Erin A. Craig does it again with the second installment of the Sisters of the Salt series. It promised thrills, chills, ghosts, and a gothic atmosphere--and boy did it deliver.

I was a huge fan of House of Salt and Sorrows so needless to say I couldn't wait to read its sequel. Since it has been a while since I read HoSaS, I was worried I wouldn't understand what was going on. Thankfully, HoRaR reads just as well on it's own and I fell into the story just as easily as I would have if it wasn't the second in the series. Of course, you'll understand bits more if you've read the first novel, but nothing that would keep you from understanding this one!

I will say (and maybe it's because I haven't read HoSaS for a while) that I thought House of Roots and Ruin was way scarier/creepier than the first book. My heart raced and my skin crawled more than once!

Of course, Craig does a wonderful job of making her world come to life. The atmosphere and world-building was fantastic. Each scene is all-encompassing.

The only downside for me was that it felt a little slow in the beginning for me, and then again after her arrival in Chauntilalei. But it definitely picks up and leaves you with so many twists and turns and an ending that will leave your head spinning! So. Many. Twists. And. Turns.

This is a fantastical horror story you won't want to miss!

3.5 stars. House of Salt and Sorrows was one of my favorite books of 2019. This was not what I expected following that book, but I overall enjoyed it once I adjusted my expectations.

HoRaR is set around a decade after HoSaS and features the youngest Thaumus sister, Verity, who can see ghosts. You do not need to read HoSaS to understand HoRaR, but HoRaR does spoil HoSaS.

The dark and haunting atmosphere, mysterious estate, creepy plant lore, and suspicious family dynamics initially gave me Belladonna vibes, but this book takes some bizarre and uncomfortable turns. This threw me off from a YA fantasy where I usually look for emotional connections to the characters. I enjoyed this more when I distanced myself and approached it more like a thriller or soap opera; yes, the story has weird and outlandish twists, but I was eating up the drama.

I was not a fan of the way the romance was written. The scenes were mostly lackluster or lusty, and not actually romantic; even when Verity *said* how she felt, I couldn’t believe it. And Verity could be so oblivious! But again, it made for good drama.

Despite a few issues, the writing is excellent, and the ending totally got me in a morbidly satisfying way! I hope this book gets a direct sequel.

I loved this book even more than the first one! The plot was a lot more involved and well rounded out than the first one. This one took the lore we learned in the first book and ran with it to create this spooky and incredible read. I loved the characters and how we got to focus on the youngest sister. It was a nice change from the first book. I loved all the twists and turns and I really hope there is another book!

Verity is haunted by ghosts, but they don’t always appear as gaunt as deceased beings. While Camille is afraid of what might happen to Verity when she ventures out of Highmoor, Verity yearns for new experiences, new people, and new things. Caged in this place for too long, longing for more, Verity decided to leave everything and everyone she knows for Chauntilalie, to paint Alexander Laurent.

Alex’s father, Gerard, seems to be playing god with the way he mixes plant breeds that he grows. Moreover, Gerard’s reactions to Alex’s accident, which left him in a wheelchair, reveal a lot about Gerard’s own prejudices and desire for perfection. The horror will only continue to escalate from this point on.

Our main character, Verity, ventures out of her comfort zone for the first time. Even though there were warning signs, innocent Verity didn’t notice them until later in the novel. When she finally does, Verity doesn’t act impulsively, which I highly appreciate. The romance with Alex was a bit sudden, considering it was her first time meeting a guy, so I wasn’t fully invested until I could ensure everything was alright on that front.

The haunting feeling, the suspenseful drop that something might happen always lingers in the background, especially with the secrets of the people in Chauntilalie. Everyone seems to be hiding something or expecting something from Verity. Everything happened too fast, too coincidental, too well-planned. Additionally, the mythology and legends of the goddesses felt incredibly real since some of the characters are future descendants of the immortal beings.

Although Verity was alone most of the time in the book, away from her sisters, she still thought about them all the time. The Sisters of the Salt stayed together whether they were alive or dead, near or far. Verity could find comfort from her sisters at the most daunting moments and stability in the most confusing times.

The open-ended conclusion gave me chills. If there were ever a third book in this setting, I would definitely pick it up at the first opportunity. Erin A. Craig was so sneaky with that. I am at her mercy. 🥲

I’m so happy we finally got more from this world!

