Sacrifice: Review

Synopsis:

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

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

Michael Merrick understands 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 in for his family, and he's all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She's got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.

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. Everything is set for the final showdown.

Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?

***

This is Michael Merrick's story, and damn if it isn't awesome. After the warning in Secret, the Merricks are living in constant fear and alert. The one who is trying to hold everything together is Michael. Except everything is falling apart. This is the final battle and I enjoy every second of it.

Unlike the last four books, Michael already has a girlfriend - Hannah. Speaking of Hannah, she's very likable. She's not as unsure of herself as other female protagonists in the previous four books. She knows what she wants and she makes clear decisions. Very straight-forward, and I like it. The relationship between Michael and Hannah might not be as intense as Chris'/Gabriel's/Hunter's/Nick's, but it's much more relatable in real life. Let's face it, who will get the action-packed romance like the other four guys in normal circumstances? None. This relationship is much more sensible and realistic. It actually makes the book even better when even a powerful Earth Elemental has to face such normal problems.

There will be death - very unexpected death. Of course you are going to find out yourself. The thing is that this death scene happens so quickly that I have difficulty accepting it. Maybe it's intentional. But to me it happens way too fast. I'm glad that they actually make up for that later and it is still a glorious death for that character. Honestly, it's hard to imagine this character dying. I've grown to like this character and can't really let it go.

It's a good ending of a somewhat realistic paranormal story. I actually think this series is underrated because it's intense yet funny and normal at the same time.

Rating: 8/10

Secret: Review

Synopsis:

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?

***

I'm always curious about Nick Merrick. Sure, I've read about him in Breathless but it's far from enough. Now there's a whole book about him sitting there and of course I'm going to dive for it. I kinda like that guy. It's nice to see that he's far from perfect. In the previous three Elemental books he's the dependable one. The good twin and the best brother. A ton of problems emerging in the book just show how imperfect he is, which makes him more realistic than ever. There's no need to say how much better a realistic character than an unrealistic one. Oh, and it's pretty funny to see he's really a drama queen (*whisper* sometimes even more so than Quinn *giggles)

Speaking of Quinn, well... at the very least I have a hard time understanding why Brigid Kemmerer put her in a position as one of the narrators (the other being Nick, of course). I completely understand her significance in Nick's story. What I want to say it... she's not that important. The situation Nick is being in is messed-up enough without Quinn hanging out with a certain Fire Elemental "homicidal" freak (not Gabriel, of course). And I don't really think she needs to know the big secret of the Merricks. These are the logical part. The illogical part? I really don't like Quinn. I can't say I hate her because I kind of understand her problems with her family. But I really hate that she's such a freaking drama queen and just wouldn't understand the core of those Elemental problems and Nick's problems until it's way too late. I really need that girl to grow up and be mature. Things are already messed up enough for Nick without her being such a bitch all the time. The worst part? She's one of the narrators of Secret, and that means she's gonna be present for half of the story (actually it's almost more than half of the story, which makes me even angrier). It's torturous. And to be honest, she doesn't even make much of a contribution to Nick's story. (Spoiler) Most of the time they're apart (End of spoiler). So yeah, I really don't like Quinn's part of the story.

The plot is a little problematic as well. Nowhere as severe as the whole Quinn-is-a-main-narrator thing. But still, it's a problem. The first part of the book is mainly about Nick's problems. Not that it's problematic, because the first three books are kinda like that. But for some reason his problems bores me out. It seems like there are no new big bad problems in the first half of the book other than that Nick is torn between multiple stuff and he's frustrated and he starts being an ass. No real threats, no life-and-death situations. While I still enjoy this part, it's nowhere as good as the second half of the book and to be honest, it's a little boring. The second half is so much better. Finally the big bad reveals his identity, and he's making a really drastic move. And then... all hell breaks loose, and the level excitement is nearly off the charts. Geez, Brigid Kemmerer really knows how to make explosive twists. Secret kind of sets the stage for the events in Sacrifice (at least that's my theory). And I'm really curious to know how it will turn out. (Because the name of the book is Sacrifice and it features Michael... I have a really bad feeling about this.)

But despite the Quinn problem and the problem about the prioritizing of the plot, Nick's presence, Adam's presence, the second half of the story, and the humor of the book salvages most of my frustration. Especially the humor part. I'm not going to reveal too much because that will kill the fun of it. Let's just say Nick's awkwardness, nerdiness, and Chris's relationship with Becca is really funny and I can't help but giggle (I'm a loser like that XD).

Secret is still pretty good, and I really admire Brigid Kemmerer's writing skills. But it's just not as captivating as Storm and Spark. (Especially Storm, where the characters are a little awkward in a really cute way)

Rating: 7/10

Spirit: Review

Synopsis:

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…

***

I was surprised that there is a full-length novel about Hunter because even though he's a primary character and I like him, I think the series is all about the Merricks. So I'm really excited to read more about Hunter. He's not that big of a jerk than I thought. I read Fearless and knew what it's like for Hunter. But that's only a glimpse of it. In Spirit we know more about Hunter's struggles and uncertainties. He doesn't know if he's lived up to his father's expectations. He doesn't know if anyone will help him when he's in danger, all kinds of stuff. In a way he's like Gabriel. It's hard not to like Hunter more.

Kate, however, is another story. For some reason I really, really don't like her. I know she has an agenda and she hardly has any choice. But she's bitchy at times. She uses people like it's no big deal. Look, I know she has little choice when it comes to this because it's kind of a stretched life-or-death situation for her. But that doesn't make up the fact that she uses people.

This story is very different from the previous two. It's filled with suspense and doubt. Hunter doesn't know if Kate will turn him in or help him. Kate doesn't know if Hunter will do the same thing to her. And they uses each other practically in the first half of the book. Personally I have mixed feelings about this. I mean, I like suspense and doubt and all kinds of stuff that is like it's straight from a detective movie. But another part despise the whole Hunter-and-Kate-using-each-other thing. It's not like they're playing dirty, but I just don't like it.

Although I like Hunter, Kate's presence and the whole using people thing makes me want to punch something sometimes. I'm not sure I like it more than Spark or even Storm. But I still think it's a worth-reading book.

Rating: 6.5/10

Breathless: Review

Synopsis:

Too many secrets. Not enough time.

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.

***

I'm most interested in Nick among the four Merricks. I mean, he's so perfect and steady on the surface while the other three are hot-headed and headstrong. But underneath the perfection I think he has tons of pressure and uncertainty. We get a glimpse of what life is really like for Nick. He struggles a lot in this novella. He's torn between college, family business and feelings that he feels he's not supposed to have. It's a lot of fun reading this novella. (Spoiler!) Especially when it comes to his sexual preferences. I mean, I totally support homosexual realationships (I ship Alec and Magnus, come on). But for some reason, him struggling to understand his feelings towards a boy is kinda funny to me. (End of Spoiler) He's not as boring as I thought he would be. I think I will like Secret, sequel of Spirit, which is about Nick, also. (The title fits, by the way).

But there's a fatal flaw that makes me wanna punch something (maybe not that violent, but close). That's the inclusion of Quinn's point of view. First of all, I don't like her. Not that she's whiny or anything, but she's pretty annoying. And second, I cannot see the reason why Kemmerer has to use Quinn's point of view when the whole story can be told only in Nick's point of view. And third, even if Quinn's point of view is needed, I don't think I'm interested in her part of the story. Sorry, Quinn, but I'm just being honest.

I think I like Breathless more than Elemental. I can't say exactly why, but I guess I like Nick better than Michael. :p

Rating: 7.5/10

Spark: Review

Synopsis:

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own..

***

Spark features Gabriel Merrick, who can wield fire. And I like the story better than Storm. Not that Storm is not good. In fact we can see the author has a strong story-building skill in Storm. But in Spark, things are just more intense than before. Because the danger is right in our faces right from the start of the book and it just gets worse every chapter. And we know nearly nothing until nearly the end of the book. That's the anticipation meant to bring me down. 

It's been a while since I've read a good book. And this is one of the greatest fun I've had these days. Starting with the characters. I have so much fun reading about them, especially Gabriel. I can't believe he's more hot-headed than Chris! Despite him being a constant jerk to others and he can't keep mockery from his voice for even about five minutes, he kinda grows on me... probably because I think he's a strong and lively character and he's not too perfect to be true (okay, he's not perfect at all, but come on). Layne is Gabriel's counterpart, steady and nice. But her past disappoints me a little, though I suppose that's not her fault but the blurb's. I mean, "Layne has a few secrets of her own" can raise questions. But there's nothing major so I think the blurb is quite misleading. But whatever, I like Layne. More than Becca.

Emotions are more tense in this book. It's just how I like it. I mean, when you are not certain about your crush having the same feelings towards you, and your grades are causing troubles, and your brothers don't trust you to stay out of danger, it's a massive self-esteem and good-mood shredder. The helplessness and anger is present in most of the parts. The atmosphere that the author created keeps me reading. That. Is. Brilliant.

If you haven't read Elemental, you should go for it like right now because you will like it.

Rating: 8/10

Fearless: Review

Synopsis:

Being a force of nature doesn t keep you safe.Hunter Garrity is used to watching his back. The kids at school sense something different about him. And they're right.

Hunter has powers that have nothing to do with how hard he can throw a punch.

Maybe that s what Clare Kasten is picking up. She s shy, quiet, and intense, but she s sought him out. There s no telling what she wants from him.

But Hunter knows enough to sense a secret when it s close. And getting close to Clare is a danger he s ready to face.

***

Fearless is about Hunter. And about how he's... tricked by Clare. I have to say this short novella is not as exciting and intriguing as Elemental, the prequel novella of Storm. And the plot twists are way to easy to guess. But hey, this is just a short novella. And I like Hunter despite what he did to Becca, Chris, Nick and Gabriel in Storm. And I can see that Hunter's life is not that easy, either. Guess I will know more about this guy in Spirit. 

Rating: 6/10

Teaser Tuesday: Fearless by Brigid Kemmerer

This weekly bookish meme is host by MizB @ Should Be Reading

To participate you:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3.  Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5.  Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

***
This week I choose Fearless (Elemental #1.5) by Brigid Kemmerer.

But they didn't leave him alone, though they wouldn't mess with him at school. No, now his walk home was a challenge. A gauntlet. They kept coming up with more creative ways to screw with him.

He kept coming up with more creative paths to travel.












Add Fearless on Goodreads:

Storm: Review

Synopsis:

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

***

I have a really fun time reading this book. I've been planning to read this after I read the prequel novella, Elemental. Storm has a really strong connection to the prequel novella because very often things happened in the prequesls don't matter much. I also love the background of the story, which involves the Elementals and the strongest of all, the Fifth. It kind of reminds me of Unbound by Rachel Vincent because of those weird abilities. Yet the whole wielding the elements seems more natural to me and this book is infinitely more entertaining.

Becca is a normal girl. Well, as normal as she can be when her ex spread the lies. And then one day she save Chris Merrick from a beating and then bam! weird things happen. Nothing really special... except there are so many twists in both the plot and the emotions of the characters that I can't even remember some of the smaller twists. And it's just 41 chapters! It's not a long book, yet there are so many twists that it keeps me intrigued every single page and that's impressive.

The last few chapters are... amazing. It's literally shit hits the fan. I mean, I expected someone will turn against Becca/the Merricks, but never the other. It's like... the betrayal of the worst kind. And Becca finding out who she is? Well, I suspected that she's different, but never in a million years did I expect her to be something so special and powerful. The last few chapters got me there. Seriously.

Storm is one of the most interesting book I've read in the summer. It's fast-paced (though not turbo-paced. Phew.) and in times really action packed (I mean, guns!). And every once in a while there are some small twists that keeps me entertained. Despite all the small flaws about it not being special enough other than the background, I think everyone out there should give this book a try.

Rating: 7.5/10

Short Story Review Sunday [Saturday Edition]: Elemental

Synopsis:

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.

As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

***

Elemental gives us a first insight of what I'm getting myself into. This series is about four... there are four, right? brothers with really freaking strong elemental powers. And in this novella, we encounter one of them. Elemental is told in both Michael's and Emily's point of views. About how the two of them fall in love with each other when both are supposedly off-limits to each other. It's an interesting story when super powers are in the mix with the story because everything is better when super powers are in the equation of the story. The only problem is that the story starts a little slow for Michael's part when there are only seven chapters and I think more can go on in this story. But I think that's quite a good start and I will keep reading this series.

Rating: 7/10