This was rough. I thought I would love this one. Mystery, witches, romance... nope.

Em's father dies and she discovers she has family that her father told her was dead. Em moves in with them and weird things start happening, including falling in love.

I was reading this book and realized I was 60% in and nothing really happened. There's no character development. There is no world building. The author took one line of witches and few werewolves and threw them into our world.

This is a YA and very heavy on the Y. The FMC's dialogue (both internal and external) is very cringe. Its like when your parents try to talk hip to you. This is also an instalove romance and in the way teens love to do it best. Throw the whole world away for someone you've met thrice. Maybe if I was much younger this would do it for me but this is a pass for sure.

A cozy story with witches, werewolves, and more.
This is a fun story with magic, family/self empowerment, and little bits of romance.
I think young readers would love this storyline and plot!
Great job, Lindsey!!

I am not the target audience for this book and was not expecting a YA novel. Very obvious set ups of love triangles and unrequited/ forbidden love. What really got me was falling in love with the boy she just meh....blurgh!

Possibly ungenerous review coming, but these are the feelings that I came away from the book with.

This is one of the least favorite things I have ever spent my time reading. DNFed at 50% because the ridiculous lack of grounding in time or space in order to further plot points pushed me over the edge. Our main character’s grandmother notes that her granddaughter is the first Bell Witch to call her powers and special ceremony “chill” because the author insists on violently planting us in 2025 with references to TikTok and Starbucks, and every other bit of terminology the characters use. This is honestly bad enough on its own. It could have been a decision the author stood ten toes down on (despite it completely clashing with the magical energy of it all) but after FORCING 2025 to be the case, the author acts as though Amazon doesn’t exist. Why is a plot point that she will never access her deceased fathers writing again because the laptop is dead? Buy a charger? This story also lazily writes away why our character doesn’t have a cell phone or WiFi in her home??? There were no REAL (story relevant) reasons to take these normal devices and modern accesses from her, but they were both removed and reinstated loudly. It felt as though about 50% AT LEAST of the 50% of this book that I read, was inane nothing. The author spent so much time setting up this magical location of the Bell Witch’s home… and then just swerved into nonsense bland love interest, and weird forced gen z interactions. Again, about 25% in we start getting into the magic and you think that things might be picking up and it was a rough start!!! Yet we swerve immediately away from that lore and into the tom foolery again.

There was just a LOT of junk padding what might have been an interesting story. Maybe the plot will have ultimately been worth reading until the end, but I personally could not drag my way through the rest of this. I really REALLY wanted to, but I lost faith at how ridiculous the laptop charging interaction was that there would be payoff in the end. The idea that her hormones run the elements amuck and her crush is affecting the weather is ultimately SO fun, but there is a bit too much slop happening here. There is no thought required in reading this, and even it being at a Young Adult level, it doesn’t give them enough credit as readers to be free thinkers and imagine anything for themselves.

Again, take this with a grain of salt… maybe it really turns itself around, but I felt nothing compelling me forward and will certainly not be recommending this to young readers if it has any possibility of putting them in the reading slump it put myself in.

In Lindsey Kelk's The Bell Witches, I found myself transported to Savannah in which Emily is sent to live with her extended family after her daughter' death.

Ms. Kelk paints a picture with her words that made me feel like I was in the south; she uses adjectives to make poetry of heat, humidity, and plants/flowers. That's what made this book so lovely and easy to read, the way the words flowed as much as the story.

Emily has always felt different, but when she meets and is around her family she realizes that she's a witch and from a long line of them.

Reading about Emily dealing with her father's death, moving, finding out this transformative secret, and then watching her fall in love and make friends was a joy.

