4.5 Stars

Oh my goodness, this was incredible and an instant fave. Full review to come soon but this took me on a wild ride. I had so many theories going in and had whiplash trying to figure out the who behind the what. I've read Grace's other duology and I loved her storytelling then and the unique elements in that story and Belladonna isn't different. The twists and turns were marvelous. And while I thought I wouldn't be sold on the romance, halfway through the book and this couple stole my heart. Belladonna gave me elements of Addie LaRue (a fave of mine!) with more mystery, higher stakes, and darker aspects. The characters were so layered and well written. I hadn't known going in that this will be a duology (series?) and that ending nearly killed me. I need book #2 immediately!

"You are no soft thing to be coddled... You are bolder than the sun, Signa Farrow, and it's time that you burn."

Belladonna is about 19-year-old Signa who was orphaned as a baby and taken care of by a plethora of guardians each of whom has tragically died. Her life is ruined continuously by death; she believes death to be cruel and Death, himself, to be at fault. Death wants to prove to Signa he isn't at fault and somehow arranges for her to live at Thorn Grove with the Hawthornes. The spirits there has a mystery for her to solve and she'll have to learn more about death to get the life she wants.

The narration for this audiobook was phenomenal, rich, and classic. It was a really good listen.

Listened to this one on audio, and I definitely recommend it! The narrator is really nice to listen to.
I liked our main character, Signa, but at times she could be a bit frustrating. Being convinced that she knew best, and people should just believe her. I also really liked Blythe, although we didn’t get to see too much from her. Wasn’t a huge fan of Death as a character, I feel like we didn’t really get to know him that well, even though he was important for the story.
This book is mainly a mystery where we try to figure out who is poisoning this family. And at a certain point I was convinced I knew who did it, and got a bit annoyed that our main character did not see it, since it was so ‘obvious’. But I was proven wrong haha. Obviously the author tried to mislead you as reader, but the actual reveal did make sense looking back into the story!
Besides the mystery I didn’t care that much for the subplots. There were some but they all were not very in depth or much explored.
The setting of this book was nice, in this small town/ estate. Meaning there were only so many people who could have done the poisoning.
The book was ‘easily’ written, meaning it was very easy to continue with the book and read just one more chapter.
Apparently this book will have a sequel, which I will check out, but in my opinion this book definitely stood on its own!
Also I love this cover!

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Little Brown Young Readers for the advanced copy for my honest review

This was such a pleasure to listen to that I finished it in one day. A murder mystery wrapped into a Hades and Persephone retelling that had me guessing at every turn.

Signa Farrow is an orphan who is cursed by Death. Since her parents death every guardian who has taken her in has died, however, Signa herself cannot die. She knows this because she has met death multiple times, whether by a fall of the stairs or by Belladonna, and each time he does not take her to the next realm.

When her most recent guardian is killed Signa is sent to live with the Hawthorne family who are grieving the loss of their Matriarch. When the spirit of Lillian comes to Signa to tell her there was foul play, Signa must find out who killed Lillian in order to save Blythe who is consumed by the same "illness" as her mother.

I loved the "not like other girls" trope that was turned on its head in this story. Signa was so desperate to try to fit into society like her mother had before her, and her struggle to be accepted in polite society while it goes against her whole personality is a great twist. I also loved the genuine female connection in this story, there was just enough tension that the struggle of this time wasn't glossed over but Blythe and Signa's relationship was great to read.

TLDR: Similar to a Pride and Prejuidice retelling, Hades and Persephone retellings have my heart and this was an extremely fun one to listen to and I will absolutely be going out to be a copy of both this book.

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.

I absolutely adored this new world that the author has created. We meet Cigna who has been orphaned as a baby and has multiple horrible guardians.
Cigna is finally adopted by family and this family is currently healing from a recent death.

I really enjoyed how this book was gothic but yet paranormal. The world building was great and the mystery!! Oh it was so good. Death was the best part and I wanted more of Death. *swoon*

The narrator, Kristin Atherton did a wonderful job portraying multiple characters. I really enjoyed her narration and I was really engaged to the story the entire time. She truly brought the characters to life.

I’m addicted to this new series and I cannot wait for the next book to release. I highly recommend this series. Loved it!

Special thanks to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

Set in old-fashioned times, the story follows nineteen-year-old Signa and her relationship with Death. With mystery, romance and horror elements, this book was addictive and impossible to put down. The main character was fiery and independent and I adored her from page one. I was so intrigued by her story and how tragedy seemed to cling to every aspect of her life. Her mysterious powers kept me wanting to know more and the murder investigation was a great way to keep the plot going.

