Stranded on Thin Ice

The author delivered a character-driven storyline that advanced at break-neck speed. There was never a dull moment. The narrative followed the cleverly crafted scenes as the momentum of the unfolding tale took hold. My Kindle began to sizzle as I scanned non-stop screen to screen.

The gala event was about to take place. The official ice fishing derby was ready to kick off on Oneida Lake. At the tender age of twelve, Tanner Phillips already had garnered a great deal of experience in this competition and competition there was. Everyone was vying for the bragging rights of having caught the biggest fish, not to mention claiming the grand prize of an ATV and fishing hut.

Things changed dramatically once Tanner and his new-found friend Richie hit the ice. It didn't take long till they found themselves alone facing the harsh winter elements that were thrown at them with unparalleled ferocity. This was not figured into the plan. Their situation deteriorated and had gone from bad to worse. Now they were fighting for their lives. Stranded on thin ice about to give way, their only hope was that help would arrive in time.

My thanks are sent to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have always been curious about ice fishing, but being a total wimp I have never been. This book was very interesting because I learned a great deal about the sport of ice fishing, but I learned this in an entertaining and exciting way. It was wonderful to see how these characters developed, I enjoyed seeing the friendship grow between Tug and Ricky. As we get older it seems that a quick, real friendship like that is so very rare. In this story is is told in such a real way. We spend less time with the other characters, but you see great development in them as well. The story itself is gripping and keeps you turning the pages. Simply wonderful. Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me to go on this adventure.
#Strandedonthinice #netgalley

Stranded on Thin ice is a heart-wrenching and a heart-warming story about two boys stranded on thin ice. With a blizzard blowing the bejesus out of everything on its way and the boys now blown by the storm onto a thin ice, it was heart-wrenching to see their fear. The boys do not know if they will ever get to see their loved ones again. Both the boys blame themselves for this situation.

The story starts with how Richard and Tanner meet. Their bond is wonderfully portrayed. Even when they seem to be losing hopes, they support each other and light up their fading hopes.

Tanner has some dad issues. His dad never seems to have faith in the boy's fishing abilities. Meanwhile, Richard's dad has a new family. With his mum working two jobs, Richard spends most of his evenings alone at home. The striking contrast between the two boys' lives is well portrayed in the story.

Although there are many characters in the book - Richard's mum and Uncle Todd, Mr.Biggs, Dom and Berta, Tanner's grandparents, Mr Foley and Tanner's parents - the story revolves around the two boys.

Stranded On Thin Ice is a gripping page-turner by Sharon CassanoLochman. Though it is of the genre Teens and YA, the book can be read by people of all ages.

Stranded On Thin Ice is a gripping page-turner by Sharon CassanoLochman. Though it is of the genre Teens and YA, the book can be read by people of all ages.

Tanner, also known as Tug, is quite the ice fisherman. At twelve, he already knows more about ice fishing than most grown men. His favorite hangout is the local bait and tackle store, Poppers, where he dreams about lures and catching the big one in the annual walleye derby. Richie has recently moved to town and is hanging with his uncle Todd when he meets Tanner at Popper’s. Richie is alone and completely unprepared for a day of ice fishing (and rather unwilling as well.) Tanner takes Richie along with him as a companion and a student.

The day starts out well enough but things definitely take a turn when it’s discovered that one of the locals is missing. His ATV is found on the ice overturned by a huge crack. Did he drown? Was he killed? Where is he? This mystery unfolds, but it’s just the backstory for Tanner & Richie’s big day. The mystery of Theo Biggs, and two boys with active imaginations keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. Ice fishing is perilous and the day provides plenty of peril for Richie and Tanner.

While this book is intended for a younger audience, I found it engaging. Tanner is the kind of boy every parent wants to have. He’s kind and encouraging where Richie is concerned. Poor Richie is the fish out of water (excuse the pun) that really needs a friend like Tanner. The story teaches some great life lessons about friendship and belonging that is important for teens in today’s world. The two boys work together to get through some challenging events and bond through their experience. It is also a lesson about trying to grow up too soon, as every kid wishes to do.

Stranded on Thin Ice is a great story for any age. It should definitely appeal young teens and preteens with its elements of suspense, outdoors and friendship.

I loved this book from the outset. The author sets the scene for a real adventure on a frozen lake. From the very start, you feel like the ice fishing trip is going to unearth something sinister but the story takes many turns so you’re left wondering until the very end. It’s a story full of suspense and excitement mixed with fear and excitement. Children will love the thrill of the constant twists and we all love a satisfying resolution. A thoroughly great read for children.

