**4.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death, gruesome experiments

We are back with Thaumas sisters but mostly one in particular, Verity. I will note that only Verity and Camille are present in this story though the other girls are mentioned. But that’s totally okay because this is Verity’s story and what a story it is.

Verity goes to Bloem under the pretense of doing the future duke’s portrait. But she has longed to leave Highmoor for awhile now and live her own life and this is her chance. But Camille tells Verity something about her that is shocking. Bloem is way different than Salaan and Highmoor but it is as gothic a setting as Highmoor but filled with more…flowers.

Without giving any spoilers let’s just say the first part of this story builds slowly like a mystery but the new characters like Alex, Gerard and Dauphine are intriguing. Something is going on at Bloem, and I kept trying to guess what was happening and I will tell you when all was revealed I was in shock. The hits kept coming and I was wondering to what end?! And what an ending it was. I loved the mystery, the gothic vibes of Chauntilalei, the ghosts, the romance (which didn’t really start off with sparks – it’s a slow burn), the creepy experiments and the reason behind it all!

Tropes: girl can see ghosts

Why you should read it:
*great storytelling and building up to that ending
*gothic vibes, creepy, ghosts, romance, Gods

Why you might not want to read it:
*not into Gothic mysteries

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to get a copy of this arc and I can say I was not disappointed. I didn’t know which way the story was going and when I thought it did – it changed on me and in an unsuspecting way. I enjoyed Verity and the gothic estate of Chauntilalei where there are secret passage ways, long, dark hallways and someone or something lurking in the corners. I am eager to read book three!

The writing was very well done. However, I couldn't continue reading it. This is a Young adult book with pornographic material. That is absolutely unacceptable. Is the whole sexual orgy book scene really necessary? It adds nothing to the story, and shouldn't even be in books available to those as young as 12. I don't care how well written and intriguing the premise is, if it's littered with garbage. I've read more tasteful adult novels.

Please change this. I cannot stress that enough.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

House of Roots and Ruin… I still can't believe I got an advanced copy-- I literally screamed "I can't believe I got this!!" to my husband.

He had no clue what I was talking about.

House of Salt and Sorrows was one of my favorite reads last year (I read it a bit late ok?) and I am pleased to say that <b> House of Roots and Ruin </b> will be a favorite of this year, with no doubt. The beautiful level of atmosphere and detail Erin Craig creates without being overly wordy or descriptive, or boring the reader to death-- is a rare talent.

<b> This book was beautiful and horrid, the contrast painting a vivid image of Verity's journey, with complex characters and twists until the absolute end. </b> I look forward to any Salt Sisters --or unrelated-- books that Erin writes, but for now I leave this one with 4.5 stars rounded down.

A beautifully eerie gothic thriller. This book had me captivated from the very first page. Years after the events of House of Salt and Sorrows comes this enthralling story about the youngest Thaumes sister Verity trying to make her own path but finding herself caught in a dark and sinister world, plagued by nightmares and ghosts.

A very spooky, darker themed story, with so much mystery that I couldn’t figure out how it was going to end. I would definitely recommend!

Probably should have re-read House of Salt and Sorrows before diving into this because there are a few references at the beginning to events in the previous book that I had completely forgotten.

But regardless, devoured this! The mystery, the spice 🌶️ and THAT ENDING!!!

I need book three asap!!

House of Roots and Ruin Sisters of the Salt Book 2 by Erin A Craig

544 Pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: July 25, 2023

Fiction, Teen, Young Adult, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Gothic

The book begins years after the fire at Highmoor. Verity, one of the graces, is still living at Highmoror with her eldest sister, Duchess Camille. She is offered a position to paint a portrait in the blooming lands. Before she tells Camille, she accepts the job. Now she has three months to finish the portrait and decide what to do for the rest of her life. Her life with the Laurents is pleasant enough until it isn’t.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. Great mystery with twists. You don’t need to read the first book in the series before reading this one.

My personal favorite touches Craig sprinkled over the plot would have to be how each sister had specific color schemes, personalized scents and talents. Each bell-ringing detail had me racing to the end of the page, flipping as fast as I could to reach the next clue. If you’re familiar with the story of the 12 dancing princesses, then you’ll love Erin A. Craig’s grim “who-dun-it” twist with the tale. This story is a standalone novel, meaning that, unlike the late Highmoor sister, you won’t be hanging off a cliff at its end.

I loved House of Salt and Sorrows. I picked up the book assuming it would have a similar vibe, picking up where Salt and Sorrows left off. What I got was so much more! I am not a fan of horror movies, but this duology was right up my alley. This story follows the youngest sister from Salt and Sorrows, Verity, almost a decade later. At first, I was disappointed, preferring to continue with the story of Annaleigh, but I quickly forgot all about her as Verity's storyline picked up. From the beginning Craig writes twists and turns that boggle the mind, keeping you guessing and unable to stop reading. Verity, who has been protected ever since the events that burned down their mansion years ago, is finally getting her chance. Oldest sister Camille doesn't think it is wise for Verity to travel to the mainland, but Verity doesn't let her sister stop her. Desperate for her own adventure, Verity soon realizes that maybe her sister was right.

This book kept me up at night in the best possible way. I'm hoping for another sister spin-off soon. This series is too good not to continue.

A terrifying mix of Bluebeard, Doctor Moreau and the Secret Garden, this book made want to turn on all the lights in the house. Craig is way too good at creepy haunted house stories. This has the same vibes as House of Salt and Sorrow but with Verity as the main character it's entirely distinct. Verity as a protagonist is young and a naive which gets a little annoying but it works well with the gothic horror story. The plot is really smart; things that seem like errant details or even plot holes in the first half are all neatly explained in the back. Every description is intentional. It has alllll the tropes of a great gothic horror novel plus a bit of fairy tale magic (but decidedly the Grimms fairy tales, not Disney's).

Probably can be read without having read House of Salt and Sorrow but some plot points will have less of a punch. I do think I liked Salt & Sorrow more, but only because I found Annaleigh to be more compelling than Verity, but that's certainly a personal preference. Definitely would read anything else Craig writes in this world! Or in general.

delightfully creepy, Erin Craig’s latest reinforces her indisputable rule as reigning queen of terrifying YA. (all hail Craig.)

*thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC.*

I’d heard so many good things about this and I couldn’t have loved it more!! Great author and series and a definite new favorite 🙌🏽🙌🏽

I am not typically a lover of fantasy/ sci-fi, but this novel was great. The author does a great job of making you feel as though you are being transported into the story by utilizing descriptive writing. I found the main character to be very relatable to my students and think they will enjoy following her story.

A wonderfully creepy addition to Erin A. Craig’s growing lineup of strikingly atmospheric books.

I have yet to read a book by the author that I don’t like and the trend holds true with this latest installment. While we aren’t on the remote islands of Salann or the cut-off-from-civilization Amity Falls as we were in her previous books, we do follow a character that we were introduced to previously. She leaves the remote islands of Salann for a commission, the first time ever that she has left the islands alone, only to find that the family that has commissioned her has just as many secrets as her own did, if not more.

If possible, this book seems like the character is even more cut off from the world, even though she is in the center of a metropolis. The descriptions of the deadly, but beautiful, plants add to a claustrophobic atmosphere while making it sound more like a gilded cage than the new freedom she thought it would bring.

Overall a fantastic read, and one that I will be recommending to anyone that likes a little bit of spooky in their reads.

WOW. This one drew me in and then blew up in my face (in a good way). So much to process, but I loved that it picked up the younger generation from the first book and let those characters shine! This is a great follow up to House of Salt and Sorrows. I hope there are more to come! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**Partial review: will update upon finishing the book when it is released in print to the public**

Although I’ve only read the first 7 chapters of HORAR, I am so beyond excited for the adventure to come. Verity had some big secrets she’s learning to accept and making a name for herself. Family is not always the best at dealing with crisis and verity is showing her sisters just how much she feels stifled and isolated. This book will be in my top three for 2023 and I’m ready to continue on!

The House of Roots and Ruin is a YA Gothic romp. I enjoyed the story and really enjoyed the twists. With the title following the trend of YA stories, House of A and B or Crown of A and B, I anticipated this tale would follow one of the usual YA storylines. Just when I thought, okay... here is where x happens, the story went in a different direction. I can't give any more information without sharing spoilers, but House of Roots and Ruin is definitely worth reading for those who like a little gothic horror in their novels.

House of Roots and Ruin was a fantastic addition to the Sisters of the Salt saga. Verity is an incredibly compelling character, both as a haunted little girl and as a young women trying to find her place in the world. I loved seeing how her relationships with her sisters had changed since the last book. Her relationship with Alexander was beautifully written and it was lovely to see a disabled love interest. That being said, I'm not sure the surprise twin and final twist (where "Alexander" crosses his legs) was executed to the best extent. I was waiting for some kind of inversion of these tropes, but that could occur in the next book (which I'm hoping Craig will write). Overall, House of Roots of Ruin's strength is the careful balance of genre; it succeeds as a coming-of-age story, a Gothic mystery, a thriller, and a fantasy.

This is the PERFECT gothic horror novel. The romance is to die for and the plot is filled with dread and horrifying imagery. It’s just dripping with eerie fervor, charm, and spine tingling discomfort. Erin A Craig’s writing is so descriptive you feel as though you’re in a dream. It’s so beautiful yet haunting. The character development is completely unpredictable and absolutely divine. This is a must read. If you haven’t read House of Salt and Sorrows, I would recommend you read it first because the characters carry over from the first novel- HOWEVER House of Roots and Ruin can totally stand on its own.

#HouseofRootsandRuin #NetGalley
A dark gothic thriller that you will not put down. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel.

I loved House of Salt and Sorrow, so when I got approved for the ARC from Netgalley, I was beside myself. I'll be honest, I had reread a recap of HoSaS because all I remembered was stepmom being the villain in all of it, but I had forgotten about the gods. After that recap, I hunkered down with Roots and Ruin and prepared for more shenanigans of the creepy kind. I was not disappointed. I think this book creeped me out more than the first one. The plot twists wound around the story like thorny vines, and the reveals at the end had me inwardly screaming. I did find the romance a bit rushed, and the timeline was a little too vague to keep the romance from looking rushed, but that did little to take away from the overall story. I swear if a 3rd book isn't coming, I will riot.