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Dance Demons
When Stephanie’s boyfriend is tragically killed in a car accident on the night of her 17th birthday, her once colourful life is thrown into utter chaos… but is there more to the story than she has been led to believe?
Stephanie fails to find answers, even after a visit to the eccentric psychic Madam Farrell. Broken and disconnected, and in search of a distraction, Stephanie soon finds comfort in dance. However, this form of comfort quickly morphs into a dangerous addiction. Spicy Latin beats pulsate through her veins as she delves deeper into the handsome and alluring teacher Anton’s dark world of dance.
Will the dance Stephanie loves lead her down a path of destruction or will it give her answers she is searching for?
Stephanie fails to find answers, even after a visit to the eccentric psychic Madam Farrell. Broken and disconnected, and in search of a distraction, Stephanie soon finds comfort in dance. However, this form of comfort quickly morphs into a dangerous addiction. Spicy Latin beats pulsate through her veins as she delves deeper into the handsome and alluring teacher Anton’s dark world of dance.
Will the dance Stephanie loves lead her down a path of destruction or will it give her answers she is searching for?
- GenresRomance
274 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2016
344 people want to read
About the author
Juliet M. Sampson
7 books149 followersJuliet M. Sampson is an international award-winning author. Dance Demons, her third novel won 2016 Book of the Year in the Reader’s Choice Awards in the AusRomToday competition. She was also one of ten finalists for 2016 Author of the Year in the same competition. Her other three novels are Behind the Mask, Bon Voyage! and Outback Wonder.
Her debut picture book Grace's Mystery Seed was a Finalist in the 2019 International Book Awards. It also was shortlisted for the 2019 Speech Pathology Award.
Cato's Can Can Juliet's second picture book was released in 2021.
Her next book Folow the Rainbow will be released in 2023.
After several successful years as a primary teacher, Juliet decided to made a commitment to full time writing and became a novelist as she wanted her stories to reach a wider audience. As well as writing books, Juliet has written various articles for magazines and online blogs.
She loves to inspire others and her quote ‘spread sunshine and inspiration,’ has reached a global audience.
Juliet lives in Melbourne near the bay where she is surrounded by family and friends. Her other passions are sunflowers, travelling, dancing and sketching.
To find out more please visit her website www.julietmsampson.com.au
Her debut picture book Grace's Mystery Seed was a Finalist in the 2019 International Book Awards. It also was shortlisted for the 2019 Speech Pathology Award.
Cato's Can Can Juliet's second picture book was released in 2021.
Her next book Folow the Rainbow will be released in 2023.
After several successful years as a primary teacher, Juliet decided to made a commitment to full time writing and became a novelist as she wanted her stories to reach a wider audience. As well as writing books, Juliet has written various articles for magazines and online blogs.
She loves to inspire others and her quote ‘spread sunshine and inspiration,’ has reached a global audience.
Juliet lives in Melbourne near the bay where she is surrounded by family and friends. Her other passions are sunflowers, travelling, dancing and sketching.
To find out more please visit her website www.julietmsampson.com.au
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 30, 2016
Dance Demons, yes there were 'real life' demons in this book. I could not stop turning the pages. Sit back and enjoy the ride. I highly recommend Dance Demons.
May 28, 2016
I really like this book and love the main storyline. I felt I could connect with the character ‘Stephanie’, as she grieves for the loss of her boyfriend and learns to move on, while also trying to find answers. Going through grief is hard but doing that at a vulnerable age (late teens) is harder. Especially when the fate of studying for your HSC looms over you. So Stephanie decided to go to dancing classes to help her cope with her grief which is a great way to turn a negative into a positive. However, her vulnerability clouds her judgement and like other girls she becomes a target for danger.
I love how the author included a psychic into the story to try and help Stephanie find answers, although I would have liked more detail about Stephanie’s readings and more description of Madam Farrell’s shop. I also found it fascinating about the book ‘The undiscovered worlds of Peru’, which Stephanie borrows from the library after the recommendation from another reader. I thought this was another topic which could have been expanded on more but maybe the author thought it would shift the focus away from dancing, to do so.
