House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt)
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from 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 facade. . . .
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Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
House of Roots and Ruin is a perfect follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows, keeping with that gothic fantasy vibe and capturing the eerie atmosphere throughout the novel.
Haunting
I loved House of Salt and Sorrows, so I was ready to dive back into the world of Craig with some pretty high expectations. Craig lived up to all those expectations.
In House of Roots and Ruin, we follow Verity, who seems trapped on the family estate in Highmoor with her older sister Camille. All her other sisters are living their lives. When Mercy, one of her sisters, presents a chance for her to use her painting abilities to begin living her life, Verity wants nothing more than to jump at the chance. That is until Camille reveals that Verity still speaks to ghosts and doesn’t know it.
Feeling betrayed, Verity decides to sneak away in the night and take the painting job, leaving for the luxurious landscape of Bloem.
I loved the change in setting here and how some scenes are reminiscent of the story The Yellow Wallpaper. The Bloem estate is home to a celebrated – and somewhat eccentric – botanist so that floral and earthy atmosphere transcends the greenhouse and bleeds into the home. And considering Verity cannot tell the dead from the dead, there is a lot of second-guessing here. What’s real and what isn’t? It makes the reader second-guess alongside her. There is a slightly sinister and twisted plot here, which puts Verity and Alexander in danger.
An eeriness reminiscent of Crimson Peak haunts the pages of the story, albeit without the incestuous bit, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. As the story progresses, the unsettling atmosphere continues to build and build until it reaches that crescendo. Then it just explodes, and you’re hooked.
Enticing Romance
I love the romance between Verity and Alexander because it differs significantly from how the romance developed in the previous novel.
He’s wheelchair-bound after a childhood incident left him paralyzed from the waist down, but he’s so sweet and thoughtful. Alexander sees Verity. He nurtures her and helps her believe in herself. They balance each other out so that it’s not to believe why Verity would fall so deeply in love with him.
Final Thoughts
All I have to say is that House of Roots and Ruin was absolutely amazing, and after that ending, I am not okay. My jaw hit the floor, and I need to sequel now.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
A thrilling gothic fantasy, House of Roots and Ruin is perfect for readers who like a little romance mixed into their mysteries.
House of Roots and Ruin is a perfect follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows, keeping with that gothic fantasy vibe and capturing the eerie atmosphere throughout the novel.
Haunting
I loved House of Salt and Sorrows, so I was ready to dive back into the world of Craig with some pretty high expectations. Craig lived up to all those expectations.
In House of Roots and Ruin, we follow Verity, who seems trapped on the family estate in Highmoor with her older sister Camille. All her other sisters are living their lives. When Mercy, one of her sisters, presents a chance for her to use her painting abilities to begin living her life, Verity wants nothing more than to jump at the chance. That is until Camille reveals that Verity still speaks to ghosts and doesn’t know it.
Feeling betrayed, Verity decides to sneak away in the night and take the painting job, leaving for the luxurious landscape of Bloem.
I loved the change in setting here and how some scenes are reminiscent of the story The Yellow Wallpaper. The Bloem estate is home to a celebrated – and somewhat eccentric – botanist so that floral and earthy atmosphere transcends the greenhouse and bleeds into the home. And considering Verity cannot tell the dead from the dead, there is a lot of second-guessing here. What’s real and what isn’t? It makes the reader second-guess alongside her. There is a slightly sinister and twisted plot here, which puts Verity and Alexander in danger.
An eeriness reminiscent of Crimson Peak haunts the pages of the story, albeit without the incestuous bit, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. As the story progresses, the unsettling atmosphere continues to build and build until it reaches that crescendo. Then it just explodes, and you’re hooked.
Enticing Romance
I love the romance between Verity and Alexander because it differs significantly from how the romance developed in the previous novel.
He’s wheelchair-bound after a childhood incident left him paralyzed from the waist down, but he’s so sweet and thoughtful. Alexander sees Verity. He nurtures her and helps her believe in herself. They balance each other out so that it’s not to believe why Verity would fall so deeply in love with him.
