{May 28, 2013} {Review} Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer (Elementals #3) :: PLUS a FREE Ebook, Sneak Peek First Chapter, a Poll, and a Giveaway!

From Goodreads: With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…
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Brigid Kemmerer whisked me away in her first novella, Elemental, making me a fan of Michael Merrick from the get go. In the first full novel of the series, Storm, I fell in love with all the Merrick’s, learning about their abilities and just how difficult their life was trying to be mainstream. In the novella, Fearless, I was able to see what made Hunter Garrity tick, and I glimpsed a deeper side of him I hadn’t seen before, changing my overall perspective. Then, in the second full novel, Spark, Gabriel Merrick stole my heart, and I was forever transfixed by his brooding nature as his deep-rooted goodness shown through. When I read Breathless, the third novella, I learned that looks can be deceiving and Nick’s yearnings and desires follow a different path than that of his brothers. And now, in Spirit, Hunter Garrity once again takes the forefront, opening his heart and bleeding red among the pages. And I loved it. I loved every last minute of it, and of all the books that came before. Kemmerer is a sheer writing goddess, and her Elemental series is absolutely to die for. Her characters come alive off the pages and endlessly live among the memories and dreams of her readers. At least, they do in mine. And I am already eagerly awaiting the next segment in this amazing series.

Hunter Garrity has been a constant in Kemmerer’s fabulous stories since the first full novel, Storm. We all know him, and at one time or another, we all loved to hate him, but things change, truths are laid bare and, in Spirit, we learn the deep truth about Hunter, about his family, his upbringing, his fears, wants, needs, desires… we learn it all. And, it’s heartbreaking.

Hunter Garrity is very real. Yes, the story is fiction, but the way Hunter carries himself, his heartbreaks, and his disposition are all real attributes that bring him to life in a very real sense. On multiple occasions, while reading, I cried for Hunter—his life is brutal, and to know his background is to understand his past transgressions. If it were possible, I would reach through the pages and give Hunter a hug because, as those of you who have read this astounding novel already know, this boy needs it more than anyone else.

Kemmerer, the master storyteller that she is, weaves a tale that forces readers to feel deep emotions for Hunter, as well as many of the other characters as the events unfold. From unbridled love and passion to the deepest regret, fear, and depression, we feel it all right alongside Hunter, and it takes a true literary genius to really take the reader that deep into the story, to make them one with the characters, and that is exactly what Kemmerer does. I have loved every single one of Kemmerer’s novels to date, but I do believe that Spirit takes the cake. It’s so poignant and breathtaking that I believe I just might have to sit down and read it again. Five stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from Kensington Publishers, via The Midnight Garden Blog Tours and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.