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The Finalist
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For fans of Black Swan, The Finalist is Megan Abbott's Dare Me meets Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, with echoes of gothic classics like Jane Eyre and The Yellow Wallpaper.
Two years after a devastating injury destroyed her career, legendary ex-ballerina Leanora Karagianni has returned to the dance world as the choreographer of an exciting new ballet. Eden is one of seven dancers invited to a secluded manor house to compete for the lead role, but her traitorous, chronically ill body can't keep up with her ambition.
Nonetheless, Eden's gruelling efforts don't go unnoticed, winning Leanora's approval and an offer of private lessons. Eden gets swept up in Leanora's charm, while the other dancers seem to be ensnared in something much darker, as one by one they fall victim to freak accidents, each more alarming than the last.
The competition intensifies, the body count begins to stack up and Eden suspects her competitors are plagued by more than mere misfortune. It seems that the manor has an agenda of its own, and it doesn't involve any of the ballerinas escaping alive.
Two years after a devastating injury destroyed her career, legendary ex-ballerina Leanora Karagianni has returned to the dance world as the choreographer of an exciting new ballet. Eden is one of seven dancers invited to a secluded manor house to compete for the lead role, but her traitorous, chronically ill body can't keep up with her ambition.
Nonetheless, Eden's gruelling efforts don't go unnoticed, winning Leanora's approval and an offer of private lessons. Eden gets swept up in Leanora's charm, while the other dancers seem to be ensnared in something much darker, as one by one they fall victim to freak accidents, each more alarming than the last.
The competition intensifies, the body count begins to stack up and Eden suspects her competitors are plagued by more than mere misfortune. It seems that the manor has an agenda of its own, and it doesn't involve any of the ballerinas escaping alive.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“The Finalist” by Faith Gladwin is basically what would happen if you took the brutal competitiveness of the ballet world, locked it inside a creepy cursed manor, added queer tension, body horror, and psychological manipulation, and then turned the intensity all the way up. This book is haunting, dramatic, and completely addictive.
The story follows Eden, a ballerina with chronic arthritis that is slowly destroying her joints. She’s arrived at the isolated Deveraux Manor alongside six other dancers to compete for a coveted spot in the prestigious Deveraux dance company and the lead role in a new production by legendary ballerina Leanora Karagianni. For most of the girls, this competition could launch their careers. For Eden, it feels like her last real chance before her body gives out on her completely.
And wow does this book nail the pressure and obsession of ballet culture. These dancers are pushing themselves beyond human limits, destroying their bodies for perfection, and treating each other less like teammates and more like obstacles to eliminate. The atmosphere gets increasingly suffocating as the competition intensifies, especially once the girls start suffering mysterious accidents and the manor itself begins feeling wrong.
Because this manor is absolutely alive in the creepiest way possible.
The girls are forbidden from exploring certain parts of the house, especially the attic, which obviously means horrifying things are happening there. The manor slowly starts messing with their minds, feeding off ambition, pain, and obsession until some of the dancers basically lose themselves completely. There’s this terrifying image throughout the book of girls dancing like puppets, consumed entirely by the house and by ballet itself. The horror builds slowly at first, but once it hits, it hits hard.
One of the most interesting parts of the book is how Eden’s illness actually changes her relationship with the horror. Since she already lives in constant pain, the manor can’t manipulate her the same way it does the others. Her chronic illness, which she sees as her weakness, weirdly becomes the thing that gives her strength and clarity. I loved that aspect of the story so much because it added a really emotional layer underneath all the supernatural chaos.
The writing is also gorgeous. The dance scenes feel mesmerizing and elegant while the horror scenes are sharp, claustrophobic, and genuinely disturbing. The prose somehow captures both the beauty of ballet and the ugliness of what it demands from people. There’s this constant feeling of tension simmering underneath everything.
I also really liked Eden as a main character. She’s desperate, ambitious, exhausted, and painfully aware that her own body is betraying her. Watching her slowly realize what the manor is doing while also wrestling with her need to succeed made her incredibly compelling.
