COVER REVEAL: Sacrifice (Elemental #5)

It seems as if 2014 is the year of series enders. Sad, but true. One series I will be especially sad to say goodbye to is the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer. I read the first book, Storm, just a few months after it was released, and I have waited with bated breath for every new release since then.

Sacrifice (Elemental #5) is the final book in the Elemental series, and it's finally biggest brother Michael's time to shine. Would you like to meet Michael? Trust me. You do.

Sacrifice (Elemental #5), by Brigid Kemmerer
To Be Published September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Genre:  young adult paranormal
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * iBooks

(Synopsis) One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick is used to pressure.

He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it out for his family, and he’s all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, gets that. She’s got a kid of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could end her life without a moment’s notice.

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s “bad luck.” Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, and they’re armed for war.

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. There will be blood on the ground tonight…

I had the unique opportunity to hear Brigid read a small part from Sacrifice at her release party for Secret (Elemental #4), and let me tell you - Sacrifice is going to be EXPLOSIVE. I can't wait. So? What do you think of that cover?? 

Other books in Brigid's Elemental series:

 

REVIEW: Secret (Elemental #4)

Secret (Elemental #4), by Brigid Kemmerer
To Be Published January 28, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre:  young adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Nowhere is safe. Not even home…

Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.

Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.
Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.
Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—-or he’ll lose his family.

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.

Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers.

There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

Brigid Kemmerer's Elemental series has had my attention since I read the prequel novella, Elemental (Elemental #0.5), a year-and-a-half ago. Brigid has this awesome ability to build upon not only the paranormal elements to her story, but also the relationships that form in each book. It's like spinning plates - you start with one, and once you get the fourth one going, you look back and see the first one still going strong. 

Nick is struggling with several huge secrets. He's the trustworthy brother, so everyone turns to him for help. And, it's becoming too much for his 17-year-old shoulders to bear. Especially since he's got issues of his own to deal with. He's recently started to come to terms with the fact that he likes guys, and he has no idea how to share that monumental piece of information with his brothers. The only ones who know are Adam, the guy he likes, and Quinn the girl he's supposedly dating. Instead, the secret Nick keeps from them is that he can wield the wind like no one's business. 

Meanwhile Quinn is keeping secrets of her own. She's saddled with Nick's secret, plus she's keeping her positively tragic home life from him. Then, when she starts hanging out with Nick's mortal enemy, Tyler, it adds one more massive complication to the mix. 

Secret is Nick's book. Since his novella, Breathless, came out several months ago, much of the discussion I've heard around the blogosphere regarding Secret has been about Nick's ongoing struggle with his homosexuality. And, yes, that is a major part of this book. Nick has massive misgivings about opening up to his brothers and to Hunter. Most especially, his fear lies in revealing himself to his twin brother, Gabriel. 

I don't know, though. I honestly felt like Quinn owned this book moreso than Nick. This was just as much Quinn's book as it was Nick's. This poor girl lives in such positively awful conditions. Her mom is a drunk. Her brother is a coke head. She constantly lives in fear of being raped or beaten in her own home. She thinks herself fat, ugly and unworthy of love. And, when she finds out her boyfriend, Nick, doesn't want her either (at least, not the way she wants him), it's like the straw that breaks the camel's back. 

I was brought to tears so many times by Quinn's plight. This girl just wants someone to love her. And, every time she thinks she's found that, she realizes she really hasn't. My heart broke again and again for her. And, you couldn't exactly be angry at Nick for not wanting her like she wanted him. What was he to do? Sure - perhaps using her as his beard wasn't the best idea. But, it really seemed as if Quinn was on an island by herself. 

And, then along came the surprise that was Tyler. He was introduced in the prequel novella and has made appearances in every book since. Tyler is one of the bad guys. And, in Secret, his motivations for treating the Merrick brothers as he has come to light. We see that things are not always black and white. Especially when it is Tyler who ends up being exactly what Quinn needed all along. 

And then yes, there is Nick and his budding relationship with Adam. The angst there nearly leaped off the pages. Nick has always been the silently confident one of the four brothers, so to see him so unsure and unsteady was unsettling in a good way. It helped draw me into everything Nick was feeling and allowed me to empathize with him. 

There is less of a focus on the brothers' elemental abilities in Secret than in any other book before it. There is definitely demonstrations of its use, almost exclusively from Tyler and Nick. But, the elemental abilities don't take center stage as they have in the past. And, you know, it was okay. I was so caught up in what was going on between Nick, Adam, Quinn and Tyler that I didn't even realize the lack of paranormalness until I had to sit down and think about my review. Never once did I think the book was lacking because of it. 

