Rating: 3.5 stars

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Tangleroot is a coming-of-age young adult literature story centered around a young black woman who is trying to do things on her own while feeling pressure from her mother to follow in her footsteps. When Noni first moves into this town in Virginia to live on the Tangleroot plantation with her mother, she’s not at all happy to be there and it’s very plain to see. As the story goes on and she begins uncovering more information about her family’s history, Noni realizes she’s exactly where she needs to be and uncovers the truth regarding her family’s relatives that will change everything she and her mother believed they knew.

What Tangleroot does well is provide you with an intriguing story that takes place in a town that you want to learn more about. While this book initially started slow for me, as the story went on, I found myself becoming more interested in hearing Noni’s story. I especially enjoyed Noni learning more about her family history and being able to uncover facets of her family’s ancestry that not even her mother was able to uncover. This aspect of the book was interesting to read about because I felt that while her character is fictional, I felt like the process she undergoes to find out more about her relatives is realistic.

I also found the setting of this small town to be very interesting and wanted to learn more about the town and the people in it. And I feel like this book delivers by providing the reader with a wide cast of characters each with their own stories. With how descriptive this book was, I felt like I was with Noni as she navigates this new unfamiliar place being surrounded by people who don’t know her but have opinions of her because of her mother.

What I also enjoyed about reading this book is how well Tangleroot does in discussing important subject matters such as racism and the role it plays both in the past and in the present day. You see this through Dr. Castine’s experiences with dealing with the school board at Stonepost College, through Noni’s interactions with some of her coworkers at Charm, and even when Noni finds out more about her relative Lacey Castine. As someone aware of her privilege, whenever I read stories like Tangleroot, I’m reminded how fortunate I am to be white. Books like this one also help me gain more knowledge and understanding regarding the struggles minorities go through regularly just because of the color of their skin. And help me sympathize with what’s going on since I know I’ll never be able to understand since it’ll never be my experience.

If there’s anything about Tangleroot I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be Noni’s relationship with her mother. It felt like no matter what Noni does here, it’s never enough for her mother. It feels like she’s never happy with any of the decisions Noni makes when they move into the Tangleroot plantation. And I feel like the tough relationship they have with each other is never really discussed either because Noni just ends up doing whatever her mother wants her to do even if it ends up not being what she actually wants. I understand she’s trying to live up to her mother’s expectations, but she never stands up to her mother in this book whenever they are in conflict with each other. I struggled with reading about their relationship because I felt like it shouldn’t have been this way, especially since Noni is old enough in this book to make decisions for herself. And Noni just deals with it, never says to her mother how she feels about things, which wasn’t okay for me.

Overall though, Tangleroot was a wonderful read that I highly recommend. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading coming-of-age stories, young adult literature, and historical fiction. Tangleroot was published on October 15, 2024, for anyone interested in reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this ARC Copy!

The FMC Noni is an artist who has been living under the shadow of her mother who is a famous scholar of black literature and has dedicated her life to uncovering the secrets of her family member, a freed slave who successfully starts a college. Noni and her mother move to the planation house and Nonis life is upended as she learns to maneuver life in town that feels like stepping back into the past. Faced with racism, mysteries, and family secrets Noni dedicates herself to getting to the bottom of her family history.

Wow!!! What a powerful and moving story. When Noni is dragged to live on an ancestral plantation when her mom is appointed to a higher education position at the local college, little does she know how the quest to find the story behind the girl who left sketches in her bedroom will turn into uncovering the towns hidden secrets and family connections between enslaved and enslavers. Part historical mystery, part a deeper dive into the history of racism and all engaging, Tanglewood is a true five star read. It will tug at your heart strings and make you think more deeply about our country’s past.

Noni Reid plans to fill the summer after high school graduation with friends, a coveted internship for a prestigious theatre company, and dreams of escaping the ever-watchful eye of her all-too-perfect and accomplished mother, Dr. Radience Castine. If she can make it through the summer, she’ll move into the dorm at Boston University and find freedom.

But her mother blindsides her with the announcement that she’s accepted a position at Stonepost College in rural Virginia—far from everything Noni deems essential. Rather than allow Noni to stay with her extended family, Dr. Castine insists that Noni accompany her to the new house she bought—Tangleroot Plantation.

Uncovering the truth about Cuffee Fortune, one of her enslaved ancestors who she believes started Stonepost College after the Civil War, becomes Dr. Castine’s mission in life. Noni’s mission involves enrolling in Boston College as soon as possible and escaping the backward hick town where whites still think Blacks have a place.

