I'm sorry but we took stage moms/athlete parents and used their ridiculousness to pin two against each other and I am here for it!

I tried repeatedly to get into this book and it just seemed odd to me and I didn’t like it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

This was a great book!! I love how it is so mysterious and the letter is eerie and the writing just makes it work so well! I think it was a great book. I love the dance studio scene, and this book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going to happen next!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Georgina Prescott’s ballet career ended years ago by a metatarsal fracture and now, the same thing has happened to her daughter Anna, who attends a prestigious ballet academy. The only person who know what happened is Anna’s BFF Naomi, and Georgina doesn’t quite trust her, as rumors swirl around that Naomi caused Anna’s fall & unfortunate injury. Georgina is determined to find out what really happened to her daughter in this unputdownable thriller.

This book was amazing! I have always really liked ballet, but I think anyone would love this book. I was initially drawn to this book because the cover is gorgeous. Once I read that description and saw it was about ballet, I had to read it. I was immediately hooked from the start. I loved how the author showed you the behind the scenes of the ballet. The author did a great job to really show the emotions in this book and the character development was perfect. I highly recommend even if you aren’t a fan of ballet.

Anna and Naomi are the top two students at their prestigious dance academy. Anna, with natural talent plus all the privileges that come with money and a mother who is a former ballerina herself, is expected to have her pick of company jobs when she graduates; Naomi has fire, but without the same advantages (either innate or based in privilege) she has always been second on the casting list, and she knows her pickings will be slimmer. But it's their last year, and neither girl—to say nothing of their mothers, or the teachers at the academy—is quite satisfied with the status quo.

I'm a sucker for a ballet book and no stranger to those fully of jealousy and intrigue, but this is a pretty grim read. The book switches between POVs, with a focus on Georgina (Anna's mother) and Naomi; Anna herself does not take center stage until very late in the book. And it's clear from the beginning that neither Georgina nor Naomi is a particularly pleasant person to spend time with: Georgina is a consummate stage mother, micromanaging her daughter's food (have to maintain that underweight ballet bod) and training (Georgina has ingratiated herself enough with the school to pull some significant strings) and friendships (Anna has very few of them, which is just the way Georgina likes it). She has a laser focus, and if it ever mattered what Anna wanted or what made Anna happy, well, it's been a long time since those things mattered. Naomi, meanwhile, is no better: though she's officially Anna's best friend, Naomi is definitely in it to keep her enemies closer. She's jealous and bitter and calculating from the get-go, convinced that Anna is the thing between herself and success and resenting her mother for having to work to keep Naomi in school fees and pointe shoes.

Other characters float in and out: Naomi's mother, who is briefly the only palatable character in the book but rapidly descends into the same unpleasantness that afflicts everyone else; the women running the academy, who really give no shits; the new artistic director, who in all of his considerable dialogue I don't think says a single thing that is *polite*, let alone kind; and on it goes. Anna is almost universally painted as a bit of a saint, but because we aren't in her POV until the end (and even then she's, you know, not really a saint), it's really just...bitterness and sex and drugs and lies and sleaziness and sabotage and venom. A lot of it involving fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds. Oh, and some improbable scenes involving the police. (I won't go into details, but the most realistic thing about it is that only a white girl with money and visibility would get an all-available-resources treatment when she's been missing for ten minutes and all signs point to her having left the house voluntarily.)

I didn't love the structure—the chapters flip back and forth through time, but (partly because just about everyone starts out at Bitch Level 10 and then stays there) I had trouble figuring out what was taking place when; it didn't matter all that much to my understanding of the book, but I'd probably have found a more linear plot easier to follow. And there's a *lot* of a character calling "a number" or finding something shocking or similar and then withholding that information from the reader until it's revealed later down the line. I tend to prefer books where the reader knows what the POV character knows; hiding that info from the reader always registers as a bit contrived.

So...a low three stars. Despite all of the above, this made for a very quick read, but...I was glad not to be in the characters' heads any longer. It'll be a good fit who like their characters messy and unlikable and their ballet drama with a side of broken glass in the pointe shoes, but I needed someone—anyone—to root for, and I never really could.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

#TheShadowGirls #NetGalley
Brilliant.
Ballet is all about grace, beauty, and perfection—but beneath the surface, it’s a ruthless world of ambition, obsession, and secrets. Nina Laurin’s The Shadow Girls plunges readers into this cutthroat environment, blending psychological suspense with the intense pressures of elite ballet training. Fans of Black Swan and Megan Abbott’s The Turnout will find themselves captivated by this chilling and atmospheric thriller.
Georgina Prescott’s world shatters when her daughter, Anna—a rising ballet star—suffers a metatarsal fracture, the very injury that ended Georgina’s own career years ago. The timing couldn’t be worse, as Anna was poised to take center stage at her prestigious ballet academy. Instead, her best friend, Naomi Thompson, steps in to claim the coveted role. Rumors quickly swirl through the insular ballet community. Did Naomi sabotage Anna? Is she as innocent as she seems? While Georgina becomes consumed by her suspicions, Naomi’s mother, Dawn, fiercely defends her daughter. But as the tension escalates, Anna receives a cryptic, anonymous note warning her to stay silent—and then, she vanishes. As both mothers struggle to uncover the truth, the lines between loyalty, ambition, and betrayal blur. What really happened to Anna, and how far will a mother go to protect her child?
Likes :-
1 Compelling, Multi-Layered Characters: Georgina and Dawn are flawed, complex, and fiercely protective. Their conflicting perspectives add depth to the story.
2 Atmospheric and Suspenseful: The world of elite ballet is painted with eerie precision—its cutthroat competition, whispered rumors, and suffocating pressure create the perfect setting for a psychological thriller.
3 Unpredictable Twists: Laurin expertly weaves in red herrings and shocking revelations that keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Overall :- The Shadow Girls is a gripping, unsettling thriller that masterfully explores the dark side of ambition and motherhood. With its tense atmosphere and unpredictable twists, it keeps readers on edge from start to finish. Whether you love psychological suspense or are fascinated by the high-stakes world of ballet, this book is a must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me an advance copy.

The Shadow Girls is a thriller-suspense novel toward a young adult audience. The ballet students and their mothers are pretty unlikeable, so the enjoyment comes from seeing how the drama unfolds between the characters. I would suggest this to a reader who enjoys ballet and young adult books. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

#TheShadowGirls

i enjoyed the ballet aspect of this book, reminiscent of my days as a modern dancer. The story was pretty superficial, lots of unpleasant, immature adults and teenagers and a soap opera type of plot. Overall it was a disappointing read to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Shadow Girls appealed to my love for books about the ballet, but I got the added bonus of a mystery which was well balanced as the story alternates between past and present to explain what happened to a promising young dancer leading to her accident - and why the adults and other dancers in her life could be complicit.

Taking place in a classical dance academy trying to add some edginess to attract big recruiters, we have crazy moms, talented (and jealous) dancers, and cringy instructors. That’s already a pretty entertaining recipe but when you throw in Anna, the best dancer in the academy and one whose career may be ended due to an injury she refuses to talk about, consider yourself about to be completely married to Shadow Girls until you’re finished.

Whether you like mysteries or ballet or both, this is a more complex type of story that will be worth the read. The subject matter and writing style make it accessible for new adult readers as well, but equally appealing to those a little less new.

The Shadow Girls is marketed as a thriller/psychological suspense.

We follow Naomi, Anna, and their mothers as they prepare for the biggest ballet performance of their young careers. Anna and Naomi attend a prestigious ballet school but live very different lives. Anna comes from wealth and a mother who holds clout in the ballet space because she was once a famous dancer. Naomi’s mother is an overnight nurse who doesn’t have much interest in Naomi’s ballet pursuits. Secrets and sabotage begin to unfold and we are shown the inner workings and dealings of the ballet academy.

