Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

4 reviews

aecoralie's review against another edition

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dark hopeful mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

it's been a long time since i enjoyed a fantasy book this much. this story had everything i needed and more: compelling characters, atmospheric setting, and a nice mystery that kept everything nicely flowing. i can't wait to read the second book!

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nebraskanwriter's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This was one of my most anticipated releases for the year and I’m bummed I didn’t like it as much as I had hoped! 

I am not really a fan of horror and the part of the book where Lily’s spirit looks like Scarlet Witch when she comes out of the gong in Dr. Strange’s  Multiverse of Madness movie, limbs cracking/moving in odd angles and her mouth gaping open with blood and sores, was a little bit too horrific/graphic for me. It was so strange because that scene was creepy/scary but then the rest of the book did not keep with that tone. That scene just tonally felt so off for me and just came out of nowhere. Then the story goes back to a campy, Clue-like mystery with the dark-brooding Death love interest. It just felt very odd/out of place for me.

Also, I feel like Death and Signa’s love/relationship did not feel very fleshed out for me. It was giving very Edward and Bella. Death tells Signa “I’ve waited forever for you.” He’s literally a deity and Signa is a 19 year old girl. The whole thing just felt very strange and rushed. Like okay your cousins are dropping like flies but you need to make out with Death in a garden, okie doke. 

Also Death meets Signa when she was a literal baby when everyone at this party dies, including her parents, but Signa does not. It’s giving Jacob and Renesme? Like Death knew he was going to wait until Signa was “of age” for him to have her even though he’s been watching over her since she was a literal baby. Through out the book, Death kind of deceives Signa and lies to her. Okay she can see dead people like he can but other then that, why should they be together? 

I know this was Adalyn Grace’s first kind of time dipping her toe into more adult content, which I think is awesome, good for her. However, this book was just an odd mix of adult themes/scenes with the characters still being very YA in their development and lack of personality. 

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foiblesandfiction's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

gothic romance is the way to my little emo heart. somewhere there's a myspace picture of me at warped tour wearing a green studded belt. i still know the words to every song on three cheers to sweet revenge. and somewhere on the internet is the search history of 14 year old me trying to find phantom of the opera fanfiction at 2am.

so let's just say i was really excited for this book - a ya gothic mystery with romance and a death daddy love interest.

but where i was expecting crimson peak, instead i got eddie murphy's the haunted mansion. which isn't the biggest disappointment because god knows that movie is entertaining as hell, but it's still a disappointment.

- too much telling, not enough showing
- too little character interaction, and what there was had little substance
- inconceivable plot twists that felt contrived.

as this is the first in a series, i would be interested to read the next book in hopes that my complaints would be resolved with character development and world building.

ETA
realized i did truly enjoy the observations and commentary about the expectations of women in society, particularly of their purity and demureness. though she was faced with solving a murderer, signa's main dilemma was actually choosing whether or not to meet societal expectations. could she have what she wanted - belonging and community - without being mired and hidden amongst female social norms? is that even true belonging?

now THIS is some good stuff, and i especially love this in a ya novel. thumbs up.

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bookishflower's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 - Light enemies-to-lovers
- Atmospheric gothic fantasy
- mystery solving
- murder
- ghosts

Thank you Hodder and Stoughton, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Signa Farrow has been surrounded by Death her whole life. With her string of guardians all meeting untimely ends, Signa is determined to not let Death ruin her fresh start with her cousins at the mysterious Thorn Grove. But when her aunt's ghost tells her she was murdered and her daughter is next, it's up to Signa, Sylas the infuriating stable boy, and her sworn enemy Death himself to help stop the murderer before it's too late.

'Belladonna' was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and it did not disappoint! This is the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, mystery and the gothic! If you looking for a book that feels like a Hozier song, look no further. (It also needs to be said that this is one of the most beautiful book covers I've ever seen!).

I adored the writing style and how Signa as a character develops and comes into her own with her powers and sense of self. Death was mysterious, alluring and the sarcastic love interest of your dreams. I have never been more excited for my theories to be right than I was when I got to that bit! Signa and Death balance each other out perfectly- the banter, reluctant allies, consent, and encouragement?!!! I can't wait for 'Foxglove' and that cliffhanger was evil- I loved it!
 

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