Review: Whirl by Emma Raveling

My Rating: E, E, E

Published: September 2011
Publisher: Mandorla Publishing

Author's Website: emmaraveling.com


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Seventeen-year-old Kendra Irisavie is an ondine, a water elemental caught in the middle of an ancient war. The Aquidae are immortal dark demons who will stop at nothing to destroy the fragile balance of the Elemental world. Fierce and independent, Kendra has always played by her own rules. Gifted with the powerful magic of Virtue and trained to be a deadly fighter, she has spent her life breaking hearts and getting into trouble. When her life explodes one violent night in a northern California city, a dark stranger appears, promising answers to her mysterious past. Alone and with no one to trust, she must now navigate through a dangerous new world, face the temptations of a forbidden romance, and remain true to her duty and destiny. All while the Aquidae continue to hunt her down, in the hopes of eliminating her forever… An edgy urban fantasy/paranormal romance, Whirl is recommended for older teens and mature readers due to strong language and mild sexual situations.

Whirl is the first book, and debut, in the Ondine Quartet series by Emma Raveling and what a debut it is.

At the beginning I was a bit confused by all the customized terms that Raveling had used but once I read more into the story I totally became ensnared by the thrill of Julian, the taboo of Tristan, the boyish charms of Ryder and the unconditional love that comes from friendship with Chloe and Aubrey, that I soon got lost in their world. The main heroine herself, Kendra is everything that you don’t want in an enemy: tough, defiant, persistent and an unlimited supply of fighting spirit.

Now that I have gushed over the characters, let’s get on with the other good stuff, the plot. My favourite thing about this book is that it’s a very different, unlike anything I have come across before. The plot centers around Kendra and her role in freeing her race (water elementals) from an ancient war with the Aquidae (fire elementals) as well as irritating the hell out of her grandmother on her journey. The moments between Kendra and her grandmother, I find quite funny because if I Kendra’s age and in her situation then I would be the same taking into consideration her upbringing. I think a lot of other readers would agree. With the help of her friends and some gorgeous men, Kendra starts to make a real difference in the hidden town of Haverleau and comes to realize her full potential.

The other thing that I love about this book is the way it gets me questioning things. I am fascinated by this different, but same, world where ondines, dissondines, selkies and demillirs were a race started by a water deity. It’s a bit god like in the creation but it gets me thinking about evolution. The unique virtues, hierarchy, French undertone and hidden villages have me intrigued and excited about this series and I honestly can’t wait to read the next installment, ‘Billow’.

Disclaimer: I was sent this book as part of a blog tour hosted by The Bookish Snob Promotions. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.