Signa has spent her whole life evading death. She’s only a baby when her parents die and spends the next years of her life bouncing between guardian after guardian longing for love and acceptance.

This book was great! A “whodunnit” with a fantasy twist and I loved every second!
I really enjoyed the world building and watching Signa’s character grow as the story unfolds. I’m definitely invested for the next instalment! I am hoping for a little more 🌶 in the next book 👀 and can’t wait to see where the story goes 💀

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

Orphaned from birth, Signa goes through a string of guardians that brush with death, before falling to the only remaining relatives left, at Thorn Grove. But there has already been a murder in the Hawthorn household, and the daughter looks to be next. Can Signa work alongside Death, with the help of the stable hand Sylas, to find the killer before Blythe's untimely end?

This book was so thrilling! I did not expect to fall in love with it as much as I did! The characters are enticing and exciting, the plot seamless with the twists and turns. The gothic vibes, the mystery and intrigue all had me gripped!

The story felt a little slow to start, but as soon as we got to Thorn Grove the action started escalating and I couldn't read fast enough.

Now when is the sequel? Because with that cliffhanger ending, we're set up to go straight away!

Thanks so much @hodderscape for sending me an eARC of Belladonna to review! Out 30th August.

Belladonna is a great choice to kick of your spooky season reading with. It’s historical romance, meets paranormal, meets who dunnit and now I kind of want to go and live at a haunted estate like the main character Signa.

Overall I enjoyed Belladonna. The spooky vibe and mystery element were all there and really drew me in.

FMC Signa is not only trying to protect her new family but also figuring out how to fit into society. Both goals require sacrifice and I think Signa’s journey of self discovery alongside discovering more of her powers was an interesting parallel and very relatable for anyone trying to figure out who they are or where they fit in.

I was less convinced by the romance element feeling like things went from “I don’t trust you” to “Let’s make out” with a flick of a switch rather than a slow burn which I personally think would have been more fitting. That said I did highlight a few swoon-worthy lines, I just wanted a bit more push and pull first so I’d feel more invested.

The mystery was wrapped up but the ending leaves things wide open for a sequel with an important new character introduced in the final moments. I feel a bit mixed about this possibility but I’d be interested in the chance to see Signa explore her powers even more.

Read for:
• Paranormal mystery with a historical setting 📖
• Forbidden romance ❤️
• Ghosts 👻
• A FMC who’s bold and unapologetic when it comes to looking out for the people she loves
• An intense blend of grief, secrets, and scandal

Rating: 4/5🌟
Steam Level: 1/5🔥 We know what’s going on but it’s YA appropriate.
#Belladonna #NetGalley

Not a fan of the romance at all, it just felt weird to me, kind of like grooming... but I liked the murder mystery.
I'm really dense, because I had no idea who the murdere could be and was really suprised as to who it was, which is of course really good for murder mysteries!
I didn't care too much about the characters, but I liked the plot.
And I would probably read this book again in the future.

The ending leaves you with a maybe there will be a sequel. But you can still read this as a stand alone

2.5 stars

i received the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this started off really strong and interesting… it’s a story about a girl who can’t seem to die and instead sees Death, or sometimes referred to as a reaper, whenever she consumes the poisonous belladonna berries. she also sees spirits and when her latest guardian dies, she gets taken to a very mysterious big ass house… all of this kind of reminded me of Gallant by V.E. Schwab. i wrote it off as a coincidence because of how close the publication days are. however, over the course of the book i noticed similarities in the relationship between Death and the main character Signa compared to Addie and Luc in V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. it might still be a coincidence, but the fact that it’s happened twice is just… off. Signa’s and Death’s relationship was way weirder though, and they even end up having sex which is just… i don’t know you guys. a lot of this book was just weird. i will not continue this series.

This book surprised me. I requested it because it was described as a gothic/dark book with a lot of vibes.
I'm always very honest, so I can easily say that the first half of the book didn't catch my curiosity. A lot of parts were a little bit boring. But after the 70% the situation changed. The final part was very surprising and entertaining.
The characters are very nice, above all Death 🖤

In conclusion, I appreciated this book and I gave it 3.5 stars!