Her mission fails before it starts. Instead of interning with a costume maker, Noni waits at a local diner. With no friends, nothing to look forward to, and a grudge against her unreasonable mom, Noni falls into a funk. When she finds the tombstone of a 19th-century white Tangleroot resident who shared her name and birthday, Noni finds herself fascinated with the mystery.

Piece by piece, she gathers evidence pointing to a shocking truth that will shake the foundation of her mother’s beliefs about herself. Noni doesn’t expect to find her world shaken, too.

What I Loved About This Book

Kalela Williams brings a fresh voice to literature with her debut novel, which is about the tangles of coming of age for a bi-racial teen in modern America. At the start of the story, Noni feels ambiguous about race issues. As she researches Tangleroot Plantation’s past and experiences small-town racism in the present, she must come to terms with her beliefs and form her own opinions.

Noni hates the way her mother controls her life, but as she searches for answers about her mysterious dressmaker ancestor and the white girl who died at an early age, her opinion changes. This beautiful story of mothers and daughters, Blacks and whites, and learning to advocate for ourselves and what we passionately believe in will charm readers of all ages from all backgrounds.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book. I was blown away by Tangleroot. This is such an important book. It is very eye opening and tackles some difficult subjects: racism, abuse, enslavement, and small town secrets. Williams expertly weaves a story through generations that keeps you invested and interested in what happened in the past and what is happening in the present day story. She also tackles small town life, friendship, coming of age, figuring out who you are, and mother-daughter/ family relationships. I loved watching Noni grow and learn about her family and herself. The story starts out a little slowly but quickly builds--it is worth the wait. I can't wait to recommend this book to my High School students and staff.

Title: Tangleroot
By: Gregory Boyle
Pub. Date: October 15, 2024

Genre:
Fiction, Young Adult, Coming of Age, Historical

Trigger Warnings:
Racism, Violence, Trauma, Family Lies, Death, Loss,

Summary/Review:
In Kalela Williams' captivating novel, we follow the journey of Dr. Radiance Castine, a respected scholar in Black literature, and her daughter, Noni Reid. When Dr. Castine uproots Noni's life to move to the sprawling Tangleroot Plantation, their lives take unexpected turns. As Dr. Castine delves into the plantation's historical roots, Noni embarks on her own quest, leading them both to uncover a shocking secret about Stonepost College that shakes their town to its core.
Williams skillfully crafts relatable characters and a gripping plot filled with twists and turns that keep readers engaged until the very last page. Her writing is both poignant and thought-provoking, making this novel a must-read. I was thoroughly impressed and I eagerly anticipate her next novel!

Similar authors to:
Jason Reynolds
Kwame Alexander
Tiffany Jackson

Thank you Kalela Williams, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#Tangleroot
#KalelaWilliams
#Macmillanchildrenspublishinggroup
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams weaves a story of deep-seeded prejudices, family secrets, and painful history through the eyes of 18-year-old Noni Reid. Noni is forced to move to her ancestral home in Virginia, leaving behind the bright future she saw for herself as a costume designer in Boston's theater scene. Constantly overshadowed by her overbearing and famous mother, Noni struggles to find her place in Virginia. What she does find is a mystery involving the slave-owning family who were inexplicably tied to Noni's ancestors that is somehow connected to the prejudices Noni and her mother have faced in their lifetimes. The story was rich and, at times, complicated, and the characters were flawed in the most wonderfully compelling way. I'll be thinking about this story for awhile.

This was engaging and a very interesting read. Noni is a unique character- very complex- and the author does an excellent job of exploring why she is the way she is.

While the themes present in this story could feel really heavy, they were really well incorporated into the narrative which helped deepen my sense of place in the story. I thought that the complexity of the family and the secrets and twists were really well done, and that combined with the compelling characters really made this a great read. I definitely think that a lot of teens at my branch will really love this novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

I really like how ancestry and genealogy focused this was, along with the emphasis on the tangled ancestry of many Black families. Noni finds herself struggling to understand who she is in a very stereotypical southern town while also dealing with relationship issues with her mother...who is also stirring up the town with her presence. I loved how the history was integrated throughout the story as Noni discovered more and more about her heritage and the town's secrets.

There were a LOT of secrets revealed toward the end, and while it made the pacing quick, it also felt like a LOT happened in the last 1/5 of the book. I also struggled with Noni and her mother's relationship since it did feel kind of emotionally manipulative, but I can also see how her mother wanted to protect Noni.

