He laces his fingers into my hair and slowly draws me in, his powerful hand gently threaded into the wet strands.  I whimper, from fear more so than pain. It doesn’t hurt. But each word is enunciated as he warns, “Do. Not. Ever. Steal. From. Me. Again.” Corliss Bell would do anything to bring her older sister, Aven, back to life. She’d give up her dreams of being a professional ballerina. She’d resign herself to never leaving the small seaside town of The Pins. Hell, she’d even make a deal with a demon. After all, demons are masters of death. When a town mystic tells Corliss there’s a demon living nearby who may be the key in returning Aven to life, she’s emboldened by the idea of getting her beloved sister back. Corliss sneaks into the demon’s dilapidated mansion to beg for his help. But instead of finding him, she discovers a pair of enchanted red ballet slippers and steals them. The demon comes to reclaim what is his but finds Corliss and the slippers hopelessly intertwined. He imprisons her in his mansion, forcing her to dance for him every evening as punishment for stealing. Far from a helpless captive, Corliss begins working out a plan to bring Aven back to life, as soon as she can convince the demon—Orrin—to help her. Hauntingly beautiful, with lush prose and a vividly creepy atmosphere,  A Dance With Death is a compulsively juicy read that will wind its way into your psyche. Part horror, part magic—this is the gothic love story you didn't know you were missing. “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 Praise for Amanda Linsmeier’s Starlings “Like the town of Rosemont itself, outwardly lush and beautiful but steeped in sinister secrets, Linsmeier’s Starlings is a deliciously dark fantasy that I devoured in a single day.” — Amy Goldsmith, author of  Those We Drown “If you ever wished Stars Hollow had more things that went bump in the night, Starlings is for you! Linsmeier’s haunting mystery held me captive, eager to learn all of Rosemont’s dark secrets.” — Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows “Linsmeier uses a delicate emotional palette to depict her plot, beginning with the subdued gloom and grief surrounding Kit and her mother. The suspen