Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna (Belladonna, #1)

by Adalyn Grace

'A deliciously deadly Gothic romance' Stephanie Garber

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Death waits for no one . . . except for her.

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her wellbeing - 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.

Signa's best chance of uncovering the murderer, though, 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.

From New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace, Belladonna brings to life a highly romantic, gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

PRAISE FOR BELLADONNA

'This book is a true pleasure to read from beginning to end' Jennifer L. Armentrout

'A darkly romantic tale' Adrienne Young

'Utterly original and completely addictive' Rachel Griffin

'Darkly twisted and deliciously gothic' Renée Ahdieh

'Decadently atmospheric' Kerri Maniscalco

Reviewed by pamela on

3.5 of 5 stars

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Belladonna was a fun read, if not particular original or groundbreaking. It was well written and imaginative, but ultimately a cookie-cutter YA romance with a predictable plot and a "chosen one" narrative.

Signa Farrow was an interesting protagonist, and I found the premise intriguing. The pacing was good, with a decent gothic mystery to push the plot along. Despite nothing coming as a surprise, and each potential twist, including the cliffhanger being not so much foreshadowed, as floodlit with a big neon sign, it was still an immensely enjoyable reading experience.

Where my enjoyment fell a little flat was in the characterisation of a lot of the secondary characters, and the motivations of the antagonist. There were some pretty big leaps that led to the ultimate reveal that really broke my immersion, and there were a host of characters who were not really developed, and used more as props. I've also got a pretty huge issue with the YA obsessions with ancient beings falling in love with young girls. It's just weird, and kind of gross.

Still, I enjoyed reading Belladonna and will definitely read the next book when it comes out. I'm already predicting a love triangle to finish up my YA romance trope bingo card.

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Reading updates

  • 11 July, 2022: Started reading
  • 11 July, 2022: on page 0 out of 416 0%
  • 16 August, 2022: Finished reading
  • 17 August, 2022: Reviewed