Science Fiction & Fantasy
![Erin A. Craig - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B07KFR15ZD.jpg)
House of Roots and Ruin (SISTERS OF THE SALT)
A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever.
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. . . .
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. . . .
Editorial Reviews
Praise for House of Roots and Ruin:
"Another triumph by Craig, a twisty gothic romance that drew me in from the first sentence. There's something comforting about stepping into Craig's worlds, she crafts them well, and they're so suffused with light that the darkness comes as a surprise. I'll be recommending this one everywhere."-Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
"Terrifying and beautiful, Craig has given us another heartstopper!"-Lauren Blackwood, New York Times bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls
"I was utterly consumed by House of Roots and Ruin. It was the beautifully dark Gothic fantasy I've been waiting for."-Megan Shepherd, New York Times bestselling author of Grim Lovelies
"With the gothic elegance that is Craig's signature, House of Roots and Ruin will grow its thorns into your heart and not let it go until the last page turns."-Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
"Readers will be riveted ...Craig has proven to be one of the masters of the YA literary scene." -BookTrib
"Steamy, suspenseful, and sensuous." -Kirkus Reviews
"Another triumph by Craig, a twisty gothic romance that drew me in from the first sentence. There's something comforting about stepping into Craig's worlds, she crafts them well, and they're so suffused with light that the darkness comes as a surprise. I'll be recommending this one everywhere."-Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
"Terrifying and beautiful, Craig has given us another heartstopper!"-Lauren Blackwood, New York Times bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls
"I was utterly consumed by House of Roots and Ruin. It was the beautifully dark Gothic fantasy I've been waiting for."-Megan Shepherd, New York Times bestselling author of Grim Lovelies
"With the gothic elegance that is Craig's signature, House of Roots and Ruin will grow its thorns into your heart and not let it go until the last page turns."-Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
"Readers will be riveted ...Craig has proven to be one of the masters of the YA literary scene." -BookTrib
"Steamy, suspenseful, and sensuous." -Kirkus Reviews
Readers Top Reviews
Olivia F.
HOUSE OF ROOTS AND RUIN is an atmospheric and enthralling YA gothic fantasy. Verity Thaumas is 17 years old and has never ventured very far from home at the request of her eldest sister Camille. She desires to see the world and build her own life outside of her sister and her niblings. When another of her sisters, Mercy, writes to her with a request to travel to Bloem as an artist, to paint a portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Bloem's son, Mercy is excited to accept - though Camille tries to get her to reverse it. Upset about Camille's declaration, Verity sees something that makes her question everything, and Camille confesses the secret she has been keeping for years - Verity sees ghosts, and she does not even realize that they are ghosts. Upset and worried about being trapped, Verity flees to Bloem where everything seems exceptionally lovely. However, a lovely veneer is sometimes only hiding darkness underneath. What I loved: This was such an atmospheric read that pulled the reader into a world of gods, monsters, and ghosts. The mythology is well-constructed, and while the reader only learns a small amount of it, it sets the stage for the events to come. Though very different from Salaan from where Verity came, Bloem is filled with its own dangers and evils. Verity has lived a sheltered life, though even she can see cracks in the golden veneer it has. The world-building is focused on the ducal estate and the mysteries of the manor and those who reside within, but there was much to explore with the house seemingly full of secrets and lies. Verity was a compelling character who wants the bigger world, romance, and love, but who has lived such a sheltered life that she is completely unprepared for it. She is on the precipice of adulthood but not yet fully there, and this in-between feeling is one that will resonate with teens. Verity's sanity is not always clear. Though her sisters believe that she does, in fact, see ghosts, Verity herself is uncertain about what she sees and what she knows, as well as what might be true. Ghosts seem to have their own rules, and these are not so well-defined for the reader, but a particularly consuming element of the story as it is never fully clear who is alive and who is not. Themes around the relentless search for power, perversion and mistreatment of nature, abuse, death, grief/loss, and family made this quite a thought-provoking read. Family was quite complex for both Verity and Alexander, as Verity has been sheltered by her sisters out of love (which may be misguided), and Alexander also has much to learn about those in his life as well. Power is a heady motivator for several of the main characters, but the gain and pursuit of power have negative consequences that become clearer as the story continues. The plot was quite dark and twisty, particularly later in the story, with...
