Some books are great and some books are terrible. For me this book fell in the middle, it was ok, but a strong Ok.

Everything was very quick. The reading, the events, the emotions all happened very quickly which gave little time to become familiar with the world and the characters.
The love story was instant love and not something I'm a fan of, I prefer the build up to the romance. It came off like Romeo and Juliette in more ways than one.
The points leading up to the events were fast paced and I'd have like a little more time for it to all set in. However, It was all very clear what was happening and offered little mystery around the events. Could have done with another sprinkle of gothic-ness; more ghosts, more bump in the night.
The characters were OK (I know i'm using that word a lot). I found Emily to be quite childish, but it was understandable from her upbringing. Ashley too was a product of her upbringing. Wyn....felt underdeveloped and then thrust into the forefront of the story. His whole story could do with its own book.

The language was what I really disliked. The modern speak used within the text felt forced and I'm sure will date the text even within a year. the use of 'Unalived' really jarred me. There are other colloquial words and phrases which just didn't need to be used, but seemed to be included to make the text cool/hip/ whatever the phrase is now. As a book described as Gothic I just didn't think this was needed.

Overall an ok read.Grab this book now, before its out of date and enjoy it on a rainy weekend with a nice cup of hot tea.

I loved this book! The perfect witchy read for this time of year. I found the story intriguing and fast, and look forward to reading more from this series.

The narrative centres on Emily, who relocates from the UK to Savannah, Georgia, following the death of her father. Living with her grandmother and aunt, she soon discovers her family's long-hidden secret: they possess a magical lineage. The plot thickens when she encounters Wyn, a mysterious boy whose circumstances prove equally complex.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its richly atmospheric setting, which perfectly complements the story’s mystical themes. While the plot is relatively straightforward and its twists predictable, the fast-paced nature and immersive environment kept the narrative compelling. Though the romance between Emily and Wyn progresses quickly, it feels appropriate given the youthful age of the protagonists.

This is the perfect book if you enjoy YA.

3.5/5.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A very nice witchy book for the fall season. I liked the setting, family dynamics and slight gothic vibes, but the romance was a bit too quick for my tastes.

3.5 stars

After the death of Emily's father, she has to pack up and move to Savannah to live with her grandmother and auntie. It is there that she discovers that she’s a witch.

I fell in love with Savannah based on the beautiful descriptions. The descriptions provided by the author through the storytelling brought the place to life in my mind.

The Bell House and the magic that filled its walls sounded so inviting too, while also having a strange eerie vibe to it. I loved how the magic extended not just to the family but also to their home.

I did get tripped up a bit by the very modern language used throughout, as well as by the pace. This is a very slow burn and while enjoyable, it can also be hard to get through.

Perfect gothic read for autumn. Once you start you would not want to put it down. It was definitely a quick read. That being said , I thought the romance aspect was a bit too fast paced in relation to the mystery and fantasy/magical elements of the book. Overall a good read.

I'm really not the target audience for this one, but I do love a good autumnal read.

The story started off slow, but it picked up once the magical elements surfaced. I was close to DNFing this but I ended up getting into it the more I read, with the gradual reveals and secrets keeping me engaged.

However, the romance left me wanting more. While I understand the instant attraction, it felt rushed, and I couldn’t really invest in the relationship the way it was presented. I wish there had been more development and spark between Emily and Wyn.

As much as I enjoyed the overall atmosphere and magical elements, I would have loved to see more depth in Emily and Wyn’s relationship.

Thank you NetGally for this ARC in return for an honest review

4.5 stars

If you are looking for a gothic and witchy young adult fantasy this Autumn then you need to put The Bell Witches on your tbr! I absolutely devoured this one and found myself transported to Savannah alongside Emily.

I loved the whole premise of this story and I quickly found myself needing to know more about the Bell family and their abilities. While I have never visited Savannah I could easily imagine myself there and the gothic atmosphere was just perfect for the setting.

Emily was a fantastic character who finds herself in a whole new country and learning about her ancestors and her powers. I really liked her character development. I liked the friendships she makes and while the romance was a bit too instant for me I still really liked her relationship with Wyn. I liked how safe they felt with each other and considering everything going on they definitely needed each other.

Overall an amazing, addictive and gripping witchy fantasy that is perfect for this time of year. I love Lindsey's writing and cannot wait to read more!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! The world building was fab and the story had me at the edge of my seat! Lindsey did an excellent job with the chacaters and I really felt like I was exploring a new world

An absolute delight! I have loved all of Lindsey Kelk's rom-coms and retellings but was excited to see a new genre for her and it truly is magical. The Bell Witches is YA but has the same cozy mystical feeling as the Practical Magic series. It's about 16 year old Emily, who lives with her dad in a cottage in Wales until a tragic accident occurs. An aunt she knew nothing about whisks her off to live in her grandmother's historic mansion on one of the oldest squares in Savannah, Georgia. When she meets a boy named Wyn under a tree draped in Spanish moss she feels an instant spark, and their connection only becomes more electric as the book progresses. The imagery in this book is as beautiful as the characters and storyline, and I urge you to check out Lindsey Kelk's Instagram stories as well as she has what is now a 5 part tour of the scenes in The Bell Witches. I watched them after I finished reading it and was surprised how close they were to how I imagined them. Such a beautiful and fun story to read, I sure hope there will be a sequel!

“Light hides the lies; truth lives in the dark”

Let me start by saying what an absolute pleasure it has been reading this ARC. At 60% in I had pre order the Waterstones signed edition and booked myself onto Lindsey Kelks event at their Liverpool store (November 13th for those of you wanting to get in as well).

If you loved Charmed growing up, but added The Covens addition of cool, then I think we’ve hit the sweet spot that The Bell Witches is offering. If you’re looking for a cosy witchy read this year, this has to be added to your TBR immediately. To add a little extra, head over to Kelks Instagram and she’s even given tours of the areas which inspired the book and I have to say, her writing was so beautiful it was exactly how I’d imagined the places in my head. Okay so maybe I should pause on hyping this up and tell you more about why I loved it so much.

We follow Emily who’s father tragically dies leaving her an orphan, faced with her only living relatives being in Savannah, Georgia she has to leave her home in Wales, England and move across the world to start a new life with her aunt and grandmother. THIS is where the fun begins. In strolls Wyn, and as any 16 year old there ensues a connection and spark that stays as PG as a 16 year old should, remember I said this is cosy so don’t come here for that. As she moves further into her secret family history with her Grandmother the two relationships play alongside each other growing a more complicated set of obstacles for Emily to overcome.
I should mention the friendship that Emily strikes with Lydia, I really loved the sisterhood and if this ever became a series of books I would LOVE to see that explored. Very wholesome, made me miss my friends.
The Savannah setting for this book is perfect, the details in the writing to make you feel as though you’re really absorbed into this world is fantastic. Some of this was predictable, but what seasoned witch loving enthusiast doesn’t suss these out, but there were a few chapters that literally had me put my kindle down and ask my cat what the actual hell. Please return after the final few chapters and tell me you didn’t fly through them like you were reading for your life.

To summarise, I loved this book if you couldn’t tell already. I can’t wait to pick up the stunning edition of ordered to adorn my shelves. If you’re a fan of stunning covers and sprayed edges, don’t sleep on this one.

Thank you to NetGallery for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins and Lindsey Kelk for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Discover the Magic of The Bell Witches!
Just finished reading The Bell Witches and I am absolutely enchanted! 🧙‍♀️✨ Dive into the world of Emily as she embarks on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery 🕵️‍♀️, unearthing her family's secrets and an ancient prophecy. This book is a perfect blend of mystery and magic, and trust me, once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down! 💫😍

If you're looking for your next captivating read that combines whimsy and intrigue, this is the one for you! 📖💕

When Emily's father dies, she is sent to live with an aunt and grandmother, a family she didn't even know existed. But all is not what it seems, it turns out she comes from a family of witches!

This was such an amazing cosy fantasy. It was filled with witchcraft, romance, crazy family dynamics and so much more!

I found myself instantly drawn in by all the Bell family secrets, and could have never guessed where this story was going.

I am well and truly into my autumn reading mood, and this one was the perfect fall read.

I am a huge fan of Lyndsey kelk books and when i heard she was bringing out a ya witchy book i was all over that!

This is the story of Emily who is sent to Savannah to live with her only remaining family an Aunt and her Grandmother. She soon finds that all is not as it seems and that they are witches, soon she's caught up in her new mysterious life and also meets Wyn who she falls for and very quickly too, just as i would expect of teenagers.

Really loved it and can't wait to see whats next!

First of all, I would just like to thank NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk and HarperCollins UK for an ARC of “The Bell Witches” in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I was first approved for this ARC because I LOVE Lindsey Kelk. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The prose and the setting were beautiful. I really felt like I was in Savannah, and it was so abundantly clear that Lindsey had done her research.

However, considering Lindsey is a romcom author, I expected so much more from the romantic relationship in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such “Insta-love” before. This is INSTA, INSTA love. I’m talking, exchanging “I love you’s” by their third time meeting, over the course of about a week. I felt there was no chemistry between them at all, because there was no development. It was so rushed and instantaneous, I was shocked.

The plot was quite predictable and very slow paced- which made the book much harder to get through than it perhaps should have been.

I’m so disappointed because I love Lindsey as an author- “Love Me Do” is one of my favourite books- but this book just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.

I love Lindsey's books so was excited to read this. It was quite different to her usual style, being a YA novel but I still enjoyed it.

I knew I had to read this as soon as I heard about it. I've been a fan of Lindsey Kelk for about 14 years now when I first read "I Heart New York".
The Bell Witches follows Emily as she moves from Wales to Savannah,to live with her paternal grandmother and aunt, following the death of her father. once there she discovers she's a witch and learns about her family history.
This was a classic witch coming of age story with a Lindsey twist on it. I loved it. I found Emily to be believable as a character and I can't wait to see what she does next. I'm hoping we get more of Lydia and that she regains her family's gifts. Wyn is a complicated one as in his storyline, I can't predict what'll happen next but I can't wait to find out.
I have so many questions at the end of this book that the second book is needed now.

I went to a recent event and Lindsey did a reading from the start of this book and talked about it so passionately that I was intrigued and got an ARC via Netgalley. I have to say I am not the target audience (YA) for this book so that may have affected my opinion. I wasn't a fan of some of the language used (pet hate 'unalived) and felt the book was ok to start with...but then it picked up towards the last quarter of the book and I have to say the ending has left me intrigued...

I think The Bell Witches is more suited to a younger audience, potentially as they'll be able to relate to Emily and the complexities of being a teenager, with the added bonus of her being a witch.

I enjoyed the plot but I admit I did cringe a couple of times when Emily and Wyn were talking and Wyn delivered the most cringe-worthy dialogue. Maybe it's just a case of me being an old fogey now and not appreciating romance, who knows?

I felt sorry for Ashley towards the end. At first I thought she was just really miserable and grumpy for the pettiest of reasons but it all made sense in the end.

I predicted the plot twist surrounding Wyn pretty early on so it wasn't a surprise when it happened and I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it.

All in all, a good read but will probably be more appreciated by the under 20's.

The Bell Witches is a fun and lighthearted witchy romance that's perfect for a fall weekend read. It follows the story of Emily Taylor, a young woman who is forced to return to her hometown of Bellington after her grandmother dies. Emily is not happy to be back in Bellington, but she soon finds herself drawn to the town's annual witch festival.
The festival is full of fun and quirky characters, and Emily is soon caught up in the excitement. She also finds herself falling for the town's handsome vicar, Tom. But things aren't as simple as they seem, and Emily will soon have to confront her past and her own feelings if she wants to find happiness.
Kelk writes a charming and witty story that is sure to make you laugh. The characters are all well-developed and likable, and the setting of Bellington is both picturesque and charming. If you're looking for a fun and heartwarming read, I highly recommend The Bell Witches.
Here are a few things I liked about The Bell Witches:
* The witty and charming writing
* The likable characters
* The picturesque setting
* The fun and heartwarming story
Here are a few things I didn't like about The Bell Witches:
* The plot was a bit predictable
* The ending was a bit rushed
Overall, The Bell Witches is a fun and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy.