| Title | : | Storm (Elemental, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 432 |
| Publication | : | First published April 24, 2012 |
| Awards | : | The Inky Awards Silver Inky (2012) |
ASIN B006YBRK52. An alternate cover edition can also be found
here.
Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys-- 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. . .
Storm (Elemental, #1) Reviews
-
2.5
Me and this book went on a strange journey together and the end result was very conflicted feelings.
It all started when I decided I wanted to become more involved in one of my goodreads groups and actually pay attention to the monthly book reads. In the past, I used the group for challenges and recommendations but didn't participate in the group read-along, so I decided that I would read every book voted for except the ones that a) I had already read or b) I couldn't obtain for whatever reason. I then made my way to the page to see what my first book club read would be and found it was a book I was sent months ago and never read due to the atrocious cover and my belief that it would be little more than an annoying teen romance series that set out to find each hot guy a girlfriend with every volume. This book was
Storm. But, even with my reservations, I can't resist challenging myself to something I wouldn't normally pick so I settled down to give this novel a try.
And at first I was very pleasantly surprised. I found myself devouring chapter after chapter and enjoying all aspects of the story. I liked Becca, I liked Hunter, I liked the Merrick brothers, I liked the urban fantasy aspect of it that wasn't neglected even with the book's romantic focus. Being someone who isn't usually a fan of young adult romance, I couldn't believe how quickly I became interested in these characters and their relationships with one another. The banter is superb, I love a touch of witty sarcasm to make me laugh. Plus, ridiculous good looks aside, the Merrick brothers seemed to be realistic portraits of teen boys.
Secondly, the main character/heroine can make or break a book like this and Becca immediately got into my good books by saving Chris Merrick in the very first chapter - no damsels in distress here. But she also has weaknesses and flaws so she isn't allowed to fall perfectly into a predesignated mold called "kickass heroine". Becca starts off so well that I think this was why it became all the more disappointing later on when she began to change into someone who criticises other women for what they are wearing and behaves stupidly on numerous occasions.
The nasty girls in this novel can be spotted by their revealing clothing ("boobs were going to explode from the neckline of her shirt in a minute") and their tendency to hang drooling all over the Merrick brothers. There seems to be a suggested relationship between sexual promiscuity (implied or otherwise) and evilness in
Storm. Characterization ends with descriptions of their slutty clothing and behaviour. Oh, and they're all cheerleaders. I'm being serious when I say this: can someone please explain to me this obsession with cheerleaders? I live in England and don't know any schools that actually have cheerleaders but they're so popular in American movies and books. They appear to be a kind of tribe of beautiful, evil women that are out to destroy all other women with their perfect hair and bodies. I don't understand it at all.
The saddest thing is that this story could easily have been an excellent tale about the "slut issue" and the damaging effects of the war on female sexuality because it starts where Becca has a reputation of being the school slut. Girls won't be associated with her (apart from her one friend) and guys pass lewd notes to her in class, she is rumoured to have slept with most guys in her school but the truth is quite a different story and these rumours are actually lies spread by her ex. This is all fine and dandy but I would ask - what if she had slept around? What does it matter? This isn't tackling the slut issue, it's actually making it worse: everyone thinks she's evil because she's a slut but they're wrong because she's not a slut? No, they're wrong because these matters do not define a person... and that should have been the message.
Not surprisingly, this is not an issue that both genders experience and the author does nothing to challenge the double standard. The Merrick brothers are supposed to appear even more sexy because of the comment about it being a common occurrence to find a random girl in the house for one of them. Yet, despite the little pat on the back the brothers like to give themselves for sexual conquests, Gabriel specifically warns Chris away from Becca because she has "played around the block". Real nice. The sexism makes it impossible to let the good outweigh the bad and it also made it impossible for me to continue to like or care about the Merrick brothers when they behaved like such dicks.
Some spoilers in this paragraph (sorry)
Another thing that stood out to me was some of Becca's unrealistic behaviour (in my opinion, anyway). I just don't believe that someone who went through a trauma like that would behave in the way she did and constantly put herself in harm's way again and again after the event. Even her actions in the very first chapter are questionable when you know what she's been through, never mind going to the house of the guy who raped her and getting drunk whilst there or going around the side of a building at night with him. That's not brave, it's just plain stupid, even if I do have to applaud the author for looking into reasons why victims of sexual assault don't always report the incident.
Sadly, after a beginning that made me think I'd been wrong to judge a book by its cover and genre,
Storm came full circle and managed to disappoint me anyway. Better luck next month, I hope. -
I freaking LOVED this book. It is so, so amazing, and the four brothers are SMOKING HOT. Not to mention, Becca is a fantastic, strong heroine. I can't recommend this book highly enough!
-
DNF
I was really really curious about this one.
Started it.
Nice writing, nothing special but not bad.
The family at the center of the series, uber-interestng.
The heroine, uber-idiotic, blushes at every single damn thing possible and in every single damn situation possible. She behaves like a 13 yo at best, and one who has never been in contact with a male specimen of the human species.
Triangle. I hate them. HATE! Especially seeing stupid indecisive heroines who spend the whole book deciding who to drool over. No thank you.
I gave up on this cause a lot of things irritated me, but oh well if I had known this book would have them I wouldn't have tried it in the first place.
I'll probably (maaaaaybe) read the rest of the series once I completely delete this out of my mind. -
Read the full review
here. :]
This book definitely made me want to bend some elements. (That's putting it in avater the last airbender terms. ;p) I think, after reading this book, I'd want to have the element of fire. I've actually always wanted to have a fire element after watching ATLA. And this totally made me want it more. If I couldn't have it, then definitely water. There was totally a connection with water, since it was Chris's ability. c:
This is just too much hotness on one cover. -
"You keep saving me," she said.
"Yeah, well." He stroked the hair down her back. "I think we might be close to breaking even on that."
Even though the covers fail to impress me, the books are quite good! I have to give Storm a 4.25 to 4.5 rating. I truly enjoyed this book, probably more than I have any YA PNR in a while.
It had all the key elements of a cute romance type book I'd want to read :
~ multiple hot guys (jackpot!)
~ lots of action & conflict aside from the romance itself
~ cool powers & descriptions of abilities
~ emotional fluttery feelings from reactions to the love interests
~ several characters you want to know more about, which makes me excited for future installments
Even the overdone plot devices didn't bother me :
~ love triangle wasn't nearly as bad as many others I've seen
~ sexual assault story was reigned in after it started to border on ridiculous
All in all, I am HYPED for the next book. It's been a while since I've found a new series to love.
If you're unsure about trying out this series, please do me this one favor. Go download the cheap prequel at any of the major booksellers
Elemental. It will only take you a few minutes to read. Just do it. Take 20 minutes out of your day and read this freebie. If you even halfway liked it, chances are you'll like Storm as much or better because it expands upon this world. Oh lord, how I hurt for Michael after finding out what had happened from the prequel to this book. I was shocked to say the least.
Chris Merrick, you can bring the lightning anytime...
Chris was watching her a bit too intently. "They did hurt you."
A bolt of lightning split the sky, somewhere beyond the trees.
Hunter, you're okay too...
"That right there is why I don't believe it. Any girl who wanted to sleep with half the school wouldn't pull away when I touch her." -
Occasionally, my husband and I will discuss books that I am reading at the time. It mostly depends on if the cover sparks his curiosity enough to find out what it's about. In this case, he saw me putting together the
Elemental Virgins post a few weeks ago (which may or may not have led to a few awkward questions. "So you're a virgin, huh?"), so he knew this was one of the books in the series. One day, I was minding my business, cracking up in my little Reading Corner at some witty banter between the Merrick boys, and hubby and I had an interesting exchange:
"So, what's going on in your book? You liking it?" he said.
"Yeah, it's pretty funny. I like some parts more than others," I said.
"That's good, I guess?" he asked.
"Well, it's just this one character named Gabriel that's being a total douche," I replied.
"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good. Are you going to anger the internet gods and write a scathing review?" he asked.
"What? No. I like this book far too much to do that," I said. I mean, really, hun, is that what you think-- okay, fair point.
"Alright, so tell me what it's about."
"It's about these guys that can each control the elements. See the man-child on the cover? This book is Chris' story. He can control water and his brothers can each control fire, wind and earth," I explained.
*cue laughter from the hubby*
"What? What's so funny?" I asked.
"The fact that you're giving your V-card up to Captain Planet's Planeteers," he says.
*insert my unimpressed face here*
"'We're the Planeteers! You can be one too! 'Cause saving our planet is the thing to do!'" he sung. Badly.
Ha. Ha. Ha. Everyone's a comedian.
But my hubby is totally wrong, it's nothing like Captain Planet, minus the whole element wielding thing, of course. But it does tell the story of four orphaned guys, living in a house together, struggling to stay out of trouble. Well, I should really rephrase that. Sometimes they manage to stay out of trouble. Other times, they welcomed it. But the thing with Storm and I is that we developed this weird love/hate relationship during our courtship. For every one thing I absolutely loved about it, there was always something else that I hated. So here are three things that I loved/hated about Storm.
The Merrick Boys
I'd be lying if I said I didn't love this group of guys. While this book does primarily tell Chris' story and jumps between his and Becca's PoV, the other brothers' personality are not neglected what so ever. Each brother has such a distinct personality that comes through the pages loud and clear (except for Nick. He's kinda quiet). I loved seeing the dynamic between them, which of course came with lots of witty banter like this:“If you want me to fix your homework, you need to leave me alone.” Then he spotted her. “You’re back.”
“Yeah.” She glanced between him and Gabriel. “You do his homework?”
“Just the math. It’s a miracle he can count to ten.”
“I can count to one.” Gabriel gave him the finger.”
You could also tell how much they cared about each other. Since losing both parents in a tragic accident, the oldest brother Michael forgoes college and any other personal aspirations to stay home and raise his younger brothers. Sometimes he's very over-protective, but that was totally understandable given what they've all gone through. The Merrick boys are virtually outcasts from their own kind and hunted for their powers. Their relationships and fierce protectiveness reminds me of how my siblings and I interacted.
But you want to know who I really thought the Merrick boys reminded me of?
The Mercer boys! Okay, so before you start giving me strange looks, hear me out! I mean, think about it. You have Bobby (Michael) who's the one in charge, keeping the others in line. Angel (Gabriel) who is always getting into it with the leader and he's the most volatile. Jeremiah (Nick) is the calm, responsible one. And finally, Jack (Chris) who is the younger, brooding member of the family. Now just picture Mark Wahlberg threatening someone while saying:“Good.” Michael wrapped his hand around the hilt.
Then he lifted it, cocked the hammer, and put the barrel against Hunter’s forehead. “Now where the fuck are my brothers?”
Guys, tell me this is not a YA version of
Four Brothers! And in case that wasn't clear, that's a compliment because that movie was awesome, filled with a lot of action and it has great chemistry between the brothers. Are you seeing my vision here?
So what was the thing that I disliked about the characters? Gabriel. I honestly was not feeling this guy. He came across a bit sexist to me when he kept commenting on Becca's sexual ventures. He'd say things like "she's been around the block" and how she slept with half the soccer team, etc. But I found that to be very unfair considering how he mentioned to her that it wasn't unusual to find different girls in their house on a regular basis. BUT I do think that even though Gabriel felt like he was slut shaming to me, he DOES seem like a redeemable character. From what I hear from my other reviewing peeps, he does just that in his book,
Spark.
The Story
I really appreciate the creativity that Brigid used in Storm. This could have easily turned into a run of the mile "boy saves girl, boy and girl fall in love, the universe is trying to keep them apart... oh noz!, happily ever after." But it didn't. Instead, the book starts off with the heroine, Becca, saving Chris from getting his ass handed to him on the parking lot. That one interaction causes her to continue to cross paths with the Merrick boys over the course of the book and from that moment on, there is very little downtime for the reader. When people say this is an addictive read, they aren't joking. I stayed up well past my bedtime because I couldn't seem to put it down.
I also loved how the story takes place somewhere that is very familiar to me. Thank you, Brigid! There are not nearly enough books set in this awesome town. ;)
The downside?
-I found the plot to be fairly predictable in some parts. I had seen the mystery surrounding Hunter and Becca a mile away. The good thing is that it didn't bother me in the slightest. The story is way to engaging for that.
-In the beginning, I felt that the Merrick boys were way too willing to share certain things with Becca even though they were trying not to tell her their secret. For example, Chris would make comments hinting at his powers to the point where it was painfully obvious, but Becca remained oblivious until Chris finally told her. Becca finding out the mystery felt a little too drawn out for my tastes and didn't seem very organic.
-The writing style was a bit of an adjustment for me. I don't think it was bad, I just dislike 3rd person PoV because I am a strange person and it usually takes me a lot longer to connect with characters. This is just a personal pet peeve, so that probably wouldn't bother most people who have a heart and soul. Unlike me... or so Kat tells me.
Becca
Becca was a very interesting character and I felt that Brigid took a risk with her. Mostly this was not a bad thing. Becca is sexually harassed throughout most of the book and is labeled the school slut. I think that was a very realistic portrayal of what happens to some girls and overall I did like Becca as a character. She's spunky and does hold her own up against the Merrick boys since they are not the most accepting bunch of people.
My issues?
-I feel like Becca made a few decisions that were illogical, like say, going to a party thrown by a guy who started the rumors about her and who continued to harass her only to get drunk there. Given what her past was with this guy, that made so little sense to me. Also, in the end where she goes outside of the dance to talk with the guy (Drew) alone, was so not smart on so many levels. Why not have Hunter just stand at a distance while she had the convo and be nearby just in case douchey McDouchey Pants tried to try anything. And you can believe that Drew did intend to try something. It was like watching a character in a horror movie opening That Door and you're yelling at your TV, (as if they can hear you) telling them not to, but they don't listen and they die. That is how I felt with Becca.
-The moment where Becca finally stood up to Gabriel and his snide comments, was awesome for me... right up until he decided to get revenge on Drew by beating him up. It felt like the scene's focus shifted from Becca being the victim and having her moment to Gabriel being the hero. The problem I have is that every time Becca was being sexually harassed, it was one of the Merrick boys that came swooping in for the rescue. Becca wasn't exactly a pushover since she did stand up to the Merricks on countless occasions. I would have liked to see Becca be her own hero when it came to standing up to Drew.
But despite my issues, I would still recommend this book. It's addictive and a really entertaining read that appears to get better with every book. As for me? Weathering this Storm proved to be very rewarding. How do I feel about losing my Elemental V-card? Well, you know what they say. You never forget your first time. Heh.
A copy of Storm was provided by KTeen for the
Spirit blog tour, hosted by
The Midnight Garden! Thank you!
-----------------------------
I'm ready to lose my Elemental V-Card. Are you?
Join
Jen and I for a mass read along! On April 28th, come back here and let'sswoon over the Merrick boysdiscuss the story! ;)
Tweet at us with #evirgins!
@starryeyedjen
@Cuddlebuggery
----------
Anyone up for a mass read along?
Check out the details for the read along
here and enter for a chance to win Storm, Spark and Spirit (they are totally signed)! -
It should take me no more than three words to convince you to read this book. They are the same three words that convinced ME to read it, and I haven’t regretted it at all. Those three words are… are you ready?
Four hot brothers.
That’s all you need to know.
*sigh* Oh, okay. I suppose I should write a “proper” review. Here it goes:
Four Merrick brothers have a very strong connection to the elements: Michael controls earth, twins Gabriel and Nick control fire and air respectively, and the youngest, Chris, controls water. All four of them are far more powerful than they should be which causes the other Elementals to fear them and attack them at every opportunity. The brothers can’t use their elements to defend themselves because they’re all young and untrained and loss of control on their part could mean the loss of many innocent lives.
When two older boys ambush Chris and beat him almost to death, a girl from school comes to his rescue. She somehow chases them away and gets him home but Michael, his legal guardian since their parents died, practically chases her out of the house. Chris doesn’t really know her, even though she’s in some of his classes. He’s heard about her, though, everyone has. People say that she sleeps around with anyone who asks nicely enough. But Becca isn’t like that at all. She’s been through a lot and she’s just trying to keep her head down and avoid being noticed. Then, suddenly, she is in the middle of Chris’s drama, and a gorgeous new boy is showing a real interest in her.
You probably figured out from that last sentence that there is a love triangle in this book. In my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as a good/interesting love triangle, but I can tell you that this one is less painful than most. It made sense in a strange kind of way and it kept me in suspense because, unlike with other love triangles, I actually wasn’t sure which boy Becca would end up with.
Another thing worth mentioning is Brigid Kemmerer’s writing – it is much better than I expected when I first heard about this book. Her style doesn’t draw attention from the story itself, it is straightforward, clean and very easy to read.
Storm doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but it has a pretty open ending. So many things are unresolved and I can’t wait for Gabriel’s book to be out. This is the type of not-quite-cliffhanger I can live with: everyone is safe, but there are a lot of questions that need answers.
If you are going to read Storm, definitely read the short story prequel first. It takes place about 4 years earlier, and it helped me understand why Michael is the way he is.
My recommendation: go read it. Just keep those smelling salts near – these boys will make you swoon!
Also posted at
The Nocturnal Library -
FourFive hot guys and one girl. Does anybody have a problem with this?
As if all this testosterone running rampant isn't enough, these four brothers can control the elements: Water, air, earth and fire. The seriousness of these powers is made clear several times throughout this novel. It's a powerful ability to have to be able to control anything from tsunamis and earthquakes, to the spread of diseases; all without raising an ounce of suspicion. Basically, easily becoming an unstoppable, invisible killing machine. I wasn't sure how exciting a story about element control could be, so I was happily surprised by the constant sensation of danger that I felt while reading this novel. Surround this with a fast pace and intense action scenes, and we've got ourselves a pretty riveting plot.
The brothers. Oh boy. They're quite the eclectic bunch. Each one unique and imperfect, these guys are all exceptionally well developed characters that will grow on you and make a lasting impression. I enjoyed their brotherly banter which never ceases to amuse me. I also found them all endearing even though sometimes I wanted to punch them. Along with these four brothers, we've got Hunter - the New Guy - which was my personal favorite of the boys, then Becca's friends, classmates and parents. Overall, it's a pretty big cast that Kemmerer incorporates impressively inside the story, giving them each charming personalities and important roles that contribute to the story.
Now on to Becca. Becca has to deal with all thishotnessraucous. For a change, it's the girl who gets to save the day at the beginning, by coming to Chris's aid and saving his life - which is essentially how she gets sucked into his. Then of course, soon afterwards, she meets Hunter; giving us a love triangle that, even though I'm not a big fan of usually, I quite enjoyed in Storm. First, it's hard not to like these two well-rounded guys who are both pining for Becca. Second, it's very rare that I can feel chemistry from both love interests like I did in this novel. I constantly felt torn on who I wanted her to end up with. While I was happy about the straightforward relationship growth with Hunter, I found myself cringing when we got Chris's reaction to it. Nothing felt forced for the sake of a cliché triangle, it's truly a well written and complex romantic mess.
Full of constant twists and exceptional characters, Storm proves to be a fantastic debut that lives up to its cover. You'll find the perfect amount of romance, action, and suspense for a great start to a very promising series.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at
Xpresso Reads -
Heads up: this one's free right now, and the others are super super cheap as well!
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Elemental...
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This book is so much fun, and a terrific start to a promising series. I am far too behind on reviews I have to do to write one for this, but I did write a spoiler-free review of book two here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you enjoy sarcastic quips and hot boys with your YA urban fantasy, you'll definitely want to pick this one up, though! -
3.5 Elemental stars
The Elemental series Is a great read for all paranormal YA lovers out there.The story remained fast paced and orginal as the plot twisted in surprising ways until the last page...
'"My mother believes everything in existence has a consciousness," he said. "An awareness. As in, maybe it's not what you like." He reached out and touched her finger, which was still resting on the hematite. "Maybe it's what favors you."'
The two reason this book lost 2 stars for me was because...
1) It didn't really hold my interest for more than 45 minutes each time.I found myself leaving the book unattend halfway to go do the laundery,finish up my assignments and everything else possible under the sun...which isn't really that good of a sign.
2) I didn't really feel much for the chracters to be honest...I just kinna shrugged my way through the main sences of the book...
Would I recommend it ?
Yes Definatly...this book had everything any YA paranormal reader would adore..Overall it's was a great one time read.
Will I be reading the sequals ?
No.Probably not...I guess High school romances are just not my 'thing',anymore. -
It's late night in an abandoned parking lot, but Becca Chandler can't just stand there and watch Chris Merrick be cruelly beaten upon by two older guys. From the moment she saves his life, she unwittingly marks herself as a target. The Merrick brothers are not ordinary. They're Elementals, each with a strong power over an individual element - water, earth, fire and air. They are dangerously powerful and those that know of their abilities want them very dead.
Allow me to take a moment to express the depth of my love for the Merrick brothers. I'll get the obvious thought out of the way first: HOLY F$^#&@* SWOONSVILLE! Clear the top spots on your Best Boyfriend Lists, because these boys are about to rumble the very foundations of Hotness. But do you want to know what makes them compelling? They are REAL. They are FLAWED. They are FUNNY. They are FRUSTRATING. They are so goddamn amazing. I loved how you're not told that the brothers share a strong and messy bond, you discover the many complexities of their relationships. The fights and the resentment, the banter and camaraderie, the fierce protectiveness and loyalty. Family relationships this brilliant are rarely explored so well in paranormal novels.
Chris is the youngest brother and deep down, a little lonely. Twins, Gabriel** and Nick, are a tight-knit duo, combining one's recklessness with the other's intelligence for their naughty schemes. Michael is the eldest and while he and Chris once shared more of a closer bond, Michael is weighed down with heavy responsibility that's shifted his role in the family. Chris is the slightly more 'innocent' of the brothers... but don't mistaken that for a naive little boy. Just in comparison to the others, he's a little more sweeter, a little more younger, but no less fierce or brave or challenging. He may not have as much experience with girls as the twins, but it's his lack of experience that makes him all the more endearing. That hint of nervousness that sweeps through him at times around Becca. I loved how they could both shake each other up. Also, did I mention he's a sweetheart? <3
The characters of this novel are what make it such a standout. Is Brigid Kemmerer really at teenage boy in disguise? 5 times over? The dialogue and mannerisms and the way they express themselves... she nails it! And what about Becca, who is one of my new favourite heroines? This is the kind of protagonist I LOVE. She doesn't take crap from people. After a douche named Drew ruined her reputation, she's had to deal with the fallout every day since. And though it affects her, she still puts up a hell of a fight. Her vulnerability and strength shine through so admirably - she'll stand up for herself, verbally or physically when needed - yet she not a complete hardass. She has such a beautiful a heart and cares more than she should. I really don't know who I love more - her or the boys. I'm definitely not choosing teams!
And then there is Hunter. He's a new kid in town and won me over the moment he opened his mouth. Let's just say his entrance to the story? Total. Freaking. Win. I was cheering him on. Hunter is just as complex and compelling as the Merrick's. He comes off very open and friendly and is guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings, but you do sense a mystery in the shadows. Perhaps he's hiding a few secrets of his own.... People people will call the romance in this a 'love triangle' but I really don't want to attach that label to it. Because it's not what you expect when you hear those words. There are two potential suitors for Becca, yes, but she doesn't spend the entire novel obsessing over which boy to choose. It all develops so organically, so naturally, that you're tangled up in the complicated web before you even realise what's happening. And both boys will have a hold over your heart - I honestly could not choose a favourite. It feels so real and rich and more than just a romance, yet still sexy and heart-pounding and throws you off balance in the best freaking way.
Storm is a smashing debut that combines the thrills and danger of a paranormal with the emotional weight you often find in a contemporary. Brigid paints the raw, gritty reality of bullying so amazingly well. The verbal taunts that dig under your skin and the physical violence that spirals out of control. Her story will inspire and motivate you, make you snort laughter or clutch your heart in despair. It will cause irreparable health damage after you've just swooned eight times over in the one chapter. Her characters are literally tearing at the pages while you're trying to read, so life-like that an ink and paper prison cannot contain them. Storm is that novel that can't stop flicking back through days after finishing, with characters you're still quoting years after and a compelling paranormal edge that is about to take the YA world by storm.
Brigid, you have cemented yourself as one of my new favourite authors. I love you. Can I please keep your boys?
**Gabriel? Sexy, flirty, firecracker who will make you swoon one minute and say something infurating the next and holy hell, I am looking forward to his story in Spark! -
To say that this book grabbed me would be an understatement. I read the entire thing in 4 hours and completely ignored my poor husband (sorry honey, I'm reading about Merrick boys, 'kay?!). It was a wonderful blend of action, paranormal, and romance. No insta-love, no cheesy cop-outs, just great writing and a fast pace that kept me frantically reading.
My favorite parts of the book? I love a great YA paranormal that is well done. And by well done I mean that the supernatural elements make sense, are explained well, and fit into the whole arc of the story. The writer also did a fabulous job with the pacing. It is brisk and it seems much shorter than 432 pages because it is so engaging and well done. To top it off, I also had a serious love for the characters. I adored Hunter and each Merrick boy. I had a pervy, old lady crush on all them. ::blushes::
As a character, I felt a bit less enthusiastic about Becca. My biggest issue was that she was being mocked for being a "slut" and yet Quinn, her best friend, calls other girls sluts and Becca says nothing! Wouldn't she not want to make assumptions about other people like they are making about her? I disliked the constant slut calling so much that I almost knocked it down a star. However, the book was so fabulous otherwise that I kind of just put all that nonsense in the back of my mind.
I will most certainly be moving on with this series! -
It's easy to recognize the good things about this book: the smooth writing; some dialogues are sharp and entertaining; one character, Hunter, is well developed. However, some other aspects of the book turned me off so much that I cannot give the book a rating higher than 2 stars.
One problem was the love triangle. I felt that Hunter was a much better written character than Chris. I liked his quiet confidence, sharp mind and charisma. He's nothing but supportive of Becca, never judged or hesitated, and he's the one that helped her the most. Therefore it's frustrating to read the scenes between them while knowing she'd end up with Chris by default (it's a Chris book after all).
The bigger problem was Becca. For a girl that was constantly cornered by aggressive guys and a victim of repeated assault and attempted rape, she displayed an unbelievable lack of common sense and learning ability. To me, she definitely fell into the category of too stupid to live. At times it seemed like she just had to make some off-the-chart stupid decision for the plot to continue.
When Hunter told her to leave a party that's getting out of control, she was so curious that she decided to follow the fight instead - and walked right into the guy that had more than once assaulted and attempted to rape her. What happened next? she's assaulted again, big surprise there.
What really irritated me was her behavior after the first sexual assault that had happened prior to chapter 1. I give her all the sympathy for the awful things she experienced in the book and wouldn’t even argue that the blame fell on her attackers. With that said, shouldn’t she have examined her own behavior just for the sake of protecting herself? Yes, she started to go to self-defense class, but what about trying NOT to get drunk among a bunch of drunk guys, which had led to that near gang-rape? instead, what did she do six weeks after that awful event? She went to a party in her attacker’s house (yes, she´s ok with it; no, it´s not to save anyone, just a smart girl having fun.) and got drunk within seconds! again!!! Maybe the first time could be blamed on, I don’t know, ignorance? a second time in one and half months? Really? That’s just too stupid to live.
I guess I had a hard time warming up to a book that had to use the main character's stupidity repeatedly just to advance the plot, especially when the book tried to portrait her as oh so very smart. -
I was an only child for much of my life, then, by an unfortunate twist of fate, when I was almost 10 years old, my sister came along. For much of my life after that, the sister and I fought like cats and dogs, mainly because I was a controlling little teenager who viewed my toddler sister as a slave/dog that I could send to fetch whatever I needed. As much as we fought, there was never any sort of conflict on the grand scale of that within this book. Holy crap, this book was filled with massive amounts of adrenaline and testosterone. Ok, so the boys are hot, I don't care. It only works in my sexual fantasies if they actually get along.
I get that the author is trying to build the family dynamic and portray the conflicts between siblings. Maybe I'm wrong, having grown up with just a sister, and this is actually how boy siblings get along. It was just frustrating and an experiment in slow torture for me to read about all the fighting, both verbal and those involving fisticuffs.
I felt the plotline was extremely slow. I really had no idea what was going on for the first 1/4 of the book. It was just a lot of fighting between brothers, brothers being assholes to Becca, and other people being assholes to Becca. If I gave this book 2 stars, 1.5 was given out of sympathy for Becca, who went through so much shit in the book. I felt so bad for her, in light of all the horrible news stories about girls being raped/gang raped/almost raped and being shamed to it to an extent that they'd kill themselves.
And is it a rule that every teenage protagonist have an annoying, overbearing best friend? I just wanted to strangle Quinn for most of the scenes in which she makes an appearance.
I finished the book, but I really have no idea what the book was about; it's a frustrating book that doesn't quite reach its blurb potential. -
A nice, well-executed novel. I wanted to read this because I've always loved books with natural powers such as earth, water, wind and fire. They fascinate me.
'Storm' began with action and suspense and I liked that but somewhere along the way it lost its edge. Maybe because it was uneventful. Then it picked up and it became thrilling again and I loved the ending too, although I would have liked some closure.
So we have this caring, giving, kind girl named Becca who's always been one to have eyes drawn on her, not because she provoked people around her or anything like that. It's just the way it is. People always picked on Becca. Living with her mother after her father abandoned them, her childhood has not been easy. But she's grown to become an amazing person.
Then one night she saves Chris Merrick from a beating and her life unexpectedly becomes intertwined with the Merrick brothers. Soon, she discovers that they have powers. Earth, water, fire and wind. And the fifth one: spirit. As the book progresses Becca always finds herself either saving or being saved by the Merrick brothers, and more particularly, Chris. The amazing Chris, protective, I'd describe as a wallflower although he's not afraid to stand up to anything, he mostly keeps to himself, which is why I loved the dude.
Then there is Hunter, the enigmatic, mysterious new guy at school, who swoops in and steals Becca from Chris (I may be biased on that one, so).
I liked the plot, I would have liked it if it had been a little thicker but there's always the next book. Was this book good? Yes, I'm totally recommending it (nice ya right here). Is there room for improvement? Hell, I'm already sure the next book is going to rock my world. Why did it I give it 3 stars? I'm saving my 4 and 5 for the rest of the series. -
The Merrick brothers, Michael, Gabriel, Nick and Chris are special.
They are pure Elementals, meaning they have an unusual amount of power, with the element they "dominate".
And because of that power, the other Elementals feared them and are set on eliminate them. Only a truce made some years ago, stays between them and the ones that want them gone. However, that don't stop the other of bullying them, beat them up, trying to make them lose control, to break the curse and force the Guides, to come and "deal" with the situation.
Becca know nothing of this "world" and one night when she sees 2 guys beating up Chris, she goes for it and saves him. And that just made her into the hit list, alongside Chris and his brothers.
Now with Hunter, the new kid, antagonizing Kris and trying to win her affection, she must discover which one of them has a hold in her heart and which one isn't telling the whole truth....
I'm LOVING this series!
It's quite a refreshing story in the paranormal genre and it's quite awesome, to see how they can control or try to control their elements.
And especially how each personality match so well their element.
His affinity to water made sense. He reminded her of the sea, alluring and mysterious, calm on the surface, with who-knew-what brewing underneath.
Besides all the action packed scenes (and they're are amazing and nerve-wrecking), the story has dept,angst,it's witty and overall such a GREAT read. It's easy to connect with them and of course to root for them.
4.5 stars
For this one and more reviews go to:
A Bookworm Confessions -
Wait... is this a Twilight clone that doesn't suck?
Is the love triangle well put together so that all characters have chemistry? Is the magical world thought-out? Is the protagonist an independent young woman defined by things other than her romantic entanglements? Is the conflict one where everyone has a point and no one is evil? Yes.
Never thought I'd see the day. -
![Carol [Goodreads Addict]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1626057011i/10717098._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
Wow, I haven’t felt this way while reading a book in quite awhile! That feeling that your eyes just can’t move fast enough across the pages to eat up the words. That even when you are not reading, your mind is still on the characters. That your heartbeat is going a little bit too fast. I didn’t even take the time to highlight anything. So this review won’t have any quotes in it. Sorry about that!
In Storm we meet the youngest Merrick brother, Chris. Chris gets his power from water. And, we meet Becca Chandler. She is Chris’s age. Becca lives with her mother but her father left years ago. She never knew why. Becca knows nothing of the world of Elementals but one night after attending a self defense class at the high school, while going to her car she witnesses Seth and Tyler beating up Chris. She is scared to death but she can’t just let them beat him, so she saves him. After involving herself with the Merrick family, she is then mistakenly identified as being one of them and this puts her in danger.
About the same time, there is a new boy at school, Hunter. There is an instant attraction between Becca and Hunter but he has secrets of his own. She wants to trust him, but can she? Then tensions build between Chris and Hunter and she doesn’t know who she should trust! If all of this wasn’t enough for Becca to handle, out of the blue her father shows up and tries to get back into her life.
This book is non-stop all the way through. You are fully involved from the first page until the last page. The characters are all so relatable. You don’t know who to trust. They all have stories of their own that pull at your heart strings so you don’t want any of them to be bad. Except Seth and Tyler. I don’t think there is ANYTHING good about them. In this book I was so proud of Becca. Even with all she was given to cope with, she was strong. Her moral compass never wavered. These Merrick boys are already securely implanted in my heart and I can’t wait to read the next book. All I can say to the author, Brigid Kemmerer is: You…Are…Awesome!!! -
This review is also available on my blog,
Qwerty
Okay, it's a challenge to write a review after half a month I finished with this book. Ha-ha! It's what you got when you chose to read a book right before a major exam starts.
One thing I vividly remember though...
This book haz it.
Where do I begin...how about THE FIVE HOT GUYS! (Actually, Becca's dad was actually kind of cute until I actually found out his secret).
Well, it didn't reach the point where I found my ovaries were exploding. But, close enough nonetheless. No matter what kind of guys you like, you're in for a ride.
Micheal, the eldest is the father-figure in the bunch. He is protective (overly-protective sometimes) and responsible. If you can ignore his distant and cold aura, that is.
Gabriel, one of the twins is the mini Tony Stark. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philantrophist. Oh wait, minus the genius part.
And the billionaire part.
And...and the philantrophist part too.
Hurmm...I guess Gabriel is not the mini Tony Stark.
He's more like the Human Torch from Fantastic Four, I think. (Oh, Chris Evans! Squeeeeee)
Nicholas!!! The other twin. Don't you dare call him Nicky! It's not even cute. He's my favourite because I aways drawn to nice, nerdy, intelligent guys. With a sense of humour, of course. (Now you know why I remain single, don't you? Haha).
And why? WHY??? Nicholas can't have a book for himself, Brigid Kemmerer? WHY???!!!
And lastly, Chris is the focus of this book. His insecurity makes him such a douche sometimes. But overall, he is this sweet and sensitive guy.
Huh? I totally forgot about Hunter. He is cool, I guess but generally I just don't like blond guys? (Maybe I deserve to be stoned to death for my discrimination but I can't help it!). Believe it or not, he was the one guy who almost managed to get my ovaries to explode. I almost wanted to shove Becca away from Hunter's embrace and whisper "Take me instead, Hunter! I'd wear all those crazy bracelets you have in your possession though I'm not a hippie". Note that I have nothing against hippies.
Sheesh, this review is going nowhere.
ANYWAY, with so many male characters interacting at one time, it was hard for me to exactly pinpoint who is this 'he' and 'him'.
Next, plotwise, this book was going at slowpoke level. I mean, really half of the book had been summarized in the blurb already. I had this "You're so dumb, Becca. Of course, they are Elementals. It's written at the back cover of the book!" moment. But she couldn't possibly know this. Oh, well.
Again, plotwise, the initial chapters are dedicated to one after another testosterone-fueled brawls between the guys and I thought
It didn't help with the fact that I was forced to read what colour Chris' and Gabriel's shirts are and whether Micheal is wearing any slippers or not. God, Becca, the guys are hot I get it, but no need to be overly observant. This kind of writing made Becca looks cheap.
Okay, with so many low points you must be wondering, WHY DID I GIVE THIS FREAKING BOOK FOUR STARS ANYWAY?
It was because of the FUN! It amazed me how closely the dialogues sound like everyday teenage conversations. I actually laughed numerous times due to the guys' snide remarks and Becca's dramatic monologues. Me. Laughing. The stoic me who hardly laugh at jokes.
Quite an achievement, I must say Ms Kemmerer.
But then again, this book is not something I would want my dad to know about because if he found out I'm reading this kind of books, he would bury me alive and seal my coffin shut with adamantium nails.
Why? Because the level of cursing caused me headache at some points.
But my dad is not on GR! So hoorrahhh!! -
After all the glowing reviews for Storm, I was a little afraid that it may not live up to my expectations. Looks like I didn't need to worry!
Let's just get this confession out of the way: I heard "four hot boys" and I just knew I had to read this. The four we're talking about are the Merrick brothers, born with special elemental abilities, able to draw up power and control the forces of nature. Each brother has a specialization: air, fire, water, earth (and yes, they are all HOT!). Because of their exceptionally strong powers, the Merrick's are viewed as a potential threat. Technically, they should be reported and killed, but the Merrick's parents made a deal long ago to keep them safe, as long as they don't use their powers. This has made them the subject of constant bullying because the neighbors in the community who know of their abilities are fearful and envious. Also, they know they can do whatever they want without the brothers fighting back. But this is about to change.
This installment focuses on Chris Merrick, the youngest of the brothers, and Becca, a girl in his school. These two are thrust together after Becca comes to the aid of Chris, who was being attacked by these cruel bullies. She scares them off, and in the process, becomes a target as well. Becca has had her own problems with these bullies after her ex-boyfriend spread some nasty rumors to the whole school about her. She just wants the situation to go away, but her intentions of lying low are ruined after helping Chris. The enemies of the Merrick's feel she must either be an elemental also, or she's on their side. Either way, she's in the middle. At first, Becca is far from being on their side. When she takes the battered Chris home, she gets nothing but flack from Michael, the oldest brother and guardian of the brothers. She plans on washing her hands of all those surly and ungrateful men! Unfortunately, circumstances continually throw them together. Added to the mix is the mysterious new guy, Hunter (yes, he's hot too!), who shows up at school, intent on getting close to Becca. Hmm….
This story read like an action/adventure movie, a non-stop thrill ride. If I had more time, I could've easily sat down and read this in one sitting. It's one of those stories where you want to keep turning the page to find out what happens next. I loved all these brothers, and it was fun to see Becca deal with them and stand up to their teasing and snarky remarks. She definitely wasn't a pushover. Here's a fun quote:
Gabriel: "Finding a girl in the kitchen isn't exactly and oddity around here." Becca: "Charming." He glanced up at that, a glint of wicked humor in his eye. "I'm sure you're special, though." It should have pissed her off, after Michael's brusque attitude and Nick's hey-baby-why-don't-you-come-inside. But Gabriel's teasing was straightforward, challenging, in a way. He expected her to girl it up, to huff and fold her arms. She could tell. "Not special at all.----I just heard my number called and thought I better show up."
I loved the gradual build between Chris and Becca. I wasn't really thrilled with her getting close to Hunter because I'm not a fan of love-triangles but this one wasn't too frustrating.
This story was a little on the predictable side, but even so, it was very entertaining. I guess we get a short story with Hunter in
Fearless, and then Gabriel's story in
Spark. Can’t wait!
You can find this review and more at
The Readers Den -
This book drove me nuts. And I'm in the mood to rant.
You wanna know why? Because idiotic heroine, obnoxious heroes, fucking love triangle, teenage drama.
I'm too old for this shit.
I'm trying really hard to write a coherent review, but every time I think of anything from that list above, I start to see red.
I'll begin from Becca, because she is what made this book insufferable for me. Becca has the personality of a kitchen cloth, which is my witty way of saying she has none. Nothing makes her special or stand out from every other girl. Is she exceptionally smart? Hahahhaha, no. Is she stunningly beautiful? Meh. Is she in any other way interesting, maybe cunning or charismatic, strong, brave, daring, anything, just to prove she's a worthy heroine? Nope.
So you see, a cloth is a perfect comparison for her personality.
No, I'm not being fair when I say she has no significant talents. She has one talent. When shit starts to hit the fan, Becca can get in the middle like nobody's business. Every single time things start to go downhill, she manages to get involved and end up in a life threatening situation, only so she could be rescued by the heroes. *facepalms herself into eternity* God forbid she has the presence of mind to get herself out of difficult situations. *facepalms herself into eternity the second time*
Aaaand the blushing! Oh my god, the blushing!! Fine, once or twice I can understand, but every freaking time she talks to someone she blushes! At this point it's past shyness and social awkwardness, this is a physical condition that should be medically treated! Maybe it's like a high blood pressure thing or whatever. That much blushing and flushing couldn't be healthy, for real.
What's next on my list? Obnoxious heroes. As it is in YA, they're all really not boys anymore (as sixteen-year-olds still tend to be) but they're all like really grown up with defined cheekbones and jawlines and muscles and voices and each one is basically sex on a stick, just perfect human beings with no flaws at all. You can't beat them, you can't fluster them, you can't do them wrong.
A conversation between a perfect Hunter and the oh-so-plain Becca is TORTURE!
And fuck me if that love triangle made any sense! And how it was resolved. Ugh. No sense.
I'll cut this review short before I start repeating random words for "emphasis". It's no secret I didn't like this book. But, I'll read the next one. Why? Because I'm a glutton for punishment. Just kidding, I'm not, but I'm feeling patient and maybe the next book proves to be better. I keep hoping this might be like the Fever series, where you have to suffer through the first book to get to the awesomeness that is the rest of the series. So, off to the next book. -
Oh my giddy-aunt I love this book! This is the sort of book that you crawl into the corner of the couch with, pull up your legs and bring all your limbs as close together as possible, then commence drumming your fingers against your bottom lip while you smile like you have some hidden secret. No really…I did that at one point. I also gasped out loud (a lot), smiled, giggled, and clapped multiple times while reading this book. I may have also hit a dear friend that was sitting beside me while I was reading this book out of pure joy. It should come with a warning: “The happiness resulting from this book may cause irrational violence”. Sort of like the warning when you’re about to play a Wii game about needing to stand so far away.
Let me break it down for you: 5 hot guys, one girl. 1-girl who saves 1-guy from getting the crap kicked out of him and delivers him to his brothers, including 1-scary older over protective ass-hat of a brothers and 2-(twins) that get into a lot of mischief and sure as hell know how to work their way around some great sarcasm and comebacks, then throw in 1-goth/rebel like guy who happens to wear a lot of jewellery and who, within 30 seconds of meeting said girl, make this girl swoon because of his Krav Maga hotness, and who sort of gets on the nerve of guy #1 who happens to also not be able to get girl #1 out of his head. Throw in some daddy issues and one seriously bad choice that happened 6 weeks ago and you have a stew for greatness. Intimidating at first with its close to 400 pages (over 400 with the novella and sneak peek) and small writing I actually set this book aside and started on another book before I finally stepped up to the plate and picked this bad boy up. Lets just say I had no reason to be scared. I was ensnarled with this book from about page…oh….2. I’m not 100% sure how to describe it other than all the teen angst, teen insecurity, sarcasm, wit, banter, and sexy boys just made this into a book that is definitely going to be sitting on my stop shelf (where all my absolute favourites are). I cannot wait for the next in the series. No seriously…I can’t I’ve already pre-purchased it via The Book Depository.
Good:
Becca: Brave, yet scared too. But that doesn’t stop her.
Chris Merrick: If he looks anything like he does on the cover he is extremely hot. But apparently all the Merrick boys are, as the throw around extremely heavy top spoil bags for a living…it must define a lot of muscles. Not to mention he thinks only about Becca and how all he wants to do is wrap her in his arms. Then he goes and does something like sticks up for her and gets detention because of it and I was sold.
Gabriel Merrick: obviously the seriously mad boy out of the bunch (I say seriously because they all tend to be a little bad) who knows that he looks good and loves to flaunt it. Also the sportive one of the bunch who uses the fact that he and his brother are identical to his benefit (i.e be on two varsity soccer teams at once under different names). Ouuuu!!!…shame on you Gabriel. You sexy thing.
Nicolas Merrick: apparently the genius and light headed one of the family. That is saying a lot considering he is generally found right along side his brother pulling some decent pranks and razzing their younger brother Chris.
Michael Merrick: Although the pony tail threw me a bit it was his ass-hatness that threw me even more but in the end Michael Merrick was seen as just as tough and hot as his brothers through my eyes.
Hunter: obviously the sexiest rebel like child we’ve ever seen. Swift, strong, and a deep down nice guy. If that didn’t get you then his dog Casper sure will.
Bad:
So…I thought and thought about what I would put here and I guess there was only one thing to do with the book. In the beginning I loved Chris, somewhere in the middle not so much, then in the end I loved him again. Perhaps it was what Kemmerer was going for? For us to mirror good old Becky’s feelings? Well all and all there should have been more Chris and Becca…mainly them making out…but there are more books to come so you never know. *Fingers crossed
Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Overall I love Brigid Kemmerer. Her being a new writer I wasn’t sure what to expect, but then when the reviews kept rolling in and I didn’t see anything other than a 5/5 I had to see what she was all about. Her writing style is beautiful. Its not confusing and like so many others she bring her humour across beautifully. But I think the shocker is that she can do it with so many characters…so many male characters especially. The book was paced perfectly with action around ever corner and the meaningful reflective moments and romantic moments exactly where it felt they should be. This series is one that will be highly loved for readers across the world.
So I’ve looked forward and into the other books in the series and I am delighted to see that the next one in the series is all about Gabriel, and of course the novella “Elemental” is all about Michael, this one, Storm, is all about Chris, but then I was surprised to see the third one will be about Hunter. Um….what happened to Nicky? Come on there has to be a Nick book. P.s. Nick and Quinn…oh ya its going to happen.
View more of my review and others at my blog:
www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com -
“I haven't gotten in a fight yet this year!
Despite everything, that made her smile. "It's September."
He waved a hand. "Details.”
So, i'm going to try to write my first ever detailed review of a book because i loved this one so much!
Storm is about a girl, named Becca, who saves a boy, named Chris, when she sees him getting beaten up by two strangers! Then, she gets tangled up in his family story, as she discovers that Chris and his three brothers have special powers according to their element (earth, fire, wind, water). Now she has to find her way out of this mess and try to help the Merrick brothers while sorting out her personal life!
The plot was great and one crazy thing happened after another! But what really got me were the characters. Each character was complicated and had their own tragic story. Michael, who is the oldest of the four, had to carry the weight of the family and take care of his brothers, after their parents died, and Gabriel was certainly not making it easy for him! His brothers had isolated him and blamed him for everything. The twins had the best sibling relationship, I think. They always understood each other and helped each other. I always feel that twins have a special bond that nobody can break. Gabriel was the 'bad boy', whereas Nick was the sweet, caring one. Finally, Chris was like a confused puppy. He had to learn to control his powers and tried to put up a tough front, but in reality he was vulnerable and lonely! Becca was a great female lead. She was strong and always tried to do the best thing for everyone even though she had been hurt by people in the past. As for the minor characters, Quinn was a bit abrasive and loud mouthed but it was only because she cared so much about her loved ones and Hunter was a character-mystery for me as i feel that there was a deeper meaning behind his every word.
The romance was quite strong in this one and there was a love triangle but i didn't feel that it overpowered the story at any point. I hope this was not the last time we see Becca and Chris because they are so sweet and young and innocent and i love them!
The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that a couple of times women were judged because of the way they dressed. Also, I don't think Becca stopped blushing throughout the entire story.
Overall, I loved it and I can't wait to continue with the series. Unfortunately, I have a full tbr for September, so Spark I'll see you next month! <3 <3 -
I was pressured, brainwashed, and totally convinced to go into this book with high expectations, and even then it still blew me away! So. Darn. AMAZING!
Storm starts on a dark night when our awesome heroine Becca literally saves Chris Merrick's life. Everything quickly goes to hell from there when she realizes that Chris and his brothers aren't normal — they're Elementals, targeted because of how powerful they are. And now that she knows the truth, Becca isn't so safe either.
Becca is the perfect imperfect heroine for this novel! She's bad-ass and tough, but she's also vulnerable in a way that makes her so real. One thing I loved about this book was how Brigid Kemmerer incorporated bullying into the mix — with Becca's ex-boyfriend (who I hate with a passion!) spreading awful rumors about her. She reacts to it the way most girls would, and I couldn't have loved her more if I tried.
This review would not be completely without mentioning the Merrick brothers. ♥ There's Michael, the oldest who controls earth; Gabriel, the super-hot twin who ironically controls fire; Nick, the sweeter air-controlling twin who is no less hot; and then there's Chris, the youngest, the water-controller, the main character of this novel, and my favourite so far!
As one of my friends said, you'd think Brigid Kemmerer grew up in a house full of boys with how well she wrote them! Their brotherly bond, the way they fought, their heated banter... Topped off with Brigid's great writing and the sweet romance, this book has it all.
With four hot brothers, a fantastic heroine, an Elemental-based storyline that will steal your breath away, Storm was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year and it definitely lives up to the hype! Brigid Kemmerer, you are definitely starting off on the right foot with this debut. :) I can't wait to get my hands on Spark, Gabriel's story, later in the fall!
BUY or BORROW?: Hahahahahaha you're funny. Why would you even think to borrow this? Buy all the way!! :')
(Original review at
Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog) -
3.5 stars
I had my eyes on this book for a while because most of my friends have read it and loved it, so when I got a copy of Spark (the second book in the series) for review I thought that it was time for me to start reading this series too.
Don't be fooled by the 3 and a half star-rating, the book is quite good and if you don't usually over-think the paranormal worlds (like I seem to do) you will definitely love it more.
This is a refreshing story about 4 boys with powers way too strong for their own good and also a story about a girl caught in the middle of a fight beyond her power of comprehension. This is a story about revealing secrets that could kill you and about love that could heal you, it has a lot of action, a bit a drama, some humor scattered here in there, not to mention that there is plenty of hotness involved. Be aware!
THE GOOD
The concept.
If I remember Captain Planet, am I a bit too old?
Well this book reminded me of that cartoon movie series and I've always liked the idea of one controlling the surrounding natural elements, the idea of them giving you power, the idea of that power consuming you.. Yeah, I am talking now a bit more about Chris' brothers than himself, but in this story they come all in one package and some of them will steal your heart with their humor, or their drama, or them both.
The characters.
When you have 5 hot guys parading (is this the right word?) in front of you, you just got to be enjoying yourself.. a lot!
I loved the teasing between the brothers and Chris when we started to see Becca, I loved how they stood for each other even when they disagreed with what one was doing, I loved how they wanted to fight back and not keep their head down because that wouldn't solve anything and they would be bullied again and again. Yeah, sometimes the overprotectiveness was getting on my nerves, but this is what loving your younger might do to one (I have a younger sister and I like to think that I would do everything to keep her out of trouble, even though it's not the case).
The writing.
The is something melodic about the way Brigid writes. It captivates you and makes you want to read more, to know more, to see what happens next.. You simply can't put the book down. I've been reading on the train, on a bus and a boat, and it's funny because i usually get motions sick if I read in a moving vehicle, but I guess that the story was way too interesting for my brain to think of something else.
THE BAD(-ish)
The fake love triangle.
When you have alternating povs from two main characters things are clearer than bottled water. And when you have a cute relationship that starts pretty well, but you know with whom the girl might end it leaves you with a bitter taste.
I am not a big fan of paranormal love stories and this one was no exception. I don't understand why did the two liked each other, and i don't understand why the third one got to be left out when he started so damn well, I don't know why there was a need for a love-triangle in the first place, and I don't get how Becca ended with the one she ended because not only there was no chemistry between them, but it was the same treat-me-like-hell-because-i-like-you story all over again.
The paranormal elements.
There were things that didn't make much sense, mostly by the ending. We started to understand many things, but as a paranormal world goes it wasn't really enough.
Making storms out of nothings is something, but changing the course of life is an entirely different thing, and no-one seemed to be bothered by this. (And the same goes for the next book and there are still no consequences!)
The confession.
Again with these paranormal clichés. You can't just go tell a girl all your secrets only because you like her and she knows a bit of it anyways. There are sectrets that are not only yours, the are things more powerful than you, there are sectrets that could kill.
Also there were some disturbing things left hanging... Again, i know this is paranormal fantasy, but young people are reading it. Don't make them think that if someone tries to rape you is alright for you to hide it. Make them fucking pay for it! It really annoys me that something this important is treated so lightly in YA books.
CONCLUSION
With the good and the bad, I really got to like the story, enough for me to want to read the next ones (I am including here Spark that comes next this month and also Elemental, a short story about the oldest brother). Keep an eye for this series because I bet that many of you will like it as well!
Happy midnight reading!
** This review can also be found at
ReadingAfterMidnight.com
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In my ongoing quest to improve my life by not finishing stuff I'm editing in my head to be any good, I'm DNFing this at 41%. I hesitate with this one because so many of my friends really liked it (average of 4 stars). And I suppose I can see the appeal, even if I don't feel it, myself.
Hot guys with powers and lots of emotional masculinity and a sympathetic heroine to pilot us around the plot landscape. That's a draw, I have to admit. So why can't I lose myself in a book so many others find engaging?
* Too many assholes. I've been trying not to swear as much, but there's no better way to say that. Everybody in this book is a jerk, and I don't just mean the bad guys. This isn't helped by having the chief assholes be the supposed good guys (and no, I do not except Chris, not entirely at any rate).
* Becca lives on the edge of sexual assault all the freaking time and nobody seems to be bothered by this. Not even Becca.
* The world, once explained (that'll be next), makes no sense whatsoever. I mean, powerful elementals are under an automatic death sentence because they're "too powerful to trust"—said sentence to be carried out by a trained elite cadre of even more powerful elementals? Who thought that made sense?
* Holy freaking exposition dump, batman! This is where I broke, actually. You get veiled hints and microscopic pieces of the background (even when in Chris' head) but it's mostly obscured until Chris and Becca get a moment and suddenly he's telling her his life story. This is not only awkward, but breaks my suspension of disbelief. I've been a teen with a complicated backstory to tell possible romantic companions and let me tell you, the best way to ruin any interest that might exist is to dump it all in one go under otherwise sterile circumstances.
* The bad guys make no freaking sense, whatsoever. If they truly mean to kill the Merricks (and every evidence points that direction), then why are they faffing about with half-measures and stupid threats all the time? Seems to me that a simple ambush or two would accomplish all they could hope to achieve and heaven knows the Merrick boys are foolish enough to fall for practically anything. Like, just to take a simple example,
* The good guys make no freaking sense, whatsoever. If a community has been hostile for years with increasing (and increasingly open) violence, then what exactly do you think is going to happen to change that for the better? Denial and appeasement are loser strategies and they're even dumber when you can see, for years, that they aren't working. Let's take the head of the family, Michael. The only person he's willing to confront (with violence, no less) is a lone girl trying to help his brother. Nice call, asshole.
* And could Kemmerer be any more awkward in telegraphing Becca's dad's involvement? This is speculation on my part, so this may or may not pan out and be spoilery, .
* New boy in town who immediately falls in with Becca. That's not at all suspicious. Not to mention a completely contrived third leg of a stupid love triangle. And then he shows some kind of power on his own, though Becca is conveniently distracted from it because, uh, story.
All of that feels harsher than I mean it, really. It's just the list of things I was silently editing in my head. Becca is sweet and her life is enough of a misery that you're pulled in almost immediately. Chris isn't a complete asshole, either, though it helps that we're actually in his head sometimes. You naturally want them to get together because they're the only people even remotely sympathetic (I couldn't buy Hunter as an interest. He was too perfectly placed and had too much enigma attached for me to consider him anything more than a distraction. A contrived distraction, at that). So powers, angst, tension, and violence with a heroine doing her best to navigate troubled waters (both physical and emotional). It's engaging, I admit. But I struggled to get into it and eventually realized it was more effort than I was willing to continue. -
Four brothers, each a powerful elemental, a community at war, and one girl caught in the middle, Brigid Kemmerer brings her A-game in her electrifying debut. Storm should come with a cautionary notice. Something like: “Severe Weather Warning: This book will blow you away.”
The Story:
When Becca Chandler saves a boy from a brutal beating in her school’s parking lot, chasing off his attackers, she has no idea what her good Samaritan act is getting her caught up in. The boy is Chris Merrick, who, along with his brothers, is an Elemental, ‘gifted’ with the ability to control water. And that might just be the least of the surprises coming her way. It’s not only Chris’ attackers, or Chris himself, who are interested in Becca. ‘New Kid’ at school, Hunter, has his eyes on Becca, and he’s not so bad to eye back... but who should she trust? Like it or not, Becca finds herself caught up in war not just for the Merricks’ survival, but her own.
Becca and Chris, Chris and Becca...
Storm wastes no time jumping straight into the action. We join Becca as she finds Chris being beaten in the school parking lot, and it escalates from there. Told between Becca and Chris’ point of view, we’re give a unique viewpoint into their world: the ‘outsider’ view of Becca, as she tries to discover what she’s been dragged into, and that of Chris, who knows what’s happening around him, but still doesn’t necessarily hold all the cards or information. Both Chris and Becca are eminently likeable, fascinating and engrossing, and both have unique, singular voices.
Becca’s not an ‘action chick’ exactly, but she’s never afraid to take action. She’s brave, curious and compassionate. After saving Chris, who is in her grade, but she hardly knows, her world is irrevocably shaken, and only gets more complicated from there. But Becca’s life is hardly simple to begin with. It becomes clear Becca has secrets of her own, and there’s a meaningful subplot to Storm in the shape of some truly vicious bullying. And this is why it’s so difficult to discuss this book. It’s not a linear love story, a paranormal, or an action-packed thriller. It’s all of these things, and it’s much more. It’s layered and nuanced in a way that renders it not just compulsively readable, but truly memorable.
It’s not only Becca who is the victim of malicious harassment; the ‘bullying’ Chris Merrick endures could cost him his life. The quietest and most reserved of his brothers, Chris is much like element he controls: calm and still on the surface—sometimes—but hiding a tumult of dangers, currents and fathomless depths below. Watching Becca and Chris step around each other is a delight. There’s an almost palpable tension between them. The two are drawn to each other, but neither understands the other, neither knows what it means. Both hide secrets and hurts, and are struggling to fight inner demons as well as the external kind. But Storm isn’t entirely Chris and Becca’s story, there is another boy very much involved, in the way of Hunter, ‘New Kid’ at school. He’s fascinating, mysterious, and he has a story as heartbreaking, intriguing and important as Chris or Becca’s. He plays a large and important role in Storm, and it feels as though his part may only just be becoming clear.
The Brothers
Where Storm truly shines is in the authenticity of its characters, in particular the four brothers at its core. There’s been a lot of buzz about how ‘swoon worthy’, hot, and amazing these boys are, and it does bear repeating. But this isn’t what gives the book its compulsively readable quality, or what makes it so utterly gripping. Every one of the four Merrick boys feels real. It’s the brotherly bond they share, the care, the tension, the anger and the banter between them that is so entertaining, and at times heartbreaking, to read. Chris and his brothers are fascinating to say the least. Enormously powerful, the boys are a natural disaster waiting to happen—literally. But they keep their powers constantly tamped down. They live in fear of a power greater than theirs, creating a fascinating dichotomy between their power, and powerlessness to defend themselves without bringing a fate worse than harassment down on their heads.
The Verdict:
There’s a surprising complexity to Storm. It’s a story with many dimensions, and one that truly deserves to be singled out amongst an abundance of young adult Paranormals. It’s not one aspect of the story that shines, but a cohesive mix of all its parts, combined to make something layered, something truly unique and special. Storm isn’t about a group of brothers with unbelievable supernatural powers. It’s not about boy meets girl. It’s not about one of the first love triangles I’ve ever read and genuinely enjoyed, nor is it bullying, discrimination, grief or friendship. It’s more. It’s the way in which Kemmerer blends them all together, into a mix of colours more vivid and alluring then any one part could be on its own.
Storm is a remarkable debut. Brigid Kemmerer’s gift for characterisation and pitch-perfect voice combine with gripping story and perfect pacing to make Storm a riveting an utterly addictive read. Action packed from start to finish, Brigid’s nailed a perfect balance between excitement, romance and supernatural to create something magic. A story that is so many things, but most importantly, fun. -
Good... good. Very good. Nothing eartshaking, but hey, good is already more than I expected, since I haven't touched a het paranormal YA in months.
It looks like I read it in 8 days, but it was actually 4, with one long break in the middle. This means that no, I wasn't completely sucked in and sitting on the very edge of my seat, but while reading I was mighty interested in what was going to happen next. Good enough.
I was planning on talking at length about all the typically PNR-het-YA stuff that bugged me, but since I've had this review languishing in my brain/to-do list/fingers for ten days what I want right now is honestly to just get rid of it.
So: schoolgirl mooning over complete strangers, a love triangle (let's not even), pointless descriptions of clothing, secretly following people around (does anyone actually do that irl? Because it sure happens a lot in books), immediately accepting paranormality but then refusing to trust someone evidently trustworthy just to stick with the mysterious hippie guy (er... yes, I was team Chris. Oh dear. Team? I guess I haven't managed to exterminate my inner schoolgirl completely yet), people who say "crap" (SHIT. Shit. Shit).
BUT. There was a lot of good stuff too! Like the fact that all that testosterone was fogging up my phone screen. If I'm reading the next books for one reason, it's the Merrick brothers. I'm sure as hell not interested in the girls. *vaguely disgusted face*
I just love the guys' relationship, the way they fight and seem to want to kill each other all the fucking time yet gang up on an enemy or outsider in a second. It might not be the friendliest or most healthy attitude, but it's fantastic to see.
btw, I refuse to believe that the guys on the cover are the Merrick brothers. They look like complete tools.
Colton Haynes though. Oh god, I'd climb that like a squirrel. (You see? Everything goes back to Teen Wolf.)
So Colton Haynes is Chris, in my mind - as if I needed one more reason to want to lick him. Chris, that is. Not that I don't want to lick Colton Haynes. He (Chris) was just too adorable and natural and spontaneous and grumpy and just plain nice to resist. Plus he looks like Colton Haynes. (Humour me.)
Hunter, on the other hand, made my brain itch. He was cocky in that "I'm so cool I don't even need to rub it in your face" kinda way that is even worse that straight-out bragging, yet he still had this almost ethereal feel about him that confused me and annoyed me and made my leg automatically jump and kick the table everytime I read his name. If this was the author's intention, kudos; if it wasn't, fix it. Still, I want find out what the hell the deal is with him. One more reason to continue the series, I guess. Also, discoveries! Did you know that hair on a scar grows back white? I had no idea, and when I first read about it here I called bullshit. That's actually kinda cool, anyway.
On to Becca - I do have to talk about her, even if I could do without; she's the MC after all. *sigh*
Becca was... a girl. As in such a girl. I don't know if I've just lost the ability to like or relate to female characters or authors are just that bad at portraying them, but they end up pissing me off more often than not. Are clothes and boys and the occasional paranormal ability really all we think about? She acted in a moderately logical way though, so I didn't outright despise her. Thank fuck she had some family issues too, at least I could like one thing about her - the way she interacted with the 'rents.
The romance was... cheesy, sweet, angsty (in the girly way, which is not angsty at all) but surprisingly okay, because of the good pacing and slow-building tension. Although I can't help but be suprised by the complete absence of actual smut in here - it's like the main characters' hormones are hybernating for some reason. There's an almost-rape (not with one of the love interests, chill!), so the author might not have wanted to put both elements in the same book, but... no, even that doesn't make sense. Whatever.
There are some suprises too, if YA lurve and girliness hadn't convinced you to give this a try yet. The double twist at the end took me completely by surprise, despite a couple generous clues dropped during the story. But that's probably just me.
tl;dr
It's het YA paranormal romance.
But it's a few steps higher on the originality scale than I expected - and I tend to be pretty optimistic. -
**Disclaimer - My wife is the author of the book ** So, while Brigid was writing this book we would talk about it and she would tell me how the story was progressing. I read early versions but about 25% of the way through, I stopped. I wanted to wait and read it in "book" format. I'm glad I did. You might think I gave this book 5 stars to help boost the rating, but let me tell you, it won't need the help. This book takes you on such a ride. The characters grab hold of you and don't let you do until they are done telling you their story. This book is not the next "anything", it's the first of a great series and you won't be disappointed if you spend time with the Merrick brothers.
The storm is coming.... -
Soo it started off good, but got super boring and I lost interest. Heavy with dialogue and not enough plot to keep me invested, I was torn between rating this a two or a three. Elemental powers seem to be intriguing right? But when the brothers all seem to have wild tempers that flare hot and cold, I grew annoyed. Michael and Gabriel annoyed me, but Nick and Chris were okay. Becca was still a cookie cutter character so she wasn't anything new either. So yep, it was interesting, but the romance also just felt super flat for me. I didn't find them to have any chemistry and the love triangle didn't really need to happen. The reader knows who she wants the entire time so it's no surprise who she picks. I'm meh on this one. Maybe the second will be better?
