Foxglove

Belladonna #2

by Adalyn Grace

The captivating sequel to the Gothic-infused Belladonna, in which Signa and Death face a supernatural foe determined to tear them apart.

A duke has been murdered. The lord of Thorn Grove has been framed. And Fate, the elusive brother of Death, has taken up residence in a sumptuous estate nearby. He's hellbent on revenge after Death took the life of the woman he loved many years ago...and now he's determined to have Signa for himself, no matter the cost.

Signa and her cousin Blythe are certain that Fate can save Elijah Hawthorne from prison if they will entertain his presence. But the more time the girls spend with Fate, the more frightening their reality becomes as Signa exhibits dramatic new powers that link her to Fate's past. With mysteries and danger around every corner, the cousins must decide if they can trust one another as they navigate their futures in high society, unravel the murders that haunt their family, and play Fate's unexpected games—all with their destinies hanging in the balance.

Dangerous, suspenseful, and seductive, this sequel to Signa and Death's story is as utterly romantic as it is perfectly deadly.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Gothic, Mystery, Audiobook

480 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2023

About the author

Adalyn Grace is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, International, and Indiebound bestselling author of Belladonna and the All the Stars and Teeth duology.

Prior to becoming an author, Adalyn spent several years working in live theatre and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra.

Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.

Reviews

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way this shit had me GAGGED tf up!! i was constantly blushing and looking to my right to see if my invisible camera man caught that reaction. now this is how you write a motherfucking sequel!!!😮‍💨

this quickly become a book i simply couldn’t put down. i was glued to it like it was my lifeline. all the twist and turns had me jumping up and down so sporadically like grease popping out of a pan!🫨

to give you a gist of it- basically Fate (a person) shows up in town and causes a lot of problems and looks devastatingly handsome while doing it lmaoo. Signa and Death are like “bro stop interfering with our love life fr” and Fate’s like “lol no” and Blythe (Signa’s cousin) gets mixed up in all of this and long story short: crazy shit goes down in the last two chapters, i literally had to pick up my jaw off of the floor. 😧

this book was entirely captivating. the introduction of Fate made this a masterpiece im telling you. i literally wanna run my hands down this thighs. and i’m so desperately itching for the next book and may or may not do illegal things to obtain a copy 💞 /j

[jessica yeung · Rating 4 out of 5]

ooooh, this sequel is so interesting. after finishing it, its so blatantly obvious that the sole purpose of this installment is to be a bridge and connect the previous book to the next book. and i know some of you are thinking, isnt that what books in a series are supposed to do?

the answer is yes. but the way this sets up the next book, its as if book #1 and book #3 are two separate stories, but AG needed a way to link them, so she wrote this sequel as a filler to do that. but this doesnt feel like a filler, even though thats what its supposed to be.

the gothic ghost vibes are still going strong, the secretive family history is still a mystery, and the spooky atmosphere is still serving its purpose. i think the transitionary nature of the plot is why i didnt love this as much as the first book, but i have a very strong feeling the next book is going to bring back the spark that made me obsessed with this story, the characters, and AGs writing!

↠ 4.5 stars

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are mine. For as long as you'll have me, you are mine, Signa Farrow. I will burn this world to cinders before I let anyone take you from me."

I enjoyed this way more than Belladonna and tbf this is a better written book comparatively. While I loved the setting and Death in the first book. I fell hard for Fate. Like sure, I still like Death and think he's a total hottie but Fate has me weak on my knees 🫠🫠

This is a love triangle-ish romance but the choice has always been clear from the start. The angst, tension and swoon-worthy moments are perfect for a romantasy setting. Ngl it lowkey had me wishing it was a NA book 🫣

The character growth in it was close to perfection. I loved Signa and it was nice to see more of her powers. The way she has been loyal is impressive. Death could have used a bit more screen time imo. I feel like he took a backseat in this one or maybe I was too focused on Fate. If you love Jacks? You'll absolutely love Fate. The two are such similar characters, I was in awe. I swear I would've folded for him within minutes 🫣 Blythe and her character arc was predictable but I found her to be really likable, cunning and becoming a strong woman. I can't wait to see her character arc in the next book.

However, Part 2 was very weak imo. It could have used more substance as I found it to be dragging a lot. I ate up Part 3 tho despite the ending being super predictable.


~•~•~
Fate and Death brought me here... Sorry, I can't help it😭😂

[Alexa Raye · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ THIS SERIES!!! I need book 3 in my hands now 😭

[Adalyn Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE:

We have finally announced the limited edition first printing, as well as the exclusive Barnes and Noble edition!! And they're GORGEOUS

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚:
- A stunning mauve case design printed straight onto the hardcover
- Beautifully designed pink endpages
- A chapter from Death's POV
- An alternate dust jacket with color changes

This limited edition is exclusive to Barnes&Noble and is available for pre order now!



𝙇𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙍𝙪𝙣:
- A beautiful white case design printed straight onto the hardcover
- Beautiful end papers

This gorgeous white version comes standard with all first editions and is available through all US retailers! Amazon, Target, your local indie, etc. However, it’s 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱. All US pre orders (with the exception of the B&N exclusive) will be guaranteed to have this cover!

While I hope that these editions will make it to the shelves, 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Both are limited and when we run out, the publisher won’t be printing more!


First US Printing Edition:



Barnes & Noble Exclusive:





If you're looking for a signed + personalized copy, you can order through Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore. Orders from there also come with an exclusive art print and enamel pin (while supplies last)!



Original Post:

Hello, everyone! I'm here with a few updates:

1. There will not be any ARCs for Foxglove, either digital or physical. My team and I really want to keep everything a surprise, and have everyone read it simultaneously once it's released :) No one outside of my team and a a very small handful of people will be reading it before it's out!

2. Foxglove *will* have beautifully designed cases, similar to Belladonna. They're absolutely stunning and I can't wait to share them with you all!

3. Signed and Personalized copies will once again be available for pre order through Mysterious Galaxy bookstore. You can order here! Orders from Mysterious Galaxy will come with limited edition art prints and enamel pins (first come first served)

4. Barnes & Noble has a *limited* special edition, featuring a unique cover, unique end papers, and an exclusive chapter from Death's POV. It can be pre ordered here.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 2 out of 5]

"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝒶𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒾𝑔𝓃 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝓉’𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓁𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈, 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒."

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 2.75 Stars ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Welp, this one just didn't hold my attention hold my attention very well. Little action and a lot of dialogue, I found myself struggling to care. Spoilers likely below from book 1...

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ The story started with a bang, plunging us right into the heart of the action. The entire cast of characters was gathered at a lavish ball, reveling in the festivities, when the Duke of Berness suddenly fell victim to poison.

All eyes turned to Signa’s uncle, Elijah, the one who had handed him the fatal cup of wine. Time was of the essence as the clock ticked away, leaving only a short window to unmask the true murderer before Elijah faced the gallows.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Enter Fate, holding the key to making it all disappear… if Signa would accept his offer. She suspected that Fate was behind these unexpected turn of events.

Fate and Death had unfinished business, leaving Signa and her family in the middle of it. Fate also feels cheated now that Blythe still lives despite her being destined to die.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ At the core of the plot lay an intricate love triangle between Death, Fate, and Signa.

There was a whodunnit angle reminiscent of the first book, although it lacked the same emotional impact. This might be due to the limited presence of Elijah in both books, leaving me less invested in his fate than I had for Blythe’s.

The story was driven by Blythe’s desperate quest to uncover the truth about her brother’s death, which further strained her trust in her own cousin as new revelations didn’t quite add up.

༯❥༯ I did love Blythe's sharp and fiery personality - she was honestly my favorite thing about the story.

༯❥༯ On the other hand, Fate failed to leave a lasting impression. While I sympathized with his loneliness, his unlikeable traits overshadowed any connection I could have formed with him.

Hopefully, this aspect will be further developed in the next book of the series.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first one. This might have been due amount of subplots and a lack of a compelling hook.

The ending more or less concluded with an open-ended question, leaving room for anticipation, but there was no cliffhanger. While I am no doubt curious about what lies ahead, I find myself not waiting with bated breath for the next installment.
ʚɞ˚ ༘ ♡ ⋆.˚

˚ ༘ ೀ⋆.˚
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ જ⁀➴ "𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝒻𝓁𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇, 𝓊𝓃𝒻𝓊𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓅𝑒𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝓃 𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓇𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝓂𝓊𝓈𝒽𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓂, 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓋𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒻𝑒𝓌 𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀." 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡


"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓈𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝒻𝓇𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝑜𝒻. “𝐻𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑒𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓉, 𝒷𝓇𝓊𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓈𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑜𝓇𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝒻𝓇𝒶𝓂𝑒. “𝑀𝓎 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝒶𝓎 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓃𝓊𝒾𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝒹𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒽𝒾𝓂. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜, 𝒽𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇, 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝒮𝒾𝑔𝓃𝒶. 𝐼 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓀 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉."
⠀⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⋮

⠀⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀☆⠀⠀⠀ ⋮

⠀⠀⠀ ☆⠀⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⋮⠀⠀⠀⠀☆

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ☆⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⋮

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ☆

[ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

welp.

that was a painful disappointment.

me before reading Foxglove: “can’t wait for this book to be one of the best reads of the year!”

me after finishing Foxglove:



after reading Belladonna last year, i was so excited for Foxglove. it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and i truly didn’t even consider disliking it since Belladonna was such a beautiful favourite of mine— it was gothic and romantic, intelligent and beautiful. and the ending opened a door to a new fascinating story in Foxglove.

well, it opened a door… wish it had stayed firmly closed, to be honest. Belladonna should have remained a standalone. Foxglove lacked substance, bite, ambition, romance… literally everything that made Belladonna so special was completely vacant from Foxglove.

the second instalment follows Signa Farrow navigating her relationship with Death when a newcomer arrives on the scene— Death’s brother, Fate. he is here to stir up trouble and cause mischief… but you’d have to have a personality, for that. Fate’s presence promised so much intrigue, debauchery and mayhem, and delivered absolutely nothing other than looking like a pathetic loser. i have no other way to describe him.

i need to get a bit spoilery to explain why he was lacking, and why the book in general was severely disappointing so you’ve been warned :)

Fate believes Signa is the reincarnation of his long dead wife, Life, who was killed by Death centuries ago. so, Adalyn Grace sets up a pseudo-love triangle where both men are “vying” for her affections.

i call it a pseudo-love triangle because it lacked everything a love triangle requires to make it one— firstly, Signa could not give less of a fuck about Fate, it was actually hilarious. and embarrassing on his part, and that is where the pathetic loser aspect comes in, because it was painful to read him gagging for Signa’s affections. their dynamic held no substance or intrigue, it was like watching a soggy piece of bread fall in a puddle.

and honestly, the other corner of the love triangle with Signa and Death was not much better🌚



i truly don’t know wtf happened to them in this book but it was traumatic. where was the chemistry? the banter? the pining? where was DEATH? he was barely in the book! he maybe shows up for a few minutes, kisses her and then leaves, and then we don’t see him for another 50 pages, just repeat his five minute cameo again before he dips… again.

everything about Signa and Death that was heart-shattering, soul-crushing, achingly stunning was truly nowhere to be found in Foxglove. i forgot Death was a character more often than not, he served that little purpose. he lost the mysterious edge to him, everything that made him so dark and enigmatic gave way to this bland, passive character who just… didn’t do anything at all.

it feels like Adalyn Grace purposefully made him appear weaker to serve the plot, so that Fate had reason to remain in the book and so that the “murder mystery” aspect of the story would be dragged out. Death kept arguing with Signa to stop making deals with Fate, stop talking to him, to stay away from him and i was just ??? “well, someone has to DO something, Death. and it looks like it ain’t gonna be you, so?”

and the annoying part is, Signa barely does anything either 😭

the book lacks urgency, a true driving force to keep the momentum going. both Signa and Death were incredibly passive characters in this book, it was honestly so deeply boring to read for the most part because nothing was happening. the book fell victim to “book two” syndrome where everything lags, nothing happens, filler content is dragged out in hopes to make the book a weighty length for publication but nothing of substance that impacts the plot or characters really happens throughout the whole book.

i was at 75% and realised Signa had truly done nothing the entire book. she hadn’t really bothered to help Blythe solve the murder despite telling us she wanted to help and she was trying (she really wasn’t). she found out very little about Fate, she wasn’t cunning or clever. i really don’t know what on earth she did this whole time😭 those deals she made with Fate amounted to nothing, anything that was revealed was because someone blatantly told Signa rather than her discovering information out of sheer willpower.

i honestly came to dislike Signa in this book which hurts my soul because i adored her in the first book. there was just this unlikable, snooty energy to her in this book where she seemed so high and mighty over everyone else, especially Blythe (my baby girl was the only intelligent active character in this whole damn book, so everyone needs to mind their TONE with her!!) and i think the love triangle didn’t help— you know those love triangles from fantasy and dystopia books circa 2013 vibes? where everyone just seems to want the heroine for no substantial reason other than she’s pretty? it was mortifying to watch Fate obsess over her for no reason and everyone just reiterating “Signa is so so so special” schtick.




it gets old real fast, especially when Signa wasn’t even doing anything remotely interesting or clever the whole damn time.

im sad that i lost a lot of love for her in Foxglove but she was unbearable for me by the end of the book. honestly the only reason i managed to finish this is summarised in two words.

Blythe. Hawthorne.




the way this would have flopped harder without her. truly STUNNING. AMAZING. SHOWSTOPPING. LEGENDARY. god, i loved her.

she was the only active character who had drive and purpose the whole damn book. without her, this would truly have been nothing. nothing would have gotten done. nothing would have happened. she had fire and grit and every time i got back to her chapters i was purely ecstatic to be back with her. by the half way point, i skimmed tf out of Signa’s chapters just to get back to Blythe where i would devour every word out of her mouth.

then when id get back to Signa’s id be like “really? AGAIN?”



she was just so special. i honestly adore her so much😭😭 the only reason i want to read Wisteria (book three) is because it’s HER story. i will finally be able to really dig deep into her psyche and she’ll get the spotlight she deserves.

but honestly, without her the book would have been completely lifeless. she’s the one to find the killer, to make deals with Fate that actually catalyse the plot into action. she’s the one who’s witty and funny, who asks the right questions and doesn’t back down when she’s shoved aside. she’s emotional and broken, so free-spirited and ambitious. can you tell i love her??? 🥹🥹

but i must repeat:

!! WITHOUT HER NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED !!

this is live footage of Blythe @ the rest of the characters, i saw her myself, your honour:



and here’s another reason i loved her and was infuriated with everyone else… again, this is a spoiler, so beware :)

Signa isn’t Life, Fate’s long lost love.

Blythe is.

and i called it the first time Life was mentioned. me and mei were br it like ??? is everyone DUMB??? it’s BLYTHE !! and here’s why it was infuriating to read everyone think it was Signa.

there’s a scene where Signa and Death are cloaked and in the same room as Blythe. they can see her but she can’t see them. Blythe gets very emotional when she finds some damning evidence about her family, and suddenly the room starts to grow vines and moss and flowers, all this energy bursts and fills the room. and i was like “see! she is Life!”

then Signa and Death go: “wow, i can’t believe Signa just did that!! how crazy!! wow, look at those bizarre powers!! it’s Signa!!”



huh? what?

it was so clearly written that Blythe was the one who had the powers that caused all of that to happen, and i found it so self-centred and irritating that they dismissed her, in favour of Signa being this immaculate chosen one because of course she is! she’s sooooo perfect and wonderful and everyone wants her.

but the most frustrating was how Adalyn Grace wanted Signa to be a red herring to distract us from it actually being Blythe… but you at least need to WRITE the red herring clues. you need to show us why it could be Signa and Blythe 😭 all i could see in that scene was how everything pointed to Blythe like Signa was not even on my radar.

there were so many times it was clearly Blythe and nothing pointed towards Signa other than Fate insisting she was his dead lover. (and maybe the grey streaks in Signa’s hair but that felt like a reach, tbh).

this is where the plot was so weak for me.

if there had been parts written to direct me toward Signa then, sure. it would be more convincing… but it was just so clearly Blythe is was kinda insulting to be told over and over again that it was Signa. at least TRY??! at least try and weave the clues to make it look like it could be Signa rather than Death and Signa just assuming it’s her. so many instances, the story had no substance and relied on weak structuring like this to carry the story.

Blythe getting constantly overlooked by everyone just made me want to smack my head against a wall. no one bothered to consult her, to hear her out, to take her seriously. Fate kept trying to embarrass and shame her, and i can’t wait for his humbling in Wisteria. i need the grovel so bad because it’s actually hilarious he spent all that time courting and obsessing over Signa for Life to be Blythe under his nose the entire time. and again, i think this is why i began to dislike Signa because the constant obsession over her when she truly offered nothing to the story or the plot was so irritating. everyone overlooked Blythe in favour of Signa and it soon started to sully my feelings for Signa. it felt like everyone soon easily discarded Blythe so i wanted to protect her from them all.

and the way the plot twist at the end was because of Blythe’s sheer wit and cleverness was honestly soooo satisfying. the book felt slightly redeemed at that point. honestly despite my dislike and disappointment of Foxglove, i can’t wait to see Blythe own Wisteria. am i a clown for feeling hopeful? it has the potential to be amazing because the set up for Blythe and Fate is so compelling— they’re equally matched, snide and intense, with such an intense connection. honestly don’t understand why or how Fate wanted Signa when they were both so boring together. they had no chemistry, no banter, nothing. every interaction Fate and Blythe had was just spectacularrrrr and i was glad my theory was confirmed that she was Life because it made everything way juicier hehehe.

prior to the book’s release, i shipped Blythe and Fate, and i cherished every moment they had together. they would exchange three sentences and they had more chemistry between them than Signa did with both Death and Fate… combined. so im happy that Wisteria will seemingly follow their journey, next. i think it’s a wise choice to shift the story from Signa and Death because honestly their story felt complete in book one. they were dragged out and dare i say, dragged down in this book? everything that made them special in Belladonna truly lost its spark and it’s sad :( gonna convince myself Belladonna is a standalone lmao.

but ultimately, this book was a raging disappointment. im shocked with how down hill everything went. the characters lost their intrigue and shine, the romance was dull and lifeless. the murder mystery was boring. the plot had no real driving force and the majority of characters became truly insufferable.

unless your name is Blythe Hawthorne, idgaf about you :)

this whole year has been a flop for fantasy books, im sorry. Holly Black. Chloe Gong. now Adalyn Grace? my only saving grace for fantasy books this year will be miss Stephanie Garber. in mother we trust🙏🏻

[zuza_zaksiazkowane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Sloan MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

god I love these gothic bridgerton vibes SO FUCKING MUCH.

[Isabelle Reads]

*sees this book*
*sets timer and countdown until release date*
*inhales deeply*
I NEED MORE SIGNA X DEATHHHH 😭

edit: omigosh that cover I'm in loveeeeeeee

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are mine. You are mine, Signa Farrow. I will burn this world to cinders before I let anyone take you from me."

3.5 Stars rating up bc Death and Signa are still perfect. 😍

Another murder mystery rocks Signa's world, and her dear uncle Elijah is being accused as the perpetrator. Signa and her cousin Blythe have to move quickly to absolve him or risk him being executed. If that wasn't enough, Death's brother Fate has come to town and is set on having Signa for himself and exacting revenge on his estranged brother. Signa is still dealing with the guilt and consequences of her choices she made as a reaper but keeping secrets from those she loves the most may also cost her everything she holds dear. Can she solve the murder in time and evade Fates obsession with her and his mission to separate her from Death?

"You may start wars, brother, but I am always the one who ends them."

I was so excited to get my hands on this book! I loved Belladonna so much that I could not wait to read the follow up! So, did it live up to expectations? Hmm not quite. But to be fair the bar was really high, and I did still really enjoy a lot of it, it just wasn't what I was expecting, and I was a little disappointed with some things.

First, the good!
-Signa and Death are still perfect!!! I love them so much and they did not disappoint except maybe for the fact that there just wasn't enough of them.

-Fate was entirely interesting. I really liked his story and even though I don't love or agree with some of his choices I also felt empathy for him and could appreciate his point of view of things.

-Expanding on Signa's powers and her becoming more comfortable with who she is was so fun to read.

-The vibes are still dark and moody and the writing is still beautiful and atmospheric.

The "not so good"
-BLYTHE! I did not expect her to have her own POV in these books or for her to basically be a second main character with Signa and I can't say I loved it. She takes up entirely too much of the story and it felt more about her than Signa and Death and I really don't care about her. She's fine but I am not here for her, she's not why I fell in love with these books or who I want to read about but unfortunately that's what we got. I will say that she grew on me by the end and I am a little more invested now than when I started the book but I still really only care about Signa and Death.

-The serious lack of Signa and Death! This was criminal! I did not expect them to be separated so much or their storyline to be so sidelined. But when they were together it was magic.

-The pacing. The Blythe chapters and also there was sooo much Charlotte in this book that just made the story feel a little stagnant and dull at times.

All that being said, I still liked this book, just not quite as much I expected to. And I am still really looking forward to the third installment.

Quotes I loved!

"We'll have none of that. You may have reign over the dead and dying, but let's not forget that it's my hand that controls the fates and the living. For as long as she breathes, this one is mine."

"Lay another finger on her, and it will be the last thing you ever do."

"I couldn't forget that clever tongue of yours even if I wanted to Little Bird."

"They say that all is fair in love and war. I have built my trench and brought my rifles, and I have no intention of retreating."

"Keep it up, Little Bird, and we'll see if you're still as stubborn the next time I get my hands on you."

"I love you, Little Bird." 😭

"Just as you cannot cheat Fate, you cannot steal from Death."

[benedicta · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️ rhysand needs to copyright © the phrase "there you are. i've been looking for you" because every morally grey character is using it these days even when they have not infact been looking for the fmc 🤧

was this was better than belladonna? yes, but not by much. while everyone in thorne grove spent less time standing around chatting with each other, there was still the issue of all tell, no show 🙃

also, the multiple povs worked out really well and the storytelling was better. i didn't fully understand fate's intentions but he was an interesting addition. i enjoyed his royal ball 🤭 wish i got an invite too

i know the love triangle in belladonna was technically not real, but it still grated on my nerves i can't believe the author made us suffer through another one 🤦🏽‍♀️

and "little bird" as a pet name started to give me the ick 😟

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5
BOŻE JAK JA SIĘ DOBRZE BAWIŁAM

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

(4.5⭐)

"They say that all is fair in love and war."

the love love loveee i have for this world and characters omg AND IM SO SO EXCITED FOR WISTERIA I ABSOLUTELY NEED IT ASAP THE POTENTIAL IN THERE FOR ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVS i can just imagine how fun itll be omg ???

i dont want to spoil too much but basically this book further cemented my love for blythe even more than in belladonna (no surprise) i knew a blythe pov would be everything but it was even more than that🥺 i loved reading her thoughts and honestly blythe is such a relatable character i actually believe i love her even more signa??? which is a feat because i ADORE signa so much and ofc in foxglove i loved her even more but really its like signa's mentioned so often--there's something to blythe that makes you want to protect her from the whole world and give her all the love and happiness she deserves skhdgks and truly she shined so much in this book, especially with her humor omg the amount of scenes that had me dying i adore this girl😭

"You'd best prepare yourself, princeling. I've no intention of letting you kiss me."

"Letting me?" Fate's laugh was far too genuine. "You're not to my taste, love."

"So it seems there is a God," Blythe clapped her hands together and looked to the sky as if praying. "It only took looking at your art for me to understand how terrible your taste is."

LIKE SKGHKSGHS HELP my absolute FAVOURITE though is the way blythe 1) found a solution to having elijah free of his sentence to death and b) THE WAY SHE OUTSMARTED FATE WITH IT AHAHHA THE WAY I DIED OF LAUGHTER I DIDNT SEE THE LOOP HOLE WITH THE DEAL AND FATE DIDNT EITHER AND HE LOST blythe being a queen <3333 MY FAV LOML

ahem anyways signa and blythe's relationship was so beautifully written best cousins dynamic !! the love they have for each other considering one another as sisters was so sweet my heart was filled with sm joy reading those scenes🥺🥺🥺

AND FATE OF COURSE AS WE ALL SUSPECTED WAS BEYOND FRUSTRATING. i see now what adalyn previously said about this being a love triangle but not really and for those wondering, rest assured, she was most definitely right about that and you need not worry as with typical cases (be worried in different aspects though👀) i could understand fate with why he was the way he was but just.... no

OH AND ALSO THE MYSTERY OF THE MURDERER??? i guessed one part of it but the other I DID NOT SEE COMING AT ALL. it was so unexpected i truly wouldve never guessed that part of it.

alas i must say despite how much i adored so much of foxglove i will say the half start taken away is because it was very disappointing that there weren't really as many death and signa scenes as i wished and expected it was sad tbh😭😭they still did have their moments which were absolutely everything like this:

"I feel like I'm being pulled in a thousand directions. I'm tired of people being afraid of me. I'm tired of feeling like I'm not enough. No matter what I do, I'm disappointing someone. But the one I truly feel most disappointed in is myself, because I hate feeling like this, Death. I thought I was done."

"If people are afraid, then let them be afraid. Your shoulders were not meant to bear the weight of their expectations, Signa. You were not made to please others."

the way i my heart went out to signa🥺 all she wanted was to just belong <3

i truly hope wisteria gives more scenes of them but with the direction this is going idk😭 [edit: actually i just realized something and i can see it happening so more of a chance of deathsigna scenes happening YAY because we still dont know WHAT signa is and ofc we'd need her pov chapters still in wisteria + we dont know who killed her parents sooo skghks therell definitely be more blythe chapters than signa but im so okay with that SKDJGHKS IM EVEN MORE EXCITED NOW FOR WISTERIA] MORE BLYTHE I CANNOT WAIT SO I NEED 2024 TO COME ASAP🥺🫠 the way the second chance romance is SO gonna serve because blythe is reincarnation of life and neither fate nor her know and they're gonna be enemies and we'll get to see each of them slowly fall in love with each other again without them realizing that they previously were lovers in their past life and just skdhgksghs


__________

watching everyone get their copies of foxglove today the FOMO is killing me. it should be a crime for a preorder to not come on the day of release😭😭

__________

im dying for this to be in my hands right now. i mean THE WAY BELLADONNA ENDED???

signa x death wholesome scenes I NEED MORE

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star ⭐

if i had to describe this book in one word, it’d be BORING.

i’m sorry but what was the point of it?!


pre-read 🌹
WE ARE SO BACK!!!!! this buddy read has been a LONGGG time coming 😭 our belladonna buddy read was hands down one of my favourites of 2024—even if i didn’t love the book itself—so i’m beyond excited to finally continue this series with my bbs maryam, almas, asra, april, and rose 🫂💘

P.S. let’s all just pretend i’m not currently reading four books at once… 😓

[chloé ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

even better than the first book. 🤭💖

PLEASE don’t let the prospect of a love triangle steer you away from this one. it is not the typical love triangle and the intentions of the fmc remain clear. do not fear, my friends.

i love death. i love fate. they could ruin my fictional world any day.

THE perfect trilogy for fall.

(and THAT COVER. gorgeous. the b&n exclusive edition has pink sprayed edges too. safe to say i’m obsessed.)

[Kelcey | felinebooktrovert ✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one dragged a little for me during the beginning and a little in the middle, but it picked up and had a good ending. There just wasn't as much going on to really hold my attention.

And it's definitely a surprise that this seems to be the conclusion of Signa and Death's storyline in this series. I'm sure they'll be in the next book but it seems pretty obvious that it will focus on Blythe and Fate.

It seemed pretty clear early on that Blythe was going to be Life, so I kind of wished that would have been hidden a little better, but I am intrigued about how she's going to handle Fate in the next book. He'll hopefully have some serious groveling to do.

[james · Rating 4 out of 5]

me when there's plot: 😐

me when Death or Fate are speaking: 😍😍😍🤤🤤🤤

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5-stars**

Foxglove is the sequel to Adalyn Grace's popular, 2020-YA Fantasy release, Belladonna.

Belladonna took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to love it half as much as I did, but Grace really delivered in all aspects of that story. There was a fantastic gothic atmosphere, an intriguing mystery and a compelling romance.



The main character, Signa, became one of my new favorites that year and I have been anxiously awaiting this follow-up ever since; like at the edge of my seat.

I did listen to the audiobook for Belladonna and enjoyed experiencing the story through that medium, so wanted to go with the audio again for this one. Unfortunately, I had a wee bit of a wait before my library loan came through, but boy, oh boy, was it worth it!



This story again follows Signa, her cousin, Blythe, Death and Death's brother, Fate, who has returned to his brother's life hellbent on revenge after Death took the woman he loved.

After a Duke is murdered, it seems that the Lord of Thorn Grove is being framed for the crime. Both Blythe and Signa are sure that he didn't commit the crime, but they need to be able to prove it.

Another luscious, gothically-infused investigation begins...



Fate plays a huge role in this story. I enjoyed learning about the brothers' past and watching Fate interject himself into Death's environment was definitely entertaining.

Oddly, as Signa spends more time with Fate, she begins to display new powers. Could she possibly be linked to Fate's past? And what about Blythe? She makes some powerful moves in this story as well and her character shows tremendous growth. I love her just as much as Signa.



Going into this, I was a little concerned that too much time had passed since I read Belladonna, and that I would have a hard time remembering the details of that story. I do think that Grace does a tremendous job at reintroducing the Reader to this world, and these characters.

It was so easy to hop back into the story, and shortly thereafter, it was like I had never left these characters at all.



There were so many great twists and revelations included in this story. It's engaging and intriguing the entire way through. I love the character arcs for both Signa and Blythe and cannot wait to be reunited with them in the next book.

Overall, this is a incredible Fantasy story. I wasn't quite as in love with it as I was with Belladonna, but it was pretty darn close. I need the next book ASAP.

I'm so stoked to see where this goes...

[Madison Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is slowly but surely becoming my roman empire

[S {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Despite the book ending on a cliffhanger, I can't help but giggle and kick my feet in the air, because I know what's yet to come.

So, I tried to pick up this book multiple times ever since I read book 1 during the summer vacation, but none were the right time, apparently.

But I think I’ll succeed to read the entire trilogy, meaning the remaining last two books before the year ends? Hopefully? *Keeping my fingers crossed*

Spooky month read #5
Really want this book to be in my fall to-read list. I loved book 1 so much and I’m so excited to continue this trilogy, but I’m not sure if I’ll have the time for this beauty.

[Poppyflowerjj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/ 5⭐
1.5/5 🌶️

Signa and Death is perfect. Perfect. PERFECT!

Foxglove picks up right where Belladonna left off with a new murder mystery and an unwelcomed guest who is about to make Signa and Death's lives hell. This is a moody, Gothic Victorian atmosphere permeates from start to finish. Basically this is a Gothic Bridgerton series. I LOVED IT!! This book was so enjoyable and kept me guessing until the end. I absolutely devoured it.

I can’t wait for Wisteria! Great series for mix of mystery/fantasy/romance. Can’t wait to see all the drama from Fate and Blythe. It’s going to be a wild roller coaster ride! Fate will meet his match in Blythe. It's going to be lovely. tee hee tee hee

Quotes:

“Hello, Little Bird.” Death’s voice cut through the night, a cool burn against her skin.”

“My love for you is not confined to time, nor fate,” she continued. “It is a love that I will hold with me for an eternity, which is why I am not afraid. I swear to you that I will always be yours, even when I am not.”

“On the contrary, I believe I’ve just fulfilled an oath. Are you not proud of your wife’s cleverness?”

“She’d been wrong to fear change—wrong to fear Foxglove, for it was the perfect canvas. A strange, misunderstood place she could explore to her heart’s content.”

“I’m tired of people being afraid of me. I’m tired of feeling like I’m not enough. No matter what I do, I’.m disappointing someone. But the one I truly feel most disappointed in is myself, because I hate feeling like this, Death. I thought I was done.”
.
.
.
.
.
I WANT DEATH AND SIGNA.

I was hoping Death was going to be the cover art.... anyone else?.

[ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ 4 ☆! 🌷 spoiler free!

“my love for you is not confined to time, nor fate. it is a love that i will hold with me for an eternity, which is why I am not afraid. i swear to you that i will always be yours, even when i am not.”

🎧 - this is me trying
ᯓᡣ𐭩 and its hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound
its hard to be anything when all I want is you
you're a flashback in a film reel, on the one screen in my town
and I just wanted you to know
that this is me trying (at least I'm trying)


🌷| what a great second installment to this series!! at first, I thought this book was going so slow, but I care about these characters enough, that I was invested and curious to see what would happen!! if you we're already a fan in the first book, there's no reason you wouldn't enjoy this one 🫂 (hopefully!) and also, if you loved the once upon a broken heart series, give this a try!! they are not the same in any way, but I think it's a nice comparison. BUT OUABH ON TOP 🤭🍎


🌷| I liked the plot line of this book and I liked the new characters we got to learn about!! the only thing that was kind of frustarting was that the mystery aspect moved slowly and didn't feel too high stakes, but then again it did!! but dont let that deter you, imo, we got some juicy revals and secrets in the end 🤭 and I just know I'll love wisteria!! but yes, I'm still glad I decided to try this series when I did, the covers are so intriguing!


character understudy 𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ

signa farrow man, this book really made me love her even more as a character 🤧 I wanna give her the biggest hug ever, shes so strong! she loves deeply, cares for her family, and she can be fearless. I hope we get a lil snippet of her POV in wisteria! but my girl is iconic and I love her relationship with Blythe! that's true girlhood <3 and her romance is AGHHH 🤌 soso good, I think they're adorable.

blythe AHH I LOVE HER TOO <3 I feel like she would be such a cool friend! and it was great getting to know her as a person, rather than being stuck in bed 🫂 she too, is fearless and loving!! I admire her and signa both sm for what they'd do for each other. also fate?! IM INTRIGUED!! cant wait for the last book 🤭


🌷| overall, I do recommend this! and I hope you love it when you try <3 this book also had the loveliest quotes, her writing is really enjoyable!! and this gives the perfect fall ambiance. I 100% recommend THIS FALL!! happy reading everyone, see you in the next one 💕

➳ Im tired of people being afraid of me. Im tired of feeling like Im not enough. No matter what I do, Im disappointing someone. But the one I truly feel most disappointed in is myself, because I hate feeling like this, Death. I thought I was done.”

➳ “Her mind may have wanted answers, but her body wanted him.”

➳ "My brother may be a nuisance, but I do not fear him. I do, however, fear you, Signa. I fear that someday you will break my heart.”

------------


🌷| POST-READ
four stars!! I NEED WISTERIA ASAP. if it didn't have a decent ending i would've been so mad 😭😭 at least signa looks gorgeous on the cover!! rtc <3



🌷| preview!
omg i cant wait to be back in this series, and if you've seen the BN exclusive of these books they are literally SO STUNNING. 🤭 this looks like the perfect book for october and im curious to see what happens 💗 happy october everyone!!

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this, without attention, became my new favorite series. 💖

I loved Belladonna, but Foxglove is where I got attached to the characters, especially Blythe.
I hope the series will have more then just three installments. I am soooo looking forward to dive back into this world.

[èvieane · Rating 2 out of 5]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍✦ . 　⁺ 　 . 1.8 - 2.0 ☆ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ You know that rare, euphoric feeling when the first book in a series completely blindsides you with its brilliance, and then you dive into the sequel convinced everything will escalate in the best possible way, and the stakes rise, the characters deepen, and you are devouring pages at an almost embarrassing speed? Yes. This book did absolutely none of that and Belladonna should have been a standalone. I would have been perfectly content preserving it in my memory as a singular, satisfying experience. Instead, this sequel managed to drain me to the point I started hating this book.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ The generous two stars? Awarded exclusively for Foxglove Manor (because I would give ANYTHING to live in such a house) and for the approximately four genuinely excellent lines delivered by Death. Do not misunderstand me. He does speak more than four times. In fact, I believe he graces us with nearly ten whole lines across the majestic thirty pages he appears in....within a novel that exceeds four hundred pages.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ This will NOT be a complete review, but rather just a (possibly) small rant.



ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ “Too often the world did not consider women as people but as stepping stones for men. A woman was ostracized the moment she strayed from the prescribed path, left to fend for herself in a world with too few opportunities.”


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely feel as though this book failed at everything it attempted to accomplish. To be fair, I am still uncertain what, precisely, it was attempting, but whatever the objective was, the execution failed spectacularly. Four hundred pages of characters circling the same dumb assumption, one that is never properly clarified, and a central drama that could have been resolved instantly if men learned to take “no" for an answer.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Perhaps my attention span quietly exited the room around the thirty percent mark. Or perhaps I truly did read an entire novel riddled with plot holes, abandoned threads, and characters I slowly stopped recognising—let alone liking. It should be illegal to make me question my own affection for characters I once adored. And yet, here we are.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Unlike the first book, I found myself entirely indifferent to the identity of the murderer. When the grand reveal finally arrived, I felt....well, nothing. No shock. No satisfaction. Just mild acknowledgement. Why? Because the narrative was far too consumed by the emotional turmoil of a man who may resemble Jacks aesthetically, but spiritually? Not even remotely close. (and I will not tolerate such slander toward my fictional husband)
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ What amuses me most is how many readers seemed utterly enamoured with him, some even claiming he stole the spotlight from Death; and I was truly excited to meet this man because of such comments. Meanwhile, I ended up internally raging every time this man breathed. Just give me a break; I cared more about what Gundry had for lunch than this man's love life. I kept wondering if I had missed a crucial detail, some pivotal moment meant to make me swoon over Fate. Because instead of falling for him, I spent the entire book contemplating changing my phone number and relocating to another country; purely as a precaution in case any man ever decides to be this clingy and suffocating.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ The short version of all I raged about here? I hated Fate with a passion. He was suffocating, way too insistent, crowding and manipulating in the worst way possible. (and God knows I really like a good manipulative man...feels like a challenge...)

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Why did they make my favourite ghost-seeing girl blush and giggle at a man she clearly hated? WHILE LITERALLY TELLING HIM SHE IS SUFFERING BECAUSE HE IS FORCING HER TO DO THINGS NONETHELESS 💀💀....everything happening between her and Fate made literally NO sense and was so chaotic and so contradictory time and time again. I am guessing the author was trying to build some of that "is it a love triangle? is it not?" tension, but all she managed to elicit was an unhealthy amount of eye rolls from me.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Blythe? Absolutely not. I had genuine war flashbacks to Donatella from Caraval, and we all know how deeply I was scarred by that experience (my hatred for her is no secret). The resemblance was uncanny. For me, Blythe felt like a carbon copy: childish, unnecessarily loud, acting first and thinking later, impulsive at the most inconvenient times, and simply overwhelming in every possible way. I am almost ashamed no i am absolutely not to admit that I preferred her when she was bedridden.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ It is honestly a miracle I did not DNF this. The only thing that kept me going was my attachment to Foxglove and my need for proper closure for Signa and Death. Beyond that, I found no genuine reason to enjoy this book.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Was it truly worth compromising what could have been a strong sequel simply to SHOVE THESE UNBEARABLE CHARACTERS DOWN MY THROAT as an overextended prologue to their own novel?

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ I even managed to resent the ending—charming as it may have tried to be—because why are we still refusing to clarify questions that have remained unanswered since the first book? If the goal was to lure me into the next instalment in order to receive answers to my questions, I regret to inform you that the strategy has failed. I am perfectly capable of coexisting with unresolved mysteries.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ No.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ And I will also not be reading the next book. Maybe I will change my mind later if my curiosity gets the best of me; but most of the time my annoyance wins over any possible interest.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹




ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ started ┆25-Feb-2025┆
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ jumping right into this with no hesitation and with such a ravenous hunger for that D...eath.... Death as an entire character in this series, of course 🫠
this was such a bad and unhinged joke please don't cancel me

[Kaitlyn ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 ༘⋆🪼࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

‧₊˚ ┊ “𝙸𝚏 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚂𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚊. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜.”

★★★★┊➶ ｡˚ 　　°

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙪𝙤 🥀

°•*⁀➷ This book was a bit of a slower read for me because I feel a little 𝑺𝑳𝑼𝑴𝑷𝒀, but I do believe that’s because Im having severe 𝙁𝙊𝙈𝙊 by not reading 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔..d̶i̶d̶ I̶ w̶a̶n̶t̶ t̶o̶ g̶e̶t̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ d̶o̶n̶e̶ s̶o̶ I̶ c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ r̶e̶a̶d̶ P̶r̶e̶d̶a̶t̶o̶r̶?̶ M̶A̶Y̶B̶E̶!

─ .✦ Within saying that I really did love the book! Blythe’s POV made this book in my opinion! 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃!! I loved all the plot twists through the book, I find the author to be good at leading you in one direction and being able to surprise you with a turn of events! I also found the characters (𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙮 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙚) to be intriguing, and they held my attention. 🕷️🔪

─ .✦ I really did enjoy Blythe’s character arc in this book. She was cunning and bad-ass and entirely what I love to see when it comes to fmc! I do believe I will really enjoy 𝓦𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓪, due to it being Blythe’s book! ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺


╰┈➤ My favourite part about this book Is the 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌, 𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 that overlays the entire book. I loved the haunted manor, the spirits and I loved Sigma’s interactions with Death and all the spirits. Fall is truly the season to be reading these books! The vibes are impeccable! ༄🎃₊ ⊹✧˖°.🍂

°˖➴ Why did I not rate this a 5 stars? 𝙒𝙀𝙇𝙇, I found so many impressive things about this book, but I found it fell short where it came to relationship progression between Death and Signa. I found Fate really came to overshadow Death, and I really wished we would have got a few more scenes between the pair!

‧₊˚ ┊ “𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎.” 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎. “𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝚂𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚊 𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚖𝚎.”

𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
જ⁀➴ Overall this book was very enjoyable, perfect read for this time of year! Due to the 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙊𝙈𝙊 I am having, I am going to pause this series, but I will definitely be coming back to read 𝓦𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓪 because there are still 𝑺𝑶 𝑴𝑨𝑵𝒀 unanswered questions! This book really left me guessing as to what is to come!

[Marianna Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out really good and honestly I was starting to think it was on track for being better than book 1 in the first half…. unfortunately the second half fell extremely flat for me.

At first I was excited about getting Blythe’s POV and getting introduce to Fate, but I feel like both of them had a lot of wasted potential in this book. It felt like their main purpose was to help set the foundation for book 3 which really took away from Signa and Deaths story. Ultimately they both ended up annoying me if I’m being completely honest.

Death had way less of a presence in this book so maybe I’m just bitter about that… I feel like this was such a missed opportunity because I feel like there’s so much more to his character I would have loved to get to know about.

Signa’s powers still don’t really make sense to me… I think one of the reasons why I found myself very bored at times was because Signa was so focused on her issues with Blythe rather than solving the murder mystery, i didnt really feel her determination therefore I stopped caring about it all together. There also wasn’t much development at all in Signa and Deaths relationship, which is largely due to their lack of page time. Blythe getting so much focus really pushed Signa and Death to the sidelines and it really irked me.

Fate, you had me sat for a moment there, but that moment was brief. The not at all love triangle, love triangle or whatever you want to call what that mess was actually made zero sense to me. This guy just got on my last nerves and did not look good while doing it. Idk I just was not invested in his story at all and wanted so much more from him.

That being said I did continue to absolutely love this world and the moments we did get with Death and Signa had me chomping at the bits! The ending of this book also was my favorite part I was happy with how everything concluded and to be completely honest I didn’t see any of it coming! Not a bad book by any means just more so disappointing for me personally after loving book 1! Not sure if I’ll read the next book.

[Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

･:*:･ﾟ⁀➷ 4.25/5 ★

Omggg this was so good!! 🤭🤭 I actually ate it up and i'm loving this series so far. The gothic fantasy vibes are UNMATCHED 💝💝

“She didn’t care to be a sunflower, unfurling her petals in the daylight for all to see. She would rather be an adorable little mushroom, thriving in the dark crevices where few ventured to look.”

Tropes:
🎀 Gothic fantasy
🎀 Historical setting
🎀 Morally grey love interest
🎀 Love triangle (kind of)
🎀 Touch her and you die vibes

This is the second book in the Belladonna series and since i thoroughly enjoyed the first book when I read it last year, I was so excited to pick this one up! And it definitely did not let me down- this seriously delivered on everything i look for in YA fantasy 🫶🫶

“You are mine.” The words were not possession, but a promise. “For as long as you’ll have me, you are mine, Signa Farrow. I will burn this world to cinders before I let anyone take you from me.”

I don't read a lot of gothic fantasy but i seriously need to read more, bc this series is actually so good so far!! 🤭🤭 The eerie, slightly spooky vibes paired with the historical setting in this book was PERFECTION 💋 It was so atmospheric omgg and i love that sm!! 😩😩💘💘 Plus this one had another fun little murder mystery subplot, which went so well with the whole gothic vibe. I do think the mystery aspect was a little better in the first book, but i still enjoyed it and the solution was done really well!

The characters aren't my absolute fav i'm gonna be honest, but I did feel more attached to them than in the first book! They're growing on me 🫶🫶

➵ Signa: i really liked her in this book! ✨️ I loved seeing her grow stronger and embrace her dark side and she is such a great fmc. Plus defying the societal expectations for women at the time- we love to see it 😌💅
➵ Death: he's a shadow daddy- need i say more? 👀👀 I was obsessed with him in the first book & even more obsessed in this one 🤭🤭 The 'touch her and you die' vibe he was giving was PERFECTION and his protectiveness had me giggling and kicking my feet 😩😩🦋🦋Plus the way he always supports signa and helps her grow into her powers even of holding her back- i love him sm 😫😫
➵ Fate: honestly... why am i kinda obsessed with him too?? 👀😮‍💨 i'm honestly so glad we got him as a new character bc he made me sm more interested in this book!! i loved how you could never tell if he was a villain or not and some of his lines had me swooningg 🦋🦋 i can't wait to see more of him in the next book!! 🤭🤭

The romance in this book was also so good! It's kind of a love triangle, but it's not done in an obnoxious way dw. Signa and Death are such a power couple and i love them sm 🥹🥹💘💘

“Signa Farrow was many things, but she was not prey.”

My only issue, which is why it's not getting a higher rating, is bc the pacing was a little off and there were some parts where i didn't feel like there was much happening. But otherwise it was great!

“Too often the world did not consider women as people but as stepping stones for men. A woman was ostracized the moment she strayed from the prescribed path, left to fend for herself in a world with too few opportunities.

“Look at me.” His voice was no whisper, but a command that seized her attention. “I want you looking at me when I touch you.” ~ 😮‍💨😮‍💨

Overall, such a great read!! 🥹🥹 I would highly recommend this series if you're looking for:

✔️ Gothic atmosphere ✨️
✔️ Enjoyable characters
✔️ Great romance hehe
✔️ Morally grey book bfs
✔️ Murder mystery subplot

I actually can't wait for the third book to come out 💝💝

《 2024 Challenge: Book 24 of 115 》

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omg I ate this up 🤭🤭 gothic fantasy, a fun murder mystery and TWO morally grey book bfs- what more could you want?! 💝💝

Rtc 🎀

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You are mine. For as long as you’ll have me, you are mine, Signa Farrow. I will burn this world to cinders before I let anyone take you from me.” ❤️

This book was so good! This was an enchanting and intriguing romantic fantasy about love, betrayal, power, and loyalty. Foxglove follows Signa as she solves a new mystery with the help of the Hawthornes and Death. During her journey to find the guilty person she meets Fate, Death's brother and she discovers several secrets along the way. Will Signa be able to solve the mystery before time runs out or will her future be changed forever?

"You are my world, Signa Farrow."

I became immersed in this dark and mysterious story from the first page. The pacing was great, although there were a few times where it was a bit slow. The plot was so interesting and exciting, I was engaged throughout most of the book. I loved the gothic and dark fall vibes in this book! The vibes made me even more excited for fall and more fall reads. There were several surprising plot twists and revelations in this book that I didn't expect. I love Signa so much, she is stubborn, strong, persistent, loyal, kind and brave. Signa's character development was excellent, I enjoyed watching her grow and realize what matters the most to her in life. I felt a connection to her, I am also really close to my family members and I have faced the loss of people I'm close to. I'm in love with Death even more in this book, he is charming, protective, loyal, strong, sweet and will do anything for Signa. have mixed feelings about Blythe, she is loyal, brave, independent, but she is stubborn and I didn't like how she treated Signa at times in this book. She also made decisions that I didn't agree with. I enjoyed learning from about Blythe from her point of view, but I wanted to see more of Signa's point of view and the pacing during Blythe's chapters was a bit inconsistent. I liked Fate, he is mysterious, charming and a romantic, but he made decisions that I didn't agree with. I understand where he is coming from, but I didn't like that he forced the situation.

"My love for you is not confined to time, nor fate. It is a love that I will hold with me for an eternity, which is why I am not afraid. I swear to you that I will always be yours."

I loved Signa and Death's relationship development in this book, they continued to evolve and understand one another. I wish that there were more scenes with Signa and Death. The scenes with them together made me smile and blush so much. Also the chemistry between Signa and Death was amazing! I loved that Signa can be herself around Death and that he makes her feel safe. The writing was excellent, it was so descriptive and the gothic vibes were immaculate. The ending was so surprising and I'm glad it was resolved. I can't wait to read the next book!

[aeryn rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

"My love for you is not confined to time, nor fate. It is a love that I will hold with me for an eternity, which is why I am not afraid. I swear to you that I will always be yours, even when I am not."

This book was so much better than I was expecting it to be. I had high hopes and I can confirm that this did not disappoint!! I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, but this one??? THIS ONE? Loved it. So much!

This book was a lot more plot driven than the first book, and for that, I liked it so much more. The plot was gripping, it was thrilling, and it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more and more and more. I was so sad to have finished this book because I just didn't want it to end. It was a page turner through and through.

I have always loved the relationship between Death and Signa, but I really do wish that there was more of them in this book. There just didn't seem to be much between them. However, I am giving it grace because the plot was so good. It kinda made up for the fact that there wasn't much of them in this one.

I think the smarted decision of this book was the addition of Blythe. That woman was AMAZING! I loved her as a character and I was so happy we got her POV in this book. The way this book ended was CRAZY and I can't wait for more of her in the third book.

Overall, this was an amazing addition to the first book and it just got better and better. If the third book is anything like or even better than this one? I am going on a wild ride. Thankfully, Wisteria was released 2 days ago and I got my copy YESTERDAY and I'm so excited to see where it takes us. 🩷

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first book was meh but I have heard much better things about this one! 🩷