The relationship between Eden and Leanora is definitely messy and complicated. There’s attraction there, but also a huge imbalance because Leanora is both the judge of the competition and someone who clearly knows way more about the manor than she’s admitting. Their dynamic adds a lot to the emotional tension, though I did find the romance takes focus away from the horror at times, making the book more of a horror romance than a traditional horror story.
That said, when the horror fully takes center stage near the end? Absolutely devastating in the best way. The final act is intense, emotional, bloody, and filled with passion, obsession, and some genuinely horrifying reveals about the manor and its history. The ending especially hit hard because it ties Eden’s journey back to self-worth and survival rather than just ambition.
Overall, “The Finalist” is an atmospheric blend of gothic horror, ballet obsession, queer romance, and psychological terror. If you love stories about haunted houses, toxic ambition, beautiful writing, and characters literally sacrificing themselves for art, this book is absolutely worth picking up.
“The Finalist” by Faith Gladwin is basically what would happen if you took the brutal competitiveness of the ballet world, locked it inside a creepy cursed manor, added queer tension, body horror, and psychological manipulation, and then turned the intensity all the way up. This book is haunting, dramatic, and completely addictive.
The story follows Eden, a ballerina with chronic arthritis that is slowly destroying her joints. She’s arrived at the isolated Deveraux Manor alongside six other dancers to compete for a coveted spot in the prestigious Deveraux dance company and the lead role in a new production by legendary ballerina Leanora Karagianni. For most of the girls, this competition could launch their careers. For Eden, it feels like her last real chance before her body gives out on her completely.
And wow does this book nail the pressure and obsession of ballet culture. These dancers are pushing themselves beyond human limits, destroying their bodies for perfection, and treating each other less like teammates and more like obstacles to eliminate. The atmosphere gets increasingly suffocating as the competition intensifies, especially once the girls start suffering mysterious accidents and the manor itself begins feeling wrong.
Because this manor is absolutely alive in the creepiest way possible.
The girls are forbidden from exploring certain parts of the house, especially the attic, which obviously means horrifying things are happening there. The manor slowly starts messing with their minds, feeding off ambition, pain, and obsession until some of the dancers basically lose themselves completely. There’s this terrifying image throughout the book of girls dancing like puppets, consumed entirely by the house and by ballet itself. The horror builds slowly at first, but once it hits, it hits hard.
One of the most interesting parts of the book is how Eden’s illness actually changes her relationship with the horror. Since she already lives in constant pain, the manor can’t manipulate her the same way it does the others. Her chronic illness, which she sees as her weakness, weirdly becomes the thing that gives her strength and clarity. I loved that aspect of the story so much because it added a really emotional layer underneath all the supernatural chaos.
The writing is also gorgeous. The dance scenes feel mesmerizing and elegant while the horror scenes are sharp, claustrophobic, and genuinely disturbing. The prose somehow captures both the beauty of ballet and the ugliness of what it demands from people. There’s this constant feeling of tension simmering underneath everything.
I also really liked Eden as a main character. She’s desperate, ambitious, exhausted, and painfully aware that her own body is betraying her. Watching her slowly realize what the manor is doing while also wrestling with her need to succeed made her incredibly compelling.
The relationship between Eden and Leanora is definitely messy and complicated. There’s attraction there, but also a huge imbalance because Leanora is both the judge of the competition and someone who clearly knows way more about the manor than she’s admitting. Their dynamic adds a lot to the emotional tension, though I did find the romance takes focus away from the horror at times, making the book more of a horror romance than a traditional horror story.
That said, when the horror fully takes center stage near the end? Absolutely devastating in the best way. The final act is intense, emotional, bloody, and filled with passion, obsession, and some genuinely horrifying reveals about the manor and its history. The ending especially hit hard because it ties Eden’s journey back to self-worth and survival rather than just ambition.