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Verity Thaumas. She is the youngest of the sisters and doesn’t remember much of what happened to her sisters, mother, or father during the tragic and dark time at Highmoor Manor. I honestly couldn’t remember her in the first book and probably should have reread it before starting this one, but the characters do a good job of filling in the details. So it wasn’t a big deal since I was on the same page as Verity when it came to not knowing anything ha.

Verity wants adventure and the oldest of the sisters, Camille, wants her to be safe and protected at the only home she has ever known. Verity feels left out since her sisters have moved on with their lives and have things going for them outside of this manor besides Camille who is the duchess now but she has a family of her own. I did feel bad for Verity. She wanted adventure but wasn’t allowed to have it for fear what others would say or do when they found out about her gift, or a curse depending on how you look at it. I definitely see where Camille was coming from though. As the oldest and seeing everything that had previously happened to your family you would want to protect those that are left. You wouldn’t want the youngest to go out and not have any protection. Sisters do know best in this instance! I did like the bond they shared, even if they weren’t together for a lot of the book, and they only grew to care for each other more.

The romance was my least favorite part. I actually winded up rooting for the wrong person haha. I felt like Verity ended up settling because she wasn’t sold with the idea in the beginning but kind of grew to care for him even if there was a better spark with someone else. Although picking the other would cause potential harm. It was also a very quick romance and I can understand that due to reasons but I just didn’t love it.

I also did have a problem getting into the story at the beginning, but once it picked up I had a hard time putting the book down. It got real intense and I wasn’t sure who to trust. Everyone has secrets!

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I can’t wait for my physical copy to get here so I can add it to my bookshelf.

First and foremost, let me say, this book did a wonderful job of being just as good as the first and if Erin A Craig writes more, I will happily wait in line for another ARC or for the release date. I also love that someone leaving a review stated that this felt less like a sequel and more like a companion novel. We have a different character and a different storyline, but they are connected. They can stand alone because you do not fully need to know what happened in the first, though it does help. This book has so many amazing twists and turns and I was left guessing up until the final pages. Even then, I think I was still holding my breath. Once you pick up this book, I think you will understand why I am saying all of this. Some conversations are a bit prosaic, but I think that’s what you are going to get sometimes when people are supposed to be of the “upper crust” of society.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I do wish Verity had maintained a bit of a backbone as the wedding was being planned and not been so passive and amenable to everything Lady Laurent told her was custom for the Bloem culture. Verity is of the Salt and so some of her customs should also be taken into account as well. Even if they are rushing this wedding, like three weeks after meeting. I do wish I knew if she took inspiration from another Grimm’s tale. I thought perhaps the original Rapunzel, but I don’t think that’s right. I might wait to see what other people think and if they come up with a fairytale that fits better.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be reviewing this on the podcast soon with my co-hosts. I can’t wait for others to read it and dive into such a great gothic fairytale that snarls and twists like thorns on a vine.

I absolutely loved House of Salt and Sorrows, so it was a no-brainer to pick up House of Roots and Ruin, devour it, and love it.

My first impression of this book was, "oh, she's thick!" It made me nervous at how big it was because I knew things were about to go down. And go down they did. Thankfully this story had moments related to the first book, and the critical moments of HOSAS are brought up, so you don't have to worry about remembering every little detail, which was nice because it had been a couple of years since I read HOSAS. This story follows Verity, who is now grown up, and boy, did I feel so sorry for her at the beginning. Living under the care of her sister Camille, she has a chance to go and see another part of the world after being confined to Highmoor. Camille is reluctant to let her do anything, so Verity finally escapes to live for herself. Immediately you are drawn to the charms of Alex and the flowery beauty of Bloem until things start going bump in the night. There is so much that happens that just blew my mind. Every revelation had me on the edge of my seat.

When I tell you that Erin A. Craig is a mastermind, believe me! The ending of this book had me floored! It took me at least 15 minutes before I could read the epilogue. That ending still haunts me so much that I need Erin to give us another story following that ending so I can know what happens next.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press, and Turn The Pages Tour for allowing me to be a part of the tour and for providing an eARC of House of Root and Ruin. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

Going in, I had not read the first book, but believe that you can read this one as a stand alone .
This gothic thriller/fantasy follows Verity when she accepts an invitation to the mainland where she will paint a portrait of a duchess's son. Verity is intrigued by the manor and the family it houses until strange things happen that make Verity question why she was REALLY invited to the manor.

