Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read in book in advance for free in exchange for my honest review.

What a great little book this was! The gothic/witchy vibes were amazing. I loved the main character, Emily: she was funny and relatable, and made me want to be her friend. Wyn almost instantly metled my heart. The other side characters were all amazing, and each felt well fleshed out. The writing was amazing, in that I could get lost in the story and pictured every character and the city very well. It didn't feel over the top, tryiing to be something it's not. It felt just right.
The plot was good: I didn't necessarily guess what would happen, which was also helped by the writing as I felt encouraged me to just go with the flow of the book and not try to desperately figure out what would happen.
Overall it was really entertaining, I had a great time reading it, and I will keep Lindsey Kelk on my radar for her next release!

I have read all of this authors book and I absolutely loved this book! It was absolutely perfect! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I enjoyed the world building most of all in this book even though we don’t get too much movement within the environment, I just loved the southern vibe and the way the house is depicted. The pacing of the book felt a little slow in parts and had what felt like filler moments.

I like the unique way of magic and how ancestral it is. The FMC is also a great character, finding her feet in a traditional southern town with a family she thought was dead.

My main criticism is I didnt like the ending, all book we’ve been realising her family’s intentions and near the end due to tragic circumstance there’s a massive U-Turn on their behaviour and intention. I didnt like how drastic that change of heart was regardless of the reason.

I’d rate it a 3.5 - 3.75.

Wow, that was certainly a ride. I loved parts of this book, but others kind of made cringe… for instance, the word “unalive” was used by two different characters to reference killing or death, and that broke immersion for me. I also wasn’t a fan of the insta-love the MC had with Wyn, but I guess her magic might explain that (I can’t say why without giving away plot details).

Overall, I had a good time reading this book and I’m interested in reading a sequel if it becomes a series. It wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but I think it explored some complex themes really well and the pacing felt right. I also really liked Ashley’s character development and I loved Lydia so much that I wish she were real. There was a lot done right in Lindsey Kelk’s latest novel.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️

it's really hard for me to review this book. on one hand, there were many things I really enjoyed about the story and the setting. on the other, some things annoyed me to hell.

let's start with the things I liked:
🔔 the setting: the atmosphere was unmatched. I have never been to Georgia or the South of the US in general, but I feel I was there while reading
🔔 found family
🔔 character development of some of the supporting characters

what I kind of hated:
🧙‍♀️ the insta love, why? there was so much potential in making this mortal enemies to lovers, and yet..
🧙‍♀️ the tension. now don't get me wrong, I love it when it's done well but in this instance it was so superficial, the high stakes didn't match the conflict, or at least not in the right way
🧙‍♀️ character development of the FMC

will I continue the series? probably. I just hope that some of the things that annoyed me will improve in the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Magpie, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
I really enjoyed Lindsey’s first YA fantasy novel. I enjoy reading fantasy, however, I struggle with fantasy that is extremely in-depth with world building with lots of things to get your head around and remember. So I felt The Bell Witches was perfect for me. Seeing Emily develop throughout the book and learning more about her parents, and her family history was a good journey to be part of. I would love to get to know more on Lydia and Jackson. Lydia, especially had a great personality that I hope we see more of in book two.
There was a lot of family drama with her grandmother and aunt, which Emily starts to uncover when she moves to Savannah Georgia.
I feel like the book was well done and I look forward to seeing where things go with Emily and Wyn in the sequel, and seeing how they move forward with what’s happened in book one.
there were some lovely quotes throughout the book with a lot of messages that you can take away from the book.
The one problem with reading an ARC of a book you have fallen in love with is that you have even longer to wait for the sequel.

This was not at all what I expected. I'd like to preface this review to say that I have read a number of YA books and loved them, so this isn't an issue of not being a fan of YA.

One thing I loved is the way the author transported you to the deep south. I've never been to America, but I could really get a sense of the heat and the community that surrounded our main character. That being said, the rest of the book fell a little flat for me.

I found the entire plot very predictable to the point where I guessed all the plot twists by about 20% of the way through. The romantic part of plot in my opinion had no depth to it. I understand the element of "fated mates" from basically every other fantasy book I've read, but this just felt a little too easy and quick. And for me, her age played another role in my dislike for the romance.

The other gripe I had was the modern language and the little added popular culture things such as Taylor Swift being shoehorned in it (I love Taylor but this just felt unnecessary and trying to force cool points).