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


I don't read many YA novels anymore but I loved this cover so much I figured I'd give this story a try. The themes I found in the book were heavy at times especially when the topic of enslavement, racism, and abuse came up but they didn't overshadow the premise of the story which is the understanding of a family's complex past and the discovery of secrets that have been buried for decades. the book was enjoyable to read and the twists were ones I didn't see coming.

Special thanks to @coloredpagesbt 
@fiercereads @blackhistorymaven for my #gifted copy and @macmillian.audio for my gifted ALC #MacAudio2024‼️

I went into this one completely blind I picked the book because I loved the cover. I’m actually not disappointed that I read this since it turned out to be a great book. Exploring heavy themes surrounding ancestry, enslavement, racial tensions, and haunting family secrets.

The novel follows Noni Reid an ambitious young girl with a bright future in costume designing whose life is turned upside down when she’s forced to move to Magnolia, Virginia because her mother got a new job. Moving wasn’t the issue giving up her internship and living in a house built on Tangleroot plantation by one of her ancestors was apart of the problem.

Throughout the book we follow Noni as she journeys to uncover her family history, the house she lives in, and insights into the life of the late Sophronia Dearborn. Capturing the pure innocence and curiosity of a young woman the author provides intricate details about the harsh realities Noni will soon discover.

The book has a slow build but as the story develops it gets juicier. Those buried secrets do 👏🏽 it 👏🏽 every time cause them family roots were definitely tangled‼️ All I’m going to say is I don’t care how long it’s been it would’ve took God himself to get me off Lana Jean cause I would’ve turned her every way but loose for what she did. I mean THE DISRESPECT whew my blood pressure 😂. Also Noni’s mother had a whole lot of audacity knowing the secret she was keeping and her father that’s another story.

Overall, this was a decent coming-of-age YA novel. The authors intense research conjured such a powerfully authentic story. Her writing was straightforward, engaging, and the message she was trying to convey was made clear. It’s important to know your family history‼️How can you know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.

The title and the cover are pretty much what sold me on this book!

I love the writing and author’s style and am looking forward to more titles from Kalela.

While the worldbuilding and the dynamics between the characters were really well done, I didn’t feel as connected to the story as I’d hope. And once I reached the climax, it fell even more flat for me. This one really started out strong but I wanted more.

This was quite the story, and I really enjoyed it. I will admit, it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but that isn't a bad thing! Noni is thriving, ready to head off to her dream college, and start and internship and basically ready to grab life by the horns. Until her parents split, and her mother insists she move with her to Virginia, upending all of Noni's plans. I was flat out infuriated by this woman, frankly. We'll get to that, but man, she can go float herself.

Anyway, Noni is distraught, as you'd imagine. But as she spends time in Virginia, she finds herself down a rabbit hole of ancestry and the history of the town, especially the house they're living in. And look, I feel her, I end up down ancestry rabbit holes all the time, and I was glad that she found something to care about. Doesn't excuse ol' Mom's nonsense, but we'll go with it. I found myself very invested in Noni's story, and the story she was researching. The historical bits were very compelling, and very readable. I also was very invested in all of her relationships with her parents, her friends, and the new people she meets in town.

Here's the thing: while I really enjoyed reading this, and devoured the story, I still feel pretty squicky about how the whole controlling mother business was handled. In that it wasn't. This is not okay, and my big issue is that I don't want young women to think it is. (view spoiler)

Bottom Line: If we eliminate the controlling parent portion (or the lack of handling of it, perhaps) this would be a solid 4.5. But we can't, and so I have to address that in the numerical rating.

4.5 stars

Tangleroot is a fabulous young adult contemporary novel about finding yourself in your home, your family, your community, your country, and your history. Noni chafes under her famous academic mother’s high (but narrow) expectations of her, and especially against being forced to live in the small-town plantation home where her ancestors were enslaved. But when she begins to research some of the history of the house and its inhabitants, the secrets she uncovers may prove explosive.

The two things I adored about this book were its character writing and its representation of historical research. Williams has crafted a novel where I can sympathize with and root for both Noni (the disaffected teenager) and Radiance (her overbearing mother). Their goals are at odds, but I understand where both are coming from, and see where both make big mistakes in their relationship; that kind of complex family dynamic is difficult to pull off. I also like that Noni’s struggle to fit into the small town her mother moves them to isn’t one-sided; she faces casual racism and suspicion toward outsiders from the townsfolk, but also meets friends who are warm and inviting to her from the beginning; Noni herself also missteps, making classist assumptions and judgments about her new friends and neighbors that she must painfully reevaluate.

