Review Detail

Confident, sometimes arrogantly-so, Hunter was always the character in The Elemental Series that I could count on to be self-assured and in control. So to watch him begin fray at the edges, only to then unravel completely in Spirit was something that I couldn’t possibly have prepared for. While his poor-decision making was often the result of the same repetitive behaviour, which got slightly exhausting towards the end, Spirit did deliver in intensity and unconventional plot, making it almost as addicting as its predecessors!

Easily my least favorite character of the series, Hunter had a lot of work to do to redeem himself in my eyes. I had found him untrustworthy in Storm, and while I warmed up to him slightly in Spark, I still couldn’t shake that feeling of untrustworthiness that seemed to surround him. And I think that’s why in Spirit, we see a Hunter who has alienated himself from both his friends and family: that general sense of untrustworthiness has finally caught up with him as people being to question where his loyalties truly lie. Fortunately, Spirit explains, in detail, exactly why Hunter is so conflicted, why he values his duties as an almost-Guide and why he believes the Merricks are doing nothing to warrant their deaths.

What I struggled with, however, was Hunter’s poor decision making because of his general conflictedness. Instead of being honest with himself and with the Merricks, he tells half-truths and whole-lies, which often get him into situations he needs to tell further lies to get out of. When it finally snowballs out of control and Hunter ends up friendless and alone, I found myself empathizing with him on the one hand, and feeling that he deserved it on the other. It didn’t help that it felt like Hunter was constantly being faced with the same choice, only to make the same wrong decision and then be subjected to the same poor consequences. There was a loop at play in Spirit, and I wanted nothing more than for Hunter to break it by finally trusting the right someone with his secrets. Unfortunately, he perpetuated the loop for much of the book and I found myself becoming slightly exasperated by his stubbornness.

Fortunately, I found the chemistry between newcomer Kate and Hunter to be palpable enough to set aside most of my issues with Spirit. Their casual text-banter was witty and steamy and honest in a way that strangers (and sometimes friends) can’t be to each other’s face. Their relationship definitely developed a little quicker than I would have liked, but I like that Hunter kept questioning her feelings for him, even after he admitted to possible falling for her; it reinforced his character trait of being unable to trust anyone. It was heartwarming to watch Hunter break down Kate’s walls, while she worked at breaking down his, and that they were able to share secrets with each other that they had never dared to utter out loud previously. Their steamier moments together had me blushing deep into the night (that ferris wheel scene!) and were cause for some of the most intense moments I have had the pleasure of reading.

Kemmerer took Spirit in so many directions, many of which I wasn’t expecting. I was constantly playing catchup to the plot twists, and I still can’t believe the direction she took with Kate’s story arc. I love how Spirit also developed Michael and Hunter’s relationship, especially after a particularly intense scene with Kate; that scene only makes sense because it is shared between Michael and Hunter. It was interesting to see the Merrick’s from an outsiders PoV, especially one who was hurting as badly as Hunter was for much of Spirit, and it only reinforced my love for them.

Full of angst and tortured moments of discovery, Spirit is an exciting addition to The Elemental Series. While I did find Hunter’s decision-making process got to be slightly repetitive, I loved the addition of his relationship with Kate and the unconventional plot twists that Kemmerer employed. If I had .5 stars, this would most definitely be a book that deserved that extra half!