Overall, “The Finalist” is an atmospheric blend of gothic horror, ballet obsession, queer romance, and psychological terror. If you love stories about haunted houses, toxic ambition, beautiful writing, and characters literally sacrificing themselves for art, this book is absolutely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An incredible, jaw-dropping horror novel that continued to keep me on my toes through the entire book, I was awed beyond belief by The Finalist by Faith Gladwin.
Before reading about what this book was about, I had been instantly pulled in by its cover. After reading the book, I realized just how amazing the cover does at giving you a glimpse of what is to come. Now, the story starts out with our protagonist, Eden, who has just arrived with six other young women to the Deveraux Manor, a secluded mansion in the mountains. Eden and the rest of these young women (Robin, Mei, Marlowe, Isla, and Hazel) are there to compete for a spot not only in the Deveraux dance company, but the leading role in a new production choreographed by the ballet legend Leanora Karagianni.
From the beginning of this month-long, intensive workshop competition, tension is extremely high. These girls who are in their early twenties are just now getting into their career and with an opportunity to be a principal dancer in an acclaimed dance company while being the lead in a new production, the girls are very hungry to win to jumpstart their own legendary career. Eden is especially ravenous for this opportunity because we learn that Eden suffers through a disability that prevents her from possibly being able to have the same longevity of a career as the other girls. As the month starts to go by, however, things become awry very quickly for Eden and the rest as the girls with each one fall victim to mysterious accidents.
Gladwin did a fantastic job putting us in the head of Eden as we went through this ride with her. We were able to understand who Eden was and the reason behind a lot of her actions very early on in the book and it continued to get better as we went along with her, and I was never bored with what was happening. The story was always moving, which I appreciated, and there were never any moments that left me wondering why something was happening. Everything had its place.
The writing was phenomenal. It had a creepy air around it, but at the same time, the descriptions of when they were dancing was absolutely beautiful. I would describe Gladwin’s prose as very mesmerizing. It truly depicted what ballet feels like visually. Speaking of visuals, I was able to see what was going on at all times. There weren’t any confusing parts about this book in terms of what was happening. Gladwin, I believe, did an amazing job with placing you at the scene. Especially with the gore. This was not the goriest book I’ve read, but it was very tasteful with it. The amount was perfect.
What I would have loved to see was an epilogue. Usually I don’t care for epilogues, but I truly wanted to see where Eden ends up and what the outside world now thinks about the manor. This is a spoiler free review so I will not say anything more, but Gladwin…let me know.
Overall, it was a 5 star read over here. I love ballet. I love horror. I love queerness. Put those three together and I’M SAT. I highly recommend.
Before reading about what this book was about, I had been instantly pulled in by its cover. After reading the book, I realized just how amazing the cover does at giving you a glimpse of what is to come. Now, the story starts out with our protagonist, Eden, who has just arrived with six other young women to the Deveraux Manor, a secluded mansion in the mountains. Eden and the rest of these young women (Robin, Mei, Marlowe, Isla, and Hazel) are there to compete for a spot not only in the Deveraux dance company, but the leading role in a new production choreographed by the ballet legend Leanora Karagianni.
From the beginning of this month-long, intensive workshop competition, tension is extremely high. These girls who are in their early twenties are just now getting into their career and with an opportunity to be a principal dancer in an acclaimed dance company while being the lead in a new production, the girls are very hungry to win to jumpstart their own legendary career. Eden is especially ravenous for this opportunity because we learn that Eden suffers through a disability that prevents her from possibly being able to have the same longevity of a career as the other girls. As the month starts to go by, however, things become awry very quickly for Eden and the rest as the girls with each one fall victim to mysterious accidents.
Gladwin did a fantastic job putting us in the head of Eden as we went through this ride with her. We were able to understand who Eden was and the reason behind a lot of her actions very early on in the book and it continued to get better as we went along with her, and I was never bored with what was happening. The story was always moving, which I appreciated, and there were never any moments that left me wondering why something was happening. Everything had its place.
The writing was phenomenal. It had a creepy air around it, but at the same time, the descriptions of when they were dancing was absolutely beautiful. I would describe Gladwin’s prose as very mesmerizing. It truly depicted what ballet feels like visually. Speaking of visuals, I was able to see what was going on at all times. There weren’t any confusing parts about this book in terms of what was happening. Gladwin, I believe, did an amazing job with placing you at the scene. Especially with the gore. This was not the goriest book I’ve read, but it was very tasteful with it. The amount was perfect.
What I would have loved to see was an epilogue. Usually I don’t care for epilogues, but I truly wanted to see where Eden ends up and what the outside world now thinks about the manor. This is a spoiler free review so I will not say anything more, but Gladwin…let me know.
Overall, it was a 5 star read over here. I love ballet. I love horror. I love queerness. Put those three together and I’M SAT. I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
READ. THIS. BOOK.
I'm serious. From the first page, I was drawn in and I could not stop reading this ballet horror. My wife and cats were begging for attention but I just had to read one more chapter (and then one more, and then one more, and then one more).
The descriptions of the isolated Deveraux Manor, owned by the Deveraux dance company, were so evocative. I had a great mental image of the space the entire time, especially the aspects that slowly began...shifting. Changing, as the girls were drawn deeper into the competition, and therefore deeper into the space. The horror begins with mounting suspense, creepiness, a few odd bits of foreshadowing that I couldn't wait to see pan out.
Every single step along the way raised the stakes in a way that felt believable but also unreal, keeping you guessing. I loved the early hints of Eden's gay panic when it comes to Leanora, the intimation of a shared history, and then Eden's dawning realization that everything she thought she knew is false.
I loved the sense of how the manor is changing the girls but the girls are also changing the manor in some sort of messed up parasitic relationship. I had SO MUCH FUN continually trying to solve the mystery that is Leanora Karagianni and her relationship with the Manor. I could not put this book DOWN, especially when I got to the third act.
The finale was, as horror finales should be, thrilling beyond belief. I loved seeing how Eden's chronic illness impacted the way she interacted with the manor and the other characters, and how that becomes her particular strength. The ending scenes were devastating and beautiful.
If you want absolutely beautiful writing, interesting characters, a perfectly suspense-building horror, and toxic sapphics, read this book!
READ. THIS. BOOK.
I'm serious. From the first page, I was drawn in and I could not stop reading this ballet horror. My wife and cats were begging for attention but I just had to read one more chapter (and then one more, and then one more, and then one more).
The descriptions of the isolated Deveraux Manor, owned by the Deveraux dance company, were so evocative. I had a great mental image of the space the entire time, especially the aspects that slowly began...shifting. Changing, as the girls were drawn deeper into the competition, and therefore deeper into the space. The horror begins with mounting suspense, creepiness, a few odd bits of foreshadowing that I couldn't wait to see pan out.
Every single step along the way raised the stakes in a way that felt believable but also unreal, keeping you guessing. I loved the early hints of Eden's gay panic when it comes to Leanora, the intimation of a shared history, and then Eden's dawning realization that everything she thought she knew is false.
I loved the sense of how the manor is changing the girls but the girls are also changing the manor in some sort of messed up parasitic relationship. I had SO MUCH FUN continually trying to solve the mystery that is Leanora Karagianni and her relationship with the Manor. I could not put this book DOWN, especially when I got to the third act.
The finale was, as horror finales should be, thrilling beyond belief. I loved seeing how Eden's chronic illness impacted the way she interacted with the manor and the other characters, and how that becomes her particular strength. The ending scenes were devastating and beautiful.
If you want absolutely beautiful writing, interesting characters, a perfectly suspense-building horror, and toxic sapphics, read this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Never would I have guessed that I would not only read a horror novel about ballet, but absolutely love it. Eerie, claustrophobic, and clever, this gothic horror exceeded my expectations.
