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Dancing for the Devil: One Woman's Dramatic and Divine Rescue from the Sex Industry

Anny Donewald,

Carrie Gerlach Cecil (Goodreads Author) (With)

4.16 · Rating details · 172 ratings · 22 reviews

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ebook, 384 pages

Published October 21st 2014 by Howard Books (first published September 2nd 2014)

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· 172 ratings · 22 reviews

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Jan 19, 2016 Laura Jean rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, non-fiction, large-print, spv-evaluation

Spoiler alert: I'm not a Christian.

However, I do respect those who are. What really struck me about this book was the author's statement in the introductory note, that she believes in telling the whole gory unpleasant truth of her experiences, because it is important for other people to realize that God loves you anyway....regardless...of the horrible things you've done. She is willing to let her life serve as an example of that. That's not an easy thing to do. It takes guts.

The next thing tha ...more

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Nov 11, 2014 Cafelilybookreviews rated it liked it · review of another edition

Readers need to be forewarned that while the publisher and author did an amazing job of presenting such a horrific, explicit topic without profanity or overly graphic descriptions, this book is not what I consider suitable for all readers. I would caution that this for mature audiences only.

This memoir was mentally taxing to read at times. I found myself wondering how a young woman from such a loving, stable home would end up in such hellish environments. Anny answers that question and more, wi ...more

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Nov 01, 2014 Martha Paschall-Boykin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amazing story! As Christians, what messages are we sending to others? Are we judging and criticizing or are we sharing God's unconditional love? ...more

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Sep 15, 2014 Paul Pessolano rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“Dancing for the Devil” by Anny Donewald with Carrie Gerlach Cecil, published by Howard Books.

Category – Memoir Publication Date – September 02, 2014

The sub-title to this book is, “One Woman’s Dramatic and Divine Rescue from the Sex Industry”. This is not a book that contains sexual content or strong language, although the subject matter lends itself to graphic description and explicit language the authors, at the request of the publisher, tells her story in a language that is acceptable to even ...more

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Jul 26, 2016 Amy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Absolutely life changing. Excellent writing style, I felt as if I were going through life with Anny.
Being from the GR area and attending MSU in Lansing gave me a real feel for the journey.
Courageous and Authentic Anny wins the prize.

Thank you for sharing your courage and incredible awareness. This also truly helps when raising teens and realizing they have their own journey. LOVE THEM WHERE THEY ARE. Love and kindness prevails!

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Dec 28, 2017 Victoria rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

Her honesty without being graphic about the sexuality that she endured. She was very humble and admirable for opening up as she did.

Anny really talked the most about herself and her father throughout this especially. I really love learning about how her upbringing was. She was and is truly blessed to have a father who cares so much about her and parents who didn't look down on her but always tried to help her despite her choices.

I really liked her story about her neighbor who made wolf sounds. T ...more

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Nov 17, 2018 Judy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A truly profound spiritual journey about someone lucky enough not to become a statistic, thanks to a loving family. 99.5% of people who work in the sex industry have been abused in their childhood and they need a way out. Eve's Angels are hope for a different life.
The book talks a lot about the stripping life. I wonder what her relationship with her siblings was like. She explains the tumble down the rabbit hole of addiction quite well and soon we see how the dancing and drugs are a vicious circ ...more

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Jul 16, 2019 Cleo Reynolds rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a fascinating story and a brilliant read. this is a story of sex for sale, drugs and debauchery at hits damndest, Following abuse at 13 years of age she embarked down the road of personal hell where women are both trapped and trafficked, where sexi is sold, itsd an insiders view to the seedy side of the sex industry, from both stripper to pole dancer where nothing comes easy, a place of secrets never to be told together with an eventual journey of healing.

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Nov 25, 2014 Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: anthropology, christianity, favorites, memoir, must-reads, non-fiction

(Reviewer's note: I received, upon request, a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Howard Books - a division of Simon & Schuster, in exchange for my honest review. vmls)

Fame... one's own or that of a friend or family... and the price that we are willing to pay to protect that fame, coupled with being sexually abused as a young teen set young Anny Donewald on a course... on a journey... of self-destruction that very nearly claimed her soul forever.

Dancing with the Devil tells the h ...more

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Nov 06, 2014 Victor Gentile rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Anny Donewald with Carrie Gerlach Cecil in her new book, “Dancing for the Devil” published by Howard Books gives us One Woman’s Dramatic and Divine Rescue from the Sex Industry.

From the back cover: All that glitters is not gold.

An explosive memoir of transformation from a high-end stripper and escort who hit rock-bottom, turned to God, and left the sex trade to found Eve’s Angels, a ministry reaching out to women in the sex industry.

Growing up as the daughter of an NCAA Championship-winning bask Anny Donewald with Carrie Gerlach Cecil in her new book, “Dancing for the Devil” published by Howard Books gives us One Woman’s Dramatic and Divine Rescue from the Sex Industry.

From the back cover: All that glitters is not gold.

An explosive memoir of transformation from a high-end stripper and escort who hit rock-bottom, turned to God, and left the sex trade to found Eve’s Angels, a ministry reaching out to women in the sex industry.

Growing up as the daughter of an NCAA Championship-winning basketball coach and a stay-at-home mom, Anny Donewald had a seemingly blessed childhood. Then, at thirteen, one of her father’s players sexually abused her, and Donewald embarked on a path toward self-destruction.

When Donewald was convinced to compete in an amateur night at a strip club, she found herself drawn into a world of drugs, money, and flesh peddlers in Michigan and Chicago—and eventually Las Vegas’ hottest XXX clubs. But the fantasy of fistfuls of hundred dollar bills quickly turned to the reality of bloodstains on bathroom floors and nights with customers in presidential suites at luxurious hotels. At an emotional breaking point and pondering the termination of her unborn son, Anny reached the gates of her personal hell. There, she found God.

Then, this long-legged, fiery blonde fought to free herself from the sex trade, and, by the healing grace of God, launched her non-profit, Eve’s Angels, which reaches out to girls who want out of the sex trade.

Dancing for the Devil takes an in-depth look at Anny’s struggles and sheds a new insider’s light on the horrible reality of the sex industry from someone who’s seen the worst of it. This captivating memoir shows how women from all walks of life find themselves trapped by the sex trade and, most importantly, explains how they can get out, start over, and find the love of Christ. Courageous and unforgettable, Dancing for the Devil is a heartbreaking story of darkness, grace, and, ultimately, redemption.

What happened to Anny Donewald could happen to anybody. She had a good life until she was sexually abused by a player on a team her father coached. From there is was a terrible descent into the world of strip clubs and the sex industry. How do you get out of this lifestyle when 1) you have to support your daughter and 2) you really do not know anything else? Once Ms. Donewald hit rock bottom she called out to God to rescue her. And He did! Her prayers are answered and she starts on a bumpy road to recovery. She feels that she is directed by God to help those, who like herself, feel trapped in the sex industry. Ms. Donewald has founded a Christian, non-profit, organization called “Eve’s Angels” to minister to not only the women but the men in the industry. This is not a book filled with graphic imagery of sex and violence it is, however, an honest expose of one woman’s nightmare and her eventual release from it. As I said this could happen to anybody we need to know how to help if we ever encounter someone in need. I think this book does exactly that.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ...more

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Jul 21, 2017 Gigi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I will say first that I like the title of the book. Also, I was very happy that the authors avoided the profanity that they no doubt could have included.

I bought Dancing for the Devil in spite of having stopped following Anny Donewald on Facebook a few years earlier. I found a lot of her theological pronouncements to be just kind of uninformed and tiresome. I recall feeling put off by her tough girl routine and also think that people who put themselves out publicly as evangelists for Christ sho I will say first that I like the title of the book. Also, I was very happy that the authors avoided the profanity that they no doubt could have included.

I bought Dancing for the Devil in spite of having stopped following Anny Donewald on Facebook a few years earlier. I found a lot of her theological pronouncements to be just kind of uninformed and tiresome. I recall feeling put off by her tough girl routine and also think that people who put themselves out publicly as evangelists for Christ should hold themselves to higher standards than I felt she did in a few different ways. You can be "real" or whatever and still express yourself like a normal, polite adult. But I am interested enough in the type of ministry she does that when I saw the book on Amazon, I bought it.

Anny's story is a little different than lots of dancers' stories in that she had an involved dad who was married to her mother. What struck me as a little odd about her story though is that (as she tells it) she did not feel that she could tell her parents about some sexual predations she was enduring at the hands of one of her father's players. (Her dad was a college basketball coach.) I found myself wondering if she was telling us the whole story, quite honestly. Particularly, I wondered if she had been abused previous to the incidents with the player. In some ways, it does not make sense that the player would go after the coach's daughter (though I believe Anny that he did) and it also did not entirely make sense to me that the incidents she describes - while certainly traumatizing and humiliating - would have been profound enough to lead her into the sex industry, although she was also raped later at boarding school. I do not fault her if she does not want to disclose everything that happened to her to the public; what she reveals is painful enough, but those are a few questions I had when reading.

The book is interesting and flows well, but there were bits that just strained credulity. After "coming to Christ," or whatever evangelicals call it, she claims that she had a dream in which she was instructed to go to a particular gas station and there would be a man there whose mother was sick. She goes to the gas station and the man is in fact there and the situation unfolds as she had foreseen. That could have happened, I suppose, but I am often doubtful about "signs and wonders" that non-denominational Christians claim to experience. The "exorcism" she finds herself performing was likewise not entirely believable.

The book is good, though I would not say a must-read unless you have a particular interest in the type of outreach that Anny does. "Dancing to Despair" is a good book for anyone who has an interest in former dancers, as is Harmony Dust’s book. ...more

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Jul 04, 2014 Faye rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Anny Donewald tells her story, sharing from her heart about her past and the great things that God has done and is still doing in her life.

Anny Donewald grew up the daughter of a famous NCAA basketball coach, with the eyes of a small town constantly upon her and family. Anny experienced sexual abuse at a young age, and again in college, and eventually found herself working as a stripper and raising her young daughter on her own.

Anny tells her story honestly and compellingly about the heartache Anny Donewald tells her story, sharing from her heart about her past and the great things that God has done and is still doing in her life.

Anny Donewald grew up the daughter of a famous NCAA basketball coach, with the eyes of a small town constantly upon her and family. Anny experienced sexual abuse at a young age, and again in college, and eventually found herself working as a stripper and raising her young daughter on her own.

Anny tells her story honestly and compellingly about the heartache, and struggles she faced, and many of the parts of the books are rather hard to read, my heart went out to her, and I rejoiced as I read about how she came to faith, and her strong desire and drive to follow God and help other women trapped by the sex industry.

I loved how Anny talks about how God used her to reach people, and even though she was doubtful, she followed his beckoning, which eventually led to her starting an organization called Eve's Angels to help women escape the sex industry.

Overall this was a heartfelt, and at times painful memoir. There are of course, adult themes in this book, but I do feel that she did spare many details in the telling of the story, giving the story enough edge to convey the story realistically and call readers to action, yet holding back many of the darker elements of the life that Anny previously experienced, mostly for the sake of the readers. I definitely think that the explicit elements were handled well, and fit very well with the kind of book that it is. Definitely one I would recommend, as a powerful story of redemption.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising." ...more

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Sep 26, 2014 Anthem Book Review rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Anny Donewald’s Dancing for the Devil opens the door to what actually takes place behind all the allure of strip clubs and high-priced prostitution. It would seem that the world of the sex industry, which has sadly become so mainstream in American culture, was all glitz and glam. Yet, in reality there are souls of broken and lost girls that have experienced sexual abuse at an alarming rate that led many of these women down this path. Donewald’s book Dancing with the Devil provides an in-depth lo ...more

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Nov 23, 2016 Dianne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It's amazing how 1 or 2 things in an almost perfect childhood can change a person so severely and make them make such bad choices, one after the other until they are so deep in their hole that they can't see a way out, then turn to drugs as an escape and make things even worse. Anny's story went on through years of strip clubs and drug abuse and it was hard to read at times, but it was interesting to see what goes on in that world and how things are done, how sex workers are groomed by other sex ...more

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Jan 06, 2016 Suzi Voss rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had the pleasure of meeting Anny at my church a couple of years ago, as she is involved in outreach ministry there. Most stories about girls who end up in the sex trade feature girls from broken homes and poverty situations, which was not Anny's case at all. She grew up with loving parents; her father was a well-known basketball coach and they were able to send her to one of the best creative arts schools in the Midwest. Her story of how she ended up in the sex trade, how her faith got her out ...more

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Jun 09, 2016 Jennifer Jarrell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Beautiful Story of Redemption!

This autobiography tells of a woman's transformation from a young innocent girl to a stripper/prostitute and how she was redeemed by turning to Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She now has a full time ministry witnessing to and pouring out love to other women in the sex industry. She writes beautifully that it is love and grace that will win these women to the Lord, not condemnation and scorn. A great read for anyone who loves tales of beauty from ashes! ...more

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Jun 15, 2014 Pam Thomas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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Dec 17, 2014 Nneka Bosland rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This story is riveting. Any really went down the wrong path repeatedly and through the grace of God and her dedicated, patient and outstanding parents, she was able to find her way back home. It's inspiring and teaches you to never give up on someone you love. ...more

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Jul 13, 2014 Christina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I learned a lot very moving

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Jan 04, 2017 Rhemaboy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Raw, real and challenging.
Amazing how God never quits on us.

This young lady had riches in the 'world' but poverty stricken spiritually.
Love wins...! ...more

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