(ARC) Review: BLACK ICE by Becca Fitzpatrick

BLACK ICE
BY BECCA FITZPATRICK
Genre: Young Adult Mystery, Thriller
Published October 7th 2014 by Simon and Schuster UK
Format Acquired: ARC
Source: Author c/o National Book Store and Simon and Schuster UK

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…

MY REVIEW

Here comes a new book by the author of Hush, Hush saga which gave us a hint to who the original bad boys were: the Fallen Angels. I love Hush, Hush (review to come!) and I met Becca in person. She's a very nice person and she has lovely hair! So when I learned about this new book, which falls under a completely different genre, I felt ecstatic to see if she can also pull this one off.

I considered five (5) things to give one (1) star each while reading Black Ice:

1. First five chapters. I haven't read mystery/thriller books for about 2-3 years so I considered the first few chapters if it is indeed interesting. I hate it when I get bored at the first chapters of a book, it triggers my reading slump mode on. In Black Ice, I didn't notice I was already past 5 chapters. This is a total page turner. 1 star: check!

“If I had known things would turn out this way, I would have trained harder. I would have learned to take care of myself. But I guess that's the point, isn't it? You never know what you're going to have to face, so you'd better be prepared.” 

2. Characters.  Britt, our main character, is probably one of my favorite characters from now on. She's a strong, intelligent woman who knows what to do in a particular situation. When she and Korbie, her bestfriend, got lost and trapped in that mountain, she didn't show any signs of fear. She knew that panicking will do them no good. Instead, she thought of every way to get their way out. She thinks fast, she acts fast. Korbie, well, Korbie is the kind of person you need but don't need. Does that even makes sense? Mason, on the other hand, is the mysterious type. I find it hard to read him and understand what his real motives are. But he certainly knows how to read people.

3. Plot. It's been a while since I read a thriller book and this one really caught my attention. Plus, I love Britt's character. And solving the mystery through the clues she found while she was held captive. Finding out who these two fugitives are, Britt is more than the vulnerable, weak, cry-baby Calvin thought of her all this time.

“They say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. They never tell you that when you watch someone you once loved dying, hovering between this life and the next, it's twice as painful, because you're reliving two lives that traveled one road together.”

4. Twist/Revelations. When I read the prologue, I was intrigued who the killer was, what he wants, and why is he doing these horrible things. And well, at first, I thought the killer was the "good guy" and he's just pretending to be innocent. I didn't thought the suspect was "him". And to think that his motives are not that of a big deal, I know that there are cases like this, having too much pressure that people around you are expecting too much from you.

“I like having you around, Britt. That's the truth. I'm not leaving you. Even if you were a pain in the butt, I'd stay with you. It's the right thing to do. But it turns out I find you likable and interesting, and while I'm not glad you have to go through this, I'm glad we have each other.” 

5. Romance. To those who read Black Ice and wanted to slap me, I know, I know. Hehe. But, I just can't help but like how the romance was built in this captivating crime fiction.

“Because those four days in the mountains, they changed us. I gave you a piece of me. And you must have given me a piece of yourself, too, because you wouldn't have come here otherwise. You would have let go. I can't let go of you, Britt. And I don't want you to let go of me.”

There you go. I didn't expect that Becca would actually pull off this new book, but boy I am wrong! I wasn't disappointed that this is a standalone because I am perfectly happy and satisfied with the way it ended. :)

MY RATING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Becca Fitzpatrick

(c) Hazel of Stay Bookish