On Thin Ice

PJ
Sharon
Genre: 
Young Adult

Penelope Trudeau has her hands full – school, ice skating, and her mother is dying of cancer. She and her two best friends Katie and Sami go to a party one night, and Penny meets, and instantly falls in love with Carter McCray.  The evening goes much farther than she intended, and Penny is soon caught up in a whirlwind of sex, eating disorders, competing on the ice, caring for her mother who doesn’t have much longer to live, and dealing with a cold and distant relationship with her father.

For the Young Adult genre, this book touches on a variety of adult themes in specific detail.  The author introduces many different threads to follow, all very intense and involved, which compete for the reader’s attention.  The characters are well developed, and the story is deftly woven, taking the reader on a engrossing journey of twists and turns.  Introducing fewer developments would make the tale more cohesive and, therefore, more readable.  The ending is predictable but heart warming, as Penny brings all the loose ends of her life together, leaving the reader satisfied!

Victoria Z. Burg