I wish there had been stories like this when I was younger and reading young adults all the time. This book was a delight.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in consideration of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

(I was able to get an early access to this copy, thank you so much NetGalley for allowing me to have the opportunity to read this. And of course thank you to the author for allowing me to read and review.)
It was an ok book overall. Very YA with no spice for those who do not want to read romance books with spice. Easy for YA readers to get through as it was quick paced. I think I would have liked this at that age, maybe even younger than the FMC.
*Light Spoilers*
Cons First; I was so excited to read a book that took place in such a history rich area. Savannah GA is such a gorgeous place to visit and the history is absolutely thriving there. It didn't seem to play a role, or as big of a role, in the book as I hoped. More of just a background nugget of info.
My biggest gripe with this book that made it 3 stars, was the use of tiktok language. The use of 'unalive' just took me right out of the book and left a sour taste in my mouth. I do have to add that I am part of Gen Z, so it's not a thing of me being "too old." I just do not want to read a book that is making me think that information is being dumbed down or slashed to be relatable. There is the possibility to use such modern language, but not slangs that we use online to get past certain filters.

To me, the romance felt so forced. I can understand love at first sight, but it felt like there were no grounds to stand on. No gentle development, just boom, in love. I love a slow burn. Aren't they supposed to be forbidden lovers?
Lastly, evil characters didnt feel like they were really evil. They almost felt like an annoying Mother In Law. I want to be surprised. I want to feel betrayed.
Pros:
There were some good characters. Ashley was written quite well, I did enjoy her. The only thing that bugged me was her use of modern slang that did not fit her character.
The author is amazing at setting atmosphere. When she first described one of the visions, I felt like I was seeing it in my own mind.
Overall, Im grateful that I was able to read a copy and review it. This is such a good intro book for younger reader who want to get into fantasy.

Emily is just a "normal" girl in Wales until her father dies and she finds out that not only does she have a family, but that they may not quite be what they seem. After growing up being told that all her grandparents were dead and she has no aunts or uncles, color her surprised to have an Aunt show up and take her "back home" to Savannah, Georgia to find that magic runs through her veins. everyone and everything are not what they seem in this whirlwind coming of age. This was a solid 3.5 for me. while the story is enticing it drug on at parts which took away from some of the build up. a worth while read though overall

This is a perfect witchy fall vibes book. Was it a little too YA for me (yes) but that falls on me for being drawn in by the gorgeous cover and not reading the description. For me it was a quick easy read but felt more romancy than fantasy for my taste and the main characters fell in love way too fast for me I need a little more slow burn

Thank you to Lindsey Kelk and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I very much enjoyed the magic system, along with the family dynamics. Emily's journey felt chaotic, mysterious, and not without grief for time lost. If I'm not mistaken, this is Lindsey's first romantasy book and I thought it was a great start to this duology. Some twists I did predict but they were very intriguing to the plot and the world. Looking forward to what comes next.

I saw “witches” and that gorgeous cover and was instantly sold. So yes, it’s totally on me for not realizing it was YA. 😆 That said, it’s exactly the kind of book I would’ve devoured as a teen—a magical blend of family secrets, fantasy, and just the right touch of romance.

The Bell Witches offers a lush, atmospheric setting and a premise steeped in Southern Gothic charm, with its mysterious Savannah backdrop and a magical family legacy. The story kicks off strong with Emily’s tragic loss and relocation, pulling readers into a world filled with secrets and supernatural intrigue. The romantic connection between Emily and Wyn is compelling at first, though it sometimes overshadows the deeper family dynamics that begged for more exploration. While the twists are engaging, the pacing lags in places, and some plot elements feel underdeveloped or too conveniently resolved. Still, fans of Young Adult fantasy and magical realism will find this a moody, intriguing ride, if not quite as spellbinding as it promises.

"There has always been an Emma Catherine Bell in Bell House."

