Rating: 5/5

After years of mysterious deaths and tragedy, Verity Thaumas has seen most of her older sisters, the ones who survived anyway, move away from the Thaumas estate of Highmoor and build lives of their own. Now, as she comes of age, an invitation for a commissioned painting gives the young artist the opportunity to start her own life. However, when the oldest Thaumas sister, Camille, forbids her to leave, Verity takes her future into her own hands. In fleeing home, however, she wonders whether she’ll ever truly escape her past and her family’s curse.
House of Roots and Ruin is an epic coming-of-age tale of adventure, love, mystery, and secrets. In this follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows, Erin A. Craig returns readers to the shores of Salaan to discover what has happened to the Thaumas sisters in the years following the tragic deaths of several of the sisters. HORAR moves beyond the island waters to the lush gardens of Bloem. In true gothic style, the setting features large estate houses, lavish landscapes, and family secrets. Before leaving her home at Highmoor, Verity learns the truth of her forgotten childhood, a truth that still unknowingly haunts her. Despite Camille’s protests, Verity accepts a commission from the Duchess of Bloem, Dauphine Laurent, to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander. She flees Highmoor alone and makes her way to Bloem. Within hours of arriving, the beautiful surroundings draw her in. So too does Alexander Laurent. As a young romance begins to bloom, Verity feels her childhood tragedies being left behind.
Over the coming weeks, Verity and Alexander begin work on the painting and spend time getting to know each other. Alexander shares the history of his own family as they explore the grounds and manor. As their relationship grows, Verity doesn’t want to believe anything sinister about the strange sights and sounds she begins to experience. She soon must accept, however, that growing closer to Alexander brings a growing fear that the curse of her childhood may have followed her.
In House of Roots and Ruin, Erin A. Craig weaves together elements of gothic fantasy and mystery to create a magical world full of beauty and intrigue. As she comes of age, Verity leaves behind the dark shores of Highmoor in favor of lush gardens and flowers all around. With any good mystery, though, she soon realizes these plants and flowers hold power beyond their beauty. The backdrop of the gothic estate with the lavish gardens creates a unique setting for Verity to start her new life. The grand manor house provides a sense of familiarity to her own home, but the gardens give her a new sense of life and growth. Surrounded by plants and flowers of all shapes and colors, Verity is drawn to their beauty. But, just as her own family is connected to the sea, Verity learns the Laurent family’s connection to their lavish gardens runs deeper than what she sees at the surface.
Craig’s storytelling skills give readers twists and turns throughout the novel. Early in the story, she sets the stage for Verity to tell her own story after revealing what happened to the other Thaumas sisters following the end of House of Salt and Sorrows. As Verity leaves Highmoor, the story shifts to Bloam where readers experience a different landscape and new families. It becomes clear that Craig did her homework. She uses rich descriptions of the plant life within the estate to draw readers’ eyes to what Verity sees. And ultimately, the plants become a significant part of the Laurent family story, a story that Verity must unravel as her relationship with Alexander blooms.
House of Roots and Ruins explores themes of family, trauma, ethics of genetic engineering, and disability. Throughout the novel, Craig utilizes these themes throughout the story. With each new revelation, readers are sent in unexpected directions from beginning to end. And oh, what an ending.

"House of Roots and Ruin" by Erin Craig is, the sequel to "House of Salt and Sorrow" following Verity who goes to paints for wealthy people but soon things start to go awary.

I would give "House of Roots and Ruin" by Erin Craig a 3 ❄️ star review because, I enjoy the overall concept, I really liked how this continues from "House of Salt and Sorrow", and I love hearing Verity's tale but it felt predictabled at times and felt that the romance was settled.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erin A. Craig for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for House of Roots and Ruin coming out July 25, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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

17 year old Verity Thaumas is stuck in her family’s manor Highmoor by the sea. She dreams of adventuring far beyond the Salann shores, but her sister Camille doesn’t want her to go. Their other sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

Their sister Mercy sends a letter that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a renowned botanist—wants Verity to 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: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Verity is shock. She leaves Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is amazed by the lush landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and very handsome Alexander Laurent. They quickly fall in love.

But it’s not long before Verity has nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show at night through its perfect façade. . . .

I thought the first book was so dark and good that I was excited to read the second book. This book definitely had a lot going on. I loved Verity as a character and her ability to see ghosts. I understand how she felt stuck and wanted to explore the world. Alexander was also trapped in a way. The story felt a little like the Island of Doctor Moreau and the Haunting at Hill House. I loved the writing. It felt lyrical and poetic. The ending was crazy and I loved it! I wouldn’t change anything about it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys ghost stories!

