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alittlenutmeg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Grief, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
brieparis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Alcoholism, and Fire/Fire injury
dovahkiin_freyja's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Once she is taken in as a ward at her cousin's home, Signa realizes that death is coming for her cousin, Blythe. Using every weapon at her disposal, and determined to find out who's behind her Blythe's sickness, it's a race against time. But murder, poisonings, and betrayal aren't the only things in store for Signa.
This story is full of ghosts and murder, with a surprising romantic aspect to it.
This story is full of ghosts and murder, with a surprising romantic aspect to it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
linhsreadinghour's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I don’t know how to feel about this book if I’m being honest 😂.
In summary: A gothic fantasy murder mystery that takes place in regency-ish times. Signa Farrow grapples with her own identity and desires whilst solving a murder mystery. Belladonna is one of them books that should be read for fun. There is nothing particularly astonishing about this book other than it was very entertaining and overall a good YA fantasy novel in terms of its writing, plot development and characters.
The book tackles themes such as identity, coming of age, role of women in society. Most importantly, the book tackles themes of grief/death in a refreshing way.
—
Up until 75%, not much happened and it was just Signa trying to solve the murder. At 75%-80%, I found myself uncomfortably laughing out loud in disbelief and at the romance for a number of reasons.
Is no one else weirded out about it the fact that Death watched her grow up from a baby to a 20 year old, and fell in love with her? The romance was too quick and the whole Sylas thing (before it was revealed you know what about Sylas) had me conflicted about Signa’s character. But now it all makes sense!!
There is one chilli pepper (🌶️) in this book, I don’t particularly have strong feelings either way about this in Belladonna. The book could have done without it and it still would have been good.
The plot twists at the end were very good, I did not see that coming but they weren’t enough to satisfy the entire book for me so I rate it a 3.5 ⭐️. Will I continue the series? I think so, the ending made me intrigued to read the next book, but it’s not the case that I will be jumping immediately into it.
In summary: A gothic fantasy murder mystery that takes place in regency-ish times. Signa Farrow grapples with her own identity and desires whilst solving a murder mystery. Belladonna is one of them books that should be read for fun. There is nothing particularly astonishing about this book other than it was very entertaining and overall a good YA fantasy novel in terms of its writing, plot development and characters.
The book tackles themes such as identity, coming of age, role of women in society. Most importantly, the book tackles themes of grief/death in a refreshing way.
—
Up until 75%, not much happened and it was just Signa trying to solve the murder. At 75%-80%, I found myself uncomfortably laughing out loud in disbelief and at the romance for a number of reasons.
There is one chilli pepper (🌶️) in this book, I don’t particularly have strong feelings either way about this in Belladonna. The book could have done without it and it still would have been good.
The plot twists at the end were very good, I did not see that coming but they weren’t enough to satisfy the entire book for me so I rate it a 3.5 ⭐️. Will I continue the series? I think so, the ending made me intrigued to read the next book, but it’s not the case that I will be jumping immediately into it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
ylimesnwot's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
bakergirlsbooks1999's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Vomit, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gore, Alcohol, and Blood
cuddleemily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
Very good book, kept me guessing throughout and can't wait to read the next one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Death, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
evarinya's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Chronic illness
Minor: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Murder, and Physical abuse
maries_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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: Chronic illness, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
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