Scan barcode
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Interesting context of death personified, a unique character, the mystery is interesting. Note has some content that may not be suitable for all readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder
vagrantheather's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
A fun read, but problematic at times, and not very deep or moving. Death was rather sexy. Hard to have a book about death and murder and yet not really feel that it's a dark book, but here we are.
There were a lot of plot devices I disliked. Death's fascination with (and interference on behalf of) our MC feels like grooming. A wealthy orphan girl being passed along to a home full of constant ribald parties - unlikely, given the time period, but plausible for a smutty regency book. However it doesn't go there - it ISN'T a smutty regency book where our innocent young heroine finds herself in a scandalous situation. So it feels unnecessarily edgy on part of the author.
The garden fiasco and overall vibe (mansion estate, ghosts, death, a sexy servant boy) summon The Secret Garden. And I love TSG! But the garden ends up being basically unnecessary. There's some waffley excuse that spirits can't communicate well when removed from their place of (death? Burial? Can't recall), but the whole "ahh I must find this secret garden then KILL MYSELF to gain entry" was so unnecessary. Surely the spirit could talk to you from, idk, the other side of the wall? And could you really not think of a single other way to enter a locked garden than by poisoning yourself to summon death's powers of intangibility? Maybe try looking under a rock for the key? Or ask the servant for a key? Or look for a key in the mansion? Maybe try scaling a nearby tree? Maybe stand on the horse's back to hop over? So many options that don't require summoning your professed enemy.
I was very disappointed by the author's tendency to distinguish characters by hair and skin color. The characters were mostly thin/flat.
The author puts in place a mechanism for Signa to play God by taking one life to spare another, but ultimately does very little with this theme. She was essentially A-OK with having murdered an old aunt to spare her young cousin. Sure, she didn't know what she was doing, but after finding out her power the guilt was a short lived thing, easily shrugged off. Flimsy.
It's an enjoyable read, but shallowly developed and ultimately forgettable.
There were a lot of plot devices I disliked. Death's fascination with (and interference on behalf of) our MC feels like grooming. A wealthy orphan girl being passed along to a home full of constant ribald parties - unlikely, given the time period, but plausible for a smutty regency book. However it doesn't go there - it ISN'T a smutty regency book where our innocent young heroine finds herself in a scandalous situation. So it feels unnecessarily edgy on part of the author.
The garden fiasco and overall vibe (mansion estate, ghosts, death, a sexy servant boy) summon The Secret Garden. And I love TSG! But the garden ends up being basically unnecessary. There's some waffley excuse that spirits can't communicate well when removed from their place of (death? Burial? Can't recall), but the whole "ahh I must find this secret garden then KILL MYSELF to gain entry" was so unnecessary. Surely the spirit could talk to you from, idk, the other side of the wall? And could you really not think of a single other way to enter a locked garden than by poisoning yourself to summon death's powers of intangibility? Maybe try looking under a rock for the key? Or ask the servant for a key? Or look for a key in the mansion? Maybe try scaling a nearby tree? Maybe stand on the horse's back to hop over? So many options that don't require summoning your professed enemy.
I was very disappointed by the author's tendency to distinguish characters by hair and skin color. The characters were mostly thin/flat.
The author puts in place a mechanism for Signa to play God by taking one life to spare another, but ultimately does very little with this theme. She was essentially A-OK with having murdered an old aunt to spare her young cousin. Sure, she didn't know what she was doing, but after finding out her power the guilt was a short lived thing, easily shrugged off. Flimsy.
It's an enjoyable read, but shallowly developed and ultimately forgettable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Terminal illness
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, and Sexual content
nataliebootlah's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
An orphaned Signa is passed from guardian to guardian until she moves into Thorn Grove to live with her distant, wealthy relatives. And for the first time, she doesn’t feel like they’re more interested in her impending inheritance than her.
In an attempt to save her cousin from the same mysterious illness that took her aunt, she must confront Death himself—the man that’s haunted her nearly since birth. Oh, did I not mention that Signa can see spirits?
This mysterious, gothic novel has an eerie ambiance, a touch of romance, and a flirtatious relationship with Death. While this was a fun read, it felt a little too young adult for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Sexual content, Murder, and Death of parent
jessiereads98's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Belladonna was disappointing for me in every way. The premise and cover suggest a gothic mystery/romance and it falls flat on both. The gothic element is extremely sparse, with descriptions or things seemingly meant to be creepy thrown in when the author seems to remember. The mystery is easily predictable, as is the plot twist which I had pegged from the start. The romance falls entirely flat for me. The characters are two dimensional, and the development of the romance is extremely stilted. The final big event in the last chapter was an obvious and lazy set up to turn this into a series when it really has no reason to be a series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Vomit, Death, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Child abuse
ambenicole418's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
An average YA gothic murder mystery story featuring the author’s poorly disguised kink for groomy/creepily paternalistic immortal boyfriends.
