Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s probably more of a 3.5 star book but feeling generous so I’ll round up.

I’ve had a few Becca Fitzpatrick books on my TBR pile for a while now but this is the first I’ve read and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Started it around 9pm last night and didn’t stop till it was finished. Turned into a very late night but it was definitely worth it.

The story is a thriller about two friends Britt and Korbie who get stuck in a snow storm en route to a cabin in the mountains for spring break. Scared to stay in the car they head out on foot in the snow and find a cabin with two slightly older guys in it. Despite having mixed feelings about these strangers the girls have no choice but to trust them and work with them if they’re going to get off the mountain alive. Can they really trust them though particularly when the mysterious Mason seems to be hiding something?

Thoughts

I enjoyed this story a lot more than I expected to. It’s an easy read with a fast paced storyline and a lot of action throughout. I kind of figured out quite early on what the truth was so it was a little frustrating watching Britt make mistakes but I was willing her on the whole time. It was like seeing a slasher movie and shouting at the characters to look behind them or not to open the door (although I think that is actually part of the fun).

Britt was a great character and I loved the girl power theme running through the whole book. At the start she’s a little bit of a daddy’s girl, running to him for money and help with anything, and has spent most of the past year working to get some kind of validation from her ex boyfriend Calvin. She wants to prove to Calvin that she’s not the spoiled, useless girl he thinks she is and possibly win him back. As the story progresses however we start to see she’s not as superficial, weak and desperate for approval as she seemed. She’s actually quick to think, with a keen survival instinct, determination and strength. It does take her a while to see what’s really happening but in those circumstances probably anyone would be the same.

If Britt is the strong independent woman then Korbie is at the other end of the spectrum. Completely spoiled by her parents, always putting her so called friend down to prove how much better she was and constantly seeking male approval. When things start to go wrong she is the stereotypical damsel in distress looking for a white knight to save her. If there was one thing that annoyed me about this book it was this. Why can’t we just once have two women with a healthy, non competitive friendship. I know it wouldn’t have worked in terms of the plot but please just once.

The big draw for me in this story however was Mason. Tall, dark, mysterious and brooding. I have admit to having a bit of a thing for a bad boy and the author keeps you guessing till pretty much the very end what his motives truly are. Is he using Britt or could he really care about her? I thought the relationship between the two of them was fascinating as there is obviously an attraction but neither is sure whether they can really trust the other or if they are being used and manipulated.

I thought the writing and descriptions within the story pulled you right in. From driving along a pitch black road in a snow storm, unable to see in front of you, to fighting for survival against the bitter cold and other dangers. I really felt like I was there in that freezing wilderness with Britt and I could easily imagine how terrifying it would be. There were a few sections here and there that were a little bit light on details and emotions but considering this is a book aimed at young adults I think it was judged just right..

Overall I’d recommend it to readers who like an exciting and fast paced young adult story and want something a bit more real than the usual fantasy and dystopians that seem to dominate the market.