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The Three Bells #1
A Dance With Death
He laces his fingers into my hair and gently tugs me in, his powerful hand threaded into the wet strands. I whimper, from fear more so than pain. It doesn’t hurt. But each word is enunciated as he warns, “Do. Not. Ever. Steal. From. Me. Again.”
Corliss Bell would do anything to bring her older sister, Aven, back to life. She’d give up her dreams of being a professional ballerina. She’d resign herself to never leaving the small seaside town of The Pins. Hell, she’d even make a deal with a demon. After all, demons are masters of death.
When a town mystic tells Corliss there’s a demon living nearby who may be the key in returning Aven to life, she’s emboldened by the idea of getting her beloved sister back. Corliss sneaks into the demon’s dilapidated mansion to beg for his help. But instead of finding him, she discovers a pair of enchanted red ballet slippers and steals them. Under the strange, obsessive spell of the stolen shoes, Corliss is hailed as a prodigy and welcomed onto the stage of the prestigious Red Clover dance hall to rapturous applause. However, Corliss starts having unsettling nightmares and hearing voices. And she’s fairly certain someone—or something—is watching her.
The demon comes to reclaim what is his but finds Corliss and the slippers hopelessly intertwined. He imprisons her in his mansion, forcing her to dance for him every evening as punishment for stealing. Far from a helpless captive, Corliss begins working out a plan to bring Aven back to life, as soon as she can convince the demon—Orrin—to help her. But first, she has to prove that she’s not just some common thief. As she slowly realizes she may not hate Orrin nearly as much as she pretends to, she finds herself diving deeper into his strange, dark world.
Hauntingly beautiful, with lush prose and a vividly creepy atmosphere, A Dance With Death is a compulsively juicy read that will wind its way into your psyche. Part horror, part magic—this is the gothic love story you didn't know you were missing.
Corliss Bell would do anything to bring her older sister, Aven, back to life. She’d give up her dreams of being a professional ballerina. She’d resign herself to never leaving the small seaside town of The Pins. Hell, she’d even make a deal with a demon. After all, demons are masters of death.
When a town mystic tells Corliss there’s a demon living nearby who may be the key in returning Aven to life, she’s emboldened by the idea of getting her beloved sister back. Corliss sneaks into the demon’s dilapidated mansion to beg for his help. But instead of finding him, she discovers a pair of enchanted red ballet slippers and steals them. Under the strange, obsessive spell of the stolen shoes, Corliss is hailed as a prodigy and welcomed onto the stage of the prestigious Red Clover dance hall to rapturous applause. However, Corliss starts having unsettling nightmares and hearing voices. And she’s fairly certain someone—or something—is watching her.
The demon comes to reclaim what is his but finds Corliss and the slippers hopelessly intertwined. He imprisons her in his mansion, forcing her to dance for him every evening as punishment for stealing. Far from a helpless captive, Corliss begins working out a plan to bring Aven back to life, as soon as she can convince the demon—Orrin—to help her. But first, she has to prove that she’s not just some common thief. As she slowly realizes she may not hate Orrin nearly as much as she pretends to, she finds herself diving deeper into his strange, dark world.
Hauntingly beautiful, with lush prose and a vividly creepy atmosphere, A Dance With Death is a compulsively juicy read that will wind its way into your psyche. Part horror, part magic—this is the gothic love story you didn't know you were missing.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published January 27, 2026
About the author
Amanda Linsmeier
19 books206 followersAmanda Linsmeier has been a book nerd as long as she can remember, and it was that great love of reading—especially R.L. Stine novels and fairytales—that eventually brought her to writing her own stories. In high school, she won the senior class vote for “Most Romantic Girl”, a title she’s still ridiculously pleased with. She feels most joyful when writing, scream-singing her favorite songs, playing in the water, and laughing with her beloved family. She lives in a magical place with a man who smells like maple syrup and woodsmoke, their wonderfully wild children, a dog, and an assortment of half-feral cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
January 27, 2026
˖⊱ 3 stars ✩⊹ ࣪ ˖
Happy publication day!! 🩰🩶
A Dance With Death is luxurious, moody and ethereal all at once - the type of atmosphere that will forever be my kryptonite. We have a haunting mansion, a pretty ballerina for a main character, and an alluring, looming demon that all interweave into a dreamlike story you’re almost delicately tiptoeing through.
However, I would have been partial to a bit more world and character building - particularly character. Emotional investment is such an incredibly important part of a novel for me, and I unfortunately just did not feel that connection here.
Definitely worth picking up if you’re into luscious prose and elegant imagery (honestly just good vibes all round) but I think maybe not too much more than that.
Thank you to Turner Publishing Company, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Happy publication day!! 🩰🩶
A Dance With Death is luxurious, moody and ethereal all at once - the type of atmosphere that will forever be my kryptonite. We have a haunting mansion, a pretty ballerina for a main character, and an alluring, looming demon that all interweave into a dreamlike story you’re almost delicately tiptoeing through.
However, I would have been partial to a bit more world and character building - particularly character. Emotional investment is such an incredibly important part of a novel for me, and I unfortunately just did not feel that connection here.
Definitely worth picking up if you’re into luscious prose and elegant imagery (honestly just good vibes all round) but I think maybe not too much more than that.
Thank you to Turner Publishing Company, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 16, 2026
3.5⭐️
First off, thank you to Turner Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
This was a unique story loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast, with a beautifully written, atmospheric setting. While the romance takes center stage, I found myself wishing there had been more emphasis on world-building and plot. The story held a lot of potential, but the world and the connection between the main characters felt underdeveloped.
The romance, in particular, felt rushed. Corliss goes from disliking Orrin to being deeply in love rather quickly, which made their relationship feel less organic. Although the setting is haunting and immersive, the plot itself felt thin and didn’t fully support the emotional arc of the story.
The author’s writing is undeniably beautiful, but I was left wanting more depth and substance overall. In the end, it was an enjoyable read, but one that will likely be forgettable after some time. That said, I would still be interested in returning to this world, especially to see expanded world-building and to learn more about the other sisters.
First off, thank you to Turner Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
This was a unique story loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast, with a beautifully written, atmospheric setting. While the romance takes center stage, I found myself wishing there had been more emphasis on world-building and plot. The story held a lot of potential, but the world and the connection between the main characters felt underdeveloped.
The romance, in particular, felt rushed. Corliss goes from disliking Orrin to being deeply in love rather quickly, which made their relationship feel less organic. Although the setting is haunting and immersive, the plot itself felt thin and didn’t fully support the emotional arc of the story.
The author’s writing is undeniably beautiful, but I was left wanting more depth and substance overall. In the end, it was an enjoyable read, but one that will likely be forgettable after some time. That said, I would still be interested in returning to this world, especially to see expanded world-building and to learn more about the other sisters.
January 30, 2026
·❥· ❝You are special. Just look at what you've done to me.❞ ·
⋆ ˚｡˚⋆ 4.25 stars!
What's the best thing you can do for a girl who grew up completely ADORING Beauty & the Beast and anything that reminded her of that story? Give her a book with ALL the similar vibes without it being a direct copy of the B&B original story. I really enjoyed this book! 💞
𑣲 𓂃 ₊⊹ Thank you to Netgalley, Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books, and Amanda Linsmeier for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‧₊ ᵎᵎ 🩰 ⋅ ˚
Please look up some trigger/content warnings for this book. Especially be aware of discussions of grief and loss.
🩰 ⌗ characters
Starting with our two main characters, Corliss and Orrin, one thing that stood out for me was how well-thought out their dynamic was and how realistically it was portrayed. It's so easy, when you have this kind of plot, to overdo the dynamic. I personally really enjoyed it and how it developed. You can easily tell these are two character who both have a lot to lose and whose life has not been easy. Corliss is such a refreshing protagonist, with strengths and with flaws. Her choices sometimes were questionable and questioned (by me mainly because I was STRESSED 😭) but, as a reader, you have to admire her resilience and the lengths she goes for the people she loves. Orrin on the other hand is such a complex character, his mystery aided by the lack of a pov for him. I love morally grey characters, I love when a character makes me question myself and my taste in fictional men. 🫣 He has such Byronic hero energy, I loved it. His character development felt a bit fast at points but it did not bother me as much. ♡
The other two Bell sisters - Aven and Selie - are such interesting characters. Both are getting a book, with Selie's book being next, so I can't wait to see where their stories will take us. I'm intrigued by both because they're different from one another and I bet their respective stories will give us varying vibes. 👀
The villain of this particular story, I would've liked to have been fleshed out more. I felt like their backstory was summarised very quickly and there wasn't much depth to them even though their story itself was serious.
