{ARC Review} Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
Labels:
4 Stars,
ARC,
Becca Fitzpatrick,
Book Review,
Young Adult
·
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: 7th Oct 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Thriller/Survival
Source: Paperback ARC provided by Simon & Schuster for fair & honest review
Rating: 4/5
BLURB:
Britt Phieffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trip with her and go trekking through the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming.
But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, and find two knights in shining armour, Shaun and Mason, who are also hiding out.
But all is not as it seems, and Britt quickly discovers that the guys are there for reasons other than hiking…dangerous reasons that mean they need to get off the mountain, fast. In exchange for her life, Britt is forced to guide them down, and as they set out on a harrowing journey through the cold and snow, Britt realises the only way to get out of this alive is to pretend she is on their side.
But playing nice is hard, especially when Britt is unsure whether Mason, gorgeous and sexy, is the enemy or an ally. And as she begins to lose track of who is in control it is only a matter of time before things turn deadly…
A survival story full of suspense with a dash of romance!
REVIEW:
The story:
After setting off on their Spring Break hiking in the mountains, Britt and her best friend Kobie get stranded in a massive snow storm. Trekking to a nearby cabin, they stubble upon two guys, Mason & Shaun, believing they can help shelter them until the storm passes. But it soon becomes clear that they are in even more danger than ever. Forced to help guide the two men off the mountain, Britt is pushed to her limits, mentally & physically. Knowing that several girls have gone missing or died in the mountains is the past, Britt starts to question what these guys are running from, and soon it become's unclear who is on who's side.
This book is a fast paced and chilling story full of suspense. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end, desperate to know if Britt was going to survive. I was a little worried at first that Britt was going to be a weak heroine, and at first she was. But she learns to rely on herself to survive. She becomes a stronger person and embraces an inner strength she didn't even know she had.
The characters:
I was surprised to see how much Britt grew during those few days she spent on the mountain. At first I felt she was a very weak and naive girl. She relies of everyone around her and never really takes any responsibility. But after being forced into protecting herself from her kidnapers and survive in the dangerous conditions, she discovers a stronger more resilient person within, and I liked this version of Britt much better.
Mason has a question mark over him the whole time. We know there is more to him that what he's letting on, but whether it's good or bad, we don't know. What is clear is that he does have a conscience and wants to protect Britt, despite being partly responsible for get kidnapping.
Korbie, Britt's best friend (if you can really call her that), is an extremely shallow character. She's vapid, materialistic and is not exactly that nice to Britt. I can't say I really liked anything about her. Her brother Calvin was much the same, and to be honest I can't see what Britt ever saw in him either. He's vain and was always making fun of her, I just couldn't stand either of them.
The romance:
I'm glad to say there is no love triangle in this book! Mason is the character that Britt is drawn to and despite the fact he's involved in kidnapping her, I personally didn't feel there was any Stockholm Syndrome occurring (it's hard to explain why without spoiling the plot). What I loved about the relationship between Mason & Britt was how he respected her abilities and showed her she was stronger than she believed. The flashbacks of her relationship with Calvin always felt like he believed he was superior, but Mason and Britt were represented as equals.
The writing:
I really enjoyed the writing style, with flashbacks to Bitt's relationships with both Kobie and Calvin. We get to see the weak girl Britt used to be, compared to the stronger girl she becomes. I have to admit I guessed who the murder was very early on, BUT this didn't ruin it at all. I was on the edge of my seat and actually gasped out loud during some parts! And the epilogue gave the perfect closure to the story!
FINAL WORD:
Black Ice is a gripping, fast paced thriller that had me throughly entertained the entire time. A survival story full of suspense with a dash of romance, this is sure to please YA fans.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / references to sex & virginity
Violence: medium-strong / kidnapping, dead bodies, guns, shooting, murders etc
Language: medium / occasional f word
Drugs & alcohol: mild-medium / some minor underage drinking
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I'm so glad that you enjoyed this one! I am about to start reading it, and have trying to work up some anticipation for it. My excitement was a little dampened (just a little bit) by a couple of two star reviews I read, but now I am really excited to read it. I think I'll like it - I seem to be one of the few people I know who actually really liked Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series.
ReplyDeleteIt DOES kind of sound like there would be a love triagle from the synopsis, but I'm glad there's not. Great review :)