Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Black Ice
Written by Becca Fitzpatrick
Mystery, Thriller
Published October 7th 2014
392 Pages
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…

Britt has always been a city girl, popular, sassy and her only grievance is her former relationship with Calvin, her best friend's brother who ended their secret relationship on what may have been the most important night of her life. So rather than spend her spring break in Hawaii, she convinces Korbie to traipse through the Teton National park to her family owned cabin, Idlewilde. After eight months absence, Calvin is finally coming home from university and Britt refuses to give into temptation. She thought she had moved on, but upon seeing him again, spring break will test her will and self respect.

But after the girls leave town and driving through the treacherous mountain range, the weather turns deadly. The snow is falling and before the girls can decided whether to brave the conditions and continue up the mountain or turn back, their only option now is to find shelter and wait for rescue. Trekking through the snow leads to an isolated cabin where the two friends meet the attractive Mason and Shaun, friendly, welcoming and also riding out the snowstorm. But where Shaun seems charmed by his new house guests, Mason desperately wants them gone.

If only Britt had heed Mason's warning when Shaun turns a gun on the girls. He's desperate to escape the mountain and takes Britt hostage, leaving Korbie tied up and left for dead. Armed with only Calvin's map of the area, Britt needs to guide both Mason and Shaun back to the highway and escape her captors. But it soon becomes apparent that Mason is more than the criminal she suspects him to be. But what are they running from?

My Thoughts


After a wavering beginning, Black Ice was a unique and enthralling read that surprised me. Told from the perspective of Britt, a girl who still pines for her former boyfriend and has always relied on the men in her life to keep her safe, she now finds herself in a dangerous situation with nothing to rely upon but her own cunning. As the story begins, Britt seems to be little more than a materialistic simpleton. But it isn't long before her sheds her superficial facade in order to survive. She isn't the helpless girl she portrays herself to be. Korbie on the other hand is the generic wealthy princess who is waiting for death, or boyfriend Bear to rescue her from their captors. The term boyfriend is used loosely, as she makes her intentions towards claiming Shaun clear, and her jealously leads to her usual obnoxious and caustic comments as a coping mechanism. Although best friends, Korbie switches between fun loving girl to poisonous when she feels that she isn't the center of attention. Her character was cruel and incredibly irritating.

Mason and Shaun are seemingly friends, but it isn't long before cracks start appearing and Britt soon releases that their connection is little more than a strained association that she can use to her advantage. But Mason isn't the heartless villain that he first appears to be, his kindness and attempts to protect Britt are baffling, until she learns more about why he's trying to evade the authorities. Britt finds herself partially attracted to Mason, but also acknowledges the possibility of suffering from Stockholm Syndrome in a hostage situation. It soon becomes more a battle against the elements to survive, than escape.

I found myself championing for Britt's escape and survival, and unlike her debut novel Hush Hush, Black Ice is a more mature, meticulous and engaging read that will appeal to fans of young adult mysteries and thrillers. Highly entertaining and will surprise readers who weren't particularly fond of her previous releases. I simply couldn't put it down.

19 comments

  1. I love thrillers so this intrigued me immediately! I must admit, I did a reread of her debut and it did not agree with me at all. But it's nice to hear that this strays more into the mature side of things. I loved that you enjoyed this, Kelly, and I'm hoping that this will keep me on my toes as well! There's nothing I enjoy more than simply being sucked into a book! Lovely review, Kelly! <33

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    1. Me either actually, they were far too young for me and only read Hush Hush. They just weren't my thing. But although this one looked like it would slip into that Nora Grey frame of mind, I'm so thankful it didn't. It was surprisingly good. I can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  2. I don't read that many thrillers, but this does seem good. Never having read a book by this author, I must admit that I feel like this should be my first book of the author, when I decide to try her books. I'm very glad you enjoyed reading this. Fantastic review, Kelly! <3

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    1. I don't generally read that many either, but the location in Black Ice sounded brilliant. I'd definitely recommend starting with this one, rather than Hush Hush. It's far more mature, with Hush Hush being an early teen read.

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  3. I'm so happy to hear that this one was such an enjoyable read for you as well! I read it a few months ago and loved it so much. Your right in the fact that this one is a much more mature read than her other books and I enjoyed it much more. I also championed for Britt's survival and just couldn't put this book down because I needed to know what else happened! LOL Great review :)

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    1. Thanks Lily. I think a lot of readers will be surprised how different it is to her Hush Hush series and how much her writing has matured. I was worried that Britt might have slipped into Nora Grey mode, but when she shed that generic facade, I started to actually like her.

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  4. I've heard mixed things about Black Ice, but I'm glad you like it. Like Naban, thrillers aren't really my thing. It's good to know you enjoyed it, though!

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    1. They typically aren't my thing either, but for a thriller it was pretty tame. The storyline really drew me in though and the ending was brilliant.

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  5. Heh, but Britt sounds like she falls into the same cavernous men-dependent pits that Nora fell into. XD Okay! But I've only read 1 Hush Hush book, so I can't judge. >.> I'm really curious about this one....but concerned. It sounds freaky.

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    1. That's how she starts off, I thought she was just a reincarnation of Nora Grey as well. But put the girl in the middle of nowhere with nothing but two captors, a map and snow as far as the eye can see, she wasn't the idiot I had assumed her to be actually. I actually liked her and championed her escape.

      It's a pretty mild thriller, but just enough to keep you on your toes. Completely surprising.

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  6. This book sounds awesome. I read her Hush Hush series years ago and really liked them (though if I re-read them today, I suspect I wouldn't like them even as half as much as I did then) so I'll definitely pick this one up. I love thrillers, so I know I'll probably enjoy this one!

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    1. This is a big change compared to Hush Hush, so much more mature, which I was concerned that Britt would have been little more than another Nora Grey. But it really surprised me. I hope that readers who disliked Hush Hush still take a chance on Black Ice. I really enjoyed it.

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  7. I must say this one sounds like its going to be an intriguing read. I haven't read much when it comes to thriller YA but I'm more than willing to start on it. As usual, great review!

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    1. Thanks Ana. It's pretty mild compared to other young adult thriller, Dangerous Girls being one of them. But still really good and the ending kept me on the edge of my seat. I think you'll really enjoy this one.

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  8. I am usually too Jillian, I reply on publisher catalogues and their websites to see what's coming out usually. I'm really bad at using Goodreads to check for new titles. I'm not a fan generally either, but this was just that good that I was completely immersed. Give it a go, I think you'll really enjoy this one.

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  9. I've been putting off reviewing this one because I disliked Hush, Hush so much, but from all the feedback so far I'm definitely going to pick this one up next! I love that Britt ends up becoming a very intelligent character and continues to grow as the book progresses. I'm not too bothered by her reliance on the men in her life because it's realistic in my eyes as well. Wonderful review Kelly xx

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    1. From the first few chapters, so how she conducts herself on the mountain, it's almost two completely different characters. Without the vapid best friend, she really comes into her own. It's nothing like Hush Hush, which will appeal to so many YA readers who disliked the series as well. I can't wait to see what you think of it Joy.

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  10. Glad to hear this was an improvement over Hush, Hush, I'm not sure what I would have done if she was like Nora, probably bang my head against the wall. Thanks for reviewing Kelly!

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    1. You and me both Jeann, you and me both.
      I'm so glad she wasn't. Nora was so incredibly hard to relate to. Although Britt had a few hiccups, she's a much more likable protagonist.

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