This is a super book not just for middle school readers and for readers way past pension age. Being twelve is such a funny time, you feel grown up but all the adults still treat you like a kid. It is a time too when it is all starts and stops with growth spurts. Unfortunately Tanner is at a stop at the moment with all the fishermen in the store jostling him out-of-the-way to get supplies for the Derby fishing competition out on the frozen Oneida lake. Tanner is going to be fishing with his dad. He meets Richie here who is tagging along with his obnoxious uncle. The two lads aren’t friends yet as Richie has not long moved there but before the day is over they will never forget each other.
Everyone goes off on the ice with their tents to keep the cold wind off them. Not long after they are all set up, a series of events means that Tanner’s dad has to make a decision. He has to go back to land and Tanner wants to carry on fishing. My heart was beating like mad, I am thinking he can’t leave him there but he has fished since he was little and there were plenty of other men round about fishing on the frozen lake. He takes a chance and leaves the lad to carry on.
Now the rest of the story is mainly about Tanner and Richie and well what a story it is! I aren’t going to go into what happens but these two go on that lake as kids and have to grow up real quick. The whole story is set in a small time frame of just hours, although to the two boys it must feel a life time. The two of them dip between being children and being much wiser and older than their years. As time goes on the two unlikely friends form a bond that I would think would last a life time.
It is one thing battling with fish but nature and a careless over sight set in motion stories that would become legend where they lived. No details are over looked, it really is outstanding. I felt numb, I felt scared for the boys. Tanner knew far more than he thought, not from experience of doing things himself but from years of watching his dad and granddad too. Richie was oblivious to so many of the hidden dangers they were facing.
The book, up to the last couple of chapters was outstanding but wow the last two chapters were totally wicked! This is a young adult read and not over long but one that would be read over and over. A truly exciting coming of age novel, superb!
I wish to thank Books Go Social and NetGalley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly

Preteen Tanner Phillips is sure this year he will win the ice fishing derby and be the proud owner of the best prize he’s ever seen: an ice fishing house with all the accouterments. Last year he lost his fishing pole in the ice and his dad made him sit at the ice hole the rest of the day without it but this year, everything will go perfectly. Things start going wrong before he even gets on the ice, when he sees something he shouldn't have--a guy cheating--and the guy threatens him to keep his mouth shut. Next, still not on the ice, someone is injured and his dad has to talk to the police, leaving Tanner to set up the fishing tent on his own. Tanner's not worried. He's almost thirteen, been doing this for years. No problem. What he doesn't get is why adults don't let him run things:

"Eight months shy of my thirteenth birthday, and I’m still invisible to anyone over the age of twelve."

"Why couldn’t my dad have had that attitude? Everything I do wrong is such a big deal"
"Some things are accidents. Some things are just plain meant to be shoulder-shrugging events."

"I’m just packaged in a twelve-year-old body."

When the guy in the ice tent next to him almost gets killed, Tanner's dad again has to leave to take him to the hospital. That’s when things really go upside down. For a twelve-year-old kid who thinks he’s an adult, Tanner stops talking about how little he needs his dad to wishing he was there.

This is a wonderful, fast-moving, kid-oriented story about growing up, making decisions, and being a friend, with lots of realistic ice fishing details that will keep even adults fascinated. 

"It was considered rude and unethical to move in on one of those holes; especially while the person who drilled it was still on the premises."

"It’s black ice again today. Screws still in your boots?”

I can't imagine a YA who wouldn't love this.

==to be published on my blog, WordDreams, December 12, 2018

Great book for young readers and would be a good book for them to read as a school report. . It is fast paced and action packed. The detailed information regarding ice fishing was very interesting. It demonstrates the values of frienship, family, community, teamwork and truth telling. Many life lessons could be explored within the pages. Even though it is geared for a young reader, it was quite enjoyable.
I read this book as a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this book.

This grabbed me from the first page and I read it through in one sitting. It is a quick, suspenseful story of a couple of young boys who mature and find their a place in the community in the space of one dramatic day on the ice. This is good for reluctant readers who might like to see other boys being misunderstood by the adults around them. I thank #netgalley for the opportunity to read #strandedonthinice in exchange for my review.

Good old Murphy’s law. The 2 boys in this story are plagued with it. The men in my family are one fisherman and I have had each and every one of these worries. There is however a lot of humor in this story too. Please read this book and get the feel of the ice fisherman!

Great read for all ages....Emotional with a heart warming ending.. This scenario seems so real. and you become invested with the young boys.