Final Thoughts
All I have to say is that House of Roots and Ruin was absolutely amazing, and after that ending, I am not okay. My jaw hit the floor, and I need to sequel now.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
House of Roots and Ruin is like a beautifully wrapped box of chocolates where half the pieces are filled with delicious Gothic angst and the other half are weirdly spicy and make you question your life choices.
Let’s start with Verity, who’s been stuck at her cursed family estate, Highmoor, like a moody, ghost-seeing Rapunzel. She gets an invite to paint some rich guy’s portrait. But oh, Camille—her older sister who’s basically the human embodiment of a rain cloud—drops the bombshell that Verity’s been seeing ghosts her whole life and just... forgot? Sure, Camille, that’s a normal family secret to keep.
Verity, understandably over the drama, runs off to Bloem, where things are all dreamy gardens, posh parties, and Alexander Laurent—a swoony botanist's son who is definitely too good to be true. And spoiler: he is. Because what’s a Gothic fantasy without some seriously messed up vibes lurking under the surface?
The Gothic vibes are strong with this one. Creepy portraits? Check. Ghostly whispers in the dark? Check. Nightmares that feel a little too real? Oh, absolutely. Erin A. Craig serves up the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to light a candle and clutch a blanket, even though you’re reading in broad daylight.
The plot twists are wild, ranging from Oh no, that’s bad to What just happened, and why am I slightly thrilled? By the time Verity’s life fully derails (because of course it does), you’re left clutching the book like a Victorian lady gasping at scandal.
That said, let’s talk about Verity’s decision-making skills—or lack thereof. She’s so drawn to Alexander and Bloem that she basically ignores every red flag waving directly in her face. Girl, when the flowers look like they want to eat you, it’s time to reconsider your life choices.
Also, some of the twists are telegraphed so hard they might as well come with a neon sign that says, “THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER.” But does it ruin the fun? Not really. It’s kind of like watching a horror movie where you’re yelling at the characters to stop going into the basement, but secretly, you can’t wait to see what’s down there.
Perfect for when you want ghosts, gardens, and a heroine who might just burn the whole place down.
Let’s start with Verity, who’s been stuck at her cursed family estate, Highmoor, like a moody, ghost-seeing Rapunzel. She gets an invite to paint some rich guy’s portrait. But oh, Camille—her older sister who’s basically the human embodiment of a rain cloud—drops the bombshell that Verity’s been seeing ghosts her whole life and just... forgot? Sure, Camille, that’s a normal family secret to keep.
Verity, understandably over the drama, runs off to Bloem, where things are all dreamy gardens, posh parties, and Alexander Laurent—a swoony botanist's son who is definitely too good to be true. And spoiler: he is. Because what’s a Gothic fantasy without some seriously messed up vibes lurking under the surface?
The Gothic vibes are strong with this one. Creepy portraits? Check. Ghostly whispers in the dark? Check. Nightmares that feel a little too real? Oh, absolutely. Erin A. Craig serves up the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to light a candle and clutch a blanket, even though you’re reading in broad daylight.
The plot twists are wild, ranging from Oh no, that’s bad to What just happened, and why am I slightly thrilled? By the time Verity’s life fully derails (because of course it does), you’re left clutching the book like a Victorian lady gasping at scandal.
That said, let’s talk about Verity’s decision-making skills—or lack thereof. She’s so drawn to Alexander and Bloem that she basically ignores every red flag waving directly in her face. Girl, when the flowers look like they want to eat you, it’s time to reconsider your life choices.
Also, some of the twists are telegraphed so hard they might as well come with a neon sign that says, “THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER.” But does it ruin the fun? Not really. It’s kind of like watching a horror movie where you’re yelling at the characters to stop going into the basement, but secretly, you can’t wait to see what’s down there.
Perfect for when you want ghosts, gardens, and a heroine who might just burn the whole place down.
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