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.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in October. Holy shit this novella was so creepy, I loved it! It quickly became intens and it didn't let up. I've been left with a big overarching question though. WHYYY?

I finished this in one sitting, it pulls you in from the very first chapter. This was a fun short eerie read perfect for anyone who loves a good scary story.