Oct 25

Oct 25 Review: The Bell Witches by Lindsey Kelk

The first in a new YA fantasy series from Lindsey Kelk. Emily’s dad has just died; her only living relative, and at 16 she is all alone in the world. Or … so she thinks.

Finding herself in a grand house in Savannah, Georgia, with a mysterious grandmother and aunt she had no idea existed, Emily is only just beginning to discover how much she didn’t know about her family - or herself.

With new friend Lydia and enigmatic yet devastatingly handsome Wyn at her side, Emily explores her new surroundings and begins to uncover the secrets that will explain who she really is. What does her grandmother really want from her, and why does her aunt seem to hate her?

This is YA (very different from Kelk’s Love Story that I read a few weeks ago!) and I’d be happy for my teen daughter to read it in terms of closed-door relationship descriptions. The descriptions of Savannah are gorgeously evocative - I felt the heat even in autumnal Scotland - and the contrasts between traditional Southern culture and values versus Gen Z protagonists are well drawn.

The fantasy elements are right at the edge of what I’d ever usually read, but that’s a me problem rather than this book, which is well-plotted and delivers the tension effectively. The Audible narrator caught the accent range well, at least to my inexpert ear.

The book stands alone, but is clearly well set up for future instalments in a series - there are plenty of characters who could be rounded out and explored further. A strong start, for sure.

Thank you Harper Collins UK Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.