Hopefully, this isn’t the end.

Sacrifice (Elemental) - Brigid Kemmerer



Michael Merrick has to grow up too fast . The loss of his parents, the financial responsibility, the danger – all elements placing his brothers on shaky ground compounded by the need to hide from the organization threatening to exterminate the Merrick brothers. 

Pure Elementals are not allowed to live past their teens, when their powers manifest. Each Merrick brother possesses power over earth, air, fire, and water, making them even more of a threat to the Elemental community. 

Michael has sacrificed so much. How much more will the Merrick brothers lose until this threat ends and what will their family be like when this battle is fought?

“Sacrifice” concludes the Elemental series, but I’m fervently hoping this isn’t truly over. No! No! No! This story has a heart but this can’t be the way the Merrick’s story concludes. There needs to be more. Please!

Michael’s suffering is acute. We finally feel his emotions, see the world through his eyes. He’s so alone and afraid. He tries so hard to be the guardian they need, which conflicts with the brother they want. It was my hope this family would rally together for an ultimate battle and leave me giddily punching my fist in the air in triumph, which is how most of the books left me feeling. Instead this ending is …something I didn’t expect. While it’s a hopeful conclusion, it’s also somber. Please don’t let this be the end. There was something missing. 

The heroine’s point-of-view didn’t enrich this story has in the other Elemental books. Michael’s love interest felt like a token female point-of-view, when I really wanted Michael’s POV and the happenings with the brothers, who are mostly missing throughout this book. I wish this book was just a novella before Merrick brothers’ final story. The other books, especially Nick’s, were so good! This is too worthy a series to end on this note, though hopeful that it is. 

 

ARC compliments of Kensington via Netgalley