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Conjure #1
Rootwork
Set in a small parish in Louisiana in 1889, Rootwork follows sisters, Betty, Ann and Pee Wee. When school lets out for the summer, the girls head off to stay with their hoodoo-practicing aunt, Theodora, an empowered woman equally feared and revered by the local townspeople. They learn how to make “hot foot powder” and the secrets of a good “black cat bone”. Need to get back at an enemy? A little goofer dust will help that. The girls delight in their new hoodoo adventure, until a tragic event strikes, involving the malicious town sheriff, transforming not only their lives but also the sisters themselves. A story of love, folk magic, redemption and independence, Rootwork explores the strength of family and the darker side of the heart.
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 15, 2022
66 people are currently reading
5178 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Cross
8 books107 followersTracy Cross's second book, "A Gathering of Weapons" was published in October, 2024. Currently, she is working on a novel about the town of Oscarville. She has had work appear in several horror anthologies, blogs and podcasts. You can find out more about her at tracycrossonline.com or on Instagram at tracycrosswrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
April 5, 2023
I think I loved just about everything about this book, from the 1889 Louisiana bayou setting, the power of family and faith and magic and rootwork - it just hit me in all the right spots. The fact that this is a debut novel of the author is even more impressive. Pee Wee, Anne, and Betty are great.
October 30, 2022
ROOTWORK is a can't-miss coming of age horror story with loads and loads of heart. It's got cosmic vibes, magic vibes, and it's got ten-year-old Pee Wee, who will steal your heart right away.
The setting for ROOTWORK is vibrant, truly alive in a way that transported me to a place and era I wouldn't be able to experience otherwise. The characters are rendered in a way that makes them feel absolutely real. Cross' writing is clean, crisp, and so story-focused that you're able to really get immersed.
ROOTWORK asks big questions about family, justice, love, and the supernatural. I absolutely loved it; only put it down one time and was super grumpy that life forced me to put it down at all. I can't wait to read the next book in Cross' Conjure Series!
Thanks to Dark Hart books for this free ARC. My opinions are absolutely my own.
The setting for ROOTWORK is vibrant, truly alive in a way that transported me to a place and era I wouldn't be able to experience otherwise. The characters are rendered in a way that makes them feel absolutely real. Cross' writing is clean, crisp, and so story-focused that you're able to really get immersed.
ROOTWORK asks big questions about family, justice, love, and the supernatural. I absolutely loved it; only put it down one time and was super grumpy that life forced me to put it down at all. I can't wait to read the next book in Cross' Conjure Series!
Thanks to Dark Hart books for this free ARC. My opinions are absolutely my own.
January 18, 2023
I want to start off by focusing the start of this review on Tracy herself. Quite aside from the fact that this book is on Mother Horror’s Dark Hart label, Tracy has received both the HWA scholarship from hell for 2022, a Ladies of Horror fiction grant, and a 2019 new voices fellowship from the emerging writer’s festival. This isn’t a flash in the pan, this is the culmination of a studied application of writing that a writer brings to their game.
And it pays.
Rootwork is written from the varying povs of three black sisters living in Louisiana in 1889. Tracy nails the language, details, and atmosphere. It’s fully immersive. You might as well be there. This is a book that transports you from the first page into the easy-flowing and lovingly competitive lives of the three sisters, Pee Wee, Betty, and Ann. Each of the sisters has a radically different personality, and added to that mix are a dominating mother, a loving if somewhat irresponsible father, and the mysterious Aunt and her HooDoo.
It’s fantastic. I was totally committed within pages and loved every second in the novel. I will say out front, that the horror here stays backstage – there are accounts and inferred rape accusations about the Sheriff, who does nothing when confronted with a murder (guilty through negligence) that impacts the family. Though we do not see firsthand any incidents of rape (and later an inferral that not is all that is seems with the sisters), we do witness the murder negligence, and later there is a moment in the book that is fundamentally horrific but is presented as natural justice, and for me was handled tastefully. The gore, the shock – the sudden dread when the pit of your stomach drops out of your body in cold realization – or seeing brutality or physical attacks - the things that normally make horror "horrific" for me – aren’t here. But I couldn’t have cared less.