We're all geared up now for the fifth and final book in the series - Michael's book, Sacrifice - due out later in 2014. It's a bitter sweet thing. I can't wait to see how the brothers triumph at the end and how the relationships they've formed along the way help them toward that victory. But, then, it will be over! And that will suck. A lot. But, until then, we have Secret to tide us over. Keep some tissues nearby as you read it. :)

COVER REVEAL: Secret (Elemental #4)

I am such a frikkin' fangirl when it comes to Brigid Kemmerer and her Elemental series. I've met her in person twice now, and I can assure you, she's just as awesome in person as she is virtually. Not to mention the fact that her mad skillz dreamed up the intense and dreamy Merrick brothers.

Speaking of which, have you heard that Nick Merrick will get his own full-length novel? Breathless (Elemental #2.5) gave us a brief, but VERY telling, glimpse into Nick's and Quinn's lives. I don't know about you, but it just left me wanting more. And, now we'll get it. Well, not NOW. January 28, 2014, to be exact. And the first step toward getting this book in your hands is to check out the cover.

So, are you ready? Oh, believe me. You're ready.

I bet your eyes went to the same place mine went, right? The font she used for the book's title is perfect, isn't it? *snicker* Seriously, pretty cool, right? This is the first time we've seen a girl on the cover. So, you might expect that, not only will Secret focus on Nick's budding relationship with Quinn's dance partner, but it will also focus on Quinn's budding relationship with "someone from an earlier book" (Brigid's words, not mine). Even more exciting is, according to Brigid, Secret is her "steamiest novel yet." You want it, like NOW, right? Here's some more information to help you out.

Secret (Elemental #4), by Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher:  Kensington Books 
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17149088-secret
ISBN: 0758294379
To Pre-Order:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Indiebound

Summary:  Nowhere is safe. Not even home…

Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.

Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.

Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.

Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—or he’ll lose his family.

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.

Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

About the Author

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of The Elemental Series, about a family of four brothers who control the elements, and their battle with those who want them dead. Storm, Spark, and Spirit are available now wherever books are sold. To read the novella introducing Nick’s story, be sure to check out Breathless available as an e-book only from major e-book retailers. You can learn more about Brigid and the Elemental boys at www.brigidkemmerer.com.

ARC REVIEW: Spirit (Elemental #3)

Spirit (Elemental #3), by Brigid Kemmerer
To Be Published May 28, 2013
Publisher:  Kensington Publishing
Format: ARC - received from publisher
Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal/Romance
To Buy:  Amazon  * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Check out my review for Storm (Elemental #1).
Check out my review for Spark (Elemental #2).
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

Once again, Brigid Kemmerer has stunned me with her incredible storytelling and flawless delivery. One of the hallmarks of the Elemental series so far has been the pure, unadulterated EMOTION that practically leaps from the page and squeezes your chest. And, oh man - I got the chest squeezies so many times in Spirit.  

The Elemental series, to date, has followed the lives of the four Merrick brothers - Michael, Gabriel, Nick and Chris. Each brother has the ability to wield a different element (earth, fire, wind and water). Then there are the Guides who are spirit users (see where this is going...?) and able to wield all four elements. They are the self-imposed police of the Elementals, and sent to kill the strongest of their kind. 

Hunter is a "fifth" - a spirit user. He's been featured in the first two books, but his loyalties have constantly been called into question. As a result, he's on pretty rocky footing with our favorite brothers. I was a little curious as to what it was about Hunter that made him compelling enough to get his own full-length book in the series. 

Well, let me tell you. He deserves the spotlight.

Hunter's life is no picnic. His dad is dead; his mom is too grief-stricken to pay attention to him; his grandfather whom he lives with is a complete jerk; and his only friends hate him. The guy is alone in the literal and figurative sense. And, as a 16-year-old kid without parents to guide him and people pulling him in so many different directions, he's in serious danger of imploding. 

Kate is a new girl sent to keep an eye on the Merricks, but she ends up watching Hunter more. She proves to be an outlet and a sounding board for him. But, her actions soon have him questioning whether he can trust her too. 

Brigid's writing is so compelling. I'm drawn along every page with her delicious words and incredible story. How does she have the ability to make me feel it all in one book? You laugh...

"He kept trying to tell his own body that she was injured, that she was seeking warmth, that this had nothing to do with anything. His body was replying, DUDE. SHE IS NOT WEARING PANTS."

And you cry...

"But Michael was faster than Hunter gave him credit for, and he caught up before Hunter could close the door to his jeep. Hunter slammed the door back at him, making Michael fall back a step. He followed it up with a solid shove. "Leave me alone," he shouted. "Just leave me..."

And then his voice broke and he was crying."

As the reader with the birds-eye view of everything, I can tell you that I experienced so much frustration on my part. Hunter is leading with his head and not his heart which causes him to make some bad choices. And that makes me CRAZY, because he's such a good guy who deserves so much happiness and peace for a change. If he would only. Stop. Thinking. Argh!

For once, the romance isn't the main spotlight in the story. And, for once, I was very much okay with that. The real focus is Hunter finding his place in the world. It's about where he fits into the Merrick's lives. And, it's about true - TRUE - friendship, and how to tell that's what you have. His relationship with Kate is really just the icing on the cake. And, it was sweet icing, let me tell you. Hunter is one sexy beast!

By the end of the book, the direction of the series became much clearer to me. There are two more full-length novels left - Nick's (Siege, due out in early 2014) and Michael's (untitled, due out in late 2014), and the story arc is shaping up so well. I can't wait to see what happens. 

Book #133 - Spark (Elemental #2)

Spark (Elemental #2), Brigid Kemmerer
paranormal romance
345 pages
Started 12/1/12
Finished 12/3/12
4.5 STARS

Four stupidly hot brothers and they all have awesomesauce powers and are fiercely loyal and incredibly sweet - now, I know most girls totally want to hit that, and really, I can't blame them (in my own cougar-ish way). But, think for a second how amazing it would be to be besties with one or all of them? Can you imagine the parties - heck, even the casual get-togethers - they would have at their house? Hands down, the Merrick brothers are now my new favorite bookish family.

Following the events of Storm (Elemental #1), all the Merrick brothers are on edge. Their meet-and-greet with the guide doesn't go so smoothly, especially for Gabriel who is harboring a lot of guilt over his recent perceived failures. To make matters worse, he's in danger of failing trigonometry and getting kicked off the basketball team. So, he enlists Layne's help to get his grade up. He didn't bank on her being so interesting. But, his attention is pulled to a recent string of arsons, and his desire to help people compels him to use his power over fire to help save the victims of those crimes. Only problem is, everyone who knows about his ability now thinks HE'S the arson.

Boy oh boy, was this an emotional book. I mean, lump in my throat, tissue in hand, husband laughing at me while I cry at a BOOK emotional. Gabriel is so tough on the outside, being the brawler in the family. He feels a sense of responsibility to take care of his twin brother Nick and his little brother Chris. And, although he resents oldest brother Michael's authority, he loves him and looks up to him so much. So, when they all start asking Gabe questions about the fires in town, he takes it so personally. It kills him that they would even think he could do something like that. Gah - his reactions and his heartbreak was so wrenching!

The plot was enticing and interesting. These brothers are totally engaging, and I find the time reading their story simply flying by.  There was a seamless transition from book 1 into book 2, which I really do appreciate. Even though it's been a few months since I read Storm, the catch-up that was provided within the context of Spark was just right - not too much so that I forgot which book I was reading, but not too little that I was still missing important details.

But, most of all, I have to say bravo to Ms. Kemmerer. Thank you for making me feel. And, I don't mean "blah, blah, blah, oh, that's too bad, blah, blah." I mean, feeeeeeeeeeel. I was emotionally engaged and invested throughout the entire book, and that, my dear readers, is a very rare and wonderful thing.

Book #95 - Storm (Elementals #1)

Storm (Elementals #1), Brigid Kemmerer
353 pages
paranormal romance
Started 831/12
Finished 9/1/12
4.5 STARS

I had the pleasure of meeting Brigid Kemmerer twice in August at book signings. At the first one, I bought Storm and had her sign it for me, and then due to the business of life and a backlog of other books that I had to read, it sat on my shelf until the next signing three weeks later. I read the novella, Elementals (Elementals #0.5) that came in the back of Storm. And, suddenly, I was wondering why I hadn't read this book immediately after buying it.

Michael, Gabriel, Nick and Chris Merrick are four brothers who can control the elements. That comes with a price - most people who know about them want them dead. But, Becca Chandler sees beyond the powers to the person underneath, especially when it comes to Chris. Chris has been treated badly his whole life though, so he has trouble warming up to anyone outside of his family. The new kid, Hunter, takes those holes in Chris' affection toward Becca to his advantage. If only every girl could be so lucky, right?

Storm was such an exciting book! I loved the idea of the brothers' powers and how they tap into them. Usually when there are people with powers like that, those powers are kept secret from everyone. Not so in this case - there are people who know about them, and those people are scared. It gives the story a different twist, and a definite twist on the "bad guy." In this case, the bad guys are normal people.

Kemmerer created a strong female character in Becca. She's tough and doesn't take crap from Chris or his brothers. Which is amazing since his oldest brother, Michael, is a real ass to her a lot of the time. Her dad has been nonexistent for most of her life, and when he shows up out of the blue, she gives him nothing but a hard time. Good for her, I say. And, even though her social status is in the crapper thanks to the biggest jerk face in school, she still shows up and seems to want to fight for what's right. I like that.

The Merrick brothers are a complicated lot. Their abilities haven't made their lives easy. I'm glad that Kemmerer didn't make things easy for them. Impossible challenges make books so much more interesting. Sometimes it feels like authors allow things to be hard for their characters for so long, and then all the bad guys just step aside to make way for a happy ending. Don't get me wrong. I like - no, NEED - a happy ending. But, I don't want it to come to easily, either. Luckily, Kemmerer also recognizes this too. Ah - a kindred spirit.

This is definitely a must-read. It's paranormal without being too out of orbit. The characters are strong without being total jerks. Bravo, Ms. Kemmerer.