Laure Mesny is a student at a prestigious ballet school in Paris, relentlessly pushing herself to the point of being bruised and bloody, aiming for a coveted spot as an apprentice in the Paris Ballet Company. No matter how much effort she makes, her fellow students and teachers constantly dismiss her because of her race and upbringing. Worn down by their prejudice and angry about being overlooked and powerless, she makes a bargain with a mysterious being in a bloody river deep in the catacombs.
Suddenly she has unprecedented control and influence and becomes unable to resist using her newfound power to advance her career, hurting those who stand in her way. The story follows Laure's transition from being a victim of monstrous treatment to becoming a monster herself.
This unique debut horror novel is creepy, unsettling and deliciously dark. The story explores themes of racism, privilege, nepotism, entitlement and power. The setting was atmospheric and vivid, alternating between the beautiful Palais Garnier and the gloomy depths of the Paris catacombs.
The writing skillfully weaves fantasy, horror and real-world elements creating a compelling, haunting, tense and exciting story. I could not stop reading and am thrilled to hear there will be a sequel. ( )

It was not bad, do not get me wrong. It really was not awful! But I could not get through this. It felt like I was dragging my feet and I didn't want to keep reading it after about half way. It may have just been very well outside of my comfort zone for reading, and thats okay! I just could not do it. I can see how someone would really love this book though. Its a story of competition, proving your worth.
My positives though! The way racism, peer pressure, eating disorders, and toxicity were approached in the novel felt very authentic. It did not seem watered down at all, and that I really enjoyed. The author treated heavy topics with the care and seriousness they deserve, and all the props in the world for that.
Overall, I did give the novel 3 stars. The cover is outstanding, and the writing style was genuinely enjoyable but the characters (aside from Laure) felt very surface level and kinda static. I really was just expecting more from this story, especially with the overwhelmingly positive reviews I saw on Goodreads. ( )

This book is set in the world of ballet. The main character Laure wants to achieve even if it means selling her soul to the devil.

I tried really hard with this book but it just wasn't for me. I managed to get to 100 pages and decided to DNF. The section I did read was all about ballet with it seems a lot of research has gone into it. However I felt this bogged me down and I know very little about ballet the best of times.

The main story about selling your soul to the devil has been done many times before and in lots of situations so I did feel I wasn't reading anything unique.

The book is aimed at the YA audience but did feel that if this is your thing then anyone can read it.

Thank you to the author and Readers First for the opportunity to read the book. I'm sure the book is more worthy than the two stars I have given but as I didn't finish it I can't rate it any higher. Overall a no no for me. ( )

This incredibly written and thought-provoking story takes you deep into the cutthroat world of professional ballet, where a determined young Black ballerina, Laure Mesny, is ready to do whatever it takes to reach the coveted 'etoile' rank. Laure is incredibly talented, works tirelessly, and is driven like no other, but her efforts always seem to be ignored and overlooked.

So, when darkness calls out somewhere from the depths of the Catacombs of Paris, Laure decides to answer. She makes a bargain with a pulsating river of blood that flows deep through those underground tunnels. What are the costs and consequences of power that cannot be denied? Also, will Laure’s soul be enough to satisfy its hunger?

“I wasn’t sure anymore who was in control: me or the sliver of Acheron nesting in my blood. It grew less clear every day where I ended and the wicked darkness inside of me began.”

The writing and character development are impressive, and the story pulled me into the dark, cruel world of ballet, where politics, privilege, and wealth often overshadow true talent and hard work. The novel explores important themes such as racism, classism, and nepotism within the ballet industry. I loved how the author integrated the Paris Catacombs into the story. These underground passages hold the remains of over 6 million people, making them undeniably one of the eeriest places on Earth. This absence of the living (and the presence of something else) added to the already haunting atmosphere that invades every page of this novel. I also loved the ending – it was spectacular, but I won’t spoil anything.

I wanted to see more of Laure’s relationship with other characters, specifically Andor, Julien, and Coralie. I loved the slow, tension-filled romance between Laure and Andor, and I needed more of it. Laure's relationship with her parents probably had a big impact on her personality, so I was curious to see more of that too. I also feel like Laure’s friendship with Coralie was already strained, and I wanted more flashbacks to understand how they became so close in the first place. It would explain why Laure was willing to risk everything to save her once-close friend, even after she tried to take everything from her. I'm also interested in learning more about the Lethe, and hopefully, some of these questions will be answered in the sequel.

However, aside from these issues, this was an astonishing debut! It’s a gripping, powerful tale that will play with your heart and mind. This story is about monstrosity in all of its forms – whether it manifests within the ballet industry, the city of Paris, the complex characters of Laure Mesny and Coralie Baumé, or the primordial darkness - Acheron. I couldn’t put it down. I’ll keep an eye out for future books from this author!

Thank you, BookishFirst, the publisher Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), and author Jamison Shea for the gifted copy! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ( )

A Fairytale for the Dark Souls

“What do you crave?”
“And what would you give for power?”

(Possible spoilers, read at your own risk)
Laure Mesny has ambition in her blood. It's not enough that she was trained by the Paris Ballet if she can't also join the company, not enough still if she can't be the star.
She will do whatever it takes; longer practices, broken nails, humiliation and thanklessly pouring everything she has into dance. She is perfect, but that isn't enough in a world of privilege, prejudice and nepotism. It's can never be enough, when acceptance is dependant on money and skin colour.
But none of that has to matter, because Laure is willing to do what it takes, give what it takes.
Even if what it takes is blood.
How lucky that she has finally found someone who will accept her sacrifice, and reward it. Someone, or something.
It doesn't matter. All that matters is that she has power.

Wow. I Feed Her to the Beast is one exhilarating ride, I honestly couldn't put it down. Laure Mesny is the flawed MC I have been dying to meet for a long time. I had high expectations for this book when I picked it up, and it met so many of them head on.
Firstly, can we talk about the setting? I have been obsessed with Paris since I was a small child reading Madeline books, on into my teenage years with Les Miserables and of course, The Phantom of the Opera. I was thrilled when I realised this story was going to take place in the Palais Garnier, and even more thrilled as I read the descriptions and story itself. The atmosphere of the story was a strong enough reference to Phantom, and I was glad that there weren't too many parallels other than the location and the feel of the story.
The Paris catacombs too have captured my imagination in the past, as they have come into various books and films over the years. What a wonderful setting for a book, this perfect gilded city sitting atop a rabbit-warren of tunnels and caverns literally filled with the dead. Paris is still one of my favourite places, so full of history both dark and beautiful.

When you think of the deal-with-the-devil trope, what comes to mind? For me the immediate thought is “be careful what you wish for”. It's monkey's paws, in-over-your-head, everything comes with a price. Of course, I mean those things are synonymous with devil deals, aren't they? Well, they no longer have to be. I was waiting for the tired old penny to drop, for the moment to come when Laure realises that she has given everything for nothing and now she is damned. But Jamison Shea saw me coming, and I want to hug them for that.
This is a different kind of story. It's not one where “Good must defeat Evil” because maybe, just maybe, people are more complex than that? It's a story that acknowledges that monsters come in all forms, and not everything that looks monstrous, or even is monstrous, is evil. Sometimes, the darkness doesn't need casting out, sometimes it just needs to be embraced.

I will always love a classic fairytale where the 'good people' live happily ever after and the 'baddies' get defeated, okay? But also, it is beyond refreshing to read a story for the flaws in us, for our fear ridden power-hungry selves. A story that acknowledges that we all have something vicious inside of us, and that's okay.
Laure isn't a protagonist, and she certainly isn't the villain. She is just herself- powerful, angry, and ready to be given the chance that she has rightfully earned, even if she has to take it by force. Although I don't relate to her particular level of ambition, I found that I loved her and felt a certain kinship for her. I think a lot of people will find themselves reflected in Laure, the ones who have inner darkness that isn't supposed to be acknowledged, who always hide their dark imagination from the people around them, afraid there is something wrong with them.

I know that another trope which is fairly tired at this point is that the 'true monsters' are society and expectations, etc, but honestly Shea does this so well that I can't even be mad. I was so angry at the attitudes and oversights of the ballet company, that it was somehow easy to feel that they were the true villains, rather than the more obvious ancient eldritch god.
How is that possible, how have I finished reading a book about a blood sacrifice to an ancient deity who manifests in the form of a river of blood, and come out feeling like, nope, Acheron isn't the villain. What? It makes no sense, in the best way possible.

I think the only other time I have read a story this backwards from usual in terms of how you feel towards the devil character (aside from absurd comedies like Good Omens) is Sylvia Townsend Warner's book Lolly Willows. Its a gentle classic with the bizarre and unexpected twist involving a somehow lovely little deal with the devil. I want to put these two books on the shelf next to each other. Two other stories which this one evokes are Addie LaRue and Black Swan (of course), and some films I've seen recently which also channel the obsessive devotion and intensity of the Paris Ballet are The Perfection, and Nocturne (Blumhouse). Both of these are music stories rather than dance, but the vibe is so similar.
When reading that opening line I also can't help thinking “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”.
If you know, you know.
Also, if you loved the claustrophobic creepiness of the Paris catacombs, I would like to recommend a film which takes place there - As Above So Below, thought it is not for the faint of heart.

I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, but if you like the sound of it, you are going to love it. If you are ready to see the odd one out take back her own, if you are tired of darkness being synonymized with evil, if you are looking for an unapologetic and fierce main character, then this book is for you.

It was real privilege to read this book pre-publication, thank you to Reader's First. ( )