Secret (The Elementals #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

****

From KTeen:

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 dance 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?

God, I love this series so much.  Nick's story is heartbreaking.  He's keeping a secret from his family because of fear of their reaction, fear of rejection and a fear of disappointing his family by not playing the role in which he has cast himself.  Watching Nick come to terms with himself and finding the strength to be himself, all while dealing with the ever present threats of being an Elemental, was fantastic.  I loved Secret.  I love all the Merrick boys.  At the end of each of the books I always think that Michael (the eldest Merrick) needs a hug, but he deserves such a huge hug after Secret!  

I will be honest.  I'm terrified for the last book Sacrifice.  I fear that it will require a box of kleenex and an entire month to recover!  And check out the hottie on the cover!

~Shel

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Today is release day for THE SHADOW PRINCE by Stacey O'Neale! Help us celebrate the release of this amazing novella and enter to win a 

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Every sacrifice has consequences.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Author Bio

Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.

Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.

Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.

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Spark: Elementals Book 2 by Brigid Kemmerer

*****

Releasing August 28, 2012
From Kensington (KTeen):

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t.

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.

And no one seems to believe 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…

Those of you that follow the blog know that the first in the Elementals series, Storm, is one of my favorites of 2012 so far (check out my review here).  I felt some trepidation in reading Spark, because let's face it, often the second book in a series is the worst (i.e. New Moon).  Amazingly, I liked Spark more than Storm.  Being stingy with my five star ratings, I really had no hesitation in giving one to Spark.  I was and remain completely blown away Gabriel's story. 

Gabriel's element is fire and his control over it iffy at best causing some incidents he would really rather forget, but that are forever burned into his mind.  The death of his parents, the attacks by the other Elementals, the threat of the Guides, his strained relationships with his brothers - all combine to make Gabe a very angry young man.  Gabe's anger, rage and fear all leap off the page, forcing you to feel his struggle as if it were your own. 

It's very rare for a book to make me feel something, especially so swiftly and deeply.  I felt this way with Storm, but Spark took it to an entirely different level.  Spark is a heart-pounding, totally engrossing follow up to Storm - so engrossing you will swear you can almost feel the flames.  Brigid Kemmerer is definitely a talent to watch.  The sneak peak at Spirit made me want to bang my head on the wall since it does not publish until next year!  Oh my god you guys, it was sooo good! 

So, there you have it.  My second 5 star rating.  I hope you all read Spark (but read Storm first!) and let me know what you think.  I hope you love it as much as I did.

~Shel