Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
- Pub. Date: February 12, 2013
- Publisher: Harlequin Teen
- Pages:447
- Series:Dance of Shadows #1
- Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository
Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .
Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . .
Review: Isn't the cover just gorgeous and I loved the fact that it actually went with the story. I haven't read too many books based around dance and in this case ballet. I don't know anything about ballet just for the record so I didn't really read this with a critical eye in regards if the author used the correct terms etc. All I know is it was very easy to visualize everything from all the elegant dance moves to the pressure that these dancers were going through at the school.
Vanessa has been accepted to a top notch ballet school because obviously she is an amazing dancer but that is not the reason she wanted to attend, she wanted to go there to find out what happened to her sister Margaret who mysteriously disappeared.When Vanessa arrives to the school and settles in she discovers Margaret was not an isolated case but tons of girls who had something to do with a certain dance called the Firebird has disappeared in the past as well.
The book has a paranormal aspect which involves demons. It is believed that certain dances can call forth demons and in this one that is exactly what a couple of malevolent dance instructors are trying to do using some of the best dancers in the school. It sounds crazy but I actually liked the plot as far as the dancing, disappearances and the overall mystery that was part of this book.
As much as I liked this book and would have loved to give it a higher rating I couldn't because of the main character. Vanessa was just not the type of girl I like reading about. She let Josef and a couple of other horrible characters walk all over her. And then there was her love interest which for majority of the book was Zep. It is beyond obvious he is up to no good, he treats Vanessa like crap going days without talking to her barely spending time with her...you get the picture but she still chases after him defending him until she walks right into his trap and then only does she see who the good guy is when it is too late.
Overall the first half of the book was great until Vanessa and Zep hooked up then things got a little frustrating for me but luckily the paranormal aspect of this book was pretty amazing and kept me turning the pages. I am a little curious about the second book only because I'm hoping Vanessa will be a much stronger character since now she knows who the bad guys are so she shouldn't annoy me as much in the next book. Anyways if your looking for a book that involves dance, some dark themed elements, an interesting story-line and if you can tolerate a character such as Vanessa I would say check out Dance of Shadows.
Vanessa has been accepted to a top notch ballet school because obviously she is an amazing dancer but that is not the reason she wanted to attend, she wanted to go there to find out what happened to her sister Margaret who mysteriously disappeared.When Vanessa arrives to the school and settles in she discovers Margaret was not an isolated case but tons of girls who had something to do with a certain dance called the Firebird has disappeared in the past as well.
The book has a paranormal aspect which involves demons. It is believed that certain dances can call forth demons and in this one that is exactly what a couple of malevolent dance instructors are trying to do using some of the best dancers in the school. It sounds crazy but I actually liked the plot as far as the dancing, disappearances and the overall mystery that was part of this book.
As much as I liked this book and would have loved to give it a higher rating I couldn't because of the main character. Vanessa was just not the type of girl I like reading about. She let Josef and a couple of other horrible characters walk all over her. And then there was her love interest which for majority of the book was Zep. It is beyond obvious he is up to no good, he treats Vanessa like crap going days without talking to her barely spending time with her...you get the picture but she still chases after him defending him until she walks right into his trap and then only does she see who the good guy is when it is too late.
Overall the first half of the book was great until Vanessa and Zep hooked up then things got a little frustrating for me but luckily the paranormal aspect of this book was pretty amazing and kept me turning the pages. I am a little curious about the second book only because I'm hoping Vanessa will be a much stronger character since now she knows who the bad guys are so she shouldn't annoy me as much in the next book. Anyways if your looking for a book that involves dance, some dark themed elements, an interesting story-line and if you can tolerate a character such as Vanessa I would say check out Dance of Shadows.