That's one of the first facts about her estranged family that Emily James comes to learn after she moves into the esteemed Bell house of Savannah, Georgia. Emily had previously been raised by her father Paul, and they lived a nomadic lifestyle chasing academic research. After Paul passes away during an auto accident, Emily is shocked to learn that she has a grandmother and aunt in Savannah. Once Emily is safely ensconced in Bell House, she starts to learn her family's history. The Bell women are witches, and Emily is set to become the next in line at her seventeenth birthday next month. While Emily tries to juggle coming to terms with being a witch, she's also learning how to navigate new friendships with the twins next door, and she even meets the mysterious Wyn who she has an immediate connection with. It's not all sunshine and roses in the Bell family however, and Emily quickly discovers what being a Bell Witch really means.

The cover of this book is what initially drew me to it, and I stayed for all of the gothic, summery, witchy vibes that this novel contains. Lindsay Kelk brings the city of Savannah, with all of its history, architecture, and mystery while weaving a supernatural story that kept me enthralled from the beginning. When I initially read this story, I didn't realize that it was the first in a series (I mistakenly thought that it was a standalone novel), and I almost screeched when I came to the ending of this book. I thought how could we be left like this?! Then I started reading the author's note and saw the words "begin writing the sequel" and could again take a deep breath. There's some foreshadowing in this novel that I am hoping leads to things that happen in the next novel in the Savannah Red series, and I for one, can't wait to find out what it is.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper 360/Magpie, and Lindsay Kelk for providing me with an eARC of this novel to read for review.

This was a super quick and easy read, especially if you like a witchy book with some mystery thrown in! It’s August release date is the prefect time to pick it up for fall! Flaunting the family secrets, the friendships, the witches and the magiccc! It’s definitely geared more towards the younger readers (no spice here!) It follows Emily (16 turning 17), who has to move back to Savannah with her grandmother after losing her father unexpectedly. Things start to happen as soon as she comes back, starting the Spanish moss giving her visions of the past and the future any time she’s around it. She meets Wyn, who is in Savannah for school. Without giving too much away.. Wyn is such a cute MMC, the dynamic between him and Emily was cute to read. The book start to take a darker turn when Emily is faced with her “magical awakening” and a massive choice- her past or her future.
I think I will continue this series, just to see where it goes from here!

A cozy, witchy, Southern Gothic debut that charms through setting and mood—but leans a little too quickly into romance and is predictable. It is not a slow burn. Eager to see how the sequel develops the magic, the mysteries, and the Bell family legacy.

This was so great! Haunting and magical all at once, she goes to live with mysterious family and learns that magic isn't just for the storybooks.

I really enjoyed the plot of this story. The witches and werewolves and the overall coming of age and into magic story. However this felt too much like a romance than a fantasy but the characters are 16. Too many times did she claimed she was in love and no adult figure questions really at all. Will I finish the rest of the series? Probably

Ultimately, the book succeeds in inviting readers not only to be frightened but also to reflect on how we understand and remember the past. It was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Not bad for a debut. Pacing was a bit slow at times, and I caught myself re-reading certain sections over and over. What I really enjoyed was the characterization of the main characters and their banter. I found myself relating a lot to Emily, and I really enjoyed how she came into her only. I will say, this book made me itching to take a trip to Savannah!

The Bell witches is a well written semi-spooky magical romance read. YA Fantasy/romantacy readers will really enjoy this book.

Emily and her father have been bouncing around from place to place for as long as Emily can remember. When her father tragically passes away, she is sent to live with her grandmother and aunt in Savannah, Georgia and is inexplicably drawn towards a mysterious boy, Wyn. Emily starts to discover her family has a magical secret, but will her relationship with endangers her family legacy.

I enjoyed the plot and romance of this book but the characters were too young for me to really enjoy the book. The relationship between Wyn and Emily happens very quickly and they are head over heals with no development. I did love the spooky vibes in the beginning of the book as Emily is uncovering secrets and learning about her family history.

This book turned out to be a little bit better than I first expected. It still kinda felt slow in some places but I managed to finish it. I love the beautiful cover of the book and I really liked some of the characters. I am not sure if I have read anything else by this author but I will check out her other books.