Belladonna

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Synopsis

A girl confronts Death—and her own deathly powers—in this Gothic-infused, romantic young adult fantasy.

Nineteen-year-old Signa Farrow, orphaned as a baby, has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her last remaining relatives are the Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at the glittering and gloomy estate of Thorn Grove. Thorn Grove’s patriarch, Elijah, mourns his late wife, Lillian, through wild parties and drink, while eldest son Percy grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and daughter Blythe suffers from the same mysterious illness that killed her mother. And when Lillian’s spirit confronts Signa and claims she was poisoned, Signa realizes that Blythe could be next to die.

Signa’s best chance of uncovering the culprit and solving Lillian’s murder is an alliance with Death himself—the very man she hates most. And Death, that fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side, shows her that their connection may be more powerful than she ever dared imagine.

Synopsis source: The StoryGraph

Review

Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance
HB&W Rating: 4 stars, 2 flames
View on StoryGraph, Goodreads
Buy on Barnes & Noble, Amazon

This was my pick for my 2025 Book Challenge for November: Something From Your TBR. For more recommended reads, see my blog post here.

Belladonna hooked me from the start with its beautiful, atmospheric writing—sometimes so vivid it borders on poetic. Even though a lot of the twists were easy to spot, the mystery itself stayed engaging, and I still didn’t manage to figure out who the killer was.

The romance was absolutely swoon-worthy. Without giving anything away, the love interest comes off as a jerk at times, but he’s also the first to point out that she isn’t someone who needs coddling. That honesty actually put them on much more equal footing, especially in a time period when women were treated like property. Their dynamic felt refreshingly modern.

The book is definitely a slow burn, including the spice. There is some on-page content, but it’s brief and not very descriptive—2 ?. I did feel the pacing dragged a bit for the first 75% of the story, but the final quarter really kicks into gear. I only wish certain relationships—like the one between Blythe and Signa—had been developed a bit more.

The setting is an interesting blend of Jane Austen’s society layered with a ghostly, paranormal realm. The story touches on found family, grief, loneliness, friendship, and the moments that strain and strengthen those bonds. It’s dark romance, fantasy, paranormal, and historical mystery all wrapped into one YA novel.

Despite a few pacing hiccups, I loved the atmosphere, the characters, and the emotional beats. I’m definitely excited for the next book.

Until next time,

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