[Review] Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Black Ice
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick [ Facebook | Twitter | Website]

Publisher: Simon Teen

Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Mystery, Thriller, Romance

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.

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? - via Goodreads

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The prelude, though!

Becca Fitzpatrick kicks off Black Ice with an intense opening prelude reminiscent of the opening scenes in horror movies. Quick moving with action and the set-up necessary to get the vibe of the serial killer.

Smart girls making bad decisions...

I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing, or maybe just a real thing. Best friends Britt and Korbie (really, really disliked this name) decide to hike a trail for spring break but there's an unsuspecting snow storm so things go south real quick and they have to worry about their survival.

They knock on a stranger's door and these guys are acting all sorts of sketchy! I felt like the guy in Scream who needs to explain all the rules of scary movies because we all know this trope except Britt and Korbie.

Britt is an 18-year-old college student who is looking to assert herself and upend some stereotypes about her female gender role and affluent upbringing, oh and make a boy jealous. As a result she has spent hours studying and practicing her wilderness survival skills. Unlike Korbie, Britt is tired of playing the damsel in distress and frequently mentions how much she relies on all the men in her life to get by. I don't want to spoil anything but lets just say her practicing and studying comes in handy a time or two.

Money and Masculinity...

Almost all of the key players have money!!! I'm not sure if this was done to help the plot in some places or if that's the population that usually has cabins in the mountains of Wyoming. I understand it as a characteristic for certain characters and on others not so much. I would've liked to see more diversity in this area because I feel like the in some way Fitzpatrick was tying in the theme of gender roles/views directly to affluence. While money can affect character I would like to believe there's not a direct correlation there... 

Gender roles became a much larger focal point than I thought possible for a mystery/thriller! Learning the character's back stories and relationships with their parents, siblings, friends, etc. played such a large role in how they've arrived at this point. Really looking at the expectations and stereotypes for each relationship revealed and how it has influenced the present day plot is disturbing and also so true. Definitely makes me rethink how I choose my words and how they affect my relationships. 

It's all in the details...

One of the things I really enjoyed is that even though the story is plot driven there are flashbacks that help build the character case. This way the reader is playing judge and jury as they're reading. 

If you're into details... it's all there! I called this towards the middle of the book but even then there were little bits 'o' information that kept popping up to surprise me. 

The romance...

I found it slightly awkward. I can't get into too many details but you know from the synopsis there are two boys Britt is involved with. I really struggled with the idea of being kidnapped and falling for one of my captors in three days and then wondering if it's Stockholm Syndrome or Lima Syndrome all the while I'm lost, cold, wet and hungry. I didn't hate the ending but I wasn't in love with it, I enjoyed the ride there much more! 

4 Stars - It's all in the details!