I will read anything ballet themed. That’s just how I am as an ex-ballerina from high school. So you know I had to read The Devil’s in the Dancers! Keep reading this book review of The Devil’s in the Dancers for my full thoughts.
Summary
Earning a scholarship to the Allegra Academy summer intensive was supposed to fix everything for Mars Chang. The academy is owned and run by the Bechlers, a big pharma family. And if Mars befriends the right girls, she could unlock the doors to the Ivy League future of her dreams.
When Mars is unexpectedly assigned to room with Alex Bechler, she knows impressing Alex will make or break all her plans. Alex is annoyingly attractive, the best dancer at the academy, and her great aunt runs the program. So when the headmistress pulls Mars aside and asks her to swap Alex’s supplements with a new Bechler product, APL, in exchange for year-round admittance, Mars can’t say no.
But as Mars gets to know Alex and how much she dislikes her family and ballet, swapping the pills proves harder than Mars bargained for. Knowing Alex better only makes it clearer how unfair the academy is. So Mars decides to help another scholarship student by letting her try the supplements. At first, the pills give the girl an instant edge in class. But when they also produce terrifying side effects, Mars suspects that APL might not be safe after all.
But how can Mars, the new girl, convince the academy’s best that her life is in danger without jeopardizing her own dreams in the process?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Devil’s in the Dancers is a story full of twists and turns about friendship and the dangerous world of dance. It’s about competition, ambition, and the pressure pot of getting ahead. In this world, it’s all about the social game. We are being trained in direct competition to each other, so how can friendship even bloom? How can it even be sincere? This hyper competitive ecosystem is about who we know and what we can do for someone. If you love a story with character development and betrayal, The Devil’s in the Dancers is for you!
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While the book expands as it continues, this starts off insular and singular. It grows to be a story about sacrifice and a world which is content giving up their future. The pacing of the ending felt a little off, especially considering the fabulous lead up, but I really enjoyed The Devil’s in the Dancers. It is a great pairing with I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me! We love to see more ballet stories! Find The Devil’s in the Dancers on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, & Blackwells.