Where Demons Dance

by Emma Briedis

What would you risk to find the truth? "I have to stay that I don't normally read historical fiction. But, I really enjoyed this story." - Jacob Rundle, Author of Augur of Shadows "This book was so well written! I enjoyed reading every page and felt like I was actually there with Ava, Lawrence and Penelope, experiencing all of their adversities with them." - Amanda, Amazon Reviewer ________ A desperate widow… It’s 1874 in Cedar City, Utah Territory when Penelope Cavey finds her beloved husband, Henri, dead from a gunshot wound and the mysterious phrase, “demons dance” carved into the parlor mirror. Despite her brother’s attempts to dissuade her, Penelope is determined to find Henri’s killer and sets out alone for St. Joseph, a rural town in Utah—following the only clue Henri left for her. A lying father… Ava Patton is haunted by dreams of another life. Her nightmares give way to reality when her caring stepmother, Nellie, confirms her rising suspicions that the man who claims to be her father is only pretending to be, and that her real parents are dead. Astounded by this revelation, Ava sets out to uncover what became of her parents and in doing so, stumbles upon a heartbreaking tragedy. She is forced to stop her quest when her brother, Lawrence, falls seriously ill. A labyrinth of a mansion… Lawrence finds himself trapped within the winding halls of a large house, plagued by taunting voices as he struggles to escape. Unable to distinguish reality from the imaginary, Lawrence doesn’t know who or what imprisoned him there, nor to whom the house belongs. Lawrence realizes he holds the key and must find Ava and Penelope before another person is silenced.

443 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2019

Reviews

[Haley Kingsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last fall, I received a book in the mail by a friend of mine from school. Her sister wrote this book and asked for me to read, review, and share my thoughts on it!

Diving into this novel, I had no clue where it was going to go. While on Goodreads, I noticed another person’s review of the novel mention something about a “massacre” and before I saw anything else shut the tab! haha This book was inspired by the Mountain Meadows Massacre in southern Utah in 1857. Ever heard of it? Me either. After finishing the novel I did my own research and looked up the gory details of what happened. In a way, I could see how knowing about this event prior to reading the novel would’ve been nice, but I did appreciate the anonymity of the circumstances that surround these characters.

I am giving this book 3/5 stars because I enjoyed the writing, the overall plot, and the two main female leads, Ava and Penelope. The reason I am not giving it a higher score is because of certain plot points not being very well explained as well as majority of Lawrence’s perspective (Ava’s brother). His chapters/viewpoint were interesting at first, but they started to get hard to read. Briedis paints a very descriptive inner world for Lawrence, which is where majority of his storyline takes place, and at times it was really interesting, but I think it got old after a while. All in all, I think I wish we would’ve found out about the Massacre a bit earlier that we do and see a better resolved for Lawrence.

However, I am really thankful to have read Where Demons Dance and learned about this brutal and surprising part of America’s history. I love a good historical fiction and am always open to reading an up-and-coming author! 🙂 If you want your own copy of Where Demons Dance, check it out on Amazon.


Book blog post: https://brookeandbinding.wordpress.co...

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I will probably buy a paperback copy to add to my shelf of “Most Favorite Books.” The prose is exceptionally written and the characters are real. It has been quite a long time since I’ve read a book that truly made me reflect on our history and inspired me to learn more. This book does deal with Mormonism, which I only have experience with in the form of distant and estranged relatives, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the religion’s portrayal. However, it is evident that the author spent many, many hours researching this story in order to make it as accurate as possible, and it truly shows. I implore anyone who is even remotely interested in historical fiction to pick up this book.

[Jacob Rundle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of Where Demons Dance in exchange for an honest and true review. I have to stay that I don't normally read historical fiction. But, I really enjoyed this story. The story centers around Ava, Lawrence, and Penelope and the event called the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I had no knowledge of this event, which made the story even more interesting. My attention was held throughout the story. I didn't see too many flaws in the structure of the story. The reader will feel the emotions of the characters, and you'll see how the story and characters evolve. If you like historical fiction, I believe that you'll enjoy the story.

[W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional combination of an actual historical account through the eyes of fictional characters. This novel will cause the reader to be aghast and in grieved horror for those whose lives were taken under the guise of beliefs The author, Emma Briedis, took a great deal of time and thought in laying out the story. i am in serious awe of how she aligned fact with amazingly well written fiction in a gripping tale of the unimaginable.
-To The Author-
There were not enough stars to rate how high this book should be on the must read list!-

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where Demons Dance is based on the Mountain Meadows Massacre in southern Utah in 1857. The characters are well defined and the storyline is well written and researched. This story has heartbreak, drama, murder, suspense, and Mormons. This is a truly interesting historical fiction story and is a real page-turner.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Briedis took a piece of American history that I wasn't at all familiar with and wove it into an intriguing story. I particularly appreciated the way in which she incorporated pieces of history into the story bit-by-bit, and largely through a madman's perspective, building to the final "reveal" of the tragedy at Mountain Meadows. I look forward to seeing what other stories this author shares in the future!

[Chaundra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

I rounded up from 2.5 stars because I did want to keep reading. I am interested in reading more about the massacre.