An excellent followup to Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows, Roots and Ruin is far enough removed that readers that don’t remember all the details won’t suffer much, though née readers should start with Salt and Sorrows. Craig nails the eerie, thriller ambience, even as the setting moves from a creepy island to a too good to be true lush home. The romance was believable as were the horrors taking place, while the element of the fantastical remained. At time the plot felt a bit too much like a slow build, but readers will be satisfied to see the payoff at the end and the eerie feeling of wrongness will keep them reading.

I should really start with a red House of Salt and Sorrows back in 2019, I was really impressed by how well written it was, how vividly descriptive which added to the haunted, mysterious atmosphere, it was mesmerising to read and so I was ecstatic when I found out that there would be a sequel, and when I got an Arc of House of Roots and Ruin, it was like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.

Erin has done it again, House of Roots and Ruin Is a wondrous blend of fantasy, horror and mystery it was like a fantastic mix of The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Haunting and any of Guillermo Del Toro’s fantastic creations. I think this book is even better than the first and I didn’t think anything could surpass House of Salt and Sorrows for me. These two books are definitely up there now as one of my all time favourite reads.

This was intense, shocking at times, it was definitely thrill ping to read, it kept you not just on the edge of your seat, but almost teetering off. If you think you can guess what’s coming you’ll more than likely be wrong, you can’t predict the twists and if I got something even slightly right, Erin Craig would get me with so many other surprises I didn’t see coming, I was just in awe. I always disliked the overuse and misuse of the word awesome, awesome isn’t a hotdog or a car, it literally means a thing of awe, like a sunset, an eclipse or Starry Starry Night by van Gogh. Well when I say that this book is awesome, you will understand I don’t use the word lightly and it’s definitely not hyperbole.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*I received an e-arc from the publisher via Netgalley. Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley. All thoughts are my own*

Sensational! Erin Craig absolutely outdid herself with the sequel to House of Salt and Sorrows. House of Roots and Ruin completely consumed me and had me wrapped up in this hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric story.

Verity Thaumas is no longer a child, but a seventeen-year-old girl who dreams of adventure in far off places, far away from the shores of Salann. She has remained at the Highmoor Estate, with her older sister Camille, while their other sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

Verity’s sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem, also the wife of a well-known botanist, would love for Verity to paint her son Alexander’s portrait. Verity speaks to Camille of the opportunity, but Camille forbids it. She is forced to tell Verity after keeping the secret for years, that Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t realize it.

Shocked, Verity flees from Highmoor that night and journeys to Bloem. At first, she is completely captivated by her surroundings and is quickly drawn to the charming Alexander. But things soon become darker and more complex as Verity is plagued with nightmares and begins to discover that things aren’t as perfect as they seem.

There are so many layers and so much depth to this story, and it will keep you turning the page! I highly recommend. This beauty releases on July 25, 2023. I may have already preordered a copy or two!

GASP.

Villains upon villains!

I can’t stop thinking about the end!! This was CRAZY!

I really hope there will be a third book for the Sisters of the Salt; I’m hoping for Lenore as the main character since there were mysterious hints thrown out about her in this one!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
House of Roots and Ruin is book two in the Sisters of Salt series by Erin A. Craig. While I do recommend reading book one first to have a sense of the world and the relationships between sisters, these two are more companion novels, and the overall plot and character arc works as a standalone. While the previous book was a dark retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” this book continues in the Gothic vein, and while it doesn’t borrow explicitly from a single story for source material, there are parallels that can be made to several classic and modern Gothic tales.
This story follows a new protagonist, albeit one that played a supporting role in the previous book, Verity. I enjoyed getting to know her, as well as seeing how she’s still connected to her sisters, including Annaleigh, protagonist of the prior book. She’s on her own after having escaped the overprotectiveness of said older sisters, working as a portrait painter. She does get a bit more than she bargained for, as she’s once again confronted with eerie occurrences around her.
In the midst of it all, she finds romance, and while it did take time to understand the attraction, I did come to like her and Alex together. He’s a pretty solid person, and they went through a lot together.
The suspense in this one was well-done, complementing the creepy atmosphere that Craig has created. There’s multiple twists and turns, and while there’s a definite ending, the book also left things on a note that left things open for more…and I hope that there is more!
I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for Gothic YA fantasy.

