Dina is desperate to skate, it's in her blood, her bones, but she lives miles from anywhere so when her parents are away, and she gets to stay in Sheffield, the draw of the big ice rinks is irresistible. But Sheffield is not all roses. She and her brothers have been sent to stay with their frosty aunt so it is in secret that Dina slips out to skate. There she finds herself ill equipped for the social dynamics of the sparkly teenage ice dancers, but her skating is superb. There is a mystery to uncover, family history and relationships to understand. But very soon, we are rooting for Dina, applauding her bravery as she makes new friends and stands up for them and herself, and throughout we are whirling on the ice, feeling her exhilaration, her skill, and her joy. I raced through this - the style is bubbly and immediate. Dina is absolutely real, as are her brothers and the new teenagers that she meets. And the ice rinks are spot on. Massively recommend for 8+

Much as I love fantasy and science fiction, I’m only too aware that they are not for everyone and I do also enjoy reading stories that are more real, whether contemporary or set at some point in history. Having read and loved the author’s other titles, I was delighted when this arrived and ensured that it didn’t sit for too long in the pile on the shelf. As someone who had a couple of attempts at ice skating a very long time ago but whose ability can realistically be compared to that of a house brick, I did wonder how I’d get on with this but I can now report that no knowledge or skill of the sport is necessary and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as its target audience will. With her parents both away, Dina finds herself and younger brothers Beau and Sawyer temporarily transported from their Welsh home to their aunt’s in Sheffield. Casting her mind back to the friendly woman who she knew a few years ago, when her older sister Sasha was still alive, Dina is surprised by her aunt’s coldness towards her and immediately feels uncomfortable in her new surroundings. Deciding to escape from the house for a while, and desperate to skate, Dina goes for a walk and heads towards the nearby ice rink. Once out on the ice, Dina watches the others who are there before accidentally colliding with another skater – an incident that leads her to chat to a few of those close by, including a girl called Rosie with whom Dina immediately hits it off. Learning that there are a showcase and a competition coming up, Dina determines to enter both but before long it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want her to take part in either and is prepared to go to drastic lengths to prevent her doing so. With her stay at her aunt’s not bringing her any pleasure, and skating and her budding friendship with Rosie the only things keeping her going, can Dina uncover who her enemy at the rink is and find a way to enter the events on which she has set her heart? Like many young people, Dina has had an awful lot to contend with in her short life. Having lost her older sister, she takes some comfort from her memories of Sasha but at her aunt’s feels constantly that Sasha was the preferred child from the comments made to her by both her aunt and her younger brothers. Added into this is the pressure she feels to take on the role of oldest child, leading her to feel that she is not good enough – something that she can escape from on the ice, where she feels completely at home. Young readers cannot help but empathise with Dina’s position and will cheer her on as she does her best not just at the rink but with those from whom she might justifiably expect to feel better supported. Unlike some books that I’ve read where the sport featured is such a big part of the story that I’ve not understood some of the narrative, and hence haven’t enjoyed them, this is a read that anyone will be able to pick up. In addition to being a story about family and friendship, this is really a mystery as Dina tries to unpick not just who is acting against her but why. Although there are some references to skating moves, some of which I didn’t have the foggiest about, they form only a very small part of the text so that anyone unfamiliar with skating won’t have any problems following what is going on. Ideal for confident readers in Year 4 upwards, this is a lovely story and I am very much looking forward to seeing what the author writes next.