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Root Sleep: Stonebound Book 3
Root Sleep is the final book in the Stonebound trilogy, a quiet horror series about grief, memory, and what happens when a town listens too closely to what lies beneath it.
Duswood has been changed. What once stirred beneath the cedar swamp is no longer hidden, and the signs can no longer be dismissed as coincidence or fear. The ground hums. The town watches. Belief spreads faster than understanding.
As officials attempt to contain the truth and neighbors argue over what they have seen, Vincent and his friends are pulled toward the source of the disturbance, following patterns buried in soil, history, and loss. What they uncover is not a monster driven by hunger, but something older and heavier. A force shaped by human attention and bound to an influence that does not belong to this world.
At the center of it all is Mira, whose connection to what sleeps beneath Duswood has grown impossible to ignore. As the line between human and place begins to blur, she is forced to confront what it means to be heard, and what it costs to give something the peace it was never allowed to choose.
Root Sleep is a story about endings that do not restore what was lost, and silence that must be chosen rather than enforced. It explores the weight of love that cannot save, the danger of believing too loudly, and the fragile mercy found in letting something rest.
Perfect for readers who enjoy quiet horror, small town mysteries, and emotionally grounded speculative fiction, Root Sleep closes the Stonebound trilogy with a haunting meditation on memory, sacrifice, and the kind of peace that comes only after listening.
Duswood has been changed. What once stirred beneath the cedar swamp is no longer hidden, and the signs can no longer be dismissed as coincidence or fear. The ground hums. The town watches. Belief spreads faster than understanding.
As officials attempt to contain the truth and neighbors argue over what they have seen, Vincent and his friends are pulled toward the source of the disturbance, following patterns buried in soil, history, and loss. What they uncover is not a monster driven by hunger, but something older and heavier. A force shaped by human attention and bound to an influence that does not belong to this world.
At the center of it all is Mira, whose connection to what sleeps beneath Duswood has grown impossible to ignore. As the line between human and place begins to blur, she is forced to confront what it means to be heard, and what it costs to give something the peace it was never allowed to choose.
Root Sleep is a story about endings that do not restore what was lost, and silence that must be chosen rather than enforced. It explores the weight of love that cannot save, the danger of believing too loudly, and the fragile mercy found in letting something rest.
Perfect for readers who enjoy quiet horror, small town mysteries, and emotionally grounded speculative fiction, Root Sleep closes the Stonebound trilogy with a haunting meditation on memory, sacrifice, and the kind of peace that comes only after listening.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 29, 2026
I was so excited to receive an arc (advanced reader copy) of this book! It is my first time ever doing one, and I believe (from other reviews I've seen) that I'm supposed to say I received this story free and am happy to share my honest review. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to read this. The moment I saw this, I knew I had to read it. Maybe because the artwork on the cover is so incredibly cool or maybe because the description sounded very intriguing and like the kind of book I'd enjoy, or probably both. I'm so thankful. I will acknowledge that this is book 3 and I jumped eagerly at the chance to read it before knowing of book 1 or 2. I could follow it well enough as a standalone and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I bet there's something to reading it from the start. I got a copy of the first one today and book 2 is on the way, and I can't wait to read them too. I'm sure I'll start very soon.
Now to my thoughts on this book. I thought this book was really beautifully written. I was taking the time with each sentence to create the visuals in my head, and walking through this story in that way was a great experience. Although unsettling and a bit eerie at times, I enjoyed my time in this world because the images it created in my mind were stunning. I was very captivated by that. I will say as a suggestion for possible improvement, that there were a few times where the sentence structure of the descriptions were a little repetitive and some variety there might have kept me a bit more rooted in the story. It stood out just in a few sections enough to be noticeable. To be clear it wasn't the descriptions themselves, because I wouldn't change a single one of them. There were quite a few descriptions using the "as if" set up. Something acts as if...type of sentences. That was just a few small areas. Mostly I was absorbed in the story. I also really enjoyed that it included all senses. Lots of smells, feelings, and sounds. I think that's great and puts the reader fully in the story. I liked all the characters and getting to know them. I am really curious if the character development is something that might shine even stronger reading books 1 to 3, and I'm excited to find out. Just going by this book, they were all great, seemed realistic, and had their own unique qualities, and I really liked them. The plot I thought was excellent. I was very invested in what was happening and I don't ever like to leave spoilers, so all I'll say is that I found the ending satisfying because that is an important element. I thought this story was different (in a good way) from anything I've read before. I enjoyed my time with it. I was looking forward to reading more each day and staying up too late trying to read more each night.
I absolutely can't wait to explore more of this setting and story in the other books. I think this book is one where the setting really is a character on it's own and that's something that has become a favorite of mine with stories. I really like when a location comes to life and it feels like in a way that story couldn't have happened anywhere else. The emotions and relationships and human elements of the story are relatable for anyone, but this setting just adds it's own quality that is valuable too and I personally really enjoy that. I will be reading more by this author for sure, and this was a wonderful first arc read experience for me. I'm thankful for that as well.
