Honestly, let me start with saying: I get the mixed reviews. If I was primarily a modern fantasy or romantasy reader, I don’t think I’d have rated this as highly as I have.

BUT I’m not. I read contemporary romance, magical realism and mostly— I read for an unreliable narrator that makes me want them to keep going. And Emily did that.

I wanted her to keep going forward. to make choices, whether right or wrong, and see what happened next. I enjoyed the tension and frustration of her narrative as well as the magical system that bracketed the entire story. I do have questions: how’s Ginny doing now? Is Alex coming back? What the EFF happened to Angelica that meant this child could not see photos of her mama?

I have a lot of questions. This one didn’t stick to my bones but it did make an impression and I really enjoyed it. But mostly, I enjoyed steeping myself in this story like a good cup of tea and I’m excited to go back.

This was a book I was obviously going to get as Lindsey Kelk is an autobuy author for me. I did a test of a taster a few months back and I knew I was going to buy this book. I did get the Waterstones special edition, but when I saw the audiobook available for review on Netgalley, I decided that I wanted to give it a listen.

In this book, we follow Emily, who has recently lost her Father. When an Aunt she didn’t know of shows up, Emily is forced to move across the Atlantic to her family home in Savannah, Georgia. Both the house and her new family is mysterious, and there are secrets to uncover. When Emily meets Wyn, she finds herself more and more drawn to him, but every step she takes closer to him takes her further from her family, and she soon has to make a choice.

Back when I read the sampler, I said this book didn’t feel like it had Kelk’s usual vibe and for the most part, that was the case. Some of the scenes between Emily and her friends, however, did give me some of what I’ve come to expect from her writing. It was fun, there were pop culture references and I enjoyed the friendships.

The romance on the other hand, I was kind of eh on. Don’t get me wrong, they had their cute moments. But due to the magical aspect, Emily and Wyn were very much insta-love but it was in a way that I expect from a paranormal romance. It wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed. But I did like both characters at least. It will be interesting to see how their relationship grows.

And that is something that I want to note. This book was very much your typical YA paranormal book. The writing style and tone fitted the book, there was plenty enough description and I did really enjoy the atmosphere. I generally did enjoy this book and am interested in continuing it on.

There were definitely some odd moments though. There’s an important scene where an adult character says to Emily that she was surprised a room didn’t unalive her. I get using that word to avoid certain issues on social media. Hell, when the teenagers used it in a more jokey way I didn’t mind. But someone born in 1996, someone who doesn’t use the internet using it in a serious scene? That definitely pulled me out of it. Using such terms definitely doesn’t feel out of place for Kelk, and in one of her contemporaries, I’d almost expect it. But the timing of this scene? Yeah, kind of dumb.

So, yes, I enjoyed this book but it definitely wasn’t my favourite Lindsey Kelk. I will be carrying on with this series.

I so wanted to love this book. The narrator is okay, but the main character has never been to America before and has a full blown American accent. It's very insta-love, and it just got a bit silly for a 16 year old. DNF at 44%

Gothic scenery, the sweltering heat of Savannah, young love, witches and werewolves, potential apocalypse - The Bell Witches has it all. Kelk’s switch in genres to YA supernatural feels seamless. She brings all her romance skills to a deliciously dark arena to make a blisteringly good story, perfectly narrated by Ashleigh Haddad.

This is the perfect spooky, gothic read for this time of year! The atmosphere is magical with just the right balance of modern. I really felt like i was sitting in one of Savannah's many beautiful squares underneath the oak tress full of Spanish moss while I was reading this! The magic system is intriguing and the pace is perfect. I am usually not a fan of insta-love but since it was not the main plot of the book it was easy to continue the story. The story was engaging and twisty. I caught my self actually gasping out loud. The narrator did wonderfully with the characters and accents. I was very pleased as a native southerner and frequent visitor to Savannah as well. I cannot wait to read more from this series in the future!

I DNF'd at 43%. The narration was fantastic and the southern accents were amazing but I was just bored. Nothing much happened apart from Insta-love which I am really not interested in.

On the plus side the atmosphere of the Savannah summer heat was incredible, I felt the humidity!

This was very meh for me although it is probably just not the book for me but will definitely be for other people.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I listened to the audiobook of The Bell Witches and the audiobook was really well performed by the narrator. She was really confident performing the Savannah accents of most of the characters and that made it feel more authentic. I don't have any complaints about the audiobook performance.

As for the story itself, to me it felt like it fell on the lowest end of the YA spectrum. It's very insta-love, and even for a 16 year old protagonist who had only had one previous kiss, this insta-love was a bit extreme. Plot-wise, maybe I've just read so much YA by now that I can see where the plot is going a mile off, but I found that I'd predicted the main plot points in the first chapter as soon as Emily gets to Bell House and meets her grandmother. I was frustrated that Emily never put two and two together or questioned what she was seeing/hearing/experiencing at any point when it all seemed so obvious what was happening.

On a positive, I did really like the writing style. It was really visual and descriptive and I felt like I knew what it was like to be there in Emily's environment. So I enjoyed the descriptive style and the audiobook narrator but unfortunately I didn't connect with the plot and insta-love romance as it skewed too young for me, even for the YA age range.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader/Listener Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

The Bell Witches was the perfect spooky season read.

Emily has lived a normal, if nomadic, life with her father for as long as she can remember. He’s from Georgia, but it’s a place she’s never been, and as far as she knows she has no other living family.
Until her father dies in a tragic accident, and her grandmother comes to Wales to claim guardianship.
Whisked off to Savannah, Emily learns that there’s far more to her family and their history than she ever knew, and a dark secret lurks beneath the surface - the true reason why her father kept her away all these years.
Combine the mystery with a handsome stranger who comes with secrets of his own, and Emily’s life has changed more than she could ever have imagined.