The pacing for me was slow until about 2/3 of the book, then it raced to the end. I think overall, if the book had moved along a bit faster, it would have kept me more intrigued. As it is, I was only mildly interested about the twists and turns by the time I finally got to them.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. All opinions are my own.

If you are in the mood for a YA read with lush, atmospheric writing and dark, gothic vibes - then 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒖𝒊𝒏 by Erin A. Craig may be for you.

This is the second installment of the House of Salt and Sorrows series, and while familiar readers will enjoy being swept back into this creepy, beautiful world, it can definitely be read on its own.

The story follows eighteen year old Verity, as she accepts an invitation from the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—requesting Verity to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander.

Dreaming of adventure, she accepts leaving her family’s estate, Highmoor, and her older sister Camille who warns her of dark troubles if she leaves.

Erin A. Craig knows how to weave together elements of gothic horror and romance, and once Verity reaches the enchanting landscape of Bloem and meets the enigmatic Alexander Laurent, danger and romance ensue.

Here you will encounter strange experiments, gardens of deadly delight, and family secrets.

I really enjoyed the creepy and lush atmosphere, and ordinary garden plants may never again look the same.

The ending really stands out and all the twists make for a great, thrilling read. I would definitely recommend it to fans of Erin A. Craig.

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to TBR & Beyond, Delacorte Press, and Erin A Craig for the e-arc.

I read House of Salt and Sorrows at the end of last year and while I enjoyed it I did feel like it was missing something but I didn’t know what. This book on the other hand was everything I wanted, it was spooky, disgusting, romantic, and intriguing all at the same time. While from my knowledge this wasn’t based on any fairytale like book 1 it still had that whimsical feeling that book 1 had.

This book follows Verity Thaumas who is the youngest of the 12 Thaumas’s daughter and most of her life she has been stuck at Highmoor. She wants to have her own life and pursue a career but when she has a startling revelation she runs away from Highmoor to Bloem where she was commissioned to paint a portrait of the future Duke of Bloem, Alexander Laurent. But while in Bloem things aren’t what they seem.

This book was so unhinged at times and often I didn’t see it coming. There was one part I literally had to put the book down to process what I had just read before continuing. Craig does an amazing job at luring you into a false sense of security just to do the most bonkers thing the next chapter. But it all flowed so well.

My only issue with this book was just that it was very long and some points did drag but it made up for it at other points. The pacing just wasn’t all that consistent which both worked in some spots and didn’t in others.

You could 100% read this as a standalone from book 1 and would understand everything but I do think reading book 1 gives you more oh wow moments. I highly highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to see more from Erin A Craig.

The Sequel to House of Salt and Sorrows.

Verity, the youngest Thaumas sister has grown to adulthood, and is feeling stifled by her older sister Camille. Most of her sisters have left island home of Highmore to live their lives in other places. Verity wants explore more of the world and visit her sisters, but feels stifled by older sister Camille who won't let her leave. Then Verity finds out why: She's still seeing ghosts, and some of the people she talks to aren't really there. Verity knows she will never leave Highmore if she doesn't take matters into her own hands, and so she flees her home in the middle of the night.

This was top-tier thriller in my opinion. I haven't read a horror novel I've enjoyed this much in a long time, and this was pretty close to perfect. Gothic setting, ghosts, mad science, uncomfortable descriptions, questionable love interests...so good.

Poor Verity, that girl cannot catch a break.

I'm not a fan of the sexual depictions, and lusty encounters, which is why I'll take off half a star.


Thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy to review.

4 1/2 stars

Ah yes. This was just as good as House of Salt and Sorrows. It's a wonderfully written piece of gothic fiction. told from Verity's point of view. This story takes her from home to another island where she is commissioned to paint a portrait. But once she arrives there, it starts to become clear there is more going on than initially suspected. Much more.

Verity is one of the surviving sisters from the first book. She has been sheltered for years by her older sister so when the opportunity presented itself, she took it. But Verity may have jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the fire in this situation. Bloem isn't necessarily the dream location she dreamt it would be and now that she's there, Verity finds herself feeling a sense of foreboding and having nightmares. Yet, Alexander, the young man whose portrait she is painting is kind and she finds herself starting to care for him. It's all quite confusing for her. And it only gets worse.....

