Belladonna (Belladonna, #1)

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Belladonna (Belladonna, #1)
Author(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
August 30, 2022
ISBN
978-0316158237
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New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
 
However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

Editor reviews

3 reviews
Overall rating
 
4.6
Plot
 
4.7(3)
Characters
 
4.7(3)
Writing Style
 
4.3(3)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A(0)
Belladonna
(Updated: August 09, 2023)
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Signa Farrow has been an orphan all her life. She isn't able to die but others around her have the unfortunate tendency to do just that. She's shuffled from guardian to guardian until after the death of one of her aunts, she's sent to Thorn Hall. Once there she finds out her relative Lillian has died under mysterious circumstances and her daughter is seriously ill with the same condition. Signa once more has Death around her and they make an agreement to figure out who is behind her relative's death.

What worked: Intriguing Gothic fantasy with elements of mystery. What's unique about this fantasy though has to be the depiction of Death and a protagonist who at first seems to have Death under her finger. Death is unlike most other characters I've read. In this novel, he's seductive and is under Signa's spell. There's romantic elements that grow stronger between these two which have almost a Wuthering Heights feel though Death is much more appealing than Heathcliff. No, Death wants to help Signa and at first, seems almost infatuated with her.

The mystery behind the death of Lillian is one that Signa is determined to solve with the help of not only Death but other spirits that haunt the manor. Another unique twist in this story is how Signa is able to call on Death by eating the deadly belladonna berries. Signa is able to see between the veil separating Earth from the Afterlife.

The chemistry between Signa and Death is very strong. It's so strong that the ending is totally plausible. But this isn't the end of Signa's crime-solving! I'm excited to see how she fares with Fate.

Great pacing, engaging dialogue set in a spooky manor where Death isn't who readers might think and the girl who will do anything to help those around her. Even if that means succumbing to death herself.
Good Points
1. Intriguing premise of death
2. Gothic fantasy with elements of mystery
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Belladonna Review
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
I'll be honest and say that any book that has an interesting relationship with a persona of Death, is almost going to suck me in immediately. And Belladonna was no exception. Right from the very beginning, I was drawn into Signa's story. The beginning of the book did a great job of explaining Signa's situation without going into too many details. Then almost immediately her journey to Thorn Grove where death (figuratively and literally) surrounds her. At first, I was a little confused because I thought it was going to be a story of solving Signa's mothers murder but I was definitely wrong. And while Signa was trying to solve the murder of Lillian, it was more so about saving Blythe. Lillian was present in the beginning and the end, but not so much the middle. I had many theories about many different things and was pleasantly surprised that only one of my theories came true. It's fun trying to solve them and be right, but I do enjoy being wrong as well. I thought this was well written and enjoyed it very much. Once I got into the meat of the story, it was really hard to put down and I was itching to pick it back up.

I loved Signa Farrow so much. With her initial wanting of becoming into society, to discovering her true passions and who she wants to be. I do with there was a little more relationship building with the Hawthorne's themselves because it was mostly by description that Signa did care for them, but it still worked. I absolutely loved the portrayal of Death. The way that he is the most "feared" man on Earth but the beauty in his job as well. It was clear why he felt connected to Signa but I also enjoyed seeing her overcome her own stigma.

Overall, Belladonna by Adalyn Grace was a complete win for me! I loved the story and the sleuthing to find out who was poisoning Blythe in order to save her. Signa was such a great character and I her personality really shown through the pages. This was such a good example of a Death personified done right! The relationship between Death and Signa was so well done and even Death himself was done great. If you love the supernatural with a bit of murder mystery, then please pick up this book.
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atmospheric YA fantasy mystery
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
BELLADONNA is an enthralling YA fantasy with a strong element of mystery. From the time she was born, Signa has been surrounded by death. First, her mother and then subsequent guardians have died while she has lived with them. She has a particularly unique ability in that she can heal even from things that should kill her. Whenever this happens or someone near her dies, she can see Death himself.

Signa has decided that Death is her adversary, and so when she travels to stay with her cousins and uncle at Thorn Grove as she waits to inherit her fortune, she is determined to defeat Death, no simple task. At Thorn Grove, her mother's sister has recently died and haunts the grounds, while her cousin is gravely ill with something similar. Signa is determined to discover who is behind it all and save her cousin while also entering society and finding a future marriage for herself.

What I loved: The story revolves around a couple mysteries - one about Signa and her relationship with Death and the other around what happened to her aunt and is currently happening to her cousin. These really drove the plot, making it feel steadily paced as the reader tries to uncover all the secrets at Thorn Grove. The magical elements around Signa's power over life/death and her ability to see and talk to spirits added a lot of atmosphere on top of this large estate and its morose residents that added to the emotions of the story.

Signa is a compelling character, who feels that everyone in her life has been taken from her. Uniquely, she has abilities that can change this, and she is determined to do so. The balance of life/death is something she has to grapple with, and it is even more challenging when she does not seem to be able to die herself. Her life has been somewhat sheltered, but she dreams of doing all the normal young woman things, including having her season/debut and finding a marriage. Her desire for this is compounded by the lack of having a defined family during her childhood, and this becomes a driving force for her.

Other characters were intriguing, though the plot mostly centers on Signa and Death. Death is someone who brings an air of the mysterious whenever he appears, and he is someone I would be curious to learn more about in future books. Likewise, this seems like a series that will become stronger as it continues, and Signa really comes into her own as an investigator. Much of what happens in the book seems to be things she stumbles across, and I could definitely see her becoming more organized in the future as she comes into her own.

Other thought-provoking themes around grief/loss, family, wealth disparity, gender roles, political/monetary power, and the things that hold us down are also interesting to consider. As Signa's world broadens, she begins to understand the ways that her inheritance has changed the ways that people relate to her as well as the ways that women are limited by society - and the way that any power they do obtain can be misconstrued as witchcraft. Her prospects are compared to those around her as she begins to understand the way that wealth and politics influence the possibility of love and the ways that can be juxtaposed with survival.

What left me wanting more: The romance felt a little forced, and I would have appreciated a bit more build into it and more understanding of it from Signa's perspective to fully buy into it. Once it was happening, it felt very rushed, but it was still an intriguing relationship. Additionally, there are a couple big twists at the end, and one of them felt very obvious from the very beginning - I just wish there had been a bit more of a surprise there.

Final verdict: BELLADONNA is an enthralling and atmospheric YA fantasy mystery that I would recommend for fans of A CURSE OF ROSES, BEYOND THE RUBY VEIL, and LAKESEDGE.
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