Spark (Elemental, #2)

by Brigid Kemmerer

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. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own...

• ISBN10: 0758280068
• ISBN13: 9780758280060
• Publish Date: 28 August 2012 (first published 24 October 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

“You know how you can trace back moments to one action that didn't feel important at the time? But then later, you go back and think about it, and you realize one little decision turned your whole life upside down.”

I tried to read Spark as slowly as possible because I didn't want it to end. This is my favourite book in the Elemental series. 

Gabriel is my favourite Merrick brother, which is odd because he's the type of character that I usually can't stand, but he's such a lovable jerk. He's a hothead and he's always arguing and fighting, which suits his element, fire, but in Spark we also see his insecurities, failures, struggles and guilt. He can be a frustrating character at times because he sucks at communicating and would rather start a fight instead, but it goes with his personality. Gabriel is such a witty character and has the best banter and one-liners. He's a 'bad boy' and a jock with a heart of gold and while he becomes a more relatable and redeemable character, his core personality doesn't change; we just see another side to him. 

Spark has some of my favourite romance tropes such as such the 'good girl/boy and bad girl/boy' pairing, dislike-to-love and bad first impressions. I loved Layne from the moment she's introduced. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder, but she's smart, strong and is also going through a lot. Layne and Gabriel seem to have nothing in common at first, but the more they interact, they realise that isn't the case. I was all for their romance because they're so perfect for each other. 

The sibling and family relationships are still the best part of the series and the characters seem so realistic and flawed. The characters in Spark and the Elemental series as a whole, aren't perfect, but they're just trying to do their best with the life they've been given.  

Nick and Gabriel, the dynamic duo, are going through a rough patch and are barely talking to each other. Chris, who seemed like a badass in Storm, is now the younger brother who sometimes gets bullied by his older siblings and other times acts like he's above it all, which I'm all for. Michael's personality is slowly improving with every book in this series and he's becoming another one of my favourite characters. He's just trying to do the best to keep his family away from trouble and danger and I empathise with his struggles. I also like the Hunter and Gabriel bromance even though it's currently a little messy. 

Layne's family dynamics is interesting and her father and brother are characters that add a lot to the plot. I also like Gabriel's interactions with Layne's father and brother, for better and worse, because it goes with his character and personality. 

Once again, I'm not a fan of some aspects, that also appeared in Storm, such as girl hate, slut-shaming and sexual assault being used as a plot device. The attitude of the main characters towards women in this series isn't great. I could understand why Layne doesn't like the popular crew and mean girls and their attitude towards her doesn't help the situation, but I still didn't like that there's girl hate and slut-shaming. 

The paranormal aspect is well-done. I love books about elemental magic/powers and fire is my favourite element because it's so unpredictable and powerful. Gabriel has to deal with a lot of fires, both literally and metaphorically, and it seems that with every book in this series, the problems and the threat of the Guides and death are increasing and will hopefully lead to something epic. 

Spark balances the paranormal, contemporary and the romance aspects perfectly. I really want to read Kemmerer's contemporary novels, because she's so good at writing realistic, flawed and relatable characters that you can't help but love. 

“If you can't fix what you did wrong, at least try to make something else right.”

[littleread1]

Still good, but I liked book 1 better. For some reason I had a hard time separating the characters in this from book one. *easily confused*

[Nicole Lynn]

review coming soon!
--
This review was previously posted on my blog, PopCrunchBoom Books

Gabriel has always been the “screw-up” of the family. He’s started fights, gotten in trouble, and dragged his brothers in some messes as well. He’s always had his twin at his back to help him out, but things start changing once Nick gets a girlfriend. Soon Gabriel begins to feel all alone and alienated. Then fires start springing up around town and all the signs point to Gabriel. He can control fire after-all. Even his brothers think he’s behind the “arson fires.” But there’s one person who thinks he’s innocent–Layne. Layne is a shy and seemingly plain sophomore who sits next to Gabriel in math. Gabriel doesn’t know why, but he’s drawn to her. Maybe it’s the way she sees past all the BS he puts out there. Maybe it’s because she understands having secrets and dealing with family. But should he let her in? Will she let him? And who’s really behind the fires around town?

Gabriel is one of the Merrick twins readers first met in Storm. He’s the “trouble-maker” of the family. Kemmerer does a nice job of capturing Gabriel’s personality. Personally, I found him very teenage angsty. Although I can see where a lot of Gabriel’s anger stems from. Fire is always described as the hardest element to control and Kemmerer does a good job of intertwining that frustration with Gabriel’s inability to accept change. All these feeling lead to Gabriel’s lashing out at his family, enemies, and Layne. Now after reflecting back on the novel, Gabriel and Layne’s story was definitely a Beauty & The Beast kind of tale.


Layne is one of my favorite kinds of heroine’s. She’s patient, quiet and innocent, but also stands up for good and cuts through people’s BS. She definitely grows in this story. Gabriel’s attention brings out more confidence in her, just as Layne’s directness and goodness brings out a calmer Gabriel. They both have their secrets, struggles, and failings, but Kemmerer does a great job of bringing them together. Their love wasn’t rushed and might not even be fully at the love stage since the words weren’t uttered in the story. However the reader could definitely see the evolution of their closeness throughout the novel.

Kemmerer didn’t fail when it came to the action. Although only slight less then the first novel, Spark was filled with action scenes driving the plot forward. The novel was fast-paced and entertaining. I was still glued to the pages trying to figure out who the arsonist was, if Layne and Gabriel would finally get together, and if Gabriel would ever patch things up with his family.

Another great thing about this novel, was the elemental scenes. Kemmerer did a fabulous job creating the scenes with Gabriel and his element–fire. The way the two interacted was well-written. The scenes were also vivid and drew me right in. Believablity was never a question when it came to this world Kemmerer created.

I did wish to see more scenes involving all the elements and brothers. Gabriel fought a lot with his family and spent a lot of time alone or with his new “friend” Hunter which made most of the scenes fire related. It would have been nice to see some more explosive scenes with all the brothers like readers saw in Storm. However, knowing Gabriel’s personality it’s understandable why there weren’t as many.

Another thing I didn’t really like in this novel was who the villain turned out to be. It came out of no where for me and I didn’t see a whole lot leading up to it. It kind of just happened and I was like–what? um, OK I guess… I wasn’t really sure how to react to it–it was that out of the blue. But in Kemmerer’s defense, she did leave the ending going into the third book with this new villain as the new worry/person to beat for the Merrick brothers. So hopefully this villain is explored more in book three.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. Sometimes the second book in a series can seem disappointing after a great book one. Even though Spark had some failings, I was still glued to the pages. I’m starting to see pieces of myself in each of the Merrick brothers. Gabriel is definitely someone I can relate to in certain aspects. I think everyone has felt alone or alienated at one point in their lives–especially when they were a teenager. I also really loved to watch him grow in his element throughout this novel. Each brother is growing stronger in a different way throughout this series and Kemmerer does a great job of telling each brother’s story in their own point of view. I can’t wait to continue with the series by reading Spirit which happens to be Hunter’s story and not a Merrick brother’s. I really want to see what’s inside Hunter’s mind.

If you haven’t started the Elemental series yet, I definitely recommend it! I still haven’t picked a favorite guy yet out of the five hot elementals, but I’m sure I’ll have a favorite by the end of the series–or at least a strong contender ;)

[nitzan_schwarz]

2019 Re-Read:
*It was an interesting experience reading this one for a second time. I didn't love it as much as I did the first time, though I still highly enjoyed it.
*I found myself irritated with how everyone treated Gabriel in this book.
*I thought that--once again--Hunter has the most chemistry with our mains, which is funny and makes me hopeful for his book. That's not to say Gabriel and Layne weren't adorable, because they were, but I was ALL HERE for Hunter and Gabriel's friendship.
*I think all these teens are a little bipolar. One sec everything is hunky dory and then the next sentence is all moody angst and it gave me whiplash.

To read this review and more check out my blog!

4.5 stars
OMG, you guys, this book was soo good! I loved almost everything about it! A huge step up from the first in the series, which I found to be a huge disappointment. For this installment alone it is worth reading this series.

This time, we got a more balanced point of view distribution, with the ruling pov being that of Gabriel, one of the Merrick brothers. I absolutely adored this guy. His raw pain made me hurt - he comes across as such a confident and carefree guy in Storm, but he's anything but. He has a lot of self hatred and pain inside of him. And the description of his element, Fire, was just stunning. Though I wish he'd just told his family "no, I didn't start those fires" to begin with. But I understand why he didn't.

Laney, his lady love, was also one of the cutest, gutsiest things ever. She was small and with low self esteem, but she could be so sassy and outspoken when she wanted to - with Gabriel especially. The whole family situation she was in was also really interesting, and I loved how real it was. Like, no touching reunion where everything's magically okay.

As for the romance...
To read the rest of this review go here

[lizarodz]

I was pleasantly surprised when I read Storm, the first book in the Elemental series (see my review here). When I purchased Spark and was going in with high expectations and I have to say that it did not disappoint.

One of the things that I like more about the series is the characterization. The Merrick brothers are so different and amazing at the same time, but not only that, they are all full of flaws, and many problems and issues and they’ve manage to find a significant other that is equally flawed. I find that this book concentrates more on Gabriel and Layne (pretty name, huh?) that on the rest of the family.

I believe that Gabriel has one of the most difficult elements to manage; it’s not like he can go around setting stuff on fire just for the sake of practicing his control. Not only that, but his element seems to be a mirror image of his personality and most of all his temper. The whole family is not alien to tragedy and heartache, Gabriel blames himself for a lot if what happened and of what continues to happen to his family and he has serious self-esteem issues. It seems like every little thing sets him off and he can’t control his reactions. I am glad that he found Layne and that he found a friend in Hunter and was able to reconcile with his family.

Spark contains more interactions between Gabriel and Hunter and between Gabriel and Michael. Nick and Chris are present, but not as much. The whole family is trying to lay low and not get in trouble in order to escape from the ‘death sentence’ hanging over their heads. I just don’t understand why elemental have to be so dangerous, I honestly thing that they can be of a lot of help, just like what Gabriel was trying to do. They are constantly saving lives and trying to do the right thing. Oh, what is up with people in this school that are always trying to commit rape and are all so nasty? I sure hope that’s not happening in schools all over J

I love the setting of the series, since I live in Maryland and I even know some of the streets mentioned here! The writing is easy to read and straight forward; it portraits the feelings of the characters effortlessly. I can’t wait for the next installment, Spirit, which is Hunter’s story and will be published next May.

[Amber]

I read the first and second book in about 24 hours. Not bad, if I do say so myself.

Full review here: http://www.booksofamber.com/2012/12/spark-by-brigid-kemmerer.html

I absolutely adored Storm, the first book in this series. So much so that I had to pick this one up straight after finishing it. Brigid Kemmerer and the Merrick brothers really hook you in. I am a little sad, though, because now I have to wait AGES for the third book in the series.

Honestly, I didn't love Gabriel as much as I thought I would. I mean, I still loved him, but I didn't LOVE him, if you catch my drift. In Storm I was pretty sure that Gabriel was my favourite out of the four Merrick brothers, but Michael shot up to the top spot when I read his novella and he's just not moving. I also prefer Chris to Gabriel. But that doesn't mean he was awesome. Proud, cheeky, and hot-tempered always does it for me.

Like I said in my review of the first book, I *LOVE* elemental powers. It's a weird non-sexual kink of mine, and I don't know what caused it but it's been this way for ages. So of course, I loved this. I loved learning about the rules regarding the powers, who the Merricks' enemies are, the Merrick brothers' limits... ALL OF IT. I loved it.

Spark was just as action packed and exciting as Storm. I actually found Spark to be a little less predictable, which was awesome because I love surprises. Gabriel's humour only added to the story, and I was laughing out loud at several points while reading. Brigid Kemmerer is just so funny!

Layne was also awesome. The mystery surrounding her scars was intriguing, and in the end it was all dealt with very well. I loved how she looked after her brother! Being a big sister myself, I really connected with her.

So, without spoiling everything, I will say that Spark is just as good as Storm, even if I didn't love Gabriel as much as I had hoped. I don't feel any disappointment at all!

[Jo]

As I loved Storm so much, when I heard Spark was available on NetGalley almost three months before it's released, I jumped on my chance to read it ASAP. Even though I did win a pre-order of Spark when I won Storm, I couldn't wait until it published! And I'm so glad I didn't. Spark is awesome!

Spark had a very different feel to Storm. This time round, due to Bill, Becca's father and the guide from Storm, wanting to keep Becca safe, and Tyler and Seth in jail for assulting Becca, no-one is after the Merrick brothers at the moment. However, if Bill doesn't report back to the Guides, others will come, which means everyone needs to not bring attention to themselves so the Guides don't have reason to come sniffing around. This isn't such a problem for Michale, Chris and Nick who have their elements pretty much readily available, but Fire is a little hard to come by. What comes across better in Spark is how being an Elemental doesn't just mean you can manipulate your element, but you also need it, like we need to breath. Earth, air and water are pretty much everywhere; fire? Not so much. So Gabriel is really struggling to not play with fire. But when a series of arson attacks start cropping up, Gabriel is suspect number one.

I had a bit of trouble with Gabriel in Storm. He's an angry guy and has a very short fuse (pun intended), and his tendency to snap at the drop of a hat was quite scary. In Spark, you get to understand what's behind his anger; a lot of hurt. He's struggling at school, his twin brother doesn't seem to want to know him and is keeping secrets, and no matter what he does, he only seems to end up upsetting people. On top of that, he still heavily blames himself for the death of his parents. He's having some self-esteem issues, feeling worthless and not wanted, and not able to do anything right. And hisautomatic reaction is to rage. It's really sad being inside his head and seeing exactly how he feels, though it's good to understand. You can't help but want to give him a hug throughout this novel, he really seems to need it. Thankfully, Layne seems to get that.

Layne is a quiet, shy, super smart 15-year-old who doesn't fit in - no, who refuses to fit in. She won't act like or wear the clothes she's supposed to. She has her own secrets and family struggles and because of these things and because of the wonderful, moral, and strong willed person she is - despite coming from complete opposite sides of the spectrum - she understands and gets through to Gabriel like no-one else can, and vice versa. There is amazing chemistry between the two of them, and things do get a little hot but it's all rooted in something much deeper; genuine feelings. And I loved how Gabriel was so, so respectful of Layne and her boundries. When she showed any sign of being uncomfortable, he would immediately stop what he was doing and go back to something safer without any problem at all. I was already falling in love with him a little bit, but those moments sold me. Layne and Gabriel are just perfect to gether, and perfect for each other.

It looks like Brigid Kemmerer has strong feeling towards bullying, because it was a major theme in Spark as well as Storm. Layne is bullied for not fitting in, for being a "loser", and her younger brother Simon is bullied for being a "retard" because he's deaf. He is actually the coolest little dude ever and I want to adopt him! His determination to play basketball despite being deaf is just awe-inspiring, and his desire to be treated just like any other person just makes me so sad, because he's not. The treatment he and Layne have to put up with is absolutely disgusting. I was absolutely seething while reading all they went through. How anyone feels they have the right to treat people like that is beyond me, and it just makes my blood boil. But Gabriel tries his hardest to keep the bullies off their backs, and treats Simon exactly how he should be treated. Simon hero worshipped Gabriel a little anyway for being so great at basketball, but to then have this really cool guy give him the time of day, and try to understand him and talk to him, simon is just over the moon. An you can't help fall in love with Gabriel even more.

Because of the issues he has with his family, there are fewer scenes with all the Merrick brothers compared to Storm. But there are a number of one-on-one scenes with Michael. Gabriel and Michael have always had a very precarious relationship, but Michael often surprises Gabriel by trying to get through to him, as his brother rather than as his guardian, and these moments of almost peace, where the two start to understand each other are just beautiful. It's like watching a wound heal. It's slow progress, but it's getting there, and it's just wonderful. Despite their differences, it's obvious how much they both love each other, it's just sometimes, they both get things wrong. We do see a lot of Hunter in this book though. With Hunter seeming to not judge Gabriel for every out burst, and unlikely friendship blossoms between the two of them, but Gabriel being Gabriel, and considering all that came out about Hunter in Storm, Gabriel never seems to completely trust him at first. But then Hunter was going to kill him in Storm, so you can't really blame him.

The action in this book is quite different from Storm. As I said at the beginning of this review, no-one is after them, so they're not fighting people. Gabriel is fighting fire. These arson attacks aren't just ruining property, they're putting lives at risk, and with the help and encouragement of Hunter, Gabriel decides to try and help. Another thing Spark makes clearer is how the elements seem to have their own awareness, Gabriel oftens talks to fire and it seems to understand and responds, but Gabriel's control leaves much to be desired. It's not as great as it could be, and more than once things get a little close to going disasterous. The fire doesn't want to be controlled, it wasnts Gabriel to play, to help, and ignores his attempts to calm it down. It just goes on a rampage, claiming all in it's path. It's really quite frightening. But who is starting these fires, and why?

Spark is a fantastic novel that really tugs at your heart strings, has you sitting on the edge of your seat, and swooning other all the beautiful moments between Gabriel and Layne, and at every glimpse of the other Merrick brothers! Another amazing story from Kemmerer, and I am SO excited to see what she brings us in Spirit, the third book in the series! One of my favourite series of the year!

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.