This is such a cleverly written story. I enjoyed it and found it to be quite original and inventive. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Rating: 5/5

After years of mysterious deaths and tragedy, Verity Thaumas has seen most of her older sisters, the ones who survived anyway, move away from the Thaumas estate of Highmoor and build lives of their own. Now, as she comes of age, an invitation for a commissioned painting gives the young artist the opportunity to start her own life. However, when the oldest Thaumas sister, Camille, forbids her to leave, Verity takes her future into her own hands. In fleeing home, however, she wonders whether she’ll ever truly escape her past and her family’s curse.
House of Roots and Ruin is an epic coming-of-age tale of adventure, love, mystery, and secrets. In this follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows, Erin A. Craig returns readers to the shores of Salaan to discover what has happened to the Thaumas sisters in the years following the tragic deaths of several of the sisters. HORAR moves beyond the island waters to the lush gardens of Bloem. In true gothic style, the setting features large estate houses, lavish landscapes, and family secrets. Before leaving her home at Highmoor, Verity learns the truth of her forgotten childhood, a truth that still unknowingly haunts her. Despite Camille’s protests, Verity accepts a commission from the Duchess of Bloem, Dauphine Laurent, to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander. She flees Highmoor alone and makes her way to Bloem. Within hours of arriving, the beautiful surroundings draw her in. So too does Alexander Laurent. As a young romance begins to bloom, Verity feels her childhood tragedies being left behind.
Over the coming weeks, Verity and Alexander begin work on the painting and spend time getting to know each other. Alexander shares the history of his own family as they explore the grounds and manor. As their relationship grows, Verity doesn’t want to believe anything sinister about the strange sights and sounds she begins to experience. She soon must accept, however, that growing closer to Alexander brings a growing fear that the curse of her childhood may have followed her.
In House of Roots and Ruin, Erin A. Craig weaves together elements of gothic fantasy and mystery to create a magical world full of beauty and intrigue. As she comes of age, Verity leaves behind the dark shores of Highmoor in favor of lush gardens and flowers all around. With any good mystery, though, she soon realizes these plants and flowers hold power beyond their beauty. The backdrop of the gothic estate with the lavish gardens creates a unique setting for Verity to start her new life. The grand manor house provides a sense of familiarity to her own home, but the gardens give her a new sense of life and growth. Surrounded by plants and flowers of all shapes and colors, Verity is drawn to their beauty. But, just as her own family is connected to the sea, Verity learns the Laurent family’s connection to their lavish gardens runs deeper than what she sees at the surface.
Craig’s storytelling skills give readers twists and turns throughout the novel. Early in the story, she sets the stage for Verity to tell her own story after revealing what happened to the other Thaumas sisters following the end of House of Salt and Sorrows. As Verity leaves Highmoor, the story shifts to Bloam where readers experience a different landscape and new families. It becomes clear that Craig did her homework. She uses rich descriptions of the plant life within the estate to draw readers’ eyes to what Verity sees. And ultimately, the plants become a significant part of the Laurent family story, a story that Verity must unravel as her relationship with Alexander blooms.
House of Roots and Ruins explores themes of family, trauma, ethics of genetic engineering, and disability. Throughout the novel, Craig utilizes these themes throughout the story. With each new revelation, readers are sent in unexpected directions from beginning to end. And oh, what an ending.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erin A. Craig for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for House of Roots and Ruin coming out July 25, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

17 year old Verity Thaumas is stuck in her family’s manor Highmoor by the sea. She dreams of adventuring far beyond the Salann shores, but her sister Camille doesn’t want her to go. Their other sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

Their sister Mercy sends a letter that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a renowned botanist—wants Verity to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander. Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Verity is shock. She leaves Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is amazed by the lush landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and very handsome Alexander Laurent. They quickly fall in love.

But it’s not long before Verity has nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show at night through its perfect façade. . . .

I thought the first book was so dark and good that I was excited to read the second book. This book definitely had a lot going on. I loved Verity as a character and her ability to see ghosts. I understand how she felt stuck and wanted to explore the world. Alexander was also trapped in a way. The story felt a little like the Island of Doctor Moreau and the Haunting at Hill House. I loved the writing. It felt lyrical and poetic. The ending was crazy and I loved it! I wouldn’t change anything about it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys ghost stories!