Now to my thoughts on this book. I thought this book was really beautifully written. I was taking the time with each sentence to create the visuals in my head, and walking through this story in that way was a great experience. Although unsettling and a bit eerie at times, I enjoyed my time in this world because the images it created in my mind were stunning. I was very captivated by that. I will say as a suggestion for possible improvement, that there were a few times where the sentence structure of the descriptions were a little repetitive and some variety there might have kept me a bit more rooted in the story. It stood out just in a few sections enough to be noticeable. To be clear it wasn't the descriptions themselves, because I wouldn't change a single one of them. There were quite a few descriptions using the "as if" set up. Something acts as if...type of sentences. That was just a few small areas. Mostly I was absorbed in the story. I also really enjoyed that it included all senses. Lots of smells, feelings, and sounds. I think that's great and puts the reader fully in the story. I liked all the characters and getting to know them. I am really curious if the character development is something that might shine even stronger reading books 1 to 3, and I'm excited to find out. Just going by this book, they were all great, seemed realistic, and had their own unique qualities, and I really liked them. The plot I thought was excellent. I was very invested in what was happening and I don't ever like to leave spoilers, so all I'll say is that I found the ending satisfying because that is an important element. I thought this story was different (in a good way) from anything I've read before. I enjoyed my time with it. I was looking forward to reading more each day and staying up too late trying to read more each night.
I absolutely can't wait to explore more of this setting and story in the other books. I think this book is one where the setting really is a character on it's own and that's something that has become a favorite of mine with stories. I really like when a location comes to life and it feels like in a way that story couldn't have happened anywhere else. The emotions and relationships and human elements of the story are relatable for anyone, but this setting just adds it's own quality that is valuable too and I personally really enjoy that. I will be reading more by this author for sure, and this was a wonderful first arc read experience for me. I'm thankful for that as well.
January 31, 2026
I received an advanced readers copy after reaching out to the author. The cover and tagline are what drew me in at first glance.
“You don’t want peace because you don’t know peace.”
Almost immediately there is this sense of gothic romanticism. Inanimate objects, natural and man made become alive with poetic adjectives and are given pulses, souls, and motives. It creates this world that actually feels lived in but also a heavy weight where anything can and might go against you. There are moments when the descriptions are so intense I had to pause and step out of the book’s world because I felt the weight of it all.
There’s also this layer added with a good portion of the town being in denial of all of the strange occurrences despite the tangible evidence. That increased the tension for me because I could completely see that happening in the real world.
Overall it was a very engaging read and I recommend for anyone who enjoys a mix of gothic atmosphere with a poetic flair.
“You don’t want peace because you don’t know peace.”
Almost immediately there is this sense of gothic romanticism. Inanimate objects, natural and man made become alive with poetic adjectives and are given pulses, souls, and motives. It creates this world that actually feels lived in but also a heavy weight where anything can and might go against you. There are moments when the descriptions are so intense I had to pause and step out of the book’s world because I felt the weight of it all.
There’s also this layer added with a good portion of the town being in denial of all of the strange occurrences despite the tangible evidence. That increased the tension for me because I could completely see that happening in the real world.
Overall it was a very engaging read and I recommend for anyone who enjoys a mix of gothic atmosphere with a poetic flair.
January 29, 2026
In the afterword of this book N.B. Cross says, "What started in silence does not end in answers, but in understanding." and that understanding is what makes this book special for me. Root Sleep ends a trilogy not with the answers one would seek about what is going on in this strange town, but merely the understanding that sometimes there is no right answer. Vincent is forced to confront a decades-old mystery, a town in danger yet again, and a blooming relationship with a girl who is changing alongside the strange happenings under the red-soaked earth, alongside a band of friends who can't quite believe their eyes and yet pursue what they see anyway. The more secrets they unravel, the clearer it becomes that something must be done before whatever is waking up under the town decides to awaken for real, but each piece leaves them with more questions than answers. Determined to save both the town and Mira, Vincent is determined to figure out the cause of these strange events and set everything right before it's too late.
This book is a sort of quiet, building horror, more than the jumpscares one would expect, but that makes it all the more lovable. There is a sense of danger to their every discovery and a warring feeling of hope and despair throughout the story that the entire town feels, but that Vincent, Owen, and June are especially in tune with. Despite the lack of answers, the book has a very peaceful and satisfying conclusion which wraps up the story well and I am excited to go back to the other two after reading this one.
Special thanks to N.B. Cross for allowing me an ARC copy of this book prior to its publication!
This book is a sort of quiet, building horror, more than the jumpscares one would expect, but that makes it all the more lovable. There is a sense of danger to their every discovery and a warring feeling of hope and despair throughout the story that the entire town feels, but that Vincent, Owen, and June are especially in tune with. Despite the lack of answers, the book has a very peaceful and satisfying conclusion which wraps up the story well and I am excited to go back to the other two after reading this one.
Special thanks to N.B. Cross for allowing me an ARC copy of this book prior to its publication!
February 4, 2026
This was such a great read. The slow creeping pace of this settles in your bones and doesn’t leave. Page after page it pulls you deeper into its world. Begging you to listen, as it knows you can hear it. Staying with you long after the last page.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews