Seemingly cursed by death as a child, Signa has been passed around from guardian to guardian following untimely passings. Those guardians have only been interested in the wealth waiting for her once she is of age, keeping her youth a troubling upbringing. After yet another untimely death, Signa is passed to her last remaining family members, at Thorn Grove. However, filled with restless spirits and a possible poisoning thwarted, Signa must save her young cousin. Will she be willing to work with Death, the very entity she’s been cursed by? Or will it be too late to save the last line of family around her?
This book was a ride. While there is the main mystery Signa must solve of her aunt’s passing and saving her cousin Blythe, more unravel throughout her stay at Thorn Grove. By the end, many things have been resolved, but also left open for the second book, Foxglove. There were several twists throughout, some I could pick on the foreshadowing for, and other’s that left me blindsided.
The beginning was a bit slow to get into, but once it picked up pace, it was hard to put the book down. The last third of the book was very hard to put down and the final chapter had me at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe it ended on a cliffhanger and hurriedly ran to get the next book ordered.
Signa’s powers and abilities being tied to death was used in an interesting way, especially utilizing poison and belladonna berries. Part of her character was refreshing with wanting to fit in with the other ladies her age and the process of debuting for suitors. Although, sometimes Signa reacted to an event in such a way that made her frustrating. Blythe was a fun character and I enjoyed her a lot. Ended up being my favorite by the end of the book. Some of the characters were a little underwhelming, but overall the supporting characters kept me intrigued.
There were times where the “purple prose” felt a little too much and though it is “historical” with the setting, some of the dialogue was a bit clunky. Also, there was a lot of scenes filled with eating, which kind of distracted from the main plot point of solving a murder mystery. Overall, I enjoyed the ride and am eagerly waiting the next book to arrive on my doorstep.
4/5 Scones
Kaylen Azalea Grimm 