Holly

Belladonna #3.5

by Adalyn Grace

Eine Winteridylle mit dunklen Schatten …

Blythe und Aris sehnen sich nach ruhigen Feiertagen in ihrem Zuhause, dem mysteriösen Herrenhaus Wisteria Gardens, doch eine unheimliche Präsenz macht ihnen einen Strich durch die Rechnung. Rastlose Geister flüstern durch die alten Mauern und ihre ruhelosen Seelen verbergen ein Geheimnis, das Blythe und Aris in tödliche Gefahr bringen könnte. Gemeinsam mit Signa und dem Tod müssen sie die Vergangenheit enträtseln, bevor das Fest der Liebe zur größten Bedrohung wird. Doch nicht nur die Geister stellen Blythes Herz auf eine harte Probe – auch Aris scheint mehr über die düsteren Vorgänge zu wissen, als er zugibt …

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

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2025

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

[• Lindsey Dahling • · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the sweetest, fluffiest, warmest hug ever and I’m so happy the series ended this way. 🥰 Simply splendid!


—————————————————————————————


Pre-Reading: This Downton Abbey Belladonna Christmas special better be 205 pages of Aris and Blythe bantering happily on their travels together OR SO HELP ME.

[☆ Savannah Marston ☆]

A 3.5???????????????? I THOUGHT THIS SERIES WAS OVER I AM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!

"Are you free October 7th?" NOPEEEE!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

✩ 2 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Found Family
➼ Restless Spirits
➼ Mystery
➼ Belladonna Holiday Novella
➼ Gothic Fantasy Romance
➼ Narrated by Kristin Atherton
➼ Third Person POV

I really wish this series was written in First Person POV. It’s so hard for me to immerse myself in this world with the included third person writing style. It was particularly difficult for me with this novella since no one character felt like the true focal point of the story. The perspective jumped around enough to even feel confusing at times, but I mostly stayed on track.

Overall, I think I just didn’t really connect to this book. The plot didn’t really interested me and my focus swam in and out. I honestly wish there had been a little more focus on Blythe & Aris. I might be in the minority on this, but I’m pretty tired of Signa and Death. They’ve had their time to shine and I’d really just like to hear from Blythe from here on out. The book itself is so stunning and was gifted to me by the author/publisher so I was really hoping to love this, but it just didn’t quite hit for me.

Thank you to the author and Little Brown books for the gifted copy.

✼　 ҉ 　 ✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: A Spooky Holiday book feels right for the end of Fall. And yes, Fall ends with November for me. 😆

👻🎄

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Connect with me on Instagram

[Youssra (semi ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and wholesome 💕 it was nice to be back in this world for a little while 💕

[ariyel 𝄢 · Rating 2 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ── ⋆˙⟡ ‎ ‎ 2 stars! ★

౨౿ my thoughts. ⟢ so i shouldn’t have read this… it’s been awhile since i finished the series so i barely remembered the plot or the characters, and i definitely wasn’t invested. i know i liked them, but i didn’t feel any of that anymore, so instead of being excited to see them again i was just… bored. and honestly? kinda annoyed. i didn’t care about the mystery, didn’t care about the spirits, didn’t care about whatever aris was doing with his christmas gifts. and it sucks because i mostly liked the ending of this series. i was happy with how it wrapped up. but this novella made me like these characters less, which is so depressing. yeah. this isn’t canon to me. i’m pretending it doesn’t exist.

౨౿ pre-read. ⟢ festive novella from a series i actually liked?? yeah ok i’ll bite.


𓏲 ⟡ belladonna ⊹◞
⌗﹒ 01 belladonna — 4.25 ☆
⌗﹒ 02 foxglove — 4.25 ☆
⌗﹒ 03 wisteria — 3.75 ☆
⌗﹒ 3.5 holly — 2 ☆

[Avery]

I AM GETTING FED WITH CHRISTMAS NOVELLAS THANK YOU

[Alya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts
First off, I'm so happy that this series isn't over and I can't wait for the next one, this definitely put me in my Christmas feels. I love this universe so much, Grace definitely delivered despite this being a novella I didn't think I'd love it this much but it was absolutely beautiful

Plot Summary
As the holiday season arrives, Blythe and Aris hope for a quiet, joyful time at Wisteria Gardens. Instead, a host of unsettled spirits begins to stir, threatening to spoil the celebration. Signa, alongside Death, Blythe, and Fate, must unearth the truth behind the manor’s restless ghosts and guide them on their way—before the situation grows far more dire.

My Bookstagram

[Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most romantically whimsical Christmas novella that had me beaming with giddy joy at every page - I adore it 🥹

[Clara 𐙚 free 🇵🇸 (studying) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed this characters so much! if you haven’t read Belladonna yet, what are you doing?
Can’t wait to dive into the Christmas spirit 🌲✨

post - read ᥬᩤ

so this series isn’t over? i’m confused lol

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

[Nicole Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I care not for what comes next, as you have given me more than I ever thought possible. You have given me a life beyond the shadows, Little Bird. And whatever happens from here, I know that we will face it together.”

❄️🎄🐈‍⬛

this is, by far, the greatest holiday novella i’ve ever read. usually, holiday novellas don’t really have anything at stake. they’re just fluffy, cozy little reads. this novella was fluffy, cozy, AND it had a mystery that needed to be solved! plus, having it taking place in the belladonna world? what more could a person want?

speaking of the belladonna world, i was SO very happy to dive back into it. these books are absolutely everything to me, and i could never grow tired of them. i truly hope that there will be at least one more belladonna book in the future… i mean, with an ending like that, there has to be, right? RIGHT??? there better be! you can’t just leave me hanging like that because that would be cruel…

these characters make me so happy, and the storyline was so fun! the mystery was so creative and unique, i couldn’t help but get lost in it. AND THE ILLUSTRATIONS?? absolutely gorgeous! i need to get my hands on a physical copy of this novella asap!

everyone who loves the belladonna series NEEDS to read this! it will make you so happy, i’m so serious. i will say that even though i was super happy while reading it, i am now so sad that it’s over, so beware! read with caution!

[kristal ✿]

wish people listened to sabrina carpenter when she said let’s make christmas the whole year round

[Hannah ✰⋆.˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

⋆˚꩜｡ Thoughts:

This book was so romantic !! And I loved seeing all the characters together and happy 🥹

The writing is so beautiful and whimsical and sooo easy to get back into !
⤿ With the new powerless novella, I’m having a hard time getting into the story and back into the series (my slump is partially to blame) but with Holly I binged 50 pages as soon as I opened the book!

Also, although not as elaborate as the other books, the plot was very entertaining. There’s something about ghosts idk 🙂‍↕️

⋆˙⟡

I know it's a holiday novella (even though it's literally a full length novel) but I really enjoyed this one and I need more of these characters - I love them so much🫂

───────୨ৎ───────

ᯓ★ Pre-read
I’m so excited to be back in this world !!! 🥹 and the illustrations???? STUNNING

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

Will pick this up around Christmas-time, maybe that’ll set the mood more for it.

/—————————
Happy release day to one of my most anticipated reads of this year!

A small part of me hoped that Blythe would to be on this cover.
Alas, I’m still looking forward to this!
———————
I'm still on the second book, but boy am I excited for this one to come out!

[Olivia | Liv's Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
The perfect mix of all the spooky, romantic & mysterious vibes from the first 3 books! ❄️🌲✨

[carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed this world and these characters so much 🥹 this novella is the perfect mix of cosy and eery, but in a non scary way hahaha It has the atmosphere of belladonna, which I loved, but a cosier and christmassy. Some scenes were really cute and funny, others were emotional. I’m just so happy for Signa, Sylas, Aris and Blythe 🤍

[Maeghan 🦋 HIATUS on & off · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨
« Nothing you do will ever be too much. »

Belladonna & Foxglove hold special places in my heart. I fell head over heels for Signa and Death’s characters and still love them so much. Signa’s just one of those FMC I can heavily relate to and Death… well, what can I say… he’s just perfect.

« Signa was not someone who needed to fill silence with words. »

I was so happy to go back into this world. I hadn’t liked Wisteria… but this little holiday novella ended the series on an absolute perfect note ❤️

« The stars themselves should bow to you. »

[niyya نية · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75, it makes me sad to rate this so low when I’ve given the rest of the series so much praise, but I just wasn’t very interested in anything that was going on, and I feel like the writing in this one was much more flowery than the other ones to the point it was just bothering me. The only things I enjoyed were:

Blythe and Aris together again- MY LOVES oh i missed them so much ☹️ WHAT DO U MEAN IT’S BEEN 27 YEARS.

Aris’s relationship with Sylas, Elijah, and Signa- he’s changed so much and the development between them all is so heartwarming to see.

THE ILLUSTRATIONSSSS they were the best part 🥹🥹 they were so well drawn and they were so cute especially the ones with Aris and Blythe (aris was looking a little too fine but 🤗)

AND BEASTY AND ARIS god I love me a man who loves cats
———

that... is one ugly cover. im sorry.
-------
hi guys 🥰

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

This book was ABSOLUTELY beautiful and everything I needed this month. I may have not been in the “Christmas Mood” this October but, this book has made me very excited for the month of December!!! 🎄🎄🎄. ❄️❄️❄️!!!

On a much more serious note: Adalyn Grace NEEDS to write, at least, one more novel to this series and 2026 NEEDS to be its publication date or I am going to be in a mood (and not a good one). 🤭🤭🤭.

“Nothing you do will ever be too much.”

“It’s only another day.” Sylas told her. “You will find no better or worse luck because of it.”

“You are a blight upon humanity.”

“Gifts are a personal thing, and for those like us, the possibilities are endless. We want for nothing.”

“That cleaver tongue of yours is one of my favorite things about you, Sweetbrier,”

“You, my love, are a fool if you believe that I will ever tire of your magic. Something crafted by your hands is the best gift I could ask for.”

“No one needs perfect, Aris. We only need you.”

“I could spend a million Christmases with you and still it will not be enough,”

“There’s something about this time of year,” she said. “It soften our hearts, and makes the absence of those we miss all the more apparent.”

“At the end of the day, everyone wanted the same thing—for the spirits of this world to feel loved and cared for. For them to be able to move on to a better and happier existence.”

“You,” he announced, “are one of the worst pianists I’ve ever had the misfortune of listening to. I would give up my very magic if you swore to never play again.”

“You are hardly patient.”

“Do you know I love you so much that I hardly know what to do with myself sometimes?”

“I wanted to give you the perfect Christmas.” He held tighter when she tried to pull away, clenching his jaw. “I have never had a proper celebration, Blythe. Not like the kind you deserve. All I wanted was to make it great for you, and for you to not have to worry about something as ridiculous as spirits disturbing our peace. I wanted the holly to matter. For your effort and your hopes to matter.”

“Even all these years later and you’re still a fool,” she told him. All I wanted was you, Aris. A Christmas with you and my family is what makes it perfect.”

“This is my tapestry. It belongs to you now, with a thread of red for every day that I have loved you.”

“Day after day it will grow,” he continued, “for two million Christmases and more, because I will never lose you again, Sweetbrier. Be careful with these threads, for they are fragile right now. But they will continue to grow, and over time they’ll become stronger, as will the love I have for you.”

“Letting you stay quiet would be like letting you get away with something.”

“I didn’t want you waiting that long when it was so cold out. All of this was meant to be my gift to you. A mystery that only you could solve, with people who needed your help.”

“Some people are just so afraid to see what’s right under their noses,”

“If you want someone to see that you’re special, Little Bird, you must prove it to them.”

“The stars themselves should bow to you,” he whispered against her skin, “for you are the most radiant creature to ever walk this earth.”

“I would not trade our life together for anything,”

“I care not for what comes next, as you have given me more than I ever thought possible. You have given me a life beyond the shadows, Little Bird. And whatever happens from here, I know that we will face it together.”

“The night itself folded around them, promising that neither would ever be left to face the world alone again. Promising that, no matter what, they would be together for all eternity.”
~~~~~~~
***Pre-Read:*** Time to check-in with Signa & Death. 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽.

[avi ౨ৎ]

A 3.5 WHATTTT!!!!!!!!! WAIT THIS BETTER BE ARIS AND BLYTHE TOGETHER I NEED THEM!!!!!

‎𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝟏 𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐.𝟓𝟎
‎𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝟐 𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐
𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝟑 𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

[Lotta Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the Belladonna series, you will enjoy this beautiful Christmas novella. The illustrations in this book are gorgeous and it is a cute, fun, festive read. I really enjoyed being back in this world and with these characters.

Seems like the series might not be over either!? ♥

[✪ JY ✪ (conans version)(Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Just finished!!
is there gonna be another series!?




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

NOBODY TOLD ME THERE IS GONNA BE A 3.5!!!!!
YESSS

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein wundervolles Gefühl von „Heimkommen“ in Wisteria ♥️

[audrey (completely gone rn)]

‧₊˚✧pre-read✧˚₊‧
➳ release date: 10.7.25

OCTOBER 7 CANNOT COME FAST ENOUGH I NEED TO HAVE THIS AND I NEED TO SEE WHAT IS BOUND TO BE A BEAUTIFUL COVER

"are you free October 7th" NOPE SORRY NOT SORRY ACC

update: 3.21.25
OHMYGOD THE COVER IS FUCKING STUNNING HOLY MOLY. I kind wish it was blythe and signa like both of them but at the same time i DO NOT care

[°❀⋆.monica ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was so cute and festive! 🤍🎄💫☕️

it was such a joy to come back to this world and read about some of my favorite characters enjoying the holiday season and of course, getting up to shenanigans.

I appreciate that although this was a holiday novella, there was a solid plot that was interesting and engaging and helped propel the story forward.

the ending made my heart so happy and reminded me why I enjoyed this series so much!

[mag_book_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5
Nic co zostanie w mojej pamięci na dłużej ale idealna pod klimat świątecznego sprzątania.

[✨️ Jessica's Bookshelf ✨️]

This cover is gorgeous 😍

[soph · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ★

this was a bit too slow to be as enjoyable as the rest of the series was for me but i love this world and these characters so much, can't wait for the next book <3

[debs ༉‧₊˚. · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆˚꩜｡𐔌՞. 3.5 stars .՞𐦯⋆. 𐙚 ˚
i really enjoyed getting to see these characters again and i love a cute christmas novella ◡̈

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Holly, Adalyn Grace returns to her beautifully gothic Belladonna world with what feels like a holiday gift to long-time readers. it’s more than just a festive add-on because it has heart, mystery, romance and a satisfying sense of return. for fans, there is much to relish and for new readers, this novella still has charm, though some of the emotional weight assumes familiarity with what came before. it achieves quite a lot, though it doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel and a few elements feel slightly curtailed by its novella length.

Adalyn Grace’s main characters in Holly are familiar faces: Blythe and Aris, Signa, Fate, Death and others from the Belladonna universe. among them, Blythe and Aris take center stage for much of the emotional thread: Blythe with her warmth, her desire for a perfect holiday, her eagerness for family and the traditions she loves and Aris with his quieter reflections, careful attentions and internal tension over how to meet that “perfect holiday” Blythe imagines, especially given realities both magical and mortal in their world. Signa, as always, plays an important role: she serves not only as detective of sorts, unraveling the mystery of restless spirits at Wisteria Gardens, but also the thread that connects the supernatural with the human, the known with the unknown. Death, Fate and the others who share this strange, beautiful world contribute texture, moral complexity and romance, not just as side pieces but as parts of what makes the stakes feel lived-in.

the plot is cozy, but with enough menace and mystery to keep it from feeling purely decorative. the novella is set during the holiday season, which offers setting and atmosphere: winter chill, family gatherings, decorations, gifts, mistletoe, hot chocolate and all the trappings of a “perfect” Christmas in a magical manor. however, exactly because the season is meant to bring peace, the sudden intrusion of restless spirits threatens that peace and Signa is drawn into investigating what happened to these ghostly inhabitants to find out who they were, how they died and why they linger. meanwhile, Aris has his own concerns (some personal, some tied to Blythe’s expectations, some tied to the magic of their world) and both Blythe and Aris must navigate the ordinary parts of love and holiday joy with the extraordinary parts: magic, spirits, hidden secrets and the ever-present supernatural rules of Belladonna. gifts (literal and symbolic) play a part: choosing them, hiding them, surprising loved ones with them, reveals about character, love and sacrifice. it’s not a sweeping epic, but the plot packs enough emotional arcs, mystery and romance for its shorter form.

world-building in Holly is one of its greatest strengths. Adalyn Grace has already constructed a Belladonna universe rich in gothic architecture, haunted manors, spirits, morally ambiguous magic and romance that flirts with darkness (both literal and metaphorical). Holly adds to this: we see Wisteria Gardens as a place already imbued with magic and history, where family, ghosts, duty and the supernatural overlap and sometimes conflict. the holiday setting allows some things we haven’t always seen: communal warmth, familiar family rituals, expectations of tradition, comfort contrasted with dread. the ghosts themselves are not just creepy background, but they are tied into the history of the place, of the characters, offering clues, regrets, unfinished business. the author uses atmosphere (winter weather, shadows, moonlight, ornate houses, frosty windows) to evoke both beauty and unease.

in conclusion, Holly is a warm, magical, gothic holiday novella that succeeds beautifully at what it sets out to do. it’s part festive mystery, part romance, part supernatural suspense, all wrapped in Adalyn Grace’s lush, evocative prose. it includes familiar characters in a beloved world, new mysteries and holiday magic with enough tension and romance to satisfy. for readers of YA fantasy who appreciate gothic atmosphere, romantic threads, and ghostly mysteries, Holly will deliver more than just comfort. it will offer chills, intrigue and emotional resonance. 4/5 stars feels right: it’s not quite flawless, but it comes close and its few minor shortcomings are more than compensated by its atmosphere, heart and sense of being something special for the holidays.