The story here is king, and it’s a work of love. I was totally committed to the girls and their world, and their wonderful Aunt. This was woefully short, Tracy. I love the fact you had this on Dark Hart as your debut novel. What are you going to come up with next? Where are you going to show us?
The sky’s the limit.
An easy 5 ⭐ ‘s and I didn’t want to leave the sisters in the end.
I was kindly gifted a review copy of Rootwork. My thanks to both Sadie Hartmann and Tracy Cross for the copy
And it pays.
Rootwork is written from the varying povs of three black sisters living in Louisiana in 1889. Tracy nails the language, details, and atmosphere. It’s fully immersive. You might as well be there. This is a book that transports you from the first page into the easy-flowing and lovingly competitive lives of the three sisters, Pee Wee, Betty, and Ann. Each of the sisters has a radically different personality, and added to that mix are a dominating mother, a loving if somewhat irresponsible father, and the mysterious Aunt and her HooDoo.
It’s fantastic. I was totally committed within pages and loved every second in the novel. I will say out front, that the horror here stays backstage – there are accounts and inferred rape accusations about the Sheriff, who does nothing when confronted with a murder (guilty through negligence) that impacts the family. Though we do not see firsthand any incidents of rape (and later an inferral that not is all that is seems with the sisters), we do witness the murder negligence, and later there is a moment in the book that is fundamentally horrific but is presented as natural justice, and for me was handled tastefully. The gore, the shock – the sudden dread when the pit of your stomach drops out of your body in cold realization – or seeing brutality or physical attacks - the things that normally make horror "horrific" for me – aren’t here. But I couldn’t have cared less.
The story here is king, and it’s a work of love. I was totally committed to the girls and their world, and their wonderful Aunt. This was woefully short, Tracy. I love the fact you had this on Dark Hart as your debut novel. What are you going to come up with next? Where are you going to show us?
The sky’s the limit.
An easy 5 ⭐ ‘s and I didn’t want to leave the sisters in the end.
I was kindly gifted a review copy of Rootwork. My thanks to both Sadie Hartmann and Tracy Cross for the copy
January 5, 2023
Rootwork is a tale of three Black sisters finding power within an era and system that wants anything but that for them.
We follow Pee Wee, Betty, and Ann as they come of age amid poverty, violence, and limited opportunities for their specific intersection of race and gender. But learning rootwork from their Aunt Teddy enables them to find their strengths, priorities, and how to avenge themselves and their kin. This was a gorgeous little work full of authenticity, heart, and heritage, despite its darker side. I'm so glad Dark Hart Books signed it.
The titular rootwork does lean into gory and unpleasant territory at times - trigger warnings for animal death and doing things with the remains, detailed bloody injury to humans, implied sexual assault, bad behavior by law enforcement, racism and use of slurs.
It is also quite dialogue-heavy, and that dialogue is written in an authentic, immersive vernacular (deep south accents). I found that both impressive on a craft level and difficult for my brain to process smoothly as a reader, so some split feelings there.
A powerful image during a scene where the corrupt sheriff is finally punished was phenomenal. The imagery of the three sisters finding their power only as a trio for the ritual was amazing. And Teddy and Lone Wolf were endearing side characters whose backstory I would love more of.
If you're a fan of surrealism, folk magic, and dark southern vibes like those found in the Old Gods of Appalachia podcast, I'd highly recommend this work, available independently through Dark Hart books, an imprint of Dark Matter media.
We follow Pee Wee, Betty, and Ann as they come of age amid poverty, violence, and limited opportunities for their specific intersection of race and gender. But learning rootwork from their Aunt Teddy enables them to find their strengths, priorities, and how to avenge themselves and their kin. This was a gorgeous little work full of authenticity, heart, and heritage, despite its darker side. I'm so glad Dark Hart Books signed it.
The titular rootwork does lean into gory and unpleasant territory at times - trigger warnings for animal death and doing things with the remains, detailed bloody injury to humans, implied sexual assault, bad behavior by law enforcement, racism and use of slurs.
It is also quite dialogue-heavy, and that dialogue is written in an authentic, immersive vernacular (deep south accents). I found that both impressive on a craft level and difficult for my brain to process smoothly as a reader, so some split feelings there.
A powerful image during a scene where the corrupt sheriff is finally punished was phenomenal. The imagery of the three sisters finding their power only as a trio for the ritual was amazing. And Teddy and Lone Wolf were endearing side characters whose backstory I would love more of.