Tanner Phillips is not quite 13 and feels his father makes a big deal out of every mistake he makes. He is desperate to win the prize for the biggest catch in the local fishing derby as well as earn some approval from his father. At the local bait store he befriends another boy. Richie has never been fishing before and the boys become an unexpected team as they fight to survive on the lake. Will their new friendship cost both boys their lives?
The funny thing is I don’t have any interest in fishing but this tale hooked me right from the start then left me feeling a little emotional by the end. Also I would almost go fishing just not in cold weather. I thought this was a pretty amazing read. First time author with the ability to make you feel like you are there and who deserves a heap of stars for a job well done. Although aimed at the younger reader it manages to hold adult interest with ease. It has plenty of atmosphere, is descriptive, interesting and a gripping story line. What more could a reader want?
Thanks to Netgalley and even more to the publisher/writer for a free digital copy in return for an honest review.

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 star review. It was an enjoyable and I would recommend. to others. Generously provided to me through NetGalley

Oh my goodness! There is something nostalgic about being a twelve-year-old kid, stuck between being a kid and being a teenager. It is where a circumstance or an event can force us to grow up or remain innocent...

I could not put this book down. I devoured but yet savored the story. I was rooting, cringing, and was scared for this young hero and his friend. I was able to connect with Tanner easily from the start.

I was impressed with the author's knowledge of ice fishing and how she managed to bring it to life through a book without boring me. I could feel the texture of the ice. I could feel the glare coming from the ice reflection; I could feel the bitter cold from the wind chill. I could feel the warmth from the little hut. I can almost feel the line in my hands from ice fishing. The author has done it with emotions. Even though this book was short, it didn't feel short.



This is the story of ice fishing, an adventure which lasted several hours appeared to be a lifetime of these two young boys, an unlikely friendship, father and son relationship, and ingenuity.

The last two chapters.....WOW! It is all I can say!

This book is a must for everyone of all ages and genres.



This wonderful novel gets four stars from me.



I received this ARC from Ontario Shore Publishing LLC through Net Galley. Thank you!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the release of this book for an honest review.

GUYS!!! Yes, this book has all feels and fears. This is why I don't like being without my cell phone. You never know what will happen. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this but a day on the ice became a day of survival.

Title: Stranded on Thin Ice
Author: Sharon CassanoLochman
Format: e-galley
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Twelve-year-old Tanner Phillips fishes the Oneida Lake Ice Fishing Derby every year with his dad. Last year, he ruined everything — losing the competition and losing some of his grandfather’s gear. This year, Tanner is determined to not only prove his skills on the ice, but also show his dad, once and for all, that he’s no longer a little kid.

But as soon as they get out on the ice, the competition turns disastrous.

When one of the competitors goes missing and another gets injured, Tanner’s father must leave Tanner and his new friend, Richie, alone on the ice. After their ice hut comes unhitched, Tanner and Richie find themselves blown across the frozen lake in a blinding snowstorm.
Alone. Without their cell phones. Trapped, on thin ice. Suddenly, it isn’t just about the winning the derby — it’s about life and death. In one perilous night, Tanner will have to prove not to his father, but to himself, that he has the courage and determination to survive. "

My Opinion: Tanner is so excited to be at the Oneida Lake Ice Fishing Derby again this year with his dad, but he's determined not to make the same big mistake he made last year, losing his pole through the hole in the ice. He really wants to prove to his father that he's not a kid anymore, but things start to go wrong even before they get to the ice.

This was a well written, very interesting book, with a lot of suspense, as well as a lot of interesting characters. Tanner and his new friend, Richie, are very likeable and act age appropriate, which is a nice change from kids their age acting mature beyond their years. The setting is described so well I felt like I should put a sweater on while I was reading it because I should really be shivering from the cold! The plot was paced out nicely and this ended up being a really quick read because it was so interesting. It kept my attention from start to finish, and it ended all too quickly.

In summary, this was a very well written book full of suspense and great characters, that I think will appeal to the middle grade age group.

Highly recommend.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Stranded on Thin Ice, by Sharon CassanoLochman, is a great coming-of-age story that is perfect for middle-grade readers as well as for adults. The characters of Tanner and Richie and their unlikely friendship, forced upon them by circumstances, is thoughtfully and realistically portrayed. The ice fishing details are spot-on (CassanoLochman obviously knows her ice fishing!).

The hapless pair of Tanner and Richie go from two pre-teen boys -- one who is trying to win an ice fishing derby and prove himself to his dad, and the other who is just trying stay warm in their little tent -- into two young men using all their wits, strength, and courage to stay alive when they are blown out across the ice in a sudden storm with their tent flapping around them and the ice ready to crack.

The thrilling details of their afternoon and their interaction are not to be missed! The ending is beautifully told. Highly recommended.