In my reviews of Juliet’s 1st and 2nd book ‘Behind the Mask’ and ‘Bon Voyage’, I had mentioned about my concerns of the dialogue and jumping from one scene to the next. I felt there had been improvements with the dialogue shown in Dance Demons and this book had a better flow to it. In some sections it still jumped a bit but overall a big improvement! I really enjoyed this novel and would definitely read it again :)
4.5 Stars
I love how the author included a psychic into the story to try and help Stephanie find answers, although I would have liked more detail about Stephanie’s readings and more description of Madam Farrell’s shop. I also found it fascinating about the book ‘The undiscovered worlds of Peru’, which Stephanie borrows from the library after the recommendation from another reader. I thought this was another topic which could have been expanded on more but maybe the author thought it would shift the focus away from dancing, to do so.
In my reviews of Juliet’s 1st and 2nd book ‘Behind the Mask’ and ‘Bon Voyage’, I had mentioned about my concerns of the dialogue and jumping from one scene to the next. I felt there had been improvements with the dialogue shown in Dance Demons and this book had a better flow to it. In some sections it still jumped a bit but overall a big improvement! I really enjoyed this novel and would definitely read it again :)
4.5 Stars
June 1, 2016
Dance Demons, third novel by Juliet M Sampson is a story about finding your passion whatever it may be and not letting anyone stop you from achieving your goals.
The main character in Dance Demons, Stephanie finds a love of dance which eventually helps her to overcome the grief she is going through after the tragic loss of her boyfriend.
This story is a bit of a thriller, so sit tight and concentrate.
Through Dance, Stephanie does encounter other demons, social demons she was not prepared for at all.
Stephanie is side-stepped to struggle with this and her future, seeking the advice of an eccentric psychic, Madam Farrel through a crystal ball and tarot cards.
Chimes blow in the breeze, a Buddha and an angel appear at the top of the stairs, scent of musk incense envelop the room as Madam Farrel, draped in a cape with a purple, dark hood with candlelight lighting her pale face looks into Stephanie's future to guide her into the unknown.
Stephanie continues her Love of Dance with Salsa, Tango and Cha Cha moving and dancing to the beat of the music.
Dressing up in silvery dance heels and suitably sexy black dress with a hint of red lippy, Stephanie continues each dancing step and movement to the passion and fire of Latin American Dancing!
Set in well-known areas of Melbourne with the influence of South American Dancing this is a novel to entice you.
So, put on your dancing shoes, dance to the beat and don't let anyone sway you!
The problems Juliet poses in this book might help other young readers overcome the social dilemmas and uncertainties of today but still sees the beauty in dance as an escape.
There are many twists and turns in Dance Demons that make this an exciting thriller as well.
The main character in Dance Demons, Stephanie finds a love of dance which eventually helps her to overcome the grief she is going through after the tragic loss of her boyfriend.
This story is a bit of a thriller, so sit tight and concentrate.
Through Dance, Stephanie does encounter other demons, social demons she was not prepared for at all.
Stephanie is side-stepped to struggle with this and her future, seeking the advice of an eccentric psychic, Madam Farrel through a crystal ball and tarot cards.
Chimes blow in the breeze, a Buddha and an angel appear at the top of the stairs, scent of musk incense envelop the room as Madam Farrel, draped in a cape with a purple, dark hood with candlelight lighting her pale face looks into Stephanie's future to guide her into the unknown.
Stephanie continues her Love of Dance with Salsa, Tango and Cha Cha moving and dancing to the beat of the music.
Dressing up in silvery dance heels and suitably sexy black dress with a hint of red lippy, Stephanie continues each dancing step and movement to the passion and fire of Latin American Dancing!
Set in well-known areas of Melbourne with the influence of South American Dancing this is a novel to entice you.
So, put on your dancing shoes, dance to the beat and don't let anyone sway you!
The problems Juliet poses in this book might help other young readers overcome the social dilemmas and uncertainties of today but still sees the beauty in dance as an escape.
There are many twists and turns in Dance Demons that make this an exciting thriller as well.
June 1, 2016
This, Juliet's third novel, represents another very big step in her development as a writer of stories for young adults. It engages with some very complex and difficult issues, such as criminality, drug usage, death, murder and sexuality. Juliet's writing style has matured significantly and she tackles these topics with a directness and simplicity that would, I think, appeal to young people who themselves are forced to face and think about such matters.
The world for all young people is a fast moving and scary place as much as it is an unfolding sequence of new and wondrous experiences. The heroine, Stephanie, is forced to face up to that knowledge that not every one who smiles at you and looks handsome has your best interests at heart. She discovers that following her passion (learning to dance) without keeping watch over your fellow travellers can have serious consequences. After having to face up to a personal tragedy, Steffie decides to re-engage with the world through her love of dancing. For a straightforward romance that should lead to a happy ending. However, Steffie's naivety puts her into the hands of a sinister set of circumstances which no young person should relish.
The author's simple direct writing style enhances the drama of the story and provides an interesting read. I commend it to all readers, but especially to those for whom it is intended.
The world for all young people is a fast moving and scary place as much as it is an unfolding sequence of new and wondrous experiences. The heroine, Stephanie, is forced to face up to that knowledge that not every one who smiles at you and looks handsome has your best interests at heart. She discovers that following her passion (learning to dance) without keeping watch over your fellow travellers can have serious consequences. After having to face up to a personal tragedy, Steffie decides to re-engage with the world through her love of dancing. For a straightforward romance that should lead to a happy ending. However, Steffie's naivety puts her into the hands of a sinister set of circumstances which no young person should relish.
The author's simple direct writing style enhances the drama of the story and provides an interesting read. I commend it to all readers, but especially to those for whom it is intended.
July 25, 2016
WOW!!!! what an awesome read!!!! I had the privilege of reading this author's debut novel and sequel, as much as I love those stories, this one takes the cake!!! I suddenly want to learn salsa lol An interesting story of a woman whose passion for dance takes her on the roller coaster ride of her life when she falls in love with what she may consider the right kind of wrong.. As you turn the page, the plot thickens.. A thriller mystery deriving from dance - a great read!!! Also, many thanks to the author for noting me in her acknowledgements page *fangirl moment*
May 8, 2016
Another wonderful book from Juliet M Sampson!! Absolutely loved it!!
Want to read
May 13, 2016OOH this sounds good. Can't wait to read this!!!!
August 25, 2016
I have finished reading Dance Demons and I give it 5 stars! It is such a well written book in which every line has simply captured my full attention. Every time I had to stop reading the book, I would not be happy as I wanted to keep reading and would start reading the book again as soon as I could. I finished it in 3 days! As evident with Dance Demons as well as her other 2 books, Juliet has a great way of engaging her readers and making them feel that they are a part of her story from the 1st page of the 1st chapter. When I was reading Dance Demons, I honestly did not know what was going on around me as I felt very much a part of the book. I really admire this type of writing technique by Juliet and I truly believe it will lead her to become a successful author. Dance Demons has a great mixture of Dance, Romance, Tragedy and Murder and I love how Juliet was successfully able to blend all those themes together. The moral of the story is to follow, and stay focused on your dreams no matter what and Juliet was able to successfully execute this in her book. This is indeed a great book for teenagers and young adults and I highly recommend it to anyone! I honestly felt I was reading one of Danielle Steele’s shorter books. Thank you Juliet for sharing your passion with us once again. I look forward to reading more of your books.
August 12, 2016
I love Juliet. She is so bright and cheerful and inspirational, that when i was lookng for a copy of her fabulous book, Dance Demons, and couldn't find one, she happily sent me one.
I just finished it, so here's my review.
Stephanie is like most Aussie Year 12 girls. She spends her time worrying about grades, fashion and boys. She an amazing boyfriend named Andrew and they had planned their life together.
But tragedy strikes.
Stephanie feels lost. She suffers a break down, but when a friend suggests she should go back to dancing, she agrees it might be a good thing to heal her soul.
So she enrols in a latin dance class taught by the mysterious Anton.
Anton is one of those guys whom all the girls want and all the boys want to be.
