Name: Elianna Lucas's review of Blood and Ballet by Melissa Nicole Mitchell
Item: Blood and Ballet
Rating: 5
Author: Elianna Lucas

Melissa Nicole Mitchell

"If only ballerinas knew what vampire blood could do for their dancing." In Anghor Manor, there is always a choice. When ex-ballet dancer Celine sees something she shouldn't in the alleyway outside of Vienna's hottest nightclub, Fluxx, owned and frequented by vampires, she is offered three choices. Each choice is as frightening as the next. Unable to make up her mind, Cece bides her time. She wrestles with memories of her old life, a life she was forced to abandon when a devastating injury ended her ballet career. Now she must pick up the broken pieces and move on, but moving on offers its own challenges, especially when Caius, lord of Anghor Manor, offers her something more precious than gold.Blood and Ballet is a young adult novel with a fresh take on vampires, blending together the world of ballet with age old ideas, while adding a dash of Roman history. Transport yourself to Anghor Manor nestled in the countryside just outside of Vienna, where vampires lurk, blood rules, and romance awaits.

Blood and Ballet

*emmie*

Elianna Lucas

“To be a ballerina is to be immortal, or so we tell ourselves. We must live for the here and now. We cannot afford to think about death.”
 —Melissa Mitchell

Melissa Mitchell has done it again. I fell in love with Talon the Black and Reyr the Gold from her Dragonwall Series, and Blood and Ballet, her first novel, is yet another I have fallen in love with! Mrs. Mitchell has quickly solidified herself as one of my favorite authors. 

I have read quite a few vampire stories, but none of them were like this one. The blend of vampire lore with Greek mythology was unique and well-executed. It was such a different take and it worked well in this story. I also appreciated that while the vampires were dark and mysterious, as they should be, they were not unnecessarily cruel towards humans. It was refreshing to read! The two focal points of ballet and vampires paired well together. The way aspects of vampires were connected so clearly with ballet was stunning and another very well done aspect of this book. 

As a ballerina, Cece has had to put up with a lot of shit from those around her. It’s a cutthroat world and to be the best, you have to endure the hate that others give. Her strength is evident in the ways that she speaks to Caius. She is demanding of what she wants and although Caius does not give it to her, she does not stop asking. Instead, she works hard to make a life for herself within her new and unfamiliar situation. Each encounter with Caius brought insight not only to him but also to Cece and the battles she is fighting. It also served to develop their slow-burn romance in a way that made sense and didn’t seem forced. Ballet is the most important thing in Cece’s life. It is her form of self-expression and it is how she builds her esteem. It is clear that the moments she spends discussing ballet or dancing ballet are the most important moments for her. 

The way each chapter starts, pulling the reader away from the detail of the story and providing an insight into Cece’s thought process as a ballerina, was almost like being able to press pause on the story in order to gain more information, before again pressing play. As someone not familiar with the technicalities of ballet, these moments were helpful and I looked forward to them at the start of every chapter. I feel as though I have a renewed sense of love and respect for ballet.

I absolutely loved Blood and Ballet for its ability to bring something unique and refreshing to vampire lore. I will be recommending this book!

emmie &
Blood and Ballet by Melissa Nicole Mitchell

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*emmie* &Blood and Ballet by Melissa Nicole Mitchell

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emmie &
Blood and Ballet by Melissa Nicole Mitchell