We’ve all had weird friends…but Signa Farrow seems to have one that’s stranger than most.

After Signa’s parents passed away from mysterious reasons, her mum poisoned after an esteemed party, Signa has been transported from one home to another, most relatives more interested in her soon-to-be inherited wealth than her.

Finally, she’s moved to the sprawling estate of the elusive Hawthornes, the only remaining relatives she has, who reside on Thorn Grove. The father grapples with his wife, Lillian’s death, his daughter suffers from the same illness that took her mother, and his son fights for control of their life.

But Signa soon realizes that nothing is what it seems. After the ghost of Lillian shows up, claiming she’s been poisoned, Signa puts her mind to uncovering the foggy past of Thorn Grove. As she inches closer and closer to the truth about herself and the estate, it begins to dawn on her that she is not the person she thinks she is…

Turns out, being best friends with Death does have some perks…

Belladonna, by Adalyn Grace

Murder, conspiracy, betrayal and fantasy all wind up together in a dark fusion narrating the tale of Signa Farrow. I was absolutely captivated by this spellbinding, paranormal fantasy, a hauntingly beautiful YA thriller which has very quickly claimed its rightful place in my heart.

• Belladonna is an atmospheric gothic, paranormal tale, so for those people out there who enjoy dark fantasies and mysteries, this is a MUST-READ BOOK.
• From the title page dropping the bomb of Signa’s mother’s untimely death, to the very ending where she realizes that the murderer was someone who she least suspected, this book took me on a winding journey of romance, supernatural beings, and Signa’s determination to fight back to the top.
• The personification of Death as a human, someone Signa can actually talk to gives the book a more ominous feel, and makes you ponder over why exactly does this mysterious “human” protect Signa at every step? What is it that makes her so special, what powers does she truly hold? I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her bewitching relationship with Death, and their closely intertwined destinies play out in front of my very eyes.
• It made me think that I could predict exactly what was going to occur next, and then it just took me back to the very first square, me you with something completely new. This contributed to an overwhelming feeling of suspense and tense anticipation, like “WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO BEAR…”
• The characters were spectacular, each with their own shadows and their own stories to tell. Everyone seemed to be hiding something, and the revelation made at the end was completely and utterly unexpected. I was still trying to figure out how I possibly could not have noticed, and whether there were any clues present or not. Grace builds up the story so well that you would barely expect the ending, despite whatever speculations or thoughts you had.
• The description used were eerie, vivid, and so delicately crafted that I found myself holding my breath as I turned the pages. I felt like I was inside that book as Signa, and I could visualize the scenes take place in front of me.
• Last, but definitely not least, the voyage of a girl who can walk on the teetering line between Life, Death and Fate, a girl whose own abilities seem to elude her, a slightly naïve but so very, very bold protagonist captivates you, well and truly making you feel every one of her emotions, every one of her failures and successes.

This book is so splendidly written, it’s almost too good to be true. If I were to recommend a book to read this year, it would OBVIOUSLY be this one. I could read it over and over and over again, and this would be one of my absolute favourites for a very long time to come.

READ IT.

Signing off…