[ARC Review] Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Dance of Shadows
Dance of Shadows #1
Yelena Black
February 12th, 2013
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
447 pages

ARC courtesy of Bloomsbury Children's Publishing via NetGalley for honest review. Review may contain spoilers.

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

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 . . .

Hi it's Amy and I just finished Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black. I don't know where to start on how I felt about this book. I think my first initial thought is, and I say this not to be mean, I am proud of my self that I finished the book and didn't put it down and walk away from it forever.

Let me explain this book is about Vanessa who goes to NYBA, ballet school, not because she wants to dance but because a part of her wants to follow the footsteps of her missing sister. She gets there and starts making friends and falls into a rhythm of dance and school. Her dancing is beautiful and she catches the eye of not one but two cute older boys. She goes on to be cast in the lead of The Firebird the school's big show.

Life is going good for Vanessa but in the back of her mind are thoughts of her  missing sister and the strange dance the instructor Josef has added to the dance. She starts to research the dance and finds out that all the girls who have ever been cast in the role have all disappeared including her sister. She discovers something sinister is going on.  The added dance is actually a ritualistic dance to raise demons from an alternate reality.

 For me this book moved at a snail's pace and it was really hard to care about Vanessa and what was happening to her because I just couldn't connect with her.  The two older boys that like her are Zep the popular boy and Justin who is kind of a loner.  There is one part after she has gone on a few dates with Zep, he disappears for a few days will not answer her texts or phone calls.  After a talk and few kisses she takes him back.  Meanwhile, Justin keeps telling her Zep is no good and to leave the school but she just blows him off as jealous wanna be boyfriend.  I wanted to yell at Vanessa for naivete because it was clear Zep was just using her.

  I don't want to give too much of the ending away but it did have action and was creepy and left it open for the next book.  Dance of Shadows reminded me of a cross between Center Stage and The Craft but it didn't mesh the two perfectly.  In conclusion I give Dance of Shadows three laser pistols because the pacing was slow and at times I had to force myself to keep reading.  For me what moved it up from a two to a three was that the ending was intriguing and I am curious to find out what happens next. I just don't think the next book will be a must read.