Reviews

House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

Only show reviews with written explanations

jenpica_arsenault's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

malisac16's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

maddythomas15's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I had such high expectations after reading Salt and Sorrow, and I am so sad to say I was let down! I wanted to like this book so bad. It was an interesting story and had plenty of dark twists, but I could not stop comparing it to the first book. I think I was hoping for more of a continued storyline. The change in setting and characters made it feel like a whole different universe to me. The epilogue did intrigue me though!

mona_monty's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

THE TWIST AT THE END!!!!

It is a phneomenal reads and full you along for a horror show thorough the twisted hidden corridors of the House of Roots. All the symbolism and mystry keep you right on your toes.

And you need to really look out for the sutble references to realize the twists otherwise you might miss. I would have been so rich if I have a penny for every time gaasped while reading this book.

wisecraic's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

emmasnothere's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

i don’t even know how to review this. craig’s writing is a breeze to get through and each chapter leaves wanting to read the next, but there was just… Too Much going on. each reveal or strange activity felt nothing more than a “gotcha!” moment. sure, the ideas leaned horror, as you would expect, but it didn’t translate well.

the novel took a turn when

alex’s exiled brothers enter and verity has this strange affinity/attraction to one of them, despite being engaged to alex himself.

i was… uncomfortable! it was over the top bizarre (same with the brutal, fast paced ending), which was my main grievance with the first installment because it was such a departure from the rest of the read. and like yeah, that’s fine, this is written for a YA audience after all; however, there were some elements/details that made me question if it was marketed correctly

(i.e., hidden books and her dream containing sexual content)

.

on a brighter note, especially regarding the first portion of the book, it was so eerie! it reminded me a bit of natural beauty by ling ling huang—behind the facade of beauty and brilliance, there are many secrets hidden beneath. from the experimental garden

full of harmful plants

to the strange family dynamics reminiscent of mystery thrillers set in large estates. also, i loved the conversations between verity and alex about art, i thought it was a beautiful way for them to open up to one another when they’ve both been isolated their entire lives.

tldr: great atmosphere, plot… all over the place, and in desperate need of an editor (why was this over 500 pages?)