Sacrifice (Elemental #5) by Brigid Kemmerer-a review

Sacrifice (Elemental #5) by Brigid Kemmerer-a review

Sacrifice

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 30, 2014

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick understands pressure. He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it in for his family, and he’s all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She’s got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s ‘bad luck’. Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, and they’re armed for war.

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. Everything is set for the final showdown.

Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: SACRIFICE is the fifth full length and final(?) novel in Brigid Kemmerer’s contemporary, young adult Elemental paranormal series focusing on the four Merrick brothers. Although each of the storylines includes all four brothers and an ensemble cast of characters (including Sacrifice), SACRIFICE focuses on the eldest brother and earth elemental, twenty three year old Michael Merrick.

In the world of the supernatural Elementals-water, fire, earth and air-there is also a group known as the Guides. As with any paranormal storyline, the Guides are the requisite evil whose mission is to rid the world of all Elementals. The Merrick family has been targeted for destruction but the who and the how is a constant mystery. As Michael struggles to keep his family together, following the murder of their parents five years earlier, he is fighting a losing battle when the police and the fire department suspect one or all of the Merricks in a series of fires, explosions and deaths. The Department of Family Services has been notified and it is time for the Merrick brothers to find another home.

The romance aspect of the storyline is limited because the focus finds Michael striving to keep control of his element while all around him death and destruction thrive. As the body count increases, he becomes the number one suspect when the investigators find Michael at every crime scene. Michael has been set up but who is the one behind all of the threats.

The writing is simple. The storyline has some graphic violence and numerous deaths including someone close to the Merrick family. No one is safe when the Guides come hunting for the Elementals. The world building continues with the familiarity of the Elemental power and the continuous destruction by the Guides. Even those connected to the Merrick family will find themselves at a disadvantage and a target for destruction.

SACRIFICE is the supposedly the final instalment in Brigid Kemmerer’s young adult, ELEMENTAL series. It does not end on a happily ever after but a happily ever after –for now. There is no resolution to the family situation and Michael’s relationship with Hannah points in another direction now that the truth has finally been revealed. Brigid does not wrap up the series with a pretty little bow but with a ‘sh*t happens and everyone must move on’ kind of attitude. I would hope that there will be a few more novellas to wrap up the storyline-perhaps an epilogue that looks to the future and what has happened to the Merrick brothers in the intervening time.

The copy I received included the three Elemental Series novellasELEMENTAL (the introduction), FEARLESS and BREATHLESS (see review below).

Reading Order
.5 Elemental
1. Storm
1.5 Fearless
2. Spark
2.5 Breathless
3. Spirit
4. Secret
5. Sacrifice

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

____________________

BreathlessBREATHLESS
(Elemental 2.5)
by Brigid Kemmerer

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 2013

Click HERE for our interview with AXEL JORDAN-the cover model for Breathless and Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Too many secrets. Not enough time.

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace

REVIEW: BREATHLESS is the third novella in Brigid Kemmerer’s contemporary, young adult (YA) Elemental paranormal series focusing on the four Merrick brothers whose powers specialize in the four elements-water, air, fire, and earth. Breathless is the introduction to Nick Merrick’s storyline and one that gives the reader a closer look at Nick’s reluctance to accept Quinn as his permanent ‘girlfriend’.

Brigid Kemmerer touches on a topic that can be controversial for young adult and teens. When Nick Merrick finds himself torn between what society expects and what he feels for another young man he knows that he isn’t the only one with similar feelings. Confusion about his new found attraction to Adam is the beginning of the next stage in Nick’s young life.

The secondary characters play a small role throughout the story but the focus is on Nick’s conflicted feelings. His emotional stability is dependant on his family and friend’s acceptance, and the acceptance of the young man who is the recipient of Nick’s new found feelings.

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Sacrifice by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

Sacrifice by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

Sacrifice is Carolyn Arnold’s third book in her Madison Knight series.  Carolyn Arnold continues to make Madison Knight a great crime series, and each book just gets better and better.  Arnold once again shows her knowledge of police procedures, as Sacrifice is a terrific suspenseful detective crime thriller, somewhat similar to JD Robb’s In Death series. 

Madison Knight, our tough wonderful fearless detective, becomes embroiled in a case that will pit her against some major obstacles along the way. A rich scion’s son is found drowned, in what looks like a possible drug related murder. Working with her steady partner, Terry, Madison immediately suspects that her Chief is hiding some important information, as he is friends with the father of the dead man.  In almost every move she tries to take, she knows if she makes one bad move, the Chief will have her fired.  With all that pressure, Madison never falters, as she refuses to compromise her standards.  This does get her into trouble all the time, even with her partner Terry.  But make no mistake, Madison is a terrific detective, hardnosed, and determined;  you know somehow, someway, she will unravel all the complicating clues to find the murderer.

But complicated it is, as Arnold weaves a mystery that has turns and twists almost all the way through to the end.  This is a fast paced story, and you can’t put the book down, as you want to know what happens next.

Madison also has her own personal issues, with her mother, and with her boyfriend, Blake.  I liked Blake, a top lawyer, who seemed to be the one for Madison.  But he is also on the other side, a lawyer representing those who Madison tries to bring to justice.  Is this relationship doomed??  Madison can still rely on her dog Hershey for comfort.  🙂

One of the wonderful things about Arnold’s storytelling, is we continue throughout the book to see how the criminal procedurals work, whether it be multiple suspects, various clues, forensics/dna, other crooked cops, lawyers protecting their clients, etc.  Arnold pulls out all the stops, and Madison is a wonderful heroine.  She isn’t always nice, but she is a murder cop, so what would we expect.  But even with her tough & brash disposition, she is very vulnerable and lonely.  Madison doesn’t really have a great support team; as Terry is ok, a bit better then the previous two books, her police superiors are usually unsupportive, which stinks, as she is a great detective, her love life is a mess, but she has one good friend, and does have Hershey.  🙂 

This was a fantastic story all the way to the end.  I stayed up late to finish this book, as I needed to find out how it would end.  With all the twists and turns, you kept finding yourself going back and forth as to who the murderer was, which was so well done by Arnold.  If you love crime dramas, mysteries, and a tough female cop, this series is not to be missed.  I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

 

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