Review: Captivating ya contemporary, cliched at times, but great messages and character development.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 21, 2013
I chose to read On Thin Ice because it was available on netgalley and I love all things related to the ice-hockey or figure skating and I was intrigued. I am also drawn to books that deal with illnesses and problems at home, so this synopsis basically said Brandi, read me.I was not disappointed, because I really liked the narrator Penny. She is hard core scheduled and she takes on so much at home and at school. I relate with her because I am one of the people that was like that with home and school, but Penny is different from me in that she was good at something, very good. At skating and she juggled that along with everything else. She had so much on her, but she stayed so strong. Of course she had her weaknesses, but I got to see her grow in those through the book.Carter definitely got my attention right along with Penny's. He wouldn't stand for bullying and then he was kind, if awkward, when they ran into each other. I do think that the attraction and progression of their relationship was fast, but I felt the chemistry so was able to ride with it. And honestly, if you give me a reason why they see something in the other person, I am not as picky about insta-love type things as others, because it is a reality of teenage relationships.There was a lot going on in this book, the skating, her responsibilities, including her mom with cancer, her jobs, eating disorders and body image issues, plus the lying about her age, and the things that Carter is dealing with on top of it all. But I was never confused, and I felt like the plot lines kept themselves up and they were all able to be resolved, or given hope for the future that things are working themselves out. I felt like it was trying to shove the cliches into one story and a few I think weren't really necessary, but that aside, or in spite of it, I couldn't look away from the book and I was invested in Penny and couldn't stop reading. It still is realistic and emotional though. Unfortunately there are no miracles to make everything a perfect HEA, but it makes everything believable, and therefore satisfactory for the book.I did appreciate the hard work that she had to do in counseling, and although she was resistant to going at first, which actually made it realistic, that it wasn't an addendum at the end. She was working through things for a good part of the book, and that healing takes a long time, it is not easy, but it is worth it.There is a good bit of talking about religion, but again, it worked. I think that it was her personal battle, although there were some monologues from the nun sister that while they were believable that your nun sister would say these things, I know that some might find it a bit preachy. BUT they were all things said that helped Penny to ultimately find her way, her answers, and peace.The ending worked for me, showing hope, optimism, that sorrow and grief are burdens that you will forever carry, but that you can still find and experience joy.Bottom Line: Captivating ya contemporary, cliched at times, but great messages and character development.