death of a child, forced drugging, blood

I really enjoyed the first book, even when I thought it was a standalone. But when a sequel was announced, I was thrilled. I enjoy Craig’s writing style, which comes across like a combination of a fairy tale and a gothic thriller, without ever getting too creepy or scary. Naturally, I was hoping for more of the same. Fortunately, Craig delivered big time with this one.

While the first book ended when Verity was still young, she’s grown into a lovely young lady now, but she’s still dealing with a lingering curse. We get to see how all of her other surviving sisters have fared, but Verity is still living at Highmoor, so not much has changed for her. Until she receives a letter inviting her to come to Bloem and paint a portrait of the duke’s son. Camille won’t allow her to go, and ultimately reveals a secret that has been kept from Verity for years—she sees ghosts.

But Verity sees an opportunity to live her life as she wants to for once, and jumps at the chance. Only, when she gets to Bloem, things aren’t quite what she was expecting. Everything seems perfect in the beginning, and she falls in love with Alexander, the duke’s son. But as more and more secrets are revealed, she has to reevaluate everything she thought all along.

I loved and was pleasantly surprised by the disability representation in the story. Alexander is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, and he has resources that he can use to keep himself as independent as possible. He’s never infantilized or treated as less than because he’s disabled, and that kind of representation is so important, especially seen in a love interest.

I really liked Verity too. It’s her first time being outside of a setting that is fully dominated by family, and she’s just had the bombshell dropped on her that she is the only one who sees ghosts that she converses with. Verity struggles to identify who is a ghost and who isn’t because they seem so really to her, so when she’s outside of a comfortable zone for her, it’s very nerve-wracking, especially since she’s trying to make a favorable impression on the family she’s visiting with. She’s easy to like, and while I was often frustrated at how much she missed, I had to remind myself that this was her first time away from home and exposed to people who didn’t necessarily want what is best for her.

Alex was a little flat, but he came across as just a Prince Charming type—handsome and gallant, but not much to him other than that. The other side characters were more interesting, but that was what made the story so intriguing. There were a lot of plot twists, but after about the halfway point, I started being able to predict some of them. By the end, I was able to see the plot twists coming a mile away, although there were a couple that I didn’t predict.

Ultimately, although this was a bit predictable, it was a really good read. I loved picking it up and diving into this world, with all of its shadows and mysteries, and I enjoyed uncovering all of the answers. Even right up until the end, I didn’t want to put the book down, and really enjoyed reading it. It’s moderately paced throughout the book, and it’s the perfect follow up to The House of Salt and Sorrows.

The first one was good, but this one was amazing. Admittedly the first half was a bit slow for me, but soon the twists came and never stopped! I loved following Verity and her travels outside of her home and away from her sister.

And the end of that epilogue? Oh my god. I need more already and this book isn’t even out technically!!

Once again Erin Craig does it again. I will be buying everything she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this amazing book!! WOW is all I can say after finishing this! I read House of Salt and Sorrows a couple years ago and absolutely loved it and was eager to read more about the cursed sisters. This story follows Verity, the youngest Salt sister who can see the dead, as she takes off on her own to paint a portrait of a Duke’s son. Verity tries to hide her secret but the Duke’s home and family have secrets of their own. Verity encounters mystery after mystery and works to solve them and figure out what is really going on all while she is falling for the Duke’s son Alexander. The story has fantasy, mystery, thrills, romance, and one heck of an ending. I’m shocked!!! I can’t wait to find out how this plays out in the next book.