Black Ice

by Becca Fitzpatrick

Danger is hard to resist in this sexy young adult thriller following a teen girl caught between all-too-human perils and the brutal natural elements in the mountains—from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Britt Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants.

But her luck takes a turn for the worse when she discovers the men are fugitives, and they take her hostage. Britt is forced to guide them off the mountain, knowing she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. Along the way, Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that could be linked to her captors…

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers, whose seemingly genuine kindness confuses Britt. While facing the threats of frigid snowstorms and wild grizzly bears, can Britt figure out who her real enemies are?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary, Fiction, Suspense

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2014

About the author

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga. Her new book BLACK ICE arrives in bookstores everywhere October 7, 2014.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 1 out of 5]

...for a minute there, I’d thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I’d wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man.

It is easy to criticize the Orson Scott Cards of the world for their misogyny and hatred of women within novels, but the fact remains that the Bella Swans, the Luce Prices, the Bethany Churches of this world are written by female authors. It is a tragic, depressing fact, made more so that it feels like a betrayal of one's gender.

This is a fairytale, because in the real world, bad boys usually end up killing the heroine. Seriously, fuck this book to the end of hell and back. The fact that this book has such a high rating right now makes me lose so much faith in my fellow readers. What's wrong with you people? Far me it from me to criticize my fellow readers' tastes, but in this instance. Really. I am seriously going to fucking judge you if you fall in love with the love interest within this book.

I know that to each their own and all, but in the 21st century, in this day and age, when women have fought so hard for equality...why do these female authors seek to bring us back to the 19th century with despicably weak, foolish, naive, too-stupid-to-live female main characters? Of course, this just means that this book will be a best-seller, and given the high ratings...yeah. I hate the world sometimes.



This book is truly one of the worst I have ever read, and contains one of the most hate-inducing characters I have ever encountered.

My dad was a model of indulgent parenting. I suspected it was because I was a girl, and the baby, and because I’d lost my mom to cancer before I was old enough to remember her. My dad was always standing by, ready to save me from even the most minor inconveniences. The truth was, I was comfortable being dependent on him—and every other man in my life.

She gives womanhood a bad name. She promotes the cycle of abuse as well as the "but he didn't mean to do it" syndrome. She would fall in love with a potential killer.

“He kidnapped you, Britt. Do you hear me? What he did was illegal and dangerous. It shows a complete lack of respect for human life. He thought he could get away with it. He used you, and he’ll keep on using people like you unless somebody stops him.”

But it's ok! Because she loves him, it's all ok!

By "but he didn't mean to do it" syndrome, I mean...he didn't mean to rob a store. He was forced to do it. He didn't mean to kill someone. He was forced to do it. He didn't mean to enforce lawless vigilante justice. He had to do it.

Where will it stop? Where will the cycle of bad judgment stop?

At "He didn't mean to hit me, I was a bitch to him tonight, I deserve it."

At "He didn't mean to rape me, I should have been more accommodating?"

At "He didn't mean to kill me?"

Really? When will it stop. When are we going to learn to stop making excuses for would-be-murderers, abusers, and bad-boys? Fuck this book. Give me a good boy any day.

There really are not enough curse words in the English language (or any other language I know, and I know a few) for how much I hate the main character, this is a spoiled-little-daddy's girl who gets herself involved in a love triangle with possible murderers, thieves, and abusers. And when I say daddy's girl, I mean daddy's girl. Now, there's no problem with calling your father "daddy," but it is extremely annoying and I am highly critical whenever a character says DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY 100000000x fucking times in the entire book.

There is no denying that the main character, Britt, is spoiled. Her mother is dead. She has three older brothers. She has her wealthy older father twisted around her little finger.

I craned my neck to look at him and put on my best little girl pout. “I need money for gas, Daddy.”

And there is no doubt her father indulges her every whim. She is adored, worshiped. Her only friend is not her friend, but her rival. Korbie and Britt have been friends from infancy...not that you can tell. They are love rivals. They are rivals in looks. They play backstabbing games with each other. The only thing they have in common is their stupidity and their uselessness.

“And Korbie plays the better damsel in distress.”
I didn’t bother telling him that usually I played that gig better too, since the tone he used in referring to Korbie wasn’t particularly flattering.

Way to be a loyal friend!

Britt is somehow perceived as special...as if being good-looking and smart were one in a billion.

“I knew Korbie’s type from the minute you guys came knocking. But you were harder to peg. You’re good-looking and smart, and it threw me. Most pretty girls I’ve met don’t have the complete package."

And let's face it, Britt doesn't exactly have the smarts.

Let's think about it. First off, she doesn't really want to save herself. She is a weak character. That's ok. There are plenty of weak characters. The thing is that weak character should grow up. Britt never fucking grows up. One of the characters accuse her of weakness...and I completely agree.

“You’ve floated through life expecting your dad, Ian, even me, and probably a lot of other guys I don’t know about, to come to your rescue. You can’t do one thing for yourself, and you know it. Mason and Shaun looked at you and saw an easy target. A gullible girl with low self-esteem. Korbie never would have stayed with them as long as you did. She would have fought. She would have run.”

Her love interest is a kidnapper, a thief, a potential killer.

"You boys robbed a Subway sandwich shop and shot a police officer while trying to get away. You put a teenage girl in the hospital after you hit her and ran."

He gets angry. He makes up for it with moments of kindness...and that's how every single abused woman ever falls into the trap of forgiveness.

His eyes flashed, but behind the quick anger, I saw deep sadness.

Not once.

His eyes burned with hot wrath and seemed to reflect his thoughts—I didn’t sign up for this.

Making excuses after excuses after excuses for her own kidnapper.

His eyes found mine, and even in the cold, pink light of dawn, I could see deep pain broiling in his gaze.

Kidnapper Mason is not a nice guy. No shit, Sherlock, but he seriously isn't. From the beginning to the end, he can barely contain his rage, his temper.

"Instead of making your safety my priority, I was furious that you’d screwed up my plans. It was like I wasn’t even human. The bloodthirsty rage was in control."

Oh yeah, I feel so safe. Not.

Throughout all this...instead of worrying about her life, Britt is more concerned with Mason's feelings, Mason's hotness...

I continued to study him in quick, stolen glances. He was taller than Calvin and more muscular. Not in a bulky, gym-rat way, but it was obvious he was athletic. His tight shirt revealed sculpted arms and a broad chest that tapered to a hard, flat stomach.

And as their love triangle develops, her emotions for him become all the more unbelievable...

What if he did die? He didn’t deserve that. The idea of him gone forever slashed me to pieces. I had questions, so many questions, and now I might never get answers. I couldn’t believe this might be the end to our story.

...given that HE might be the one putting an end to THEIR story by killing her.

No matter what the mounting evidence against Mason, Britt somehow always finds a way to excuse his misdeeds.

And even though I’d originally suspected Mason had been involved in the death of the girl whose body I’d found at the cabin, I was starting to think he didn’t have anything to do with it. He might not even know about the body.

This book is not an YA contemporary, it is a fairy tale. It is a fairy tale because of one dumb girl's survival against kidnappers who are incredibly incompetent, who buy bullshit stories, who refuse to tie up their hostage.

This book is a fucking fairytale. In the real world, Britt would be dead.

[Emily May · Rating 1 out of 5]

Allow me to summarize this book: Two extremely irritating and stupid teenage girls do stupid things to put themselves in danger and then the MC spends the rest of the novel somewhere between lusting after one of her captors and hoping to be saved by her ex who cheated on her. THE END.

So maybe I was asking for it because I hated Hush, Hush, but I was genuinely curious to see if/how Fitzpatrick's writing had improved and changed over the last few years. I believe in second chances... god help me. But this book was really bad. It's supposed to be romantic suspense but it's like bad horror movie kind of suspense where moronic teen girls go walking into the dark woods after they hear noises.

I really struggle to have sympathy for idiots. And people who are bitches to their best friends.

We can start with the least of this book's problems: #1 - It is so boring. There is no tension or surprises. We can see everything coming because of the lack of subtlety in the build-up. We know that guy who appears nice is actually hiding something because the author already tells us about the cold look in his eyes. When someone is described as charming with an underlying menace in their eyes, why would we be shocked when oooh, turns out they're a psychopath?! Answer: we wouldn't.

“And then my thoughts went where they always did. To Calvin.”

Another reason this book is boring (and annoying) is because Britt cannot stop relating every single little thing back to her ex who no one cares about. Her ex - Calvin - isn't even in the majority of the book and he has very little bearing on the central story... and yet, the "plot" is broken up with chapters of flashbacks to their relationship in which he was a douche, cheated on her, and pressured her into sex. I think the whole point of this was to make us think that the guy who is holding Britt and her friend hostage isn't really that bad.



The actual story is supposed to be about Britt and her friend Korbie who might be two of the worst hikers imaginable. Issue #2 - Reckless Stupidity. I don't even know a damn thing about hiking but I'm sure I could manage to be a little less stupid than these girls. Naturally, they get lost in the mountains. Then they find a cabin with two hot dudes in it and, even though one appears hostile and the other appears "charming but cold", they go marching into the cabin and start flirting with these hot dudes. I mean, just look at this fucking quote:

“I tapped my cup to his, grateful to have found Shaun, because for a minute there, I'd thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I'd wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man.”

What even is that? How to Murder Feminism in Two Sentences or Less? This book is close to what you would get if someone who knew me well wrote a book with the intention of pissing me off.

The third thing I hated and the thing that probably sealed the deal on my dislike for this book - Girl/girl Hate. And I'm not talking about hatred, jealousy and slut-shaming of some blonde cheerleader (which would also piss me off), I'm not even talking about the mindless hate of another woman because she's hot or something... no, the hatred and petty jealousy here is for none another than Britt's "best friend". Britt is constantly irritated by everything Korbie does. She views her with such disdain; even if Korbie is a bit of a pain in the ass, there's really no wonder that your only friend is a pain in the ass if you're a total bitch.

When the men in this novel are assholes to Britt, she angsts and worries about what she did and believes that they have true goodness hiding in their soul and she can probably bring it out (or some such bullshit). But when Korbie does a little bit of flirting, oh my god... it's like the world freaking ends. Britt is all eye rolls and irritation. How can anyone possibly like her? It was hard to care whether she ever made it out of the mountains alive. And we haven't even gotten to the worst of it.

Not only does Britt look down on everything Korbie does and feel convinced of her own superiority, but she also 1) deliberately flirts with a guy Korbie likes (and enjoys upsetting her "friend") and 2) insults her friend with said guy. I cannot even believe that last one - how low can you get? Look at this (the first bit is Shaun speaking):

“I knew Korbie's type from the minute you guys came knocking. But you were harder to peg. You're good looking and smart, and it threw me. Most pretty girls I've met don't have the complete package. They're crazy, sure, up for adventure, but not like this. Not up for hiking the crest of the Tetons.”
His response could not have been more perfect.

A guy insults your best friend and you think his response is... perfect? What is wrong with you?!



This book was seriously terrible. I can't even think of anything redeeming to say about it; it wasn't even like we had a good level of tension to keep the story flowing along, you could see everything coming a few chapters beforehand. Boring, annoying, predictable. Screw those second chances.

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[Elizabeth]

Don't you hate it that people haven't even read this book and are already judging it. Saying it's going to be bad. It's like seriously if your going to go in with a negative point of view why bother reading it at all? I hate reading reviews where people don't even want to give the book a chance they just want to bash it. Yeah I get it not all books are great and deserve praise but at least give it a chance before you bash it.

[Jesse (JesseTheReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

OH MY HECK.

That was one entertaining ride!

Things the I loved:
- I liked the overall atmosphere/setting of this book. I know that the LAST place I would want to be stranded and taken hostage would be in the mountains when it's snowing. THAT WOULD BE THE ABSOLUTE WORST.
- Even though I thought the plot was a bit predictable at times, I still had several moments where I was SCREAMING at my book "WHO DO I TRUST? WHO'S THE BAD GUY? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WHO'S GOING TO DIE?".
- The ending was satisfying and didn't leave me guessing. Becca Fitzpatrick did a fantastic job at tying this book together.

Things that I felt iffy about:
- I wasn't a huge fan of the main character-- especially at the beginning I found her annoying, but as the story progressed I feel like I grew more attached to her and her situation. I just wasn't a huge fan of her attitude at the beginning, but I feel like she dropped it when a certain situation took place.
- There were a few slow moments that made me want to skim until it picked up.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

This showed up on my doorstep unexpectedly, and I gave it a chance because I'd seen some surprisingly positive reactions among friends. I say "surprising" because I absolutely loathed Hush, Hush--suffice to say that years after reading it, I still don't know if there's a YA couple that I dislike more.

It's true that Black Ice is entertaining and kept my interest, more than most YA thrillers, though I'm admittedly hard on the genre in this age category. It's not unlike adult romantic thrillers you'd find from authors like Lisa Gardner or books in Harlequin's Mira imprint, in which the relationship drama gets a near equal amount of play as the fairly straightforward mystery. That's all perfectly fine, except that the characters are pretty ridiculous here--the BFF is an idiot and the adults are non-existent. Britt herself isn't entirely unredeeming, except that she's torn between her cocky ex-boyfriend and her lusty Stockholm Syndrome feelings for one of the guys who kidnapped her. The author does keep you guessing (I mean, I guessed correctly, but she did a decent job of drawing things out) who the culprits are, but it doesn't even really matter, because pretty much every guy in this book acts like a jerk at one time or another. Not quite Patch-levels of controlling behavior or abusiveness, but enough to make you want to give them a good hard shove out the door. Even if they are supposedly, as my friend Crowinator says, supernaturally hot.

I kind of wish this author would write books for adults. While I'm annoyed by women acting dumb over guys in most scenarios, and I certainly don't think YA needs to always model exemplary behavior, I'm so uncomfortable with romantic portrayals like this--it just feels especially icky when the book's audience is younger. At least Britt stands up for herself? Eventually? I guess? But the power dynamic still seems so off, and the tenor of the relationships is so negative and mostly animal attraction-based, that I just can't get on board with the romance--and when that's 50% of what's going on, that's a lot of letdown. Not to mention that there's a lot of male-fixation and sexist thinking.

So: the thriller parts are relatively diverting, but the relationships and characters annoyed me. And despite all this snow and isolation, there's not all that much talk about the survival aspects, which is something I would have enjoyed. But this serves to confirm that this author's just not for me. While the resolution for this one is better than the Hush, Hush series, these aren't the types of relationships I enjoy reading about--or the types I would necessarily be wild about impressionable young girls daydreaming over, either.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.

[Christine Riccio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining at parts -- but to bogged down by long stretches of actionlessness and frustrating characters for me to enjoy it. Here's my booktalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNDWr...

[Saniya]

THAT COVER.
THAT BLURB.
AND WRITTEN BY BECCA FITZPATRICK?

I am sold. You better live up to my expectations.
Can't wait!

[Kat Kennedy · Rating 1 out of 5]

read Black Ice with a lot of hopes. Hopes that Fitzpatrick was writing something brave and different, a departure from Hush, Hush which was a total abomination for me. Still, I was willing to give it a fair shot. Unfortunately, it seems Fitzpatrick has a formula that she refuses to veer from and that made this book every bit as painful as Hush, Hush was. And all the temptation that maybe Fitzpatrick was doing something brave and hard was washed away with every page I turned.

Black Ice is the story about a girl who goes camping and gets kidnapped by criminals who force her to navigating the freezing terrain in order to help them escape. Things become complicated when she starts to develop feelings for one of her captors.

Fitzpatrick set this up as a Stockholm Syndrome tale and had everything at her disposal to make it great. It to make it brave and edgy and real. Instead she bowed to whimsical fantasy and romantic notions in order to twist it into something it should never have been. A love story.



So let’s start with the formula that Fitzpatrick can’t seem to let go of.

1 Very Bad Boy + 1 Annoying Heroine + 1 Best friend who can die in a fire = Kat is going to kill something.

Mason kidnaps her, drags her through frozen tundra, lets his friend hold a gun to her and keeps up this charade as a villain all through the novel. But because he is occasionally kind to her and hot, Britt, our leading lady, falls for him.

Britt, is not quite as annoying as the heroine in Hush, Hush. She does some clever and brave things. This almost saves it for me. Almost. But her obsession over Calvin drove me mad. The story kept dropping history between her and Calvin which was quite boring and ultimately needless. She was a flawed heroine and that’s okay. She was probably the best thing about this novel, even if that’s not saying much.

Korbie. Korbie, rather like Vee was the most annoying character in this book and the very fact that she wasn’t in it much was her only saving grace. One more page of her and I might have bashed this book against my head several times just to numb the pain.

The ending. Let’s talk about the ending here because I know most of you aren’t planning on reading this shit, so being coy about it.








Spoilers Ahead







Mason’s not really the bad guy, see? He’s just pretending to be a hardened criminal so that he can find his sister’s killer. Who just happens to be Calvin, Britt’s ex boyfriend and Korbie’s brother. See? Britt really fell for a hero, not the bad guy. He was only pretending to kidnap her. So this makes everything about 100 times shittier. Instead of doing the brave thing and having Britt tragically need to hand in the man who kidnapped her and endangered her life, she turns summersaults to turn him into a hero. So that they can be together.



This refusal to commit to reality made the novel so much weaker and less tense. It lacked the emotional impact because it veered so far into fantasyland that I was almost ready to believe that Britt was hallucinating the end of this novel as she lay in a snowdrift dying.

If you want a book that is unapologetic in its handling of Stockholm Syndrome then I honestly suggest you skip this one and try Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher. Hauntingly beautiful and emotionally charged, it will fill the hole that Black Ice leaves behind.

[anne⁷]

"Like Hush, Hush, the inspiration behind Black Ice comes from my own experiences during my teen years."

This sounds somewhat suspicious.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm going to warn you in advance that this isn't going to be a proper review - it's going to be a rant about all the reasons why I think this is the worst book I've attempted to read this year. This will include swearing and it'll probably include spoilers but since I only managed to force myself to read the first 91 pages I can't see that I'll be able to give away anything major. Either way you continue reading this at your own risk!

Let's start with the main characters. When I pick up a book told from a female point of view I want to read about a strong, independent girl who knows how to stand on her own two feet. I don't mind if she makes mistakes as long as she learns from them but I do need her to have a brain and be prepared to use it. Unfortunately Britt is everything I hate in a main character. She is spoilt, selfish and incredibly stupid (I'll get to my reasoning for those statements later). She talks about how well independent she is but she won't even fill up her own car at the garage because she doesn't want her hands to smell of petrol. Perhaps petrol pumps are different in America but I've been filling up my own car for about 15 years now and I've never once found that my hands smell of petrol afterwards. What the hell is she doing? Does she shower in the stuff?

Then you have her best friend Korbie. This really is a case of dumb meet dumber and I was ready to strangle the pair of them by about page 40! I love reading about supportive friendships in my novels, best friends who have each others backs and who look out for each other. Let's get something perfectly clear, if your best friend is constantly putting you down to make themselves feel better, if your best friend lies to you and doesn't tell you when she knows your boyfriend is cheating on you (I don't care if your boyfriend happens to be her brother), if your best friend does all of these things then you know what? She is NOT your friend. In fact, you'd be better off considering her an enemy and finding someone new to hang out with. If, after all that, you decide to stick with her then I hate to say it but you deserve everything you get! Britt herself makes all these observations about her friendship with Korbie and yet she still chooses to follow along in her friend's shadow for lord only knows what reasons. If possible Korbie is even more shallow, spoilt and stupid than Britt and trust me that really is saying something.

Britt has been planning a back packing week with Korbie for months (although how spending a week in an expensive cabin and going on daily hikes counts as back packing I'll never know!) and says she is prepared for anything but as they are driving up the mountain they are caught in an unexpected storm that reduces visibility and makes driving dangerous. Does our heroine pull over and stop like a sensible person? No, she lets Korbie goad her into continuing to drive in dangerous conditions, on a fucking mountain no less, when she can't see more than two feet in front of her. This was the point when I really started to hope that she'd drive the car off the edge of a cliff and the book would unexpectedly end after 40 pages. When the torrential rain turns to snow and they are eventually forced to stop at the side of the road they just start making even stupider decisions. What do you do when you're trapped in your car in a major snow storm? Bear in mind that you have a car full of camping equipment, clothes and food that will keep you warm and fed until the storm has passed or help arrives. You have also driven hours into an isolated mountain range and have no clue where you are or if there are any cabins nearby. You can't see any lights in the distance, the snow is already deep and you have no compass or way of getting back to the car if you get lost. So which option do you choose - stay in the semi warm, and definitely dry, car or head out into the great unknown with no idea if you'll be able to find help or just end up turning into a human snowman? Yes, I think it's fair to say that our moronic main characters choose to wander aimlessly just in case they can find help. Yes, my eyeballs did hurt from rolling around inside my head by this point.

Miracle of miracles they actually manage to find a cabin after walking through the snow for over an hour. The cabin is occupied by two hot guys (because obviously our plucky heroines wouldn't trust them if they were ugly!) so no matter what kind of creepy vibes they are giving off Britt and Korbie not only waltz straight in like they own the place, they also start bickering over who gets to call dibs on each guy. Trust me if the author had had "bad guys in here" in skywriting across the top of the cabin it still couldn't have been more obvious that something terrible was about to happen! I'm not even going to pretend to forgive Korbie for wanting to cheat on the boyfriend who is supposed to be spending the week with them - especially when she justifies it by saying:

"So we aren't forever. What's the point of being completely loyal when I know our relationship is going to end?"

My response to that is what's the point in being in a relationship when you're happy to cheat on your partner?

The part that REALLY got me though was Britt's thoughts on finding the cabin and meeting the guys:

"I tapped my cup to his, grateful to have found Shaun, because for a minute there, I'd thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I'd wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man. .

You know what? Fuck you Britt. Fuck you and your reliance on a man to rescue you. Fuck you for not being capable of looking out for yourself and for putting yourself into this situation in the first place.

I could go on and on about why I hated this book but I think I've already made it clear enough. This is without a doubt the worst book I've attempted to read in 2014 (in fact I'd probably go so far as to say it's the worst book I've picked up since I started blogging at the beginning of 2010 and considering I've read over 1,000 books in that time that really says it all.

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initial reaction: Allow me to direct your attention to part of the blurb that advertises this book and its respective premise:

"Danger is hard to resist in this sexy thriller from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga."

Let me say that quite a bit of this respective blurb is not entirely accurate.

1. Danger is very easy to resist in this book, but you can't tell that to the characters here. In almost "Scary Movie" fashion, if you told the characters whether a knife or a banana would be more effective against an enemy, I would be 100% positive they would choose the banana, based on the actions they take in this book.

2. Unless having sensual relations with the guy who might've killed a girl and kidnapped you floats your boat, this book isn't very sexy at all. But it's okay, he's still cute though. *stares*

3. Thriller? Hahahahaha! Nah, not so much. I wish I could say that this book was anything near thrilling (there were moments it came close though), but ultimately it was all underwhelming because I saw what was going to happen from point A to point B.

Ultimately, I think this was Fitzpatrick's attempt of writing a D-grade horror movie, and at that point it succeeded, but everything else for its appeal? It failed. It failed miserably, and had more than a few offenses to boot. I'm still brainstorming over ways to write this review, so hopefully I can make light of where this book went very, very wrong on several levels.

Full review:

As life goes on, I know that time will tear us apart,
And take you away.
And when you're gone, I'll wake up with a hand on my heart
And a foot in my grave.

When we were strangers, I would believe
I was walking in my sleep.
We were strangers when I believed
I could wake up from this dream.

- From "Diaries" by The Birthday Massacre

A few general thoughts about this read to start.

First, if I were to give this book a rating just on the audio quality alone, it would be 3-3.5 stars. I think this was the first book I've heard narrated by Jenna Lamia; she did a fine job on her part of things. She gave the narration full emotional emphasis and her voice fit the character well. No complaints there. It was probably that which got me through this often infuriating read.

Second, fitting that I choose those set of lyrics from The Birthday Massacre to start this review, because ultimately this book tells of a tale of a girl who's in love with strangers (symbolically, if you will) - a stranger she just met as well as a stranger whom she thought she knew well.

Both of said love interests, unfortunately, are horrible. Not a single character in this book exists that doesn't make you want to throw the book at them, heroine included. Ultimately, I can deal with unlikable characters being in precarious situations, as long as it's well developed and I can somehow follow the story without it completely throwing itself under the bus. If it weren't so offensive, juvenile, and odd in its transitions, I'd almost feel like "Black Ice" could've been a dark parody of many D-grade horror movies, with romantic leanings. Alas, no such fortune. Instead, it makes me weep that this is supposed to be a book oriented towards the YA reading group, and try to pass itself off as something that's supposed to be romantic and thrilling.

Let's play a game, shall we?

In the event of a "Choose Your Own Adventure"/"Choose Your Fate"/"Choose Your Character" type scenario: you find yourself stranded on a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm. Snow's coming down hard, there's a cabin that you can take refuge in. But this site is the place where a girl has gone missing/drowned while drunk, or possibly has been murdered brutally.

Which of the following characters, in this respective situation, would you rather be? Be careful now - you only get to choose one, and that determines your fate for the remainder of the story.

A. The "intelligent" heroine. You've been told that you can't fend for yourself without the aid of a male figure in your life (your father, brother, ex-boyfriend, etc.). But you consider yourself to be reasonably smart and resourceful. You've read enough guides to survival in the wilderness, but can you resist the charms of the boy who left you behind, or the sexy stranger who seems to have a hint of pain behind his eyes, despite a shady, unknown past/identity?

B. The "helpful" ex-boyfriend. You are a freshman at Stanford, know how to shoot a gun, and can survive in the wild on your own pretty handily. Sure, your dad's given you your share of hell and considers you the ultimate failure, and your former girlfriend holds a grudge by the way you dumped her, but you can still protect her if something goes wildly wrong, right? After all, who knows what's lurking out here in this storm? Maybe you might even rekindle what love you once lost...

C. The "damaged" stranger. You hide behind an identity for your own reasons and are caught up in some possible shady crimes. Sure, your partner brandishes a gun and takes some girls hostage, but you go along for the ride because you don't really have much choice in the matter. Somehow, you just want to get off the mountain alive, but you have your own baggage to carry. And that might just be murder...but it's okay. You're still a "good guy." You might be in love with one of your hostages, and ultimately - helping her is what matters, right?

D. The "best friend". You're smarter, prettier, more determined than the heroine. So you say. And despite the fact that your heroine BFF has dated your brother in the past, that doesn't mean that you should go your separate ways. You're in this together. You deserve to survive, right?

E. The park ranger. You see a strange girl approaching your cabin in the middle of a snowstorm during a massive manhunt. Something about this scenario seems off, so you decide to go to her rescue, just from her nervous demeanor. But be careful - there's a massive manhunt for two guys wanted for murder. Are you willing to be the hero in this tale?

Have you chosen your answer? Good. Well then, looks like we can reveal answers then.

A. You are Britt, the hapless heroine of "Black Ice"! Much of your time in this narrative is spent shaming your best friend of how jealous she is of your beauty and brains, and the fact that you've looked through her diaries to see how sooo jealous she is of you! You also shame her brother (Calvin), who was your ex-boyfriend and unceremoniously dumped you just before Prom. How rude! So - to incite jealousy - you pick a random stranger to pretend to be your boyfriend and he plays along with it rather well. Rather TOO well.

When you and your BFF end up stranded in the storm, you end up seeking refuge in a cabin only to be captured by two strangers (one of which is your "pretend boyfriend") who are possibly murderers. But one of them is super hot, and even when you have countless chances to escape, you decide to stick around, because there's no point in running anyway. The super hot one is a good tracker, and even if you run, he'll find you. But then again, he doesn't seem to be that bad a guy, and the two of you have some almost sexy times together. But then you realize he might've killed the girl that disappeared on the mountain a year ago, and even worse, he has stuff that belonged to said dead girl. You escape your captor, and take refuge with your ex-boyfriend, who isn't as innocent as he seems...

B. You are Calvin, Britt's ex-boyfriend! Yes, you are a smart dude, and unappreciated! But you have secrets of your own, very dark secrets. You are a liar and psychopath! You never got accepted into Stanford, and ended up being the serial killer on the mountain to get revenge on those bitchy girls who got into Stanford over you. That's why you killed them! But see, Britt and your sister don't understand your genius. As long as they rely on you, you can ultimately make them see your reasoning eventually, right? After all, you did save Britt from frostbite, and you did save your sister from starvation after Britt and her captors left your sister to die in the shed without food or anything to survive with, right? You just have to make them see your reasoning. Never mind that you made an unwanted sexual advance to your former girlfriend after rescuing her from frostbite, and the fact that you tell your sister that Britt's only talking crazy with her suspicions against you. In the end, you're in control, but for how long? Not long at all, considering you end up in a mental institution after trying to commit suicide.

C. You are Jude, the "sexy captor". Yes, you have washboard abs and a defined chest worth a woman running your fingers down. (Britt takes advantage of this and then some.) But the fact remains, you're still a suspect in a possible murder. You take Britt and her BFF hostage as an accomplice, but with your helpful demeanor and wanting to keep Britt alive (because she's the cute, smart one, forget her friend!) - she sees you as someone trustworthy. Doesn't help that you have said dead girl's things in your possession. But it's okay, because you're the dead girl's brother, enacting revenge.

Yes, Britt has a major case of Stockholm Syndrome (make that Stalk-holm Syndrome) when it comes to you, and you're apt to encourage it. When she escapes you over a misunderstanding, you emphasize how smart she is in order to woo her back. And a final confrontation between you and the REAL killer is still yet to be seen, right?

D. You are Korbie, Britt's BFF and Calvin's sister! You might have a mean girl streak and self-absorbed personality with diaries that go on for how much better you are compared to Britt, but in the end, you're there for your friend. Except for when she accuses your brother of murder, of which case, the first thing you label her as is "jealous" because of their broken up status. Yes, Britt and your captors left you alone in the cabin to starve, using the excuse that Britt was far more resourceful and was the stronger one of you both, while you had diabetes and were going to die anyway. Huzzah! What a friend!

E. You are the Park Ranger. Which doesn't mean much, really. You're helpful, resourceful, and see that Britt is in danger from her obvious nerves at the Ranger's station during the storm. But ultimately, you die before anything can come of your role in this book. So much for heroics!

***

That's basically the gist of this entire book. Honestly, the characters felt so wooden and like puppets. They made stupid decisions, and for what? For shipping the purported love story between a girl and her captor? And add a twist to whom the bad guy really is, when really it was just a matter of making him the villain with poorly placed reveals? I think not.

The misogyny, girl-girl hate, and almost laughable climaxes lost my interest in the book and ultimately make me think that I'll never be able to read a "thriller" from Fitzpatrick again. Much less a romantic one.

Overall score: 1/5 stars.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

And this, my friends, is why I give authors second chances. I am so glad that I decided to give Becca Fitzpatrick's work another go despite having abhorred her Hush, Hush series. I wouldn't go as far to say that Black Ice wasn't problematic, but despite it's issues it was a thrilling and relatively fast-paced read.

Black Ice is a mystery thriller with (surprisingly) no paranormal aspects at all. I originally believed that this was of the paranormal genre (because silly Mel didn't bother to carefully read the synopsis or look at the Goodreads shelves) so half the time I expected some angel or vampire to swoop in and make everything crash and burn. Gladly, that didn't happen (because let's be serious here - that would have been horrific). This novel is strictly a contemporary mystery thriller coated in (admittedly pretty bad) romance and an enjoyable storyline (well, for most of the novel anyways).

Many reviewers have said that Britt, our main character is too stupid to live. I will say that I disagree on this point because that is not entirely true. When Britt and Korbie discover that Mason and Shaun aren't the charming and flirtatious young men that they first seemed, but are actually something far more dangerous; while Korbie starts loosing her shit, Britt is quick to think of all her possible situations to help herself and Korbie safe as well as an escape route. I really loved Britt's quick and rational thinking and I honestly couldn't see how she was acting stupid at all. She carefully assessed all possibilities and not only thought for herself but also her best friend who clearly didn't have half the wits. (I will add that it always annoys me when in a book it's always the friend that is helpless and that it's always the main character who is the smarter one - only a small quibble but still <.< ) In terms of thinking under pressure, Britt is on point.

However, soon it becomes evident that Britt's emotional thought-process isn't as fabulous because she throws a Stockholm Syndrome and starts falling for Mason, one of the guys who is threatening Britt's life, if she doesn't help him and Shaun get off the mountain.



Just because the dude is nicer than Shaun and is good looking doesn't mean anything, Britt. My gawd. If there was one thing that I hated, it was the romance. I found it incredibly hard to accept that Britt was falling for Mason who had got to be the shadiest person ever in existence.

What if he did die? He didn’t deserve that. The idea of him gone forever slashed me to pieces. I had questions, so many questions, and now I might never get answers. I couldn’t believe this might be the end to our story.

WOMAN. He freaking kidnapped you and he won't reveal anything about his true self. ARE YOU MAD? LEMME ANSWER THAT FOR YOU: YES YOU ARE.

Let's also not forget how this book just abuses feminism.

I tapped my cup to his, grateful to have found Shaun, because for a minute there, I'd thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I'd wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man.

This quote happened earlier on in the novel when I still quite enjoyed it, and it was probably one of the first moments where I started liking this book less. MUCH less. Good job, Britt. You've officially made me vomit my guts out.



Korbie should get the worst best friend ever award. At the start of the book we're told that Korbie and Britt were the best of friends but I struggled to find any evidence of that throughout the novel - even in the flashbacks. There's constant girl on girl hate between the pair which was probably my second largest issue with this novel. In fact, we find out later in the book that Korbie wrote stuff in a diary for reasons why she was better than Britt. W.T.F?!

Fitzpatrick did do an excellent job with the mystery side of things here, though. I found this book and it's twists to be sorta predictable but Fitzpatrick drew out her plot quite well and this aspect had me glued to the pages. In regards to the pacing, it wasn't rushed but simultaneously, I didn't find it as boring as everyone had told me before I picked this up myself.

In all, I found Black Ice to be a novel that is quite enjoyable and fast if you can look past the flaws. Some parts I found completely inexcusable (like the anti-feminism quote aforementioned and the girl on girl hate) but it was entertaining for me, and that's what ultimately matters at the very end.

~Thank you Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me this copy!~

[Kassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5*

This book entertained me and kept me guessing. I really enjoyed the mystery elements and how I could not trust anyone, but the book does have some flaws.

With this book, everything good that I like about it, there is something that I don't like so much.
I was very intrigued by the characters and their motives. I couldn't wait to find out the truth. However, the main character is a little vanilla. She did not have any qualities that made me really like her, she was just there. She also says/does some things that are annoying and frustrating.
The mysterious men really kept me interested in the story, but still they are not extremely compelling.

The plot captivated me at first, but there are definitely developments that are unrealistic and predictable. Although, the plot line is creative and I appreciate that.
There is a romance that I didn't buy into. I guess I can understand where Britt is coming from, but everything is so sketchy. Romantic feelings would the last thing on my mind if I were her.

The pacing in the story is a little weird. The beginning and end have a good bit of action and kept me on the edge of my seat, but the middle drags out. I think some parts could have been cut out and the book shorter. I did end up reading this in a day. I like the writing style, it was fast for me to read and it captured my attention, but I could still feel when the pacing dragged.

For me, this book provided a unique story that really piqued my interest. I wanted to keep reading to figure out everything and to see what happened to Britt and the characters. On the other hand, there are undeniable weaknesses in the characters and plot that hindered my enjoyment. Mostly, the book did not make me feel any strong emotions toward it, good or bad.

*I received an ARC of this book from Book Expo America 2014 in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

[Lazaros · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really intense book. I loved it. It's one of the best books to come out this year.

Britt Pfeiffer is a 17-year-old girl who goes on a trip with her best friend, chaperoned by her best friend's brother and ex-boyfriend of hers. The two friends set out on a car but the weather gets out of hand and they are stranded alone in their vehicle with no connection to the outside world. They decide to seek out a cabin and stay warm otherwise they'll freeze to death. They find a cabin and they knock on the door, and two men open the door. That's when the fun begins.

It was dark and intense and it was very realistic. There was an amazing romance born unexpectedly. The heroine was brave and heroic and she had to adapt fast in order to survive. There were lots of twists and things you never would have guesssed. Also, did I mention the heart-breaking romance?

Becca Fitzpatrick is the author of one of my most favorite book series, the 'Hush, Hush' Saga. I was most surprised when I found out she was to publish a thriller book. And now that I've read it, I'm even more surprised that I loved it so much. Mrs. Fitzpatrick has kept her amazing writing style which is very captivating and depicting and she can bring out the entire 'thriller vibe' real good.

Read it and tell me how much you loved it! ^_^

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I loved every minute of it!
Review To Come!!!

[Rachel E. Carter]

Oh man this one was hard. Why? Because I love survival stories. And Becca made me a believer. I really felt like I was out in the freezing cold (my favorite scene was the car up the mountain when it started to snow) -I literally was there. I have never felt so present in a survival story as that moment, and I give her 10 stars for that scene. Incredibly believable, and as someone who loves the mountains and fears being trapped in snow that was perfect. What sucked? No good side characters, granted, there wasn’t really an opportunity for many just a love interest, false suspect, villain, and jerk best friend. That was one thing that bothered me –why did the only morally good character have to be the love interest? I felt like if Brit's best friend hadn’t been so downright nasty the story could have been better, I don’t like books where there are no good friends in the heroine’s life. Plus then it would make the stakes higher –wanting to rescue her friend instead of just leaving some spoiled brat behind.



The romance developed way too quickly once it hit (about 60% into the book WHAM) –and the second it did Mason was suddenly crazy about Brit which annoyed me, I think I would have liked better if they never got together. I didn’t like how gullible Brit was in her flashbacks (taste thing, I don’t like super naïve characters who get bullied and don’t see what is right in front of their faces), but I will say the hints for the villain were there all along and while I thought this book was one thing it turned out to be another (I thought it would be like The River Wild -a movie where the MC is kidnapped and escapes kidnappers at end through tricking them in dangerous survival tactics, and instead the main villain in beginning gets killed 50% in and it becomes about something else). The villain once I read the clues instead of paying attention to the scenery was a super obvious twist, but I was so in love with the journey of survival to notice until the villain shot a guy. Then I saw all the pieces come into play. It was a twist, I’ll give u that, and I was willing to forgive even if obvious because there were only so many characters it could be –but then the MC got stupid and ran straight back to the villain and -oh yeah (insert sarcasm): villains totally pour wax to torture a hot love interest (Really, bro? wax? No villain would use wax when they could use a knife to get answers faster) and then –my favorite part (again sarcasm): confess to the whole crime loudly in room after sending MC to go get something and bring back (like why wouldn’t he stop talking when he thinks she’s coming back –she didn’t just stay behind, she really left to get rope and returned and he was STILL talking, conveniently confessing crime). I was extremely disappointed how lame that was. This story was way too PG in the way the ending played out, a shame since the first half was a solid thriller-survival-feel. Did I feel anything at all for love interest? Unfortunately like Patch in Hush, Hush he did nothing for me (but he WAS better than Patch, just not someone I would name a book boyfriend). So would I rec this book for romance? No. Would I recommend for someone in mood for survival story? Yes. And I’m torn. Because I was really impressed by some of this book –a far step up from Hush, Hush- and yet ultimately none of the characters endeared me.

[2 ∞ & ➳ · Rating 3 out of 5]

aw, if Hush, Hush isn't enough, Becca went ahead and started a new series.

Becca, I'm still paralyzed with the fangirling and admiration for Patch. AND NOW I HAVE ANOTHER BOOK TO TAKE AWAY ANY TRACES OF MY NORMALCY THAT HUSH, HUSH MISSED TO TAKE AWAY?


I will not stand for this. I call for justice. It's wrong to hypnotize people with your writing.

Eh, oh well, it's not like I have a social life, anyways. I'm just gonna...you know...pop some popcorn, saddle into my bed, and turn pages of your new book. xx

Update: 2/24: OMG THE COVER

THEY RELEASED THE FREAKING COVER SOMEONE HELP ME I'M DYING I CAN'T EVEN I WON'T EVEN I AM UNABLE TO EVEN AGH!


Update: 10/23/14 (Finished book):

Review later. Can't think straight right now.

10/24/14: REVIEW SESH!

ACTUAL RATING: 2.67

Okay. Just a heads up: I’ve been writing my review while I read this book. I’ve already planned out what to say and everything. So I guess my review will be chronological, so you can read my thoughts as the book progressed. OH AND DON’T READ THIS UNLESS YOU’VE FINISHED THE BOOK! If not, you’ll either a) Encounter too many spoilers or b) be confucksed.

BEFORE READING THIS BOOK BUT AFTER GETTING MY HANDS ON IT:

BLACK ICE IS IN MY HANDS
THIS ISN’T A DREAM

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD BLACK ICE NO WAY TIME FOR DELICIOUS BOYS (and a dumb character idk) AND FANGIRLING I AM SO PUMPED

…

FIRST QUARTER OF THE BOOK:
Oh, Calvin, father my babies.

I don’t give af if you’ve broken Britt’s heart. You can come over and break mine, you little piece of adoration.


But everyone else? Get the f*ck out of this book. Bye Britt. Bye Korbie, bye bye bye.

I mean keep Mason because idk boys arouse me


1
2
3
OYE MY GOSH SINCE WHEN DID KORBIE KEPT SUCH HARSH TABS ON BRITT AND WHY IS BRITT SO COMPETITIVE HOW IS THIS A fRIENdSHIp
They seriously need to look it up, because I am dying here.
Korbie thinks this all is a competition?? Like no?????
This shouldn’t be okay!


OH kay. So apparently Mason is a jackass now and is not letting them in from the cold. Good job, Mason. That’s what they deserve, those dumb clucks.
SECOND QUARTER OF THE BOOK:
HAHAHAHA no.
The boys should’ve kept both girls inside the house. They don’t need no Britt Pfeiffer (Or is it Pheiffer bc the blurb says Pfeiffer but the book says Pheiffer like?????? Becca doesn’t know to spell her own character’s name!?) because they can be smart enough to escape themselves.

Oh. My. God.

Calvin shot Shawn.

Oh. My. GOD.

Calvin shot Shawn.

Oh. MY. GOD.

Calvin shot Shawn.

OH MY GOD.

You go Glen Coco Calvin! YEAH, my man!

THIRD QUARTER OF THE BOOK:


THIS IS NOT OKAY.
REMIND ME WHY I AM READING THIS.
NOT. OH. KAY.

BRITT, YOU JUST DON’T GO AROUND MAKING OUT WITH YOUR CAPTOR LIKE WTF YOU WERE SIGHING ALL OVER ON CALVIN AND NOW?? BECAUSE OF - REMIND ME AGAIN - MOONSHINE??!?!
AND THE BOYS SAY YOU’RE SMART. hA.

Bye Britt. You’ve lost your sanity, so you’ve lost my respect.
(*coughs* if i even had any before)

You ran away and came across a WEREWOLF. Wow. That’s a plot twist.
And you had to have - I’m sorry - Jude come rescue you?

And then YOU rescue Jude in the bear attack?
Apparently both of you two were stupid.
Oh my god.
I can’t even cope with stupidity in this book anymore. It outnumbered me. (Greatly.)
FIRST HALF OF THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE BOOK:

Ah, Calvin. You’re back and better than ever. I love you.

SECOND HALF OF THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE BOOK:
So that’s the reason.
Because Calvin was jealous? Um, something is not adding up!!


EPILOGUE:

So okay.
Wow.
Britt, girl, you are one helluva child.
I am so glad to end your story. Mwahahahahahahaha! *closes book and shuts the characters out*



Okay. I’m done. This book shouldn’t have been published. Edit it a few hundred times. Oh, and get your spelling on Britt’s last name right.

Overall, then, this book did NOT meet my expectations.
Don’t read it.
Unless you like really love dumbers that make you feel smart.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot I could complain about with this book, but I was still strangely entertained by it all. I also think the fact that it was an audiobook made me enjoy it more than if I had read a paper copy - the narrator was great and really brought the MC to life. As if she was telling me her story.

But man, the romance. *pokes out eyeballs*. First, I'm sorry but that was totally Stockholm Syndrome. Or at least it started that way, which creeped me out more than it made me swoon. This dude is forcing you to bring his criminal ass back to civilization so he can run from the cops, but you fall for his charms because he's hot? Eh, okay.. But anyways, I'm getting ahead of myself. So this book starts out like your average horror movie - girls get stuck in a storm and walk into this strangers' cabin only to find out they're not exactly as friendly as you had made them out to be. Obviously, it's not the most original of plots, yet I found myself compelled by it all. I enjoy survivalist stories, which this one turned out to be, and it had me curious as to how it would all turn out. And like I said, the lively audiobook narrator made it entertaining!

Britt, the main character, I have very mixed feelings for. I didn't like her, really, but I didn't exactly hate her either. She's resourceful and with enough balls to take risks - she doesn't just cower in a corner as a helpless victim. She's also strong and smart when it comes to knowing how to survive in the wild (or at least she seemed to be from someone who has no clue about hiking). So I admired these qualities in her. On the other hand, she can be awfully oblivious and this frustrated me on a regular basis. Like I mentioned, the romance is just strange, and when she's not swooning over her captor, she's reminiscing about her jerk of an ex boyfriend who cheated on her. Plus, it becomes so clear who the "bad guy" in this story really is, and I wanted to slap her for being so blind to it all. For automatically blaming the wrong person and not putting 2+2 together. I mean come on! Maybe I'm just tuned-in to the obvious because I've read about a million mystery books, but I found it terribly predictable.

Due to this predictability, the plot was not as thrilling or exciting as it could have been. The tension is missing for the most part, and there isn't anything especially shocking. The story is also told with the help of regular flashbacks, during which we learn of her past relationship with Calvin and what he meant to her. Instead of coming to understand her admiration for him, however, it only cemented my opinion that this guy is a complete ass. She keeps believing that these "bad boys" have a heart of gold somewhere hidden inside and that just made me sad, to be honest. She wants her knight in shining armor, a guy that will take care of her and protect her - save her from herself, maybe? Bleh. Though to be fair, she also chose badly when it came to best friends. Her "BFF" is a bitch who keeps up a journal listing the ways in which she's better than Britt O_o

I'm aware that this review contains mostly complaints. And this book is far from being perfect, but even with all its faults I was always happy to be getting back to the book; it compelled me despite it all. I also did like the ending. I liked that they gave it time and didn't expect their love to heal all. So overall I found it was 3-star worthy!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Rachel L]

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND A DECENT YA BOOK?!?!

DNF, this plot is ridiculous. A girl hiking in a snowstorm comes across 2 other hikers who happen to be serial killers and force her to guide them down the mountain? UGH.

Made it about 141 pages in. Sorry Becca Fitzpatrick, I loved your hush, hush series, but this ain't for me.

[Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Ice was one my most anticipated books of 2014. I love the cover, I love the premise, I wanted to get my hands on it! When I finally did, I was so nervous to read it. I was hoping that this wouldn’t be a let down and I put this off. I’m very glad to say that this wasn’t a disappointment. I didn’t love it like I was hoping, but I really enjoyed it. I did have some issues with it, some characters drove me crazy, some parts bored me, some parts were predictable, but I was still entertained most of the time. This book won’t be for everyone, but I think a lot of readers will really like it, even love it. Note: I heard the audiobook so apologies in advanced if I misspell any characters names. :)

After Brit’s boyfriend, and ‘best friend’s’ brother dumps her on prom night, Brit is determined to prove to him that she’s over him and that she’s strong. Even though she still isn’t over him and still wants him back. She gets it in her head that a spring break trip backpacking to his family’s cabin with Corbie (Korbie?) would get him back somehow. After months of no contact from Calvin, it’s clear that he’s not interested in her anymore. But Brit has trained and prepared for her trip and she’s excited for it, until Calvin tags along on their trip last-minute. Brit is conflicted because she’s still really angry at him for hurting her, but she also still has feelings for him. On their way to the cabin, a snow storm hits Brit and Corbie and they are forced to seek shelter. When they stumble upon a cabin in the woods with two young hot guys, they think they’re saved. But Mason (who she briefly met in town earlier that day) and Shaun both seem to have different motives. Haven’t these girls ever seen a scary movie? After a few hours, the boys show their true colors when they take the girls captive and force them to help them get off the mountain.

Brit and Corbie do so many stupid mistakes. But, to be fair, they are young and spoiled and have never really had to do anything on their own. These girls, Corbie especially, annoyed me in the beginning. They were spoiled and naive. At least Brit grew some lady balls during the book, but Corbie was a character that I immediately despised. I don’t know how she is considered the best friend. She’s a whiny, jealous, bitchy, spoiled girl who can’t stand if the spotlight isn’t on her for more than 5 seconds. No she doesn’t die, but I was very glad when she was out of the picture most of the book. I don’t know what it is about YA that has some of the most horrible best friends I’ve ever heard of!

The romance on this one had me confused sometimes. From the summary, I was sure Mason would be the love interest, and honestly, somewhere in my fucked up head, this was one of the things that interested me the most. But then, we kept getting these flashback scenes of Calvin. Calvin and Brit before they were together and Calvin and Brit when they were a couple. I started to wonder if maybe Calvin would be the love interest after all, something I didn’t like since Calvin was a douche. This isn’t a love triangle at all, but these flashbacks confused me and annoyed me most of the time. I wanted the story to spend that time focusing on Brit and Mason and the transition from flirting to hating each other to more. With thrillers that have romance, I think the balance of both has to be just right. Black Ice got it right in that aspect. I loved how their relationship progressed throughout the book. Mason and Brit had some hot moments in the middle of the snowy mountains! I also loved how despite her feelings for him (and her conflicting feelings for Calvin) she still didn’t know if she could trust Mason.

The murder storyline was very entertaining, although I did guess who the bad person was. But that could have just been because I think of everyone as a suspect when reading thrillers. I really enjoyed Black Ice, even though I could have done without Corbie. I liked the epilogue although it did leave me wanting a little bit more. Despite my issues with this book, Black Ice was a damn entertaining book! A refreshing read that reminds me that I should read more thrillers.

Audiobook Comments: I immediately liked this narrator because she actually sounded like a teenager! She was perfect for Brit and she even made me dislike Corbie even more because she nailed her snobby spoiled attitude so well. I loved how she really got into her performance, especially in some of the really intense parts. She didn’t do the best male voices but she was decent enough and gave them each their own ‘voice.’ I am kind of a narrator snob about girls doing proper male voices though. Even though this was my first time listening to Jenna, I was impressed with her performance and would listen to another book by her.

Black Ice by nereyda1003

***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed


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[Sarah (saz101)]

You know, I run hot and cold with Becca's books. I love/hate the Hush, Hush books. But it's not really a question, is it? Of COURSE I'm going to read this.

And if I wasn't convinced, this is what seals it: "BLACK ICE is gritty and frightening, twisty and sexy. There's a touch of paranormal. The stakes are high and there is a definite case of it's-not-what-it-seems going on..."

What I loved most about Hush, Hush (and missed in Crescendo), was the WTFery. The creepiness, the never quite knowing if Nora was losing it, if it mas magic, or hallucinations.

SO excited to see what Becca does here ♥

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

What I Liked:

I liked Hush, Hush, Fitzpatrick's debut novel, but I didn't really like the rest of the series. Crescendo was okay, but I didn't like the direction that Fitzpatrick took with the romance. Silence and Finale, meh. I didn't care for them. But I was so happy when I saw that Fitzpatrick was writing a new book (a couple of years ago). But then the release date was in 2014... and I was like, dang, two years and counting?! That's quite the wait. Well, it was worth the wait. This is Fitzpatrick's best novel, in my opinion.

Britt and her friend Korbie plan on backpacking the Teton Range, but unfortunately, her ex (whom which she is still in love) wants to join them. In a twist of events, Britt and Korbie get stranded in Britt's car, and have to abandon the car and gear to get out of the snowstorm. They stumble upon a cabin, housing two men (Shaun and Mason). Shaun holds the girls hostage, leaving Korbie injured in the cabin, but taking Britt with him and Mason to get off the mountain. While Shaun is insane, Mason is less sure about the hostage situation, and seems to want to help Britt. Nothing adds up in the mountains of Wyoming, but one thing Britt is sure of: she needs to escape.

The story begins in an interesting way. Britt and Calvin (her ex) are talking, and Britt invents a boyfriend so that she won't seem so pathetic in front of Calvin. She points to a guy getting gas. This guy happens to be Mason (the man who will assist Shaun in holding her and Korbie later). But no one knows this. Mason plays along, totally fooling Calvin. But as the story goes on, we see Mason as a kidnapper, someone almost cruel. Or is he?

Personally, I am a HUGE fan of Mason. I never got the bad-guy, kidnapper vibe from him. In fact, I got the why-are-you-two-here-you-will-get-hurt-by-Shaun-PLEASE-LEAVE vibe from him. He acts cruel to Britt and Korbie at first, because he recognizes that Shaun might hurt them. Mason has his own motives, and he isn't working in tandem with Shaun. He doesn't have the same goals as Shaun. He's not a terrible guy. He's a young man, college drop-out, who is looking for something.

Britt is different from Nora (from Hush, Hush). Honestly, I think Britt is very smart, even when she is terrified. Britt never stopped thinking, and never stopped trying. She was always suspicious of things, even if she never suspected the Big Reveal (climax). I could totally understand why she wouldn't. But I like her. She has depth, character, grit.

The romance is soooo beautiful, in my opinion. At first I was like, Stockholm Syndrome? I hate love stories that involve Stockholm Syndrome. But I didn't get that vibe here. Britt was intrigued by Mason from the first scene of the book, when he played along with her fake boyfriend scheme. Mason is hot and cold, but he has good intentions and a good heart. Also, he's kind of hot. Just saying. I shared a swoon from this book on Thursday, so you can that out.

There is NO love triangle. Calvin isn't really a factor in this case. You'll notice in my swoon post that the name "Jude" is used... I promise there is no love triangle. Just trust me. I won't spoil anything here, but I'll DM you if you really want to know.


I like that the author set the book up in which there are constant flashbacks from Britt's past with Calvin. Britt is SO in love with Calvin. He's Korbie's brother, and Britt has been in love with the older boy since they were kids. Then one day, he kind of just notices her, and they start dating. I never got the sense that Calvin was serious about her, that he cared about her as much as she cared about him. But dude, I totally understand her feelings and her loyalty to him. First love is the hardest to let go of, in my opinion.


The setting is gorgeous and punishing and harsh and awesome! Fitzpatrick did an excellent job of writing the setting and portraying the mountains of Wyoming. It almost makes me want to live near the mountains and snow. Almost. We get all four seasons in a healthy dose hear in Baltimore, so um, no. LOL.

The story itself is quite interesting. Britt is forced to lead Shaun and Mason to Idlewilde, but she has Calvin's map, so she leads them to another cabin with a watchman. There, she and Mason run away and leave Shaun. Things heat up between Mason and Britt, but then Britt must decide if she really trusts Mason... and she needs to find out who the bad guy is. Someone is killing women on the mountain, and it might not be Shaun.

The Big Reveal, as I like to call it, isn't super shocking (in my opinion). I thought it was pretty obvious, but I liked the setup and reasoning behind The Big Reveal and the perpetrator. I was also dying to know how Mason and Britt would get their happy ending (if they would at all). I won't share any details, but I'm satisfied with the ending!

What I Did Not Like:

Maybe it's just me but I expected more of a twisty story... a lot of things were based on luck. Like Britt taking Calvin's map. Or Britt getting forced into the storage room by Shaun, in which she same something suspicious... I don't know. I think I just wanted more mystery, but it seemed like the mystery was a bit obvious and a bit lucky. Still. Great novel.

Would I Recommend It:

I would totally recommend this book, to anyone who loves contemporary, or anyone who loves a slow-burn romance, or anyone who loves suspense/mystery novels! There are lots of interesting aspects of this book for anyone/everyone to enjoy. This is coming from a hardcore fantasy/science fiction fan.

Rating:

4 stars. I'm quite pleased with this novel! I'm happy to have had a chance to read it. It's a wonderful standalone novel, and I can't wait to read Fitzpatrick's next standalone, Sapphire Skies!

[Beth (YA Books Central) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Ice is one of the most intense and suspenseful books that I have read so far this year. This book is just absolutely phenomenal. This is one of those books that is the DEFINITION of page turner!!!! I mean...just WOW... Black Ice is in a league of its own in the YA industry. It has it all...I mean there just aren't enough words to describe how incredible this book is! and that cover!!??? Seriously? It just portrays the image of danger and suspense.....


Britt Pfeiffer is one of those characters that you just immediately connect with. Fitzpatrick has created an well-drawn, dynamic character her main character, Britt. Britt and her best friend, Korbie have planned a spring break getaway at Korbie's parents home in the Tetons of Wyoming. She has prepared for this getaway for weeks and has trained diligently for the back-packing trip she has planned.


Days before they leave for their trip, Britt and Korbie find out that Korbie's older brother, Calvin, who is also Britt's ex....will be chaperoneing them on this trip. This news is devestating to Britt because it has taken her months to get over Calvin but she is determined to set her feelings aside and have a good trip with her best friend.


Britt and Korbie head off to the mountains and get stuck in a snowstorm before they reach the cabin. They decide to try and reach shelter and come across a cabin way back in the woods and when they knock on the door they are welcomed by two handsome young men who dont really seem to belong.


One of the young guys, Mason, seem to be trying to help Britt and acts very strangely when she continues to ask questions. He begins to be very rude and warns her that she needs to leave as soon as possible. Britt doesnt listen and soon discovers the remains of a dead body in the cabin but by this time it is too late.


This begins an incredible, intense, heart-pounding journey for Britt. Little does she know but these two young men are really fugitives running from the law. Britt doesnt know the reason why they are fugitives but she is determined to find an answer.

There is a unforseen romance that begins and it is just breath-taking. It is the perfect romance written into a survival story where two people are not sure if they will be alive when they wake up. I loved it...I loved every minute of it and it felt so right for the two characters involved..(no spoilers..sorry)


Black Ice is one of the most incredible, addictive, frightening mysteries I have ever read. There are so many twists and turns and at times I found myself gasping and just staring at the pages. I mean...that really couldnt have just happened?? Did it? Seriously? I just literally LOVED this book. This is one of those books that I could just re-read over and over...yes it was that intense....The characters were phenomenal, the story was addictive, and the scenery just completed the whole package. Stranded in a snow storm, fighting to survive, and knowing there is a killer out there?? Ummmm Yes please......HA!

[Yulitza Moncada · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5 es mi puntuación para este libro.

Para comenzar tengo que decirles que esta historia es totalmente diferente a lo que hemos leído de Becca, vamos a ver una historia llena de misterio, drama, asesinatos, secuestro, tortura, que te va a mantener enganchado desde su inicio hasta su sorprendente pero predecible final.

Los personajes de este libro me gustaron, estuvieron muy bien desarrollados y es algo que me gusto mucho, la historia está narrada por la protagonista que es Britt, que dios mío me hizo obstinar varias veces, en momentos era muy astuta y no tenía miedo, y en otros momentos la veíamos llorando y muerta de miedo, y dejaba pasar momentos por alto que dios solo pensaba “PERO QUE TE PASA MUJER” pero al pasar las paginas vemos como el personaje se hace fuerte y demuestra que no es una niña miedosa, también tenemos a Mason que me encanto desde la primera pagina en que lo vi, su forma de cuidar a Britt me enamoro a pesar de ser en algunos momentos una persona sin sentimientos y era muy duro con ella, también tenemos a Calvin el EX novio de Britt que dios mío es estresante que Britt cada 5 páginas pensara en él y añoraba por él, y también a Korbin la hermana de Calvin que es un personaje envidioso y egoísta, no me callo nada bien y tenemos a Shaun que es un personaje que no soporte ni un momento durante el libro, es detestable en todos los sentidos.

Las primeras 150 páginas me mantuvieron en suspenso, Becca lo estaba manejando bien el suspenso y al misterio de la historia, pero luego de eso la historia se me hizo TOTALMENTE PREDECIBLE, todas esas teorías que comencé a crear en mi mente a partir de la mitad del libro sobre el asesino, sobre el secuestro, fueron correctas y por lo tanto hizo que no me emocionara como lo hubiera deseado, el romance del libro se me hizo algo tierno y para nada meloso, a pesar de que se da en un momento algo raro y tú te preguntabas “COMO TE VAS A ENAMORAR DIOS MIO”, algo que me encanto del libro fue su ambientación Becca logró meterme en ese lugar logro hacer que me imaginara ese frío, esa nieve y esa tormenta GRAN PUNTO.

Y para concluir solo les puedo decir que van a encontrar un libro con una historia predecible, pero con unos giros en la trama que te van a dejar flipando, puede que este libro no les guste, como puede que sí, solo queda en ustedes si le dan una oportunidad, yo lo hice y no termine tan decepcionada, Becca creo una historia con una trama interesante que te va a hacer pensar y elaborar mil teorías en tu mente, y si les gusta este genero de misterio, drama, asesinato y toque de romance, puede que les encante el libro, y si no, espero algún día le den una oportunidad a Black Ice.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.

This book is not for everyone. There are handful of moments that would make some readers uncomfortable, squirm on their seats and rage. I guess I read it with the right mindset.

In a nutshell Black Ice seems like another shoddy attempt at a mystery – thriller book, but I kid you not…this is actually a stellar standalone novel. Not everyone is going to love Black Ice while others will absolutely devour it. That’s a fact and a logic that works for every book and situation out there.

In comparison to Hush Hush, Black Ice is definitely a step up work from Fitzpatrick. Black Ice follows the story of Britt who trained thoroughly to backpack in Teton Range. However, everything goes downhill when a blizzard destroyed her plan, is forced to seek shelter in a cabin with two suspicious occupants. As if her life couldn’t get better these men take her as a hostage. Bargaining for her life, Britt agrees to be their guide. As they trail to their destination, Britt discovers evidence of murders. She must stay alive and fight for her survival or else she may become the next target.

Black Ice surprised me. I thought I wouldn’t like it but I ended up finishing it without taking a break and giving it four stars out of five. Mystery – Thriller is one of my favorite genres and this book does not disappoint.

We have a strong and reliable protagonist that can fend for herself. Britt easily becomes one of my favorite Young Adult main characters. All the supporting characters have the perfect characterization for teenagers, psychopath and what not.

At first I wasn’t really into the romance though it certainly made my heart thump thump and the ending is the neatest and sweetest wrap up. I could not ask for anything better. Black Ice is intense, mesmerizing…a fantastic, vivid story about survival.

Highly recommended to Fitzpatrick’s fans and all readers who are looking for a fantastic mystery read.

[Beatrice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I believe this is Becca Fitzpatrick's first mystery / thriller novel. Years ago, I'm excited to read this novel because I love her Hush Hush Saga. It's nice to see her venture from paranormal romance to mystery. To my disappointment, this book isn't impressive at all.

Timely, it's rainy here so that adds the chilling atmosphere. At first, I was drawn to the story it but as it progresses I started to lose my interest on it. The female lead, Britt Pheiffer is so annoying, naive and has the worst survival instinct. Gosh, she and her best friend are worst in decision making. I tried to be patient but it's really frustrating to read the passages as they come up with a bad decision. I don't even know why Britt is sticking up to Korbie. She's an insecure, jealous and plastic. What kind of person wants her best friend beneath her or even compare herself to her? That's not a real best friend to me. All along it's a rivalry instead of "friendship". She deserves a better treatment and more respect than that.

The plot twist isn't as surprising as I thought. I was able to figure out in the early chapters of who's the suspect for the unsolved crimes. The romance is quite off to me. The stockholm syndrome going on didn't work. It takes time for that to develop in my opinion and in this case, I find it abrupt. I'm just happy I'm done with this book.

[shre ♡]

HOLY!!!!!!! I WAS NOT AWARE SHE WAS WRITING MORE BOOKS!! AHHHHH!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[May R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hielo negro es la nueva novela de Becca Fitzpatrick, autora que debutó con la saga Hush Hush y que se hizo famosa con dicha saga. Yo leí Hush hush y no me gustó nada y por esa misma razón en un principio cogí esta novela con las expectativas muy bajas a pesar de que me llamaba muchísimo la atención.
Sin embargo, Hielo negro ha sido una novela que me ha encantado, con una trama adictiva y unos personajes muy buenos. Ha sido una novela que me ha dejado fascinada y con la boca abierta, sin duda, esto era lo que yo esperaba de Becca cuando cogí Hush Hush.
Hielo negro es una novela que tiene un trama de misterio muy bien elaborada e hilada, que contiene unos giros inesperados muy buenos y una historia de asesinatos y secuestros que me ha encantado. Es una novela juvenil con un buen contenido de misterio escrito por una autora acostumbrada a las novelas juveniles de romance paranormal. Por lo que para mí tiene mucho más merito.
Además tiene un ritmo bastante rápido, aunque no por ello la autora hace que los hechos se den unos tras otros sin dejar que el lector se adapte a la historia. De hecho Hielo negro tiene un ritmo perfecto para la historia que cuenta y engancha muchísimo. He estado pegada a las páginas sin poder evitarlo y he estado todo el tiempo queriendo retomar su lectura.
Los personajes también están muy bien perfilados, tienen una personalidad muy buena y una caracterización profundizada y que en seguida el lector interpreta y empieza a desentrañar.
Lo cierto es que me ha resultado bastante predecible el final, no sé si porque era predecible o porque lo he desvelado por casualidad, pero la verdad es que desde el principio me imaginaba quién era el asesino de la historia.
En resumen Hielo negro es una novela genial, que no deja nada que desear y no tiene nada que envidiarle a otras novelas. Es una novela para lectores de juvenil que disfruten del misterio y que quieran dejarse llevar por una historia que no les dejará indiferente.

[Glory · Rating 1 out of 5]

Итак, незамысловатый подростковый триллер а-ля "две дуры отправились в горы, заперлись в дом к двум незнакомым парням, тоже не блещущим интеллектом, и не забудьте про еще двух особо одаренных чуваков, присматривающих за дурами, дабы не случилось какой оказии". Плюс маньяк, ага.
Всю дорогу в голове билась одна-единственная мысль: "Чтааааа?"
Серьезно, что это было? Откуда берутся такие особи и зачем о них писать? Я вообще не понимала телодвижений персов: одна дрыхнет, вторая рефлексирует, третий идет сам не знает куда, четвертый вообще таинственным образом и без объяснений растворяется где-то на просторах книги, пятый и шестой загадочно сверкают глазами и наводят тень на плетень. И всюду сопли-сопли-сопли-в-сахаре.
И да, я не против слабых и наивных героинь - не все же про гром-баб читать, к тому же многое зависит от подачи, - но вот такие инфантильно-дебильные (простите, иначе не скажешь) вечные жертвы, не способные сами подтереться, не вызывают ничего, кроме раздражения.
Не знаю, что еще сказать. Я в шоке от количества восторженных отзывов как от англоязычных читателей, так и от наших. Не хочу никого обидеть, но тенденция пугающая... Или со мной что-то не то.
Грызла до конца в надежде на мозгодробительную концовку, которая объяснит весь предыдущий ужас, но, увы...

Состояние после прочтения:

[Pikolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pues yo le doy 3.5 estrellitas.
La historia en sí me ha gustado ... el principio me ha parecido un poco lentito pero luego la cosa se pone interesante y no puedes dejar de leer ...
Los personajes es otro cantar ... Korbie es odiosa, Britt en algunos momentos mb infantil y la sigue el juego., actúan como niñas y tienen decisiones q no son muy coherentes.
Por otro lado Mason me ha gustado, creo q es el único normalito, porque a Calvin lo veía venir desde el ppo.
La trama de suspense me ha gustado, y tiene su toquecito de romance q me ha gustado tb bastante.