What a wonderful, meaningful, and emotional read.

I had a hard time getting into this, but around 30% of the way through, I was hooked.

I loved seeing how Noni discovered both her own history, and herself/her interests when faced with a seemingly terrible situation one summer. I also loved watching her become a knowledgeable young adult (with some challenges along the way). She faced a lot of adversity, and came through a much stronger person.

Personally, I also learned a lot from this book, and will definitely read others by this author.

I really enjoyed this on audio! The narrator did a great job and the story and pacing was interesting and kept me wanting to know more! This would make a great teen bookclub pick. It's a bit of a coming of age story with uncovering the past and facing the past as well.

Noni wants to pursue things in life that are important to her but her mother Dr. Radiance Castine has other plans. She expects the very best and has high standards and when she tells Noni they are moving, Noni is heartbroken. Why can't her mother listen to her about anything? She doesn't respect Noni's dreams or acknowledge that she has a huge internship opportunity.

When Noni arrives in Virginia, she starts to uncover information about her family's past and about the small town that she has never heard about before.

Sophronia "Noni" Reid is a 17-year-old recent high school graduate with big plans. That is until her mom tells her she can't stay in Boston for a costume design internship, but instead must travel to Podunk (actually it's Magnolia), Virginia where her mother has recently taken over as the president of a small private liberal arts college. Now she's living in an old plantation house called Tangleroot where her ancestors were once enslaved, and her mom is making waves because she's working to prove the college was actually founded by Cuffee Fortune, one of those formerly enslaved ancestors, and not founded by the wealthy (and white) "founding families," as is the prevailing story in Magnolia.

Williams does an excellent job of portraying the intricacies of historical and current race relations in a way that is accessible for a teen audience. I was drawn in by the history that Noni uncovers as she digs into the past, reflecting the research the author did to create a compelling and believable story. I struggled, though, with Noni's story. As a coming-of-age contemporary story, I never really felt Noni escaped her mother's influence. I also found some storylines wrapped up a little too neatly and the antagonists sometimes felt one-dimensional.

The audiobook narrator did a fine job distinguishing between the large cast of characters, historic and contemporary.

This was pretty slow until around the 70% mark where things started to move forward and Noni started really learning more about Tangleroot. I enjoyed the research and connections and it was pretty emotional to hear her mom’s story. I loved seeing her growth and the resolution of the mystery was surprising. I did not like that her mom consistently treated her as a child, but by the end, I understood her reasons.

CN: Racism, Rape

Audio Narration Review: I enjoyed the narration. Highly recommend.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC. This review is my own opinion.

This was an immersive and captivating story that was really brought alive through the narration. If I still was teaching History and Literature, I know there are ways I could incorperate this book into my syllabus and I believe that it is a really relevent piece of literature for teens to read right now.

This is a very well done YA coming of age novel, and I would certainly recommend it. It took me a minute to get bought in, but this is a multifaceted and layered story that honestly got better and better as I went on. I also thought that Williams' writing was stunning! I highly recommend Tangleroot!

I was so glad to read this as an audio ARC. The narrator did a phenomenal job of bringing this story to life in a way that made it feel like watching a movie.

I requested Tangleroot by Kalela Williams because I loved the cover, but after listening to the audiobook, I was absolutely captivated. This YA coming-of-age novel explores the journey of Noni Reid, a young woman who, having grown up in her mother’s shadow, is sent to live at Tangleroot Plantation in rural Virginia. Her mother, Dr. Radiance Castine, is a renowned scholar of Black literature, and when she takes a job as president of the local college, they move into the plantation house where Noni’s ancestors were enslaved.

Noni is initially resentful of the move, especially since it takes her away from a promising internship in Boston. But as she begins researching her family history and the plantation’s past, she uncovers painful truths that force her to confront both her heritage and her place in the world. The book tackles racism, the complexities of family, and the messiness of history with depth and nuance, and I particularly appreciated its honest portrayal of the dark truths often glossed over in discussions about slavery.

Noni is a complex character whose anger, frustration, and growth feel authentic. The book also delves into the historical and modern-day realities of racism, with themes of self-discovery, growth, and heritage playing a central role in the story.

The audiobook narration was excellent—clear, expressive, and engaging, making it an easy and immersive experience. The narrator brings Noni’s emotional journey to life, capturing her frustration, growth, and the complexity of her relationships with others. The pacing was well-matched to the rhythm of the story, and the narrator's skillful tone shifts added depth to the characters and their emotions. It’s an excellent way to experience the book and enhances the already captivating narrative.

Though I found the book impressive overall, there were missed opportunities for deeper character exploration. Laura Jean, the main antagonist, had potential for more complexity, and her grief and anger toward Noni’s family weren’t fully explored. The shocking reveal about her past with Noni’s family, including the moment she spat on Noni as a baby, deserved more weight and discussion.

Overall, Tangleroot is a debut novel that left me deeply moved, and I’m excited to see more from Kalela Williams. Whether reading or listening to the audiobook, it’s a powerful story of growth, heritage, and uncovering the secrets of the past.

This is such a timely debut from Kalela Williams given the emergence of DNA testing and individuals aching to find a sense of community based on their ancestry.

This book is particularly poignant to illuminate the complexities of Blackness and the ways in which Blackness can manifest because of enslavement and the power imbalances that made it possible.

Overall, a great text for upper middle grade and high school students.

- I have mixed feelings about TANGLEROOT. I was on board for the story and setting, for Noni, and for the mystery of her family history as it unraveled. However, the execution of it fell short for me.
- The big thing I couldn’t get past was Noni’s mother. She was intensely controlling and it was swept away at the end, with Noni coming to the conclusion that her mother knew best. I’m sorry, but in what world is it fine to find out that your daughter made one insensitive comment to a coworker so you decide she can no longer attend the four year college she plans to in the fall and you instead enroll her in the local community college and sign her up for a slate of courses she isn’t interested in at all??? There are several other actions the mother takes that horrified me, and they simply weren’t addressed.
- Whew okay, aside from that, I appreciated that this is a YA novel that explored aspects of slavery that aren’t usually touched in books for this age group.

Kalela Williams weaves a mesmerizing tale in Tangleroot, where history, magic, and resilience intertwine. Set against a rich, atmospheric backdrop, this novel explores ancestral legacies and personal transformation with lyrical prose and unforgettable characters. Williams masterfully blends folklore and reality, creating a story that feels both timeless and urgent. A captivating read for fans of lush, evocative storytelling.

Tangleroot is a juicy historical mystery where every answer open up more questions. Noni is less than thrilled when, after graduation, rather than getting to stay in Boston and work the costume internship of her dreams, her mother drags her to Virginia to live in a tiny town on a plantation their ancestors built. While there, Noni discovers the grave of one of the planter family's daughters, a young woman who shares her name and birthday and died a bit mysteriously. Slowly, Noni gets sucked deep into town history, her family's history, and her own role in that.
I'm not always crazy about historical mysteries like this, but this one was delightful. Tangled and full of twists, I had to keep listening to figure out, okay, what now?? Noni and her mother are both complex characters, at times annoying, at times heartbreaking, but always real feeling. Their relationship was also well-written. The cast of side characters was really fun, if you can call racist old ladies fun. So the rest were fun. The ending was satisfying as well. I really enjoyed this book.

What a delightful listen this was! I really enjoyed this story about family, history, and race in the United States. I found Noni to be a super relatable main character, a teen in the modern world dealing with shitty people, parental overreach, and her own emotions as she works to find her way in the world. I especially loved the mixed media entries interspersed throughout the novel — diary entries, letters, and historical interviews added to bring the story to life. And I thought Maggie Thompson gave a wonderful performance as this audiobook's narrator!

2.5 This book was a mixed bag for me, and I know my take may be an outlier. While there’s been praise for the main character, Noni, and her journey, I personally could not connect with her. Noni’s choices often left me frustrated—particularly her decision to make a dress for a racist, Laura Jean. That moment, and others, made it hard for me to stand behind her as a protagonist.

Noni is the daughter of Radiance, a Black literature scholar, and her mother uproots her from Boston to Virginia, hoping she will better understand herself and her heritage. While I’ve seen some readers describe Radiance as cold or emotionally abusive, I didn’t get that impression. To me, Radiance came across as a mother grappling with the reality that her daughter—who wants to pursue fashion, particularly theatre and costume design—has little connection to her identity or history as a Black girl. Radiance wanted Noni to grow into her full self, even if the process was difficult or uncomfortable.

However, Noni’s disinterest in her heritage and her overwhelming angst made it difficult for me to root for her. She seemed more focused on returning to Boston—even after it was clear her old friends weren’t true friends—than on taking advantage of the opportunities her mother wanted to provide. One glaring moment for me was when Noni engaged with Laura Jean, a clear antagonist who showed microaggressions from the start. Despite this, Noni not only interacted with her but agreed to make a dress for her, knowing it was inappropriate and suspecting Laura Jean wouldn’t give her the answers she truly wanted. This decision felt like a betrayal of her morals and undermined her personal growth.

Thematically, the book seemed to rely on the idea that biracial children have no connection to their Blackness unless forced to confront it, which felt limiting. I would have found it far more compelling if Noni had been written as a biracial teen already grounded in her Black identity, with her journey focusing on uncovering her family’s history from a place of strength rather than reluctance. The late emphasis on learning about the Black people tormented on the plantation—after initially prioritizing the white slave owners—also felt uneven.

There were missed opportunities for deeper character exploration. Laura Jean, the main antagonist, had so much potential for complexity, but her grief and misplaced anger toward Radiance were only skimmed over. The shocking reveal about Laura Jean’s history with Noni’s family, including the fact that she spit on Noni as a baby, was not fully unpacked. That scene deserved far more weight and discussion than it received.

On a positive note, the audiobook narration was excellent—clear, expressive, and engaging, which made the reading experience easy to follow. However, even reading it in tandem with the physical copy couldn’t salvage the uneven execution. While I appreciate the themes of growth, self-discovery, and heritage, the book ultimately left me underwhelmed.

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams delivers a powerful, layered story about identity, history, and family secrets. Noni, a talented costume designer, dreams of an exciting summer before college but finds herself pulled into the shadow of her mother’s academic ambitions in a Virginia town with deep-rooted family history. As she delves into the legacy of her ancestor’s plantation, she uncovers uncomfortable truths about her heritage and the town’s racist past. Williams skillfully weaves a coming-of-age story that explores race, self-discovery, and the tensions within mother-daughter bonds. The pacing builds slowly but rewards readers with a moving, thought-provoking journey.

⭐️@THATBOOKBETCHHH BOOK TOUR STOP⭐️✨

📖: TANGLEROOT
📝: KALELA WILLIAMS ( @blackhistorymaven )
🛒PUB DATE: OCT 17 (OUT NOW!)
⭐️Sponsored by: @coloredpagesbt and @fiercereads
✨My Rating: 5.0⭐️

I was lucky enough to get a chance to be a part of this book tour sponsored by @coloredpagesbt and @fiercereads !

My thoughts:
This book was everything I was wishing and hoping for from the start! It was really a perfect example of finding/figuring out who you are and where you come from. A coming to age that the FMC, Noni, could have truly never seen coming. From the start, and throughout the whole book I really love how the author keeps us, the reader, remembering that Noni is still just a teenager and she’s angsty, likes to not listen to her mom, and just want to have a “normal” summer filled with friends and fun before college starts. It was done with the opposite of a heavy hand and that’s something that is hard to do sometimes in YA Fiction.

To sum everything up, I love that this book was able to tackle tough topics head on, but with targeted nuance and was filled with beautiful and very needed content and context of learning not so great things about our history, as Black Americans.

5.0⭐️

Thank you again, to @blackhistorymaven @fiercereads and @coloredpagesbt for allowing me to be a part of this book tour, and for the gifted final and eARC copies of Tangleroot! Thank you as well to MacmillanAudio for the gifted ALC!!!

#tangleroot #kalelawilliams #fiercereads #coloredpagesbooktours #booktour #feiwelandfriends

This book was beautifully written and captivated me from the beginning. The story follows high school senior Noni as she prepares for a fun-filled summer before college. All that comes to a haunt when her mother, Radiance, takes a new position as the President of a small, liberal arts college. Radiance forces Noni to spend the summer with her and explore their family connection to the college. Noni and Radiance butt heads throughout the story with Noni trying to find her identity outside of her accomplished mother and Radiance trying to protect Noni from buried secrets and scandal. Kalela Williams’ debut novel tackled difficult, historical events, the importance of self-identity, and the growing pains of a mother-daughter relationship. I hope this book reaches the necessary readers so more people can experience this story. Thank you NetGalley & McMillan Audio for this advanced reader copy.

Tangleroot is the name of a plantation in rural Virginia and it's where our main character, Noni, is forced to spend her summer after graduating high school. Her mother is a well known scholar of Black literature. She takes a job at a college in VA which prompts the move for her and Noni.

Noni hates it there. She's a genius at the sewing machine and she was planning on spending her summer in Boston, working on costumes for the theater. Instead, she's working at the local food joint and taking classes at the community college.



This narrator brought the story to life with her accents and inflections. Every character felt complete.
In light of recent world events, reading (listening) to this book felt surreal. I was reminded that racism is alive and racist people have always and will continue to hold powerful positions in society. I want to thank Kalela Williams for giving us Noni's story.


Narrator: Maggie Thompson

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for this ARC Audio 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.

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.

The best thing about this book is the cover art. Sorry, but this one just didn't work for me. I found the story somewhat ridiculous and the relationships so unrealistic that I couldn't buy into the rest of it.

The historical fiction/flashback parts were fine, but everything else was ... not. Yes, this is an important topic. No, this was not helpful in clearing up stereotypes or making political statements - it was all a messy political statement that had no support or foundation.

An almost 18 year old being told she can't take a prestigious internship because she has to go with her mother for her new job? A parent taking away admission to a prestigious college for an indiscretion (ok, to be fair, Noni did say something pretty horrid, but.. does the punishment really "fit the crime"?). The whole parental situation was absurd. The whole Noni submissive stance was absurd. The friendships were uninteresting and when there was conflict it was suddenly brushed aside if that was needed for the plot.

I found everything too predictable, too trope, too obvious, too...
Honestly, I didn't like any of the characters, but I did like the narrator, so there's that.