Her Wicked Roots is an atmospheric and eerie gothic fantasy that pulls you in with its lush writing and dark, tangled secrets. Tanya Pell delivers a chilling story full of ancestral curses, creeping magic, and a heroine who must confront the legacy she never wanted.

The decaying estate setting is richly drawn, and the sense of unease builds steadily as the mystery unfolds. I loved the slow-burn tension—both in the plot and the romance—as well as the exploration of power, nature, and what we inherit from the past.

Perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and haunting tales with a folkloric edge, this debut is immersive, beautifully written, and satisfyingly dark.

Her Wicked Roots is a lush, gothic garden of curses, secrets, and morally gray witches — atmospheric and dripping with dark fae vibes. The prose? Gorgeous. The mood? Immaculate. But the plot meanders, and the romance never fully takes root. I wanted more bite to match the beauty.

Perfect for readers who love brooding ruins, whispered spells, and prose you can sink into like moss — just go in knowing it’s more vibes than velocity.

While it is not always a good idea to judge a book by its cover, once & a while it is socially acceptable. This book could be the poster child for why it is ok to occasionally do so.. I was originally drawn to this book because I found it to be one of the most beautiful books I'd ever seen in my life.. And I'm happy to say If books received awards similar to humans this book would be winning Miss Universe, HANDS DOWN! She really is as beautiful on the inside & out.

If you're looking for something unlike anything you've ever read before, this book needs to be your next read without question. I would even bet on it. If you read this book and it truly isn't one of the most beautifully original retellings you've ever read, I will cashapp you $20.... $10 on a bad week 🫠..Because there's just no way.. I applaud this author for taking the road less traveled when it comes to retellings.

I saw "retelling" and automatically thought princess, because in most other cases that happens to be true. But no! We have a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter! A short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Only this time with a peppering of feminine rage and it's sensational!

Fun note: My ADD also had a field day with this one as well. There's a character named Evangeline & it took my bird brain about 3/4 of the book for it to stop quoting Ray from The Princess and the Frog, every time her name is mentioned 🤣 😭


You will probably absolutely devour this book if you..

Love original retellings
Love a gothic/ magical/ botanical setting with vivid imagery
Love non stop twists & turns.. all the way through till the end of the epilogue
Love a book that has you hooked by page 2
Love a strong willed/ independent FMC
Love some cult energy

All men are scum! Or are they? You be the judge! And read this darn book!!

But I am OBSESSED through and through! Needless to say I will be most definitely getting my hardcopy book trophy!!

*disclaimer: i have not read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter*

i’m not really sure how i feel about this. it was dark and moody, with a lot of gothic imagery. however, it constantly left me wanting more. i wanted to feel more connected to the characters, but it seemed they were all held at arm’s length from the reader. i was hoping for more unsettling and creepy scenes, but there was only really one or two that got my heart pounding. the rest was rather predictable, or had a lot of descriptions that were hard to follow and pulled me out of the scene.

cordelia herself was a very compelling heroin. she was bold and unafraid, often leaping into action before thinking twice, and it was fun to watch her do whatever it took to find her brother, and make some mistakes along the way. her internal monologues got a bit redundant, but i really admired her as a character.

the ending was unexpected, i just wish some of the twists had come earlier in the book. it started slow, and i didn’t really feel hooked until about halfway in. it seems the pacing could’ve been different to help us feel more of the high stakes of cordelia’s story, and really feel a punch in the gut when the twists do come, but it all fell a bit short for me.

all this to say, i still flew through this book and was thoroughly entertained.

thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

"What is planted in the Garden, grows in the Garden"

These words seem to haunt the pages of this book far better than any ghost. An imaginative retelling of a classic, brought to creeping, wicked life with beautiful prose. An isolated Eden, love, plants, poison and betrayal. This book has it all and more.

I wish I could read this for the first time again. It was a beautiful and stunning book.

Cordelia, an orphaned young woman who has run from a life of trauma to find her brother who has taken a job and sent letters of promise to come and get her as soon as he can. Right away she realizes something is wrong and finds herself at Edenfield, the decadent, portentous home of Lady Evangeline.
Cordi settles in, taking a job among the all woman staff, to carry out her search for her brother.
Tanya weaves this gothic horror with threads of feminism, dark botany, dread, forbidden romance, and hope. The enigmatic hallways of Edenfield and its lush gardens were the perfect setting to gear me up for spooky season.
10/10, Highly recommend adding this to your TBR. Thank you NetGalley for the early copy.

A queer retelling of a classic gothic story where a young woman is lured to a lush estate owned by a botanist who might be hiding dark secrets. An atmospheric and malevolently eerie novel that solidifies the author as a vital voice in horror.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐥

Cordelia Beecher isn’t your average damsel. She’s bold, determined, and on a mission to find her missing brother. Her journey leads her to Edenfield, a crumbling estate that screams haunted horticulture chic. The lady of the house? Mysterious. The daughters locked away inside? Even more suspicious. And the plants? Yeah, they’re practically hissing.
And let me tell you, this book doesn’t walk—it slithers. Pell serves up lush prose so rich it feels like you’re reading poetry soaked in moonlight and poison. The atmosphere? Gloomy and gorgeous. The romance? Tense, tender, and tinged with dread. You’ll be screaming “just kiss already!” one moment and then “RUN!” the next.
But don’t expect sunshine and giggles—this is gothic horror, baby. Think: flower petals with teeth, longing glances through barred windows, and more secrets than a Victorian diary.
This book gives you that eerie feeling someone is watching—and somehow, you still keep turning the pages, hungry for more.
Tanya Pell crafts a slow-burn sapphic horror that sinks its roots into you—gently at first, then with a vice grip. You’ll feel unsettled, enchanted, and a little obsessed.
It’s not just a story; it’s a haunted greenhouse you willingly lock yourself inside. And honey, by the time the petals fall, it’s too late—you’re hooked.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy💛

I loved Cicada and I loved Her Wicked Roots too! Tanya Pell fan for life!!! HWR is moody, swoony, and gothic story. I had so much fun with the creepy sisters and piecing together the mystery of the manor. With its haunting imagery, plant horror, and satisfying ending, HWR is a must read! Run don't walk to preorder!!

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.