Review: Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna

(Belladonna #1)

by Adalyn Grace

August 30, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa 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 remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.

However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

Review

Even though I have her debut duology sitting on my shelves, Belladonna is my first book by Adalyn Grace. With atmospheric writing, a grim mystery and some forbidden love, Belladonna was a tale of acceptance.

All the wealth in the world couldn't take away Signa's loneliness. Adalyn Grace does a great job conveying Signa's feelings. Her desperation to fit in had her speaking and acting demurely in the presence of members of society. In private, however, Signa was bold and held nothing back. It was quite entertaining witnessing her two sides.

We learn early on in Belladonna that Signa possesses a special ability. It carried the story in a way I didn't expect. In addition to helping her sneak around, she was able to communicate with the dead and work with Death. All of this combined made her a surprisingly decent investigator. Despite the predictability of the mystery, I enjoyed solving it alongside Signa.

I have complicated feelings for the romance in Belladonna. Signa and Death had an undeniable connection. The palpable romantic tension between them had me squirming. However, the sort of love triangle gave me pause. Especially after finding out how it's wrapped up (Sylas is Death so Signa has always only been in love with one person). Too easy. I wanted more (moral) struggles.

With that ending, I'm curious how much more of Signa's ability will come into play and will the romance work out. I think fans of gothic mysteries will be pleased with how Belladonna reads.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.