Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 368pgs

The Story

Earth, Fire, Air, Water - they have more power than you dream.

Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. 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 Review

A big thanks to Allen & Unwin for sending me a review copy of this book!

STORM, the first installment of the Elementals series, is one of those books that sucks you in instantly and will become a classic hit with fans internationally! Review after review many bloggers I have a lot faith in are telling me what's hot and what's not in books, and they had highly recommended this book to me. While I was still sitting on the fence whether to read this title or not, but then as soon as I received my review copy from the publisher . . . I dived straight into the action, the suspense, the romance, the danger, the world - and yes the hot boys too - and like so many other people whom continued to rave about this book non-stop, I was completely sold with this series as I read the final pages and Brigid Kemmerer has truly created a real shining gem with her debut YA series!

Becca, the main character, was such a blast to read about. I'll be honest with you and say I mightn't have liked her during certain points in the book and all those rushed decisions that she sometimes made (you know those moments where you find yourself yelling at a character saying, "Don't do it, girl! Just don't! Oh - you did it! You didn't listen to me, did you?), but throughout the book Becca continuously proved herself worthy as a female heroine and presented to her readers that fierce and courageous young woman that she is, but she also gave us a completely different side to her . . . this rare vulnerability which made her even more human to me and eventually, in the end, she had won me over for a main character. But as much as I love Becca, but the spotlight is totally owned by the Merrick brothers and they were my favourite part of the book. Obviously.

The Merrick brothers and the relationships shared between each and every brother was so believable. Their individual personalities meshed so well together and it brought this already close-knit family only much more closer together to truly hit home, showing what it truly means with the value of family and the lengths you would go to. While the brothers Chris, Gabriel, Nick and Michael constantly fight - like almost too violently for their own good - but as soon as trouble comes up on the horizon, each brother is always there for one another and always wanting to use their fists and elemental magics on the attackers crossing their brothers territory. It was rather sweet on thier part! Now as for their scenes together, I know writing group scenes can comes as a big challenge for any writer and for Kemmerer to tackle four insanely hot brothers I would have to say she's pretty darn talented and I don't know how she does it but she's goooooooooddddddd at it. And then there's another note-worthy character named Hunter, the mysterious new boy on the scene. Now I adored his character from the beginning because he was so complexed and yet so yummy at the same time that it definitely challenged me to be either Team Hunter or Team Chris . . . but either way you look at it both boys were so worthy of our young hearts!

The only real problem I had with STORM - one that possibly affected my overall review rating - was a certain issue raised in the book. That being the issue of rape. While readers have an idea placed into their minds regarding Becca's situation and a certain 'something' that supposedly happened to her in the past that involved a group of boys (which then led to a nasty rumor and so forth), but for a slight spoiler here there is a touchy almost gang-rape scene towards the last half of the book. Now that scene didn't bother as such since I've read plenty of books dealing with similar situtions, but considering this is a young adult book I was still taken back by this certain scene, and it was quite uncomfortable as well. I might think it was unncessary for this particular scene to be included because I kind of got the point of what was happening and I didn't think it needed any more details, but since it's in there, I would highly recommend this book for older readers. It's not to say it's bad or anything because the issue of rape is real and happening in today's society, but it's still something I wanted to make note of and let you to be aware of for those younger readers out there.

Overall, this book has taken me by surprise on several occasions which doesn't often happen with YA paranormal stories. Both refreshing, new, fast-paced, twist-turning, action-packed and containing a variety of many loveable things readers want and need from a YA storyline, STORM will most definitely not disappoint you. While STORM didn't leave me hanging with a cliffhanger (I guess since the next book is going to be told from different perspectives), but I'm still very eager to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Spark, which, thankfully, comes out in September so be on the look out for that!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars