Description:
Desperate to bring her older sister back to life, twenty-two-year-old Corliss Bell makes a deal with a demon. But she gets more than she bargained for when she realizes that she doesn't hate the demon nearly as much as she thought and gets thrown headfirst into his dark world.
Brief description: Amanda 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.
Review Quotes:
"Linsmeier creates great atmosphere in her richly detailed opening chapters... Lovers of gothic romantasy will find plenty to hold their interest." --Publishers Weekly
"A gothic fairytale with nods to 'Beauty and the Beast, ' Amanda Linsmeier's A Dance With Death explores the overlap of love and grief... The atmospheric prose paints lush pictures of misty beaches, hollow mansion halls, and a demonic queen's court... The tender portrayal of the quiet devastation of grief is standout, rooting the characters in empathetic experiences, even when they aren't human at all." --Foreword Reviews
"A Dance With Death is like a night at the gothic ballet. Eerie atmosphere, resonant themes of revenge and sisterhood, and an exquisitely rendered romance leap from the pages. Readers will be riveted as they watch the story play out on a ghastly stage magically set by Amanda Linsmeier." --Autumn Krause, critically acclaimed author of Grave Flowers
"Absolutely spellbinding! Linsmeier makes a name for herself with this sweepingly romantic, enchantingly gothic fairytale. A Dance with Death is both beautiful and haunting--a masterclass of love, loss, and sisterhood." --Skyla Arndt, author of House of Hearts and Together We Rot
"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!" --Keshe Chow, Sunday Times bestselling author of For No Mortal Creature
"With a trio of charming sisters, a demon in the woods, and a cottage by the sea, Amanda crafts a curious world en pointe, balancing classic romance against artful twists you'll want to savor as they go dancing by! Perfect for fans of Practical Magic, and anyone who grew up desperate to dance in a pair of red shoes." --Maggie Rapier, USA Today bestselling author of Soulgazer
"Told in lush prose, A Dance with Death is a blood-laced gothic romance tied up with a silken bow. Gruesome, grief-stricken, yet ultimately filled with heart, Linsmeier delivers a crushed-velvet triumph of a tale." --Teagan Olivia King, author of Spit Back the Bones and Bitterbloom
"Linsmeier artfully crafts a dark fairytale with gorgeous prose and rich worldbuilding. I was enchanted by the seaside town, the mysterious house, and the eerie magic twisting through every page." --Ana Davis, author of My Keen Knife
"A Dance with Death is a delightfully haunting gothic fairytale, replete with vivid, eerie atmosphere, luscious prose, and a love story that's to die for. I was utterly captivated." --Kalie Cassidy, author of In the Veins of the Drowning