Laurin’s writing style gears more towards a YA audience. The entire mystery seemed fairly trivial and was difficult to feel invested in. The characters were flat and none were likable. Anna was supposed to be this soft and meek girl but came off as boring and passive aggressive. Naomi is just a giant, hateful brat. Both mothers are deplorable and a bit ridiculous. Georgina was the only character that had any kind of depth.

Ultimately, the mystery was not important enough to care about. The drama was shallow and not very dramatic. The big reveal was less than eventful and it seemed like no one in the book was capable of any big feelings or reactions. They were either vengeful or dull. The constant time jumping got a little hard to follow as well as the POVs. The police officer’s POV didn’t feel necessary or add to the plot at all. It all got kind of jumbled from the 50% point to 85% through. The last quarter of the novel was more interesting but the ending scenes were

The author clearly put forth a lot of research into the ballet world which I can appreciate as someone who knows nothing of ballet. I always like to finish a novel knowing something(s) I did not have knowledge of before beginning it and that was definitely the case here.

I’ll recommend The Shadow Girls to a YA audience or anyone invested in the ballet/dancing sphere.

Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Nina Laurin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5

Yet again, another example and victim of great premise, not-so-great execution.

Aaaaaaaah, why does this keep happening? It's so sad!

We have spooky and dark drama in the ballet world! That could have been so exciting and fun. You really could do so much with that and this just did not.

This was very short (so I did zoom through it, yay), very slow, with flat characters and barely any action. All of these characters need to chill.

I could see a very young YA audience enjoying this, but as an adult (and not even that old of one) I found this super flat. It was really hard to stay focused on it because not enough was happening to keep my action until the next moment of "action." I can tell that an effort was definitely made to give this drama and action and intrigue, but it all felt too internal. You need to show me more, especially when your book is supposed to be a thriller. Thrill me!

I really do hate how hit or miss thrillers can be. I wish they were all amazing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I will start this off by saying I know nothing about ballet but OMG, this book was amazing!! It had my attention so fast! The characters, the story, the descriptions, the emotions, it was amazing.

You could imagine yourself inside the story, seeing everything from behind the curtain. The depth of the characters was spectacular.

Nina did an amazing and beautiful job to wrap the reader in, let the reader behind the scenes, show the reader the grittyness behind the seemingly perfect world of ballet school.

The ending, what a cliffhanger but also is the ending this beautiful book needed!

This gripping psychological thriller about trauma, obsession, and the blurred lines between reality and paranoia. The pacing of this book was a bit uneven, but the twists made for a compelling read

Thank you!!

Ballerina drama to the max. So much twist and turns I kept crashing out. Such a great read. Thank you for letting me read.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

The story of two girls, Anna and Naomi, who rank first and second respectively in their ballet school, and the lengths their mothers will go to have them succeed when they graduate. The action spikes when Anna breaks her foot and cannot compete in the end of year showcase which will significantly impact her ability to immediately go professional. The book flashes back to the end of summer and outlines the events that brought them there and ultimately unravels the mystery of how the accident happens.

As a lover of the movie Center Stage, I had high hopes for this novel. Unfortunately it had none of the soapy character drama that makes Center Stage a cult classic. The story doesn’t flesh out the characters as well as it should have in the earlier part of the book which initially makes it hard to care about them. After about the 40% point I got much more interested in the story. I did find some of the ballet scenes dense and hard to get through as I am not in super familiar with that world. Not being able to see it play out on a screen pitfall for a casual observer which is rarely a problem when I am reading. 3 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

3.5 stars. I think that this was a well written book, but it was not the story for me. I just could not connect with the characters.

This psychological thriller follows ballet students and their instructors through a series of dramas slow to unfold.
This novel has the feel of a long episode of Gossip Girl. A group of struggling, high strung, ambitious teens and their adult counterparts dealing with the fall out of their power schemes.
At times the emotional reaction to events in the book felt very surface level.
I'd recommend this book to more of a YA audience. 1 ⭐