This was a brilliantly creepy, darkly atmospheric read - perfect for going into spooky season!

Signa Farrow is a 19-year-old girl who cannot die. She has been passed around ever since she was a baby, from one relative to the next, only for her guardians to die whilst she is in their care. Considered cursed, Signa's last chance arrives in an invitation to Thorn Grove, where she will be under the care of the Hawthorne family. But Death lingers even there--and when Signa is tasked by a spirit to stop her cousin dying, she teams up with Death himself to save her.

I adored Grace's writing in this. It was very much like reading a Tim Burton film, with that heavy atmosphere and gothic vibe. The plot was intriguing and some of the plot twists truly surprised me - I did not see them coming at all! Her romance with Death - as stated by other reviewers - was a bit strange at first but I was soon captivated by the developing relationship.

I could have done with a little less emphasis on Signa's place in society but that was my only quibble in an otherwise very engaging Gothic Fantasy! I will be highly anticipating the sequel Foxglove when it releases!

Where to start… This book reignited my love of YA and got me excited about the genre again! I stayed up until the early hours two nights in a row reading Belladonna and I already have the hardback pre-ordered for publication day!

This is the story of Signa Farrow, an orphaned nineteen year old with the ability to evade Death. While things never quite go to plan she just needs to make it 6 more months until she turns twenty, inherits her fortune and can start living her own life. Unfortunately, Death has other plans and she finds herself at Thorn Grove, with her cousin dying, her uncle a drunken mess and her aunt dead of suspicious circumstances. Not the easy 6 months Signa had in mind but it’s now up to her to figure out what’s happening at Thorn Grove before it’s too late.

I can’t say much about this one as I don’t want to spoil it. But what I can say is I love it! There’s something new and exciting about Belladonna, the way the plot never lets up and literally had me picking up my jaw towards the end. The characters are well designed and made my laugh out loud. Death as a person was amusing, complex and completely mesmerising. I mean, who knew Death had a sense of humour? But most of all Signa had a uniqueness and stubbornness to her than made me want to know more.

I read this book as part of a mini book club with Krystina (One More Chapter) and Malissa (Reading the Year Away) and we all devoured it! The endless voice notes and texts messages as we made our way through this book in a matter of days speaks volumes for our thoughts on Belladonna. It’s all consuming, sexy, heartbreaking and so damn funny!

(Link will be added once posted on Monday 29th)

DNF at 64%

There isn't really any major issue with this book - it is well-written, some of the characters are interesting, the premise was intriguing. Overall it has everything I normally love in a book.

For me, however, this one just failed to grip me. I was slightly intrigued to find out what was happening, but not in a "i must read every page this second" way. I just couldn't quite get into this the way I had hoped.

After finishing up All the Stars and Teeth duology by Adalyn Grace, I’ve been anticipating what will be next from the author. In Belladonna, Death came for the Foxglove mansion. Only baby Signa could feel Death’s presence but she’s the only soul that he can’t collect. Since then, Signa has moved from relative to relative, and all of them except her grandmother were eyeing Signa’s extensive inheritance when she turns 20. The death of an aunt brought Signa to the Hawthorne family as their ward.

Weird things started happening to Signa who has the ability to communicate with Death and see spirits. While living in Thorne Grove, Signa came to suspect the death of Lillian, the dead aunt’s granddaughter, and the mysterious illness that is plaguing the young lady, Blythe. Together with Sylas, an unusually well-dressed stable boy, they uncover the secrets of the Hawthorne.

As much as Signa wants nothing to do with Death, the connection between them cannot be dismissed. With death and spirits surrounding Thorne Grove, Death easily appeared in front of Signa. Slowly, as Signa accepted his presence, they worked together to discover Signa’s powers. Their days turned a sour, uncertain relationship to something more intimate. The delicious push-and-pull is what I’m here for. Death is charming and endearing. I loved the parts where Signa learns about Death’s job as the guide for the dead and finds out the softer side of him. Also, Signa finally opens herself to her abilities, no longer afraid of what it might entail.

I’m glad that Signa found some semblance of family with the Hawthorne even though Elijah was distant, Percy was fun, and Blythe was sick. They bonded through the multiple times death came close. Signa never had anyone treat her nicely other than her grandmother after the massacre in Foxglove. But this eccentric family has its secrets. While uncovering the truth behind Blythe’s illness and Lillian’s death, Signa finds danger looms closer than ever.

Adalyn Grace has once again captured my heart. Death and Signa were fascinating characters with equally interesting powers. I have no idea why Signa is the first person Death can touch without her dying and the one that he can actually communicate with. However, their romance started from fear and ended up with affection. I liked that Death was soft and open to Signa about his life up till now.

Foxglove will be one of my most anticipated 2023 releases. I already want it in my hands and Belladonna isn’t even out yet. How will I survive? Adalyn Grace created a world with a gothic atmosphere, filled with spirits and death. Yet, I’m waiting for each moment that Death will arrive. Not only that, the element of mystery surrounding a strange family is one of my favorites in fantasy books. Best believe I devoured Belladonna within hours.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!! 😍😘

I don’t even know where to start this review!! Belladonna is absolutely amazing 😍😍 I absolutely loved the storyline, the characters are incredible!! I am in love with Signa ❤️❤️ She’s everything a MC should be, she’s strong, fierce and totally original. Her relationships with the other characters show the different parts of her whether it be her want of a family and how much she would love one (Percy and Blythe) or her slight obsession with super hot guys (Sylas 😂😂). When she arrives at Thorn Grove she wastes no time integrating and straightaway trying to solve the mystery of Lillians death and Blythe’s strange illness. With the help of Sylas and of course the super hot Death (🔥🥵) she starts to unwind the mystery in no time…

I love the concept of her relationship with both Sylas and Death in this book, it absolutely fascinated me. I love fantasy romances and the twist of her interest in Death in not only an aggressive but intimate sense was incredibly intriguing and bewitching. I also love her relationship with Sylas, he’s so interesting, alluring and kinda grumpy towards Signa but she loves it.

The concept of Death of general in the book is pretty extraordinary in general. I love how he’s described, I love what he does and how it’s described. I think his character is beautiful and for me he is the main event in this book.

Belladonna is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in 2022 and it’s gonna be a firm favourite of mine. I have no hesitation in giving this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It’s absolutely brilliant and you need to go and pick up a copy right now 😍😍

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.