esjo04's review against another edition
3.0
Jag tyckte det va spännande när tjejerna ”kidnappades” och när man fick veta att Calvin va the bad guy meeen den var rätt långtråkig ganska ofta. Jag tror att om jag verkligen tyckt att den va bra bra så hade det inte gjort nåt men eftersom den inte va det så blev det tråkigt. Jag gillade inte slutet. Om jag hade fått bestämma hade jag slutat efter kapitel 40.
agnevor's review against another edition
1.0
this was a shitshow, but an entertaining shitshow nonetheless.
getting the positives out of he way (because there were few): i found this book pretty entertaining overall. the stormy mountain setting was creepy, the premise was good enough to keep me interested. the plot was a little predictable, i guessed the big twist like 40 pages in, but it was nice to see how it all played out. it was also very easy to get through, a simple fun story that took me a day or two to get through.
that being said, what the fuck, miss fitzpatrick?
the description of this book says something along the lines of "danger is hard to resist, blah blah, a sexy thriller". it immediately put me off when i read that, because how can a book about two men kidnapping two girls be sexy? apparently, the sexy part is that one of the girls falls in love. with one the men. who kidnapped her, robbed a store and almost killed a girl on the road. and she does this in like four days because hey, the guy is super hot and he's kinda nice sometimes, which is obviously enough to justify all of his behavior and fall in love.
if this book was about stockholm syndrome, and it was done well, then yes, i would've understood. but it's written as some 'ooh bad boy but he's actually a sad boy' crap that somehow can't stop existing within the YA genre. i'm a teenager and i am so sick and tired of these edwardian mister gray characters and weak-minded, naive heroines who justify their behavior even when they're being clearly manipulated and convinced that killers, creeps and abusers can be good people too. and if that's not enough, in the end mason, jude or whatever the fuck gets turned into the hero, which is the author's way of making all of his past crimes and mistakes a small oopsie that doesn't matter anymore.
the second big red flag for me was the recurring girl hate. britt and korbie have one of the most toxic friendships i've ever seen, and they're both in on it. besides being generally annoying and unbearable, korbie also keeps a list comparing her and britt's lives, appearance, materialistic possessions, etc. and britt, instead of cutting that bitch out of her life, not only keeps silent, but also plays along, even risking their lives by driving up a snowy hill during a snowstorm just because korbie thinks she can't. and in the cabin, britt constantly thinks how annoying, shallow and stupid korbie is. is that what a best friend does? are you supposed to shit on your best friend to a strange man, make yourself seem better so you can steal him from her (which, first of all, WHAT?), and degrade her as a person? hmm.
many many things wrong with this book. i haven't read any more of this author's books, but if they're similar to this, no thank you :)
getting the positives out of he way (because there were few): i found this book pretty entertaining overall. the stormy mountain setting was creepy, the premise was good enough to keep me interested. the plot was a little predictable, i guessed the big twist like 40 pages in, but it was nice to see how it all played out. it was also very easy to get through, a simple fun story that took me a day or two to get through.
that being said, what the fuck, miss fitzpatrick?
the description of this book says something along the lines of "danger is hard to resist, blah blah, a sexy thriller". it immediately put me off when i read that, because how can a book about two men kidnapping two girls be sexy? apparently, the sexy part is that one of the girls falls in love. with one the men. who kidnapped her, robbed a store and almost killed a girl on the road. and she does this in like four days because hey, the guy is super hot and he's kinda nice sometimes, which is obviously enough to justify all of his behavior and fall in love.
if this book was about stockholm syndrome, and it was done well, then yes, i would've understood. but it's written as some 'ooh bad boy but he's actually a sad boy' crap that somehow can't stop existing within the YA genre. i'm a teenager and i am so sick and tired of these edwardian mister gray characters and weak-minded, naive heroines who justify their behavior even when they're being clearly manipulated and convinced that killers, creeps and abusers can be good people too. and if that's not enough, in the end mason, jude or whatever the fuck gets turned into the hero, which is the author's way of making all of his past crimes and mistakes a small oopsie that doesn't matter anymore.