Melanie ShurtzOli
Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. Erin A. Craig does it again. She paints such beautiful pictures with her words and I definitely wish I could visit Chauntilalie. We start off at Highmoor manor. Verity, the youngest of the Thaumas sisters is almost 18 years old. She is living there with her older sister, Camille, now the Duchess of Highmoor, and her family. All the rest of the sisters, who were alive at the end of House of Salt and Sorrow, have moved away. Verity wants to do some exploring of the world and is tired of Camille always denying her the ability to do so. Verity doesn’t remember anything from her life before age six. She doesn’t remember any of her sisters’ deaths, her dad’s, or her stepmom’s. (If you read House of Salt and Sorrows, that means she doesn’t remember any of that.) She just remembers growing up for a period of time in Hesperus at the lighthouse with Annaleigh, Honor, and Mercy, while Highmoor was being rebuilt. Mercy sends her a letter from the Duchess of Bloem, Dauphine Laurent, who wants to commission her to do a portrait of their son, Alexander. Verity wants to go and asks Camille for permission, but Camille denies her and reveals a secret as to the real reason why she hasn’t ever let Verity leave. Despite the secret she’s learned, Verity is still determined to go and leaves in the middle of the night leaving behind a note for Camille. Verity arrives safe and sound and starts the groundwork for the portrait of Alex. She and Alex get to know each other over the coming weeks as they spend most of the days together. After the work for the portrait in the morning, the afternoons are spent outside enjoying the different sections of the vast grounds surrounding Chauntilalie. Even though they’ve only known each other for a few weeks, Alex has fallen in love and proposes to Verity. She enjoys being with him but she’s so afraid that she is going to mess up that she is never in the present when he kisses her and isn’t sure if she loves him the same way, but she says yes anyway. She doesn’t want to go back to Highmoor and doesn’t really have any other place to go. As she and Dauphine rush to plan the wedding, just over a month away because it has to be on certain dates that are important to the People of Bloem, and Dauphine doesn’t want to wait months for the next date, things start to change in a negative way. There are many dark secrets at Chauntilalie and Verity is even warned away and told of some of the terrible things that will come if she stays. However, Verity is determined to stay and marry Alex. What terrible things are the Duke and Duchess of Laurent hiding? Will Verity and Alex get married or will they be stopped from tying the knot? Read this Gothic horror masterpiece to find out what fate awaits Verity!
LMelanie ShurtzOl
I’ve been so excited for this, and it’s beyond beautiful!
Short Excerpt Teaser
1
The paintbrush was too wet.
Pigment concentrated through the boar-hair bristles, sluicing out in irregular blots and smudging the line I'd wanted crisp.
"Hold still," I murmured, barely moving my lips as I dabbed the brush on a rag, lest I somehow jar the moment before me and lose its magic forever. "Just one minute more."
The corner of Artie's lips trembled as if fighting the urge to break into a grin.
"I'm almost finished," I promised. "Just . . ." I flicked the brush across the canvas, capturing the gleam of impish merriment brightening my nephew's eyes. "There. It's perfect."
"I want to see! I want to see!" Artie exclaimed, falling out of his carefully arranged pose and tumbling over himself as he dashed behind the easel. His eyebrows fell. "That's not what I look like. Is it?"
I studied the rendering with a critical eye before glancing back to the little boy before me. Thick waves of dark hair like mine, like most Thaumases, but with his father's button nose. "I think it's a fine likeness."
"Very fine," a voice affirmed from the doorway behind us.
"Mama!" he cried, racing off to give his mother a hug. "Am I done now?"
Camille raised an eyebrow at me, seeking confirmation. I set down my palette and nodded.
"All done." Camille pressed a swift kiss to the top of his head before he was off, racing down the hall, breathless with pent-up energy.
"How was he?" she asked, entering the Blue Room to study the portrait more closely. Her amber eyes missed nothing. "This arrived for you this morning," she said, handing me a thick envelope. It was marked with several palace seals.
Mercy.
"A little squirmy but that's to be expected." I ran my thumb under the flap, ready to rip open the envelope and dig out my sister's letter, but I paused, watching Camille take in the painting.
"It's a lovely painting," she complimented. "I can't believe he's five now. Where have the years gone?" My sister brushed a strand of burnished auburn hair from her face and her fingers fluttered over the corner of one eye, feeling at the nonexistent lines she worried were beginning to creep in.
"My birthday is coming up, you know," I mentioned, keeping my voice as light and casual as I could.
She frowned as though I'd accused her of something. "I wouldn't forget that, Verity."
"I didn't mean- Only . . . maybe we could talk about what we should do this year?" I turned on my stool, looking up. "I thought perhaps we could go to the mainland? To the capital? Mercy said-"
"It's not Mercy's place to say anything," Camille said, glancing at the envelope in my lap. I could see she wanted to snatch it up and read the missive for herself but instead she stepped forward, squinting at a brushstroke.
"She said that I could still be presented at court, if we wanted to. Eighteen is a little older than most girls, but-"
Her sigh stopped me short. "I would have loved to take you at sixteen. You know that."
"Only I was at Hesperus, helping Annaleigh with the baby," I supplied, knowing her excuses by heart. "But last year-"
"Last year we were in the middle of the east wing renovations. It was hardly the time for a long, extravagant trip."
"I know," I said, tucking a bit of hair behind my ear. She was bristling for a fight, and if she started snapping, I knew it would be impossible to sway her. "I know, I know, I know. But now . . . the house is all done. The children are old enough to travel. I'm sure they'd all love to see Arcannus."
Camille shook her head, backing away from the canvas, her eyes drifting around the room as if looking for something to improve. She approached a chaise and plumped a down pillow until it stood on its own like a tuft of meringue. "Oh no. The children would never come with us to court. They'd stay behind with their governess, of course."
I took a quick breath, hope reaching high into my chest like a man drowning at sea and grasping for a life raft. "But we . . . we could go? Oh, Camille, think of how fun it will be! We haven't been to the mainland since Mercy moved to court. Annaleigh could come, too, and I'm sure Honor would join us. Foresia isn't that far from the capital, and perhaps even Lenore . . ." I stumbled to a halt as I always did whenever Lenore came up.
My third oldest sister was a complete mystery to me.
"Lenore is Lenore. I doubt she'd . . ." Camille ran a quick hand over her hair again, as if assuring herself that everything was still in place. "All of that does sound . . . It could be quite agreeable," she allowed. "But your birthday is next week. T...
The paintbrush was too wet.
Pigment concentrated through the boar-hair bristles, sluicing out in irregular blots and smudging the line I'd wanted crisp.
"Hold still," I murmured, barely moving my lips as I dabbed the brush on a rag, lest I somehow jar the moment before me and lose its magic forever. "Just one minute more."
The corner of Artie's lips trembled as if fighting the urge to break into a grin.
"I'm almost finished," I promised. "Just . . ." I flicked the brush across the canvas, capturing the gleam of impish merriment brightening my nephew's eyes. "There. It's perfect."
"I want to see! I want to see!" Artie exclaimed, falling out of his carefully arranged pose and tumbling over himself as he dashed behind the easel. His eyebrows fell. "That's not what I look like. Is it?"
I studied the rendering with a critical eye before glancing back to the little boy before me. Thick waves of dark hair like mine, like most Thaumases, but with his father's button nose. "I think it's a fine likeness."
"Very fine," a voice affirmed from the doorway behind us.
"Mama!" he cried, racing off to give his mother a hug. "Am I done now?"
Camille raised an eyebrow at me, seeking confirmation. I set down my palette and nodded.
"All done." Camille pressed a swift kiss to the top of his head before he was off, racing down the hall, breathless with pent-up energy.
"How was he?" she asked, entering the Blue Room to study the portrait more closely. Her amber eyes missed nothing. "This arrived for you this morning," she said, handing me a thick envelope. It was marked with several palace seals.
Mercy.
"A little squirmy but that's to be expected." I ran my thumb under the flap, ready to rip open the envelope and dig out my sister's letter, but I paused, watching Camille take in the painting.
"It's a lovely painting," she complimented. "I can't believe he's five now. Where have the years gone?" My sister brushed a strand of burnished auburn hair from her face and her fingers fluttered over the corner of one eye, feeling at the nonexistent lines she worried were beginning to creep in.
"My birthday is coming up, you know," I mentioned, keeping my voice as light and casual as I could.
She frowned as though I'd accused her of something. "I wouldn't forget that, Verity."
"I didn't mean- Only . . . maybe we could talk about what we should do this year?" I turned on my stool, looking up. "I thought perhaps we could go to the mainland? To the capital? Mercy said-"
"It's not Mercy's place to say anything," Camille said, glancing at the envelope in my lap. I could see she wanted to snatch it up and read the missive for herself but instead she stepped forward, squinting at a brushstroke.
"She said that I could still be presented at court, if we wanted to. Eighteen is a little older than most girls, but-"
Her sigh stopped me short. "I would have loved to take you at sixteen. You know that."
"Only I was at Hesperus, helping Annaleigh with the baby," I supplied, knowing her excuses by heart. "But last year-"
"Last year we were in the middle of the east wing renovations. It was hardly the time for a long, extravagant trip."
"I know," I said, tucking a bit of hair behind my ear. She was bristling for a fight, and if she started snapping, I knew it would be impossible to sway her. "I know, I know, I know. But now . . . the house is all done. The children are old enough to travel. I'm sure they'd all love to see Arcannus."
Camille shook her head, backing away from the canvas, her eyes drifting around the room as if looking for something to improve. She approached a chaise and plumped a down pillow until it stood on its own like a tuft of meringue. "Oh no. The children would never come with us to court. They'd stay behind with their governess, of course."
I took a quick breath, hope reaching high into my chest like a man drowning at sea and grasping for a life raft. "But we . . . we could go? Oh, Camille, think of how fun it will be! We haven't been to the mainland since Mercy moved to court. Annaleigh could come, too, and I'm sure Honor would join us. Foresia isn't that far from the capital, and perhaps even Lenore . . ." I stumbled to a halt as I always did whenever Lenore came up.
My third oldest sister was a complete mystery to me.
"Lenore is Lenore. I doubt she'd . . ." Camille ran a quick hand over her hair again, as if assuring herself that everything was still in place. "All of that does sound . . . It could be quite agreeable," she allowed. "But your birthday is next week. T...
