ARC Review: On Thin Ice by Julie Cross

“…if you’re like me and don’t usually read young adult contemporary, this author may be a good fit.”
~ Under the Covers

I remember reading the previous book in this series and thinking it was cute read with a bit of emotional depth so I was curious to pick up another book in this series.  Here we have Brooke who is new in town after her father went to jail and her and her mother had to move in with her grandma.  Her mother is having some mental health issues and Brooke is also dealing with some of that herself.  Being the new girl in town is not easy in the middle of all that.  Trying out for the new girls hockey team is her way of challenging herself and maybe fitting in a bit.

Jake is the star of the hockey team and future captain this new season.  High school hockey is the biggest thing in town and that comes with a lot of pressure and years-long tradition.  Including a hazing ritual that he has to be a part of and goes terribly wrong.

There are things about this author’s writing that I enjoy but there are also other things that I just can’t connect with.  I do like that the characters in this series usually have to deal with some issues that make them have to grow and mature.  That’s where our characters find themselves in this book, especially Jake.  He’s in a really tough spot and some of the decisions he has to make have the chance of impacting his plans for the future.

At the same time, ON THIN ICE was very slow moving.  I’m not sure if it’s because there are some scenes that go on and on about things I didn’t find all that interesting or relevant to the plot.  That could just be me.  The plot, however, was something I enjoyed.  I liked seeing these two characters help each other through some tough situations.  But I can’t say we dug deep enough for my liking into what made these two tick.  Or even deep enough into some of the more serious subjects this book tackles.  I wanted more character development.  Yes, there are actions that show the characters are maturing and thinking for themselves but I think we could’ve had some better development in the internal struggle of how they got there.

This is still a cute read and if you’re like me and don’t usually read young adult contemporary, this author may be a good fit.

What did you think of our review?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[about-author author=”Julie Cross”]

 ♡ Don’t want to miss any of our posts? ♡