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Her Wicked Roots
In this queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne classic gothic story, Rappaccini’s Daughter, a young woman is lured to a lush estate owned by a botanist who might be hiding dark secrets.
Cordelia Beecher is on the run. In search of her missing brother Edward, she has fled the oppressive charity school she was raised in, desperate to find the only family she knows. Using clues from his past letters, she sets off for the sleepy town of Farrow but everyone there claims to have never heard of Edward—not even the man he was supposedly working for as an apprentice.
With nowhere to go, Cordi turns to Lady Evangeline, a local botanist who owns the magnificent Edenfield estate. The benevolent lady of the manor has made it her mission to take young, often traumatized, women into her employ and protect them from man’s world of wicked desires and deceits. Hired as a maid and companion to her enigmatic daughters, Prim and Briar, Cordi quickly settles into Edenfield. Even as her relationship with Briar blossoms, Cordi can’t help but suspect that there are secrets in the estate…and when she stumbles across evidence that Edward was once there, she’s determined to find answers.
Atmospheric, eerie, and thoroughly original, Her Wicked Roots will establish Tanya Pell as a “wickedly creepy” (Josh Winning, author of Heads Will Roll) and vital voice in horror.
Cordelia Beecher is on the run. In search of her missing brother Edward, she has fled the oppressive charity school she was raised in, desperate to find the only family she knows. Using clues from his past letters, she sets off for the sleepy town of Farrow but everyone there claims to have never heard of Edward—not even the man he was supposedly working for as an apprentice.
With nowhere to go, Cordi turns to Lady Evangeline, a local botanist who owns the magnificent Edenfield estate. The benevolent lady of the manor has made it her mission to take young, often traumatized, women into her employ and protect them from man’s world of wicked desires and deceits. Hired as a maid and companion to her enigmatic daughters, Prim and Briar, Cordi quickly settles into Edenfield. Even as her relationship with Briar blossoms, Cordi can’t help but suspect that there are secrets in the estate…and when she stumbles across evidence that Edward was once there, she’s determined to find answers.
Atmospheric, eerie, and thoroughly original, Her Wicked Roots will establish Tanya Pell as a “wickedly creepy” (Josh Winning, author of Heads Will Roll) and vital voice in horror.
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Published October 7, 2025
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November 27, 2025
While it is not always a good idea to judge a book by its cover, once & a while it is socially acceptable. This book could be the poster child for why it is ok to occasionally do so.. I was originally drawn to this book because I found it to be one of the most beautiful books I'd ever seen in my life.. And I'm happy to say If books received awards similar to humans this book would be winning Miss Universe, HANDS DOWN! She really is as beautiful on the inside & out!!
If you're looking for something unlike anything you've ever read before, this book needs to be your next read without question. I would even bet on it. If you read this book and it truly isn't one of the most beautifully original retellings you've ever read, I will cashapp you $20.... $10 on a bad week 🫠.. Because there's just no way.. I applaud this author for taking the road less traveled when it comes to retellings!
I saw "retelling" and automatically thought princess, because in most other cases that happens to be true. But no! We have a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter! A short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Only this time with a peppering of feminine rage and it's sensational!!
Fun note: My ADD also had a field day with this one as well. There's a character named Evangeline & it took my bird brain about 3/4 of the book for it to stop quoting Ray from The Princess and the Frog, every time her name is mentioned. 🤣 😭
You will probably absolutely devour this book if you..
Love original retellings
Love a gothic/ magical/ botanical setting with vivid imagery
Love non stop twists & turns.. all the way through till the end of the epilogue
Love a book that has you hooked by page 2
Love a strong willed/ independent FMC
Love some cult energy
All men are scum!.. Or are they? You be the judge! And read this darn book!!
But I am OBSESSED! through and through!! Needless to say I will be most definitely getting my hardcopy book trophy!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
If you're looking for something unlike anything you've ever read before, this book needs to be your next read without question. I would even bet on it. If you read this book and it truly isn't one of the most beautifully original retellings you've ever read, I will cashapp you $20.... $10 on a bad week 🫠.. Because there's just no way.. I applaud this author for taking the road less traveled when it comes to retellings!
I saw "retelling" and automatically thought princess, because in most other cases that happens to be true. But no! We have a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter! A short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Only this time with a peppering of feminine rage and it's sensational!!
Fun note: My ADD also had a field day with this one as well. There's a character named Evangeline & it took my bird brain about 3/4 of the book for it to stop quoting Ray from The Princess and the Frog, every time her name is mentioned. 🤣 😭
You will probably absolutely devour this book if you..
Love original retellings
Love a gothic/ magical/ botanical setting with vivid imagery
Love non stop twists & turns.. all the way through till the end of the epilogue
Love a book that has you hooked by page 2
Love a strong willed/ independent FMC
Love some cult energy
All men are scum!.. Or are they? You be the judge! And read this darn book!!
But I am OBSESSED! through and through!! Needless to say I will be most definitely getting my hardcopy book trophy!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
Read
February 10, 2025I got to write a blurb for this book!
"Her Wicked Roots is a true treat, sure to delight and thrill in equal measure; a must-read for fans of queer gothic novels!"
"Her Wicked Roots is a true treat, sure to delight and thrill in equal measure; a must-read for fans of queer gothic novels!"
Want to read
March 20, 2025gothic plant gays? don't mind if I do
March 18, 2025
This book made me gayer.
October 20, 2025
OOC Spoiler I guess
August 27, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up! I was not familiar with Rappaccini's Daughter, so the fact that this was a retelling of that didn't have any relevance to me or my reading experience. First, this cover is to die for. Second, the atmosphere and mood of this story is incredible. A sprawling gothic estate named Edenfield with lush gardens with statues, overseen by the chilling figure of Lady Evangeline. Cordelia is on a mission to find her missing brother, Edward, after leaving the orphanage where they both grew up. Her search for Edward finds her at Edenfield, as a serving girl. As her search continues, she starts uncovering dark and deadly secrets. The images planted into my brain were dreamy. A gothic horticulture nightmare. The whole time, I wanted to uncover the truth, I just wanted to know what was going to happen! Do not sleep on the epilogue, because that was a jaw dropper. My reason for the 3.5 and not 4 stars is that it did feel a bit slow to me. But overall, enjoyed it!
Thank you to Gallery Books for the physical ARC! Book releases 10/7/25.
Thank you to Gallery Books for the physical ARC! Book releases 10/7/25.
October 15, 2025
3.25-3.5 a bit fantasy forward for my taste but still a solid read
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMPdxAEP/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMPdxAEP/
August 4, 2025
Review in the August 2025 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2025/08...
4.5 Stars-- ending moved it from 4 to 4.5. I am very strict on endings.
Three Words That Describe This Book: retelling, botanical horror, Gothic
This book is an original, creepy, and Queer retelling of Hawthorne's classic gothic story, Rappaccini’s Daughter.
We are in England, Victorian times (so when the original Hawthorne was written) Cordelia is an orphan on the run from the city where she has lived in the home her whole life. She is trying to find her brother who went away and was sending letters....until they stopped.
She ends up in the town where he last lived but the family he worked for won't admit he was there. She finds the grand, lush, and secretive estate-- Edenfield where clues have led her to find that her brother might have worked at. She asks for work and they take her on.
Well, as you can imagine this grand, secretive house, that everyone in town is scared of is....well creepy is the nicest thing you can say. Again, no spoilers because this is a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter-- so we know the botanical horrors-- that the Lady is into poisons and we are not surprised when Cordi (her nickname) is asked to mask and glove up to help[ tend to the Lady's daughters-- for you see-- they have been made poisonous by their mother.
There are chants and prayers to the garden-- which gives them all. Cordi is new and not privy to all the rules and backstory so the reader must investigate with her. She may have had a rough life before Edenfield, but she is still very naive as she never lived outside the walls of orphanage.
Men are forbidden, and straight out hated, by Lady Evangeline and the other female workers. The townsfolk stay far away. It is very creepy. But also beautiful and lush. The story unfolds like a myth in many ways and a thriller in others. Cordi's unreliableness is because of lack of info but is she being taken advantage of? How evil is Lady Evangeline? Is she just a protective mother and a brilliant scientist? Where is her brother? Cordi keeps finding clues that he was there at one point.
Even if you don't know the original story this is a retelling for, the book is solid. That is a key factor when assessing a retelling. It has to stand on its own but also add something to the original. This absolutely does.
Botanical horror is very hot right now as well. Plants can be very deadly and a variety of authors use that underlying dread and danger to tell a great story. But this is more than the poisonous plants and the daughters Lady Evangeline created to be poisonous as well. The horror here also comes from the traditional Gothic story with a great modern ending.
The word wicked in the title is well placed here. Actually, the title itself is pretty great after you finish the book. This one packs a nice surprise and I am excited to read more from Pell in the future.
I thought of Midnight Rooms by Coles when I read this. It has the same traditional Gothic meets consensual sex storyline and both a built on a family secret and our protagonist not having all the info about the real secret. But also Tripping Arcadia by Mayquist-- which is a queer botanical/poison horror. But I need to say this-- the story has a bit of Gone Girl by Flynn in it as well. And I loved that about it. That's all I will say about that.
Mexican Gothic fans will also love this. Really any Gothic in that Mexican Gothic mold-- reimagine the Gothic but keeping it set in its time and place but giving the female protagnoist a bit more agency and not making it "all in her head." There are actual supernatural, botanical monsters here. And human ones.
4.5 Stars-- ending moved it from 4 to 4.5. I am very strict on endings.
Three Words That Describe This Book: retelling, botanical horror, Gothic
This book is an original, creepy, and Queer retelling of Hawthorne's classic gothic story, Rappaccini’s Daughter.
We are in England, Victorian times (so when the original Hawthorne was written) Cordelia is an orphan on the run from the city where she has lived in the home her whole life. She is trying to find her brother who went away and was sending letters....until they stopped.
She ends up in the town where he last lived but the family he worked for won't admit he was there. She finds the grand, lush, and secretive estate-- Edenfield where clues have led her to find that her brother might have worked at. She asks for work and they take her on.
Well, as you can imagine this grand, secretive house, that everyone in town is scared of is....well creepy is the nicest thing you can say. Again, no spoilers because this is a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter-- so we know the botanical horrors-- that the Lady is into poisons and we are not surprised when Cordi (her nickname) is asked to mask and glove up to help[ tend to the Lady's daughters-- for you see-- they have been made poisonous by their mother.
There are chants and prayers to the garden-- which gives them all. Cordi is new and not privy to all the rules and backstory so the reader must investigate with her. She may have had a rough life before Edenfield, but she is still very naive as she never lived outside the walls of orphanage.
Men are forbidden, and straight out hated, by Lady Evangeline and the other female workers. The townsfolk stay far away. It is very creepy. But also beautiful and lush. The story unfolds like a myth in many ways and a thriller in others. Cordi's unreliableness is because of lack of info but is she being taken advantage of? How evil is Lady Evangeline? Is she just a protective mother and a brilliant scientist? Where is her brother? Cordi keeps finding clues that he was there at one point.
Even if you don't know the original story this is a retelling for, the book is solid. That is a key factor when assessing a retelling. It has to stand on its own but also add something to the original. This absolutely does.
Botanical horror is very hot right now as well. Plants can be very deadly and a variety of authors use that underlying dread and danger to tell a great story. But this is more than the poisonous plants and the daughters Lady Evangeline created to be poisonous as well. The horror here also comes from the traditional Gothic story with a great modern ending.
The word wicked in the title is well placed here. Actually, the title itself is pretty great after you finish the book. This one packs a nice surprise and I am excited to read more from Pell in the future.
I thought of Midnight Rooms by Coles when I read this. It has the same traditional Gothic meets consensual sex storyline and both a built on a family secret and our protagonist not having all the info about the real secret. But also Tripping Arcadia by Mayquist-- which is a queer botanical/poison horror. But I need to say this-- the story has a bit of Gone Girl by Flynn in it as well. And I loved that about it. That's all I will say about that.
Mexican Gothic fans will also love this. Really any Gothic in that Mexican Gothic mold-- reimagine the Gothic but keeping it set in its time and place but giving the female protagnoist a bit more agency and not making it "all in her head." There are actual supernatural, botanical monsters here. And human ones.
May 10, 2025
is floral gothic a sub-genre? because if so i need more.
i LOVED this - so atmospheric, so gothic, so creepy yet cozy. everything i want from a 19th century classic retelling (i. need. more!!). the most GORGEOUS writing, beautifully explored themes of sisterhood, trauma, the unbreakable bond of siblings. not to mention sapphic yearning, gardens as deadly as they are beautiful, and morally grey female characters. this book comes out later this year but i already can’t wait for what tanya pell writes next.
i LOVED this - so atmospheric, so gothic, so creepy yet cozy. everything i want from a 19th century classic retelling (i. need. more!!). the most GORGEOUS writing, beautifully explored themes of sisterhood, trauma, the unbreakable bond of siblings. not to mention sapphic yearning, gardens as deadly as they are beautiful, and morally grey female characters. this book comes out later this year but i already can’t wait for what tanya pell writes next.
May 7, 2025
Tanya Pell mesmerized me once again with this moody, gothic tale of mystery and deceit.
Cordi is in search of her beloved brother and ends up neck deep in a strange world full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. There are layers of puzzles in this book, each well thought out and written. I enjoyed every bit of the discovery.
The love/lust/seduction between Cordi and Briar was captivating. You could taste the sensuality in this book. Well done!
And the ending! Perfection 💫
Read Tanya's books. She is a magnificent storyteller. I am a fan for life.
Cordi is in search of her beloved brother and ends up neck deep in a strange world full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. There are layers of puzzles in this book, each well thought out and written. I enjoyed every bit of the discovery.
The love/lust/seduction between Cordi and Briar was captivating. You could taste the sensuality in this book. Well done!
And the ending! Perfection 💫
Read Tanya's books. She is a magnificent storyteller. I am a fan for life.
October 11, 2025
Creepy, atmospheric, and binge-worthy this is one book you’re gonna want to read. (Okay I wrote this before seeing the blurb for it - so I obv agree with the “𝙰𝚝𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚙𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚌, 𝚎𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕” quote.
With short chapters, a historical setting, and compulsive writing, I finished this book in a day. I’m here for all the sinister vibes and I could totally hang with these lady characters. If you’re looking for the perfect horror read this month - this is the book.
Also listened to the audio while following along and would def recommend it. Fiona Hardingham does a phenomenal job bringing this story to life. I love her voice and hope to come across her more often in the audio world. I can’t stress enough how amazing she is! First time listening to her but she’s already at the top of my list for favorite narrators. 1.8x was the perfect speed for this one.
Literally loved everything about this book. I don’t even have half of a complaint about it. ALL THE STARS!
With short chapters, a historical setting, and compulsive writing, I finished this book in a day. I’m here for all the sinister vibes and I could totally hang with these lady characters. If you’re looking for the perfect horror read this month - this is the book.
Also listened to the audio while following along and would def recommend it. Fiona Hardingham does a phenomenal job bringing this story to life. I love her voice and hope to come across her more often in the audio world. I can’t stress enough how amazing she is! First time listening to her but she’s already at the top of my list for favorite narrators. 1.8x was the perfect speed for this one.
Literally loved everything about this book. I don’t even have half of a complaint about it. ALL THE STARS!
February 9, 2025
Queer botanical gothic, we love to see it!
October 29, 2025
Huge thanks to Gallery Books for the physical arc! What a gorgeous cover.
Beautiful. Eloquent. And masterfully written. A tale weaved so sweetly that by the time you realize its vines are poisonous, it’ll be far too late.
Cordelia Beecher—Cordi, is on the hunt for her missing brother. They grew up together in an orphanage, and even though he was turned out the moment he hit adulthood, he continued to write her, swearing to come back for her. But when the letters stop, she knows something must have happened. He wouldn’t just stop answering right—wouldn’t change his mind? No, of course not, and Cordi is steadfast in that belief. As is her determination in finding him. This quest for answers delivers her to the doorstep of Edenfield estate. The home of a local botanist, and if the rumors are anything to go by, local witch. Will the estate hold the answers she’s after, or will it take even more from her?
I have to say, the author’s release with Shortwave Media, Cicada, which I happened to enjoy quite a lot, was so drastically different from this. This novel is gothic, and grandiose, and has such a direct voice to it. It’s impressively different in tone. It reads like a different writer, and that’s immensely challenging to achieve. It felt like stumbling upon an entirely new author.
After the opening of the novel, this does a really great job of creating atmosphere in a single location. Edenfield is both romantically huge, explorable and exciting with its locked wings and lush gardens, as well as dark, dusty, and filled with possible dangers in unexpected places. While Cordi functions as the help, she is also doing her best to search for answers—both while alone as well as gaining trust and asking pointed questions. The botanist’s daughters, Prim and Briar, add mystery and intrigue, allowing the author to sprinkle in desire, hope, and deception, while also offering hints at the truth through the way they interact with Cordi.
Cordi functions as an intriguing and multilayered lead. The charity they grew up in featured abuses unimaginable—the wear of starvation and the thick cords of scar tissue barely scraping the surface of the damage left behind beneath. Raised through trauma, she had little else to cling to but the hope of one day escaping with her brother. The vestiges of this hope the driving factor for all of her movements. She’s strong, even if she doesn’t know it, and she persevered throughout.
I thought this book tackled sexuality in a really open way, especially for the time period and how easily it’s accepted. The botanist does not trust men and therefore they are banned from the grounds and from seeing her daughters. So when it is mentioned that some of the female staff may find comfort with each other it’s just kind of like… “well yeah, duh.” And with that being said, this book is fairly open with its somewhat desperate, explorative, and yearning horniness. The budding desires between Cordi and Briar weave a tensely plotted layer to the novel surrounding how far Cordi is willing to bend for what she wants and what she needs. And which, need or want, is finding her brother anymore?
A twisting and turning climax made this an immediate 5/5 for me. I had a tickling in my mind that one of the things was going to happen, but overall, this one kept me guessing until the very end. I particularly loved the juxtaposition between Cordi’s whiplashed nature and Prim and Briar’s suffocating, tyrannical nurturing. That both harshness and softness can be imprisoning. Abuse and love can come with shackles. Just wow.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-her-wi...
Beautiful. Eloquent. And masterfully written. A tale weaved so sweetly that by the time you realize its vines are poisonous, it’ll be far too late.
Cordelia Beecher—Cordi, is on the hunt for her missing brother. They grew up together in an orphanage, and even though he was turned out the moment he hit adulthood, he continued to write her, swearing to come back for her. But when the letters stop, she knows something must have happened. He wouldn’t just stop answering right—wouldn’t change his mind? No, of course not, and Cordi is steadfast in that belief. As is her determination in finding him. This quest for answers delivers her to the doorstep of Edenfield estate. The home of a local botanist, and if the rumors are anything to go by, local witch. Will the estate hold the answers she’s after, or will it take even more from her?
I have to say, the author’s release with Shortwave Media, Cicada, which I happened to enjoy quite a lot, was so drastically different from this. This novel is gothic, and grandiose, and has such a direct voice to it. It’s impressively different in tone. It reads like a different writer, and that’s immensely challenging to achieve. It felt like stumbling upon an entirely new author.
After the opening of the novel, this does a really great job of creating atmosphere in a single location. Edenfield is both romantically huge, explorable and exciting with its locked wings and lush gardens, as well as dark, dusty, and filled with possible dangers in unexpected places. While Cordi functions as the help, she is also doing her best to search for answers—both while alone as well as gaining trust and asking pointed questions. The botanist’s daughters, Prim and Briar, add mystery and intrigue, allowing the author to sprinkle in desire, hope, and deception, while also offering hints at the truth through the way they interact with Cordi.
Cordi functions as an intriguing and multilayered lead. The charity they grew up in featured abuses unimaginable—the wear of starvation and the thick cords of scar tissue barely scraping the surface of the damage left behind beneath. Raised through trauma, she had little else to cling to but the hope of one day escaping with her brother. The vestiges of this hope the driving factor for all of her movements. She’s strong, even if she doesn’t know it, and she persevered throughout.
I thought this book tackled sexuality in a really open way, especially for the time period and how easily it’s accepted. The botanist does not trust men and therefore they are banned from the grounds and from seeing her daughters. So when it is mentioned that some of the female staff may find comfort with each other it’s just kind of like… “well yeah, duh.” And with that being said, this book is fairly open with its somewhat desperate, explorative, and yearning horniness. The budding desires between Cordi and Briar weave a tensely plotted layer to the novel surrounding how far Cordi is willing to bend for what she wants and what she needs. And which, need or want, is finding her brother anymore?
A twisting and turning climax made this an immediate 5/5 for me. I had a tickling in my mind that one of the things was going to happen, but overall, this one kept me guessing until the very end. I particularly loved the juxtaposition between Cordi’s whiplashed nature and Prim and Briar’s suffocating, tyrannical nurturing. That both harshness and softness can be imprisoning. Abuse and love can come with shackles. Just wow.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-her-wi...
November 4, 2025
A queer retelling of Rappaccini's Daughter? Plant horror gays and a horror romance? And that gorgeous cover and sprayed edges? I was so sure this would be right up my alley. In fact I was all ready to give it 4 stars for its lush, atmospheric prose and dramatic Gothic love story except for that OTT ending, and that absolutely wasteful epilogue.
The epilogue left it open ended, like it was going to be a series about toxic lesbians manipulating each other, but it ruined any interest I had in their romance and reading any further in a potential series. My connection to the romance was already fragile to begin with. I was even debating whether this should be two or three stars because of that epilogue, which made me loathe Briar, who for most of the book seemed like a selfish, needy child, but understandably so. I hate emotional betrayals done wrong and this was that. Briar was just a possessive, manipulative liar in that epilogue.
This reminded me quite a bit of This Vicious Hunger, which was almost certainly also inspired by Rappaccini's Daughter as well; I liked this one better, however. I mainly gave that one 4 stars because I felt it didn't deserve its low rating.
Anyway, Cordi escapes harsh orphanage life in search of her brother Edward, who went missing in the village of Farrow. All the villagers are very cagey about her inquiries. Eventually she is led to a manor where he once worked as a gardener, where she learns the lady of the house takes in girls who have been done wrong by men. I know people say misandry isn't real in a patriarchal world but in this book misandry rules this world and ends in graveyards.
Cordi poses as a maid to continue her search for Edward and along the way catches feelings for one of the lady's daughters, afflicted with a rare condition.
But this supposed safe haven soon turns cultish and creepy, and Cordi gets swept up in the madness.
I didn't understand the cult, the traditions, the plant magic and how it worked in trapping people. Most of all I felt very lukewarm about the central theme of the book, Cordi and Briar's torrid love affair. There was no tension in it and their feelings seemed to come out of nowhere. They struck me as codependent with a trauma bond rather than in love.
But I was willing to forgive that because the story was so Gothic and lovely... but that ending just killed the magic for me.
I am sad, because I wanted so much to love toxic plant lesbians.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The epilogue left it open ended, like it was going to be a series about toxic lesbians manipulating each other, but it ruined any interest I had in their romance and reading any further in a potential series. My connection to the romance was already fragile to begin with. I was even debating whether this should be two or three stars because of that epilogue, which made me loathe Briar, who for most of the book seemed like a selfish, needy child, but understandably so. I hate emotional betrayals done wrong and this was that. Briar was just a possessive, manipulative liar in that epilogue.
This reminded me quite a bit of This Vicious Hunger, which was almost certainly also inspired by Rappaccini's Daughter as well; I liked this one better, however. I mainly gave that one 4 stars because I felt it didn't deserve its low rating.
Anyway, Cordi escapes harsh orphanage life in search of her brother Edward, who went missing in the village of Farrow. All the villagers are very cagey about her inquiries. Eventually she is led to a manor where he once worked as a gardener, where she learns the lady of the house takes in girls who have been done wrong by men. I know people say misandry isn't real in a patriarchal world but in this book misandry rules this world and ends in graveyards.
Cordi poses as a maid to continue her search for Edward and along the way catches feelings for one of the lady's daughters, afflicted with a rare condition.
But this supposed safe haven soon turns cultish and creepy, and Cordi gets swept up in the madness.
I didn't understand the cult, the traditions, the plant magic and how it worked in trapping people. Most of all I felt very lukewarm about the central theme of the book, Cordi and Briar's torrid love affair. There was no tension in it and their feelings seemed to come out of nowhere. They struck me as codependent with a trauma bond rather than in love.
But I was willing to forgive that because the story was so Gothic and lovely... but that ending just killed the magic for me.
I am sad, because I wanted so much to love toxic plant lesbians.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
This book was definitely a surprise. I previously read Cicada by Tanya Pell, which I loved, but this had a very different vibe. I liked how different it was though and I enjoyed my time with it. It's gay, it's spooky, it's victorian adjacent, and it's a wild ride. I also really liked the nature aspects of this book, especially anything relating to the mysterious garden. The craziest part of this book was definitely the ending, but I liked the journey that I went on as a reader trying to figure out what was happening.
I love messy, spooky, sapphic books and this was that. And it delivered. So, of course, I highly recommend checking this out.
Thank you Gallery for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love messy, spooky, sapphic books and this was that. And it delivered. So, of course, I highly recommend checking this out.
Thank you Gallery for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
arc-tbr
November 6, 2025
July 23, 2025
Cordelia Beecher isn’t your average damsel. She’s bold, determined, and on a mission to find her missing brother. Her journey leads her to Edenfield, a crumbling estate that screams haunted horticulture chic. The lady of the house? Mysterious. The daughters locked away inside? Even more suspicious. And the plants? Yeah, they’re practically hissing.
And let me tell you, this book doesn’t walk—it slithers. Pell serves up lush prose so rich it feels like you’re reading poetry soaked in moonlight and poison. The atmosphere? Gloomy and gorgeous. The romance? Tense, tender, and tinged with dread. You’ll be screaming “just kiss already!” one moment and then “RUN!” the next.
But don’t expect sunshine and giggles—this is gothic horror, baby. Think: flower petals with teeth, longing glances through barred windows, and more secrets than a Victorian diary.
This book gives you that eerie feeling someone is watching—and somehow, you still keep turning the pages, hungry for more.
Tanya Pell crafts a slow-burn sapphic horror that sinks its roots into you—gently at first, then with a vice grip. You’ll feel unsettled, enchanted, and a little obsessed.
It’s not just a story; it’s a haunted greenhouse you willingly lock yourself inside. And honey, by the time the petals fall, it’s too late—you’re hooked.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy💛
And let me tell you, this book doesn’t walk—it slithers. Pell serves up lush prose so rich it feels like you’re reading poetry soaked in moonlight and poison. The atmosphere? Gloomy and gorgeous. The romance? Tense, tender, and tinged with dread. You’ll be screaming “just kiss already!” one moment and then “RUN!” the next.
But don’t expect sunshine and giggles—this is gothic horror, baby. Think: flower petals with teeth, longing glances through barred windows, and more secrets than a Victorian diary.
This book gives you that eerie feeling someone is watching—and somehow, you still keep turning the pages, hungry for more.
Tanya Pell crafts a slow-burn sapphic horror that sinks its roots into you—gently at first, then with a vice grip. You’ll feel unsettled, enchanted, and a little obsessed.
It’s not just a story; it’s a haunted greenhouse you willingly lock yourself inside. And honey, by the time the petals fall, it’s too late—you’re hooked.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy💛
October 18, 2025
Well, that ending sure was… something.
This was... disappointing. I read another ARC earlier this year that also featured an orphaned young woman falling for another sheltered young woman who has been kept from the outside world by her mother, because the mother did some weird science project on her daughter that made her touch poisonous. Unlike Her Wicked Roots, that book's description didn't mention Nathaniel Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter, but I'm pretty sure it was also heavily influenced by that short story. Unfortunately, I did not like either of these books very much, though I did enjoy Her Wicked Roots a bit more.
The book started out very strong; I was completely hooked for the first 6-7 chapters, I was glued to to my screen reading it and already anticipating a new 5 star read. But then it slowed down considerably once Cordelia arrived in Edenfield, which, though I didn’t really mind it, did make my initial enthusiasm slowly peter out.
Most of the rest of the book was fine and I don’t really have too much to say about it. The ending on the other hand… yeah I did not like it. At all. If the book had ended with Chapter 43, this would’ve been a 3.5 or potentially even 4 star book for me, but instead it ended with an epilogue. I, personally, hate open endings, but I know many people feel very differently, but for me the epilogue completely destroyed what would’ve otherwise been a very neat ending and implied that this wasn’t actually the end. I’m not gonna go into much more detail, because spoilers, but I will say that it just felt like it came out of nowhere and just felt very pointless.
So, in conclusion, I’m disappointed. The premise of «girl falls in love with a girl whose touch is poisonous» sounds sooo good. And nothing about that premise suggests that it must end in an open and unsatisfying way, and yet both books I’ve read so far that have been based on this premise have ended in exactly such a way.
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Thank you to Gallery Books for the ARC!
This was... disappointing. I read another ARC earlier this year that also featured an orphaned young woman falling for another sheltered young woman who has been kept from the outside world by her mother, because the mother did some weird science project on her daughter that made her touch poisonous. Unlike Her Wicked Roots, that book's description didn't mention Nathaniel Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter, but I'm pretty sure it was also heavily influenced by that short story. Unfortunately, I did not like either of these books very much, though I did enjoy Her Wicked Roots a bit more.
The book started out very strong; I was completely hooked for the first 6-7 chapters, I was glued to to my screen reading it and already anticipating a new 5 star read. But then it slowed down considerably once Cordelia arrived in Edenfield, which, though I didn’t really mind it, did make my initial enthusiasm slowly peter out.
Most of the rest of the book was fine and I don’t really have too much to say about it. The ending on the other hand… yeah I did not like it. At all. If the book had ended with Chapter 43, this would’ve been a 3.5 or potentially even 4 star book for me, but instead it ended with an epilogue. I, personally, hate open endings, but I know many people feel very differently, but for me the epilogue completely destroyed what would’ve otherwise been a very neat ending and implied that this wasn’t actually the end. I’m not gonna go into much more detail, because spoilers, but I will say that it just felt like it came out of nowhere and just felt very pointless.
So, in conclusion, I’m disappointed. The premise of «girl falls in love with a girl whose touch is poisonous» sounds sooo good. And nothing about that premise suggests that it must end in an open and unsatisfying way, and yet both books I’ve read so far that have been based on this premise have ended in exactly such a way.
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Thank you to Gallery Books for the ARC!
October 8, 2025
3.5 stars. 3 felt too low, but 4 is generous. I had a really nice time reading it, the epilogue threw me off a bit. I thought the ending was nice and wrapped up and the epilogue opened a bunch of more questions.
October 26, 2025
Take the stars. Take all of them!
This book was the perfect gothic horror fairytale I’ve been searching for since I started reading gothic literature.
Atmospheric doesn’t even begin to describe how beautifully Pell depicts the world our MC is trapped in. The estate, the gardens, the graveyard… what else could you ask for?
And the romance? Swoon. I am not a romance girl but within these pages, it was as intricate a character as the people.
And that ending. Oh, it was perfect.
This book was the perfect gothic horror fairytale I’ve been searching for since I started reading gothic literature.
Atmospheric doesn’t even begin to describe how beautifully Pell depicts the world our MC is trapped in. The estate, the gardens, the graveyard… what else could you ask for?
And the romance? Swoon. I am not a romance girl but within these pages, it was as intricate a character as the people.
And that ending. Oh, it was perfect.
July 22, 2025
I loved Cicada and I loved Her Wicked Roots too! Tanya Pell fan for life!!! HWR is moody, swoony, and gothic story. I had so much fun with the creepy sisters and piecing together the mystery of the manor. With its haunting imagery, plant horror, and satisfying ending, HWR is a must read! Run don't walk to preorder!!
December 19, 2025
4.5
dieser epilog!!!!! 🥲
dieser epilog!!!!! 🥲
November 24, 2025
This was without a doubt a cover buy - it's gorgeous! I enjoyed the writing style but had a difficult time getting into the story.
July 28, 2025
*i have not read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter*
i’m not really sure how i feel about this. it was dark and moody, with a lot of gothic imagery. however, it constantly left me wanting more. i wanted to feel more connected to the characters, but it seemed they were all held at arm’s length from the reader. i was hoping for more unsettling and creepy scenes, but there was only really one or two that got my heart pounding. the rest was rather predictable, or had a lot of descriptions that were hard to follow and pulled me out of the scene.
cordelia herself was a very compelling heroin. she was bold and unafraid, often leaping into action before thinking twice, and it was fun to watch her do whatever it took to find her brother, and make some mistakes along the way. her internal monologues got a bit redundant, but i really admired her as a character.
the ending was unexpected, i just wish some of the twists had come earlier in the book. it started slow, and i didn’t really feel hooked until about halfway in. it seems the pacing could’ve been different to help us feel more of the high stakes of cordelia’s story, and really feel a punch in the gut when the twists do come, but it all fell a bit short for me.
all this to say, i still flew through this book and was thoroughly entertained.
thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
i’m not really sure how i feel about this. it was dark and moody, with a lot of gothic imagery. however, it constantly left me wanting more. i wanted to feel more connected to the characters, but it seemed they were all held at arm’s length from the reader. i was hoping for more unsettling and creepy scenes, but there was only really one or two that got my heart pounding. the rest was rather predictable, or had a lot of descriptions that were hard to follow and pulled me out of the scene.
cordelia herself was a very compelling heroin. she was bold and unafraid, often leaping into action before thinking twice, and it was fun to watch her do whatever it took to find her brother, and make some mistakes along the way. her internal monologues got a bit redundant, but i really admired her as a character.
the ending was unexpected, i just wish some of the twists had come earlier in the book. it started slow, and i didn’t really feel hooked until about halfway in. it seems the pacing could’ve been different to help us feel more of the high stakes of cordelia’s story, and really feel a punch in the gut when the twists do come, but it all fell a bit short for me.
all this to say, i still flew through this book and was thoroughly entertained.
thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2025
Gothic and gay af. Pell knows how to write whimsy! Everything felt alive and out to get me.
October 10, 2025
What a stunning read! It's a queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic gothic story, Rappaccini’s Daughter. The writing is rich and lyrical, while also being easy to understand. The atmosphere and gothic elements are very well done, and I loved the stunning imagery of the botanical aspects.
I am not familiar with Hawthorne's story, but that did not lessen my enjoyment of this. If anything, I enjoyed this retelling so much that I plan to read the original! FMC Cordelia Beecher is led to the mysterious Edenfield estate searching for her missing brother. In the house, she will discover an all-female rule due to the residents' shared trauma from men. She will also find a garden full of poisonous plants that feels alive and unsettling, adding a layer to the horror that I found unique. It mirrors the house itself, beautiful on the surface, but strange, dangerous, and full of secrets.
The first part is a slow-burning, as the wonderfully vivid world-building is put in place. And this is very atmospheric and creepy, sometimes with a claustrophobic feeling.
The morally gray characters, including the side characters, are very well developed. A cult-like vibe runs through the story, and generational trauma is explored. Again, the botanical element comes in as the plants provide a source of female power and protection for the characters, to the point of being weaponized. I could go on and on about how interesting I found the dynamic between people and plants in this one, but I don't want to spoil anything. But, for me, it really made the story stand out as unique.
The sapphic romance is another central element of the story, but not all is as it appears on the surface with it either. Love and suspicion grow side by side. An intriguing and distinctive horror read for spooky season!
*Some readers may want to check trigger warnings*
Thank you to Gallery Books for the gifted review copy
I am not familiar with Hawthorne's story, but that did not lessen my enjoyment of this. If anything, I enjoyed this retelling so much that I plan to read the original! FMC Cordelia Beecher is led to the mysterious Edenfield estate searching for her missing brother. In the house, she will discover an all-female rule due to the residents' shared trauma from men. She will also find a garden full of poisonous plants that feels alive and unsettling, adding a layer to the horror that I found unique. It mirrors the house itself, beautiful on the surface, but strange, dangerous, and full of secrets.
The first part is a slow-burning, as the wonderfully vivid world-building is put in place. And this is very atmospheric and creepy, sometimes with a claustrophobic feeling.
The morally gray characters, including the side characters, are very well developed. A cult-like vibe runs through the story, and generational trauma is explored. Again, the botanical element comes in as the plants provide a source of female power and protection for the characters, to the point of being weaponized. I could go on and on about how interesting I found the dynamic between people and plants in this one, but I don't want to spoil anything. But, for me, it really made the story stand out as unique.
The sapphic romance is another central element of the story, but not all is as it appears on the surface with it either. Love and suspicion grow side by side. An intriguing and distinctive horror read for spooky season!
*Some readers may want to check trigger warnings*
Thank you to Gallery Books for the gifted review copy
October 30, 2025
Like nightshade creeping through a secret garden, Her Wicked Roots sank its tendrils into me from the very first page! This was my introduction to Tanya Pell, and I can already tell it won’t be my last. Everything about it, from its design to its prose, feels carefully cultivated. Have you seen this book?! The sprayed edges, the color palette, the elegant chapter headers - it’s a piece of art inside and out! The physical beauty mirrors the lush, dangerous world Pell creates within the pages.
The story follows Cordi, a young girl escaping the rigid confines of a charity school in search of her brother Edward. His letters spoke of apprenticing in the village of Farrow, but when Cordi arrives, no one has heard his name. With nowhere else to turn, she takes work at the mysterious Edenfield Estate - a sprawling botanical paradise where secrets grow like weeds…
Pell’s writing is rich and atmospheric, the kind of storytelling that coils around you like ivy. The historical setting, the queer romance, and the slow-blooming mystery all come together in a perfect tangle. The horror here isn’t in your face; it’s more of an unsettling feeling that something is off and you can’t wait to find out what it is. I loved our protagonist Cordi! She’s strong, patient, and relentless in chasing the truth. And the women of Edenfield - Lady Evangeline and her daughters, Prim and Briar - are mesmerizing and full of secrets. I was drawn to learning the truth about them and why they were kept away from society.
The pacing is brisk thanks to short, addictive chapters that make this impossible to put down. It’s gothic in the truest sense - slow-building, atmospheric, and steeped in secrets. If you go in expecting explosive action, you won’t find it; instead, this is a rose that blooms slowly… though its petals are certainly laced with poison! Those final chapters are stunningly dark, and the epilogue left me reeling. I never saw it coming!
As a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter, Her Wicked Roots doesn’t require any prior knowledge to enjoy; it stands firmly on its own, radiant and toxic in equal measure. If you love queer gothic fiction, morally complex women, plant horror, or mysteries, this book deserves a place on your shelf.
The story follows Cordi, a young girl escaping the rigid confines of a charity school in search of her brother Edward. His letters spoke of apprenticing in the village of Farrow, but when Cordi arrives, no one has heard his name. With nowhere else to turn, she takes work at the mysterious Edenfield Estate - a sprawling botanical paradise where secrets grow like weeds…
Pell’s writing is rich and atmospheric, the kind of storytelling that coils around you like ivy. The historical setting, the queer romance, and the slow-blooming mystery all come together in a perfect tangle. The horror here isn’t in your face; it’s more of an unsettling feeling that something is off and you can’t wait to find out what it is. I loved our protagonist Cordi! She’s strong, patient, and relentless in chasing the truth. And the women of Edenfield - Lady Evangeline and her daughters, Prim and Briar - are mesmerizing and full of secrets. I was drawn to learning the truth about them and why they were kept away from society.
The pacing is brisk thanks to short, addictive chapters that make this impossible to put down. It’s gothic in the truest sense - slow-building, atmospheric, and steeped in secrets. If you go in expecting explosive action, you won’t find it; instead, this is a rose that blooms slowly… though its petals are certainly laced with poison! Those final chapters are stunningly dark, and the epilogue left me reeling. I never saw it coming!
As a retelling of Rappaccini’s Daughter, Her Wicked Roots doesn’t require any prior knowledge to enjoy; it stands firmly on its own, radiant and toxic in equal measure. If you love queer gothic fiction, morally complex women, plant horror, or mysteries, this book deserves a place on your shelf.
August 23, 2025
Her Wicked Roots is a dark and intoxicating dive into a tangled intersection of family, lore and feminine power. Cordelia Beecher is on the run and in search of her missing brother Edward. She uses his past letters as clues and she sets off for the sleepy town of Farrow. However, upon arriving, everyone she speaks to says they have never heard of Edward. Not even the man who was supposedly employing him ... wtf?? Other clues lead Cordi to Lady Evangeline, a local botanist who owns the magnificent Edenfield estate. There, Cordi is taken in as maid and companion to Evangeline's two daughters, Briar and Prim. Things start to get even creepier and more mysterious as Cordi settles in, as she has not given up her search for her brother.
From the very start, Pell grounds the story in an atmosphere that feels both lush and somehow suffocating. The novel thrives in its setting, with roots, vines and soil becoming not only imagery but active forces. At its very basic, this novel is a queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Rapaccini's Daughter. It is about secrets and sins passed down through bloodlines and the way women grapple with legacies they never asked for. Pell displays how power can be liberating and yet still corrupt. Does breaking free ever come without sacrifice? Her Wicked Roots is lush and fierce, digging deeply into the shadows. Pell's prose is sharp, her use of imagery lingers and her characters blossom with complex beauty. There were a couple of moments while reading when I audibly gasped. And the ending?? All I can say is OH MY GOD! Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC. You can give this a read when it publishes October 07, 2025!
From the very start, Pell grounds the story in an atmosphere that feels both lush and somehow suffocating. The novel thrives in its setting, with roots, vines and soil becoming not only imagery but active forces. At its very basic, this novel is a queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Rapaccini's Daughter. It is about secrets and sins passed down through bloodlines and the way women grapple with legacies they never asked for. Pell displays how power can be liberating and yet still corrupt. Does breaking free ever come without sacrifice? Her Wicked Roots is lush and fierce, digging deeply into the shadows. Pell's prose is sharp, her use of imagery lingers and her characters blossom with complex beauty. There were a couple of moments while reading when I audibly gasped. And the ending?? All I can say is OH MY GOD! Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC. You can give this a read when it publishes October 07, 2025!
October 11, 2025
This book is so beautifully atmospheric and haunting - creating the perfect blend to build suspense with each page.
The story follows Cordelia in her search for her brother - but it brings her to Edenfield, a vast manor where men are forbidden and the garden holds more secrets than she could ever imagine. When Cordi finds herself falling for Briar, one of the daughters of the lady of the house, she must balance her lies to maintain the facade so she can find the truth of what happened to her brother.
Cordelia has one objective and she will stop at nothing to achieve it, but she has a tendency to not think things through much. Relatable. But her intricacies really shine in her ability to lie and manipulate so easily, even while being the victim of lying and manipulation herself.
From start to finish, I was wholly unprepared for the twists and turns. I found myself never truly knowing what would come next, and it was the best feeling. Literally up to the very end, everything you think you know can get turned on its head.
(Note: I was unfamiliar with the original source material that this is a retelling of - Rappaccini’s Daughter - but upon further examination, some of the twists definitely were built off of this foundation.)
Thank you to Gallery Books for an early copy of this book. My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
The story follows Cordelia in her search for her brother - but it brings her to Edenfield, a vast manor where men are forbidden and the garden holds more secrets than she could ever imagine. When Cordi finds herself falling for Briar, one of the daughters of the lady of the house, she must balance her lies to maintain the facade so she can find the truth of what happened to her brother.
Cordelia has one objective and she will stop at nothing to achieve it, but she has a tendency to not think things through much. Relatable. But her intricacies really shine in her ability to lie and manipulate so easily, even while being the victim of lying and manipulation herself.
From start to finish, I was wholly unprepared for the twists and turns. I found myself never truly knowing what would come next, and it was the best feeling. Literally up to the very end, everything you think you know can get turned on its head.
(Note: I was unfamiliar with the original source material that this is a retelling of - Rappaccini’s Daughter - but upon further examination, some of the twists definitely were built off of this foundation.)
Thank you to Gallery Books for an early copy of this book. My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
October 6, 2025
I truly loved this one! It had a gothic, eerie atmosphere, lots of plants, a culty family, sapphic love, and lots of mystery. I was on the edge of my seat reading this and was dying to know what happened the whole time! I had a really good time with it and absolutely recommend adding it to your TBR!
I will say I had anticipated the plot twist in the epilogue and was waiting for that to come out the whole time and was surprised when it didn’t - but it was more fun leaving it for the epilogue as it left the story with an unsettling feeling which was fitting!
Thank you to Gallery for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I will say I had anticipated the plot twist in the epilogue and was waiting for that to come out the whole time and was surprised when it didn’t - but it was more fun leaving it for the epilogue as it left the story with an unsettling feeling which was fitting!
Thank you to Gallery for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
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