Beautiful photo by @bookish.bones!
Hey fairies!
Welcome back to day 4 of our readalong of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace! Yesterday’s section ended on a tense note and I really need to know what happens next! Without further ado, let’s jump in…
Today we’re reading from Chapter 27 to the end of Chapter 36.
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Belladonna by Adalyn Grace, from chapters 27 to 36. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
So, Percy is now suspicious of Signa. She wasn’t even around when his mother died and when Blythe fell sick? Someone is a little paranoid
She tells him she’s happy to sample the antidote before administering it to Blythe and that seems to placate him. For now, the calabar bean seems to have worked, but should Blythe get this sick again, they only have enough for one more dose.
Sylas is waiting for her when she returns to her room. He asks of Blythe and it turns out that in helping Signa, he’ll obtain the resources he needs to help someone he cares for very deeply… I can’t tell if he’s speaking of Signa orrr someone else?
When Death meets her that night, he tells her that he thinks she could access her abilities better if she were dead, but they’re both aware she’s to lead a long life. He thinks she’s a reaper, and once she’s lived her life she will come into all of his powers. Tonight’s lesson allows her to hear heartbeats and goodbyes.
They get closer, until Death’s shadows are lowering Signa’s robes. She’s not ready yet though and Death understands. Before he leaves her to sleep, he tells her he likes animals more than most things, they can see him. I never thought I would feel so sorry for literal death… but Adalyn Grace has done it. My heart hurts.
The next day brings with it a letter from Everett, he wants to meet with her. She had a moment last night with Death and I’m not entirely convinced she doesn’t have feelings for Sylas. Everett has a lot to contend with!
Marjorie opens up about her past whilst Signa deliberates whether to accept Everett’s invitation. She fell in love with a man, who then fell in love with someone else. Society deemed her ruined and she was lucky to find a job at Thorn Grove, even her parents rejected her. Poor Marjorie.
Signa denies Everett’s invitation and instead tells Marjorie to tell him she’ll see him on Christmas Eve. Wise!
She takes another trip to the library, but this time she’s greeted by smoke and flames. Thaddeus’ spirit is angry, luckily Death arrives and demands Thaddeus lets Signa go.
Signa decides to rise to Death’s challenge and tries to communicate with him mentally… and she succeeds! Death tries to convince her that the fire was not her fault. He assures her that if she calls him, he’ll come. She vows to remember that.
The masquerade ball comes around quickly and Signa finds herself watching Sylas in his suit, she thinks he’s handsome. Wit-woo!
She dances with Everett and the moment they stop, Signa’s eyes catch Death entering the room. Not in his usual form. As she touches his hand and he pulls her into his arms, the music fades away.
Death gifted her the dress. That’s so cute. Signa wants to know what his form looks like, beneath his mask and shadows. He says he might show her one day. He’s confident she’ll like his appearance… but he doesn’t use his true face often. He doesn’t want it to be the last one the world sees before they die. Which is more than understandable.
She kisses him and as they break apart, he tells her if she opens her window at night, he will come to her.
And just when I thought that this had been a lovely romantic night for Signa, Percy is found unconscious at the bottom of the Christmas tree. Suddenly Sylas is at her side telling her to look away, but Signa can’t.
Luckily, Signa had one dose of the antidote left, she was saving it for Blythe but they administer it to Percy.
Signa takes belladonna, way too much, and in her shadow form goes off in pursuit of answers, with a worried Death in her head asking her why she is not breathing.
In Lillian’s room, she finds letters… and Marjorie.
When she returns to her room, Death is waiting for her… something is wrong with Blythe.
Things are getting so INTENSE!
I’ll catch up with you all tomorrow for our fifth and final section!
Love,
Shannon
I allllmost couldn’t stop reading at the end of Chapter 36! With great effort I’ve stayed faithful to the read-a-long! Very excited to see how this book unfolds!
I really love this book ? I think it’s really amazing. I hope Blythe is gonna be okay… the scene where she gives Signa her present is just so sweet and I’d love for Signa to have family. I’m so interested in tomorrows chapters!
Death has a lot of green-flag behaviour, however — he’s definitely a red flag, but red is my favourite colour, so what it do, baby.
The dance at the ball was lovely though. How many powers does Death have? Reality-bending is among them?
Goodness!! Once again, So Much Happens!!
But my favorite scene was the masquerade and Sygna & Death’s dance! This story has such Beauty and the Beast vibes!
I’ve entered my post for the giveaway! I’m @crimsonrosereads and I’m super excited to see how Belladonna ends!
Majorie what are you doing!! I’ve had my suspicions this whole time but I wonder whether she is being coerced by someone or something else instead of working under her own accord. Thaddeus suggested there was more than one person responsible for the library fire ? so surely there’s another. This was not a good place to stop, but stop I did, and it’s getting close to the time when I can finish the book!
I don’t buy Marjorie as the poisoner at all, but I’m really curious why she had the poison on her fingers and didn’t try to explain.
My latest (perhaps crack) theory: Charlotte is the poisoner. Sylas is Marjorie’s love child with Elijah. Charlotte is the woman Sylas is interested in. They’re trying to get rid of the Hawthorne kids so Marjorie and Elijah can be together, Sylas can be their heir, and Charlotte can marry him and be taken care of for the rest of her life.
I love how things are heating up with death? I like that Signa is thinking about throwing out the etiquette book and I think her connection to it has dwindled since she learned her mom was a bit of a pistol. The possession was a bit intense but death coming in like “get out of my woman” was pretty great. I am also really enjoying the sisterly relationship with Signa and Blythe. I don’t trust Sylas anymore. Things are pointing to him and I am beginning to think he is sus. I’m really enjoying this section.
Am I the only one who thinks Marjorie’s accusation is a little fast? ?
So okay new theory: I don’t believe Marjorie did it. I think she is actually Percy’s mother and she told Percy recently. Which might have enraged him so much, he decided to take it out on Lilian for pretending to be his mother. And maybe that extended into hurting his sister. And maybe Marjorie discovered this and decided to put a stop to it by poisoning Percy? I don’t know I still have so many questions and I cannot wait to read on! I hope Blythe survives… And I need more tense moments between Signa and Death… I loved the ball scene.
What a place to stop at!? The cliffhanger is unreal. Still not sure who to trust and who to suspect. It’s ramping up now!
Not much to say to this part, except for the fact I enjoy the vibes and the increased intensity. Unfortunately, I must say: I do not like the romance between Death and Signa, though I kinda wish I did. Most of my distaste stems from him knowing (and being intrigued by) her since she was an infant and always being nearby throughout her childhood, meaning he’s watched her grow up. To go from that to this kind of relationship with her now isn’t my thing and definitely my least part of this book, I feel like it could easily have been a five star read had this not been the case, or had he been a mentor figure rather than a lover.
Something seems off with Percy, so much happened and i thought it was really sweet of Death to check in on Signa but I’m worried that maybe she’s getting addicted to the way she feels when she has Belladonna. Excited to see how it ends
How convenient that Blythe is in trouble again after Percy needed the last dose of antidote…As if someone knew, while not many people knew of the antidote in the first place. The solution is near ( I hope) and I can’t wait to finish the book.
Hmmm, new theory? Marjorie is Percy’s mother. Lillian raised him as her own for some reason. Second theory… That contradicts the first theory, Marjorie is Sylas’s mother? Or Sylas is the true heir somehow?
I don’t know. Lots of theories buzzing around.
Yay Blythe is cured! But there is still a big chunk of book left who knows what will happen…
Ahh the masquerade ball! I really like dancing balls in any book. This ball was a good one! like the dress she got from death- cute. Percy falling and was not so cute.
I just hope in the next part, none dies. And I now believe Marjorie is the suspect, or whoever it is gets caught.
Hi all!! I’ve got a theory that Sylas is Marjorie and Elijah’s son!! I think he’s poisoning the family because he could take over through the bloodline. It would explain why both Blythe and Percy are being targeted. Plus, Sylas is always around but kinda in the background? He’s got money for fancy boots and stuff so he’s getting a stipend probably to stay quiet. Marjorie is all angry at Lillian because if Elijah didn’t love Lillian she’d have a chance to have a family with him and Sylas. I’m guessing Sylas found out about Marjorie being his mom so he’s doing all this to try to help her. I recall him mentioning he was trying to help some ‘other woman’ by helping Signa or something along those lines. He’s sketchy!!! Waiting to see what happens in the last chapters. 🙂