the second big red flag for me was the recurring girl hate. britt and korbie have one of the most toxic friendships i've ever seen, and they're both in on it. besides being generally annoying and unbearable, korbie also keeps a list comparing her and britt's lives, appearance, materialistic possessions, etc. and britt, instead of cutting that bitch out of her life, not only keeps silent, but also plays along, even risking their lives by driving up a snowy hill during a snowstorm just because korbie thinks she can't. and in the cabin, britt constantly thinks how annoying, shallow and stupid korbie is. is that what a best friend does? are you supposed to shit on your best friend to a strange man, make yourself seem better so you can steal him from her (which, first of all, WHAT?), and degrade her as a person? hmm.
many many things wrong with this book. i haven't read any more of this author's books, but if they're similar to this, no thank you :)
abartley73's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not including huge spoilers in this review, but if you like to go in without knowing much, you shouldn't read this review. It doesn't really give much away, but it's also not completely free of tiny spoilers :) Read at your own risk!
I've been hesitant to read this for a long time. While I really liked Hush, Hush when I read it, I don't think I would now. It was one of the first series I read when I started reading again, so it was all new and exciting for me. And that's what matters to me. Enjoying the book while you're reading it.
I finally decided to read this because I have a ton of books I want to read in the next month, and I wanted an easy stand alone novel to read while I waited for my books to come in. I went into this with a completely open mind. I've heard so many negative reviews on it, and I wanted to see for myself and form my own honest opinion.
Is this the best book I've ever read? No. Did I love it? Absolutely. It was a great book for what it was. Some things irritated me, but all books have that. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, especially in YA. They are usually so predictable, and this one wasn't any different for me. I've always been good at guessing endings, and I was able to guess this one before I hit the halfway point. I'm not sure it was so much the writing, or just the fact that it's the same twist at the end that they all have.
The characters were ok. Definitely not memorable, and I wanted to slap Britt upside the head for wasting time with a friend like Korbie. I think the relationship that started forming between her and Mason was a bit creepy and off putting. It just felt like such odd timing. She doesn't know if she's going to make it out of this situation alive, and she becomes infatuated with one of the kidnappers. My biggest irritation was her constant memories of Calvin. I honestly couldn't have cared less about his character through the entire book, and I think the random memories of him were completely unneeded.
Now, for the stuff I liked! I actually really liked Britt. I think she had great character development for this being a stand alone novel. When the book firsts starts, she won't even pump her own gas. By the end, she realized she could stand on her own two feet and not have everything done for her. I also think Mason was a great character as well. He's so mysterious but so likable at the same time. Caz was also on my top list, which says a lot since she's only in like 12 pages of the book.
I liked the plot for the most part. I think it was really cool reading a YA survival novel. I know absolutely nothing about the mountains, so the whole concept was new and different for me. It was a bit predictable, but not so much that it ruined the experience. I also think the ending was perfect. I think she ended it in a way that tied up all the loose ends and left me with closure for this story.
I did overall really enjoy this book. I think 4 stars is a very fair rating. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but I would to friends. I think the key to enjoying it is going in with an open mind and reading the book for what it is. A simple stand alone YA novel that isn't meant to knock your socks off, but is a pretty enjoyable read.
I've been hesitant to read this for a long time. While I really liked Hush, Hush when I read it, I don't think I would now. It was one of the first series I read when I started reading again, so it was all new and exciting for me. And that's what matters to me. Enjoying the book while you're reading it.
I finally decided to read this because I have a ton of books I want to read in the next month, and I wanted an easy stand alone novel to read while I waited for my books to come in. I went into this with a completely open mind. I've heard so many negative reviews on it, and I wanted to see for myself and form my own honest opinion.
Is this the best book I've ever read? No. Did I love it? Absolutely. It was a great book for what it was. Some things irritated me, but all books have that. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, especially in YA. They are usually so predictable, and this one wasn't any different for me. I've always been good at guessing endings, and I was able to guess this one before I hit the halfway point. I'm not sure it was so much the writing, or just the fact that it's the same twist at the end that they all have.