All of this being said, I don't think this is a bad book. However, I would say that being published as a YA story is incorrect as it feels very young. I would say this is more like teen fiction, for those who would possibly believe the love story and appreciate the easy storytelling and modern language. For this reason, I have rated it 3 stars for a target audience of young teens.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early ARC.

Will be posted to my bookstagram @hanreadingjournal and on Goodreads.

Lindsey Kelk's *The Bell Witch* sets up an intriguing Southern gothic tale with a richly atmospheric setting in Savannah, Georgia. The novel introduces us to Emily, who, after her father’s death, is thrust into the enigmatic world of her aunt and grandmother, uncovering a family secret that’s steeped in magic. Kelk excels in painting vivid, detailed scenes that bring the haunting beauty of the Bell family home to life. Her descriptive writing is the novel's standout feature, capturing the eerie charm and the mysterious undercurrents that flow through the story.

However, despite the compelling setup, *The Bell Witch* struggles with pacing issues that detract from the overall experience. The narrative moves slowly, and while a slower pace can work in gothic fiction, here it often feels uneven. Key events that could have been more fully explored are instead glossed over, leaving readers wanting more depth and insight. On the flip side, certain moments are drawn out unnecessarily, as if the author was attempting to fill space rather than advance the story, which disrupts the flow and diminishes the tension.

When the action does arrive, it delivers excitement and intensity, but these moments are all too brief, leaving the reader craving more sustained engagement. The relationship between Emily and Wyn, which is central to the story, feels underdeveloped at times, lacking the depth and gradual build-up that could have made their connection more impactful.

In conclusion, *The Bell Witch* offers an atmospheric and visually rich reading experience, but its uneven pacing and occasional lack of depth hold it back from being truly compelling. Fans of Southern gothic tales might still find much to enjoy, especially in Kelk’s evocative descriptions, but the novel ultimately earns a 3-star rating for its inconsistencies in execution.

What’s not to love about a witchy mystery meets Lindsey Kelk ?? Wonderful setting, storyline and characters! I love this new genre for Kelk and I cannot wait to see what she does next! Highly recommended! Thanks so much to NetGalley and to the publisher for my ARC ✨

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 stars

I wanted to love this book so much. It had witches, secrets, werewolves and a historical setting! Unfortunately it just missed the mark for me. The romance sub plot felt rushed and too convenient. This was a fun coming to age storyline but the romance was distracting and didn’t fit.

Emily should have had a lot more questions than what she did. Wyn left and came back and she acted like he wasn’t gone for 2+ weeks. Her aunt tried to kill her and she just kind of shrugged and moved along. I feel like she should have questioned more things and researched information before just going along with half the things that happened.

Wyn came out of nowhere and left just as quickly. I do think his story arc could have been axed completely and we wouldn’t have missed much. I felt like most of what he brought was all bark no bite. He mentioned his pack was coming for him but no one showed up? Just felt way too convenient especially since they were worried about a dark force.

I liked the setting and learning about Bell House and the previous Bell witches. The aunt had a really cool storyline that was over shadowed by how hot and cold she was. The magic system was interesting and I would have enjoyed learning more about that.

I love Lindsey Kelk and I was very excited to read this and I enjoyed this YA title although I felt it lacked the specialness that you normally get from her writing. I did enjoy it and it gave me vampire diaries vibes when reading - but obviously witches! The characters are well written and the story is twisty enough to keep you turning pages I will definitely be interested to see where we go from here.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I know have another author that I want to read more from. This book was so good, a lovely story, I loved the characters. Would I recommend this book oh yes I would.

It's no secret that I love Lindsey's writing already, but wasn't sure if I would be a fan of her debut YA Fantasy... I LOVED IT. Honestly could not put this book down, it had me hooked from the get-go and it was such a great read.

I loved reading the start of Emily's story, and her discovering being a witch. I loved seeing her relationships grow with Wyn, Lydia, Jackson and of course Catherine and her aunt Ashley. I really can't wait for the next book in The Bell Witches series to be out (no pressure Lindsey!) and to see more of Emily + the rest of the Savannah gang. Until then, I think I'll be re-reading this as much as possible!

This made me feel so nostalgic! It had the classic YA urban fantasy feel, set in a small town reminiscent of Mystic Falls, Beacon Hills and Stars Hollow. It was perfectly atmospheric and eerie, but still charming and light-hearted. The book was fast paced and super easy to read, with enough juicy plot twists to keep me engaged and on my toes. But the star of the show was definitely the romance! Emily and Wyn were magnetic, while I adored Emily as a heroine as she navigated her grief after losing her father while finding herself in her new home and learning all about her heritage.

And that cover is absolutely stunning!

Emily has lost her father, and finds herself shipped back to he Grandmother she's never met in a place that she has never visited. As she approaches her 17th birthday, strange things begin to happen and eventually her Grandmother reveals their family secret: Emily is a witch.

This was a pretty good book with some interesting world building. The twists were obvious and I wasn't at all a fan of the insta love, but otherwise I enjoyed it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest

Massive fan of Lindsey Kelk’s romance fiction and i was also very much into witchy stories as a child/teen so of course I absolutely loved this!

Could tell it was written for a younger audience in mind without also being too protective of them - there’s also a sprinkle of that Lindsey Kelk humour we all love and a great deal of Southern Belle charm!

Atmospheric and creepy at times - if you’re a fan of witchy novels then this one is for you - a great first book of which I hope there will be plenty more!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley.

The setting of this book was fantastic. The Southern town with the beautiful, old houses, the rich history of the town still influencing the lives of those residing there now. I loved the details like cemeteries and the Spanish moss on the trees. It was really evocative and a great setting for a witchy story. The house itself that much of the story takes place in was so vivid and a great focal point for the story.

I also enjoyed the friendships the main character cultivated. She’s moved from Wales to the USA following the death of her father to live with a grandmother and aunt she had never met before. This is daunting at a time of great tragedy for our MC and I really liked how the friendships she made have her such a boost during the challenges she faced.

I love a witchy book and this did have some cool magical elements. Some of it was a little formulaic but there were some really fun magic systems and repercussions.

I did feel the book ran a little long but it was a fun witchy story with a great setting.

The first 40% of the book was so hard to get through, but I stuck with it and so glad I did, second half was fantastic, even if a little predictable with the Wares.

⭐️⭐️2.5 stars
🫑0 spice

A big thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with this arc!

The Bell Witches follows the story of Emily, a sixteen year old girl who moves to Savannah, Georgia from Wales following the death of her father. With no parents, she is taken in by her grandmother, Catherine in the Bell family mansion, and quickly realizes that her family has incredible wealth and status she was unaware of. Emily is a descendant of a family of powerful witches, and this history has been kept from her until she moves to Georgia and starts having odd experiences.

*Light spoilers*
The entire book is about Emily’s “Becoming”, an event on her seventeenth birthday where she truly becomes a witch. For me, this was not a big enough point of interest to keep me entertained for the entire book. The side plots were very tame, and the whole book felt like it was filler to get us to book two. Unfortunately, it never gripped me enough to have me intrigued about another book.

The dialogue is probably what bothered me most. It is very modern language with all of our “slang” we have on social media, including references to Starbucks, Apple, TikTok, etc. Maybe it’s just personal preference, but hearing all of our cringy sayings we use put into a book is not for me. The characters also just said really, really odd things at times.

ALSO - the author mentioned her own name in the book? It was really weird and definitely took me out of it.

The relationship between Emily and Wyn was very insta-love. We had love at first sight, and very quick “I love you’s” said. The thing that sets this apart is that Wyn is also a Were, which also is a very loose plot point.

Overall, I was disappointed with this read. I don’t know if it’s more my taste that made it not as enjoyable, but the story felt underdeveloped. Also, this really is not much of a fantasy, it just happens to contain witches in my opinion. I think if you’re a fan of more “modern” witch-related reads, this might be for you!

There has always been an Emma Catherine Bell in Savannah.

Wow this book is brilliant I loved every part for it, from my own personal reading experiences and series binged it was a witch coming into her element and finding her feet, knowing and understanding her history that had been hidden for so long.

I tried to relate this to Bonnie Bennett from vampire diaries and it helped me visualise what she was going through making this such a nice read and enjoyable experience for me.

I love the nod to Bridgerton that was referenced in the book with the debutante, again assuring my familiarisation with the mystic falls miss mystic. Overall brilliant book and cannot wait to own my physical copy.