Teaser Tuesdays & Spark (Elemental, #2) by Brigid Kemmerer Review

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser

"Gabriel took a deep breath. He needed to get a handle on his temper before he set the entire school on fire."


- Pg. 16 (taken from ARC), Spark (Elemental, #2) by Brigid Kemmerer


From Goodreads

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

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.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear 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…

My Take

OH MY GOODNESS - I AM IN LOVE WITH GABRIEL! Seriously! Brigid Kemmerer really knows how to write the perfect boy - Gabriel is the best! I thought I was in love when I read about Chris in Storm, but his brother in Spark is just so captivating. Here's why, we get his story! Spark picks up a few days after Storm left off, everyone is still coming to grips with the way things ended and what's the best next move. It would be easier if Becca's fifth Elemental father wasn't still in town and wanting to 'talk' or if random fires keep spreading and drawing Gabriel to them making him a suspect. The one thing that keeps him sane (or drives him completely crazy) is shy smart girl Layne, who gives him the urge to not only be better but also the need for the first time to give away his secret. Warring with new emotions would be easier for him if he hasn't pushed everyone away, but he's not the only one dealing with secrets. And Layne's might be the one thing that could drive apart or bring them closer together.


I'm usually a huge fan of the heroine in the books that I read, but in Spark this is not the case, because it's the hero I'm obsessing over! Gabriel is basically the BEST hands down! His snarky attitude that drew me in from Storm comes through loud and clear from the first page and thrives throughout Spark. There are times though that he can be bit of a jerk and you just want to smack him upside the head. But, it's his inner turmoil that just makes you want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be all right. Unfortunately, he's super hotheaded and has a habit of pushing everyone away when he really needs to just talk and explain - this drives me crazy about him! With fires spreading through the town, Gabriel goes against his brothers wishes, and takes matters into his own hands...but at what cost?

Along with Gabriel's voice, we also get inside the head of Layne. Starting off she is like a sarcastic girl trapped in the mind of a shy and timid girl, and it's not too long until we realize why. Her secret has made her life a mess for as long as she can remember; her mom left, her dad's a little over protective, no close friends, and the only person she can relate to is her younger deaf brother. Then one day, and a slight act of cheating later, Layne finds herself on bad boy Gabriel Merrick's radar. Going against her better judgement (and her father's) she tests the waters with the boy that can not only make her feel special but also piss her off in a matter of seconds. But her secret might tear them apart if she lets him too close.  

Even with all the drama following Gabriel and Layne, all the other characters shine. I love the interactions of the Merrick boys, each and every one of them are so unique in their own ways. Like Michael, who comes to grips with not only being the boys guardian but also realizes that he's still young too. Then there is sweet Nick, who takes a chance on the least likely girl even if his twin gives him grief about it. Or Chris, who is just as charming and wonderful with the way he and Becca are together. And lastly, there is Hunter, who wedges himself in the lives of the others just enough to get to know him a little better. There are also so many other characters (some great and others not so much) that make Spark absolutely brilliant. Brigid Kemmerer I salute you again, because you created an EPIC book series that is seriously addicting! 


If your a fan of great character voices, none stop action, awesome storytelling, and the hottest romance that will take your breath away and steam the very pages your reading, then Spark is the book for you. Once I started this one I couldn't stop until I reached the end, but when I did I wished I paced myself because now I want the next book in the series! Spirit comes out May 2013 and it's definitely the most anticipated book I'm waiting on for next year! All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend Spark for a read or several and then when your done go back for a re-read because YES it is that good! And if you haven't read Storm yet, then you really need to check it out, Chris and Becca's story is just has exciting as Gabriel and Layne's!

What's YOUR teaser?