Noni’s research into her family history and the history of the house is wonderfully portrayed. Williams writes about her forays into library and museum archives, oral history gathering, and consultations with experts in a way that’s accessible to the novel’s intended teen audience while remaining accurate to the realities of trying to excavate the gaps in the archive, where subaltern identities have often gone un- and underrecorded in traditional written media. I can see echoes of scholars like Saidiya Hartman and storytellers like Lynn Nottage (especially Fabulation), but while clearly honoring its antecedents, Williams’ prose stands proudly on its own.

The novel’s only pitfall I think comes in the climax, which, while satisfying, loses some of the nuance and authenticity that I felt in the previous chapters. That said, a story like Noni’s deserves a triumphant ending for once, so I’m okay with letting it slide even if it stretched my suspension of disbelief.

I would highly recommend this novel to teens and adults alike, especially those interested in historiography and family narratives.

Immediately, when I saw the cover, I wanted to read this book. And then, the title alone, attention. I’m really grateful the publisher allowed me an ARC so be on the lookout because a review is on the way!

Ok I REALLY like this one at the beginning but it lost me a bit at the end, although I did appreciate how the story tied up by learning about her mother's past. The beginning of this kinda gave me Legendborn vibes without the fantasy, mainly because it felt like this poor girl was subjected to so much discrimination in her life and she was also trying to work out the mystery of her families legacy and where she belongs in the world. The mother made me SO angry, I honestly felt like she was emotionally abusive at times and just beyond controlling. But the writing, the storytelling, and the plot was super interesting.

Tangleroot follows Noni, who has grown up in the shadow of her mother, a famous Black scholar, who is passionate about her community and getting justice. Noni just wants to be a creative college student, trying desperately to flee her family and make her own life, but her mother forces her to move to Virginia and follow her mom's commands. They move to Tangleroot, which was built by one of Noni's ancestors, who was enslaved at the Tangleroot Plantation. Noni is determined to uncover the history behind her family and the white family that owned the plantation, behind her mother's back.

This book deals with the prejudice and discrimination against the Black community and exploring the impact of generational trauma. I thought this aspect of the book was beautifully written and thought provoking. I really loved Noni as a character and was rooting for her the whole book! Thank you to Fierce Reads for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

THOUGHTS

This book was a delightful surprise. It really grew on me with every page. It isn't my usual type of read, but it was so well-crafted in the way the characters and the histories unfolded that I found myself utterly engrossed.


PROS
Non-Traditional: I really appreciate a book that proposes an untraditional path forward for a young adult. In a culture that has pushed college as the only way to success--and a four-year college of the best kind you can afford, at that--I appreciate this book centering a girl who doesn't have the most stellar grades in high school. A girl who has artistic dreams more than academic dreams. A girl who goes to community college (albeit against her will) to start working toward a degree--and working toward a transfer, when the time is right. I appreciate that this book embraces a girl who has to settle into a new place and learn who she wants to be, how she wants to live without pushing her into some preset mold from the get-go. She's living at home. She's figuring out her own path. She's growing into herself. She has dreams and aspirations, and she learns to have a voice to speak what she wants and how she wants it. And that makes this book perfectly YA (even if she is, well, a full adult the entire book).

Major Ick: This charming Southern town is swamped in veiled (and sometimes not-so-veiled) racism, and it is skin-crawlingly gross. Yet at the same time, as someone who has lived in a border state, I can hear these same snide comments and picture these same pointed looks so very, very clearly--said but unsaid, with just enough not spoken for plausible deniability. And when the historic record brings up political recordings laced with hate speech in the not-so-distant past, well, everything feels... unsafe. In a way that the author very much intends. It's palpable. And it's frightening.

Great Conversations: This is not a book that steers away from messy conversations. In fact, this is a book that dives right into controversy and presents solid arguments. I really appreciated all the nuance this book brings, and I love the way Kalela Williams digs into topics like minstrels and blackface. There's a difference between glorifying a racist past and teaching about it. Williams makes a compelling argument through her characters for, well, not ignoring the past (especially when that messy past involves actual Black history). Just because it is uncomfortable to talk about--just because people (and, let's be honest, by "people" I mean white populations) don't want to reckon with past wrongdoing--doesn't mean that this history should get erased. Teaching about something isn't necessarily celebrating the fact that it existed. But teaching about uncomfortable Black history is also not the same as venerating Confederate heroes--venerating oppressive enslaver forces. Williams advocates for diving into messy and complicated history but distinguishes teaching and learning from hero-worshiping terrible wrongdoing.


CONS
Out Loud?: Part of what Noni is learning to reckon with in this book is, of course, her own unconscious biases when it comes to the South, to rural towns, to educational opportunity and inequality. And I appreciate that. But at the same time, there are things that Noni lets slip that just shocked me. Not that she thought them (because she's a flawed character, in a way that makes her compelling). But, like, that she said some of these things out loud. I know she's young, but have you really made it to 18 without the ability to, you know, not say the quiet part out loud?

Atrocious Parenting: I know that this is all a setup to allow Noni to grow and come into her own. This book is, after all, a coming-of-age story at it's core. But boy were some of her mother's decisions hard to stomach! Noni needed a serious talking-to (see the con above), but derailing what Noni has set up for her life feels wrong, definitely not something her mother should do. Plus her mother's constant belittling of Noni's interests, hopes, and aspirations felt... too much. I know why it had to happen for the story, but it was hard to read, hard to justify.

Whiplash: The section endings were really quite abrupt, and it gave me something like whiplash. I was left reeling not because of revelations but because it just felt like there wasn't ever a proper conclusion to a section. And looking at the book overall, the neat wrapping up of every storyline at the end, well, it just doesn't feel right. It felts too idealistic for a book this jolting, which just added to my overall disorientation. Don't get me wrong. I adored this book. But the reading experience was a bit hectic.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Those who adored tracking down old family history in Hannah Reynolds's The Summer of Lost Letters will love diving into this messy family tree. Those who appreciated the brutal reality of Mason Stokes's All the Truth I Can Stand will love that this author embraces this dark and messy history.

🎧+ 📖: Tangleroot-a standalone

✍️ By: Kalela Williams-new to me author

🗣️Narrator: Maggie Thompson voices all the characters with stand outs from Noni and Lana Jean. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️ Run Time: 9:54

📃 Page Count: 324 eBook


🗓️ Publication Date: 10-15- 24 | Read 10-15-24


🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan Audio, and Kalela Williams for this ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

🌎Setting: Boston to Magnolia, VA

Genre: AA Interests, Historical, YA, Mystery

Tropes: genealogical research, family drama, forbidden romance, hidden truth, secret identity, small town


☝🏾POV: 1st person, single-Noni

⚠️TW: racism, racial slurs, slavery, lynching mentioned, SA mentioned, death of parent and children

💭Summary: Noni is upset her mother is forcing her to move to their family's Virginia plantation Tangleroot instead of taking an internship at a theater in Boston. Dr. Radiance is the new president of Stonepost but wants to right some wrongs in its history. She has written a book and researched to get the college to acknowledge its real founder an enslaved man name Cuffee Fortune.

🚺 Heroine: Sophronia "Noni" Reid-18, a theater costume designer. Curious about the white family who lived at Tangleroot and her mother's ancestors.

🚹 Heroine: Dr. Radiance Castine, scholar of black literature has new job at Stonepost Liberal Arts College. Her mother was Claire Castine died when she was six in a car accident, never knew her father.

🎭Side cast:

• Cuffee Dearborn-enslaved, founded the first all-black college Stonepost

• Calvin Dearborn-Cuffee's son with Lacey Castine-Noni's great-great-grandmother- a dressmaker

• Thomas Dearborn-owned Cuffee and his family.

• Vermilion Harper-white senator in VA who was for segregation, wife Priscilla Lavigne Harper-Lana Jean's grandparents

• Elaine Eugenia Harper/Lana Jean- Radiance's racist high school principal who she hates, owns an inn (Trianon), and offers Noni a job playing piano.

• Valerie Golden- manager at Trianon who helped raise Radiance, now estranged because she works for Lana Jean

•Blondell Pankey- Radiance's BFF, works at diner Charm, and Noni gets a job as server.

• Will Taylor-wildlife photographer, lived in Magnolia but left after high school, and is now a tenant staying at Tangleroot w/ Radiance and Noni

• Sophronia "Sophie" Dearborn-Noni's namesake who she researches and finds hidden secrets

🤔My Thoughts: I loved that this was told solely from Noni's POV, but I couldn't believe she was only 18. She did a lot of research and investigating to find out who Sophie Dearborn was. The story allowed you to go back to slavery experiencing being both white and black and being servants and family.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 0/5
😭: Emotion 5/5
❤️: Couple 0/5
⭐️: Rating 4/5

The cover caught my eye and thankfully, I received the ebook arc! Tangleroot is a YA coming of age story about Noni living in Virginia and her experience with genealogical research. I love that Tangleroot tells the story that many people can relate to. As someone who lives in VA, I do love seeing Richmond and other cities that were mentioned!