If you're looking for a good ghost story, this book might be for you!

The ambiance in this book is absolutely incredible, when I see a story set in a spooky haunted manor, you can definitely count me in for the ride.

Even though the plot is completely different, somehow, it reminded me of what I felt while reading Mexican Gothic and House Of Hollow. If you loved these books, what are you waiting for to hop on this one?

I absolutely loved the characters, the story is so beautifully written you'll want to highlight everything.

I highly recommend this book!

3.75✩
It took me so long to finish this book I don't know where to start.

I had really high expectations for Belladonna but unfortunately it didn"t quite hit the mark for me.
I wasn't all that invested in the murder mystery which is pretty much at the heart of the story. First of all, I didn't really care about any of the characters that had died or were dying because we don't get to know them. I couldn't even understand why Signa cared so much, truly didn't make much sense to me how invested she was from the moment she met them. The solving of the mystery was also a little boring in my opinion. It just felt like it was missing something, like it wasn't thrilling enough, it didn't make me excited or curious that much to make me wanna pick up the book and figure out who is doing what.
I was pretty shocked to find out who was behind it at the end, I really wan't expecting it, but getting there brouht me little satisfaction.

I don't have much to say about any of the characters because I don't think that any of them were well fleshed out.
My fav - Death - was pretty two dimensional, and I really wish more of the book focused on him and building his relationship with Signa than a useless tea party I didn't care for.
Signa.. she has all the markings of a fav character and yet she fell flat. I honestly found her annoying more often than not in the beginning.
There's a plot twist towards the end that I found pretty obvious. I was suspecting it 10% into the book and was not at all shocked when it was finally confirmed.

All in all, it wasn't a bad book, I loved the romance though I wish, yet again, that it was more fleshed out.
Maybe my ridiculously high expectations didn't allow me to enjoy it more but I'll be reading the next one.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an e-arc of this book!

I actually read the first book of All the Stars and Teeth duology from the same author. I could feel the similar dark vibes and ambiance as I read Belladonna. Signa is a woman who's eager to enter society and to learn etiquette lessons but she has Death and spirits always coming against her. Just like the Baudelaire children from a Series of Unfortunate Events, Death follows all Signa's legal guardians until she finally arrives to her dream family. Unfortunately the Hawthorne family is far from a dream family. Death still lurks around the manor and soon enough Signa has a mystery on her hands to resolve.

This book was a delight to read, I couldn't stop because like Signa thinks, the puzzles kept coming without matching. I actually love the romance between Signa and Death and I couldn't get enough of them both. Signa's opposite feelings towards Death and the tension between them were captivating. The characters were so fleshed out that we can actually understand where they come from. Blythe is a queen and I just love her thinking so much.

As for the mystery, I kept trying to solve it in my head but each time a new piece of the puzzle came and denied my thinking. I actually did figure out one of the plot twists since the beginning I had a doubt and I was right.

As for the ending, I felt like everything was going too fast and I couldn't process what was happening. I was shocked about the cliff-hanger at the end. I need book 2 in my hands right now!

4.5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This one was enjoyable. It was a very quick read and the story was interesting.

I enjoyed Signa's character and her love interest with Death. The story line was definitely a page turner. I kept wanting to read more and more. I actually read 75% of the book in one setting. It is one that will keep you hooked!

I will definitely be reading the sequel.

Honestly, I was really intrigued by the topics this book offered from the beginning. Some mysterious deaths, a dark entity, and ghosts? I really liked that. It gave me Rebecca vibes, and I loved Rebecca so, I was really into the plot. Adalyn Grace knows how to create an intriguing aura, capturing you and wanting you to participate with the main character during the investigation. I was scared and nervous whenever something was about to happen, I was suspicious from everybody, and the last 100 pages or so I was so intrigued I really didn't want to stop. I was curious about that ending, so I'm very invested on the second book.

Signa is an interesting character, with a lot of growth during the book. She starts understanding life better with the passing of time, and she gets to understand what she finally want from it. Signa also has some mysterious powers, which made her so strong and bold. There's one scene in particular that made me laugh out loud because of how she was facing some old, angry men. She's an interesting main character, someone that will make you want to keep reading until you both find out the truth. And the other characters, I really go to empathize with them, especially with Blythe who I found to be my favorite and hated watching her suffer.