But there is something not right with Anton and Stephanie gets caught up in his dark web.
I found Dance Demons fascinating from the very first page. It had thrills, suspense, mystery and dancing and hot boys. I wanted to know more about the dark side of Anton and his dance school. I loved the ending the most.
Will Stephanie make it out alive? You will have to read it to find out. I can't wait for book 2.
I just finished it, so here's my review.
Stephanie is like most Aussie Year 12 girls. She spends her time worrying about grades, fashion and boys. She an amazing boyfriend named Andrew and they had planned their life together.
But tragedy strikes.
Stephanie feels lost. She suffers a break down, but when a friend suggests she should go back to dancing, she agrees it might be a good thing to heal her soul.
So she enrols in a latin dance class taught by the mysterious Anton.
Anton is one of those guys whom all the girls want and all the boys want to be.
But there is something not right with Anton and Stephanie gets caught up in his dark web.
I found Dance Demons fascinating from the very first page. It had thrills, suspense, mystery and dancing and hot boys. I wanted to know more about the dark side of Anton and his dance school. I loved the ending the most.
Will Stephanie make it out alive? You will have to read it to find out. I can't wait for book 2.
December 27, 2016
What do you do when your life suddenly changes.
On Stephanie's seventeenth birthday her boyfriend is killed. She no longer knows what to do with herself. Taking up Latin dance classes seems like an option and maybe a way to connect back with life.
New people, new surroundings.
There is something about Anton the dance teacher that draws everyone into his world. But Stephanie wants some answers.
Set in Melbourne Australia, I highly recommend this book. I could relate to the characters and at times I felt I was walking with them in the story. For me this makes a great read.
I will leave my review at that and hope you will find the time to pick up this book and give it a go.
Look forward to Juliet's next book.
On Stephanie's seventeenth birthday her boyfriend is killed. She no longer knows what to do with herself. Taking up Latin dance classes seems like an option and maybe a way to connect back with life.
New people, new surroundings.
There is something about Anton the dance teacher that draws everyone into his world. But Stephanie wants some answers.
Set in Melbourne Australia, I highly recommend this book. I could relate to the characters and at times I felt I was walking with them in the story. For me this makes a great read.
I will leave my review at that and hope you will find the time to pick up this book and give it a go.
Look forward to Juliet's next book.
October 24, 2021
Rating:💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻
Book # 95/100
Dance Demos is an easy to read YA romance with elements of suspense, grief, friendship and lots of Latin dancing! The MC Stephania lost her boyfriend Andrew in a car accident and she reconnects with her passion for dancing as a way to cope. However, something seems odd at the dance academy and this new hobby could cost her more than she is willing to pay for.
Thank you so much to the author for my copy!
Book # 95/100
Dance Demos is an easy to read YA romance with elements of suspense, grief, friendship and lots of Latin dancing! The MC Stephania lost her boyfriend Andrew in a car accident and she reconnects with her passion for dancing as a way to cope. However, something seems odd at the dance academy and this new hobby could cost her more than she is willing to pay for.
Thank you so much to the author for my copy!
January 4, 2019
Love,loss and the rhythm of the soul.🌹
.
.
I came across Dance Demons kind of accidentally while I was searching for an Aussie authors.
Before anything else I fell in love with the book cover,and when I read the blurb which I thought it was very intriguing I decided to give it a try.
This is so interesting story the kind where you lose your self into and want to know what happens next.I just couldn't put it down, I read it two days which is a record for me with the two kids running around.😂
While this book is meant for teenagers and YA readers I definitely recommend it to everyone who's into dancing or just likes suspense, mystery and romance.
It sends an instructive message to all young girls out there.
This was my first book by Juliet and I'm definitely planning on reading the second one because it left me wanting more.
Wanting to learn more of Steph, more of what happens to Anton.💃🏻🕺🏻
The story is set in Melbourne, Australia.🇦🇺
.
.
Remember, when dancing Cha Cha, as in life you sometimes have to take one step back in order to move two steps forward. 🌻Juliet M. Sampson🌻
.
.
I came across Dance Demons kind of accidentally while I was searching for an Aussie authors.
Before anything else I fell in love with the book cover,and when I read the blurb which I thought it was very intriguing I decided to give it a try.
This is so interesting story the kind where you lose your self into and want to know what happens next.I just couldn't put it down, I read it two days which is a record for me with the two kids running around.😂
While this book is meant for teenagers and YA readers I definitely recommend it to everyone who's into dancing or just likes suspense, mystery and romance.
It sends an instructive message to all young girls out there.
This was my first book by Juliet and I'm definitely planning on reading the second one because it left me wanting more.
Wanting to learn more of Steph, more of what happens to Anton.💃🏻🕺🏻
The story is set in Melbourne, Australia.🇦🇺
.
.
Remember, when dancing Cha Cha, as in life you sometimes have to take one step back in order to move two steps forward. 🌻Juliet M. Sampson🌻
February 25, 2019
Excellent! I love the book. I finished it in a few hours. The way Juliet talked about salsa makes me want to do the salsa while I was reading it. I can found romance, crime and action in Dance Demons. All in one. Perfect!
September 19, 2018
WOW!!!! what an awesome read!!!! I have rated this 5 stars!!!
I have had the privilege of reading this author’s debut novel and sequel, as much as I love those stories, this one takes the cake!!!
When reading Dance Demons, I suddenly want to learn salsa lol.. I have to say, I got goosebumps reading this book!!
An interesting story of a woman whose passion for dance takes her on the roller coaster ride of her life when she falls in love with what she may consider the right kind of wrong..
As you turn the page, the plot thickens..
A thriller mystery deriving from dance – a great read!!!
For full synopsis of Dance Demons can be found on Goodreads.com.
Special thanks to the author for noting me in her acknowledgements page *fangirl moment*
- Annie
I have had the privilege of reading this author’s debut novel and sequel, as much as I love those stories, this one takes the cake!!!
When reading Dance Demons, I suddenly want to learn salsa lol.. I have to say, I got goosebumps reading this book!!
An interesting story of a woman whose passion for dance takes her on the roller coaster ride of her life when she falls in love with what she may consider the right kind of wrong..
As you turn the page, the plot thickens..
A thriller mystery deriving from dance – a great read!!!
For full synopsis of Dance Demons can be found on Goodreads.com.
Special thanks to the author for noting me in her acknowledgements page *fangirl moment*
- Annie
September 8, 2016
Thanks to Goodreads and to Juliet for sending me this book to read.
Wow, what a amazing book to read.
A book with love, death, action, drama, mystery all in one book.
Dance Demons is a book to find happiness in. Yes there is a death, yes there is bitchiness but there is also a wonderful light story about never giving up and always going with what feels right for you.
I love that Stephanie is neither hero nor villain but more just a girl getting on with life after the death of her boyfriend.
New friends, new crushes, new experiences all while Stephanie is trying to move forward.
This is a fantastic read for anyone wanting a light read and especially anyone into dance.
Lucky I have watched a few dance show so I knew what dance was happening.
Wow, what a amazing book to read.
A book with love, death, action, drama, mystery all in one book.
Dance Demons is a book to find happiness in. Yes there is a death, yes there is bitchiness but there is also a wonderful light story about never giving up and always going with what feels right for you.
I love that Stephanie is neither hero nor villain but more just a girl getting on with life after the death of her boyfriend.
New friends, new crushes, new experiences all while Stephanie is trying to move forward.
This is a fantastic read for anyone wanting a light read and especially anyone into dance.
Lucky I have watched a few dance show so I knew what dance was happening.
September 11, 2016
3.5
I did really enjoy this, but I felt like the ending was a little rushed—I wanted more closure than what we got. There were a couple of things I couldn't believe Stephanie got away for her age. My parents would have killed me if I tried even half the stuff she did, and they weren't even strict.
I did really enjoy this, but I felt like the ending was a little rushed—I wanted more closure than what we got. There were a couple of things I couldn't believe Stephanie got away for her age. My parents would have killed me if I tried even half the stuff she did, and they weren't even strict.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews