Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Storm (Elemental #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.
Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming.

Publishes in US: April 24th 2012 by Kensington
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: library
Series? Yes. Storm is 1st in Elemental series. Elemental (Elemental, #0.5), Fearless (Elemental, #1.5)  are out. Breathless (Elemental, #2.5)  releases Apr 30 2013, Spirit (Elemental, #3) releases May 28th 2013, Untitled (Elemental #4)  releases Jan 2014, Untitled (Elemental #5)  releases July 2014.

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    I liked this book, and it was a quick read with plenty of action. 

    All of the Merrick brothers blended together for me at first. Nick, Gabriel, Michael and Chris. I guess Chris not as much as the others because he is the one beaten and where Becca gets pulled into their world. But they were all thrown in at once, and I just didn't get a good feel for them. I started to realize their roles and differences around Chapter 5 and 7 though. 

    I liked Becca's voice and personality, that she was taking self defense classes at the beginning, and she used those skills to help out someone in trouble. It showed a lot about her character, because she could have just hidden and ran off, but she stood up to a bully and defended herself and someone else. Also, just her way of speaking and thinking had me able to relate to her. I was also amazed at how much pain she went through and still could love others and empathize with them. Yet, she still had this fire in her, and I loved when it was righteously funneled. 

     The theme of bullying is so important. It is So hard and and shows the destructive power that words and rumors can have. Like how she learned to stand up for herself and wasn't just being helpless. 

    New guy aka hunter was hot and I appreciated how respectful he was to Becca. I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to him that it seemed since he came onto the scene just as Becca knew the truth about Chris and his brothers.

    Although I liked Chris, I couldn't help but think for most of the book that it would be better for Becca not to be involved, that up front, Hunter seemed like a simpler and safer option. But that was not fair because Chris didn't control who he was only what he tried to do with it. And I respected his closeness with his family, and how he was learning control. The reasons why he tried to be distant from Becca to start with were really good, because he didn't want her to be in danger. But I loved how he stood up for her, and admired her strength. I just don't think that he was given a fair chance, and I want to see more of them together.

    I liked the humor that was laced in.

    There was chemistry with both guys and I was in the same position as Becca, not seeing the whole picture for most of the story. I was shocked at how it played out, and how all of the threads of the story came together.

    

Bottom Line: Great start to an action packed paranormal that kept me guessing.

My question to you, my lovely readers:

Which element would you like to control?