This was a truly delicious, gothic and dark book! I adored the imagination and atmospheric spookiness of this novel.
Belladonna is just a beautiful, perfect piece of writing. Orphaned Signa moves from dire guardian to guardian, each one meeting a grisly end. Signa would know, as she can see Death and the spirits that he takes. When she is taken in by her Uncle Elijah after the mysterious death of his wife, Signa is determined that Death won't take another family member before she reaches her 20th birthday and her inheritance. However, with a murderer on the loose, Signa finds she must solve the puzzle of who wishes to harm her family in order to stop Death in his tracks.
This was such a brilliant novel that I devoured in just over a day (that never happens!) It's a perfect blend of gothic, fantasy and mystery. The characters were perfect. Signa trying to find herself in a world where manners and etiquette are paramount, Sylas the snarky stablehand and then Death himself who reminded me of Luc from Addie. I loved how Signa developed a true friendship with her cousin Blythe.There's sublime plot twists, a gorgeous romance which is interspersed with some moments of fantastic humour. I loved how the characters were placed against the backdrop of the stifling Victorian society and all the constraints placed upon people to behave correctly..
If you love V.E. Shwabb or Gaiman than you'll love this novel. This is my first novel by this author but I'll certainly be looking into her others and I really hope that there will a sequel to this one.
Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for provding me with an E-Arc in return for an honest review of this truly wonderful book.

Belladonna ended up pleasantly surprising me. While the cover, the description and the first chapter immediately intrigued me, it took me a while to get engrossed in to the book. It was only about halfway through that I found myself invested and enjoying the book.

I enjoyed the mystery and romantic elements of this story. I guessed some of the plot twists, but not all of them which was fun.

I’m looking forward to the mystery that was set up at the beginning of the book with her mother, which then seemingly seems to link back to the new mystery at the end of the book…

Overall this book sits somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, there’s a lot I liked and really enjoyed but, as said, it did take me a while to feel invested within the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an e-arc of this book.

Honestly, this book had me hooked the moment I read Gothic romance! I love Gothic stories and if there is a dash of romance I'm all in.

The setting of this story gave me major The Secret Garden vibes - in that we have an old haunted manor on the moors, a dead wife's garden blocked off from the rest of the estate and a sickly child. I am a big fan of The Secret Garden so I loved that this book leaned into that.

I also loved that we had a heroine that leaned into her femininity. Despite not being educated or trained in Victorian etiquette, we still had a protagonist that loved and enjoyed frilly dresses, want to attend balls and eventually wanted to run their own household. She even wasn't opposed to the idea of finding a husband. This was a nice change from other characters who tend to shy away from these aspects or push away the idea of traditional femininity. But fear not readers, for there is a character who fits this mould.

However, in saying all this. I did have a few issues with the story as a whole. Chiefly being that I guessed the plot twist halfway through the book. I didn't feel that the book attempted to dissuade me as a reader from coming to this conclusion and thinking back, it feels quite obvious at points.

There is also a hint of a love triangle within the story, which I am not opposed to if done well. However, this felt very one-sided. Typically love triangles are quite obvious to the characters involved. However, as our two love interests are never actually in the same room together, there lacks a certain amount of tension when all you are privy to is the character's indecision of whom to choose.

Similarly, as mentioned by a fellow NetGalley reviewer, there does seem to be a general obsession within YA novels of older or immortal characters falling in love with younger girls. I've never enjoyed this trope and I did find that aspect of this story uncomfortable. When your male love interest has met the heroine while she is still a baby and then shows romantic interest in them 19 years later even though they have not aged - it feels a little predatory. I understand, however, that the plays a purpose in the book and that our heroine might not be human herself - but unfortunately, it still did not sit well with me as a reader.

Overall, I did enjoy the premise of the story. I loved the setting, the characters, and even the murder mystery element. However, the plot twist and romantic element coupled with the simplistic and lackluster writing - made me feel like it was a bit of a slog to through.

Belladonna is a story which works perfectly well on its own, though I’m intrigued by the prospect of a sequel.
The story opens with us being introduced to Signa, a young girl who has the ability to see Death. Throughout her early years she finds herself in increasingly difficult situations, facing death but never being taken. Guardian after guardian dies, leaving Signa in a vulnerable position, and though people fear her we are not sure why.
When another guardian dies, Signa is taken to live with the family of an aunt. She finds herself communing with Death, and trying to investigate the death of her aunt Lillian with the help of the mysterious Sylas. Happy to finally be somewhere she feels welcomed, Signa does what she can to work out who was responsible and who might want her cousin Blythe dead.
A strange relationship between Signa and Death, and I liked the way that Signa was given the opportunity to escape some of the expectations for a young woman in her position.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication in exchange for my honest review, and now to find out when part two can be expected.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me this ARC! All review here is my honest thought.

Honestly, I doubt what rating I should give. But in the end I decided to give a 3.5 ⭐ rating because of the twist that happened in this book.

This book can be categorized as horror fantasy because the main character can interact with Death and can also see ghosts/spirits. Signa has been orphaned since childhood and therefore she must be taken care of by the rest of her family until she reaches the legal age to receive her inheritance. For 19 years she has always had different families but one thing that has always been the same is that she can see Death wherever she goes. At first she hated Death because she felt abnormal but it turned out that Death was a figure who always helped her in various difficulties even when her own cousin was dying.

I love the horror elements with the vengeance of the disturbing spirits and the mysteries that Signa has to solve. It's been a long time since I've read a fantasy book with horror elements like this. It's just that I feel that this mystery is not given any clues, we actually see more of Signa's relationship with Death and her new power, in fact, the solution to the mystery seems to appear at the end.

I also don't like Signa's character because I think his attitude is rushed and even selfish. Death is actually much better, even though here we see Death is too concerned with Signa who seems to change the image of Death's figure.

The relationship that is formed is also unique in my opinion, I never thought that Death would be the main character because all this time he had been an important but not the main character. His relationship with Signa also gives me a certain mixed feeling because it is as if Signa is the center of Death's world.

But I will still wait for the next book to see the development of these two characters and especially if there are new cases that occur.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book in return for my honest opinion. Thank you to Adalyn Grace and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read Belladonna before it’s release.

Let me just start by saying I absolutely love the time period Grace chose to set this book in; it added a sense of wonder and heightened the plot (and I’m a fan of historical fiction as a whole.) She utilised this in a way that was not bogged down by dates and excessive details; the search for the truth while also being mindful of societies perceptions of an unmarried women was well executed.

This book gave not only a fantastic premise, but it lived up to the premise and then some! Signa was an absolutely fascinating character and i empathised with her right from the start! I loved how ‘Death’ was portrayed throughout the book, and a girl who can’t stay dead? Absolutely brilliant.

The mystery within the book was gripping; I just had to know who was the perpetrator and I’m not ashamed to admit that I could not stop reading; cramming in a chapter at every chance I had.

I cannot wait to see where Grace takes this story next; her previous duology is sure to be shooting to the top of my tbr now!

Belladonna felt like a mosaic of several classic gothic tales— Jane Eyre, Rebecca, The Masque of the Red Death. The aesthetic, the setting, the atmosphere and characters were all incredibly and classically gothic which i am such a glutton for, honestly. It was executed brilliantly.

The writing style was stunning. I was instantly captivated. granted, it was a little slow but I was still intrigued by Signa— she had a subtle, dry humour about her that I instantly liked— and her “relationship” with Death. They made quite the pair. I loved their dynamic, full of dry humour, snark and mystery. They were simultaneously confidantes and adversaries, always clashing but always found solace in one another. They honestly made me breathless, the way he spoke to her, how tender and with so much longing, eurghhhh they were written beautifully.

Adalyn Grace’s interpretation of Death was something wonderfully unique. He wasn’t harsh and severe, fitting into quite a bland stereotype. He was an enigma to me, more than anything else— which fits the death pretty well. He was soft and tender, lonely almost. I was fascinated with him, every time he spoke I hung onto his every word. While Signa was delightfully charming, full of spirit, determination and vigour. I loved the way she cared for the people around her, it really set up the events of the book well since you could understand her character motivations which propelled the plot forward. I just adored her.

And the weird thing was, the book wasn’t fast-paced and intense, I didn’t devour it in one go or feel inclined to... but it doesn’t lessen the value of this book any less. Instead, the story had this soft, entrancing rhythm to it, almost. I was still fully invested but not in an all-consuming way. More so, in a quiet, breathless type of way, to be digested in small doses rather then swept through quickly. I didn’t want to miss a single word that was said. It was definitely a unique experience.

The last 10% was actually incredibly emotional, i wasn’t expecting it at all. The plot twists were set up excellently, with twists and turns you really don’t see coming. And that cliffhanger?! I loved it and I’m incredibly excited for Foxglove!