Honestly, it’s not the age difference that weirds me out about Signa x Death, it’s really the fact that Death has been watching and protecting Signa since she was a BABY, and for more than half of the book he acts as if he’s her father and not a potential love interest. I mean he does things like, killing off all of her family members because they didn’t treat Signa as kindly as he wanted them to, saving Blythe so Signa could go to Thorn Grove because he wanted her in a “safe and stable home”, he calls her “Little Bird” which frankly sounds like the nickname you would give to a child, and then when Signa refuses to let Death train her on how to use her powers he puts on his Dad voice and commands her to meet him at midnight for training. Ms. Adalyn creates this whole power imbalance between Death and Signa and spends the first half of the book setting Death up as if he’s going to be Signa’s father figure/mentor. It got to the point that by the time the tea party happens, I got whiplash because Death has a full 180 in his personality and starts acting like a jealous lover. The change is his demeanor was so drastic and came out of nowhere that I had to flip back through the book because I felt like I was missing something. How am I supposed to believe Death is her love interest when you write lines like:
“Why is it you are so polite to others? So demure and soft yet bullish when we speak? Ask me kindly, Signa.”
“Death spoke as though Signa were a child. As though she were a small, fragile thing that needed to be coddled.” (remind you Signa is 19 years old, so why is he talking to her as if she’s a child???)
It has to be either gaslighting or Ms. Adalyn just SET OUT to create a creepily paternalistic relationship between them because how are these lines said about the love interest?? It certainly didn’t help that the romance was incredibly inorganic, Death literally admitted that the only reason he’s interested in Signa at all is because she shares his powers and can’t be killed by his touch, and Death says things like,
“I have waited for you for a very long time, Signa.”
Like yeah Death, we know, you’ve been watching Signa since she was a baby and she’s 19 now, so you’ve been watching and waiting for about……….19 years for Signa to become legal 💀.
Outside of Signa being in a relationship with her father-boyfriend, the book is really just average. It reads like a lot of other YA books that are popular on social media. It’s not bad. The main mystery is just fairly predictable and nothing to write home about. So, the book was fine I just couldn’t vibe with Signa being in a relationship with this creepily paternalistic and groomy shadow.
Honestly, it’s not the age difference that weirds me out about Signa x Death, it’s really the fact that Death has been watching and protecting Signa since she was a BABY, and for more than half of the book he acts as if he’s her father and not a potential love interest. I mean he does things like, killing off all of her family members because they didn’t treat Signa as kindly as he wanted them to, saving Blythe so Signa could go to Thorn Grove because he wanted her in a “safe and stable home”, he calls her “Little Bird” which frankly sounds like the nickname you would give to a child, and then when Signa refuses to let Death train her on how to use her powers he puts on his Dad voice and commands her to meet him at midnight for training. Ms. Adalyn creates this whole power imbalance between Death and Signa and spends the first half of the book setting Death up as if he’s going to be Signa’s father figure/mentor. It got to the point that by the time the tea party happens, I got whiplash because Death has a full 180 in his personality and starts acting like a jealous lover. The change is his demeanor was so drastic and came out of nowhere that I had to flip back through the book because I felt like I was missing something. How am I supposed to believe Death is her love interest when you write lines like:
“Why is it you are so polite to others? So demure and soft yet bullish when we speak? Ask me kindly, Signa.”
“Death spoke as though Signa were a child. As though she were a small, fragile thing that needed to be coddled.” (remind you Signa is 19 years old, so why is he talking to her as if she’s a child???)
It has to be either gaslighting or Ms. Adalyn just SET OUT to create a creepily paternalistic relationship between them because how are these lines said about the love interest?? It certainly didn’t help that the romance was incredibly inorganic, Death literally admitted that the only reason he’s interested in Signa at all is because she shares his powers and can’t be killed by his touch, and Death says things like,
“I have waited for you for a very long time, Signa.”
Like yeah Death, we know, you’ve been watching Signa since she was a baby and she’s 19 now, so you’ve been watching and waiting for about……….19 years for Signa to become legal 💀.
Outside of Signa being in a relationship with her father-boyfriend, the book is really just average. It reads like a lot of other YA books that are popular on social media. It’s not bad. The main mystery is just fairly predictable and nothing to write home about. So, the book was fine I just couldn’t vibe with Signa being in a relationship with this creepily paternalistic and groomy shadow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Vomit
kstacy91's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A YA dark fantasy that blends romance and mystery together with it to create an original story that’s as unique as it is gripping. Signa is a tour-de-force, but realistic in her growth and understanding. Death is dripping with seduction and let me tell y’all: Grace’s way with words for Death was next level. Every time he came onto the page, he was pure, dark intrigue; something dangerous yet alluring from his actions to his words. This book scales a bit older on the YA scale, but rightly so. I think that the romance between Death and Signa was leading to more and I’m thankful that Grace didn’t shy away from it and fade to black. If you’re looking for a gorgeous Gothic romance with mystery and horror, then this is one I’d highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Vomit and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
tialyr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
What a great book! I loved all the intrigue and romance! There were definitely parts of the book I guessed correctly before they were revealed, but so much I didn’t, which I was really delighted about. There were plenty of fun and complex characters. I’m really looking forward to knowing what happens next and how Signa and everyone grows in the next book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
kswartz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Murder
Minor: Body horror, Sexual content, and Vomit
xtsukix's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Took me a little bit to get into but I adored this and wanted to read it non-stop once I did get into it. The mystery was delectable, the romance was (a little sudden but) so sweet, very much an “I’ll burn the world if you ask me to” romance which I adoreeeee. The plot twists were intriguing and whilst Signa was not the most relatable character, we understand why she made the choices she did. I was wondering how this was going to prompt a sequel, and I’m absolutely happy with how this book ended and am super excited for the next one. I definitely want to read the entire book over knowing what I know now, even directly after reading it, which is how I know it’s a new favourite of mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
margarethansen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Sexual content