I will read anything Erin Craig writes. Her stories are beautiful and dark. The covers of her books are so gorgeous. This hardcover is especially beautiful. Love her work. Thank you for sharing

Y’all, when I wrote a review of Erin A. Craig’s debut, House of Salt and Sorrows, I asked for “not a sequel, but more books set in this world,” and we got it!! I was so unbelievably excited to revisit the Thaumas sisters and the world of Arcannia. House of Roots and Ruin picks up eleven years in the future, and follows the youngest Thaumas, Verity who is about to turn eighteen and dying for an adventure, but instead she will find herself in a deadly ordeal.

Verity has lived with her oldest sister Camille at Highmoor since her parents death when she was six. Now, about to turn eighteen, Verity yearns for an adventure, to travel the country and see something new, but Camille keeps her under tight rein, rarely even allowing her to leave the family estate. When Verity receives the opportunity to travel to the Duke and Duchess of Bloem’s estate, Chauntilalie, and paint the portrait of their son, Alexander Laurent, she hopes that Camille will support her. Instead she reveals that Verity has the ability to see ghosts and it must be kept a secret. It is too much for Verity to bear, so she runs in the middle of the night, and begins her first journey away from her home in Salten. But Verity is not the only one keeping secrets, strange things are happening at Chauntilalie and it soon becomes clear that the Laurents are hiding some very dark secrets of their own.

Erin A. Craig is the queen of atmosphere. She has such a talent for creating the spookiest, yet most beautiful settings. And, the story never feels bogged down or boring with world building details. Being introduced to Bloem, home of the People of the Petals, was a treat, as it is vastly different from Salten, home of the People of the Salt. Aptly, Chauntilalie is filled with bountiful gardens, and flower motifs, something new but exciting for both Verity and readers. And when things begin to get dark, the estate effectively reveals it’s darkest corners.

Craig has also created a wonderfully twisty mystery, with a plethora of complicated characters. The Laurent family, who at first seem so welcoming and kind, slowly begin to reveal horrific details about themselves, and it becomes increasingly difficult for Verity to know who she can trust. It was strangely wonderful to experience the characters turning on her, and also lament for those that would have been allies had Verity only trusted them sooner. The twists didn’t feel too unexpected, but there were enough of them that the novel kept me guessing throughout and invested in the story. And all the while, as we enjoy the horrifying twists in all their gory detail, we are quietly rooting for the sweet and solid romance between Verity and Alexander. House of Roots and Ruin contained the absolute perfect mix of gothic, horror and romance.

Fans of House of Salt and Sorrows will not want to miss this one, but one must not have read Craig’s first novel to fall in love with this world and enjoy Verity’s fantastically creepy story. And with an ending like this one, the next in the series will be highly anticipated!

A worthy follow up to Craig's earlier novel, House of Salt and Sorrows, House of Roots and Ruin focuses on the youngest sister, Verity, and her strange power to see ghosts. This is a modern fairy tale with timeless sensibilities.

This was such an interesting read from learning a bit about the language of flowers to the multiple twists that kept me guessing until the very end. Verity and Alex weren't my endgame couple for a minute there, but I'm glad I changed my mind because the other character was intense. Overall I really enjoyed this, but there were a couple of places that were a bit rushed and confusing. Still I will highly recommend this book to anyone that read the first one or is looking for some great fantasy books to read.

Slow start but fantastic ending.

Much like with the first book in this “series” (they are really more standalone books taking place in the same world with overlapping characters) I was a little confused about the world building. The plot itself was good with its creepy twists and turns but I don’t really understand the concept of gods and what type of power they hold, etc. I still don’t know who Kosamaras is... But, this was entertaining and the setting was definitely described well. The author goes to painstaking lengths to describe the beautiful detail on the house which lent a gothic feeling to the story. I loved the flower theme and thought it paired really well with the ocean/nautical theme of the first book.

And the end! As the ending was unfurling I was really hoping the author would throw in some twists and she really delivered. I’m really hoping for a sequel now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC of House of Roots and Ruin. I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

House of Roots and Ruin is the second book in the Sisters of the Salt series. The book centers around Verity who has grown up cloistered in Salann where her sister Camille keeps watch over her. After a unique opportunity comes up from her sister Mercy to paint a portrait of the heir to the Duke of Bloem, Alexander Laurent, Verity decides to take it much to her Camille's dismay. Verity travels to Chauntilie and falls in love with the place. As she works on the portrait of Alexander, they begin to fall in love. Verity is swept up in the romance, but soon the dark side of Chauntilie comes to light.