If you're a fan of surrealism, folk magic, and dark southern vibes like those found in the Old Gods of Appalachia podcast, I'd highly recommend this work, available independently through Dark Hart books, an imprint of Dark Matter media.
Read
November 2, 2022To begin with, the fact that the story is set in 1889 was an immediate draw. This, combined with the Louisiana setting were two winning points as far as I'm concerned.
Authentic characterization is an obvious strength of the author's. Once I familiarized myself with the dialogue (which didn't take long) I fell in love with the three sisters, especially the youngest, Pee Wee. Their contrasting characters worked beautifully to juxtapose our feelings as a reader.
Aunt Teddy (a larger than life character who is exuberant and bewitching) and her 'rootwork' brought the story to life and added the right amount of magic to be plausible. Great balance of reality and the supernatural.
Specific scenes/moments/strengths that struck me were...
1. The cemetery in the woods and events surrounding it
2. The sheriff incident (I can't say more without spoilers)
3. The natural flow of humor throughout
4. I have to quote this line but won't explain the context in case of spoilers...
"He moves through the trees, he's the wind that hugs you when you run, he's everywhere. He is the love that surrounds you."🖤
I'll end by saying that for the hours I spent in the woods of Louisiana I was immersed in another world entirely, one where: "The bullfrogs called to each other...Ghosts of runaway slaves led the way"...and, "The air tasted of nervousness and smelled like cypress trees and Spanish moss."
My thanks to the author and Dark Hart Books for providing an ARC copy for review. I hope you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed it.
#ownvoices
Authentic characterization is an obvious strength of the author's. Once I familiarized myself with the dialogue (which didn't take long) I fell in love with the three sisters, especially the youngest, Pee Wee. Their contrasting characters worked beautifully to juxtapose our feelings as a reader.
Aunt Teddy (a larger than life character who is exuberant and bewitching) and her 'rootwork' brought the story to life and added the right amount of magic to be plausible. Great balance of reality and the supernatural.
Specific scenes/moments/strengths that struck me were...
1. The cemetery in the woods and events surrounding it
2. The sheriff incident (I can't say more without spoilers)
3. The natural flow of humor throughout
4. I have to quote this line but won't explain the context in case of spoilers...
"He moves through the trees, he's the wind that hugs you when you run, he's everywhere. He is the love that surrounds you."🖤
I'll end by saying that for the hours I spent in the woods of Louisiana I was immersed in another world entirely, one where: "The bullfrogs called to each other...Ghosts of runaway slaves led the way"...and, "The air tasted of nervousness and smelled like cypress trees and Spanish moss."
My thanks to the author and Dark Hart Books for providing an ARC copy for review. I hope you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed it.
#ownvoices
March 26, 2022
A fast-paced, own voices historical that will transport you into Louisiana in the late 1800s. A truly vivid setting, well-drawn and full of life characters, and just enough magic create a fresh and dynamic novel of family ties, the power of belief, and the joys and struggles of life as three girls come into their own. I loved all three sisters but Pee Wee is my absolute favorite! I highly recommend this wonderful, intense, and engaging book to every reader.
November 20, 2022
Horror Bookworm Reviews
Rootwork by Tracy Cross
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
The time period is 1889, deep in bayou country. Betty, Ann and Peewee are close-knit sisters ages 10 to 14. Life within the village extends to the siblings visiting their Aunt Teddy, a conjure woman that is skilled in hoodoo and its spiritual practices. Rootwork becomes a focal point of interest within the girls as the form of this folk magick is appointed towards the home coming of spirits as well as a deserved revenge upon those in need of justice.
Author Tracy Cross builds a heartfelt story around a duration of intense racial violence and deliberate oppression. The cabin life surrounding the bayou brings sights, sounds and smell to life with descriptive dialogue of willow trees, Spanish Moss and the humid backwaters that tread comprehensively throughout the pages of Rootwork. Adding to this intoxicating environment is the horror aspect of interacting with the dead, ghosts and those souls who have moved on.
What great characterization Tracy accomplishes. Each individual sister is an experience within itself to the point of truly caring about their well being, especially when equality is yearned for. An absolute first-rate example of cultural narrative.
