Surprised me
I'm giving this book 3.5 stars, leaning away from the 3 star rating, closer to the 4. I had a few issues with it but I was so intrigued by it that I'm going to buy the next book.
Becca, as a character, didn't do much for me. I see her mainly as a catalyst but she's not particularly useful although not overly stupid either. She's not quite the strong female character I like to see in YA novels, but I did like her best when she stood up to the boys and slammed the door on them, etc. She has some potential. However, the Merrick brothers are fascinating and I'm enjoying the secret world building that's been happening. I don't care that they are ZOMGGG SO HOT (please shut up) and it frustrates me that this was the first thing mentioned about any of the main male characters, Hunter included. I want to know something more interesting than how good looking the boys are. Once we got past that, you could see the depth of character of the four brothers and their history was well developed. The author had clearly spent time on their characters, more time than on Becca or any other secondary characters, and I look forward to see how they develop over further books.
My issues arose, as mentioned before, the wonderful hotness of all boys involved. I'm sick to death of boys being described that way like that's all that is important, and also how girls (Becca was very guilty of this) just seem to lose control around them while boys keep their cool. It seems a very dominant thing and in this novel, Hunter particularly was very protective of Becca in an Edward sort of way. Boring and annoying. Let her do what she wants. And yet he let her go off with Drew, with whom she was in the most danger. Go figure.
This book also seems very 'boys club' - the four Merrick brothers, Tyler and Seth, Hunter. All the boys are special or different in some way, they have these Elemental 'powers' for lack of a better word - but where are the girls? The girls are dramatic, like Quinn, or bitches, like Lilah. Where are the girls with the cool powers? I only hope that this is something to be developed in further books, although I can see Becca getting jealous if any other girls show themselves to be like the brothers. I hope I'm wrong, but at the moment that's what I'm predicting.
Still, I'm interested enough to want to go and buy the next book to see where it goes.