This book was wild! Anyone who reads this is in for a ride. It really did not disappoint. The family dynamics are like nothing I have ever heard of or read before. The ending will have you questioning what just happened.

I found this book to be very interesting.

The main character was very likable, as was Sarah. (Who was probably my favourite character.) The storyline was riveting and I found the history written in the book to be intriguing. The writing was also really good and well-paced and I found myself eager to find out what happened next in every scene.

If I had any complaint, it would only be that there was some room to expand upon things and so I'm sorry that I didn't have more to read. I would happily recommend this book to anyone interested in cult-like horror or family-related horror.

Errant Roots by Sonora Taylor is a tale of family, tradition, and bloodshed that will leave readers exhausted from the thick tension! What a tale!

Content warnings: Child endangerment, child death, blood, family trauma, and more. Check out the last page of this book for more information!

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Errant Roots by Sonora Taylor –
When Deirdre learns that she is unexpectedly pregnant, she turns to her mom for guidance. With her mother’s love and support, she begins to get excited about her future with her little family. But when her mother suddenly wants her to go meet the family she had never known or even heard her mother talk about, she’s apprehensive.

Of course, that little voice telling her not to go? She should have listened…

Think you’ve read some intense family trauma? Buckle up for this one!

This tale has a perfect slow burn that suddenly ignites as the horrors set in. But as terrible as the first scene of bloodshed is, the action is just getting started…

My Favorite Passages from Errant Roots –
Because it was something Deirdre could feel in her gut, a tiny worm that burrowed deeper with each moment. Deirdre couldn’t ignore her intuition. Her mother had raised her to trust it.

It was late afternoon, and while the sun was still bright and vibrant, it dipped closer to the horizon and began to glow gold threatening to leave like a party guest who had their coat on but still made their way from person to person for one last chat.

My Final Thoughts on Errant Roots –
Only Sonora can write such bleak and raw content that made me terribly sad, but also itching for more from this family.

Grief horror fans who love twisted families, you need this one!

Is legacy inherited or created? This tight little novella explores not only what it means to have secrets buried in your family’s past but to be the living embodiment of your family’s secrets. The writing is tight and propulsive, and the atmosphere is chilling. In keeping with the streamlined approach of this novella we don’t spend too long developing most of the characters, it feels like we know them through a few snap shots of important moments in their lives. I wouldn’t have minded a little more depth to the characters, but there was enough to feel that our main character and a few of the supporting characters were complete, interesting people. The story itself started out really great, and I thought the first half moved at a blistering pace, which was really compelling, advancing the story faster than I expected. The events of the first half’s crescendo aren’t wildly surprising, given the forecasting done earlier in the story, but they did still feel earned and a little shocking in how immediate they were, without preamble or lengthy discussion. It was a really wonderful bit of writing, in that way, giving us something we expected but in a way that was still gripping. The second half of the story didn’t feel quite as tight, with the stakes feeling muddled for most of it. There are questions of agency that come up, and so it felt appropriate for our story to happen around our main character without too much direct action or influence on her part, but there was something about this that felt a little looser, not as intentional. That didn’t bring the story down, I finished it in two sittings in a single day, because the plotting and intrigue was handled well enough that I didn’t want to put it down.

It brings up interesting questions about how we relate to our families, and what we inherit from them. Sometimes it is impossible to run away from family legacy, because it will haunt us, stay in the corner of our mind’s eye, an itch we can’t quite scratch, until it blossoms into its own horrifying splendor. Taylor asks us to question our presuppositions, especially the presupposition of care and affection, and offers us the chance to explore what it might mean to turn your back on harmful inheritance and try to sprout something new.

(Rounded up from 3.5)

I want to thank the author, the publisher Raw Dog Screaming Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Errant Roots is that girl of a book! So so good omg!!! Loved everything about this story and I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good.

As far as twenty-four-year-old Deidre Croft has ever known, her only family has been her mother Harriet. Any questions Deidre has posed to her mother about other relatives has always elicited the response that they are enough family for one another. So when Deidre finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she is even more surprised at her mother's sudden insistence on rediscovering her roots and introducing her daughter to her extensive family tree. Expecting a warm family reunion, Deidre isn't prepared for the bloody legacy that the women of the Croft family seem intent on passing down to her.

