Book Review for Root and Bone by Jessica Raney

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

Root and Bone, by Jessica Raney, is a paranormal woman’s fiction about two sisters trying to stop a serial killer from targeting the innocent. Leona Monroe is a witch who is approached by the local sheriff to investigate the disappearance of a young woman named Mary. After enlisting the help of her sister, Jewel Spencer, the two witches uncover a series of horrific murders that expose the prejudices hiding in plain sight.

I like how Raney describes Leona and Jewel’s relationship. Leona reminds me more of a “traditional” woman, someone who would gladly sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of others. And it definitely shows with the townsfolk: there’s Bob, a husband whom she tries to please but can’t, Dorval, a ghoul who relies on her for sustenance, and Cale, a ghost that she fell in love with but can never have. Jewel, on the other hand, takes what she pleases; she’s impulsive, and would probably rather set herself on fire than listen to a man. What unites them is Granny Kay who, despite her tough demeanor, tries to instill into the sisters a sense of love and devotion to one another and the craft. I would imagine that while neither sister approves of each other’s lives, I’m happy they support each other however they can, no matter the insults they trade. 

This contrasts with people like Levi and Joshua who, though they try to care for each other, frame love in the way of control. They want complete and utter dominance from their community, calling women who challenge them abominations, whores, and misfits. It’s the same pride that allowed them to kill women like Mary and Karla, the arrogance that pushes them to consume but never give back. They remind me of a warning someone once gave the modern churches in America; if a church doesn’t have a community garden, classes, or a pantry (food, clothes, or otherwise), they’re stealing from the community. The werewolves aren’t much better if the sex trafficking isn’t anything to go by. Unfortunately, their attitudes also remind me of Jewel and, to an extent Leona, especially if they allow their egotism to run rampant.

Side note: I grew up in the Twilight era. Every girl (and a couple guys) I knew, whether they read the books or not, were tearing each other apart; Team Edward vs. Team Jacob. Even after Twilight and the whole Fifty Shades of Grey debacle, vampires and werewolves were still “innovative” love interests (aristocratic vs. animalistic, wildly possessive either way). It was funny how undesirable Raney portrayed these loveable, terrifying monsters.

I do wish the story was more fleshed out; Mary’s murder would’ve been a terrifying mystery in and of itself. I also would’ve liked to read more about Bob and Peggy; I felt the subplot would’ve incorporated elements of the Southern Gothic genre in a way that could’ve complimented the story. I felt that Joshua and Levi could’ve had more of an impactful introduction as well; when I first read about them, it seemed they were just thrown in there into the supernatural mix. In essence, there was just a lot of potential that wasn’t explored.

Nonetheless, I liked the book. It was a good plot, even if there were a lot of unexplored turns. As such, I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars.