The Sin Bin follows high schooler Cat and her dad, a hockey minor-leaguer, as they hop from one motel to the next. Cat, who also plays hockey and is waiting for her dad to be called up, secretly follows him to an abandoned house where things go sideways and she learns about her dad's other job- monster hunting. This was a fun and engaging read, I've loved Robbie Thompson since his time writing for Supernatural, so I was excited to see some parallels in this story. Thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fun time! The Sin Bin follows Cat, a girl who is always moving around from school to school and motel to motel because her father is a hockey player who keeps getting traded around. Teams want him for his ability to fight, not score points. Cat discovers that her father is ALSO a monster hunter (with a magical box he uses to trap monsters that he calls the "sin bin"), and she gets into trouble as she goes off on her own to try to fight some shape shifters. She ends up uncovering some of her own family history in the process...

I thought the art was engaging and the action was always clear to follow on the page, whether they were playing hockey or fighting monsters. Cat and her dad use a hockey stick that is actually a glowing sword, which is super cool. I loved the mix of dark and flourescent colors - overall, the book leans more Stranger Things than Supernatural, both because of the color palette and the edginess of the monsters they fight. I wanted the story to have more room to breathe, because after Cat finds out her dad is a monster hunter, she focuses in on the shapeshifters really quickly and we don't see much more travelling around fighting other monsters. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the backstory reveal at the end, but otherwise I had a great time with this. The story wraps up pretty neatly, but I'd love it if this were a series; I want to see how things turn out for Cat if she gets a chance to stay in one place for longer. And I'd love to see what other monsters there are in this world!

Cute book about playing hockey and fighting monsters. It was a lot of fun to read. The art fit really well with the story and I absolutely loved the fantasy hockey stick sword. I want my own.

4 stars

I was interested in the cover and the idea.

It's quite an atmospheric story, the artwork is good, you can tell there was effort put into it.

The heroine lives a normal life but learns that her father is fighting monsters, and now she’s with him.

There were moments when I smiled, and I even got a bit teary with joy at the end.

I didn't really guess the plot, so some moments actually shocked me, which is a plus.

It's a decent comic for the evening.

I am a sucker for a father-daughter storyline.
Cat is young girl that must keep starting anew again and again. What new Cat will appear at this school? How long will she be there? Should she bother making friends or stick to herself? She loves her dad and his hockey career that has them moving constantly, but five schools in two years is a lot for anybody. Cat wants her dad to think with his head and succeed at his career.
One day, after being grounded AGAIN for bad behavior, Cat follows her dad and learns that he has a hobby. Her dad’s hobby is MONSTER HUNTING. There’s more to the story, but I’ll let you know that this was worth the read. Good standalone for tweens, teens, and in-betweens.

A father daughter duo about hockey AND monster hunting? Sign me up. This was so cute. This did have the old style text of comic books so the only reason I’m taking away a star was it was a bit hard to read at times, otherwise I LOVED the story, the art and the characters.

This graphic novel is so heartfelt, in a strange way. An interesting concept while also being down to earth. The author is clearly a big fan of hockey as well. Mixing supernatural with hockey oddly works well. Fans of either will be a fan of this I'm sure.

The publisher provided a copy in exchange for a review.

"The Sin Bin" is a romance fiction story with splashes of humor and hockey. How could anyone not read it?

"The Sin Bin" is a hockey-themed romance novel penned by Robbie Thompson that delves into the tumultuous relationship between two characters: Emilia Anderson, the social media manager for the Carolina Comets hockey team, and Smith, one of the team's players. Their story is fraught with the challenges of a forbidden romance due to workplace dynamics, an age gap, and various other entanglements that make their path to love both spicy and complicated. The narrative is rich with tropes such as the dominating hero, one-night stand scenarios, and the classic secret relationship, all set against the backdrop of professional hockey.

Ratings Breakdown:

Plot: 4.5/5 - The plot of "The Sin Bin" is engaging, with well-paced developments that keep readers hooked. The tension between the protagonists is palpable, fueled by their professional and personal conflicts, which are explored with depth and humor.
Characters: 4.5/5 - Both Emilia and Smith are well-developed characters with distinct personalities. Smith is described as a "hawt and dominating hero," while Emilia comes across as strong and relatable. The supporting cast, especially the glimpses into the lives of other team members, adds layers to the story, making it more than just a romance but a community narrative.
Writing Style: 4.0/5 - Thompson's writing is noted for being witty and engaging, with a good balance of steamy scenes and emotional depth. However, some readers might find the dialogue a bit cliché at times, especially concerning the romance tropes employed.
Emotional Impact: 4.5/5 - The book strikes a chord with its emotional content, blending humor with touching moments. The relationship dynamics and personal growth of the characters provide a satisfying emotional journey.
Hockey Element: 4.0/5 - For those who enjoy sports romance, the hockey element is well integrated into the story. It provides a realistic setting and adds to the authenticity of the interactions among the characters. However, the depth of sports detail might not satisfy hardcore hockey fans looking for more technical aspects of the game.
Romance and Heat: 4.5/5 - The romance is both steamy and heartfelt, with a significant amount of chemistry between Emilia and Smith. The book includes a variety of romance tropes that cater to fans of hockey romance, making it a hot read in multiple senses.

Overall Rating: 4.4/5 - "The Sin Bin" by Robbie Thompson is celebrated for its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and the steamy romance it encapsulates. It's a solid entry in the hockey romance genre, with enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged. However, the writing style might not appeal to everyone due to certain cliché elements in the dialogue or character interactions.

3.5

A very quick story, but manages to tell a full story in a fun way. The plot of this goes VERY quickly, and the ending wraps up a bit too fast for my taste. The story has the main characters being hockey players by "day" and monster hunters at night. The story doesn't go too deeply into the hockey aspect or the monster hunter aspect but still manages to balance both in a fun way. The story goes a little overboard with the hockey in the dialogue, but eh. I just wish that this volume wasn't only 174ish pages, but longer somewhere around 300+ to give the story some room to breathe. I really enjoyed the art! The art is my favorite thing about this story. Also, not going to lie the title being "The Sin Bin" threw me off at first. I had no idea that "Sin Bin" is just another term for "Penalty Box" prior to reading this. The way I had always seen the term "Sin Bin" used, though mostly online, was in reference to NSFW. Needless to say, I was extremely confused before reading this.

If Supernatural had a fun hockey collaboration!

If you have ever wondered what Supernatural would be like if the Winchesters played hockey, this is the graphic novel for you! This story is going to pull the reader in with flashy sports references at first. There are excellent illustrations and the exposition hints at tantalizing fights to come.

However, then everything takes a turn for the paranormal and just like the main character, you’ll be solving the mystery, panting to know what happens next. There is excellent storytelling within these pages and I was hooked to know more.

This story does give a clear ending, but I would love to have more set within this universe. All in all, dive into this story and prepare yourself for some fantastic illustrations and superbly written mystery!

This was a weird book bro. I had no idea what genre this was especially towards the end. Conceptually not uninteresting, but definitely rushed in parts. Not a bad read.