Visiting graveyards under the blood moon. Gathering devil grass, boiled toads, black cat bones and dirt from a sinner man’s grave by the light of a hand held lantern. Rootwork indoctrinates the usage of visiting graveyards under a blood moon and placing dimes on headstones enabling the sanctions of reciprocal justice - “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” All these amazing qualities equal a five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
Rootwork by Tracy Cross
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
The time period is 1889, deep in bayou country. Betty, Ann and Peewee are close-knit sisters ages 10 to 14. Life within the village extends to the siblings visiting their Aunt Teddy, a conjure woman that is skilled in hoodoo and its spiritual practices. Rootwork becomes a focal point of interest within the girls as the form of this folk magick is appointed towards the home coming of spirits as well as a deserved revenge upon those in need of justice.
Author Tracy Cross builds a heartfelt story around a duration of intense racial violence and deliberate oppression. The cabin life surrounding the bayou brings sights, sounds and smell to life with descriptive dialogue of willow trees, Spanish Moss and the humid backwaters that tread comprehensively throughout the pages of Rootwork. Adding to this intoxicating environment is the horror aspect of interacting with the dead, ghosts and those souls who have moved on.
What great characterization Tracy accomplishes. Each individual sister is an experience within itself to the point of truly caring about their well being, especially when equality is yearned for. An absolute first-rate example of cultural narrative.
Visiting graveyards under the blood moon. Gathering devil grass, boiled toads, black cat bones and dirt from a sinner man’s grave by the light of a hand held lantern. Rootwork indoctrinates the usage of visiting graveyards under a blood moon and placing dimes on headstones enabling the sanctions of reciprocal justice - “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” All these amazing qualities equal a five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
Read
April 19, 2022Something about Rootwork feels like it’s from another era. While I was reading, tendrils of the story dug their way into my brain and wrapped themselves around totally unrelated thoughts, creating some pretty weird comparisons.
It’s like if Mildred D Taylor’s classic Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was a supernatural horror, or if Lovecraft Country was about pre-teen girls.
All comparisons aside, this is a story of three sisters – PeeWee, Ann and Betty – in segregated Louisiana. A few summer days spent in the woods with their hoodoo-practicing aunt Teddy turn into revelation, tragedy, and bloody revenge, and the girls’ lives lead in very different directions when all is said and done. This is a coming-of-age story with some heavy horror elements, written in a style you don’t often see now. It’s reminiscent of 70s and 80s YA– lots of long character studies, a little messy around the edges, with genuinely creepy elements that pop up seemingly out of nowhere and change everything.
I don’t give star ratings to books by folk I’ve met, but I will give some gardening tools and a very special book sleeve(once you’ve read it, you’ll get the reference) to Rootwork.
I was given an ARC of this novel by the author in exchange for a fair review.
If you liked this review, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or check out my blog. Peace, fellow readers!
It’s like if Mildred D Taylor’s classic Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was a supernatural horror, or if Lovecraft Country was about pre-teen girls.
All comparisons aside, this is a story of three sisters – PeeWee, Ann and Betty – in segregated Louisiana. A few summer days spent in the woods with their hoodoo-practicing aunt Teddy turn into revelation, tragedy, and bloody revenge, and the girls’ lives lead in very different directions when all is said and done. This is a coming-of-age story with some heavy horror elements, written in a style you don’t often see now. It’s reminiscent of 70s and 80s YA– lots of long character studies, a little messy around the edges, with genuinely creepy elements that pop up seemingly out of nowhere and change everything.
I don’t give star ratings to books by folk I’ve met, but I will give some gardening tools and a very special book sleeve(once you’ve read it, you’ll get the reference) to Rootwork.
I was given an ARC of this novel by the author in exchange for a fair review.
If you liked this review, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or check out my blog. Peace, fellow readers!
February 8, 2023
This is the kind of coming of age story I would have preferred in school. Ha! I can't wait for the sequel. I love the characters
April 23, 2023
This book is beautiful.
It's also sad.
It shows you the strength and weakness a family can have and what they can do to overcome them if they want to overcome them.
I will be honest, I really liked two out of three sisters, but I get it. You gotta be your own person blah blah, but she definitely would have been punched if she was my sister. The characters all have flaws, but hers just got on my nerves more. Did it take away from the book? No, because as 1 of 3 sisters, there is always THAT sibling, ha ha.