The novella is a tricky format, it would seem, often leaving the reader with what is essentially an overblown short story, or a full length novel crammed into the confines of a limited number of pages. Errant Roots is a good example of the latter. I really wanted to like this story more than I did, because the ideas were there, and while the writing could be more refined, it was still a promising start.

I think part of the appeal of folk horror, at least for this reader, is being able to grasp the basis of reason (however faulty) behind beliefs and superstitions which so often result in brutality; the cause and effect that leads to a system of belief which can condone and revel in such apparent ruthlessness. We don't get the time to understand much of the lore behind the Croft family's belief system in Errant Roots, and therefore the effect and the horror of the story is dulled because it just doesn't seem to make any sense as to why it's all happening. In other words, the foundation for the action here is very flimsy. Questions that should have been answered are not, and the motivation of certain characters remains mystifying. I also must say that Deidre's reactions to some of the events she is faced with in this book were weirdly subdued and unbelievable. There are some other very specific problems I had with this story, but I won't go into details to avoid spoilers.

I wouldn't rule out reading more from the author in the future, but unfortunately, this was a disappointing folk horror tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and RDS Publishing for the digital advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Errant Roots will be published on October 15th.

Deidre never really thought about her extended family. Now she has to go back to her roots. Deidre will be astonished by what she finds. Some secrets should stay buried.

Book Title: Errant Roots by Sonora Taylor

Rating: 💀💀💀💀💀

Opinion: Thank you @netgalley and @rdspress for the ARC!
I devoured this in less than hour because it was so good! This is a quick horror read that seems to hit a little too close to home (pun intended). This short story has an underlying theme that showcases the limits some people will go to in order to appease their families and keep up with tradition. However, some traditions shouldn’t live on.

Summary: A woman tells her mother that she’s pregnant. The mother then takes the woman to meet her long lost relatives. But like…..maybe they were long lost for a valid reason? Idk. You’ll have to read it to find out!

Great short story, I am usually not a fan of 3rd person, but this book might have changed that! Excellent writing, really enjoyed it. Interesting and fast phased story. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

*Huge thanks to RDSP for sending me a digital ARC of this one!*

If you’ve not seen, I’m a huge fan of Sonora’s work and I’m always excited to see her continued ascension within the writing world. I was first introduced to her work with her excellent ‘Without Condition,’ and from there, she’s continued to decimate her readers with a unique blend of emotions and chills.

When this novella was announced, I was over the moon, and given that we’ve already been blessed with a collection from Sonora earlier this year, I was filled to the brim with excitement over what she’d conjured with this one!

What I liked: The story follows Deirdre, a young woman who has just discovered she’s pregnant. She’s got a tentative relationship with her mom, she isn’t sure if Tom, the father of the child is husband material, and she has next to no relationship with her extended family. The pregnancy wasn’t planned, but when she reveals the news to her mom, she’s not only surprised her mom is excited, but also that her mom insists her and Tom take a trip out to Deirdre’s grandmother’s home and meet her extended family.

Taylor plays it relatively safe to this point, and you can see where this is going from a mile away, but it’s that anticipation that Sonora uses perfectly to absolutely coat this story with dread and tension. This is the long trip down a driveway where the crazy folks live in every movie. We know the family has something going on, we know something horrible is about to happen, and even when it does happen, you shake your head in disbelief that it’s ACTUALLY happening.

Sonora does a spot on job of laying out the why, the lore, the history and the reactions of those who know and who don’t are great, giving it an authentic feeling.

The ending is a satisfying fade-to-black moment.

What I didn’t like: Well, obviously, some folks are going to be annoyed that the story is, at least on the surface, a fairly straight-forward story. But if they can look past the ‘I know what’s going to happen,’ and let the atmosphere Sonora’s created take over, they’ll fall head over heels over the depravity that arrives.

As well, I wasn’t really on board with the format of the afterword. I assume it has to do with the series aspect of the RDSP release of these novella’s, but I’m not positive about that.

Why you should buy this: Sonora has carved out a fantastic style all of her own, where the characters feel real, the dirt gets between your toes and the emotions drive deep into the readers soul. Sonora’s delivered a fantastic novella here, one that long-time fans of hers will be giddy about and new readers will snap up her bibliography upon conclusion. A really great read from one of my fav authors.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a neat little novela! I've been into pregnancy based horror lately and this was a unique twist on the genre. I enjoyed the generational sentiment that went throughout

Thank you NetGalley and Sonora Taylor for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Deirdre, our main character, finds herself unexpectedly expecting at the age of 24. Raised by a single mother and not in a serious relationship herself, she confides in her mom and she's encouraged to see where things go with the baby's father. Then seemingly out of nowhere, Harriet insists they hold the gender reveal party with her estranged family: them and <i>only</i> them. What happens once they arrive at the Croft family's ancestral home is beyond what anyone could possibly imagine -- aside from Sonora Taylor, of course.

Errant Roots, though only a novella, is steeped in the rich lore of the Croft family to paint a picture of what it's like when one's indoctrinated beliefs go unquestioned. If we're not careful, there's a real chance for them to be influenced by our own selfish desires and turn sinister. I almost wish we could've had more, if only for a chance to learn more about the extended family members and the paths their lives had taken being outside of the honored Daylight Branch.

Errant Roots is about motherhood and the complicated relationships between family. VERY complicated. It's not often you discover your estranged family is part of a tree-worshiping cult. This was a stressful read that I couldn't put down. You spend the entire novella knowing something is off with our protagonist's family and that she needs to get the hell out of there, but of course, she doesn't and things get scary. The writing is gorgeous and Errant Roots is a beautiful bit of folk-horror.

A story of mothers, daughters, rituals and... gardening?
Going in I didn't know much what to expect but I truly enjoyed this! It's creepy and bloody and weird and sad and suspenseful. A great time if you're looking for a short horror read. I highly recommend and can't wait to check out more horror from Sonora Taylor!

This novella does not disappoint. It immediately draws you in and keeps you enthralled.

The family dynamics are out of this world. There is an air of magical realism, though by the end it seems it might actually just be insanity.

Highly recommend!

Very strong 'get out' of there vibes. 4 stars being a high suspense page turner of a novella. I didn't want to put it down. I did find myself wanting more of the "why". Without going into spoilers, it didn't feel quite as fleshed out / justified as it could have been and with maybe a couple contradictions.

I will definitely read more horror books by Sonora Taylor. I was thoroughly creeped out by this family. And the tree analogy definitely lent itself well to the dark story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars
I have not read many horror books/novellas but this was my cup of tea. It is very Midsommar vibes. I like that the story wasn't drawn out however, I am still so confused about what Josephine's vision was or the "why" of what this family does. What "strength" or "power" does it give them? I personally think this would be great as a movie or short film with a bit of fluff added to it. Will definitely be checking out more of this author's books as well! Overall, this was a good book for spooky season!

Sonora Taylor's "Errant Roots" is a very well-written folk horror story, employing all the familiar patterns of the genre to produce a carefully paced, suspenseful novella. It's a very easy read, though the several harrowing themes (from child death to murder in cold blood) hit very hard since they seldom come planned or even hinted at in advance. This is, in essence, the strength of the novella: the combination of a family mystery with the dread of knowing things are going to get very bad, very ugly, any moment now. The second half of the book works somewhat like a theatrical play, dialogue and revelation driving the plot forward to its bloody conclusion. I especially liked the very last sentence, whose ambiguity, intentional or not, seems to promise a totally unexpected understanding of the ending's significance. My single complaint is the use of flashbacks interrupting the story; I found them superfluous.

I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this in one sitting and all I can say is what the fuck?

To borrow from the synopsis:

"Deirdre’s family tree was never something she thought much about. For 24 years it’s just been her and her mother. But when she accidentally gets pregnant her mother insists they go back to their family roots. Now Deirdre is about to discover just what kind of sinister soil her family has sprouted from."

The opening chapters may feel rushed or vague, but that's the point; setting up future events through a slower reveal. The turning point is when Deirdre meets the family. What was immediately noticeable is how - off - everything was, then things hit the fan. I appreciated how the author dropped breadcrumbs of detail throughout to fill-in the blank spaces present. It's just as much folktale as it is horror, and learning about the history of this particular lineage from its origination, along with its customs and traditions, was fascinating to say the least.

Many thanks to NetGalley, RDS Publishing, and especially the author - Sonora Taylor, for the opportunity to read and review this free ARC.