Bel Reviews - Brigid Kemmerer's - "Storm"

Becca thought self-defense classes would empower her and, boy oh boy, was she right. Saving Christopher Merrit from being bashed by two thugs starts a chain of events so strange; Becca’s dull life will never be the same again.

There’s something about the Merrit boys that has Becca coming back. It could be their mischievous streak, or their rock star good looks. Whatever it is, she finds herself right in the middle of the action and has no problem standing with them against those who would harm them.

The cover of the book shows a guy and a girl being swept into a maelstrom. The pictures are in black and white with electric blue overtones thanks to the eye popping title.

Multi-layered storylines keep the reader guessing and for all the action and drama, there is a good dose of romance and humor to even it out. There are a couple of mysteries and I must admit, I was guessing for longer than I thought I would be.

I loved the brotherly dynamic in the Merrit home. The joking, the fighting and the way Becca both blended into and upset the delicate balance between the boys. Within her own family situation Becca has to deal with absentee parental units, and her discomfort within the laid-back Merrit home adds quite a bit of humor to the mix.

I think Kemmerer did a brilliant job of allowing her characters their own time on the stage, both to shine and to show a little vulnerability. Becca spends just as much time kicking butt as she does getting herself into trouble, though she works together with her rescuers to get herself out of the pickles she manages to land herself in.

There aren’t too many animal characters in the YA books on the shelves lately, and I think this is a shame. Casper is the four legged hero of the book and I hope he’ll be back in the rest of the series. I’m equally a cat and a dog person, but I must admit, I wouldn’t mind having a German shepherd ex-police dog in the family.

Storm is a book that will bring a smile to your weekend and put a spring in your step, it’s the first book in a series that will make waves in the YA market.

Spark looks to be due out in August 2012 and Spirit due in May 2013. With a prequel, Elemental available on Amazon in ebook format and a story between Storm and Spark called Fearless also being released as an ebook closer to the end of 2012.

I think I will be doing happy dances as I manage to acquire each of these magnificently written books.

http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/

Paperback, AUS, 368 pages

Published May 2012 by Allen & Unwin (first published April 24th 2012)

ISBN 1743310668 (ISBN13: 9781743310663)