Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Source: Publisher
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.
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CATCHALLSo, wow. Everyone's enjoyed telling me how awesome this book is, and as it turns out this time, they were right. Storm was awesome. Unbelievably so. Five hot guys…what's wrong with that? Pretty much nothing. Aside from that, there was a ton of suspense and action. Even though it was a bit slow moving at first, once it pick up it picked up. This book was spectacular. Blow-away worthy.
THE HEROINE
THE HEROINE
BECCA
Becca is out butt-kicking heroine who is independent and strong on her own without being too distant from others. She does what needs to be done to the best of her abilities and always always tries to do what is right. She doesn't back down from challenges and doesn't stop until she finds out the truth. And when she does find out the truth, she actually has a reaction and she shows genuine surprise. She wants to know as much as she can. But she doesn't even let her lack of knowledge stop her.
THE NEW KID
Becca is out butt-kicking heroine who is independent and strong on her own without being too distant from others. She does what needs to be done to the best of her abilities and always always tries to do what is right. She doesn't back down from challenges and doesn't stop until she finds out the truth. And when she does find out the truth, she actually has a reaction and she shows genuine surprise. She wants to know as much as she can. But she doesn't even let her lack of knowledge stop her.
THE NEW KID
HUNTER
Hunter is the new kid in this book, sexy and confident and definitely hiding a secret or two. Becca wants to figure him out, but she also wants so badly to trust him that she does. And though he makes some mistakes, he too is trying to do what's right. And even if it's not, he rationalizes it to himself. In the end, he's frightened and in need of friends. And surprisingly, that's just what he's beginning to find near the end of this novel.
THE BROTHERS
Hunter is the new kid in this book, sexy and confident and definitely hiding a secret or two. Becca wants to figure him out, but she also wants so badly to trust him that she does. And though he makes some mistakes, he too is trying to do what's right. And even if it's not, he rationalizes it to himself. In the end, he's frightened and in need of friends. And surprisingly, that's just what he's beginning to find near the end of this novel.
THE BROTHERS
MICHAEL
I love Michael. He is so haunted and yeah, kind of an asshole occasionally, but such a sexy asshole. He had to take on enormous responsibility when he was really too young to do so, and he's spent the rest of his life trying to make good choices and make up for it. He has stone walls set firmly around his heart, but it looks like they might be getting some cracks. Maybe.
NICK
Oh, Nick. He is so…perfect. Don't look at me like that! He is! He's obviously hot, and he never really seems to make mistakes. That's not to say that he doesn't make mistakes…because everyone does…but of all the twins, he is the most balanced. And I love that. He's not the wild one. And I love how that balance is there. More than any of the others in my opinion, Nick shows the delicate balance between the brothers' personalities and their powers.
GABRIEL
Gabriel is just…awesome. Dangerous. Unpredictable. He's definitely the most reckless of the brothers. Wild. Crazy. But all in the most particular and fantastic way. He's the risk taker, the one who's willing to push the limits and cross the lines, never thinking of the consequences. Living in the moment. The polar opposite of his twin. And I love the contrast that's there.
CHRIS
Chris is the main boy focused on in Storm, the one who's head we get to get inside. And it is insane in there. He's the youngest of the brothers and of them all, he's the one who is still the most growing into his powers, fighting for control. He's struggling to find his place, making this also somewhat of a coming-of-age story. But more on Chris specifically—he's spent a lot of time living in his brothers' shadows, but he's stronger than he realizes.
THE FRIEND
I love Michael. He is so haunted and yeah, kind of an asshole occasionally, but such a sexy asshole. He had to take on enormous responsibility when he was really too young to do so, and he's spent the rest of his life trying to make good choices and make up for it. He has stone walls set firmly around his heart, but it looks like they might be getting some cracks. Maybe.
NICK
Oh, Nick. He is so…perfect. Don't look at me like that! He is! He's obviously hot, and he never really seems to make mistakes. That's not to say that he doesn't make mistakes…because everyone does…but of all the twins, he is the most balanced. And I love that. He's not the wild one. And I love how that balance is there. More than any of the others in my opinion, Nick shows the delicate balance between the brothers' personalities and their powers.
GABRIEL
Gabriel is just…awesome. Dangerous. Unpredictable. He's definitely the most reckless of the brothers. Wild. Crazy. But all in the most particular and fantastic way. He's the risk taker, the one who's willing to push the limits and cross the lines, never thinking of the consequences. Living in the moment. The polar opposite of his twin. And I love the contrast that's there.
CHRIS
Chris is the main boy focused on in Storm, the one who's head we get to get inside. And it is insane in there. He's the youngest of the brothers and of them all, he's the one who is still the most growing into his powers, fighting for control. He's struggling to find his place, making this also somewhat of a coming-of-age story. But more on Chris specifically—he's spent a lot of time living in his brothers' shadows, but he's stronger than he realizes.
THE FRIEND
QUINN
I just…I just didn't like her at all. She's totally self-absorbed and moreover, annoying. I absolutely couldn't stand her. Becca could really use a new best friend as far as I'm concerned.
THE PLOT
I just…I just didn't like her at all. She's totally self-absorbed and moreover, annoying. I absolutely couldn't stand her. Becca could really use a new best friend as far as I'm concerned.
THE PLOT
So, wow. I'm not going to lie—Storm moves pretty slowly at first. It takes a while for the story to really get started. Mostly for about the first third-to-half of the novel, the plot just kind of builds and the world is built and a lot of information is dumped on us, but it's necessary, if not my favorite.
And there aren't any major infodumps—most of the stuff we learn is fed to us gradually, so we have time to digest it. And it isn't altogether unexpected, which is actually even nicer. I don't feel completely lost. I know what's going on, and even though I'm expecting it, I love every little thing we learn.
The story unfolds in layers, slowly at the beginning but rapidly in the middle. Once the action begins, it doesn't end until the very last page.
Unexpected revelations. Thrilling endings. A shocking ending that I never could have seen coming. Really. But more on that ending later.
Hunter isn't who he seems to be, and he also is. And that's a big part of the plot. It many ways, though this book focuses on Chris it revolves around Hunter.
This book definitely has a unique plot. Some aspects of it were similar to some things I've read before, but it was different enough that I didn't feel cheated at all.
THE ROMANCE
And there aren't any major infodumps—most of the stuff we learn is fed to us gradually, so we have time to digest it. And it isn't altogether unexpected, which is actually even nicer. I don't feel completely lost. I know what's going on, and even though I'm expecting it, I love every little thing we learn.
The story unfolds in layers, slowly at the beginning but rapidly in the middle. Once the action begins, it doesn't end until the very last page.
Unexpected revelations. Thrilling endings. A shocking ending that I never could have seen coming. Really. But more on that ending later.
Hunter isn't who he seems to be, and he also is. And that's a big part of the plot. It many ways, though this book focuses on Chris it revolves around Hunter.
This book definitely has a unique plot. Some aspects of it were similar to some things I've read before, but it was different enough that I didn't feel cheated at all.
THE ROMANCE
Oh, the romance. It develops so slowly and sweetly, with hopefulness near the end and the story far from over. The chemistry between Chris and Becca flies across the page, all but shooting sparks. Every moment they interact is thrilling in that girly and romantic pink-hearts Valentine's day way. and love very second of it. Brigid is clearly a master at romance without making it sickening, and after reading so much instalove lately this is an excellent refreshment.
THE WRITING
THE WRITING
Brigid has fantastic writing! It's seriously some of the best third person I've ever come across. Without using the word "I," she is somehow able to completely connect me the her characters' thoughts. That type of thing is a gift. Everything about her writing is beautiful, but understated. It doesn't shine like stars, but it's every bit as gorgeous. I completely love it. It makes Becca and Chris totally real in my mind.
THE ENDING
THE ENDING
So, as I promised, the ending! Absolutely—awesome. (It occurred to me ten seconds ago that I totally overuse the word "awesome," but whatever.) It just built up spectacularly. It honestly don't think I could have seen it coming. Things were revealed that I never saw coming, just as things I suspected but wasn't totally sure of also materialized, which was perfect. I was the best combination of surprised and not. Lovely.
WRAPUP
WRAPUP
Like most of the people who recommended this book to me, I absolutely recommend this book to others! It was awesome (there's that word again) and different. A fun and sexy paranormal books with vampires of werewolves or angels or some combination of the three. It was instead something totally different. I've actually already read Spark, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series and probably also whatever Brigid put out in the future! Storm was so much fun to read.
FINE.
FINE.
****FINAL RATING: 4.30 RED ROSES****