The characters were ok. Definitely not memorable, and I wanted to slap Britt upside the head for wasting time with a friend like Korbie. I think the relationship that started forming between her and Mason was a bit creepy and off putting. It just felt like such odd timing. She doesn't know if she's going to make it out of this situation alive, and she becomes infatuated with one of the kidnappers. My biggest irritation was her constant memories of Calvin. I honestly couldn't have cared less about his character through the entire book, and I think the random memories of him were completely unneeded.
Now, for the stuff I liked! I actually really liked Britt. I think she had great character development for this being a stand alone novel. When the book firsts starts, she won't even pump her own gas. By the end, she realized she could stand on her own two feet and not have everything done for her. I also think Mason was a great character as well. He's so mysterious but so likable at the same time. Caz was also on my top list, which says a lot since she's only in like 12 pages of the book.
I liked the plot for the most part. I think it was really cool reading a YA survival novel. I know absolutely nothing about the mountains, so the whole concept was new and different for me. It was a bit predictable, but not so much that it ruined the experience. I also think the ending was perfect. I think she ended it in a way that tied up all the loose ends and left me with closure for this story.
I did overall really enjoy this book. I think 4 stars is a very fair rating. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but I would to friends. I think the key to enjoying it is going in with an open mind and reading the book for what it is. A simple stand alone YA novel that isn't meant to knock your socks off, but is a pretty enjoyable read.
creativelawa's review against another edition
4.0
As always Becca Fizpatrick does not disappoint. A thrilling book from start to finnish with unexpected plot twists and an exciting storyline.
High School seniors Britt and Korbie have descided to spend their Spring Break in Korbies family cabin up in the mountains of Wyoming. What they did not expect was getting stuck in a bizzard before they even made it to the caabin. Seeking refuge from the storm they find themselves stubling upon alot more drama that they could ever have imagined when planning the trip.
I could bearly put it down between chapters and could not wait to turn the page. Definitely readworthy!
High School seniors Britt and Korbie have descided to spend their Spring Break in Korbies family cabin up in the mountains of Wyoming. What they did not expect was getting stuck in a bizzard before they even made it to the caabin. Seeking refuge from the storm they find themselves stubling upon alot more drama that they could ever have imagined when planning the trip.
I could bearly put it down between chapters and could not wait to turn the page. Definitely readworthy!
macarah's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fictionalkate's review against another edition
3.0
Britt has been looking forward to her senior spring break with BFF Korbie for months. Instead of the typical beach scene, Britt has planned a hiking trip around the Wyoming mountains and a cosy cabin to stay in. As prepared as she may be, Britt never anticipated just how dangerous the woods could be. There's more out there than just snow and ice - bears and other predators roam the mountains too. Britt needs to use all her wits and survival knowledge to help her make it though spring break alive and find out just who she can really trust...
Becca Fitzpatrick has set up the perfect suspense story in Black Ice. There's the eerie setting. Two somewhat naive girls on their way to a secluded cabin. And a couple of mysterious and complicated potential love interests whose true motives are less than clear. The build up is perfect - from the surreal prologue right up to moment when Britt realizes her holiday is not going to go according to plan. Where this story fell short for me is in what happens next.
This story is slightly predictable. When it comes to murder mystery type stories, I want the ending to be not quite what I was expecting whilst at the same time being believable with regards to the preceding story. And on this Black Ice partially delivers. The ending is great and makes perfect sense for the characters. But I found there to be a few too many clues and signposts regarding how everything clicked together. There is the occasional red herring thrown in to mix things up but for the most part - I wasn't surprised.
The same could be said for main character Britt. She goes though quite a lot in this novel and despite it all she manages to hold all together. I thought she handled it a little too well. From finding out she's spending the week in close quarters with her ex-boyfriend to breaking down in a snowstorm and trying not to freeze to death (not to mention ALL the thing which happen next) - Britt manages to keep functioning and carries on. Whilst her stoicness is great to keep the story flowing and had she fallen to pieces all the time I would have had problems with her melodramatic behaviour, she felt emotionless. After everything she had seen and been through, her lack of emotions caused her to feel slightly robotic.
