17 January 2025

Belladonna By Adalyn Grace Review And Book Club Questions

Reviewed by: Melissa Ng

Full Yellow Stars

Quick Facts

Book Publication Date: 30 August 2022

How I Read It: Borrowed from my local library

Where You Can Find Belladonna by Adalyn Grace: Amazon | Kobo | AudibleDymocks | QBD Books | Apple Books | Spotify

Content & Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, grief, gore, violence, vomit, spice.

Book cover of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace with the text "Belladonna Review & Book Club Questions" on a purple background

Spoiler Alert

This blog post spoils major plot lines of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace. If you haven't read the book, stop here!

Belladonna Summary

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace introduces us to Signa Farrow, a girl who cannot die.

Orphaned as a baby, Signa is shuffled from one greedy guardian to another, each meeting an untimely death. Her final stop is with the Hawthorne family at their sprawling Thorn Grove estate.

Thorn Grove is steeped in secrets. Elijah Hawthorne, the grieving patriarch, mourns his wife, Lillian, who died of a mysterious illness.

Meanwhile, Blythe, Elijah’s daughter and Signa’s cousin, is succumbing to the same sickness.

As tensions rise, Lillian’s ghost appears to Signa, revealing she was poisoned and begging her to uncover the killer before Blythe suffers the same fate.

Death, the grim reaper who has been a presence in Signa’s life since childhood, becomes her unlikely ally.

As she learns to wield the power she’s been given her, their connection deepens into something dangerously alluring.

Together with Sylas, a stable hand with secrets of his own, Signa must untangle Thorn Grove’s web of lies and find the murderer before it’s too late.

Belladonna Characters

  • Signa Farrow: The girl who cannot die.
  • Death: A mysterious grim reaper tied to Signa.
  • Sylas: A stable hand at Thorn Grove who aids Signa in her investigation.
  • Elijah Hawthorne: The grieving patriarch of Thorn Grove.
  • Lillian Hawthorne: Elijah’s late wife and Blythe’s mother.
  • Blythe Hawthorne: Elijah’s daughter and Signa’s cousin, gravely ill with the same sickness that claimed her mother.
  • Percy Hawthorne: Elijah’s son and Signa’s cousin, set to inherit the family business.
  • Byron Hawthorne: Elijah’s brother.
  • Marjorie Hargreaves: Governess to Blythe Hawthorne.

Belladonna Spoilers

This section contains major spoilers for Belladonna. Read at your own risk!

  • Elijah had an affair with Marjorie years ago. Percy is their son, not Lillian’s.
  • Percy poisons Lillian to hide the affair, but when Elijah grieves instead of strengthening the family bond, Percy poisons Blythe to spur him into action.
  • To further manipulate Elijah, Percy poisons himself, hoping to scare his father into prioritising the family’s legacy.
  • Percy’s final act of violence is stabbing Signa, unaware of her immortality. Signa uses her reaper powers to kill Percy, ending his schemes.
  • Sylas is revealed to be Death in disguise, creating a shocking twist in Signa’s growing romantic feelings.
A hand holding a paperback copy of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace with stone pebbles in the background
Belladonna - A gothic-infused drama of wealth, desire, and betrayal

Memorable Belladonna Quotes

Signa Farrow was a girl who could not die

Signa drew her hand back and clutched it to her chest. There was no denying it - with just a touch, she could bring death. But that death would come, it seemed, only when the reaper was in her presence. Only when Signa was in this strange space, teetering between life and death.

When a life is taken, another must be spared.

She had Death’s powers. Lillian had been murdered. And now, to save Blythe, it was up to Signa to discover who had done it.

Death was her poison, and all she wanted was to consume more.

I believe that I have always been yours, Death. As you were made for me, perhaps I was made for you. For I want to feel the way I feel when I am by your side forever. I want to feel the way I feel when you touch me.

She was to be the ruler of the night. The bringer of death. A reaper. and she would start her reign now.

Belladonna Review

When I first saw Belladonna’s cover, I thought it would be a regency romance. But after learning it was a gothic romantasy, I was intrigued.

The blend of murder mystery, family drama, and paranormal romance had all the makings of a story I’d love.

However, while I enjoyed aspects of the book, it fell slightly short of my expectations. The story didn’t feel 100% original, with many of the main themes found in books I’ve read before.

The gothic vibes were well-executed, with Thorn Grove offering a suitably eerie backdrop for the unfolding drama.

The murder mystery element was solid, though I found the twists predictable, likely due to my experience as a seasoned mystery reader. Younger readers or those new to the genre may find the reveals more surprising.

The romance between Signa and Death didn’t fully resonate with me. While the concept of falling for a grim reaper is intriguing, the execution felt underwhelming.

I also found the pacing uneven; at over 400 pages, the book could have been trimmed by 50 pages without losing its impact.

That said, Belladonna is a solid read for fans of YA romantasy.

If you enjoy gothic stories with a murder mystery twist, this is worth checking out.

I’d rate it 3 stars and am debating whether to continue with the series and pick up Foxglove.

Books Like Belladonna

If you’re looking for more books similar to Belladonna, I suggest checking out:

Belladonna Book Club Questions

  • What were your favourite and least favourite moments in the book?
  • Did you enjoy the gothic fantasy setting? How did it add to the story?
  • Who was your favourite character, and why?
  • At the start of the book, who did you suspect was responsible for Lillian and Blythe’s illness?
  • Why did you think Elijah wanted to close the family business?
  • Did you suspect Sylas wasn’t being truthful about his role at Thorn Grove?
  • Did your opinions of any of the characters change throughout the book?
  • Signa had always had a negative relationship with death, why do you think that evolved throughout the book?
  • What did you think of the romance between Signa and Sylas?
  • What did you think of the romance between Signa and Death?
  • Did you enjoy the murder mystery element of the book?
  • How do you think the book explored the themes of wealth, family drama, and death?
  • Did the ending surprise you? Were you able to predict any of the twists or reveals?
  • Will you be continuing the Belladonna series and reading Foxglove?
  • If Belladonna was adapted into a movie or TV series, which actors would you cast for each character?

 

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