While I love a bit of spookiness, the author's take on spirits and the afterlife was interesting, with descriptions incredibly visual and ghastly. Not only were there ghosts and spirits haunting the pages, but there also featured some steamy romance with Death himself. The twist at the end was something that I didn't see coming and it was so satisfying. As a whole, the concepts explored in the book were fascinating and I would 100% read the sequel. I recommend the audiobook as well - the listening experience was excellent and I sped through it in only a few days.

If you love YA fantasy, paranormal mystery or historical romance, I highly recommend checking this one out!

I’m completely OBSESSED with Belladonna. This was a YA gothic fantasy. It has great witchy, paranormal vibes along with the world of elite families.

The story follows Signa who has had a difficult life, plagued by death, despair, and extreme loneliness. There is also a murder mystery element that is not creepy but adds a lot of suspense.

Signa is an amazing main character. The book gave me some vibes of Addie LaRue as it explores some of the boundaries between life and death.

It is hard to put into words everything this story captures without giving spoilers but you won’t be disappointed.

I had an audiobook ARC from NetGalley and the narrator is excellent.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

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.

Historical fiction which is part murder mystery, part ghost story and part romance with some elements of horror.

It feels like it is set in Victorian England though England is never actually mentioned but the date is some where in the 1850s. There are trains, carriages, corsets, tea gowns, crinolines, "the season", balls and debutes into society


Signa knows death... and I don't just mean that a lot of her relatives have died... she's literally met death on multiple occasions and had conversations with him. But is death a monster? Teacher? A protector? A possible love interest?

Various plot points throught Belladonna reminded me of parts of Lakesedge, The Invisible life of Addie LaRue, Labyrinth, Crimson peak and Gallant so if you like those stories you should like this one.

The murder mystery keep me guessing. I thought I had it all worked out for a while and though I had mostly guessed the motive I had not guessed the murderer correctly and then even after we find out whodunit there was another big reveal I didn't see coming AT ALL.
The book could easily have been a standalone if it hadn't ended with a whole new mystery to solve so now I have book two to look forward to.

I'm so glad I have a fancy edition of Belladonna coming as I really enjoyed it and am keen to read more of Signa's adventures.

Thank you Hachette Audio, Little Brown Young Readers and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of Belladonna in exchange for an honest review.
Belladonna is a a gothic fantasy, murder mystery perfect for upcoming spooky fall season! I loved this book, the overall feeling is like a fairytale. A perfect mix of Addie LaRue, A Series of Unfortunate Events with a little sprinkle of some classics like Jane Eyre and Mansfield Park.
Signa Farrow is left orphaned as a baby and is shipped from family member to family member each dying once she stays with them. She is eventually taken in by the Hawthorn family and Signa finally feels like this could be the home and family she has always wanted but Death is never far behind. Signa has to solve a mysterious death and the same illness that threatens to take Signas cousin. She must team up with Death himself to uncover the truth and maybe start the journey too healing.
This book sucked me in from the very first chapter, I loved reading Signa's journey of her uncovering the strengths of her power and I loved her relationship with Death. This was a great book to start my spooky season, ghosts, murder and a haunted mansion!

Loved, loved, loved! This was a special romance, mystery like no other. I chose to listen to this book on audio and loved Kristin Atherton has the narrator. She did an amazing job. I fell for death just from the sound of his voice. But besides that the entire story was good. Wonderful characters, interesting plot and a well done mystery. But hands down I loved the romance. I loved the chemistry and banter. This is my new book boyfriend in a new delicious trope. I highly recommend listening to this and I’m super excited there’s a book 2!
Thanks Hachette Audio via NetGalley. “I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

This is a weird one to review, because on one hand I enjoyed it, and on the other hand, the romance was SUPER cringe. I can really only describe it as Addie La Rue meets Twilight.

The story was opulent and entertaining enough - but really not sure this needed to be a sequel. But off, Death was not it for me.

I think if this has been a new adult title I would have felt better about the romance.

The audiobook was great however, and the narrator did a good job with the characters.

Belladonna is a young adult, gothic romance. Signa is our main character and she was orphaned as a baby. She is now nineteen and she has had a long-line of less than stellar caregivers. They were all interested in her sizable inheritance and not so much Signa herself. Each one of them dies and this leads Signa to go to Thorn Grove where her remaining relatives reside. The estate and the Hawthornes who inhabit it all hold secrets. Signa is visited by the late matriarch of the family and quickly realizes she died of poison and that her cousin is likely sick from the ailment. Signa sets out to find the killer and save the Hawthornes with an unlikely ally, Death himself.

I really enjoyed this book and with the ending of Belladonna, I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

(4.5 out of 5 stars)

Belladonna is a YA gothic paranormal fantasy with romantic and mystery elements by Adalyn Grace. The ebook version is 416 pages. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at a little over thirteen hours and is narrated by Kristin Atherton.

Signa Farrow was orphaned as a baby and has passed from guardian to guardian ever since. Once she turns twenty, she'll inherit her family's estate, and until then her guardians will receive a stipend to keep her. Even though most of them are more interested in her money than herself, they keep dying on her and Signa is certain she is cursed. Her latest guardians are her last remaining relatives: The Hawthornes of Thorn Grove.

However, her aunt Lillian just died and her cousin Blythe seems to be suffering from the same symptoms as her mother. Lillian's spirit demands that Signa help her figure out who murdered her, and to save her cousin's life as well. In order to do so, she must ally with Death himself, a shadowy man who has followed her for her entire life, and someone she hates the most as he keeps taking the people closest to her away.

I got sucked into this book so quickly that I must now read the author's debut duology. It was surprising to me that this is only Adalyn Grace's third book! The narrator does a great job here, too.

I enjoyed it so much that I ended up reading the last 50% of the book in one sitting--and stayed up way past my bedtime to do so. I also really dig the cover, and I'm very into the latest craze of marketing with flowers creeping up and around people's faces. I have already preordered the UK hardcover edition because I ended up really loving that cover as well.

Though it's published by a "Young Readers" imprint, I think it seesaws between New Adult and Young Adult. There are a few steamy scenes and one on-page sex scene. Signa doesn't know much about how young ladies should act, though she does have her trusty etiquette book that was left to her by her mother.

The epilogue goes out with a bang, and I'm excited to get the second book in this series (which will likely come out sometime in 2023). If you like spooky but romantic stories, you really should check this out.

CW: poisoning, murder, death, abuse (physical, emotional), violence, fire

Belladonna has truly been one of my top reads of the year. It has everything from suspense and mystery to society and romance- which are seamlessly blended. All the characters were enjoyable and well written too, even the “bad” ones. Plus the plot is constantly intriguing and full of surprises and twists I can honestly say I didn’t see coming.

At times, Belladonna felt like a blend of Clue, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and Bridgerton which was quite an enthralling combination. The magical yet gothic mystery satiated my dark academia desires and made me feel as if autumn was in full swing. The main character, Sigma Farrow, has had a life touched by death as death has allows followed her, which leads to an interesting relationship between the two of them. She becomes determined to stop this trail of bodies when she comes to a new estate, but finds that there’s more to her new location than she realized as her cousin has a mysterious illness which she believes might not be a coincidence. Along this journey, she forms many binds and develops fierce loyalty to those who are important to her. The fact that Sigma is a a strong female character with determination and desires she learns to acts upon makes her an interesting lead who I loved following through the tale.

Overall, the plot, pacing, characters, and themes were all exactly what I was hoping for from this read. It’s one of my most anticipated releases for the year and I can confidently say that it lived up to the hype.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the audio arc of this book!

Oh my god I cannot get over this book! It was everything I had hoped for. I was hooked from the very first sentence.

There were so many plot twists I didn’t see coming I was so shocked. I tried guessing was about to happen and I was so far off, but they are the best plot twists you can get.

The writing was beautiful, I loved all the character growth especially by the main character Signa, and the love interest was so interesting.

My only complaint is when is the next book coming because I cannot be left with that cliffhanger for much longer!

“Belladonna” deserves all the praise that it’s getting right now from the book lovers community! It’s absolutely amazing! Through a precise combination of fantastic, gothic, magical, detective, and romantic elements, author Adalyn Grace has succeeded in giving us, the readers and listeners, a story to lose ourselves in.

The story focuses on Signa Farrow, a rich orphan heiress, who has had the misfortune of all her guardians dying under strange circumstances and her being passed from one house to another for almost 20 years. This chain of unfortunate events makes Signa feel like a pariah to those around her, but there is a silver lining to all her misfortunates. Every time Signa is gravely injured and Death shows itself to claim her, her body recovers and in no time it is as if nothing had happened. Thing get even more interesting for Signa when she starts experimenting with belladonna berries which gives her the powers of interacting with Death himself. After yet an unfortunate event, Death makes a promise to Signa that he would look after her wellbeing and she soon finds herself invited to the Hawthornes, a family struck by misfortune almost as much as Signa herself. When Death starts looming around the her new guardians, Signa makes it her mission to prevent another tragedy from ruining her prospects.

I liked the way in which Adalyn built each character, gave them their own stories, motives, and traumas, and just made them the right combination for the storyline! On top of the characters comes the continuous back and forth between Signa and Death. The punch lines that they keep throwing at each other create scenes that are a delight to read / listen to again and again and help each of the 2 characters grow. The storytelling style is also an element of praise. You can feel the tension building at the turn of each page, but without losing interest or getting bad feelings towards any of the characters.

A special “thank you” for the beautifully-told story also goes to Kristin Aterton who makes gives each character a memorable voice while also keeping an even pitch when narrating facts or non-point of view passages!

Also, the fact that the book has the ending that it has (not going to spoil it for you!) and the fact that there is already a second volume in this series already announced on GoodReads gives me hope that this wonderful story is far from its final chapter.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Little, Brown Young Readers, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#Belladonna #BelladonnaAudio #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

Audio advanced readers copy (arc) from Netgalley and Hachette audio, Little Brown Young Readers.

Belladonna is a fantasy, murder mystery, historical book, with some gothic vibes. It has some twists and turns, and you keep guessing throughout. I did not get all my guesses right. If you like these kinds of books, this is probably a good fit for you.

The book was a bit slow, so it took a bit to get into. I really liked the characters, and I actually wish we would have gotten even more interactions between Signa and Blythe especially. The mystery part of the book was also good and the most important part. I think what dragged it down for me was the society, the upcoming season and trying to fit in. All this at the same time as a big mystery was going around, that I cared so much more about (oh, why don't we go drink tea while someone is literally dying?). That is probably a me problem, not the book, and i did not know about it going in. I think that without that, I might have liked this book better. It was a good book, and I enjoyed it, but this was more in the middle for me.

And last I must say I loved the epilogue. I laughed and really enjoyed that. It was a good ending. The book wraps it up nice, and the very last part gives us a feel for the sequel, but other than that, this could have been a standalone.

I got this arc as an audiobook and i liked the narrator. It's one I have heard before, and I felt that she was a good fit for the book. It's easy to know who is talking and the book is easy to imagine.

Tw: alcoholism, death of a parent, grief, physical abuse, death, vomiting.

I loved this book so much! All the characters were 3-dimensional and wonderful. The romance was my favorite, it was so well done and sweet.

Belladonna is a gothic fantasy romance/mystery featuring a heroine who can see Death as she tries to solve a murder and prevent another. It’s a perfect spooky season read for anyone who loves a strong heroine, haunting spirits, and beautiful but creepy manors. This book is technically YA, but it’s definitely dark fantasy and more upper YA than lower. There is some spice, though not a lot.

I really enjoyed the premise of the book, and thought the plot was well thought out and well executed. I loved the main characters and watching their relationships develop and evolve. The characters all felt realistic with their own faults, strengths, and secrets. I enjoyed the strong themes of upending the restrictive social structures placed on women, as well as the importance of finding out who you are.

I listened to an advanced copy of the audiobook, and really enjoyed it. The accents and inflection of all the characters was spot on, and really brought them to life. I particularly loved the deep and mysterious voice of Death, and the snappish attitude of Blithe.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and the audio to anyone remotely interested!

Signa Farrow can't die.

After losing her entire family and guests at a party as an infant, Signa faces Death for the first time. They cross paths many times again over the next few years as Signa has near-death experiences and guardian after guardian dies. When Signa loses yet another guardian, she is sent to live at Thorn Grove with the Hawthornes, the last of her living relatives

Upon her arrival at Thorn Grove, Signa learns that her cousin Blythe is ill with the same thing that took Blythe's mother. Signa begins to suspect foul play. As Signa investigates, she uncovers more secrets about the Hawthorne family and tries to navigate high society. After resisting Death's pleas, Signa finally decides that she cannot save Blythe by herself. The two team up and slowly uncover the secrets and fit all of the puzzle pieces together.

I can see why some reviewers see the relationship between Signa and Death as grooming, so I have to give a big content warning for that. I'm not sure I'm the best judge of whether or not it will be a triggering experience or not.

I adored the gothic horror atmosphere of the novel. It's the perfect book to pick up on a rainy fall day. I also think the characters were especially well written.

The twists were not all that twisty to me, but it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. The ending had me wanting the sequel ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Little, Brown Young Readers for giving me a digital audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.