Despite all I have said so far - there is a lot to like about Black Ice. It has a genuinely creepy vibe which kept me on the edge of my seat worrying for the characters. Mason, Shaun and Calvin each have very different dynamics with Britt and it was interesting to see just what each of them brought to the overall plot. I loved the relationship between Britt and Korbie with them being best friends who at times barely tolerate each other. Overall, Black Ice delivers an interesting story with a great premise and setting but I felt it fell a little short of my expectations.
Thanks to S&S Australia for the review copy.
Becca Fitzpatrick has set up the perfect suspense story in Black Ice. There's the eerie setting. Two somewhat naive girls on their way to a secluded cabin. And a couple of mysterious and complicated potential love interests whose true motives are less than clear. The build up is perfect - from the surreal prologue right up to moment when Britt realizes her holiday is not going to go according to plan. Where this story fell short for me is in what happens next.
This story is slightly predictable. When it comes to murder mystery type stories, I want the ending to be not quite what I was expecting whilst at the same time being believable with regards to the preceding story. And on this Black Ice partially delivers. The ending is great and makes perfect sense for the characters. But I found there to be a few too many clues and signposts regarding how everything clicked together. There is the occasional red herring thrown in to mix things up but for the most part - I wasn't surprised.
The same could be said for main character Britt. She goes though quite a lot in this novel and despite it all she manages to hold all together. I thought she handled it a little too well. From finding out she's spending the week in close quarters with her ex-boyfriend to breaking down in a snowstorm and trying not to freeze to death (not to mention ALL the thing which happen next) - Britt manages to keep functioning and carries on. Whilst her stoicness is great to keep the story flowing and had she fallen to pieces all the time I would have had problems with her melodramatic behaviour, she felt emotionless. After everything she had seen and been through, her lack of emotions caused her to feel slightly robotic.
Despite all I have said so far - there is a lot to like about Black Ice. It has a genuinely creepy vibe which kept me on the edge of my seat worrying for the characters. Mason, Shaun and Calvin each have very different dynamics with Britt and it was interesting to see just what each of them brought to the overall plot. I loved the relationship between Britt and Korbie with them being best friends who at times barely tolerate each other. Overall, Black Ice delivers an interesting story with a great premise and setting but I felt it fell a little short of my expectations.
Thanks to S&S Australia for the review copy.
moodgoddess97's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
wandereaderr's review against another edition
5.0
I'm in awe. This book was extremely captivating, suspenseful, and so beautifully written. Britt was an amazing protagonist who, by the end of the novel, found the strength to take care of herself, despite all she has been through. Jude, even if he was a little fucked up, was sexy as hell. I was rooting for him the entire time.
At first, I was upset because Britt and Korbie's friendship is not repaired but then I realized that it was a blessing because that entire family was too toxic for Britt. Caz seemed like a much better fit for Britt. I loved the ending, how Britt was strong enough to let him go even though she might not see him again. And of course, she did see him again in the epilogue. I like to think that Britt ended up staying even after the summer was over.
And while some of it IS problematic--the "damsel in distress" who enjoys being just that, the misogyny--I enjoyed the novel. I feel like such an ass for saying that but I really did enjoy the novel. I think Britt realized the trouble that came with being so dependent on men. She has to save herself.
At first, I was upset because Britt and Korbie's friendship is not repaired but then I realized that it was a blessing because that entire family was too toxic for Britt. Caz seemed like a much better fit for Britt. I loved the ending, how Britt was strong enough to let him go even though she might not see him again. And of course, she did see him again in the epilogue. I like to think that Britt ended up staying even after the summer was over.
And while some of it IS problematic--the "damsel in distress" who enjoys being just that, the misogyny--I enjoyed the novel. I feel like such an ass for saying that but I really did enjoy the novel. I think Britt realized the trouble that came with being so dependent on men. She has to save herself.
ptha2201's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75