Eden is a professional dancer who earns the opportunity to audition for an elite dance company. Held at a secluded manor deep in the mountains, the audition represents the opportunity of a lifetime for the dancers who made the cut. What they don’t realize is just how much this opportunity will demand from them.
This is a true slow burn that never loses momentum. Instead, the sense of dread steadily builds with each chapter, tightening like a vice until the final act. I was especially impressed by how effortlessly the author balanced an unforgettable gothic atmosphere with a genuinely compelling mystery. Neither ever overshadows the other.
I also appreciated how the dance terminology remained in the background, adding authenticity without making me feel like I needed any knowledge of ballet to follow the story. The novel explores themes of obsession, isolation, and the sacrifices demanded in pursuit of perfection, weaving them naturally into both the mystery and the horror.
Perhaps what impressed me most was how carefully constructed the story was. This is a novel that rewards readers who pay attention. Looking back after finishing, I appreciated just how many seemingly small details and recurring motifs came together in satisfying ways. The ending feels earned because the clues were there all along rather than relying on a last-minute twist.
If you enjoy gothic horror, creeping dread, and mysteries that trust their readers, I highly recommend this one. It strikes a wonderful balance between atmosphere, character, and plot, and absolutely sticks the landing.
Eden is a professional dancer who earns the opportunity to audition for an elite dance company. Held at a secluded manor deep in the mountains, the audition represents the opportunity of a lifetime for the dancers who made the cut. What they don’t realize is just how much this opportunity will demand from them.
This is a true slow burn that never loses momentum. Instead, the sense of dread steadily builds with each chapter, tightening like a vice until the final act. I was especially impressed by how effortlessly the author balanced an unforgettable gothic atmosphere with a genuinely compelling mystery. Neither ever overshadows the other.
I also appreciated how the dance terminology remained in the background, adding authenticity without making me feel like I needed any knowledge of ballet to follow the story. The novel explores themes of obsession, isolation, and the sacrifices demanded in pursuit of perfection, weaving them naturally into both the mystery and the horror.
Perhaps what impressed me most was how carefully constructed the story was. This is a novel that rewards readers who pay attention. Looking back after finishing, I appreciated just how many seemingly small details and recurring motifs came together in satisfying ways. The ending feels earned because the clues were there all along rather than relying on a last-minute twist.
If you enjoy gothic horror, creeping dread, and mysteries that trust their readers, I highly recommend this one. It strikes a wonderful balance between atmosphere, character, and plot, and absolutely sticks the landing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Finalist is a horror novel taking place at a ballet competition held at the Deveraux Manor, an isolated mountain property deep in the woods. Seven ballerinas have been called to audition for Leanora Karagianni, a famous ballerina, now injured. The winner is all but assured of a massive career.
The competition is the first in many years at the manor and rumors of tragic events taking place at the last competition spread widely. Despite tragic events which begin to befall the participants, the competition continues.
I was curious as to whether I would like this book or not. On one had I’m not well-versed in ballet and my awareness of a romance subplot did not get me excited. However, as it was a horror novel and set in an isolated creepy location, I decided to give it a try. Going in, I assumed it would be more likely be a haunted house book than a slasher novel. That was the case.
Although the book moved at a slower pace than I would have liked, I did find it enjoyable, though not a book I loved. I understand that the main character’s resilience might lead her to be a bit standoffish. At times, I did wish that she was more appreciative of the kindness offered by others.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read The Finalist. The above opinions are my own.
The competition is the first in many years at the manor and rumors of tragic events taking place at the last competition spread widely. Despite tragic events which begin to befall the participants, the competition continues.
I was curious as to whether I would like this book or not. On one had I’m not well-versed in ballet and my awareness of a romance subplot did not get me excited. However, as it was a horror novel and set in an isolated creepy location, I decided to give it a try. Going in, I assumed it would be more likely be a haunted house book than a slasher novel. That was the case.
