My thoughts
I'm a huge fan of Wendy Walker's books. I've not read one yet that disappointed me. There is always an edge. Always a thrill. And always tears to be shed. This one is excellent. A real page turner. I usually shy away from books about sports. This one drew me in and didn't let go until I turned that last page.
A book about ice skaters. Where they stayed and what they did. The competitions and the friendships made. Even enemies made. There is always a bit of jealousy in any competition. This story puts it all out there. How children are treated when away from home. When staying with an adult who can pick and choose whatever and whoever she wants. This is a very complex story about girls competing for championships and hopeful olympic placement. Girls who compete against each other but are still there for each other in so many ways.
The author takes you into the depths of the ice skating world. The trials each puts on themselves. How lies can ruin a life. How doing good can make you or break you. What happens when you are away from family. When tragic events take shape. Girls who are truly not ready to take on the tasks of acting grown up. Partying. Having grown ups put up barriers for them. These girls are just children who want to skate. Yes they want to win but mostly they just want to be loved and accepted as they are. Whether they pass of fail.
You get to know some of these girls and yes this is fiction but loosely based on things that do happen. Adults who take advantage of these kids. Both women and men. Seems there is a lot of abuse. In most every way.
My heart broke for these young girls. Yes they wanted to skate but they didn't want to be hurt. Lied too. Taken advantage of.
This is about a murder. A young girl who is accused of this murder. It looks bad for her. Of course it does. Her lawyer went to this same school fourteen years earlier. Ana knows what it was like. As does this girl's mother. Grace is in so much trouble. Accused of murder. Murder of a well liked man. Her mother, also lived here before. Back when the girls were training to be olympic ice skaters. Now Grace and Ana have to fight to find out who did what and why. Grace doesn't want to say anything. She doesn't trust anyone. Least of all Ana...
This story goes from before to now. From before to after. Told mainly from Ana's POV. You will find out all you need to know.
I was immersed in this book. Couldn't look away. I throughly enjoyed it. I cried. I cringed. I even laughed a bit. I never figured out who the killer was.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
4.75 stars.
A book about ice skaters. Where they stayed and what they did. The competitions and the friendships made. Even enemies made. There is always a bit of jealousy in any competition. This story puts it all out there. How children are treated when away from home. When staying with an adult who can pick and choose whatever and whoever she wants. This is a very complex story about girls competing for championships and hopeful olympic placement. Girls who compete against each other but are still there for each other in so many ways.
The author takes you into the depths of the ice skating world. The trials each puts on themselves. How lies can ruin a life. How doing good can make you or break you. What happens when you are away from family. When tragic events take shape. Girls who are truly not ready to take on the tasks of acting grown up. Partying. Having grown ups put up barriers for them. These girls are just children who want to skate. Yes they want to win but mostly they just want to be loved and accepted as they are. Whether they pass of fail.
You get to know some of these girls and yes this is fiction but loosely based on things that do happen. Adults who take advantage of these kids. Both women and men. Seems there is a lot of abuse. In most every way.
My heart broke for these young girls. Yes they wanted to skate but they didn't want to be hurt. Lied too. Taken advantage of.
This is about a murder. A young girl who is accused of this murder. It looks bad for her. Of course it does. Her lawyer went to this same school fourteen years earlier. Ana knows what it was like. As does this girl's mother. Grace is in so much trouble. Accused of murder. Murder of a well liked man. Her mother, also lived here before. Back when the girls were training to be olympic ice skaters. Now Grace and Ana have to fight to find out who did what and why. Grace doesn't want to say anything. She doesn't trust anyone. Least of all Ana...
This story goes from before to now. From before to after. Told mainly from Ana's POV. You will find out all you need to know.
I was immersed in this book. Couldn't look away. I throughly enjoyed it. I cried. I cringed. I even laughed a bit. I never figured out who the killer was.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
4.75 stars.
About
From USA Today bestselling author—and former competitive skater—Wendy Walker comes a chilling psychological thriller set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating.
Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.
Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime—Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace’s guilt, and she’s days away from facing charges of first-degree murder.
But Ana’s investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an “Orphan.” With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth—even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago.
Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.
Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime—Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace’s guilt, and she’s days away from facing charges of first-degree murder.
But Ana’s investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an “Orphan.” With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth—even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago.
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