I loved The Bell Witches. The magic system was really interesting as was the way it was woven into our world. I enjoy a book where you’re thrown in the deep end and learn with the character, and this book did it really well - there were times when I suspected certain things which then were revealed to be the case, which I always think means they’ve been clearly hinted at and marked out!

The characters felt realistic and their relationships developed naturally. I particularly enjoyed the way Emily’s relationships with her new friends and family developed alongside her relationship with Wyn - it wasn’t just about the potential romance.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Bell Witches and I will definitely read the next book in the Savannah Red series!

At 16 Emily should be happy but her father has died and she is forced to go to live with her aunt and grandmother in Savannah. She is the youngest female member of the Bell family and will only now find out about her family and her destiny.

So well written and excellent narration (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters in this well paced novel about inherited magic and the power it can bring. Emily has her future plotted out by her grandmother but it does not mean she will go along with it all. Well paced, intriguing plot with witches, werewolves, love and danger. Enjoy.

A fantastic introduction to the fantasy genre for young adults, this book takes you to the heart of the story line. It's fast paced and constantly evolving plot transports you to the Bell house in Savannah.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. The Bell Witches is an engaging, atmospheric, fantasy. The audio version is gorgeously narrated and the slow burn nature of the plot twists really paid off for me. I wasn’t really a fan of the instant love between Emily and Wyn, as I felt she had a better rapport with Jackson but, I could see both relationships developing more.

I loved Catherine , so much, she was just such a force from the off. Overall, I really enjoyed the twists and turns of The Bell Witches and hope there’s a sequel, because I’d love to see Emily developing her magic.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this but I really enjoyed it! More than I thought I would. I loved the atmosphere. A perfect easy, fast paced read for this time of year.
Yes it has insta love, but its a YA and it didn't bug me as much as I thought it would. Probably because it wasn't the main focus of the story and its supernatural, who's to say supernatural beings don't fall in love quicker than us mere mortals!
This book is filled with twists and turns (I actually gasped at one point) and I thought the setting was a good mix of modern and old southern witchy charm.
I'll definitely be continuing the series.

4.5 stars
YA
Witches
16 OY FMC
1st Person, one POV

Modern setting, TikTok, Starbucks and ‘unaliving’ are mentioned.

Emily moves to US to get grandma after her dad passes and the book is her experiencing and discovering her heritage.

Its very YA, but with some dark elements. I enjoyed it, i fast pace, a bit of word building but its set in current times US so its not really needed but there was back story.

Excited for the next book to see where the story takes them all.

I really enjoyed the Narration as well, very clear, and with accents.

Thank you Harpercollins & Netgalley for the ARC Audiobook

This book is marketed as "Gilmore Girls meets Buffy" so I went in with high expectations and was unfortunately let down. It just felt rather undeveloped and I didn't love many of the characters.

Such a cute YA book. Unfortunately nothing new or stand out in this book. But it’s a good solid book for those 14/15 year old wanting a dip into a mystical fantasty world.

The audio narrator also did a good job here and did her characters well, also I would have preferred her to have the FMC with a hint of an accent other than standard American as she supposedly spent her life traveling and very little time in the US

I'm so glad this book is the first in a series because now I can't wait to read the next one!!

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook in return for a fair and honest review

If you're looking for a witchy cosy fantasy to put on your radar then you need to put the Bell Witches on your TBR.

This is such a cosy, magical book filled with family secrets, friendship, romance and of course witchcraft!

After Emily's father suddenly passes away she finds herself living with her long lost family who aren't all that they seem to be.

This is quite a fast paced plot and the main character falls in love very fast!

This is a great YA fantasy perfect for fans of beautiful creatures or sabrina the teenage witch. The author perfectly articulates the thoughts and feelings of a teenage girl and it's such an easy read with great world building. Can't wait for book two.

I was intrigued by the sound of this story and looking forward to diving in and it certainly had some interesting elements and a creative storyline, but at the same time it didn’t quite hit the spot for me. The audiobook was narrated well and I thought the chosen narrator worked for the story so that’s a point in the plus column, along with the gothic vibes which totally suited an autumn reading of this book. I liked to see the friendship Emily made with Lydia and how these two seemed to click, and Lydia’s character brought a little bit of teenage rebellion spirit into the story. I was also intrigued by the visions Emily was having, and the magic that was emerging. The insta love was most definitely not my thing, though with the story taking place over around a month in total, the author did seem to give herself a condensed timeline.

The book overall is actually really sinister, with some shady business going on in the Bell family and the secrets that Emily’s grandmother is keeping leave a lot of questions through the book. Emily’s aunt behaves like a child, which I didn’t enjoy, and their relationship is very strained. I think the main sticking point I had with truly enjoying this story though was that I didn’t get pulled into any emotion in the story or Emily, leaving me feeling a bit disengaged from the whole thing.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

This was a surprisingly young YA read considering how it is being marketed. I expected something that reached to the upper end of the category, but this is firmly in the middle, definitely geared toward teens, including the insta-love storyline. The setting in Savannah was built quite well, and made my memories of the place help set the scene. The use of Spanish moss was a heavy handed reference to the south, but I think it worked in this context. The plot was quite predictable from the start, and I found myself spacing out through big chunks of the audiobook.

The audiobook narration was very well done. The characters were easily distinguished from each other without the voices being over the top. I listened to this at 1.5x speed, which is typical for me.