A beautiful and engrossing read that doesn't shy away from the torment and lengths Black girls and women will go to through achieve success in a world not built for them. I couldn't help but be chanting for every decision, good or bad, morally gray or otherwise. Looking forward to a sequel, if there is one.

I’ve been trying to finish this one and I’m not totally sure how I feel about it. Friends have really enjoyed this so I want to give it a chance. Maybe the audio isn’t for me but I’m having a hard time staying alert during this. I will revisit though.

I'm not a huge ballet fan, but that didn't matter for this incredible and bloody horror that gripped me from the very first page. Can't wait for the sequel!

This narrator ROCKED in my opinion. As for the plot, I loved so many of the things that this book explored and there were some good descriptions of gore, but I I found the book to drag a little, especially in the middle. But for a debut I think it was very good and especially a great great great teen/ya horror. There are so few good true horror books in that age range and this really fills that gap. As a bookseller I would 100% recommend this to teens that want horror books!

4.5 stars.

I typically find that my thoughts get really organized and my opinions solidify as I write my reviews for books. However, with I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me, I already knew it was going to be one of my top reads of 2023 before I even sat down to write this review! Right from the first chapter, I was drawn into Laure’s world and her character—what drives her, her goals, her history, where the story would take her.

What captivated me most was the darkness that permeates the story. I was yearning for a gritty, dark YA tale, and I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me met my expectations in delivering that atmospheric intensity. I was also happy to read a book focused on a character typically considered a villain, without them being a side character, or someone you were supposed to root against. It’s a narrative that sinks its claws into you and refuses to let go until the final page.

Initially, I had believed this to be a standalone novel, which I would have been find with. So, imagine my delight upon discovering that there are more books to come once I was experiencing and loving the last of the book! I hope to dive into I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call when it comes out later this year, in late August!

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me did not only met but exceeded my expectations. Its gripping darkness, compelling protagonist, and immersive storytelling make it an unforgettable read. I look forward to spending more time in the world and with the characters if they make a reappearance (I won’t mention any names as this may spoil the first book for some of you). Have you read this one? Do you plan to? Let me know!

I FEED HER TO THE BEAST AND THE BEAST IS ME was such a wild ride! Jamison Shea is incredibly creative and definitely an author I will have to keep an eye on.

I really loved this book and the way the main character's story was told and it had me entranced from start to finish! Just Brilliant!

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me is one of the best books I've ever read.

I spent much of 2023 singing its praises and don't intend to stop anytime soon.

The visceral language used to paint pictures of broken nails, bleeding toes and battered limbs, all for the prize of being named danseuse étoile, brings you into the story and makes you understand why Laure Mesny is so relentless in her pursuit of perfection and prestige.

But what happens when Parisian prestige doesn't want to accept that a Black girl deserves the spotlight? How far would you be willing to go to put the racist naysayers in their place? Would you sell your sell even if it meant being hunted?

For many, the answer might be to walk away, but not for Laure Mesny, and as a woman of colour who is hellbent on succeeding, I empathize and understand.

For a debut novel, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, is great. It's a well-=written young adult horror novel with a main character whose sympathetic origin story both broke my heart and made my stomach turn.

Though I enjoyed the author's writing style and am thankful for the opportunity to have received the author's work, I will not post a full review in all fairness.

I do not enjoy horrors, but did not expect this to be as dark. I must say, as a debut author the author showcased great writing skills. I love her creativity and overall writing, but I wonder if she would expand her creativity and perhaps the next work will lose the entangled web of darkness.

Thank you MacMillan Audio, Netgalley, and Jamison Shea for allowing me an opportunity to review this book. To the author, keep showcasing your creativity.

I'm seeing this described as reminiscent to Black Swan and I'd say that is pretty accurate. We step into the world of Parisian ballet which is cut throat and some ballerinas (including our protagonist Laure) will go to great lengths to make sure they get noticed. This was dark and twisted, but I also felt compassion and understanding for these girls. Narration was also great!

A villain origin story! Count me in!

Jamison Shea has brought out all the stops with their debut novel, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me (also, best feeling finding this title mentioned in the book!).

From the minute we meet Laure, the reader can feel her passion, anger, and determination to find greatness pouring out of her. I loved the way that Shea created this character and the ballet world that she inhabited was just as powerful of a character for the story. The ballet company is filled with a cast of secondary characters that fuel the reader to understand and side with Laure’s feelings to the point where you become compassionate to her desire for revenge. There are some genuinely awful and annoying people in the company and I loved reading about every single one of them.

And let’s not forget to talk about the pulsating river of blood that Laure casually brings into her life and all the madness and monstrousness that descends from this encounter in the Catacombs. The imagery is absolutely perfect and Shea writes so vividly that I could easily picture everything happening.

The ending definitely left things open for a potential sequel and should that happen, I will be hitting pre-order!

This book freaked me out in the best way possible! It was definitely a fun YA for spooky season! The atmosphere gave me chills and the book gave me thrills!

If you're in the mood for a protagonist who selfishly moves forward with the cold warmth of their goals ushering them forward - you don't mind the mysterious bloody voice that empowers them to do so - then I can't think of a better book for you!

I kicked off spooky season reads with this audiobook and I loved it!!! I grew up a dancer so any book revolving around the art is a hit with me. I loved the drama in this! Integrating fantasy and horror elements was such a killer move. I was hooked and listened to it in one sitting. There were so many underly messages for the reader and I ate it up. The narrator was really well chosen and the voice acting really had me in chills!

thank you for an alc of this book!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I ended up being lucky enough to get the audiobook of this book and i love, love, loved it!!! Everything about this book was amazing, not to mention super creepy lmao I'll admit i wasn't really sure what to expect but once i started reading i knew i couldn't stop! It was a longer book but had it been shorter i would have felt like it ended too early lol

This story follows Laure, a ballerina student in the Paris ballet, set on becoming the best. Her struggle is not one of talent, but of the structures within the ballet itself that make it impossible for anyone who is not white and rich to make it. Every day she is treated as less than, even as she is the top performer in her class. Finally, Laure has had enough. In the catacombs beneath the city she makes a deal with a god. She bargains with her ability to dance in order to gain the power she has always craved. After this deal is made the new friends she has made start being picked off, one by one.

I liked that even with making a deal with a god that Laure is not immediately successful in all she intends to gain. The best part of this story is Laure realizing that no matter how much power she wields, the ballet will never accept her because she is black and from a poor background. The mystery element from someone targeting her friends who are supposed to be nearly indestructible also added another sense of looming dread. The audio performer did an excellent job of creating a creepy intense voice for the god inside Laure’s head. Her monstrous transformation is something she abhors initially, and I love to see her grown to appreciate it. The plot reveal of who had been committing the murders felt a little obvious to me, as well as the rival god plot. Otherwise, this was a great suspenseful read with a good plot.

Ferocious and yet deeply compassionate, and also just lots and lots of fun. The narration was fabulous as well!

What I loved most about I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me was Kristolyn Lloyd's narration. Listening to her French made me sad for those reading with their eyes.

Laure herself was my next favorite. I identified with her right away, and felt that our struggles mirrored each other. Minor spoiler alert: Laure doesn't ask Acheron for the ability to dance. She doesn't need it. Laure is a talented dancer and it's all hers, the result of years of dedication and hard work. Things like that don't always matter. Your best can only carry you so far, then you are at the mercy of the whims of what you cannot control. The book blurb calls I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me a villain origin story. I don't understand. I found a champion in Laure.

Laure wasn't the only interesting character, the only character worth rooting for. Jamison Shea has created a group of loveable misfits. I'm happy to know that a sequel is on its way. I'd particularly like to get to know more about Keturah.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook. Five stars, highly recommended, and in eager anticipation of a sequel!

I read this last month actually and have been dying to talk about it. If you are looking for a villian origin story, I’m always searching for those personally, this is exactly what that is. We follow Laurence who is a  student at the Ballet Academy of Paris and they are auditioning for their final performance and a spot at the Paris ballet, Laurence is a character who severely doubts herself, very relatable, and her emotions turn even more hardened when it’s become very aware of the classism and racism at this academy, she’s being overlooked and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top, including striking a deal with the river of blood in the Catacombs. That’s right, the paris catacombs, super spooky. This is a great horror debut by a nonbinary Black author that addresses racism, privilege and the just vicious world of ballet which I know about but have never delved into in a book before, I don’t think, at least not this deep. I believe it’s YA but it read more new adult with how creepy it got, it’s really dark, bloody, I mean the cover does suggest that as our character is in a literal river of blood, a great book to dip your toes in if it’s not a genre you typically read.