House of Roots and Ruin

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Manufacturer: Erin A. Craig
Brand: Fantasy, Young Adult
Brew: Hardcover
Steeping Time: 534 pages
Tea Service: Personal Choice
Strength:

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

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity 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 one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance . . . blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade. . . .

I am pretty much in a constant state of craving something spooky.

I don’t care what time of year it is. Give me spooky. Give me ghost stories. Spring? Ghost story. Summer? Ghost story. Christmas? Ghost story. Seriously. It’s what I want 99% of the time. But unfortunately, 99% of the time, I can’t find anything to scratch that itch in just the right way.

And then Erin A. Craig entered the room with House of Roots and Ruin.

From the second I heard of its existence, I’ve been dying for this book to hit the shelves. It is a sequel to the incredible House of Salt and Sorrows, another book that stole my heart with all of its spooky goodness. I hoped that House of Roots and Ruin would tickle the same spooky spot, and I was not disappointed. Not in the least.

And to make it even better? I met Erin in person and she signed my copy of her book!

*Cue fangirl screaming*

It was such an incredible experience! A huge thank you to Erin for trekking all the way down to Texas, and a massive thank you to Lark and Owl Booksellers for hosting such a fantastic event. What an evening!

But now, back to House of Roots and Ruin…

This time, we follow the wonderfully mysterious Thaumus sister, Verity. She captivated me in House of Salt and Sorrows with all her ghostly sightings, and I knew she’d take me for one hell of a ride with a book all her own. And boy, did she!

Verity is such an incredible main character. In my opinion, she’s the best kind of unreliable narrator because she’s such a wonderful, genuine, caring person. She’s not trying to deceive or be harmful. It just so happens that she’s not one hundred percent positive if everyone else can see the person she’s talking to. I love that the reader, by proxy, isn’t sure either. It kept me guessing throughout the entire book, and I enjoyed being kept on my toes.

When you put unreliable Verity in an unfamiliar setting, the guessing rises to a whole new level.

Not only is Verity seeing beautiful Bloem for the first time, but she’s also getting to explore Chauntilallie in depth, which means that we get to go along for the ride. Craig is a master at bringing locations to life. I can practically hear the soles of my shoes walking the halls of Chauntilallie, smell the flowers that seem to be in bloom at every turn, and I can undoubtedly feel the eyes on the back of my neck of those who watch me from the shadows. Every room, every corner, every blade of grass is vivid and real and just barely out of reach. Walking through Craig’s world is a journey I will never tire of.

The plot moved along at a nice, medium pace, but I never felt like anything was too slow. I also really enjoyed seeing some of the quieter moments between Verity and Alex. Essentially, the both of them are courting us, too. Because we are with them every time they are together, it gives the reader a deeper look into their relationship. These moments may be small and perhaps slower, but they are worth their weight in the depth they bring to the characters and story. There are definitely moments where the pace ramps up, and I felt like they were sprinkled through the story at the perfect moments.

The last third of the book was one twist and turn after the other.

It was a race through a maze that left me so dizzy with delight that by the time I read the last page, I sat in silence with my mouth hanging open before shouting, “WHAT?!” into my empty house. House of Roots and Ruin was everything I wanted and everything I never saw coming. I can’t fully explain it without giving things away, so instead, I’ll tell you that it was full of some of the biggest twists I’ve read all year. And now I’ll slowly die while waiting for the next book! Please, Erin, don’t keep us waiting too long!

If you are a fan of ghost stories and all things spooky, House of Roots and Ruin is for you. If you haven’t read House of Salt and Sorrows yet, I highly recommend reading that one first, even though it isn’t strictly necessary. Both are full of creepy scenes and spooky settings that will surely send goosebumps rippling across your skin in the dark of night.

Have you read House of Roots and Ruin? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own. If you’d prefer to start with House of Salt and Sorrows, click here to grab a copy!
Cheers,
Lydia