🩰 ⌗ plot
I enjoyed the plot and the stakes at play. The pacing was for the most part quick, with some instances (mainly at the beginning) where it felt slightly slower to me. I think this was mainly because it wasn't obvious where the story was going and I wasn't fully mesmerised by the characters yet. 🌤️
The plot wrapped up satisfyingly for me and, due to this being a series, I cannot wait to see these characters again! I'm so excited thinking of the potential Corliss and Orrin cameos 🤭💞
🩰 ⌗ other notes
I loved all the little elements that were reminiscent of Beauty & the Beast! Again, I wouldn't call this a retelling necessarily but the little connections are so beautiful. ♡ The roses, the demon who is referred to as "the beast" sometimes by people. The eyes momenttt 😭 big fan here, BIG FAN. 😩💞
I will be reading the next book in this series! ♡
‧₊ ᵎᵎ🌹 ⋅ ˚ ₊‧
Thank you again to Netgalley, Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books, and Amanda Linsmeier for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All aforementioned opinions are my own. 🩰
pre-read notes:
ARC received for this! Look at that descriptionnn, please let this be as amazing as I think it’ll be 🤞🤭
⋆ ˚｡˚⋆ 4.25 stars!
What's the best thing you can do for a girl who grew up completely ADORING Beauty & the Beast and anything that reminded her of that story? Give her a book with ALL the similar vibes without it being a direct copy of the B&B original story. I really enjoyed this book! 💞
𑣲 𓂃 ₊⊹ Thank you to Netgalley, Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books, and Amanda Linsmeier for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‧₊ ᵎᵎ 🩰 ⋅ ˚
Please look up some trigger/content warnings for this book. Especially be aware of discussions of grief and loss.
🩰 ⌗ characters
Starting with our two main characters, Corliss and Orrin, one thing that stood out for me was how well-thought out their dynamic was and how realistically it was portrayed. It's so easy, when you have this kind of plot, to overdo the dynamic. I personally really enjoyed it and how it developed. You can easily tell these are two character who both have a lot to lose and whose life has not been easy. Corliss is such a refreshing protagonist, with strengths and with flaws. Her choices sometimes were questionable and questioned (by me mainly because I was STRESSED 😭) but, as a reader, you have to admire her resilience and the lengths she goes for the people she loves. Orrin on the other hand is such a complex character, his mystery aided by the lack of a pov for him. I love morally grey characters, I love when a character makes me question myself and my taste in fictional men. 🫣 He has such Byronic hero energy, I loved it. His character development felt a bit fast at points but it did not bother me as much. ♡
The other two Bell sisters - Aven and Selie - are such interesting characters. Both are getting a book, with Selie's book being next, so I can't wait to see where their stories will take us. I'm intrigued by both because they're different from one another and I bet their respective stories will give us varying vibes. 👀
The villain of this particular story, I would've liked to have been fleshed out more. I felt like their backstory was summarised very quickly and there wasn't much depth to them even though their story itself was serious.
🩰 ⌗ plot
I enjoyed the plot and the stakes at play. The pacing was for the most part quick, with some instances (mainly at the beginning) where it felt slightly slower to me. I think this was mainly because it wasn't obvious where the story was going and I wasn't fully mesmerised by the characters yet. 🌤️
The plot wrapped up satisfyingly for me and, due to this being a series, I cannot wait to see these characters again! I'm so excited thinking of the potential Corliss and Orrin cameos 🤭💞
🩰 ⌗ other notes
I loved all the little elements that were reminiscent of Beauty & the Beast! Again, I wouldn't call this a retelling necessarily but the little connections are so beautiful. ♡ The roses, the demon who is referred to as "the beast" sometimes by people. The eyes momenttt 😭 big fan here, BIG FAN. 😩💞
I will be reading the next book in this series! ♡
‧₊ ᵎᵎ🌹 ⋅ ˚ ₊‧
Thank you again to Netgalley, Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books, and Amanda Linsmeier for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All aforementioned opinions are my own. 🩰
pre-read notes:
ARC received for this! Look at that descriptionnn, please let this be as amazing as I think it’ll be 🤞🤭
Read
August 2, 2025Hello, readers!
As ARCs are starting to trickle out, I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts about A DANCE WITH DEATH ahead of its release (I'll be slipping away from GR for now & leaving you to your space!). From the start, I had the *best* time writing it, and it gave me joy like no other story I've written before or since. There are some heavier themes within it, of course, but I shamelessly admit I leaned into indulgence, writing in all the things I could think of that would delight me. A dark enemies to lovers storyline. A hint of horror. Some steamy scenes. Themes of sisterhood. A mouthy, openly bi, sexually-experienced, tattooed ballerina. A first person present POV. A rather tortured hot villain who is far more bark than bite. A diverse & magical town with grit around the edges. Romance that made my author heart flutter. Prose that dipped between simple and poetic-- a story that feels, to me, easy to sink into. A book that I lose myself in every time I reread it. It's not perfect, but it's mine.
Or it was. And now, it's yours.
Corliss and Orrin leapt off the page for me from the beginning, and in the hardest points of my career while waiting for this book to be picked up by a publisher-- a long, agonizing couple of years-- I would sometimes envision Corliss & the others standing behind me, urging me not to give up hope. My characters may not ever be as real to you as they are to me, and this story may not delight anyone as much as it does me, but one can hope 🖤 I hope readers who are meant to find it will. I hope in it you will find magic and romance.
There is a note in the book about "but why ballet?" as well as some details about historical elements (and why I purposefully included some inaccuracies). Content guidelines can be accessed on my website, but your fellow reviewers will likely have insight into that as well.
Once more, thank you dear readers, for picking up this book. Having it be published is a dream come true, and you are a huge part of that dream.
As ARCs are starting to trickle out, I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts about A DANCE WITH DEATH ahead of its release (I'll be slipping away from GR for now & leaving you to your space!). From the start, I had the *best* time writing it, and it gave me joy like no other story I've written before or since. There are some heavier themes within it, of course, but I shamelessly admit I leaned into indulgence, writing in all the things I could think of that would delight me. A dark enemies to lovers storyline. A hint of horror. Some steamy scenes. Themes of sisterhood. A mouthy, openly bi, sexually-experienced, tattooed ballerina. A first person present POV. A rather tortured hot villain who is far more bark than bite. A diverse & magical town with grit around the edges. Romance that made my author heart flutter. Prose that dipped between simple and poetic-- a story that feels, to me, easy to sink into. A book that I lose myself in every time I reread it. It's not perfect, but it's mine.
Or it was. And now, it's yours.
Corliss and Orrin leapt off the page for me from the beginning, and in the hardest points of my career while waiting for this book to be picked up by a publisher-- a long, agonizing couple of years-- I would sometimes envision Corliss & the others standing behind me, urging me not to give up hope. My characters may not ever be as real to you as they are to me, and this story may not delight anyone as much as it does me, but one can hope 🖤 I hope readers who are meant to find it will. I hope in it you will find magic and romance.
There is a note in the book about "but why ballet?" as well as some details about historical elements (and why I purposefully included some inaccuracies). Content guidelines can be accessed on my website, but your fellow reviewers will likely have insight into that as well.
Once more, thank you dear readers, for picking up this book. Having it be published is a dream come true, and you are a huge part of that dream.
September 7, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this free ARC! ❤️
I had really high expectations for this book, after all, the story seemed very original and interesting. As a huge fan of the Swan Lake, I loved the ballet aspect that was promised in this book + fantasy setting with a demon? I needed to read this. And my expectations were met, this book was amazing and the author is incredibly talented! 🥰
The story was well written, it wasn’t hard to understand and the characters were amazing. Their emotions were portrayed accurately and in a way where I felt their emotions mixing with my own, the description of grief was heartbreaking and I loved the character development of both the FMC (how she gradually got more confident with her dancing) and also the MMC who had learned how to feel emotions again. Slowly, but surely. I liked that the romance aspect wasn’t overdone, there wasn’t an excessive amount of smut and there wasn’t any insta lust. The relationship the main characters shared was raw, complex and gradual. The plot was fun, the story kept me intrigued and interested throughout the whole book as well 🤗❤️
The plot twists of this story weren’t really ones I expected so I was always surprised in a good way, eager to read more. I really enjoyed them!
The ending was something I didn’t expect as well, I expected something different, but I loved how the author decided to end the book and I loved the epilogue! I’m really excited for the second book and I would love to get my hands on an arc again! 😍😍
This was a great read, I definitely recommend it 🥰
I had really high expectations for this book, after all, the story seemed very original and interesting. As a huge fan of the Swan Lake, I loved the ballet aspect that was promised in this book + fantasy setting with a demon? I needed to read this. And my expectations were met, this book was amazing and the author is incredibly talented! 🥰
The story was well written, it wasn’t hard to understand and the characters were amazing. Their emotions were portrayed accurately and in a way where I felt their emotions mixing with my own, the description of grief was heartbreaking and I loved the character development of both the FMC (how she gradually got more confident with her dancing) and also the MMC who had learned how to feel emotions again. Slowly, but surely. I liked that the romance aspect wasn’t overdone, there wasn’t an excessive amount of smut and there wasn’t any insta lust. The relationship the main characters shared was raw, complex and gradual. The plot was fun, the story kept me intrigued and interested throughout the whole book as well 🤗❤️
The plot twists of this story weren’t really ones I expected so I was always surprised in a good way, eager to read more. I really enjoyed them!
The ending was something I didn’t expect as well, I expected something different, but I loved how the author decided to end the book and I loved the epilogue! I’m really excited for the second book and I would love to get my hands on an arc again! 😍😍
This was a great read, I definitely recommend it 🥰
July 5, 2025
I’m a sucker for a romance, especially a dark one, but this one also has some magic woven in and lovely artwork on every page, making it a delectable treat of a book.
Set in The Pins, a village by the sea where magic is part of the everyday, A Dance With Death is about love and grief and to what lengths humans will go for love and to avoid the pain of grief. The central character Corliss, one of three sisters, goes on a quest for her older sister and inadvertently stumbles into her own love story with the brooding demon Orrin. These two have chemistry that occasionally ventures into steamy and I’m completely there for it. A scary villain rounds out a colorful cast of characters, all fleshed out and written beautifully by the talented Ms. Linsmeier.
The atmosphere, the story and the poetic prose combine deliciously to make this one my favorite reads of the year so far.
April 4, 2026
First of all, I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start this review with a curiosity. My sister is a dancer, and when I'm not working on writing and editing fantasy books, or when I'm not reading (fantasy, of course), I'm enjoying her dance performances. And I've also been to a few ballet performances (no, my sister doesn't dance ballet, but contemporary). So I went into "A Dance with Death" hoping to feel the same way I feel when I see my sister dance, especially since the main character also has sisters... But that's not what happened.
Corliss mostly mentioned the names of the dance steps, leaving my head spinning with so much terminology, but without being able to imagine any of them. I imagine that for someone who has never seen a ballet in person, it must have been even harder to try to understand the dances. I would have loved to see a little description of the dance to understand what each name actually indicated, and I believe that would be a great addition to future books. Besides, at some points there was only mention that she danced, without any further explanation.
This point was my main problem with the book. I also really would have liked to see more depth in the romance, in the sisters' relationship, and I wanted to see more emotion coming from everyone involved in the story. Since the book has a sequel, I believe this will be revisited there, and I believe the incredible atmosphere of this universe will intensify.
Finally, I'd like to point out that the writing is beautiful, and I think many readers will mark phrase after phrase in sequence. I recommend it to everyone, especially those who enjoy a romance with a fantasy setting.
See you in the review of the second book!
Talking about this book: https://youtu.be/P0toVkCLsXA
I'll start this review with a curiosity. My sister is a dancer, and when I'm not working on writing and editing fantasy books, or when I'm not reading (fantasy, of course), I'm enjoying her dance performances. And I've also been to a few ballet performances (no, my sister doesn't dance ballet, but contemporary). So I went into "A Dance with Death" hoping to feel the same way I feel when I see my sister dance, especially since the main character also has sisters... But that's not what happened.
Corliss mostly mentioned the names of the dance steps, leaving my head spinning with so much terminology, but without being able to imagine any of them. I imagine that for someone who has never seen a ballet in person, it must have been even harder to try to understand the dances. I would have loved to see a little description of the dance to understand what each name actually indicated, and I believe that would be a great addition to future books. Besides, at some points there was only mention that she danced, without any further explanation.
This point was my main problem with the book. I also really would have liked to see more depth in the romance, in the sisters' relationship, and I wanted to see more emotion coming from everyone involved in the story. Since the book has a sequel, I believe this will be revisited there, and I believe the incredible atmosphere of this universe will intensify.
Finally, I'd like to point out that the writing is beautiful, and I think many readers will mark phrase after phrase in sequence. I recommend it to everyone, especially those who enjoy a romance with a fantasy setting.
See you in the review of the second book!
Talking about this book: https://youtu.be/P0toVkCLsXA
August 27, 2025
This was enjoyable to read, but not one I’d buy and put on my personal shelf - does that make sense to anyone?
Leans heavier on the romance side than heavy plot. I prefer a bit more plot/world-building with a dash of romance myself. I didn’t have to force myself to read it; it went down easily. But it didn’t occupy much of my thoughts outside of the time I was reading it. I didn’t fall in love with either MMC or FMC, but wasn’t annoyed by them either. The FMC could’ve been a little tougher IMO. A unique concept with the dancing for sure. Not mad I read it.
Leans heavier on the romance side than heavy plot. I prefer a bit more plot/world-building with a dash of romance myself. I didn’t have to force myself to read it; it went down easily. But it didn’t occupy much of my thoughts outside of the time I was reading it. I didn’t fall in love with either MMC or FMC, but wasn’t annoyed by them either. The FMC could’ve been a little tougher IMO. A unique concept with the dancing for sure. Not mad I read it.
February 8, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was quite easy to read, was written well, and had a great story line. I had no problem staying entertained while reading this. I gave it 4 stars because it didn't WOW me. It was still quite enjoyable and I definitely recommend it those who enjoy romantasy.
December 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC!
This book had so many elements I adore: enemies to lovers, a gothic atmosphere & demons.
The story begins with a young ballet dancer who attempts to strike a deal with a demon to bring back someone she loves. I really enjoyed the focus on ballet and dancing (and the magic woven into it). It felt so creative and was one of my favorite parts of the book.
The middle section felt slow for me, and I sometimes struggled to fully grasp the world and the magic system, even after finishing the book. I liked the Beauty and the Beast-inspired touches and the overall concept, but the shift in the characters’ dynamic from true enemies to suddenly much kinder interactions happened so suddenly and that shift wasn’t really addressed afterward.
Since the book leans more into the romance than the plot or world-building, some transitions felt a little abrupt. I didn’t completely connect with the characters, and although the FMC and MMC had good chemistry in parts, it occasionally felt rushed or not necessary believable.
That said, it was an entertaining read overall.
This book had so many elements I adore: enemies to lovers, a gothic atmosphere & demons.
The story begins with a young ballet dancer who attempts to strike a deal with a demon to bring back someone she loves. I really enjoyed the focus on ballet and dancing (and the magic woven into it). It felt so creative and was one of my favorite parts of the book.
The middle section felt slow for me, and I sometimes struggled to fully grasp the world and the magic system, even after finishing the book. I liked the Beauty and the Beast-inspired touches and the overall concept, but the shift in the characters’ dynamic from true enemies to suddenly much kinder interactions happened so suddenly and that shift wasn’t really addressed afterward.
Since the book leans more into the romance than the plot or world-building, some transitions felt a little abrupt. I didn’t completely connect with the characters, and although the FMC and MMC had good chemistry in parts, it occasionally felt rushed or not necessary believable.
That said, it was an entertaining read overall.
February 8, 2026
“But maybe, just maybe, hell has come to me.”
This book is a love letter to ballet, to joy and passion and their ability to overcome darkness.
Ballet holds a special (though complicated) place in my heart and this book took me by the hand and reminded me of all of my favourite parts of dance.
Beyond the ballet, this story contains a gothic and romantic, albeit demonic, love story. With a lost and tortured love interest and a main character who can match his vicious words shot for shot, Corliss and Orrin’s fiery tempers and burning souls make for a captivating story!
“I’d like to crawl inside his veins, make a bed inside his heart.”
At its core A Dance With Death is a story of how feeding our passions can help us overcome even the most vicious of demons. It is lush, impassioned, and sucks the reader into its pages.
This book is a love letter to ballet, to joy and passion and their ability to overcome darkness.
Ballet holds a special (though complicated) place in my heart and this book took me by the hand and reminded me of all of my favourite parts of dance.
Beyond the ballet, this story contains a gothic and romantic, albeit demonic, love story. With a lost and tortured love interest and a main character who can match his vicious words shot for shot, Corliss and Orrin’s fiery tempers and burning souls make for a captivating story!
“I’d like to crawl inside his veins, make a bed inside his heart.”
At its core A Dance With Death is a story of how feeding our passions can help us overcome even the most vicious of demons. It is lush, impassioned, and sucks the reader into its pages.
August 29, 2025
4.7/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC Review Edition: 📖
Linsmeier created a hauntingly beautiful, gothic fairytale that pulsated with raw emotions and painful beauty. It’s an intriguing storytelling of an exploration of devastating grief, vulnerability, transformation, and love. It’s an emotionally charged rollercoaster, relentlessly throwing you into whirlwinds of sorrow, heartbreak, hope and despair.
This is not a story of sorrow & despair, but one of grief being the language of devotion, where despair & longing are the rhythms to which the characters dance to along the pages, heartbreak is the melody, and love is the driving force behind their relentless pursuit of redemption through ruin, even if it means unraveling themselves in the process. Ugh, my heart. This was a great read, I loved it. 😣
Giddy Review Time: 🤭
This novel was written so beautifully! The storyline, the characters, the trauma, the depth? Everything blended together so seamlessly and beautifully.
The storyline gave me tiny vibes of Beauty & the Beast which I absolutely adored, since it’s my favorite story of all time. 💛
The characters? The names and back stories of each person was so sorrowful but tenderly written. 🥺
The FMC - Corliss, such a beautiful name, I fell in love with how she presented herself, how her morals and deep devotion to her love for others shined through in everything she did. Her despair, her longing, her dedication, the rawness of her anguish and torment, it was so palpable and visceral. She became the embodiment of sacrifice, her devotion and fervent love etched into every choice she made. 💔
The MMC sat so right with me—in ways I didn’t even know I needed 🤭.
Orrin was absolutely delectable, layered in all the best ways. His calculating nature fed perfectly into the banter between him and the FMC—it gave enemies to lovers with precision and passion. The way he was described? Chilling at first, almost too real. 😭
But as the story unfolded, his guarded personality unraveled into something tender, vulnerable, and devastatingly sweet . Chef’s kiss. I lowkey wish the story was longer, but that might just be my addiction to slow-burn chaos talking. 😫
UGH!!! SO GOOD! I literally read this in 8 hours at work, I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN! Amazing read! Absolutely loved it! So deep, raw, authentic and beautiful all at the same time!!
Every emotion hit like a sucker punch to the gut—raw, unfiltered, and deeply felt. The plot? Seamless. The side characters? They didn’t just support the story—they fed it, like tending to a fire that never stopped burning. 🔥
There’s trauma, grief, suspense, vulnerability, magic, and a love so intense it feels like a curse. It’s the kind of book that leaves you wrecked, haunted, and somehow still wanting more. Which I already said .. I NEED MORE OF THIS. 🥵
I’m literally gonna buy the book when it comes out, I don’t care if I already read it. I’m gonna do it again.
ARC Review Edition: 📖
Linsmeier created a hauntingly beautiful, gothic fairytale that pulsated with raw emotions and painful beauty. It’s an intriguing storytelling of an exploration of devastating grief, vulnerability, transformation, and love. It’s an emotionally charged rollercoaster, relentlessly throwing you into whirlwinds of sorrow, heartbreak, hope and despair.
This is not a story of sorrow & despair, but one of grief being the language of devotion, where despair & longing are the rhythms to which the characters dance to along the pages, heartbreak is the melody, and love is the driving force behind their relentless pursuit of redemption through ruin, even if it means unraveling themselves in the process. Ugh, my heart. This was a great read, I loved it. 😣
Giddy Review Time: 🤭
This novel was written so beautifully! The storyline, the characters, the trauma, the depth? Everything blended together so seamlessly and beautifully.
The storyline gave me tiny vibes of Beauty & the Beast which I absolutely adored, since it’s my favorite story of all time. 💛
The characters? The names and back stories of each person was so sorrowful but tenderly written. 🥺
The FMC - Corliss, such a beautiful name, I fell in love with how she presented herself, how her morals and deep devotion to her love for others shined through in everything she did. Her despair, her longing, her dedication, the rawness of her anguish and torment, it was so palpable and visceral. She became the embodiment of sacrifice, her devotion and fervent love etched into every choice she made. 💔
The MMC sat so right with me—in ways I didn’t even know I needed 🤭.
Orrin was absolutely delectable, layered in all the best ways. His calculating nature fed perfectly into the banter between him and the FMC—it gave enemies to lovers with precision and passion. The way he was described? Chilling at first, almost too real. 😭
But as the story unfolded, his guarded personality unraveled into something tender, vulnerable, and devastatingly sweet . Chef’s kiss. I lowkey wish the story was longer, but that might just be my addiction to slow-burn chaos talking. 😫
UGH!!! SO GOOD! I literally read this in 8 hours at work, I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN! Amazing read! Absolutely loved it! So deep, raw, authentic and beautiful all at the same time!!
Every emotion hit like a sucker punch to the gut—raw, unfiltered, and deeply felt. The plot? Seamless. The side characters? They didn’t just support the story—they fed it, like tending to a fire that never stopped burning. 🔥
There’s trauma, grief, suspense, vulnerability, magic, and a love so intense it feels like a curse. It’s the kind of book that leaves you wrecked, haunted, and somehow still wanting more. Which I already said .. I NEED MORE OF THIS. 🥵
I’m literally gonna buy the book when it comes out, I don’t care if I already read it. I’m gonna do it again.
August 5, 2025
Atmospheric, swoony, and unputdownable, this dark fairytale retelling is about loss and love, revenge and redemption, and the desperate measures one woman will take to save her sister. Corliss and Orrin’s chemistry—framed by a haunting setting and beautiful prose—absolutely crackles off the page. An incredible first foray into adult fantasy!
September 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing for an eARC of A Dance With Death!
As the air gets chillier, I find myself looking for this exact vibe of a book. Dark, eerie, and romantic in a gothic way. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this. The hints of horror and suspense throughout this book made it stand out! The author’s writing style was a treat— I found it so easy to picture every scene. The slow burn between Corliss and Orrin was perfect. The revenge plot had me on the edge of my seat. The final dance was incredible. I read this while on a very special trip and found myself reaching for it at every spare moment! The Bell sisters and Orrin were so special, and I cannot wait to read the next novel.
As the air gets chillier, I find myself looking for this exact vibe of a book. Dark, eerie, and romantic in a gothic way. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this. The hints of horror and suspense throughout this book made it stand out! The author’s writing style was a treat— I found it so easy to picture every scene. The slow burn between Corliss and Orrin was perfect. The revenge plot had me on the edge of my seat. The final dance was incredible. I read this while on a very special trip and found myself reaching for it at every spare moment! The Bell sisters and Orrin were so special, and I cannot wait to read the next novel.
October 11, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC of this book.
A Dance with Death begins with promise — the opening chapters are rich in atmosphere, particularly in the way smells, tastes, and textures are described. The sensory writing around food and scent is excellent, pulling you straight into the world. Unfortunately, that evocative language fades as the story progresses, giving way to long stretches of dialogue and events that feel less vividly drawn.
The pacing takes a while to settle, and while the premise is intriguing, the execution feels uneven. The main character, Corliss “Bell”, veers between naivety and bursts of feistiness that don’t quite ring true, making it hard to connect with her or understand her motivations. Her relationship with the “beast” figure—who literally calls himself that at one point—leans heavily into Beauty and the Beast parallels, but without much emotional payoff. She appears to fall for him mainly because he’s attractive and might be able to bring her sister back, which didn’t feel convincing or particularly romantic.
I also found it unclear who this book is aimed at. The tone and style initially suggest a YA audience, but the presence of a few spicy scenes pushes it toward adult fantasy. It doesn’t fully commit to either, which leaves it feeling a little unanchored.
The dance element, while central to the premise, didn’t resonate with me—I struggled with the terminology and couldn’t quite visualise or feel the passion behind it. That said, readers with a love of dance might find those sections more engaging.
Overall, A Dance with Death has a good concept and some lovely descriptive writing early on, but it feels like it needed more space to breathe and develop. Oddly enough, I found myself thinking this might have worked better as two books rather than one compressed story. Sadly, by the end, I wasn’t invested in the characters or the romance. Not one for me, but fans of dance-themed fantasy may still find something to enjoy.
A Dance with Death begins with promise — the opening chapters are rich in atmosphere, particularly in the way smells, tastes, and textures are described. The sensory writing around food and scent is excellent, pulling you straight into the world. Unfortunately, that evocative language fades as the story progresses, giving way to long stretches of dialogue and events that feel less vividly drawn.
The pacing takes a while to settle, and while the premise is intriguing, the execution feels uneven. The main character, Corliss “Bell”, veers between naivety and bursts of feistiness that don’t quite ring true, making it hard to connect with her or understand her motivations. Her relationship with the “beast” figure—who literally calls himself that at one point—leans heavily into Beauty and the Beast parallels, but without much emotional payoff. She appears to fall for him mainly because he’s attractive and might be able to bring her sister back, which didn’t feel convincing or particularly romantic.
I also found it unclear who this book is aimed at. The tone and style initially suggest a YA audience, but the presence of a few spicy scenes pushes it toward adult fantasy. It doesn’t fully commit to either, which leaves it feeling a little unanchored.
The dance element, while central to the premise, didn’t resonate with me—I struggled with the terminology and couldn’t quite visualise or feel the passion behind it. That said, readers with a love of dance might find those sections more engaging.
Overall, A Dance with Death has a good concept and some lovely descriptive writing early on, but it feels like it needed more space to breathe and develop. Oddly enough, I found myself thinking this might have worked better as two books rather than one compressed story. Sadly, by the end, I wasn’t invested in the characters or the romance. Not one for me, but fans of dance-themed fantasy may still find something to enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
February 7, 2025What. What. What? There is a 'Red Shoes' inspired story coming out?
*adds to the to-read pile*
*adds to the to-read pile*
January 14, 2026
a true love letter to ballet 🩰
i feel like i’ve waited my whole life for a romance that had such a ballet centric plot that deeply respected the art and i’m so happy with how this one played out! hauntingly atmospheric, achingly heartfelt, and perfect for readers who enjoy rm gillig’s gothic signature style of storytelling. there was a scene in this book that reminded me so much of the ball scene from the infernal devices and any book that evokes that particular moment to mind, gets a gold star from me.
as much as i enjoyed it, i found myself overlooking some of the questions that formed in regard to the world building as the author describes this book being a “low fantasy” which to me, means i probably won’t get the answers i’m looking for. i’m glad i looked up the author’s page to get this information otherwise i probably would have felt more frustrated with the lack of things not being fleshed out fully. would recommend approaching this as a fairytale retelling with some creative liberties taken.
if i’m not mistaken, this is looking to be the first installment in what will be a trilogy and i’ll definitely look forward to reading book two!
thank you to turner publishing company for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
i feel like i’ve waited my whole life for a romance that had such a ballet centric plot that deeply respected the art and i’m so happy with how this one played out! hauntingly atmospheric, achingly heartfelt, and perfect for readers who enjoy rm gillig’s gothic signature style of storytelling. there was a scene in this book that reminded me so much of the ball scene from the infernal devices and any book that evokes that particular moment to mind, gets a gold star from me.
as much as i enjoyed it, i found myself overlooking some of the questions that formed in regard to the world building as the author describes this book being a “low fantasy” which to me, means i probably won’t get the answers i’m looking for. i’m glad i looked up the author’s page to get this information otherwise i probably would have felt more frustrated with the lack of things not being fleshed out fully. would recommend approaching this as a fairytale retelling with some creative liberties taken.
if i’m not mistaken, this is looking to be the first installment in what will be a trilogy and i’ll definitely look forward to reading book two!
thank you to turner publishing company for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong - the book wasn’t bad, but I didn’t love it and, honestly, in a few months I’ll probably barely remember anything about it.
I liked the author’s writing style, but personally I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters. They were fine, yet I didn’t see the relationship development and, to be honest, I’m not even sure how it happened. While some scenes were nice, I never fully connected with the characters all the way to the last page, and there wasn’t a single moment that truly made my jaw drop.
This book simply wasn’t for me - though I do believe many readers will enjoy it. Dance references aren’t really my thing, and I also tend to prefer dual POV, which may have played a role. I found myself missing Orrin’s perspective, and it didn’t help that we meet the MMC fairly late in the book - if I remember correctly, we don’t even learn his name until nearly a third of the way in.
To sum it up, this was a good book - good enough that I don’t regret reading it, but not strong enough to make me want to reread it or continue with the series.
I liked the author’s writing style, but personally I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters. They were fine, yet I didn’t see the relationship development and, to be honest, I’m not even sure how it happened. While some scenes were nice, I never fully connected with the characters all the way to the last page, and there wasn’t a single moment that truly made my jaw drop.
This book simply wasn’t for me - though I do believe many readers will enjoy it. Dance references aren’t really my thing, and I also tend to prefer dual POV, which may have played a role. I found myself missing Orrin’s perspective, and it didn’t help that we meet the MMC fairly late in the book - if I remember correctly, we don’t even learn his name until nearly a third of the way in.
To sum it up, this was a good book - good enough that I don’t regret reading it, but not strong enough to make me want to reread it or continue with the series.
November 30, 2025
With touches of Beauty of the Beast, the Nutcracker, and Labyrinth, this was a very entertaining world to enter into. Corliss, a woman whose family has faced great past and present loss, navigates ongoing losses, the realization of a deferred dream, and stumbles into the reality of demons in her very real world. This novel starts so strong in introducing us to Corliss and her sisters. I enjoyed their interactions with each other and the obvious love and care they had for each other especially in the middle of loss. The ballet elements were very well done and added such a strength to Corliss' character throughout the story. Corliss was also an enjoyable FMC to follow and I loved the elements that made her unique, including her tattoos and the stories they told. The only two drawbacks for me was that the confrontation with the main antagonist felt very rushed in comparison to the rest of the book. Second, the ending, the way it was written, it felt like there was three epilogues instead of a clear ending to the story. It seems like this might be the first book in the series and I would love to return to the world. Thanks to the author and NetGalley for an eARC of this novel!
October 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the read! It had a main character combo that I couldn’t resist. A ballerina and a demon.
The synopsis drew me in, but this one was hard to finish and it unfortunately did not meet my expectations. The first half of the book became boringly mechanical. Though the writing was good, the flow was awkward. The boringly mechanical and repetitive first half could have given room to flesh out the supporting cast or even Orrin. I feel like I barely know him. The dancing sequences were blurry at best, and as a former dancer, I wish more effort was put into them rather than a bundle of poses, positions, and half baked movement.
The ending was rushed and written in a such a way that I feel Linsmeier did not put much thought into the trauma left from the climax.
In sum, it was a great synopsis with great potential that it did not meet. Two stars ⭐️⭐️
The synopsis drew me in, but this one was hard to finish and it unfortunately did not meet my expectations. The first half of the book became boringly mechanical. Though the writing was good, the flow was awkward. The boringly mechanical and repetitive first half could have given room to flesh out the supporting cast or even Orrin. I feel like I barely know him. The dancing sequences were blurry at best, and as a former dancer, I wish more effort was put into them rather than a bundle of poses, positions, and half baked movement.
The ending was rushed and written in a such a way that I feel Linsmeier did not put much thought into the trauma left from the climax.
In sum, it was a great synopsis with great potential that it did not meet. Two stars ⭐️⭐️
February 2, 2026
A Gothic romantasy that can stand on its own but has some themes of Beauty and the Beast/Court of Nightmares to be found. Corliss is a relatable FMC who will do anything for those she loves, speaks her mind, and embraces body art and ballet shoes. The resolution of the conflict I thought was resolved in a very creative fashion. I do with the book summary gave less away however; some of the suspense building was infringed on by my already knowing what many of the next plot points were. Looking forward to the next installments, starting with Sélie’s sapphic reverse Little Mermaid esque tale.
Additional notes: TWs for sure. It is not a dark romance but there is violence on page, themes of grief, reference to SA, suicidal thoughts, and a descriptive flash back to a still birth. Read with care folks.
Thank you Turner Publishing Company for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Additional notes: TWs for sure. It is not a dark romance but there is violence on page, themes of grief, reference to SA, suicidal thoughts, and a descriptive flash back to a still birth. Read with care folks.
Thank you Turner Publishing Company for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
March 27, 2026
2.75 rounded up to 3 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for review! Dance with Death follows Corliss Bell as she makes a risky bargain with a local demon to save her sister, only to find herself trapped in an enchanted mansion where she must dance for him each night, aided by a pair of magical ballet shoes.
The gothic, atmospheric vibes were easily the highlight for me, channeling a moody style similar to One Dark Window. I loved the setting of The Pins and the subtle Beauty and the Beast undertones, and would absolutely read more stories set in their haunting magical town. However, the actual writing and tone felt quite YA in the early chapters, and the romance leaned into "insta-love" without much meaningful character interaction to build their relationship. The pacing was also heavily skewed, with most of the action occurring in the final 30% of the book.
It’s a very easy, bingeable read that prioritizes atmosphere over any deep world-building and is perfect if you just want to get lost in a dark, aesthetic-driven story that is a quick read without being super memorable
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for review! Dance with Death follows Corliss Bell as she makes a risky bargain with a local demon to save her sister, only to find herself trapped in an enchanted mansion where she must dance for him each night, aided by a pair of magical ballet shoes.
The gothic, atmospheric vibes were easily the highlight for me, channeling a moody style similar to One Dark Window. I loved the setting of The Pins and the subtle Beauty and the Beast undertones, and would absolutely read more stories set in their haunting magical town. However, the actual writing and tone felt quite YA in the early chapters, and the romance leaned into "insta-love" without much meaningful character interaction to build their relationship. The pacing was also heavily skewed, with most of the action occurring in the final 30% of the book.
It’s a very easy, bingeable read that prioritizes atmosphere over any deep world-building and is perfect if you just want to get lost in a dark, aesthetic-driven story that is a quick read without being super memorable
September 25, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ (but rounded up!)
I love a good love ballad but I felt there was so much that could have been added to this story. Specifically when it came to the connect between Corliss and Orrin. They had a very Stockholm Syndrome “love” (if you could call it love)
When Corliss’ sister goes missing, presumed dead, she goes into a demons home where she steals magical dancing shoes. The demon who they belonged to stole her, and she was taking to live in his mansion. She was made to dance for him every night.
They didn’t really have a lot of conversation or connection, except for Corliss to act out, Orrin to get angry, and for the dancing every night. So I’m just slightly confused how they could’ve fallen in love with no real interaction between the two of them.
Plot 3.5/5 ⭐️
Spice 2/5 🌶️
I love a good love ballad but I felt there was so much that could have been added to this story. Specifically when it came to the connect between Corliss and Orrin. They had a very Stockholm Syndrome “love” (if you could call it love)
When Corliss’ sister goes missing, presumed dead, she goes into a demons home where she steals magical dancing shoes. The demon who they belonged to stole her, and she was taking to live in his mansion. She was made to dance for him every night.
They didn’t really have a lot of conversation or connection, except for Corliss to act out, Orrin to get angry, and for the dancing every night. So I’m just slightly confused how they could’ve fallen in love with no real interaction between the two of them.
Plot 3.5/5 ⭐️
Spice 2/5 🌶️
February 1, 2026
2.5/5
I very much tried to like this story. The characters dynamic is very muddled. Her dynamic with her sisters doesn't feel organic so when one dies it's very okay why should I care and her dynamic with her sisters husband is weird... At first I thought it was like a relationship for all because it is never really outlined in the story what's going on but the. She talks about the man like she was in a relationship with him. Then comes the MMC who really doesn't have a captivating personality. It's just a flat book and I wish it had some growth or tension but the story is very mid unfortunately.
Thank you netgalley and Keylight Books for the opportunity to read this book!
I very much tried to like this story. The characters dynamic is very muddled. Her dynamic with her sisters doesn't feel organic so when one dies it's very okay why should I care and her dynamic with her sisters husband is weird... At first I thought it was like a relationship for all because it is never really outlined in the story what's going on but the. She talks about the man like she was in a relationship with him. Then comes the MMC who really doesn't have a captivating personality. It's just a flat book and I wish it had some growth or tension but the story is very mid unfortunately.
Thank you netgalley and Keylight Books for the opportunity to read this book!
March 27, 2026
Corliss never believed of the magic whispered about around town. She just wants to run her little shop with her two sisters, but after a tragic accident, Aven's grief has made her a shell of herself until one morning she disappears. Weeks later, after the funeral, a mystic foretells that the stranger in town, rumored to be a demon, can bring her back. If there's even a chance, Corliss has to try, so she visits the mansion on the hill but is rudely turned away. She breaks into the house, finding not the demon but a beautiful pair of red ballet slippers that call to her. She quickly learns her grave mistake when she's taken by the demon to his mansion and kept there, her punishment to dance for him every night in the stolen slippers. With his every stare, she can feel his hate, and every night she dreams of monsters and blood. Can she ever escape his hold to return you the only family she has left?
Both of these characters are complicated with sad histories, especially Orrin. Corliss can't help but be curious about him, especially when he starts to show kindness instead of contempt. And the way she brings him slowly back to life was magical and sweet. I'm curious to see what happens next with Corliss' sister's books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
Both of these characters are complicated with sad histories, especially Orrin. Corliss can't help but be curious about him, especially when he starts to show kindness instead of contempt. And the way she brings him slowly back to life was magical and sweet. I'm curious to see what happens next with Corliss' sister's books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
April 25, 2026
I had a good time reading this. Beautifully written, lovely atmosphere, good vibes. I was excited to read a ballerina story, felt fresh and new to me. My biggest gripe, however, was I felt it was very romance heavy and lacked sustenance. I would have loved to see more character development and more world building. And the switch up of fmc hating to loving mmc felt so sudden and random. I felt like I missed chapters.
Thank you to Turner Publishing Company, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Turner Publishing Company, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 27, 2026
Wow, this book exceeded my expectations!
This story does a devastatingly great job at capturing love, grief, and loss for the ones who are gone and the ones left behind.
I enjoyed Corliss and Orrin's story as well as the gothic fairytale atmosphere.
The story did start off a little show, but after that I was hooked!
Overall, the book was well written and I look forward to reading book 2.
Thank you to Netgalley and Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books for the e-ARC!
This story does a devastatingly great job at capturing love, grief, and loss for the ones who are gone and the ones left behind.
I enjoyed Corliss and Orrin's story as well as the gothic fairytale atmosphere.
The story did start off a little show, but after that I was hooked!
Overall, the book was well written and I look forward to reading book 2.
Thank you to Netgalley and Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books for the e-ARC!
October 6, 2025
This isn’t normally something I would choose, but as it was an ARC I gave it a go.
Some of my highlights;
“Before the world goes black, it’s the strangest thing—I almost think I catch him whisper: I’m sorry…”
“Orrin. Demon. I war with myself. But he’s not a demon, not the way I thought.”
“I try not to want him, try not to wish his lips were back on mine. I fail.”
This book exceeded my expectations, I fell in love with the characters and loved the fast paced story line. I gave this 5 stars as I enjoyed every single page, I had a good time while reading it and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
The world building isn’t huge, just enough information to visualise the current place the characters are. Same with character development, you do get bits of characters history but just enough that’s relevant to the story line. Which really added to the fast paced plot rather than spending pages and pages describing the world and the past.
I loved the interaction between the 3 bell sisters. A tight sisterhood who would do anything for each other. I didn’t realise that each book would be about a sister, but I’m keen to learn more about the others.
The names of all the characters are so gorgeous, the side characters also come to life.
Now onto Corliss and Orrin. Again, this was face paced but the forced proximity created tension and yearning. Half way through, I was almost in tears at how much emotion I was experiencing for both the characters, a turning point for their relationship and seeing the other side of Orrin that is hinted to be there.
The ending was great, as I said before I didn’t realise Corliss’s story would be wrapped up by the end so I kept waiting for something bad to happen in the last couple of chapters but it was kind of refreshing to have a happy ending after one book.
Can’t wait to read #2.
Some of my highlights;
“Before the world goes black, it’s the strangest thing—I almost think I catch him whisper: I’m sorry…”
“Orrin. Demon. I war with myself. But he’s not a demon, not the way I thought.”
“I try not to want him, try not to wish his lips were back on mine. I fail.”
This book exceeded my expectations, I fell in love with the characters and loved the fast paced story line. I gave this 5 stars as I enjoyed every single page, I had a good time while reading it and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
The world building isn’t huge, just enough information to visualise the current place the characters are. Same with character development, you do get bits of characters history but just enough that’s relevant to the story line. Which really added to the fast paced plot rather than spending pages and pages describing the world and the past.
I loved the interaction between the 3 bell sisters. A tight sisterhood who would do anything for each other. I didn’t realise that each book would be about a sister, but I’m keen to learn more about the others.
The names of all the characters are so gorgeous, the side characters also come to life.
Now onto Corliss and Orrin. Again, this was face paced but the forced proximity created tension and yearning. Half way through, I was almost in tears at how much emotion I was experiencing for both the characters, a turning point for their relationship and seeing the other side of Orrin that is hinted to be there.
The ending was great, as I said before I didn’t realise Corliss’s story would be wrapped up by the end so I kept waiting for something bad to happen in the last couple of chapters but it was kind of refreshing to have a happy ending after one book.
Can’t wait to read #2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2026
I think I might slightly be getting into dark romance. This was so fun! It’s a great start to what will be the trilogy following each of the Bell sisters. I already have the arc for the second book which comes out in June. I can’t wait to delve deeper into the other sisters. We got to know Corliss very well—her personality, motivations, how much she loves her sisters. I can’t wait to see their relationships grow and become closer.
Corliss is fierce and loves dancing and that’s unfortunately what leads her to meet our MMC, Orrin. The book is a mash-up of Beauty and the Beast (as Orrin refuses to let her leave at first and is rather grumpy) and The Red Shoes (the ballet slippers). Magic and romance is intertwined so well in this you have no choice but to love it if you’re a fairytale fan like me. The romance and the enemies to lovers arc we must all know (half the trope and half because it’s a beloved Disney movie). Linsmeier took those two fairytales and really made it her own (with there still being nods to the originals). I loved that Corliss wasn’t a damsel in distress. She took it upon herself to solve her problems but managed to realise when she needed help.
Help is certainly what she got in the form of Orrin. While I didn’t like him immediately I was drawn to him in a certain way—either because he’s like the Beast or because he’s that grumpy type that would only ever work in books 😂. He had that personality where you don’t really want to interact with him but there’s just that something about him that you can’t resist. But just like in every good enemies to lovers book, Orrin shows his good heart by helping Corliss with what she needs and falling in love (because of course).
The book isn’t just 300 or so pages of them stuck in the house together and falling in love. Corliss dances and we see her love for dancing, and the dancing makes her a stronger person. We see lovely sibling relationships (which is what drives Corliss to pull through). Linsmeier introduced us to their town and side characters that are sure to pop up and play bigger roles in the sequel (I spotted one almost immediately). I can’t wait to delve into the sequel to see how she’s improved and added to this world.
Corliss is fierce and loves dancing and that’s unfortunately what leads her to meet our MMC, Orrin. The book is a mash-up of Beauty and the Beast (as Orrin refuses to let her leave at first and is rather grumpy) and The Red Shoes (the ballet slippers). Magic and romance is intertwined so well in this you have no choice but to love it if you’re a fairytale fan like me. The romance and the enemies to lovers arc we must all know (half the trope and half because it’s a beloved Disney movie). Linsmeier took those two fairytales and really made it her own (with there still being nods to the originals). I loved that Corliss wasn’t a damsel in distress. She took it upon herself to solve her problems but managed to realise when she needed help.
Help is certainly what she got in the form of Orrin. While I didn’t like him immediately I was drawn to him in a certain way—either because he’s like the Beast or because he’s that grumpy type that would only ever work in books 😂. He had that personality where you don’t really want to interact with him but there’s just that something about him that you can’t resist. But just like in every good enemies to lovers book, Orrin shows his good heart by helping Corliss with what she needs and falling in love (because of course).
The book isn’t just 300 or so pages of them stuck in the house together and falling in love. Corliss dances and we see her love for dancing, and the dancing makes her a stronger person. We see lovely sibling relationships (which is what drives Corliss to pull through). Linsmeier introduced us to their town and side characters that are sure to pop up and play bigger roles in the sequel (I spotted one almost immediately). I can’t wait to delve into the sequel to see how she’s improved and added to this world.
April 30, 2026
🥀🩰♥️ The Three Bells Trilogy ♥️🩰🥀
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grief dragged her into the sea. The ballet slippers she stole from a demon may be what damns her. Now she has to dance for her life.
✨ Gifted ebook for a read along on Fable with the author @ Amanda Linsmeier
“This is no fairytale, but there is a villain.”
A Dance With Death reads like a love letter to the magic of ballet. Saturated in atmosphere, with unique dance magic and a slow burn
📕 After a grief-stricken ballerina, Corliss, steals a pair of enchanted ballet slippers from a demon, Orrin. He then imprisons her in his mansion and forces her to dance nightly for him as punishment for stealing. She hopes over time, she can convince Orrin to make a deal to resurrect her beloved sister, Aven. After all, demons are masters of death.
📓 A Dance With Death is a gothic ballet of grief, obsession, and dangerous love.
🫵🏼 A Dance With Death is for readers who:
• enjoy dark romantasy with gothic, atmospheric vibes
• love fairytale retellings with a twisted edge
• drawn to dance/art woven into magic
• enjoy enemies to lovers, slow burn romance with a morally grey love interest
• don't mind the romance romance taking center stage over plot/worldbuilding
• enjoy lush, moody prose and emotional, grief-driven stories
• love demon stories and eerie small, seaside town settings
• fans of Beauty & The Beast-style dynamics and cursed bargains
📕 I devoured this book in under 12hrs, which says a lot. Had I not fallen asleep reading it, I would've finished much sooner. 😅 I had tech difficulties (I'm not tech savvy and had to call in Teen Tech Support™️) so wasn't able to really participate in the read along in real time.
That beginning sentence piqued my intrigue and it only built from there. Initially, I checked in each chapter like originally planned. I made it 1, maybe 2 chapters before I was so engrossed I forgot all about checking on Fable. While I didn't love every aspect, I was wholly absorbed, entertained, and engrossed (obviously lol). I'll definitely be continuing the series and cannot wait.
✨ If you're looking for a plot-heavy fantasy, you may not love this as much as I did. But if you love a gothic, atmospheric, and immersive story - give this a try.
❓QOTD: How has spring weather been so far where you are?
❗AOTD: It's been abnormal here, all over the place. 90°+ and humid for days, and then it's low-30°s and dumping rain for days.
📓 Themes, Metaphors, & Deeper Meaning
🩰 Grief as Possession
The ballet slippers mirror grief. They're seductive, consuming, and inescapable (to Corliss). I really enjoyed this creative aspect.
🎨 Art as Survival
Dance is not just expression. It's control, identity, and resistance.
♥️ Love as Ownership
Orrin's imprisonment vs Corliss's agency
I also appreciate the inquest into whether love can exist without control.
📜 Bargain & Consequences
Every desire has a cost. And bargains aren't always as straightforward as they seem.
The novel rejects the idea of "free" miracles.
🥀 Beauty and the Beast, Reframed
I love that here, it's not about taming the beast. It's about understanding mutual brokeness. And I love that both characters could be seen, by some, as "monsters" shaped by pain.
"I long for the days before Death touched us, before he crooked one gnarled finger and dragged the ship to the bottom of the sea—and my sister’s heart right along with it."
✍🏼 For me, the prose is where this book truly shines. It's lush, lyrical, sensory-heavy, and often decadent (particularly where describing scent, texture, and movement). At times, it has an almost hypnotic rhythm, which beautifully reinforces the dance theme (and made for an entrancing read for me). It starts off with lush, immersive prose that results in evocative imagery that builds a gothic, almost dreamlike tone. The quote above this section is the first sentence in the book, to give you an idea.
✨ I consider this to be a vibe forward novel. If you love atmospheric reads, this is for you.
⏳The pace is fast without feeling rushed and I found it gripping from the beginning (and if I hadn't fallen asleep, would've read it in one evening 😅).
The pacing mirrors a dance performance (and I love that).
Opening act = captivating
Middle = lingering, sometimes repeated movements
Finale = dramatic, maybe ever so slightly drawn out
🌍 It's atmospheric over expansive, which for me isn't an issue. Someone in the author read along said they loved the 'gothic sea soaked atmosphere, and I couldn't agree more. Sensory immersion is great. We get the scents and textures in vivid detail. I love that the world feels like a stage. It serves well to reinforce the ballet theme. However, while we get the info we need, I would've loved more development of the world. The lore around demons is more suggestive than I'd prefer. Orrin doesn't seem to know a ton, so it makes sense that we wouldn't, but I'd still like something more.
✨ These things didn't take away from my enjoyment or entertainment much, though. And I expect at least some of this will be covered in books 2 and 3.
🔮 We get a soft, symbolic, and emotionally driven magic system. I love dance as magic. It's unique and rich in aesthetics. It's very thematic and I love that. I also love that magic is tied to desire, grief, and sacrifice.
The enchanted, red ballet slippers ➡️ obsession, talent amplification, loss of control. Demonic bargains ➡️ transactional, predatory, inevitable cost.
Dance as magic ➡️ performance becomes ritual and power.
✨ Didn't impact my enjoyment or experience a ton, but the mechanics and rules are a bit vague. Consequences didn't always feel consistent. Limits were also not really clear. I do have some questions, but none I can put here due to spoilers.
🩰 I have basically no knowledge or understanding of ballet. While there are ballet terms when she's dancing, they aren't necessary to understand anything. I'm sure I could better picture those scenes if I did.
👥 We get diversity and inclusivity in the cast. I especially love that the FMC is bi and she's not shown as hypers__ual, nor a pearling-clutching prude. Just someome comfortable with their orientation. It's handled organically and totally a non-issue, which I loved.
I love that Corlissa is shown as flawed. She's driven by grief and desperation. Her motivations are strong, however the emotional connection waivered for me. I would've loved to feel a stronger connection more consistently. Orrin is a classic gothic love interest: cold, restrained, wounded. He's a compelling presence and adds tension, but I'd love to learn more about his backstory.
♥️ This is a slowww burn. They're enemies for over 50% of the book, and I love that. They have some great banter during this time. Once they move out of enemy zone, the progression was more sudden and drastic than I prefer. It felt rushed. The lead up slow burn I loved, but the transition period was just to short for me. It made the intimacy feel rushed, in particular. At times it's emotionally intense, but that varies in places (which works ok for me). I didn't quite feel the emotional payoff like I prefer.
📚 If you liked: Belladonna (Ava Grace), House of Hunger (Alexis Henderson), The Bone Doll's Twin (Lynn Flewelling), The Wicked Bargain (Gabe Cole Novoa), Sing Me to Sleep (Gabi Burton), House of Salt and Sorrows (Erin A Craig), or For The Wolf (Hannah Whitten), then I think you'd enjoy this.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grief dragged her into the sea. The ballet slippers she stole from a demon may be what damns her. Now she has to dance for her life.
✨ Gifted ebook for a read along on Fable with the author @ Amanda Linsmeier
“This is no fairytale, but there is a villain.”
A Dance With Death reads like a love letter to the magic of ballet. Saturated in atmosphere, with unique dance magic and a slow burn
📕 After a grief-stricken ballerina, Corliss, steals a pair of enchanted ballet slippers from a demon, Orrin. He then imprisons her in his mansion and forces her to dance nightly for him as punishment for stealing. She hopes over time, she can convince Orrin to make a deal to resurrect her beloved sister, Aven. After all, demons are masters of death.
📓 A Dance With Death is a gothic ballet of grief, obsession, and dangerous love.
🫵🏼 A Dance With Death is for readers who:
• enjoy dark romantasy with gothic, atmospheric vibes
• love fairytale retellings with a twisted edge
• drawn to dance/art woven into magic
• enjoy enemies to lovers, slow burn romance with a morally grey love interest
• don't mind the romance romance taking center stage over plot/worldbuilding
• enjoy lush, moody prose and emotional, grief-driven stories
• love demon stories and eerie small, seaside town settings
• fans of Beauty & The Beast-style dynamics and cursed bargains
📕 I devoured this book in under 12hrs, which says a lot. Had I not fallen asleep reading it, I would've finished much sooner. 😅 I had tech difficulties (I'm not tech savvy and had to call in Teen Tech Support™️) so wasn't able to really participate in the read along in real time.
That beginning sentence piqued my intrigue and it only built from there. Initially, I checked in each chapter like originally planned. I made it 1, maybe 2 chapters before I was so engrossed I forgot all about checking on Fable. While I didn't love every aspect, I was wholly absorbed, entertained, and engrossed (obviously lol). I'll definitely be continuing the series and cannot wait.
✨ If you're looking for a plot-heavy fantasy, you may not love this as much as I did. But if you love a gothic, atmospheric, and immersive story - give this a try.
❓QOTD: How has spring weather been so far where you are?
❗AOTD: It's been abnormal here, all over the place. 90°+ and humid for days, and then it's low-30°s and dumping rain for days.
📓 Themes, Metaphors, & Deeper Meaning
🩰 Grief as Possession
The ballet slippers mirror grief. They're seductive, consuming, and inescapable (to Corliss). I really enjoyed this creative aspect.
🎨 Art as Survival
Dance is not just expression. It's control, identity, and resistance.
♥️ Love as Ownership
Orrin's imprisonment vs Corliss's agency
I also appreciate the inquest into whether love can exist without control.
📜 Bargain & Consequences
Every desire has a cost. And bargains aren't always as straightforward as they seem.
The novel rejects the idea of "free" miracles.
🥀 Beauty and the Beast, Reframed
I love that here, it's not about taming the beast. It's about understanding mutual brokeness. And I love that both characters could be seen, by some, as "monsters" shaped by pain.
"I long for the days before Death touched us, before he crooked one gnarled finger and dragged the ship to the bottom of the sea—and my sister’s heart right along with it."
✍🏼 For me, the prose is where this book truly shines. It's lush, lyrical, sensory-heavy, and often decadent (particularly where describing scent, texture, and movement). At times, it has an almost hypnotic rhythm, which beautifully reinforces the dance theme (and made for an entrancing read for me). It starts off with lush, immersive prose that results in evocative imagery that builds a gothic, almost dreamlike tone. The quote above this section is the first sentence in the book, to give you an idea.
✨ I consider this to be a vibe forward novel. If you love atmospheric reads, this is for you.
⏳The pace is fast without feeling rushed and I found it gripping from the beginning (and if I hadn't fallen asleep, would've read it in one evening 😅).
The pacing mirrors a dance performance (and I love that).
Opening act = captivating
Middle = lingering, sometimes repeated movements
Finale = dramatic, maybe ever so slightly drawn out
🌍 It's atmospheric over expansive, which for me isn't an issue. Someone in the author read along said they loved the 'gothic sea soaked atmosphere, and I couldn't agree more. Sensory immersion is great. We get the scents and textures in vivid detail. I love that the world feels like a stage. It serves well to reinforce the ballet theme. However, while we get the info we need, I would've loved more development of the world. The lore around demons is more suggestive than I'd prefer. Orrin doesn't seem to know a ton, so it makes sense that we wouldn't, but I'd still like something more.
✨ These things didn't take away from my enjoyment or entertainment much, though. And I expect at least some of this will be covered in books 2 and 3.
🔮 We get a soft, symbolic, and emotionally driven magic system. I love dance as magic. It's unique and rich in aesthetics. It's very thematic and I love that. I also love that magic is tied to desire, grief, and sacrifice.
The enchanted, red ballet slippers ➡️ obsession, talent amplification, loss of control. Demonic bargains ➡️ transactional, predatory, inevitable cost.
Dance as magic ➡️ performance becomes ritual and power.
✨ Didn't impact my enjoyment or experience a ton, but the mechanics and rules are a bit vague. Consequences didn't always feel consistent. Limits were also not really clear. I do have some questions, but none I can put here due to spoilers.
🩰 I have basically no knowledge or understanding of ballet. While there are ballet terms when she's dancing, they aren't necessary to understand anything. I'm sure I could better picture those scenes if I did.
👥 We get diversity and inclusivity in the cast. I especially love that the FMC is bi and she's not shown as hypers__ual, nor a pearling-clutching prude. Just someome comfortable with their orientation. It's handled organically and totally a non-issue, which I loved.
I love that Corlissa is shown as flawed. She's driven by grief and desperation. Her motivations are strong, however the emotional connection waivered for me. I would've loved to feel a stronger connection more consistently. Orrin is a classic gothic love interest: cold, restrained, wounded. He's a compelling presence and adds tension, but I'd love to learn more about his backstory.
♥️ This is a slowww burn. They're enemies for over 50% of the book, and I love that. They have some great banter during this time. Once they move out of enemy zone, the progression was more sudden and drastic than I prefer. It felt rushed. The lead up slow burn I loved, but the transition period was just to short for me. It made the intimacy feel rushed, in particular. At times it's emotionally intense, but that varies in places (which works ok for me). I didn't quite feel the emotional payoff like I prefer.
📚 If you liked: Belladonna (Ava Grace), House of Hunger (Alexis Henderson), The Bone Doll's Twin (Lynn Flewelling), The Wicked Bargain (Gabe Cole Novoa), Sing Me to Sleep (Gabi Burton), House of Salt and Sorrows (Erin A Craig), or For The Wolf (Hannah Whitten), then I think you'd enjoy this.
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