beyond excited to see this books hit my inbox- this is one of my most anticipated books of 2025 and i will be sure to post my review on all retailers!! 💞

Her Wicked Roots is a queer retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter. This is exactly the book that I love to read!!! Her Wicked Roots is such a gorgeous and eerie story that combines the beauty of plants with a theme of death and sickness. The writing is immersive and easy to get swept up in. The secrets wrapped up in vines and the plot twists had me hooked. I also found myself not wanting to read it too fast because then it would be over. The ending was really nice and then the epilogue had me staring at a wall after. If you love books by Adalyn Grace and Erin A Craig and add queer characters this is going to be the perfect story for you. I loved it!

Tanya Pell mesmerized me once again with this moody, gothic tale of mystery and deceit.

Cordi is in search of her beloved brother and ends up neck deep in a strange world full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. There are layers of puzzles in this book, each well thought out and written. I enjoyed every bit of the discovery.

The love/lust/seduction between Cordi and Briar was captivating. You could taste the sensuality in this book. Well done!

And the ending! Perfection 💫

Read Tanya's books. She is a magnificent storyteller. I am a fan for life.

I never read "Rappaccini's Daughter," so I was unsure what to expect with this retelling. Her Wicked Roots is haunting and beautifully written. It was a wonderful introduction to Tanya Pell.

Tanya had me locked in from the very first page. There is an eerie tension that builds as you follow Cordi on her journey to find her missing brother, Edward. Cordi's search leads her to the mysterious town of Farrow, and thus, to the Edenfield estate. Here she meets Lady Evangeline and her strange daughters, Prim and Briar.

The setting of Edenfield is lush and foreboding. Tanya's writing is rich and vivid, bringing the estate to life in such a way that it almost feels like a character. It's spooky atmosphere highlights that all is not as it seems.

The slow burn of the mystery, along with the slow reveal of the dark truths behind Edenfield and its inhabitants, kept me turning the page. Tanya knows how to create tension with every twist and turn, and just when I thought I had unraveled one mystery, another layer would reveal itself, keeping me on the edge of my seat. This is an absolute must-read!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

Her Wicked Roots by Tayna Pell is a dark retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini's Daughter that pulls you into a world where nature isn’t scenery—it’s alive, wild, and full of whispered secrets.

The way Pell writes about the forest, the plants, and the earth makes everything feel rich, but also a little unsettling. The woods watch, the flowers whisper secrets, and nature has its own agenda.

Aside from the earthy, atmospheric setting, the writing is genuinely well-crafted. Pell’s style is smooth and she knows how to draw you into a scene from the very first page. The characters are realistic—flawed, interesting, and not easily pinned down as heroes or villains as everyone treads the line between good and grey. Their choices feel real and their emotions are messy.

Overall, Her Wicked Roots is a beautiful, moody read that blends nature, science, and human emotion in a way that sticks with you.

If you’re into gothic retellings with strong character work and an eerie, organic setting, this is definitely worth picking up.

Wow. Just wow.
Tanya Pell crafted the most intricate mystery, gothic, slightly horror yet amazing novel I have read in a while. There is a lot of intricacies to this that I wasn't prepared for. This was my first book by Tanya Pell and I can't wait to read more.

Please check Content Warnings.

CW: Attempted Rape, Corporal Punishment, PTSD, Orphanages, Body Horror (Mild)

Full disclosure: I have never read Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter, which this book is a retelling of. As such, I can’t comment on how one relates to the other or how good of a retelling it is.

Pell’s novel hits all my wants for Gothic horror. Cordelia (Cordi) is a well-developed heroine, complex, driven, and brave. She is easy to root for and easier still to follow through all the twists the narrative brings. She makes mistakes but plays smart and uses her wits and experience to keep pushing forward to finding her lost brother. Edenfield is a great setting, full of mysterious rules, a household of women, and a lady botanist and her two daughters, Prim and Briar, around whom one must always wear a mask and gloves. The plot never lags, but it does develop relationships and depth. There are multiple mysteries to solve, all of which are engaging. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a spooky, thrilling read.

I loved Cicada so much, it’s my favorite non-Candy Cain Killer VHS book, so I was very excited to read this one. But nothing prepared me for the absolutely gorgeous book that Pell has given us with this beautiful book.

Sexy, scary, and always fascinating, if you’re into botanical horror with a sapphic tinge, you can’t go wrong with this one. Mystery and beauty oozes through the entire book, and Pell’s prose is remarkable and lush and draws you in so wonderfully. While the garden may be wicked, it’s one I loved spending time in.

I am usually all for a gothic read, but this one left some things to be desired. I did not really connect with the characters, but I do think that this book has the potential to find the right audience.