I think if you’re a fan of classic gothic novels then definitely give this a go!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder for sending me an ARC! I liked the concept, and I liked the gothic vibe in this book with the Victorian setting, but what I liked best was the unique relationship between Signa and Death. The author's writing is exquisite; I was drawn in from the start and can't wait for the sequel.

As always I want to start by saying that I was given an ARC of this to review. My review is honest and left voluntarily and all thoughts are my own. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for giving me access to this.

I want to start by saying I adore gothic fiction. Authors such as the Brontë's have always been favourites of mine so when I read the synopsis for Belladonna I was sure I would like it, I just wasn’t aware how much until I started.

Our protagonist is Signa Farrow whom for as long as she has been alive people around her have died. It is not something she can control. Orphaned as a baby the now nineteen-year-old Signa has been passed through a string of guardians all of whom have ended up meeting an untimely end. Her last remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes who may be Signa’s only hope but not all is as it seems at Thorn Grove and before long Signa is thrust into the middle of a budding murder mystery while trying to navigate her own revelations a long the way.

When the book opened with a mass murder in the form of poisoning I was already hooked. Despite the melancholy and gruesome opening it was also beautifully juxtaposed with the infant Signa being the only one left alive. Grace’s writing had already captured that gothic element of combining the strange and the beautiful, interweaving them to create something magical, something Grace manages to continue throughout.

The world building of the novel was beautifully balanced and interwoven in a way that it flowed naturally. A lot of the time we learned new aspects of Signa’s world along with her and I found that refreshing and enjoyable. Signa herself was a brilliant protagonist, although sometimes I became a tad frustrated with her and her way of thinking I found this another testament to Grace’s ability. Signa has spent most of her life being passed from guardian to guardian, most of whom care little for her but rather her inheritance so of course her world view and experience of the world is a little different. Add to this the fact that those around her seem to suddenly die and of course she will not always know the answers or see what is in front of her. To me this made her more human and ultimately made me like her even more.

I particularly loved the ‘Death and the Maiden’ trope of this novel. Anyone who knows me knows romance is not my first genre of choice (nothing against the genre, just not a favourite of mine), but the love story and romance in this novel had me hooked. Again it was the idea of the strange and the beautiful. Grace managed to capture the loneliness and want of Death himself and bring it, for want of a better word, to life. We see Signa slowly begin to embrace her strangeness, her calling and in so doing to accept Death not as something to be truly feared or hated but as something that is inevitable. I am really excited to anxious to see what will come of this relationship in the second book.

Add to all this the elements of good old fashioned murder mystery and the book has nearly everything I could want. As Signa is discovering more about the world she lives in, herself and her desires she is also in a race against time, and a lot of the time Death to find who was responsible for killing the Hawthorne’s patriarch’s wife. Now as you know I don’t like spoiling the book but let me tell you I did not really see the culprit coming! I like to consider myself a bit of an armchair detective thanks to hours spent with my mother watching shows like Midsommer Murders and Miss Maple as well as reading some of Agatha Christie’s work but I confess I was blaming the wrong person all along!

Grace manages to perfectly combine these murder mystery elements within her gothic-infused world and Signa’s coming of age story to create the complete package. I honestly have to say this is likely one of my top ten for 2022. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who enjoys a good gothic tale with mystery, romance, suspense and murder.

Well, that was a ride. This book is Kingdom of the Wicked mixed with Jane Eyre and a pinch of Bridgerton. Let me paint the picture for you:

It’s the 1850s and we’re following 19 year-old Signa Farrow. Signa lost her parents when she was a baby and, all things considered, she should’ve died too, but when Death came to collect her soul nothing happened. Death’s touch did not kill her. Turns out she cannot die, it also turns out she can see spirits. And she can see Death, actually more than see, but we’ll get there later.

Okay, so Signa was left orphaned and since she cannot claim her (huge) inheritance until she turns 20, she has spent her life moving from one guardian to the next because they all somehow ended up dead. With a string of deaths following her, everyone thinks she’s cursed and she hates Death for taking away everyone she has some sort of connection with.

The story starts with Signa being sent to Thorne Grove, the home of yet another guardian. Signa soon finds that the situation there is… not the best. Turns out Lillian, the lady of the estate and Signa’s aunt of sorts, died months ago and her cousin Blythe is now suffering from the same illness. Then Lillian’s spirit appears, claiming she was poisoned, and Signa has to discover what is going on in order to prevent Blythe from following the same fate. All while preparing to make her debut in society the following spring.

So we have ourselves a paranormal murder mystery, as well as the stiff rules and the pretending that comes with the 1850s society. Right. I didn’t care for any of it. I was here for the romance. And oh my god did it deliver.

In order to solve this murder, Signa enlists the help of a stable boy but soon realizes she will need the help of Death himself. The more time they spend together and the more he shows her, the more she realizes that she doesn’t hate him one bit and that maybe they’re just fated to keep crossing each other’s paths. Fate is a funny thing, after all.

Give me a romance with Death and I am sold. The only reason this is shy of 5 stars (4.5) is because the beginning was a little slow and I really didn’t care about the social life or solving the murder. I will say that I saw the plot twists coming, but I still couldn’t be happier when the big mind-blowing one came and my suspicions were confirmed. Now excuse me while I go pre-order myself a final copy of this book.

The best fantasy mystery I’ve ever read.
I was captivated from the very first line and I absolutely loved the idea of ‘solving a murder with the Death himself’. However the romance between Signa and Death felt forced and out of character. So many times their feelings for each other got more focus and I was worried that by the end the mystery turns to be fully romance.
In halfway through I realised who is Sylas and I was so happy that I was right.
The betrayal hit in the best way and even though my heart was broken I liked that twist. And of course there is the cliffhanger and I’ll happily read the next book when it comes out.


Thanks to Netgalley for approving my request!

(Review in exchange for netgalley earc)

This book was beautiful! That’s the main word I think of when I want to describe it. From page one I was gripped and I flew through this book in no time. This book is so up my street, I am obsessed. It has everything I love: beautiful descriptions and world building that immersive me into the time and place of the story. Well written characters that are equally well developed. A unique and gripping story full of twists and turns. It’s a period drama but also gothic horror with mystery and even some romance. A completely gorgeous and entrancing story that me completely captivated from start to finish. I cannot wait to revisit this book when it’s out, and again and again and again. I am obsessed with this book. I adored it. Every single page and word.

This book surprised me with just how good it was, since it is billed as YA, and by no stretch of the imagination can I pretend to be young! However there was no real difference between this and other gothic novels I have read recently, other than the young age of the main character (19) which honestly is standard in historical fiction anyway.

It follows Signa Farrow, an orphan who is passed from family member to family member until she ends up at the home of her widowed uncle, where she seeks to settle herself down and become a proper lady, as detailed in her book of etiquette, but her unusual supernatural capabilities - the ability to see and talk with spirits, and to consult with Death himself - stand in her way. As she uncovers the secrets hidden behind the walls of her new home, and learns from Death how to use her abilities, Signa finds out that there is someone who wishes the family harm, and she is the only one who can stop them.

The characters were vividly depicted, the supernatural elements were delightfully spooky, and Death himself was so charismatic that it was fairly obvious why Signa was drawn to him (#teamDeath) The romantic elements were steamy and all together it worked perfectly as a very satisfying gothic romance.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I can't count how often I've thought about requesting a review copy of this book on Netgalley. Almost as often I eventually decided to wait. I had a few other books to read, most of them published by Hodder & Stoughton, and I didn't want to hoard. But curiosity eventually gave me the final push. I just wanted to read this book now and not when my physical copy would eventually be delivered. I'm really glad that my request was granted.

The moment I realized that this book was quite heavily inspired by the Secret Garden the smile on my face grew broader and broader. I love that book. I love that story. I love that dysfunctional family. And finding all those elements back in this book felt like coming home. A father mourning his wife, an ill child fighting for her life, a Secret Garden, haunting ghosts who are not ready to let go and an orphaned girl changing it all. It felt like coming home.

And then Grace added some delicious elements of her own. In this book the mother died of murder and therefore a few whodunnit and detective elements were added. Although the search was slow and maybe not even the most prominent part of the story, I liked how it helped to give a sense of danger and urgency. Then there also was the excitement of balls and husbands and estates, all the elements of this era we love to read about, and are relieved to not have to do ourselves.

And last but not least: we had the romance and the characters. Our heroine is going through quite a heavy time before and even during this book, but she's also learning and growing more into her own person with every page turned. She doesn't have to do that on her own, though. It's nice to see her have friends, it's also nice to see her follow her heart and build a connection with the most unlikely lover one can imagine.

I'm really really excited that there is gonna be more and I can't wait to get my hands on it!