The only thing that bothered me a little was the romance. I found it to be a little creepy that the romantic interest was someone who met Signa when she was a baby? So yeah, not a big fan of the romance at all, but they had some good tension so it might be bearable for someone else. I can do without the romance I guess.

Although I found it a bit predictable, I enjoyed reading Belladonna.

My biggest complaint and the reason I didn't give it 5 ⭐ is the individual storylines felt very disjointed. I understand that etiquette lessons are easily forgotten when you see spirits and are trying to solve / prevent a murder. However, the reverse is not true and it bothered me when things that should have been pressing concerns were set on the back-burner while we furthered the least interesting aspect of the story.

I don't rarely feel a book is worth a 5 star rating but this book earned it easily. I was hesitant to read it, not knowing what to expect, because I had attempted to read All the Stars and Teeth twice but it seemed slow and boring, and the writing style left much to be wanted. BUT I feel the author has done a 180 with Belladonna compared to my first impression of AtSaT. This is exactly the kind of story I love! The writing is graceful, the characters are developed in depth, and the plot is well thought out. All of the twists were a surprise to me except the biggest one at the conclusion; I had a hunch and it proved correct. The author executed the precarious balance of life and death with seamless mastery. Adalyn Grace is definitely on my radar now. Thank you to #NetGalley for offering this book in their catalogue. This opinion is my own.

Surprisingly, I didn't put two and two together on this one until the end. I'm usually better at figuring out the plot of a book. 

When I first picked this one up, the elements of the macabre and darkness just swept me right up into the story. I love stories like this.

Death as a main character? Uh-huh, sign me up!

With a gothic feel, and romantic undertones, this story was a unique blend of suspense, mystery, and fantasy. The characters were intriguing and no part of this story bored me. I would say that's a definite win!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book! My review will be live, at the link given, on 8/29/22.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this. It was hard to put down. Only downside is that this one isn't even out yet and I want the next one!! THAT ENDING :O

That opening scene was killer, and even the story set-up afterwards was intriguing. I was enthusiastically exchanging theories with my reading buddy up until around a third of the way through, but either the pacing shifted or finally caught up with me, because I had to all but drag myself through the back half of this book.

The absolute biggest miss for me were the scenes where Signa was learning about and trying to navigate “society”. I’m not sure if it’s the Bridgerton effect, but there’s absolutely no need to shoehorn a young woman’s ~societal debut~ into a story about vengeful ghosts and murder conspiracies. Belladonna has a focus problem—where the things that felt the most pressing, like issues of life and death, had to take a backseat to the frivolous and tedious aspects of aristocratic posturing.

I also couldn’t fully conceptualize ‘Death’ based on the description provided by Grace. Is he a ghost? Logistically, I have many questions, but his character never felt fully real to me either. There was a bit of Luc from Addie LaRue in his demeanor and presentation, though that character had motivations, his powers and reach were clearly defined, etc. But with Death, I still don’t understand what ‘he’…..is.

The actual ghosts were the best part and more interesting than most of the characters, despite rarely getting to speak, and I wish we didn’t keep getting dragged from them back to the boring humans. Basically all you need to know is that this book was heavy on vibes, missing plot in the middle and probably best enjoyed not thinking too hard about anything presented.

If you're looking for an atmospheric and mysterious fall read then you should definitely pick up Belladonna! Not only does it have a satisfying slower burn romance, but also loveable morally grey characters who make some surprising decisions. In my opinion, the book straddles the line between YA and NA in the best way because both types of readers will enjoy the story and characters. My only complaint is that occasionally I was confused about how much time was passing, but in some ways that contributed to the overall atmosphere. Definitely recommend this one for the fall of you're looking for a ghost/mystery story that won't keep you awake at night!

Hands down 5 stars, I'd give it more if I could. You know those books that become. apart of your soul, the ones that give you this unexplainable feeling that other books don't give you? Belladonna checks all those boxes for me. I haven't had such a good feeling like this from a book since ACOTAR/CC/ToG.

You'll see me recommending this book to anyone and everyone, I am not going to shut up about this book. Cannot wait for book two.

Belladonna was quite a pleasant surprise for me! Admittedly, I wasn't quite sure what I expected going in, but I think my expectations were slightly... off? Regardless, this ended up being different, but in a good way!

Signa has been left alone- once again- after her most recent guardian dies. Honestly, she's not that broken up about it because her aunt/guardian was pretty awful. I wasn't too broken up about it either, except for Signa's life being thrown into upheaval. Oh, and the fact that she kiiiind of killed her aunt? But look, accidents happen. So, Signa is shipped off to yet another family member.

But when she gets to her most recent guardian's estate, things are... okay fine, things are a hot mess here. Her cousin Blythe is actively dying (of seemingly whatever the heck killed her aunt- not the crappy aunt who just died, an aunt she never met), and no one else in the house is handling their grief well, either. Meanwhile, Signa is in communication with Death- yes, actual Death- on the regular, and she doesn't particularly like him (at first, anyway).

The book is incredibly atmospheric, as you can feel the mystery and eeriness of this old house and its occupants. Not only is Signa seeing Death, but she can also see spirits. So with the help of Death and the spirit of Blythe's dead mom, Signa sets out to figure out what killed the mom- and hopefully save Blythe's life in the process.

Both the mystery and Signa's character growth were my favorite aspects of the book. I too wanted to know what was happening in this place- who would want to kill the mom, who was seemingly loved by everyone? And even more, who would want to kill this innocent young girl? While she figures out the mystery and tries to save her cousin's life, Signa ends up learning so much about who she is and what her role in the world is. And maybe she will learn more about Death along the way, too.

There are a few predictable moments, but the overall mystery wasn't overly predictable, so it wasn't too big of a deal. I also wasn't sure when or where this was supposed to take place (though we do receive an indication of "when", eventually), which is probably more of a personal gripe, because it doesn't actually factor much into the story.

It ended on a big ol' cliffhanger, and I am very excited to see what happens to Signa and her family next!

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.

This book is everything you'd want in an autumn read. A haunted gothic romance where our heroine has a deep, dark secret. She can't die. But it feels like everyone around her does. And at every death scene, she witnesses a dark, strangely protective reaper who she can't seem to stop thinking about.

oh wow, thank you Little Brown and Netgalley for a free review copy of this book!

First of all, I read the blurb of this book in like, January or something like that and stalked Netgalley constantly until this was available to request. I was not disappointed. My ridiculous obsession was totally worth it.

Adalyn Grace is a masterful story teller. The detail, the atmospheric descriptions, the setting, the characters were all exquisite. I was fully immersed and never did I think it was too much or at all clunky.

The mystery portion is taut and intriguing. The relationships are magnetic. We go from hate, to a slow waltz toward curiosity, then an awakening and a blossoming, then into the beautiful dance between Signa and Death. I swooned, I clutched my pearls, I swooned again with glossy unshed tears. I just loved it.

The mystery, the coming of age, the supernatural touches and the evocative, misty gothic setting make this novel a masterpiece . Perfect for upcoming autumn reads.

New favorite! It moves a bit slow but it is so worth the read! Jane Austin meets Agatha Christie. This books is so well written. I am totally in love with the characters. Looking forward to the sequel.

This was more than I expected!

"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."
While it sounds like a sad story Signa is stronger than you think. While it is sad that she has been passed around to various guardians she does not let that effect who she is. If anything it has only made her stronger than what people expect. I loved that she wasn't the woe is me type or a helpless baby deer. I like that she would stand her own ground and not let others push her around. When she gets to live with the Hawthorns you instantly know she'll fit in.

"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."

This is the part that really made me want to read the book. There's a good mystery that takes place, plus you get a bit of paranormal and gothic mixed it, While reading you're able to solve the case with Signa and there are some unexpected twists and turns. Signa also gets to learn more about herself and what she wants for her future. Theres a bit of a love-triangle or should I say possible love square? Either way you can't help but love the drama that plays out. Just when you think theres nothing left in the book there's a big plot twist at the end so get ready to want to read the second book soon after it's done.

OMG!!! Gimme the sequel now! Romance between a girl and death is the most amazing concept for a book. I am in love with this book. The mystery, the romance, ughhh it was beautiful. I will be buying both editions of this book for my love has no bounds. Overall love love LOVE this book. Thank you Adalyn Grace for this beautiful book.

This book is an instant new favorite! It's Jane Austen meets murder mystery.

I'm so in love with this story and these characters! The mystery kept me awake, reading, desperate to know who did it. Every time I thought I had a handle on it, I was sent off in another direction.

I also swooned over Death. And Sylas. Either choice would have made me happy in the end. (Can you tell I'm a sucker for snarky men?)

Honestly, after finishing reading it, I'm desperate for Book 2 (though this storyline is resolved it is a series) and wondering if 3 copies of this book will be enough....