"But Death did not need to be seen; he was to be felt. He was a weight upon the chest, or a collar buttoned too tight. A fall into frigid, lethal waters. Death was suffocating, and he was ice."

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read Belladonna by Adalyn Grace. In case someone doesn’t want to stick around for the full post, Belladonna is a fantastic read, perfect if you’re a fan of the V. E. Schwab books, The invisible life of Addie LaRue and Gallant.

Belladonna comes out on the 30th of August and was published by Hodder & Stoughton. It’s a young adult book, and can be further classified as YA fantasy or YA thriller or mystery. It’s 416 pages long and beautifully written. I can 100% imagine all the merchandise that people can make from this because the book is pretty quotable. I hate saying that but it’s true! I have 101 lines highlighted on my kindle! Belladonna is also the first book in the series by the same name, and while I’m not sure how many books we’ll get from the series, I can already tell you that I will request the second one on NetGalley as soon as I can and probably get pretty hardcover editions of all of them. The second book is titled Foxglove (according to Goodreads).

"It’s also not Adalyn Grace’s first book. She’s also the author of All the Stars and Teeth duopoly, which seems to have incredibly well received (NYT called the it the biggest YA fantasy of 2020)."

Signs has always been surrounded by poison; her parents death at a young age to her immunity from belladonna. As an heiress, she’s also been surrounded by poisonous people, who really just want access to her money so that they can finance their lives. As she moves to her final guardians home, she discovers that she may have the chance to actually live the life that she wants; one where she is a lady and be wooed and swept off her feet and have her own home. It’s just the home that she gets to is in disarray as her aunt has died and her cousin lies there kicking on deaths door.

"Signa trembled like a hummingbird. Someone had truly arrived to retrieve her. To whisk her away to a family high within the social hierarchy, with whom she might wear beautiful gowns and sip tea with other women and have the life she yearned for."

Signa, as a charter goes through tremendous growth. She starts off as someone who doesn’t understand what her abilities could mean and is ready to be rescued, to someone who takes action when she needs to. She knows that if she doesn’t investigate, this group of people, who she is getting fond of, could all be gone soon; the life that she wanted could be gone, and she works to keep it.:

I did feel like her relationship with Death was done a bit too quickly; I wish it had developed more. The way it was, it felt more like brutal attraction rather than something more.

"Why, then, was it that whenever she was with him, something within her seared hot and fervent?"

I loved how Blythe and Percy were set up, although I don’t understand what Percy’s plan for Blythe was, given that I know he did love her in some way. Byron was absolved too quickly, and I wish we had seen more of Charlotte in the book.

I really did love how Adalyn Grace showed us that these young women, despite their wealth and, seemingly, good fortune, were trapped. It was also good to see Signa grow out of the desire to be one of them quickly. It was also really funny to see that it’s hinted to Signa that her mother, despite being very interesting and beautiful, wasn’t really a nice person, and that she just brushes it off and thinks that she could be more free like her mother.

While the plot and the characters were great, the best thing about this book is Adalyn Grace's beautiful, lyrical style of writing! If you give this a read, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Have you ever read a book that pulls you into its world and never lets go? Belladonna was that book for me.

I was deeply immersed in this novel that I forgot the time. The gothic setting paired with fantasy and paranormal themes were an addictive pairing. I was drawn in by the a mysterious, yet intense love interest and a girl who could literally see spirits and Death himself. It was fascinating to see the main character, Signa Farrow throughout her journey into learning more about her power and connection with Death.

Belladonna’s pacing was heartstopping. Reveals and plot twists were surprisingly shocking. Especially toward the end where I totally did not see coming.

Super easy read with a nice story and nice characters, although it didn't blow me away as much as I wanted it to. But the overall idea was good, I just wanted MORE. Maybe another book, just to see what happens and if the story plays out how I wanted it to.

This book was the perfect mix of gothic mystery and the romance was built up perfectly!! I love the side characters and especially how she could bond with so many great female characters, which is something that we often miss out in YA fiction.

Of all the characters in the book, I especially love Death and Sylas, however one minor issue is that Sylas and Signa have really similar names so I get them mixed up when I'm skimming. (But this is totally a "me" problem and not the authors!

