Storm (Elemental) [Paperback]

Brigid Kemmerer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012 | Series: Elemental

Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - 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.

When Hunter, the mysterious new kid in town, 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...

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758272812
• ISBN-13: 978-0758272812
• Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 5.3 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-High school junior Becca Chandler is dealing with lies an ex-boyfriend is spreading about her and interest from two new guys at school, one with a reputation as a troublemaker and the other, a boy with a secret. In addition, she learns about the Elementals, people with power over fire, water, earth, and air, knowledge that makes her dangerous and marks her for possible death. This novel features an interesting story line and a strong heroine with realistic reactions to difficult situations. The writing is accessible, and the plot offers a new take on the supernatural genre, despite a logic flaw regarding why Elementals with power over one element are considered dangerous, while others, with even greater powers, are valued. Because of the romantic relationships, this debut novel invites possible comparisons with Twilight. It has great appeal to readers of supernatural fiction, as well anyone looking for a fast-paced story, realistic and relatable female protagonists, and serious issues that show up, surprisingly, in the last couple of chapters. It contains scenes involving underage drinking and sexual violence, making it most appropriate for older teens.-Natasha Forrester, Multnomah County Library, ORα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"A refreshingly human paranormal romance...read fast and keep that heart rate up." - Kirkus Reviews

"Awesome paranormal powers, a love triangle, risk-taking adventure, and the secret of Becca's connection to the Merrick brothers create exciting chemistry in this edgy page-turner that will appeal to older teen and adult paranormal suspense fans, both male and female." - VOYA

"A new take on the supernatural genre...[STORM] has great appeal to readers of supernatural fiction, as well anyone looking for a fast-paced story, realistic and relatable female protagonists, and serious issues." - School Library Journal

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758272812
• ISBN-13: 978-0758272812
• Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 5.3 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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 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 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, and email is the best way to reach her. Her email address is [e-mail].

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surpassed my expectations! April 24, 2012

By Amanda Welling

Format:Paperback

First Impressions: I spotted this book on Goodreads back in January of this year and I knew I had to have it. I mean, just look at the cover and all of the hotness thrown all over it! Then I read the synopsis and wanted the book even more. Four hot guys with special Captain Planet like powers? Count me in, please?! I was able to speak to the author as well and she is super nice! I was more than happy when my copy of Storm arrived in the mail.

First 50 Pages: I literally flew through this book and I'll tell you why. Storm is more than a book with a bunch of swoon-worth characters, which it still is, but that isn't what makes this book above-average. Not only is Brigid a very talented writer, this story has some unexpected themes and dynamics that I didn't see coming, coupled with an interesting main plot line. I think a lot of people who read Storm will be writing reviews about how hot the characters are, but there is more than what initially meets the eye. Usually when I read paranormal books, the depth and emotional parts of the story aren't as good as they could be, say if the book was a contemporary novel. This isn't the case with Storm, since Brigid successfully mated a great paranormal story line with events and emotions that can and do happen every day. It's not just the romantic aspect of Storm that felt alive to me, but the characters, the family dynamics, along with harder themes like bullying and finding the strength to stand up for your beliefs and yourself, that are usually found in good contemporary novels. I also have to commend Brigid for being able to pull off the voice of a teenaged boy as well as she did. Not too many female authors are able to do that!...

Characters & Plot: Storm is full of action, a fast-moving plot, lots of descriptive writing, even funny at times, and it has flawed but awesome characters. Late one night Becca Chandler sees Chris Merrick getting a beating by two men in an abandoned parking lot. Becca doesn't put up with it and she makes the decision to come to his aid and unknowingly steps into Chris and his family's crazy world. Chris and his brothers aren't normal teenaged boys; they each have powers and are considered Elementals. The author makes it very clear throughout the novel that with the power to control Earth, Fire, Air and Water comes danger, responsibility and that there are people who know about what Elementals are capable of and they want them dead.

Storm has a fairly large cast of characters and each one has a unique personality. As much as liked the brothers and their antics, I loved Becca. She is a strong protagonist that doesn't take anyone's crap and isn't afraid to stand up for what she feels is right. The girl had been through a lot with a jerk named Drew who completely ruined her reputation in the worst kind of way. Becca is a fighter who just continually survives in a tough world, but she is still vulnerable on the inside and cares about people more than most.

Of course, the brothers are really wonderful (and at times, confusing and frustrating because of their actions). Chris is the youngest brother and he still has a lot of learning to do which can make him come across as being naive, but he is super sweet to Becca. Nick and Gabriel are twins who are super close but very different from one another. Then there is Michael, the oldest of the brothers and by far the most responsible, but he is burdened with everything that is going on. One of the only things all of these boys have in common is that they are extremely good-looking and make for some excellent eye candy.

Now on the cover, it shows four boys, while in reality there are five hotties in Storm. Hunter makes a grand entrance into the story that automatically won me over. Out of the five boys, Hunter is the one I am the most curious about because he seems to have some dark secret hidden in his closet, even though he is very sweet and kind. However, with the introduction to Hunter also comes the introduction of a love triangle between Hunter, Becca, and Chris. Both of the boys are awesome and I can't really say that I prefer one over the other and I didn't get an insta-love feel towards either relationship.

Final Thoughts: I am so glad that there isn't a long wait until the next book in this series comes out. Storm surpassed my expectations and I really never thought that this book would contain so many layers and be as complex as it is. I can't say that I found anything wrong or anything that I didn't like. Some people may be sensitive to the tough themes of the story, but the characters are meant to have flaws and I think it makes them much more realistic then they would otherwise. Brigid Kemmerer just became one of my favorite debut authors of the year and for all of the paranormal AND contemporary fans out there, Storm is something you both can sit down to enjoy. Read more ›

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Most of STORM was a blast of swoon worthy guys and elemental powers...but the treatment of one sensitive issue brought it down April 24, 2012

By Abigail VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

We've got four supernatural brothers with big time alpha blood running in their veins and more than a few chips on their shoulders. They have volatile personalities connected to their elemental powers which is tempered by fierce loyalty and protective streaks, all of which gives each of them a distinct scary but sexy vibe that I always fall for. Throw in a smart, resourceful girl who unwittingly gets caught up in a long standing elemental feud you get an almost perfect storm of a book.

The relationship dynamics between the brothers is so believable as a family. They fight with each other almost violently, but when one of them is hurt they lash out as one against the attacker. And the writing is very well done, especially the scenes involving all four brothers. Group scenes are notoriously challenging, but you'd never know it reading STORM. All four brothers feel distinctive and present in the scenes (and without exception, they are totally crushable). Beyond the brothers, the supporting cast is also very strong, and the worldbuilding comprehensive but simply explained.

I hate having to bring this up since I was having a blast reading STORM until one particularly sensitive subject was brought up: rape. <spoiler> Paranormal fiction is no stranger to the topic of rape, but it's not as common in YA, nor is it usually gang rape. Becca has a slut reputation at school thanks to an incident involving her ex and the soccer team. We find out that she got drunk and let him pass her around at a party...she said she let them at first, but there were so many of them that they couldn't tell when she started to fight back...she vomited just before someone got to home base. She never told anyone or pressed charges.... She goes to parties with these guys and even foolishly goes off with one when he says he wants to apologize which turns into an ambush where the entire soccer team tries to gang rape her. They are stopped, but not nearly soon enough in my opinion. Throughout all this, Becca doesn't respond at all the way I would expect the victim of this kind of sexual assault would. It's not just that she keeps quiet(I understand that reaction), but it's like the whole thing is just a minor issue. It doesn't effect her beyond crude sexual taunts at school and having to prove to any guy that she's interested in that she's not a whore. I couldn't get past how this monumentally huge issue was treated...even with people trying to kill each other and elemental powers everywhere, it didn't justify low-key treatment of rape and sexual assault. </spoiler>

Most of STORM was a blast of swoon worthy guys and elemental powers. Paranormal Romance junkies who love adult brotherhood series like those from J.R. Ward, Gena Showalter, and Larissa Ione will definitely want to give this YA series a go. For the intense and exciting plot, the brutally hot brothers, and the engaging writing, I'd give this a 4/5, but the shoddy treatment of the rape/assault subject brought it down to a 3/5. I'm still very intrigued by the Elementals series and already have Gabriel's story (SPARK which releases in September 2012) on my wishlist.

Sexual Content:
Kissing, sexual assault, attempted gang rape (see spoiler section), crude sexual dialogue. Read more ›

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review for Storm by Brigid Kemmerer March 16, 2013

By Alyssa

Format:Paperback

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer
Book One of the Elemental series
Publisher: K Teen
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Gift (this one and Spark) from my sister

Note: I read this book back in June 2012! I loved it so much, but I wasn't reviewing very much at that point, and was not blogging at all, so I never wrote a review. So, here's my review! Almost one year later.

Summary (from Goodreads):

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...

What I Liked:

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It was one of my favorite books of 2012. Brigid Kemmerer an amazing author! I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I was so surprised with what I got. Her writing style, the character development, the characters' relationships, the plot... everything was just so well done.

This particular book is focused on Chris Merrick, the youngest of the four Merrick brothers.... He controls water, and, as you can guess, the other three brothers each control one of the four elements (earth, air, fire). I really enjoyed reading this book from Chris's point-of-view (it's in third-person, limited), and sometimes with Becca's point-of-view. At the time, I hadn't read many books in a guys point-of-view, so I remember that this blew me away (still does!). Chris is a fantastic character! He makes mistakes, he fights with his brothers, but he always does what he feels is best, in his heart.

Becca is PERFECT for him. For those of you on the Hunter bandwagon, join another. Hunter has his own book coming (Spirit!), so I think Chris and Becca are supposed to be paired up. Becca is feisty in a subtle way. Yes, there are some obvious scenes with her spunk, but overall, I got the feeling that she has so much fire in her, but she also has a lot of serenity to her.

The world-building of this book is amazing. I love the paranormal aspects of the four elements, and the plot that is woven around these aspects. It was easy to follow the plot, and the plot was not very predictable (which is good!).

Brigid's writing is SUPERB. I remember thinking, "How did she get the characters to sound so real!?". Seriously though - Chris sounds so much like a real teenager, with real angst and anger towards his brothers, and his reactions are just so, well, teenager-like (takes one to know one!). The same can be said about Becca, Quinn, Gabriel, and the other characters that played a significant role in this book.

While there are many, many characters, I feel like each had their own distinct voice, and experienced some sort of character development throughout this book. Michael is the legal guardian of his three younger brothers, and we as readers can clearly see his struggle with taking care of them, and keeping them out of trouble (both in school, and with the paranormal aspect). Nick is the quiet one that needs to keep the peace between his fiery (literally) brother Gabriel, Michael, and sometimes, Chris. Quinn is the snarky best friend of Becca, who is somewhat selfish, but develops as the book goes on. I feel like every character went through some level of character development throughout this book, which was excellent to see.

Have I said enough? :)

What I Did Not Like:

I really can't say much for this section. Almost a year later, and still remember this book very well (I did read and re-read it like, seven billion times though). Take your time with this one. Some people have complained that they were confused with the world-building, but if you read through this one slowly the first time, and maybe more than once, you will understand everything!

Would I Recommend It:

YES, TOTALLY! It was one of my favorite books of 2012. Just go read it. Now. Right now.

Rating:

5 stars. I really don't need to say more, do I? 5 stars is hard to come by, from me. Yay, Brigid! Read more ›