Early Review: Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer

Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental #5

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?

SACRIFICE just wasn't what I was expecting. Perhaps I had too high of hopes based on all the build up over the previous books and novellas, but I just don't feel like this book gave the series the proper send off that it deserved. Things just were not settled at all in the end and were left far to open for my tastes. Perhaps that means that this series isn't actually finished, but I'm not really sure who the next book would be about as all of the characters have seen their "day." Even so, putting the lack of a finalized ending aside, I still don't feel like this book was as strong as the previous ones. Michael just seems stuck in an overbearing protecting rut, shutting the rest of the world out and refusing any help. Frankly while some of that showed in the previous books, him being wise and the glue that held the family together was what came through more. I loved how everyone could really count on him to be fair and know what to say to reassure them. So I was really excited to see things from his side, but unfortunately felt let down as that element just seemed missing this time around. That being said, he did grow by leaps and bounds by the end of the book, so there's a plus, but again, I would have like to have seen more of the Michael that's we've seen in the previous books rather than how things played out in this one.

Another character that came across completely differently than had been previously portrayed was Hannah. I just didn't get her at all. Never would I have guess she would have had such a chip on her shoulder, and so many of her actions came across as childish and immature despite her claiming to be a grown up. It just didn't jive with what had been shown before, and it left the romance stilted and stale. With Michael being so closed off and Hannah being anything but understanding about everything, I was left scratching my head at what was really going on there. I mean they are supposed to be two adults in a relationship, and yet, there just didn't seem to be anything real there. I just didn't get it, and it soured the read for me.

The plot behind Sacrifice left me wanting more as well. The villain seemed just a bit over the top as liked to play with his victims which is in complete contrast to anyone the brothers have faced previously. I'm not sure I liked this element. Sure, it ramped up the tension a bit, but I don't think it drew me in emotionally toward their plight, and when you consider just how much craziness occurs in this book, I should have been more emotionally invested. Unfortunately I just wasn't making this a mediocre read overall for me. I wanted so much more from this book and it just wasn't there. I still think fans of the series should read SACRIFICE to see Michael's side of things and hope along with me that the series will be continued.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:
     The Midnight Garden
     The Eater of Books!
     Books of Amber

Previous Books:
     1. Storm

     2. Spark

     3. Spirit

     4. Secret

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Early Review: Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental #4

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?

It's funny, I don't typically read reviews before I write my own as I prefer to write down all of my own opinions first so as not to be influenced by others. However with the strong issues in this book, I wanted to see how others received it, especially due to the sexual preferences. I have to admit I was incredibly surprised to see just how many people commented on how much they couldn't stand Quinn rather than any issue with Nick's issue. Honestly, my heart broke every bit as much for her as Nick, maybe even more so. Sure she's rather prickly and impossible to deal with at times with her aggressiveness, but can you blame her when all she has been shown is how "worthless" she is? So much so that when someone does genuinely care for her, she both doesn't know how to react and doesn't trust it. Her sense self worth is next to nothing and she pushes everyone away, at least until a certain character sees past her walls and doesn't leg her push. It was amazing to see her slowly start to turn around, but it was and still will be a rocky road as her life situation isn't something you just easily overcome.

Getting back to Nick, his problem, while safer, was every bit as much of an issue as Quinn's, just for very different reasons. The Merrick brothers have had to rely on each other for everything as their very lives depend on it, so it's no wonder Nick is so terrified of revealing himself and potentially losing his family in the process. But even if you put the sexual preferences aside, Nick is still pretty darn messed up. He's lived for his family and their wants and needs even more than Michael has, and lord knows Michael has sacrificed a whole lot for his brothers. Nick's problem is that he never allows himself to think about what HE wants, instead always acting the perfect brother and friend, taking care of everyone else's needs. It's no wonder he was wound so tight under the pressure, and while Gabriel is known as the powder keg, Nick's actually more of a ticking nuclear time bomb. Something had to give, and as I said, my heart just kept breaking over and over for him.

SECRET dealt with some incredibly difficult issues that took up most of the focus, putting the elemental stuff mostly on the sideline. As a result, it gave this book a much different feeling than the rest of the series. On one hand I'm torn as I prefer to avoid issue books, nothing against them, they just aren't my first pick as I read for the little escape. And let's face it, when you have an issue like the ones in this book, well it doesn't exactly make for the best escape. However, that being said, it was one heck of a read as the issues and everything were so poignant that I couldn't help be sucked in. My heart broke more and more with each page that I read. I have to commend Brigid Kemmerer for writing such a powerful book, and if it helps even just one person make it through a situation anything like these, well all the better. Whether you are a fan of the series, are a teenager who is, or knows someone who is going through a hard time or even an adult who can appreciate the message behind this book, SECRET is simply a must read.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Pre-order:

Other Reviews:

     The Midnight Garden

     The Reading Kitten

     My Fiction Nook

Previous Books:

     1. Storm

     2. Spark

     3. Spirit

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Early Review: Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental #3

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…


Hunter Garrity wishes he could find a way to escape the reality that is his life. He's been taught that all elementals are evil and a threat to humanity, so it's his duty as a fifth to hunt them down. But he's seen elementals do amazing things to protect others, even at great risks to themselves, making him question everything he's been told. But with tensions on both sides brewing to a boiling point, he doesn't have long before a choice of sides will be forced upon him, as everyone is playing for keeps. In a world where everyone seems to be his enemy, Hunter will have to learn to open up and trust someone before he finds himself in the crossfire.

I have to admit that when I heard that the third Elementals book would be told from Hunter's perspective, to say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I just didn't like him in the previous books. There's many reasons for that, but even if you put all of that aside, I still wouldn't have been thrilled as I would have preferred the book to be from Nick or Michael's perspective. Heck, even a repeat of Chris or Gabriel would have been okay in my book. However, now that I have read SPIRIT, I have to say that not only has Hunter grown on me, but I think his perspective really added to the story. Before this point we had only really seen things from a defensive side, so seeing through the eyes of someone raised to be the enemy was interesting to say the least, especially since Hunter is rather confused about what side he is really on. His inner turmoil just sucked me right in, even as I wanted to smack him for his quick temper and terrible decisions. He's just one of those characters that make it so hard to care about, and yet somehow you find yourself loving him anyway in the end. It really amazed me just how much he grew on me throughout this book.

I have to applaud Brigid Kemmerer for her ability to both impress and appall me at the same time due to her unconventional choices. She took some incredible risks in SPIRIT, and while I feel like my heart has been put in a blender under the puree setting, I think it will pay out in the end as no one can say that this is a cookie cutter book. That being said, there was one point where I literally dropped my book in shock over what happened, as I simply could not believe that she took that bold of a move. In fact, days later as I'm writing this review, I'm still in shock, especially since that wrecking ball of a game changer wasn't the only bold move in this book. I just cannot wrap my head around what it all means for the future books.

On a slightly side note, Nick's novella, BREATHLESS was included in my ARC copy of SPIRIT. It was short, but there was an incredible amount of emotion packed into such a little space. Without spoiling things, I will say that Brigid has continued her unconventional choices in this novella, which will definitely bleed over into the rest of the series. Those choices prove hands down, that if you are looking for something fresh and original in the Paranormal YA genre, than the Elementals series is an absolute must read. I personally will be counting down the days until the next installment is released.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Pre-order:



Other Reviews:

• The Reading Kitten
• Fiction Snoop
• The Fox's Hole

Previous Books:

1. Storm
2. Spark

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Brigid Kemmerer Guest Post & Giveaway

Today I'm happy to welcome Brigid Kemmerer to the blog. She's telling us about her top ten worst dates, and boy are some of them doozies. Her new book Spark is set to be released on the 28th, but you can win an early copy. I really loved Spark. Make sure you check back on the 17th for my
review. *Update* Brigid is so awesome that she's going to sign the ARC, so not only will the winner be getting an early copy, but it will be signed!

 Top Ten Worst Dates

1) When I was about 21, I was experimenting with online dating. It was fresh and new, and everyone was on dial-up, so real photos were few and far between. I'd arranged to meet the guy at a Barnes & Noble. When he showed up, he was wearing a filthy old sweatshirt and jeans. I'm a pretty optimistic person, and he seemed okay, so we decided to walk across the parking lot to Outback Steakhouse.

He proceeded to order three glasses of water. At the same time. During the course of the meal, he drank approximately 27 glasses of water. I am not making this up. He also ordered an appetizer, steak, a few sides, and dessert.

At the end of the meal, he told me he couldn't pay. Not just for my half. FOR ANY OF IT.

2) When I was a senior in high school, I'd planned to go to Hershey Park with my boyfriend and a bunch of our friends. I was lucky enough to have my own car, so I was one of the people driving. We'd planned this trip for weeks. That morning, we all piled into my Honda Accord, and I backed out of my boyfriend's driveway.

Well, I misjudged the turn and clipped his parents' mailbox. Not only did I take out their mailbox, but I ripped the entire front bumper off my car. (We tied it back on with rope and drove to Hershey Park anyway. Yes, really. My parents were PISSED.)

3) I'd been dating this college guy for a few weeks, when I decided to invite him out to the horse farm where I worked. He didn't have any experience with horses, which was fine. But he was eating chips from a bag when I led him into the field to show him one of my favorite horses. This older, pregnant mare, who was massive and lumbering, was attracted by the sound of the crinkly bag, and she picked her head up and started lumbering toward us.

The guy screamed (yes, SCREAMED), then yelled, "They're charging!" and ran for his car.

4) Once I was using an ATM machine at a movie theater. I was obviously alone. A guy sauntered over, clearly thinking he was all that, and said, all suave, "So. Have you ever used one of these before?"

Seriously. He was asking if I'd used an ATM Machine before. I wanted to ask if he'd ever talked to a girl before.

5) When I got my first apartment, I worked in a bookstore at a local mall. One of the security guards was sweet on me. I was NOT sweet on him. He knew where I lived, however, because his friend, one of the other security guards, had driven me home one night. So he thought it was totally okay to come over to my apartment when I wasn't home and leave a handwritten note on my glass sliding door that said, "I stoped by to see you." (Yes, with the spelling error and everything.)

6) I had dinner with a young man who was quite nice. He had his own place in downtown Baltimore, with a beautiful rooftop deck. Stunning view, very charming company. So while we're sitting on his rooftop deck, he says, "You know what I'd really like?" At the time, I was thinking all kinds of romantic thoughts. I said, "No. What would you really like?"

You can guess what he asked for.

7) I went to dinner with one guy who asked me for my coat at the end of the night. Hey, he was cold.

8) This one guy I dated for several weeks invited me to dinner with his mom, at her apartment. At that time, I also learned it was HIS apartment. She made very dry steak, and I choked down half of my piece. He proceeded to lecture me on not wasting food. Then asked if I wanted to see his porn collection.

9) One night, I went out dancing with this guy. For some reason, I thought I could handle four shots of tequila, despite the fact that I very, very rarely drink. On the way home, he had to pull over so I could throw up all over the side of the car. (I should also mention that it was two years ago, the "guy" was my husband, and the "car" was my minivan. First time I've EVER had to throw up after drinking.)

10) I can't end this on a negative note, so I'll give you a good one: One Monday, I got to work after the weekend from hell. It had been horrible. I'd broken up with my boyfriend, my car had been broken into and my video camera was stolen, I'd had a terrible fight with my mom -- you name it, it happened. So at work on Monday, a guy from another department called me for some information. I'd never talked to him before, but just out of kindness, he said, "Hi, Brigid, how was your weekend?" It was my first call of the day, so I just launched into this huge long story about how miserable my weekend was.

That guy? He listened to every word of that story, and many more later. It was the start of the best friendship I've ever had.

So you know, I had to marry him.

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of The Elemental Series, starting with Storm, which is available from Kensington Books. You can follow her on Twitter at @BrigidKemmerer, or visit her blog at www.brigidkemmerer.com. 

Author Info:

Brigid Kemmerer was born in Omaha, Nebraska, though her parents quickly moved her all over the United States, from the desert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the lakeside in Cleveland, Ohio, and several stops in between, eventually settling near Annapolis, Maryland. Brigid started writing in high school, and her first real “novel” was about four vampire brothers causing a ruckus in the suburbs. Those four brothers are the same boys living in the pages of The Elemental Series, so Brigid likes to say she’s had four teenage boys taking up space in her head for the last seventeen years. (Though sometimes that just makes her sound nuts.)

Brigid writes anywhere she can find a place to sit down (and she’s embarrassed to say a great many pages of The Elemental Series were written while sitting on the floor in the basement of a hotel while she was attending a writers’ conference). Most writers enjoy peace and quiet while writing, but Brigid prefers pandemonium. A good thing, considering she has three boys in the house, ranging in age from an infant to a teenager.

While writing STORM, it’s ironic to note that Brigid’s personal life was plagued by water problems: her basement flooded three times, her roof leaked, her kitchen faucet broke, causing the cabinet underneath to be destroyed by water, the wall in her son’s room had to be torn down because water had crept into the wall, and her bedroom wall recently developed a minor leak. Considering SPARK, book 2 in the series, is about the brother who controls fire, Brigid is currently making sure all the smoke detectors in her house have batteries.

Brigid loves hearing from people, and she probably won't refer to herself in the third person like this if you actually correspond with her. She has a smartphone surgically attached to her person nearby at all times, and email is the best way to reach her. Her email address is brigidmary@gmail.com.

Find Brigid Online:

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I have an extra ARC copy of Spark by Brigid Kemmerer, so I'm giving it away to one lucky winner.  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Elementals #2

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

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.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

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