The plot was immaculate and I loved the pacing and the prose. The story was developed super well but I felt that the plot twist was a bit predictable but the ending was great! Can't wait for the next book to come.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was perfection to me! It was exciting and mysterious from the start and kept me hooked the whole time! I am a big fan of fantasy and murder mystery and this was the best mix of both I have read so far! Adalyn writes so fluently and smooth, that I had no trouble with reading at all. The scenes are laid out beautiful and I could picture everything in detail! The way Adalyn describes how Signa felt and thought made me connect with her tremendously.

My interest in this book was immediate after I read about the murder mystery and the alliance with Death himself. The story follows Signa Farrow, who has a strong connection with Death. He has been following her around her entire life while she ends up with different guardians, as she was orphaned as a baby. Now, at her latest residence, she sets out to prevent more deaths and solve a murder.

I cannot wait for the sequel!! I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, historical settings, gothic vibes, a little romance and a murder mystery! I will read more of Adalyn in the near future!

I absolutely loved Belladonna! The general concept of death is so different to anything I've read so far, it was great.

Signa is such a strong character, I really loved the character growth throughout the book and the moments where she doubted what she wanted from life and what was actually important to her. Death and Sylas were also great characters, I loved the emotional moments from Death in particular. It's a really lovely spin on mortality and the way Death's character arc was written just pulled on my heartstrings.

The plot grabs you right from the first chapter, the way it's written is very addictive and I just wanted to find out what was going to happen. The pace is consistent throughout, I didn't find it slow at any points and just wanted to keep reading. Belladonna is the perfect combination of genres too, there's fantasy, historical fiction, a murder mystery, plus a few gruesome horror descriptions - it's brilliant. If you liked House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig, this is definitely one for you!

The epilogue is so good, I'm glad there's going to be a sequel. I've actually preordered Belladonna after reading the ARC because I want a physical copy on my shelves!

4 stars.

Going into this book, I had high expectations because the concept sounded so appealing to me. I'm glad to say that this absolutely blew me away!! I was so taken in by the gorgeous writing style and worldbuilding, and I found myself falling in love with the characters as the plot progressed (especially Death - no surprises there!). Signa was such an interesting protagonist with unique abilities that I really enjoyed reading about.

Whilst I loved the characters of Signa and Death, their relationship didn't draw me in until the end of the book. I was also interested in the side characters and would've liked to know more about them outside of the central mystery.

Nevertheless, a stunning read that I absolutely loved. I can't wait to see where the story goes in the sequel - I just can't believe I'll have to wait so long for the sequel!!

Signa is touched by Death, but survives every time. When her last guardian dies, she realises she can see Death, and starts arguing with him. She goes to live with the widower and children of a cousin - but the estate is mysterious, her cousin's death has unresolved questions, and one of the family has the same mysterious disease. The mysterious stableboy who came to fetch her is by turns fascinating and infuriating, and Signa has to learn how fashionable society works alongside solving the mysteries of the estate and communicating with Death.

I really enjoyed this! Signa was a great heroine, and I enjoyed her thoughts on food and society as well as considering her place in it, and her fury with Death. The mystery was a good one and overall it was a really good read. Recommended!

I didn't know much about this book going in, but I was pleasantly surprised with the gothic, fantasy romance and the mystery aspects of the story. Signa was a great main character, we could clearly see her character development, and her taking charge when she needed to. She and her decisions moved the plot forward which I always love to see, and Death was also a very intriguing character who stole my heart by the end! Blythe and Percy and Signa's relationship (they're Signa's cousins) was so sweet I wished we'd have seen more of it! Overall a really great book, and I am highly anticipating the sequel of it that's for sure!a

Imagine Bridgerton, but with ghosts, that's what this gothic romance brings to the table. From the spooky setting ofThorn Grove, to the mysteries to be solved, to the morally grey romance, this book just brings it all. A super unique read where 'weird girl' Signa finds her home.

I had gotten myself in a reading slump and had put off reading this until the last minute. But now that I've read it I wished I had done so sooner as I really enjoyed this book!

Our main character is Signa Farrow who, after being orphaned during a mass poisoning/murder at a party which killed her mother (which isn't really delved into and the only major disappointment I had with this book), she has been unable to die and can see Death - and he can see her. Unfortunately, every guardian she's been sent to has died so far while she's been in their care, and with only a few months before she can legally access her inheritance, she's been shipped off to another guardian in Thorn Grove.

In a change of events, someone (her Aunt) has already died before she got there, and it looks like her cousin is about to go the same way - and so, beginnings this gothic mystery to discover what is killing off this family and how she can save her cousin. All while learning how to master her powers with the help of Death and be a respectable lady in the hopes of finding a husband.

The author has done a fantastic job of keeping everything in good balance - the mystery, the romance, the drama etc. I found Signa to be a very interesting heroine, especially in a Regency era setting (think Bridgeton, but with ghosts) where she has to juggle her powers, deal with her love/hate relationship with Death, and her big debut into society.

I did initially roll my eyes at the stereotypical YA romance between Death and Silas (the typical 1 female MC and 2 male romances) - but then that plot twist at the end!

I'm genuinely looking forward to the sequel, Foxglove, to see how everything plays out, because cliff hanger.

One of the best YA fantasy novels that you want to look out for this year!

Belladonna is not the kind of story that I thought I would end up loving, but Adalyn Grace worked her magic from Page One. A dark, intriguing YA Gothic Fantasy about a girl who can see ghosts but cannot die, and her strange connection with Death himself--Belladonna is equal parts coming-of-age romance and murder mystery combined in one. Here are 5 reasons you should read this book:

- An incredibly smart, strong female protagonist who is charming and hilariously relatable
- A wonderfully cast of well-developed, three-dimensional characters
- Stunning world-building set in
- Beautifully depicted themes of grief, loss, love and recovery
- Eerily unnerving hauntings, perfectly befitting a novel about ghosts
- Intriguing murder mystery with unexpected plot twists
- Just the right amount of darkly seductive, enemies-to-lovers romance...with the Grim Reaper himself.

One of the best YA novels of the year!

Signa cannot die. She doesn't know why or how but that's how things are. However, she finds out that she can see and feel Death, and he's always been around taking away the people who were taking care of her, no matter if they were good or bad. When the family of her latest guardian is in danger though, Signa wants to find out what's going on. Who killed her guardian's wife and why is his daughter on the deathbed? She'll have to work closely with Death to discover the culprit and save the only family she has ever known.

This book is full of plot twists, one after the other. You can't even phantom who the culprit is until Signa herself finds out. The book ends with a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to read about Signa's new adventure!

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced copy of Belladonna in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I absolutely loved this dark, gothic, paranormal, romance mystery story. From the start meeting the protagonist Signa Farrow, orphaned as a babe in arms as her mother is poisoned by Belladona, that by all rights should have killed het too, to meeting her in her late teens when once again another guardian meets a fatal end, she is an absolute charmer, displaying all the characteristics of a truly engaging character!
Plus, trying to stab Death with a dagger gives definite plus points, and trust me Death plays a massive role in Signa’s story.

This book follows Signa to the home of her latest guardian following a trail of dead guardians, that has led to Signa being dubbed a ‘cursed orphan’, but she soon encounters Death and a whole paranormal murder mystery, which she needs to solve for both her and her newly adopted family’s future.

I really wish I could tell you so much more about this book, it totally pulled me in and was the most pleasant way to manage a 5 hour flight delay! Now all I have to do is grit my teeth, bite my nails and wait for the next instalment following that firecracker of a cliff hanger at the end…Adalyn Grace how could you!?!

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

One of the most refreshing YA Gothic Fantasy Romances that I’ve read in forever, Belladonna by Adalyn Grace centres around Signa, an orphan set to inherit a vast fortune upon reaching adulthood and thus, is subjected to being shuffled around several greedy relatives. Unfortunately for those relatives, Signa’s ‘cursed’—unable to die yet followed by death in both literal and metaphorical sense. One by one, those relatives meet their untimely end and with each demise, Death appears, either to collect waiting souls or summoned by Signa’s new suicide attempt. This, of course, causes Signa to hate Death as she believes him to be the source of her ‘curse’ which would lead to her being unable to marry (ngl, I laughed at this because I didn’t think Signa would be that type of shallow until I remembered what period this book is set in).

As Signa nears her 18th birthday, she is sent to live with her last remaining relatives: the Hawthorne Family at Thorn Grove who have their own curse as well. Their home is haunted by the ghost of Lillian, the wife of the Hawthorne patriarch, and Blythe is dying of the same illness that took her mother. Things come to a head when Lillian confronts Signa, claiming she was poisoned, and that’s when the race against time begins. To help Lillian find peace by finding the culprit while trying to prevent Blythe’s death, Signa will need to work together with Death.

The mystery aspect of Belladonna is hands down my utmost favourite thing in this book. There is just the perfect amount of tension, twists and turns, and a quick enough pace to keep me hooked. I had my suspicions but ultimately, didn’t see the final revelation coming. I loved how things turned out and was pleasantly surprised by the way Signa handled the aftermath too.

Nevertheless, I’m gonna be honest and admit that Signa is not my favourite type of heroine. As aforementioned, she’s shallow, though I understand that’s most likely resultant of the time period and her upbringing. Signa is also very impulsive and while I get that without her impulsiveness we wouldn’t have a book as quick-paced as it is, I also can’t help but wish that she would just stop and use her common sense once in a while.

Death, on the other hand, is a very sweet and understanding love interest. He’s the much better version of Greek God Hades and I really liked the tenderness he has for Signa and the souls, and the banter he shares with Signa. However, the romance between Death and Signa went from 0 to 100 very quickly. Thinking about it from Death’s perspective, it makes sense because he’s been waiting for a being like her for a long time already. But, in Signa’s, it just makes her look like a very thirsty girl, especially considering how much she hated Death in the beginning.

Also, (ngl here too) if we view Death on the same plane of morality as us humans, he has major, undeniable creep vibes (he watched Signa grow up ya’ll). So yeah, I wouldn’t recommend reading Belladonna the way you’d read a romance between humans while expecting a healthy relationship, because Death here is definitely not human.

Anyway, if you’re looking for an unconventional YA romance that also delivers what it says it will deliver (in this case, romance, murder and mystery), then Belladonna is a must-read.

DNF @ 30%

I really really really wanted to like this. I was so happy to have received an arc, but its been over a month I picked this up and I simply don´t feel like reading it anymore. I got so bored and just completely lost my interest. I´m always a bit reluctant to dnf arcs but I need to remind myself that just because I received one, I´m not obligated to finish reading it if I don´t enjoy it.

I might pick this up again in the future, but for now this will be a dnf.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and spooky novel of death, society, expectations, and a murder plot disguised as an illness. Cursed from birth, Signa Farrow is followed by Death. Not just that people around her die - actually, the entity, Death, cloaked in shadows and speaking to her. Incapable of dying, Signa has been passed between a host of guardians who were more interested in her fortune than her wellbeing, until she ends up at the house of the enigmatic Hawthorne family. There, she meets reclusive Elijah, the patriarch mourning the loss of his wife, forgotten Percy, who is trying desperately to hold his family legacy together, and mortally ill Blythe, who is rapidly wasting away from the same 'disease' that killed her mother. Signa, with her ability to see restless spirits, is then motivated to solve the mystery facing her adoptive family, discover what's holding Death in her orbit, and make her debut into society. There's a lot going on here, and it's well handled. Adalyn Grace deftly weaves together the supernatural elements of investigation with the constricting obligations of society on Signa, and the restrictions that she faces by virtue of her gender. Well thought out, richly detailed, and honestly, just really interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and greatly look forward to the sequel!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would!!! I am absolutely obsessed over this beautifully gothic story. The characters, the setting, the back story, the plot, the TWIST!!! And that ending?! Are you trying to give me an early labour Adalyn!

We’re following Signa as she is passed from family member to family member throughout her life, each one meeting Death (most before their time) until she eventually finds herself at Thorn Grove where her strange abilities come into themselves and she embarks on a deadly murder mystery adventure whilst trying to show her willingness to join society.

I need the second book please and thank you. This is definitely in my top 5 of 2022 and I can’t thank the team at Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley enough for gifting me this arc.

Go preorder now…go go go

i was so pleasantly surprised by this book. i fell in love with its gothic vibe, the whole mystery of the protagonist, of her powers and the actual mystery she has to solve. the main character is so lovely, it's impossible to not care for her, and at the same time she's so fun and practical, i really really love her. there is something magical and at the same time unsettling in her whole relationship with death itself, this pull she feels, and the poison she now carries with herself for the whole novel. i loved how this was the center of the book, more than romance or the mystery plot.

A story of death, ghosts, murder and dark secrets. An intriguing, gothic-inspired read, and the mystery was deftly plotted, although the characters could have been more fleshed out. Not without its flaws, but I'm sure other readers will love this.