Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really wasn’t sure going into this one but it was a surprise hit for me!

I really enjoyed Signa (the MC) and her relationship with Death. There is quite a lot left to explore and questions unanswered so I’m really happy this is a duology.

I’m normally pretty good at twists but I didn’t get this one into quite late in the game-if you enjoyed the twist in the Prison Healer then I think you will like this one.

I thought having this set in a Victorian-esque age but not in our world was a good choice, it allows us to suspend belief for some aspects but also has some familiarity that makes the story easy to follow.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Signa Farrow has always known death. Orphaned as a new born, she has been passed from one family member to another in her nineteen years, and her guardians have often died. But, considering most of them only cared about the wealth she could bring them, it wasn't much of a loss. Signa is comfortable in the company of Death, and has worked out how to reach Death, and communicate with him with the help of Belladonna berries. Now with her latest family members, she discovers not all is as it seems. Her guardian is mourning the death of his wife from a mysterious wasting disease, one which his daughter, Blythe, seems to be suffering from as well. He ignores his son, Percy, and his business is about to collapse. Soon, Signa realises that the spirit of Lillian is trying to find her, and that her death may have been murder - and someone wants to kill Blythe too. Working with Death to solve the mystery, the sparks fly, and Signa is risking losing not just her heart, but her life too.

When I started this book, I wasn't too sure what to expect. I was hooked, however, from the first chapter. Belladonna is full of poetic prose and lyrical speech, with a plot line which grips your attention, and doesn't want to let you go. Signa was a character who was strong, but extremely vulnerable too. She'd never had anyone who really cared about her, and as a rich, orphaned heiress, she was surrounded by people who wanted her money, not her attention. She found a good family in the Hawthorne's, though the secrets that were hiding just below the surface were doomed to come out. Yes, some chapters were a little boring, with the side plot of Signa preparing herself for society, and marriage, whereas when the mystery and murder plot line took hold, I could barely put the book down. There's a hint of a love triangle, but it's obvious what's really happening, so I wasn't too fussed by it. I also guessed a little at the true culprit, but there were a number of twists and turns along the way that blew me away. I'm loving the world building, and am glad this was not the standalone I was expecting. Bring on Foxglove!

Belladonna opens with a scene of mass murder by poison, but whilst you'd expect such a thing to be gruesome, somehow it was delicate- so beautiful is Grace's description. The contrast in baby Signa's calm reaction to the visage of death all around her immediately sets her apart, giving her an untouchable quality.

I chose this title from Netgalley having previously enjoyed the fantasy adventure; All The Stars And Teeth, you can find my review HERE.
This time Grace leans into the horror genre with main character Signa's ability to walk between life and death, communing with angry spirits and taunting the Reaper himself.

Belladonna is told from third person perspective, past tense with Signa being the only focus- Perhaps owing to this I found the pacing a slow at times.
There was much repetition of how Signa perceived herself and others, evaluating every choice she made and whether they were correct for someone of her societal stature. I thought this tedious though not quite as much as Signa getting flustered by every single man she interacts with. It's likely this is just personal preference as I'm never a big fan of romance subplots.

What held my interest were the mysteries of Thorn Grove, Grace managed to endear me to almost all of the characters in Belladonna and certainly invest in their fates. There are red herrings aplenty in this story and enough hints to niggle the back of your mind whilst navigating a plot which at its core tells of a girl born into the clutches of Death.

The pacing ramps up as expected toward the end of the novel and the few irritants I had became easy to overlook.
I would recommend this YA fantasy and I'll definitely pick up the sequel 'Foxglove' to see what Signa Farrow does next.

I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! The prose is beautiful and the characters are so wonderfully created. A truly brilliant read! I absolutely was not expecting that ending and I desperately need the sequel NOW!

From the first chapter I knew I was going to love this book. I love the style of writing, the characters, the story just everything about it! Especially how beautiful the cover is (which is what initially caught my attention!) It has murder mystery, ghosts, the underworld, and even a hint of Bridgerton. I found this to be a real page turner, the twists and turns made me not want to put it down. This book kept me guessing and trying to piece it all together the whole way through. I found myself really torn between Death and Sylas and wanting to read more to find out what was going to happen. I just feel that everything about this book is so well done. I was over the moon when I finished the book and realised it’s been left open for a sequel! Can’t wait for the next one!!

A delicious mystery with many twists and turns that kept me captivated the whole way through.

Belladonna is the sort of book that keeps you on your toes, and gives you enough from the first page to keep you completely invested. I loved the mystery in the book and I didn't see the final twist coming at all (although I may have been able to predict a couple of the plot twists in there!)

I loved Signa Farrow as a protagonist. Signa is the sort of girl who has been through so much that it makes her such a strong character. Her relationships with everyone in the book were honestly a treat to explore - especially her relationship with Death. I loved how you could really tell how her isolation has effected her, and it leaves room for some hilariously awkward interations, as well as cementing a drive in Signa that I really liked.

Overall, this was a really interesting book and I can't wait to continue with this series in the future.

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Having been interested in necromancers ever since I first came across them in the Diablo games, this book intrigued me for its casting of a young, affluent girl in this haunting role contrary to the popular image of someone who had control over death. Adalyn’s writing is graceful throughout and the references to nature was sweet, adding much nuance to this otherwise grim topic. The nods to the chrysanthemum, a flower deeply associated with death in most East Asian cultures, and oolong was a nice nod as well to the interconnectedness of our world even through the Victorian era. Overall, this is a fun read that is likely to be immensely popular given how big dark academia is and the whole enemies to lovers trope is.

Premise was great but the execution was disappointing. I loved the gothic vibes but the story and romance was lacklustre and something I didn’t care about. I really enjoyed this authors other books though.

Belladonna was a fun read, if not particular original or groundbreaking. It was well written and imaginative, but ultimately a cookie-cutter YA romance with a predictable plot and a "chosen one" narrative.

Signa Farrow was an interesting protagonist, and I found the premise intriguing. The pacing was good, with a decent gothic mystery to push the plot along. Despite nothing coming as a surprise, and each potential twist, including the cliffhanger being not so much foreshadowed, as floodlit with a big neon sign, it was still an immensely enjoyable reading experience.

Where my enjoyment fell a little flat was in the characterisation of a lot of the secondary characters, and the motivations of the antagonist. There were some pretty big leaps that led to the ultimate reveal that really broke my immersion, and there were a host of characters who were not really developed, and used more as props. I've also got a pretty huge issue with the YA obsessions with ancient beings falling in love with young girls. It's just weird, and kind of gross.

Still, I enjoyed reading Belladonna and will definitely read the next book when it comes out. I'm already predicting a love triangle to finish up my YA romance trope bingo card.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for granting me an ARC.

I enjoyed this a lot! Initially I thought I wasn't going to, because the start of the book is a bit rough and kind of... abrupt? After a prologue where we learn about Signa, our main character's origins, it launches straight into Signa trying to stab Death (unsuccessfully), learning that she can kill people by touching them after she kills her aunt, and then being sent to her relative's house. It's just kind of a lot?

I'm happy to say that after the beginning the pacing becomes more normal and I got pretty absorbed, especially when the murder mystery really starts. I also really liked the romance.

I did have some issues with the writing style, and some of the dialogue wasn't so good - the "banter" between Signa and Death felt forced sometimes. On the plus side the author stuck to a period appropriate style of speech (at least to my ear - I'm not an expert), unlike so many books with historical settings where characters talk exactly like modern people.

The plot gets wrapped up nicely, but there is a sequel hook at the very end (not a cliffhanger though).

If you like the sound of a gothic murder mystery and a romance with Death himself, give this one a try. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this ARC. This was fantastic - I loved the authors first duologu and this was even better. A lush, atmospheric setting with a unique love story and a mystery throughout. I cannot wait for the sequel! Also the UK cover is absolutely stunning.

This is an intreguing story about a woman who is cheating death. Signa becomes more and more likeable as you read more of the book and theres enough distrust in the characters around her to make you question everything.

belladonna takes us to a gothic-infused paranormal fantasy where we follow signa’s journey in the hawthornes’ thorn grove estate as Death constantly looms nearby. it was unique and genuinely one of the books that has the most stunning prose & writing i’ve ever laid my eyes on. the pace that was extremely slow (or at least for me) and my unfamiliarity with the genre were the only reasons i had to put it down for at least a month. the writing is hard to follow at first but you’ll find it more beautiful and engaging every time you opened a page.

the mystery is (as it turns out) not as boring as i had imagined it to be. there’ll be at least one person dying in every chapter (/j) and that’s where the thrill lies! some characters are truly loveable and i enjoy watching their relationship begin to grow as they work to rebuild everything from scratch. i keep suspecting everyone and was fortunately wrong in each one so yeah it was a fun read! it also has plenty of masquerade ball scenes so if you’re into it then, have a feast! the progression of the story was also really good and landed on an ending i was definitely satisfied with; there aren’t any large unresolved questions, but there’s enough crumbs to make you curious for more. like, the epilogue? cannot wait for foxglove!

arc kindly provided by hodder & stoughton via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

honestly such a quick and easy read. the world building and the characters were also on-point and i was hooked from the prologue. this entire book is just *chefs kiss* on delivery and execution!

Signa is a wealthy orphan shunted from guardian to guardian after each succumbs to an untimely demise. Is she cursed, or is Death just trying to make her life as miserable as possible? It doesn't help that she doesn't seem capable of dying herself, and sees Death whenever she has a near-death experience. When Signa goes to Thorn Grove, she finds a family she wants to stay with - and she'll do anything to keep them safe.

But with a mysterious poisoner on the loose and Death following her every move, keeping her relatives alive could come at a deadly cost.

A mystery romance novel with Death as a major character? Belladonna is superb! It has creepy, gothic vibes, brilliant characters, vengeful ghosts and lots of poisons. I cannot wait for book two!

Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Adalyn Grace for an advanced copy of Belladonna in exchange for my honest review.

As soon as I read the blurb for Belladonna, I knew I had to read this book. I loved everything about the premise of the book.
Signa Farrow has been surrounded by death her whole life. Orphaned as a baby, she’s made her way through several guardians over the years – some better than others, but all who have met an untimely end. With the death of her latest guardian, Sign goes to live with the Hawthornes, the family of her late cousin. Elijah, the head of the family, hosts party after party to mourn his wife, his son Percy is up tight and wishes his father would pass control of the business onto him instead, and his daughter Blythe is suffering from the same mystery illness as her mother. When her cousin’s spirit comes to her to say she was poisoned, it’s down to Signa and a stable boy called Sylas to solve the mystery. Oh, and Death.

As someone who is a huge fan of the Terry Pratchett books that focus on Death, I wanted to see how he’d be portrayed in someone else’s world. I love the idea of someone having a friendship with Death – Signa’s dislike for him, how they navigate through the story with those issues.

The writing style was exactly what I like to read, and Adalyn writes with such descriptions sometimes that I had to stop and re-read a line or two a few times because it was just beautiful.

I loved watching Signa navigate through the world she was thrown into and the murder mystery. Some of the twists I was able to work out, and some were just a huge surprise to me. Absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next one. In the meantime, I may have to go and read All The Stars and Teeth!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing an eARC to review!

After not really being a fan of the All the Stars and Teeth duology, I was interested to give Grace another go. Was this perfect? No, but compared to that other series at least this was a bit unique and things happened! (a low bar I know)

I think the best way I could describe this is Kingdom of the Wicked meets Stalking Jack the Ripper, with a dash of Bridgerton thrown in for good measure. We've got it all - courting, a masquerade ball, murder, ghosts, and let's not forget - woohooing the grim reaper.

Signa is a bit 'not like other girls' but I like the way that it was done, and how the book explored Signa's struggle (as one of the uninitiated) to fit in with society's demanding rules and expectations. The relationship between her and Death was very Darklina, and some of the lines felt lifted straight from Shadow and Bone, but if it ain't broke don't fix it I guess.

I feel the trend of girl falls in love with devil/demon is probably soon due to run its course, but this was a bit of fun. Was it a bit ridiculous at times? Sure, but at least it was entertaining. I will say though I'm not sure where this fits genre-wise - with a protagonist who is turning 20 and the Kingdom of the Wicked vibes it feels like its more new adult/adult fantasy, but the rest of the book and its tropes feel quite YA.

Rating: 3.5 solid stars!

I actually really liked it! I can’t say that it was the best book I’ve ever read but it was exactly what I was in the mood for. Something gothic, not scary but still dark. Can recommend it to people who like Schwab!

Adalyn Grace laughed in the face of my high expectations for "Belladonna" and absolutely smashed them to pieces. What an amazingly well thought out and executed story with a top-notch plot and fantastic characters.
I could kick myself for having this in my TBRs for the past 4 and a half months when it has turned out to be easily one of my favourite reads of the year!

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review

Wow - this one had me hooked from the first chapter. I adored Signa, she was such a strong lead to follow. Determination and willingness are just some of the words to describe Signa. We follow Signa as she moves into another home of relations who will look after her till she comes of age, this has been happening since she was a young baby. A lot happens in this book, but the world-building explains everything when you need the information. Signa has to literally deal with all the death around her, while dealing with Death himself. This is an amazing start to what I am hoping is going to be an amazing series. I am so excited for the next installment already!