A great YA read for fans of modern romantasy. The narration is wonderful and really keeps you wrapped up in the story - I'd love to see more of the world building in the rest of the series as the first novel leaves so many unanswered questions!

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review it if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to listen and review it if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

The Bell Witches by Lindsey Kelk.
Audiobook - 3 stars
eBook - 4.5 stars

*I need to note that I read this before I listened to the Audiobook, and I thorough enjoyed it. However, the audiobook just does not do the book justice!*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, devoured in a day, was such a brilliant read for me - so much so I now own 4 physical copies of this book. But the audiobook just takes away from the journey I was taken on when reading this book. The narration was great but there was just something missing. The fantasy, the imagery, the descriptions, it just fell short.

I thorough recommend reading this book rather then listening!

It was a good audiobook, unfortunately I lost the copy before I had time to finish it. I will possible purchase a physical copy

I did not finish because I really did not enjoy the romance scenes. Everything else was pretty cool.

I liked the Louisiana setting a lot and especially the voice the narrator chose for our protagonist's grandmother. The witches seemed mysterious and pretty cool. Unfortunately the romance scenes really took me out of the story every time. Readers and Listeners who are more into Romantasy will surely enjoy it.

Initially I was hyped to read a witchy story in fall. Sadly, this didn't live up to my hopes.
The things that put me off the most were the insta-love connection between the main characters and the writing style, which I liked at first, felt forced after a short while.
Also, the grandmother? I really didn't like her. She is exactly that person you'd picture when thinking of a rich laughter. I hated her. Besides, "No dating before 17"? A rule, only applying to women? Surely there would have been other options to make the grandmother unlikeable. That's just ridiculous.

4 stars

Reading this in the autumn just felt *right* with the gothic atmosphere, with a sense of mystery throughout. I thought the side characters were great, in particular Lydia - she gave me vibes of Charlotte La Bouff from The Princess and the Frog, just more edgy and I absolutely loved it. The book contains insta love, which I usually don't like but didn't mind in this case - they are 16, let them live!

This appears to be the first book of a series though I am not really sure what is left to be told, I would hope it is more of a separate story rather than unravelling the endings we got.

I listened to the audiobook of this one and finished it in a single afternoon, it was a very easy and pleasant listen!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thoroughly enjoyed Kelk’s foray into young adult fantasy. While it relies on tried but true tropes, it’s elevated by wonderful writing and narration.

I had such a good time following Emily’s awakening to her witchy ancestry. The balmy southern setting is perfect for this coming of age tale, with themes of family, history, loss, romance and friendship. I’ve been a fan of Kelks contemporary romance, and I’m looking forward to the follow up in this series.

The narration is rich in emotion, tension and drama, and really makes for an immersive experience. I particularly enjoyed Catherine’s drawl.

A great listen for anyone who is looking for an atmospheric and entertaining YA fantasy.

Thank you Harper Collin’s UK Audio for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

I swear, if I read one more book in which the main character falls in love with the love interest at first sight, I'll... I don't know, I'll cry and complain on Goodreads probably. This was very much meh, nothing amazing but nothing awful either, save for the insta attraction. The story could've been interesting but I didn't connect with the writing and it fell flat for me.

Lindsey Kelk’s “The Bell Witches” is a charming YA fantasy that weaves together elements of magic, family secrets, and first love. The enchanting story is narrated by the talented Ashleigh Haddad, and set in Savannah, Georgia. The story’s intriguing premise is that of a young witch discovering her powers draw readers in.

At times, the novel’s pacing can be uneven, with slower moments that may test the patience of some readers. While the character development is well-done, particularly for the protagonist, Emily, the romantic subplot feels a bit rushed and underdeveloped, creating a lot of room for improvement in the series’s upcoming volumes.

A lot of praise goes to Ashleigh Haddad’s audiobook narration, bringing the story to life with vivid imagery and distinct voices. The southern accents add a delightful touch to the overall listening experience, almost bringing the listener in the front row of the Bell family events.

If you enjoy YA fantasy with a touch of gothic mystery and a strong female protagonist, The Bell Witches is worth checking out. Just be prepared for a slower start and a somewhat predictable plot.

HarperCollins UK Audio | Magpie, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#TheBellWitches #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

ARC Rating 3.5/5 ⭐️ This was a nice YA soft witchy coming into power story.

I love the book cover, it's so pretty ✨️

The audiobook was very nice with great narration. I enjoyed the different character vices and the southern accents.

I love the imagery and the soft descriptions of the magic. But the story was very slow paced and boring at times. Overall I think this was a little too YA for me, so won't be continuing the story.

Thank you, NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Audio, and Lindsey Kelk, for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.

The synopsis for this one had me intrigued to say the least. However the audiobook just didn't grip me as much as I expected. I loved the accents, and the different tones and styles for different characters but the insta love and overall story just felt drawn out and fell flat for me

Altogether, The Bell Witches is a charming YA novel, and I think fans of this genre will thoroughly enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to this audiobook via Netgalley.

I'm afraid this is a DNF for me.

I've been trying to listen to it for a few weeks now & I just can't get into it. I've listened to over 25% & I don't feel like anything has happened, which is a real shame as I was looking forward to this change in genre from Lindsey Kelk.

Thanks for the opportunity to try it.

The Bell Witches was October's audio book of the month, but I finished it in the first days of November. Well, what can I say... it took me forever to listen to it, but I can tell you that if I had a digital copy in my hands I would have devoured it in a couple of days!

The story follows Emily, who, once orphaned, finds herself living with a grandmother she's never met in a mysterious house full of secrets in which she discovers she's a descendant of a line of witches. It's nothing original it's true, but I simply loved the author's way of combining the everyday problems of a teenager and her way of grieving through unexpected friendships and loves with the secrets, magic and sacrifice of being a Bell making all Emily's emotions palpable.

Wyn, on the other hand, is a magnetic and mysterious presence with whom, like Emily, you cannot fall in love. The connection she had with the protagonist was almost instantaneous but, strangely enough, I didn't mind because together Emily and Wyn are everything that first love should be.

Another element I loved was the narration/writing which was captivating, lyrical, immersive and transported me to autumnal Savannah which with its touch of mystery managed to make me see its every detail and secret.

✨ the Bell Witches is certainly not an original read, but it still manages to keep you glued to the book with mysteries, revelations and moments of sweetness, and I can assure you that you will fall in love with it!

I’ve seen this book all over social media, so my expectations were quite high. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The novel is well-written, and the story is interesting, but it lacks originality or uniqueness.

I was invested in Emily’s story, especially at the beginning, when she came to Savannah. Many family secrets are gradually uncovered, keeping the reader interested in the plot. After the initial pages, I thought the story would be more mysterious or gothic. I soon realised this story does not stand out from the mass of YA fantasy novels published yearly. It follows a very familiar pattern of supernatural, forbidden love, and family ties.

Despite that, I believe the series will find its faithful readers.

The Bell Witches is a gothic fantasy with strong elements of romance, centred around two witches.

The novel is very slow paced, but the romance between Emily and Lydia is very much insta-love.

As someone who isn’t really a romance reader I did struggle through this book, but feel it would make for a great read for those that like romance and gothic fantasy.

DNF

Unfortunately I haven't managed to fully listen to the book but this is purely based on the fact I just can't concentrate long enough to listen to it and will have to read it in print.

The narration was good and I enjoyed the southern accent and think I will enjoy the story more when I can read it.

I’m never usually an audiobook listener and I think that could have been the major flaw here - I tried a few times to get into this book but I just couldn’t envision what was happening in the book and kept getting distracted by the narrator’s accent and wondering about how I say a particular word etc. etc.

So for me this was a book with an amazing concept and plot but I struggled to connect due to my own focus when it comes to audio and the narrator and me not clicking.

I struggle to call this a review of the book since I didn’t get through enough of it to really give it a justified review, it’s more of a personal opinion about the format really at the end of the day.

Hopefully others will like this narrator’s voice and style more than I did!

Having read a couple of the author’s contemporary romances, I was intrigued when I saw she’d written something so different as The Bell Witches is a young adult gothic fantasy. I’m always a sucker for books about witches and this one didn’t disappoint. Teenage protagonists can come across as annoying to an adult reader but I liked Emily and found myself rooting for her. The book leaves the reader on a cliffhanger which has made me want to continue on with the series. I listened to the audiobook while I was doing a lot of driving and it kept me entertained and gripped without being too complicated. I thought the narrator was a great choice for this book.

The Bell Witches is a YA coming of age fantasy. Emily moves to Savannah to be with her only remaining family when her father dies. She soon discovers their family has a magical secret and along the way she meets some great friends, and starts to fall for the sweet, mysterious Wyn. I really liked this story and it was completely brought to life in audiobook form - I love a Southern accent! It definitely feels like there is room for a sequel, so I look forward to reading on.