I requested this book ten years ago, and am no longer interested in reading. Thank you for the opportunity.

Best Bits: The premise of this one was really interesting. I love all things ballet (even though I was a tap and jazz girl), so I was eager to read a YA book involving it with some paranormal elements. Vanessa was, for the most part (see Nit Picks), a relatable main character. She has the feet for ballet, but her heart isn't in it. Why would she accept a spot at the prestigious New York Ballet Academy? Vanessa's sister went missing from the same school, and she's determined to find her. At points, the story reminded me a bit of Center Stage (my favorite ballet movie). Vanessa becomes close friends with some dancers, there's the girl who expects the lead who fits the part of the mean girl, and the director is a jerk. Not to mention a bad boy who readers (or viewers, in the case of the movie) are hoping their protagonist doesn't fall for.

The paranormal/mystery aspect of the book was done well. Although it was clear who some of the baddies were, there were two people who I wasn't quite sure about. I hoped that Vanessa could trust them, but my instincts aren't always correct.

Nit Picks: Please note that my nitpicks are based on the galley, and some things may have changed in the final version. Let me briefly explain my above comment about Vanessa. As a reader I was able to understand her motivation to attend the same dance school as her sister, but beyond that she didn't always make the wisest choices. As she begins to understand there's something sinister happening at her school she should limit who she trusts with information. Instead, she spills everything to a couple different people. That is the book equivalent of when characters in horror movies walk toward the creepy sounds/shadows/etc that ultimately lead to their demise. It just seems to me that as things started getting worse, she would want to guard her secrets.

There was some insta-love, which brings me to a general nit-pick in the books I've read over the last year or two. Insta-love and blind trust. I think I would have found it more interesting in this book if Zep had befriended Vanessa, and from there she would have had to choose whether to trust him, instead of basing it on a relationship that's inconsistent.

I apologize for the extremely delayed response on this title. I had a problem reading this title on my device when I first obtained the file. I have been cleaning up all that I have missed, and have been buying the titles for review.

I started Dance of Shadows, excited for the title based on the synopsis. The story started really strong. There were pieces of the mystery slowly being unveiled, and I was all for it. Eventually, I started to lose interest. It seemed like the story started to shift in this way, and I was being left behind. I couldn't hold on my connection to the characters and in turn their story.

Dance of Shadows had a fantastic premise and decent writing, but the execution ultimately did not live up to the hype. This book had too many plot holes, an inconsistent pacing, and a cast of one-note characters. Even though I enjoyed the world Yelena Black created within the New York Dance Academy, I cannot give this book a recommendation. I do think that Ms. Black has potential as a writer but I might give her time to get a few more books under her belt before I jump in again.

Dance of Shadows was a book that I couldn't wait to start reading. The synopsis sounded amazing and I wasn't disappointed once I started reading. This book is very intriguing and different! I loved reading each and every word.