An excellent followup to Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows, Roots and Ruin is far enough removed that readers that don’t remember all the details won’t suffer much, though née readers should start with Salt and Sorrows. Craig nails the eerie, thriller ambience, even as the setting moves from a creepy island to a too good to be true lush home. The romance was believable as were the horrors taking place, while the element of the fantastical remained. At time the plot felt a bit too much like a slow build, but readers will be satisfied to see the payoff at the end and the eerie feeling of wrongness will keep them reading.

I should really start with a red House of Salt and Sorrows back in 2019, I was really impressed by how well written it was, how vividly descriptive which added to the haunted, mysterious atmosphere, it was mesmerising to read and so I was ecstatic when I found out that there would be a sequel, and when I got an Arc of House of Roots and Ruin, it was like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.

Erin has done it again, House of Roots and Ruin Is a wondrous blend of fantasy, horror and mystery it was like a fantastic mix of The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Haunting and any of Guillermo Del Toro’s fantastic creations. I think this book is even better than the first and I didn’t think anything could surpass House of Salt and Sorrows for me. These two books are definitely up there now as one of my all time favourite reads.

This was intense, shocking at times, it was definitely thrill ping to read, it kept you not just on the edge of your seat, but almost teetering off. If you think you can guess what’s coming you’ll more than likely be wrong, you can’t predict the twists and if I got something even slightly right, Erin Craig would get me with so many other surprises I didn’t see coming, I was just in awe. I always disliked the overuse and misuse of the word awesome, awesome isn’t a hotdog or a car, it literally means a thing of awe, like a sunset, an eclipse or Starry Starry Night by van Gogh. Well when I say that this book is awesome, you will understand I don’t use the word lightly and it’s definitely not hyperbole.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*I received an e-arc from the publisher via Netgalley. Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley. All thoughts are my own*

Sensational! Erin Craig absolutely outdid herself with the sequel to House of Salt and Sorrows. House of Roots and Ruin completely consumed me and had me wrapped up in this hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric story.

Verity Thaumas is no longer a child, but a seventeen-year-old girl who dreams of adventure in far off places, far away from the shores of Salann. She has remained at the Highmoor Estate, with her older sister Camille, while their other sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

Verity’s sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem, also the wife of a well-known botanist, would love for Verity to paint her son Alexander’s portrait. Verity speaks to Camille of the opportunity, but Camille forbids it. She is forced to tell Verity after keeping the secret for years, that Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t realize it.

Shocked, Verity flees from Highmoor that night and journeys to Bloem. At first, she is completely captivated by her surroundings and is quickly drawn to the charming Alexander. But things soon become darker and more complex as Verity is plagued with nightmares and begins to discover that things aren’t as perfect as they seem.

There are so many layers and so much depth to this story, and it will keep you turning the page! I highly recommend. This beauty releases on July 25, 2023. I may have already preordered a copy or two!

GASP.

Villains upon villains!

I can’t stop thinking about the end!! This was CRAZY!

I really hope there will be a third book for the Sisters of the Salt; I’m hoping for Lenore as the main character since there were mysterious hints thrown out about her in this one!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
House of Roots and Ruin is book two in the Sisters of Salt series by Erin A. Craig. While I do recommend reading book one first to have a sense of the world and the relationships between sisters, these two are more companion novels, and the overall plot and character arc works as a standalone. While the previous book was a dark retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” this book continues in the Gothic vein, and while it doesn’t borrow explicitly from a single story for source material, there are parallels that can be made to several classic and modern Gothic tales.
This story follows a new protagonist, albeit one that played a supporting role in the previous book, Verity. I enjoyed getting to know her, as well as seeing how she’s still connected to her sisters, including Annaleigh, protagonist of the prior book. She’s on her own after having escaped the overprotectiveness of said older sisters, working as a portrait painter. She does get a bit more than she bargained for, as she’s once again confronted with eerie occurrences around her.
In the midst of it all, she finds romance, and while it did take time to understand the attraction, I did come to like her and Alex together. He’s a pretty solid person, and they went through a lot together.
The suspense in this one was well-done, complementing the creepy atmosphere that Craig has created. There’s multiple twists and turns, and while there’s a definite ending, the book also left things on a note that left things open for more…and I hope that there is more!
I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for Gothic YA fantasy.

I will read anything Erin Craig writes. Her stories are beautiful and dark. The covers of her books are so gorgeous. This hardcover is especially beautiful. Love her work. Thank you for sharing