The House of Roots and Ruin

Three sisters inherit their grandmother's estate - a strange house filled with dark magic and deadly secrets that have been passed down through generations. The sisters must live in the house for a summer to claim their inheritance, but they quickly discover the home holds mysterious powers. The house seems to have its own agenda, with rooms that shift and change, and objects that appear and disappear without explanation. As the sisters explore their new residence, they uncover disturbing truths about their family's connection to witchcraft and the price of power. The House of Roots and Ruin combines elements of gothic horror with family drama, examining the bonds between sisters and the weight of ancestral legacies. The story raises questions about fate versus free will, and what people are willing to sacrifice for those they love.

Readers find this book slower-paced than Ernshaw's previous works, with many noting it takes until 40% through for the plot to gain momentum. The romantic elements and atmospheric writing receive frequent mentions in positive reviews. Liked: - Gothic horror elements and creepy house descriptions - Relationship development between sisters - Plant magic and herbalism details - Final third of the book Disliked: - Repetitive internal monologue - Slow first half - Limited world-building - Romance feels rushed/underdeveloped - Too similar to A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher, per multiple readers "The atmosphere carries the story when the pacing doesn't," notes one Goodreads reviewer. Another states: "Great concept but needed tighter editing." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (150+ ratings) StoryGraph reports 42% of readers rate the pace as "slow."

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson A young woman uncovers dark secrets in her puritanical society while exploring her connection to witchcraft and her mother's haunting past.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson A family moves into a haunted house in a deteriorating Midwestern city where the protagonist confronts generational curses and ancestral magic.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas In post-revolution Mexico, a newlywed discovers her husband's estate harbors malevolent spirits connected to colonial violence and indigenous power.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling A practical marriage arrangement transforms into a gothic nightmare when a woman discovers her physician husband's involvement with ancient ritual magic.

The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller A necromancer runs an elite brothel while secretly gathering intelligence to solve her emperor's murder through bone magic and forbidden rituals.

🌿 Author Shea Ernshaw wrote this book while living in a remote cabin in the Oregon wilderness, drawing inspiration from the surrounding forest for the novel's atmospheric setting. 🌙 The book incorporates elements of Slavic folklore and witch mythology, particularly focusing on the traditional concept of forest witches who live in isolated cottages. 🏠 The haunted house element of the story was partially inspired by the Winchester Mystery House in California, known for its bizarre architecture and continuous construction. 🌺 The magical botanical elements in the book reflect Ernshaw's personal interest in herbalism and folk medicine, subjects she extensively researched while writing. 🗝️ This is the third standalone adult novel by Ernshaw, who previously gained recognition in the YA genre with her debut "The Wicked Deep," which won the Oregon Book Award.