Seriously, though, this book brought a lot of joy to my heart, and I hope you pick it up because you should.
It's also sad.
It shows you the strength and weakness a family can have and what they can do to overcome them if they want to overcome them.
I will be honest, I really liked two out of three sisters, but I get it. You gotta be your own person blah blah, but she definitely would have been punched if she was my sister. The characters all have flaws, but hers just got on my nerves more. Did it take away from the book? No, because as 1 of 3 sisters, there is always THAT sibling, ha ha.
Seriously, though, this book brought a lot of joy to my heart, and I hope you pick it up because you should.
November 11, 2022
Family is everything in this historical southern supernatural tale of hoodoo. For three sisters, Betty, Ann, and Pee Wee, this causes physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil when their own desires pull them in different directions from where the family is going.
I really had to let this story ferment after I finished it, let my review come together organically. Bits and pieces would take root in my head and I would chew on it for awhile.
This felt more like part one of a novel rather than book one of a series, yet there was a lot to digest in this part of the story. Emotions are packed in tight only to have them sporadically be released over the last couple days as I contemplate all that this has to offer. I finished this book but the book is not finished with me.
“All my life people pullin’ or pushin’ on me. One day, I’m gonna push back, and y’all should be scared.”-Pee Wee
I really had to let this story ferment after I finished it, let my review come together organically. Bits and pieces would take root in my head and I would chew on it for awhile.
This felt more like part one of a novel rather than book one of a series, yet there was a lot to digest in this part of the story. Emotions are packed in tight only to have them sporadically be released over the last couple days as I contemplate all that this has to offer. I finished this book but the book is not finished with me.
“All my life people pullin’ or pushin’ on me. One day, I’m gonna push back, and y’all should be scared.”-Pee Wee
January 18, 2023
Fast-paced, coming of age, historical, mystic, horror fiction.
We are sent in a different era with three lovely sisters. Going to their aunt Teddy's house, they start to learn about rootwork and hoodoo. The girls each have their own powers. But there's more to that. Secrets are being uncovered and ghosts make appearance.
Very fast paced, this novella brings you somewhere else and you are soon submerge with the gloomy ambiance.
We are sent in a different era with three lovely sisters. Going to their aunt Teddy's house, they start to learn about rootwork and hoodoo. The girls each have their own powers. But there's more to that. Secrets are being uncovered and ghosts make appearance.
Very fast paced, this novella brings you somewhere else and you are soon submerge with the gloomy ambiance.
March 10, 2023
This is a beautiful and magical story about the strength of family and sisterhood. It follows 3 sisters, Betty, Ann and Peewee who spend time with their aunt who practices hoodoo and after tragedy strikes, they learn just how powerful root-work is. This is so well-written and gripping, I did not want to put this down and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters in the story.
December 12, 2022
The sisters in this book stole my heart, especially Pee Wee!! A fantastic look at the ways of the old south and how people learned to cope. Family was so important in this story, especially the bond between sisters. 5⭐️ to this incredible tale!
May 21, 2023
“Let’s go inside.” She stood in the threshold of the door and waved her hand inside the house.
Initially, the smell was peppermint. Then lavender. Then honeysuckle. Then cinnamon. The smells were intoxicating and came from every part of the house. Plants were everywhere, and if the many shelves on the walls weren't covered by plants or bottles, there were stacks of paper. The papers were filled with sketches of plants and scrawled notes.
The worn, wood floor groaned as they stepped across it.
1. As you can already tell from above, this book has an amazing atmosphere. That was one of its strongest suits for me. I realized lately that for some reason I really enjoy books set in swamps (right Bayou Moon?), so this combined with rootwork (=some witchy vibes) was entirely my jam.
2. The second strong suit were the characters and the family dynamics. I have to say that concerning family dynamics Bad Cree was a tough act to follow*, but this book manages by being completely different. Pee Wee & Teddy are surely the crowd's favourites, but I really liked all the three sisters and the dynamics between them.
3. What I have mixed feelings about are the historical inaccuracies. They are so glaringly obvious (for example plastic bags) that they have to be intentional, but I can't find the reason behind that intention, so... weird.
4. The animal harm could be a problem for some readers. It definitely was hard to stomach for me .
5. I didn't have much time to read at the time I was reading this one, so I really dragged it out - which probably didn't help my opinion of this book. It felt a little disjointed and the climax didn't really work so well for me.
Overall, I was never fully invested into the story, even though I was greatly enjoying the atmosphere. I plan to read the next book in the series when it comes out.
BRed at WBtM: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
*If this is confusing to you... yeah, I just read those books very close to each other, there is no much else connecting them.
November 14, 2022
Rootwork is a story of family, love, tragedy, and magic. It takes place during a hot and swampy summer in the late 1800s in Louisiana. It centers around three sisters, Betty, Ann, and Pee Wee. The three sisters have personalities that jump right off the page and into your heart. They'll have you laughing, crying, and nodding in agreement to some of their thoughts and musings.
As we make our way into the story the girls go and spend time with their Aunt and start to learn the ins and outs of rootwork. Aunt Theodora or more affectionately known as Aunt Teddy, lives in the woods and that is where she practices hoodoo and her rootwork magic.
When tragedy strikes, the family comes together and weaves a powerful magic to avenge the wrongs that have been done.
This is a story that has vibrant characters that tug at your heart strings. Some of the things that the girls would say had me laughing out loud. One phrase that comes to mind is, "Smell like stank on a skunk though." Reading this you really feel the story through the eyes of the girls.
Rootwork works its magic on you with a story full of heart, soul, and family. I can't wait to see how the story continues on, since this is the first book in the series.
As we make our way into the story the girls go and spend time with their Aunt and start to learn the ins and outs of rootwork. Aunt Theodora or more affectionately known as Aunt Teddy, lives in the woods and that is where she practices hoodoo and her rootwork magic.
When tragedy strikes, the family comes together and weaves a powerful magic to avenge the wrongs that have been done.
This is a story that has vibrant characters that tug at your heart strings. Some of the things that the girls would say had me laughing out loud. One phrase that comes to mind is, "Smell like stank on a skunk though." Reading this you really feel the story through the eyes of the girls.
Rootwork works its magic on you with a story full of heart, soul, and family. I can't wait to see how the story continues on, since this is the first book in the series.
March 6, 2022
I absolutely loved Rootwork. The relationships between the sisters were intricate and full of life. I learned so much about Hoodoo and Voodoo magic. There were many creepy, poignant and beautiful moments. I truly felt transported into another world, one rich with magic and the presence of spirits. The book is fast-paced and Tracy Cross brings such skilled storytelling to bear for this epic tale! I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
March 26, 2023
This was a quick and character driven southern horror. But don't get me wrong, this is not a shallow read. It ties in sociohistorical context of black women's sexual victimization.
But yeah, I loved Peewee! It's like a summer coming of age story with tight knit sisters. Well, if you threw in some hoodoo, grave digging and some light scenes of ceremonial flaying.
Can't wait to pick up the next Tracy Cross book.
But yeah, I loved Peewee! It's like a summer coming of age story with tight knit sisters. Well, if you threw in some hoodoo, grave digging and some light scenes of ceremonial flaying.
Can't wait to pick up the next Tracy Cross book.
December 27, 2022
I could take a whole book about Teddy and Lone Wolf.
This is truly a very touching but also dark coming of age story about three little girls dealing with being Black in Louisiana at the turn of the century with some Hoodoo thrown in. Teddy was definitely my favorite character. She is the green Hoodoo queen of my dreams.
I can’t wait to find out what happens next in the story.
This is truly a very touching but also dark coming of age story about three little girls dealing with being Black in Louisiana at the turn of the century with some Hoodoo thrown in. Teddy was definitely my favorite character. She is the green Hoodoo queen of my dreams.
I can’t wait to find out what happens next in the story.
September 24, 2023
“Teddy reached over and grabbed the book. ‘One day, this book gonna be real important to us. Gonna save lives with it in the future. That time’s not yet come to pass. I’s the one that gotta get it ready. Me and you, Pee Wee.’”