Erin A. Craig does a wonderful job of crafting a narrative where you cannot quite trust everything that is happening. She does this many times with Verity's ability to see ghosts who appear as normal as any human. The story starts off with a completely different tone than the previous book. It starts off with a much more romantic feel. As the mystery of Chauntilie and the secrets of the Laurent family come to light, the tone begins to shift quickly into a gothic horror feel. The story was a beautiful intermingling of these tones.

Getting the chance to revisit the character Verity and see how she has grown with her past, was well done. The reader got to see the impact that the history of Salann had on the character. Verity continues to grow as she pulls together more of her independence and begins to live her life separate from the area where she grew up. Alexander is such a kind hearted character who you continually wonder if you can trust all while feeling a pull to trust him. The author does a wonderful job of building the characters up, and then completely surprising you with their change and motivations.

House of Roots and Ruins is another excellent gothic fantasy book for those who love the genre and enjoy the beautiful world building mixed with the some suspense and horror elements.

House of Roots and Ruins addresses the most intriguing aspect of the plot that was left open in the end of House of Salt and Sorrows: Verity’s character. Just like its predecessor, House of Roots and Ruins is an incredibly immersive and atmospheric book! In this case, rather than a retelling of any one particular story, the plot is a more modern take on traditional gothic fiction. In particular, the story and the vibes reminded me quite heavily of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

Personally, only the ending of this book left me wanting more. I absolutely enjoyed the dark, creepy atmosphere of this book, and it also had some thematic and romantic elements that fleshed out the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for giving me the e-arc!

I have to say that I really, really enjoyed this one. The horrors in it aligned so closely to realistic events, which made them all the more terrifying. Verity is familiar from the first book, and it's so sweet to see her and Alex become fond of one another.

Once Verity starts to see things away from her island, she questions her entire life, her entire surroundings. How can she possibly differentiate between living and dead? There were so many absolutely wonderful revelations and twists in this, my jaw dropped and I think I even audibly gasped a couple of times.

I'm just hoping for a third book, because I cannot live without resolution on that ending!!!

I REALLY enjoyed this sequel! I was so excited to see what these sisters have been up to, and to see a whole new story in a whole new court of this world! Was very happy with the setting, the magic, and or main character! Highly recommend!

(4.5 rounded to 5) House of Roots and Ruin is the second novel in the Sisters of the Salt series. After enjoying House of Salt and Sorrows, I had no idea that there was a sequel in the works. The first novel followed the second oldest Thaumas sister, Annaleigh, at the family’s estate, Highmoor Manor, in the Salann Islands. The first novel had an excellent horror element where the reader cannot initially determine what is real and what is not. I felt the first novel was great as a standalone, but I do love that a sequel was created as there are a lot more mysteries that could happen in the spooky manor. While readers could potentially catch-up by reading this novel as a standalone, I believe it is best to read the stories in order. This story follows another Thaumas sister, Verity, who still lives at the manor with her sister Camille. Their sister, Mercy, sends a request to Verity to visit Bloem and paint the portrait of Alex, the son of the Duchess of Bloem.

Verity ends up at Bloem to meet Alex, who is in a wheelchair after a tragic accident, and a new mystery begins at the home of the Duchess, Dauphine, and her husband, Gerard, a celebrated botanist. The new setting of Chauntilaie, the estate, gives a new gothic vibe with the darker secrets it holds. There is some romance mixed into the mystery with Craig’s signature atmospheric writing. I love that her writing seems to have grown from the first novel yet still has a familiar feeling. The characters in this story were all likable and I loved the character growth. The romance in this story was not as great as the first novel, but it was still enjoyable. While romances are usually the highlight for me, the tension in the story is what kept me interested. There is a cliffhanger ending that, hopefully, indicates this series will continue. Since this novel is about the second of eleven Thaumas sisters, there seems to be room for a huge expansion in the series. Overall, this was an excellent sequel and I cannot wait to read more from Craig in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Delacorte Press, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Thank you to Random House for the Arc!

After not really enjoying the first book. I was a bit apprehensive going into this but let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised. This story was gothic, magical and everything I could’ve wanted.

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

This is exactly the type of book I think of when I think "spooky season reads". Dark, atmospheric, haunting, a touch of death and decay and all that without going overboard, ghosts... everything I need for a rainy October night. Unfortunately, I did read this on a sunny day in July, but we can't win them all. It was still great.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and was excited to read more about these cursed sisters- especially the youngest one who sees ghosts, and I was not disappointed. The romance may have felt a little rushed, but as both of the individuals were veerryyy sheltered children, I'll give it a pass. The one thing I would not forgive, however, is if there is no forthcoming third installment, because... that ending. I need answers!