Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

Goodreads Blurb

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…

I have been a fan of this series from the beginning.  The story of the Merrick brothers is exciting, stimulating, and often very sad.  This book about Hunter, to me, seems to be even more emotional than the first two.  Get your tissues ready.

Hunter Garrity has learned the hard way that trusting people will only get you hurt, a lesson driven home by his own father.  Hunter is a Fifth in touch with the element of Spirit. Spirit is the fifth point on the elemental star alongside Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.  As a Fifth, Hunter has been taught that it is his job to become a Guide like his father and seek out and destroy full Elementals, people who can wield the power of the elements.  The problem is that since the death of his father, Hunter has no one to guide him and he is struggling to trust even his own heart.

After being kicked out of his grandparents home, with his mother watching, Hunter is once again rescued by the Merrick brothers, the family of Elementals that Mr. Garrity was sent to kill.  Hunter can't decide if they are just being nice or if they are following the old adage of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."  

Adding to his confusion is the beautiful and frustrating Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school who seems to have more knowledge than she should.  She flirts, she confronts, and she kicks Hunter's ass.  She's also hiding secrets of her own, and Hunter is determined to uncover the truth.

Attempting to outsmart a relentless Guide while concealing his actions from the Merricks is made that much more difficult with the threats from a new group of amateur Elementals.  Is it possible for Hunter to find a way to stop them all without losing his life, or worse, his heart?

This was a solid 5 out of 5 stars for me.