TITLE—Conjure Series, Book One: Rootwork
AUTHOR—Tracy Cross
PUBLISHED—2022
PUBLISHER—Dark Hart Books
GENRE—folk horror novella
SETTING—Louisiana, 1889
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—hoodoo & rootwork, Black Louisiana bayou communities, coming of age, family relationships, dreams, death rituals & funeral traditions, ghosts, justice, choices & personal agency, hurricanes
“Look, you not gonna have to do everything everybody want you to do all your life, but you need to let people help get you on the right road... Be a ten-year-old for a little longer and just enjoy life. I promise the things you learn will help you be the best Pee Wee you can be...”
“I wanna make my own decisions.”
“Nobody said you can’t. Right now, you need to learn how to make the right decisions before you make all the wrong ones. Understand?”
My thoughts:
This was a really good little horror, coming-of-age novella set in the late 19th c. Louisiana about family, death, choosing one’s path, grief, ghosts, racism, justice, and hoodoo. Absolutely perfect for a late-summer, early-fall read. Thrilled that this is just the first in a series!
I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a wholesome, quick, and gorgeously atmospheric horror read. This book is best read along to a concert of frogs and cicadas, the sounds of brackish water lapping against the trunks of cypress trees, the swish and flick of an alligator’s tail as it slips out of the sedges, the raspy bark of a night-heron, and other bayou summernight sounds.
Final note: Shoutout to the Night Worms monthly bookclub subscription for including this in their November 2022 package. 🫶🏻
“One day, I'm gonna push back, and y'all should be scared.”
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌖
Season: Summer
CW // n-word, death of a parent, grief, racism (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)
Further Reading—
- ROOT MAGIC by Eden Royce (basically the middle grade version of this novella)
- CONJURE ISLAND by Eden Royce—TBR
- MULES AND MEN by Zora Neale Hurston
- RING SHOUT by P Djèlí Clark
- NOTES FROM A WRITER’S BOOK OF CURES AND SPELLS by Marcia Douglas—TBR
- Practical Magic (1998 film)
November 29, 2022
Rootwork is a coming-of-age story with elements of family drama and revenge about three sisters deep in Louisiana who spend time learning hoodoo with their aunt.
I had a lot of fun getting to know the three sisters, Betty, Ann, and Pee Wee, as well as their aunt Theodora. (Most reviews mention that Pee Wee is their favorite, but I have a soft spot for Ann!)
Tracy Cross's writing brings the setting and her characters to life. There's an element of horror that creeps up throughout the story, and lurks under the pages, but it's not too heavy.
The style is very dialogue-heavy, and, while that let us get to know the girls' personalities, my favorite parts were the descriptions in-between the dialogue. Cross's interludes of description that let me smell food, and feel the ground and hear the sounds of the woods were so perfect. I'd love if the next installment were a bit heavier on that!
Rootwork is an absolutely wonderful debut novel. (And that cover is so beautiful!)
I had a lot of fun getting to know the three sisters, Betty, Ann, and Pee Wee, as well as their aunt Theodora. (Most reviews mention that Pee Wee is their favorite, but I have a soft spot for Ann!)
Tracy Cross's writing brings the setting and her characters to life. There's an element of horror that creeps up throughout the story, and lurks under the pages, but it's not too heavy.
The style is very dialogue-heavy, and, while that let us get to know the girls' personalities, my favorite parts were the descriptions in-between the dialogue. Cross's interludes of description that let me smell food, and feel the ground and hear the sounds of the woods were so perfect. I'd love if the next installment were a bit heavier on that!
Rootwork is an absolutely wonderful debut novel. (And that cover is so beautiful!)
January 4, 2023
Rootwork is a story that deals with magic, racism, violence, and power, but at its core, it’s a story about family and familial bonds.
I enjoyed every moment that sisters Pee Wee, Ann, and Betty spent learning hoodoo with their Aunt Teddy. It reminded me of the wonder I felt when I spent summers in the mountains with my grandmother when I was around Pee Wee’s age. While she didn’t teach me hoodoo, she did teach me things that had been passed down for generations, like how to pick and cook fresh green beans among other things.
It’s such a unique coming of age story but it’s also feels relatable in many ways. I can’t wait to see how these characters continue to grow in the next installment of the series.
I enjoyed every moment that sisters Pee Wee, Ann, and Betty spent learning hoodoo with their Aunt Teddy. It reminded me of the wonder I felt when I spent summers in the mountains with my grandmother when I was around Pee Wee’s age. While she didn’t teach me hoodoo, she did teach me things that had been passed down for generations, like how to pick and cook fresh green beans among other things.
It’s such a unique coming of age story but it’s also feels relatable in many ways. I can’t wait to see how these characters continue to grow in the next installment of the series.
February 19, 2024
This had a lot of dialogue in it, which made it feel like the author was telling me what was happening instead of showing me.
October 22, 2024
As I enjoy horror, thriller, and suspenseful reads, this had a bit of everything. Set in the South, you have three sisters: Betty, Ann, and Pee Wee. Each with their own plans and determinations for their lives. But when tragedy strikes, the “Rootwork”becomes front and center. The sister trio is divided as they think more about their wants and lose site of the power of them together. But Pee Wee, my favorite sister, makes her own decision! She and Aunt Teddy know this is best and will keep the family alive in the physical and the spirit.
An appreciable storyline, well developed characters, and plenty of twists and turns, made this a beautiful and compelling story.
Looking forward to the 2nd book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Book Sirens.
An appreciable storyline, well developed characters, and plenty of twists and turns, made this a beautiful and compelling story.
Looking forward to the 2nd book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Book Sirens.
February 18, 2023
I didn't love it as much as everyone else but then I'm picky in my horror and I've lived in Louisiana and it's not that special to me so this is a me thing and nothing to do with the author. Good writing and strong characters but and no offense so far T Kingfisher does it better.
November 23, 2022
Cross authored vivid lives and the dynamics between the sisters, the main characters of this book, are real in a way that will often make you nostalgic for childhood when you looked at the world with more hope in your eyes. However, the childhood of these kids is set at a time of transformation, and hope struggles through change. Fear of unpredictable futures is infused throughout the book. This book is defined by thresholds, those liminal spaces between what has happened and what will come. It was perfectly placed at the threshold of post-civil war unrest and an unpredictable future for the United States, particularly in the south where this novel is set. The sisters are caught between creating their own futures and knowing it will come at a cost. The thresholds of adolescence and adulthood. Between old ways and the new. Between wanting to know and knowing too much. Between family and independence. The world that Cross creates is so specific and well-realized that it almost feels at times like I should’ve asked permission to observe the lives of her beautiful characters. Ultimately, the sisters find horror navigating through the troubling world of adults, searching for role models in the past and present that will guide them towards their future, and finding a complicated world full of magic and violence, yet all cling to hope even as growing knowledge of their world threatens to inundate it. The book reads like a cross between Harper Lee and Tananarive Due, literary but not afraid to wade into the dark places. Knowing that this book is the first of series, I’m really looking forward to reading what happens next. Highly recommend.
February 8, 2024
Wow!
This was phenomenal.
I can not wait for the sequel!
This is gruesome and has horror elements, just FYI. Not scary but some dark fantasy for sure.
This was phenomenal.
I can not wait for the sequel!
This is gruesome and has horror elements, just FYI. Not scary but some dark fantasy for sure.
November 17, 2022
With Rootwork, Tracy Cross weaves an intricate tapestry entrenched in Southern Gothic mystique, hoodoo and rootwork magic that evokes an intriguing narrative rich with compelling characters.
January 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. What an interesting and heartfelt journey into love, loss, and some spooky rootwork by very interesting characters. Even the minor characters had major roles in the story, and it was written and told flawlessly by Tracy Cross. This book gripped me from the first page and kept me interested all the way through. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series. Well done!
November 20, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. A short breezy novella at 176 pages.
Can be read easily in a couple of settings, which makes it a great palate cleanser between beefy or dense works. Loved the setting and premise of the book and thought Cross did a great job with character work. If I had any complaints is that I wish we could had more with the sisters learning rootwork and its folklore with Aunt Teddy. Additionally, some added scenes showing Aunt Teddy's social relationships working within her community would have been nice as well.
But as a debut work, this is a very strong showing from Cross and I'll be interested to see what she does next.
Can be read easily in a couple of settings, which makes it a great palate cleanser between beefy or dense works. Loved the setting and premise of the book and thought Cross did a great job with character work. If I had any complaints is that I wish we could had more with the sisters learning rootwork and its folklore with Aunt Teddy. Additionally, some added scenes showing Aunt Teddy's social relationships working within her community would have been nice as well.
But as a debut work, this is a very strong showing from Cross and I'll be interested to see what she does next.
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