To borrow from the synopsis:

"Deirdre’s family tree was never something she thought much about. For 24 years it’s just been her and her mother. But when she accidentally gets pregnant her mother insists they go back to their family roots. Now Deirdre is about to discover just what kind of sinister soil her family has sprouted from."

The opening chapters may feel rushed or vague, but that's the point; setting up future events through a slower reveal. The turning point is when Deirdre meets the family. What was immediately noticeable is how - off - everything was, then things hit the fan. I appreciated how the author dropped breadcrumbs of detail throughout to fill-in the blank spaces present. It's just as much folktale as it is horror, and learning about the history of this particular lineage from its origination, along with its customs and traditions, was fascinating to say the least.

Many thanks to NetGalley, RDS Publishing, and especially the author - Sonora Taylor, for the opportunity to read and review this free ARC.

Horror is not my typical genre, but it's October, and I'm trying to expand my reading horizon a bit. Sonora Taylor's "Errant Roots" looked and sounded intriguing to me.

"Errant Roots" is a dark and disturbing story about an incredibly cult-like family of women with a strange form of beliefs and traditions.

I was pleasantly surprised at how Taylor could pack as much background into the past generations as she did in this short novella. However, a few more pages would have helped me understand some of the characters and motives a little more.

Overall, Taylor's writing kept me intrigued and captivated until the very end. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you, #NetGalley, #SonoraTaylor, and #RDSPublishing, for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #ErrantRoots

Another great read in this series, Selected Papers from the Consortium for the Study of Anomalous Phenomena. This is probably my favorite in the series so far. First time reading Sonora Taylor, and will definitely be reading more from her. This was a fantastic story/plot, with great characters and great pacing. #ErrantRoots #NetGalley

Errant Roots by Sonora Taylor is a thought-provoking novella about the strength of familial roots and dark traditions. This is very well written and kept me engaged throughout the whole horrific tale of Deirdre’s family history. If you’re looking for a quick twisted tale about family traditions, this is for you! Thank you to NetGalley and RDS Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.