Although the book moved at a slower pace than I would have liked, I did find it enjoyable, though not a book I loved. I understand that the main character’s resilience might lead her to be a bit standoffish. At times, I did wish that she was more appreciative of the kindness offered by others.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read The Finalist. The above opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Review:
I give this book a 4.5, but rounding down to a 4. The life of a ballerina is brutal as depicted in this mystery about a group of girls competing for a soloist role. This book discusses themes around resilience, dedication, loneliness, and living with a disability; there is an underlying LGBTQ+ tone and a mild amount of spice. The language at times was repetitive and I wish the book was more descriptive on the location of the manor and the physical appearances of the characters. The repetitiveness of the novel, the longing for more description, and the setting taking place in a single location made it feel one-dimensional at times. However, I thought the story and concept was unique. I felt like I was reading a modern day Agatha Christi novel! I was hooked from the beginning, constantly asking myself “what’s going to happen next?!”. I think this is geared more towards young women, but I also believe anybody who loves competition and mysteries would enjoy this book!
I give this book a 4.5, but rounding down to a 4. The life of a ballerina is brutal as depicted in this mystery about a group of girls competing for a soloist role. This book discusses themes around resilience, dedication, loneliness, and living with a disability; there is an underlying LGBTQ+ tone and a mild amount of spice. The language at times was repetitive and I wish the book was more descriptive on the location of the manor and the physical appearances of the characters. The repetitiveness of the novel, the longing for more description, and the setting taking place in a single location made it feel one-dimensional at times. However, I thought the story and concept was unique. I felt like I was reading a modern day Agatha Christi novel! I was hooked from the beginning, constantly asking myself “what’s going to happen next?!”. I think this is geared more towards young women, but I also believe anybody who loves competition and mysteries would enjoy this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for generously providing me an ARC of The Finalist. All thoughts are my own.
I flew through this book. There are themes of disability, friendship, rivalry, resilience, and discovery. At it's heart, the book is about Eden finding herself and gaining confidence despite discrimination and adversity. The horror elements are quite chilling and I wasn't exactly. expecting the path it took. Honestly, I will be recommending this book to my friends who enjoy twisty horror stories.
The writing could have been a little less repetitive, but was accessible and easy to read. I saw another reviewer say they wished there were more character descriptions and setting descriptions, but I found everything very vivid. There are some LGBTQ+ elements in this and some romance as part of Eden's overall character arc, but it added to the overall atmosphere.
I flew through this book. There are themes of disability, friendship, rivalry, resilience, and discovery. At it's heart, the book is about Eden finding herself and gaining confidence despite discrimination and adversity. The horror elements are quite chilling and I wasn't exactly. expecting the path it took. Honestly, I will be recommending this book to my friends who enjoy twisty horror stories.
The writing could have been a little less repetitive, but was accessible and easy to read. I saw another reviewer say they wished there were more character descriptions and setting descriptions, but I found everything very vivid. There are some LGBTQ+ elements in this and some romance as part of Eden's overall character arc, but it added to the overall atmosphere.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Finalist illustrates just how cutthroat professional dancing is, that black swan darkness and inspiration of how far they're willing to go to end up on top, no matter how many casualties it takes. There are many different horrors at play here; competition, power and control, but also the evil that seeps out of the manor.
That being said, this is definitely more of a slow burn read. The build up takes time and the first 50% felt like it was still setting the stage. It did lose me at first and I feel like it could've moved quicker around 25% to change focus on the manor and the evil surrounding the dancers vs how much was spent on our FMC and her personal challenges, it became a bit repetitive.
3.5 rounded up.
That being said, this is definitely more of a slow burn read. The build up takes time and the first 50% felt like it was still setting the stage. It did lose me at first and I feel like it could've moved quicker around 25% to change focus on the manor and the evil surrounding the dancers vs how much was spent on our FMC and her personal challenges, it became a bit repetitive.
3.5 rounded up.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Finalist is terrifying in the best way!
I felt like I was in a horror movie reading this and oh my goodness does it get gory!!
Here's the low down, Eden is the main protagonist and unfortunately she's had some medical issues which has made dancing difficult, until a Miss Leanora invites her to this spooky manor to participate in a competition with six other dancers. Things get weird and there is no turning back.
From professionalism to straight cut throat, these ballerinas are deadly.
Felt like a spiders web, as you progress in the story. I am very excited to read more books from Faith Gladwin
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review!
I felt like I was in a horror movie reading this and oh my goodness does it get gory!!
Here's the low down, Eden is the main protagonist and unfortunately she's had some medical issues which has made dancing difficult, until a Miss Leanora invites her to this spooky manor to participate in a competition with six other dancers. Things get weird and there is no turning back.
From professionalism to straight cut throat, these ballerinas are deadly.
Felt like a spiders web, as you progress in the story. I am very excited to read more books from Faith Gladwin
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this novel as an ARC!I greatly appreciate it!
To preface: I'm a slut for anything involving ballet. I danced for sixteen years, it's close to my heart, I love it. So when I saw this on NetGalley, I had to grab it! And I'm so glad I did, because wow! Move over, I Am The Best, this is the best ballet horror book I've ever read! The atmosphere is eerie, the characters are interesting and more or less likeable, the creep factor is strong, and the writing itself is lovely! What else could you ask for?
Five stars out of five to The Finalist!
To preface: I'm a slut for anything involving ballet. I danced for sixteen years, it's close to my heart, I love it. So when I saw this on NetGalley, I had to grab it! And I'm so glad I did, because wow! Move over, I Am The Best, this is the best ballet horror book I've ever read! The atmosphere is eerie, the characters are interesting and more or less likeable, the creep factor is strong, and the writing itself is lovely! What else could you ask for?
Five stars out of five to The Finalist!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for sending me a #gifted copy of The Finalist. This book you definitely get that feel for being in the dancing world with being a ballerina. You get that feel for the obsession it can take over and how much pressure people get put into this in order to be the best. I know I could never do that and so I give props to all the ballerinas out there who go through so much in order to try to be the best. I enjoyed the characters and this story and it was something different that I havent read in awhile. Very well written story and you get that gothic and psychological feeling when you read this one!
Be sure to grab this one in October!
Be sure to grab this one in October!
June 11, 2026
**ARC copy received from Goodreads giveaway**
An incredibly horrifying story.
The slow build of fear that continued to pull me deeper and deeper into the book was incredible. I devoured this book in mere days (which as a very busy working mom with a four year old and a 4 month old is fast). I could not put this book down. Every night “just one more chapter” became five more as the creepiness of the manor continued to grow.
I loved watching Eden go through the stages of the competition while realizing just what was happening around her.
Fantastic book!
An incredibly horrifying story.
The slow build of fear that continued to pull me deeper and deeper into the book was incredible. I devoured this book in mere days (which as a very busy working mom with a four year old and a 4 month old is fast). I could not put this book down. Every night “just one more chapter” became five more as the creepiness of the manor continued to grow.
I loved watching Eden go through the stages of the competition while realizing just what was happening around her.
Fantastic book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am so immensely honored to have been one of the first readers of this tremendous book. Lush, haunting, brutal, with knife-sharp prose as precise as it is evocative; Gladwin pulls off the claustrophobia of the haunted house genre with elegance and nuance. A devastating read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My blurb of The Finalist:
“Sharp-edged, bloodthirsty, and beautifully written, The Finalist is as brutal as it is brilliant. A dark and vicious tale that reckons with the cost of ambition and the intersection of pain and desire. This book will absolutely ruin you!”
“Sharp-edged, bloodthirsty, and beautifully written, The Finalist is as brutal as it is brilliant. A dark and vicious tale that reckons with the cost of ambition and the intersection of pain and desire. This book will absolutely ruin you!”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Beautiful writing, creepy atomsphere and great characters! I would read this author again!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Probably one of the best books I have ever read. Faith is an incredible writer!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews