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Whirl (Ondine Quartet #1)

by Emma Raveling (Goodreads Author)

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 764 ratings · 94 reviews

Seventeen-year-old Kendra Irisavie is an ondine, a water elemental caught in the middle of an ancient war with the Aquidae, 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...more

Paperback, 258 pages

Published September 16th 2011 by Mandorla Publishing (first published September 15th 2011)

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Jul 22, 2012 katnissbraid. rated it 5 of 5 stars

EDIT 22/07/2012.
review. http://katnissbraid.blogspot.it/2012/...

OH. MY. MY.
I DON'T REMEMBER HOW DID I BUY THIS BOOK, OR EVEN WHY.
but god, this is good. so good.
yep, there are some things that i've already read in Vampire Academy, Half Blood or even Obsidian but those, guys, are three of my favourite books so i loved Whirl. a lot.

Kendra is a badass. A cinical, sexy badass. And she's my kind of character. Ironical, strong and badass. I'm in love with her.
Chloe and Aubrey are so sweet, the ki...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Arlene rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Arlene by: Street Corner Booker Pick

Shelves: paranormal, read-2012, street-corner-pick, ya-paranormal, young-adult

I’m admitting upfront that I experienced quite a bit of déjà who… what… where have I read this before, which is why I had to remove a few stars for lack of originality. There was a good dose of constant action, but the plot and story-building have been done more than once in the last couple of years.

There were a few books that came to mind while I was reading Whirl, including Vampire Academy, Half-Blood, and I don’t think I’m stretching too far when I add I am Number Four to the list.

In Whirl,...more I’m admitting upfront that I experienced quite a bit of déjà who… what… where have I read this before, which is why I had to remove a few stars for lack of originality. There was a good dose of constant action, but the plot and story-building have been done more than once in the last couple of years.

There were a few books that came to mind while I was reading Whirl, including Vampire Academy, Half-Blood, and I don’t think I’m stretching too far when I add I am Number Four to the list.

In Whirl, we meet Kendra Irisavie who is an Ondine with Empath abilities that is captured by her people after having been “Rogue” (living among humans) her entire life. Her powers manifest at the age of seventeen and that’s when the Aquidae who are the Dark Shadows or “demons” of her world come after her. She’s picked up by Tristan Belicoux, who by the way reminded me quite a bit of Dimitri from VA and Aiden from HB, and taken to Lumiere Academy to study with her own kind and continue to harness and strengthen her abilities.

In Kendra’s world, the Ondines are powerful and magical race, with a portion of their power protecting the water elemental world ~whispers~ I have no clue what that means to be honest, so don’t ask. As Ondines, they can inherit one of eight Virtues (Clairvoyance, Kinesis, Projection, Healing, Cloaking, Empath, Teleportation, and Transmutation). And in their hierarchical structure, they are protected from the Aquidae by the Gardinals. Throw in some royalty, governing bodies, a Selkie Prince, a tutor, a group of restless teens and a girl with not just a chip on her shoulder but an arrogant attitude and you’re left with an annoying head spin.

I’ve read this before and seen it delivered much more flawlessly. But to be fair, aside from a few remaining paranormal series I’ve committed to, I’m not looking to add another one straight out of the box using the same formula and flavors to what’s already out there. Not something I’m interested in continuing with and somewhat disappointed.
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Sep 22, 2012 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, own, ya-paranormal-romance

I first heard about Whirl when the author approached us for a review. At the time I was completely booked up so Melanie; the guest reviewer reviewed it for me. She loved it and has been telling me for months to read it and you know what? She was 100% right!

Whirl is a very unique story. It centre's around water element's and girl named Kendra. Kendra is a strong and independent girl, who has been trained to fight Aquidae; demons, by her mother. When her mother is murdered, Kendra finds herself a...more I first heard about Whirl when the author approached us for a review. At the time I was completely booked up so Melanie; the guest reviewer reviewed it for me. She loved it and has been telling me for months to read it and you know what? She was 100% right!

Whirl is a very unique story. It centre's around water element's and girl named Kendra. Kendra is a strong and independent girl, who has been trained to fight Aquidae; demons, by her mother. When her mother is murdered, Kendra finds herself at a Haverleau; a special school for people like her, where they can learn about their magic. While there, Kendra finds out her mother has been keeping secrets from her, secrets that involve her destiny. Can Kendra really be who everyone claims she is? And can she keep out of trouble to find out?

I loved Whirl. It kind of has the same feel as Vampire Academy did with the settings like going to school, the different gifts but still I still think it's a very unique story, especially surrounding the water elements aspects. It's not one I've ever read about and finding out about Ondine's, Selkies and the many other people was really fascinating.

What I loved about this book was it was so damn unpredictable, Kendra is such a rash character that rushes to do stuff before she thinks, you just honestly don't know what she's going to do. But that's a good thing because it leaves you guessing through the whole book. I loved how she didn't take no crap and always spoke her mind. She's a very feisty and fierce character and I really loved her. Another character I loved was Tristan. Oh wow, how he manages to steal you're heart from the very first few pages.

The only small problem I had and I say VERY small problem, was trying to pronounce some of the names. I found it quite hard and it did take me a few tries to get it right - which I still don't think I got right in the end. I think it would make it easier on the readers if the author had a pronunciation guide to go at the start of the book, like she does with the knowledge guide at the back of the book, but other than that, I loved this book and I think everyone should read it! (less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Julie Li rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, favorites, paranormal

I'm thinking it's just another potential decent $0.99 book on Amazon, but boy was I wrong. The story itself was pretty captivating and it was WAY better than I anticipated. Way way better. Enough that I'm super excited for the next book. And Emma's on revisions and everything for book 2 so it's not that far away! Super psyched!

Kendra's got spunk and she's not one to take BS from others so the protagonist doesn't piss me off, at least. Pretty likeable.

I definitely recommend this book to others -...more

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Jan 26, 2013 M. Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Whirl had all of the things I like in a YA book, a good plot, a strong protagonist, one brooding male that exudes sexiness, butt-kicking now and taking names later action, and angsty romance. It was also a fast read. I didn't have to drudge through because for the most part, something was always happening. That's mostly due to Kendra's impulsive behavior and terrible temper. She also made some not so smart decisions during the story, but it was more along the lines of normal teenage rebellion th...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Sunnyangel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Before I started reading this book, I heard from many people that it was similar to Vampire Academy. But OH MY GOODNESS, it can't be said that this book is similar. It's basically the same book, just change a couple of character names and add a Selkie prince. Speaking of the Selkie Prince, Tristan Belikov, oh oops I meant Tristan Belicoux. I mean REALLY?
So let's start with when we were introduced to the said, Selkie Prince. She stood with her back to me, facing a tall dark-haired man. It was ha...more Before I started reading this book, I heard from many people that it was similar to Vampire Academy. But OH MY GOODNESS, it can't be said that this book is similar. It's basically the same book, just change a couple of character names and add a Selkie prince. Speaking of the Selkie Prince, Tristan Belikov, oh oops I meant Tristan Belicoux. I mean REALLY?
So let's start with when we were introduced to the said, Selkie Prince. She stood with her back to me, facing a tall dark-haired man. It was hard to make out his features, but my heightened eyesight allowed me to get a pretty good look. He was over six feet, maybe six-two or six-three, and was a little older than me, probably in his early twenties. Thick brown hair curled around his neck onto his shoulders. Gleaming dark eyes. His stance exuded an effortless grace and elegance. Hmm…why does this description seem really familiar? It’s probably coincidence but, why does this description remind me of Dimitri? Oh and get this people, a black leather coat came down to his calves. Okay it isn’t the exact same thing, but didn’t Dimitri have a duster that he couldn’t bear to part with? And, oh yes, the main character Kendra Irisavie. She’s outspoken, does what she wants, gets in a lot of trouble, and is really beautiful. While I was reading the book I almost forgot that it was Kendra and not Rose. The way Kendra talks and behaves is so similar to Rose's behavior. This book is just a more complicated Vampire Academy. Change the Strigoi to Aquidae and the Moroi to Ondines. They have magical wards around Lumiere Academy to keep the Aquidae out, yup that’s right wards. The gardinels protect the ondines- please why don’t we just call them guardians? Tristan is a badass, who most of the time, has his gardinel face on. He is also an instructor at Lumiere. Then there’s Ryder who fills up the role of the best guy friend (ends up getting killed). He’s Mason part 2. And then there’s Julian Leveq, he’s a Royal demiller and his behavior is strikingly similar to that of Adrian’s. Remember how Adrian used to call Rose Little Dhampir, and never her actual name? Julian always calls Kendra sweet iris. And then there’s the head master and governor who hates Kendra’s guts.
One thing that I really didn’t understand was how old Tristan is. He was friends with Kendra’s parents when he just finished his gardinel training. Let’s say he was 18 when he finished. It’s been 18 years since then, so shouldn’t he be like 32? But he looks like he’s in his early-twenties. Maybe it’s a Selkie thing.
Overall this book is just too similar to the Vampire Academy for me. It’s like reading the same book over again. It was pointless
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Nov 18, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Whirl, book one in the Ondine Quartet, is a great read. My attention was completely captivated in Kendra's world of being a Ondine, a water elemental. While the premise of what Kendra is is new and different, I couldn't help feeling like I was in a way reading all of Amanda Hocking's Trylle trilogy all wrapped up nice and tight in one book. Being a big fan of Hocking's work, I found this interesting because of how much I truly enjoyed reading Whirl. I loved how independent, fierce, outspoken, an...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Naomi rated it 5 of 5 stars

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...more 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.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Isabelle rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone because I'm so nice.

Recommended to Isabelle by: $2.99 for Kindle? Heck, yeah!

Shelves: just-plain-good, almost-a-favorite, good-heroine

Oh. My Gosh. (view spoiler)

I'm speechless. That book was amazing. Amazing. Wait a second, I've got to see if there's going to be a movie.

Nothing. Darn it.

On with the review! Let's make short and sweet, but definitely read it.

Pros

Kendra is awesome. She knows how to kick butt. She's also self confident, which is refreshing considering how many YA girls say they aren't pretty. Kendra appreciates that she looks good. Actually, she wouldn't be caught dead being modest. It's not...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Aislynn (Stitch Read Cook) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s-to-review, blog-book-tour, paranormal-fantasy, read-in-2011, smashwords, ya

I love when I pick up a book and it totally blows me away - and this was definitely one of those books. Emma Raveling has written an incredible start to her Ondine series. I can't wait for the second one to be released to see what happens to Kendra and her friends.

Kendra is an independent, outspoken, fierce warrior who isn't suppose to be a warrior. For centuries the Ondine (the Water Elementals) have been a peaceful group. Protected by Gardinals, Demillars and Chevaliers from soulless demons ca...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am very glad that this will be a 4 book series. The first book in the series introduces us to Kendra. Kendra is a 17 year old ondine, a descendent from Dessondines, water creatures.

Kendra was living in the human world, when things go wrong, she is taken to the ondine community of Harverleau, where she can learn to harness her abilities and her destiny. Kendra is accustomed to starting a new school, as she had to move around a lot, so this one was no different. With all schools there is a hiera...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Calia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mature-young-adult-reads

I know, I know. I’ve exclaimed once before in a review that I was on strike from all paranormal books.

The saying, “Read one, read all.” Is that a saying? I don’t know. Maybe I just made that up... Was really starting to make headway in my mind with a lot of these paranormal books.

But I’m glad that I conceded defeat and read this book. Relief is more like it! I would have been a tornado of anger, if I discovered this later on in the year.....

And for the price of .99 cents you’re getting one kic...more

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Dec 13, 2011 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

First…a PSA for all readers! This book has lots of terminology that’s all its own which may be daunting for some. Luckily, there’s a glossary…but, unfortunately, at the end of the book. So, if you’re reading it on a Kindle like I did, go to the end first and bookmark it! I’m serious…do it before you begin (I didn’t and it made for a confusing first few chapters)!

Now let’s talk about the book. This is the first book I’ve read about the Elemental world and I was drawn in by it. The abilities and v...more First…a PSA for all readers! This book has lots of terminology that’s all its own which may be daunting for some. Luckily, there’s a glossary…but, unfortunately, at the end of the book. So, if you’re reading it on a Kindle like I did, go to the end first and bookmark it! I’m serious…do it before you begin (I didn’t and it made for a confusing first few chapters)!

Now let’s talk about the book. This is the first book I’ve read about the Elemental world and I was drawn in by it. The abilities and virtues of the Odine and the soullessness of the Aquidae are quite fascinating. This is one of those books that has lots of characters, each with a unique personality and each with a role to play. The author balances those characters well and does not, as so often happens, drop characters along the way.

Kendra, our hero, is a water elemental who has lived her whole life “rogue”…on the run and far away from the community of Elementals. Living with her mother, she’s developed a tough independent streak. I liked Kendra…for the most part. She is not afraid to face her foes and even relishes the idea of coming up against the enemy. She’s witty and clever. She’s tough and determined. But, all her independence makes her a bit arrogant and angry which frustrated me at times. She does not trust easily and it takes her a very long time to come to terms with who she is and what’s expected of her.

Now I know you’ve heard of love triangles…this story has a love square. Tristan, her protector, is older and seemingly untouchable. Julian, her trainer, is mysterious and smooth. Ryder, her friend, is charming and boyish. And each one of them wants her in his own way. You’d think that with all this romantic tension, the story would get lost, but it definitely doesn’t. The author does a very good job at weaving these characters in, making the situations dramatic, witty and sad, and all the while managing somehow to keep them tucked safely behind the main storyline. When I found myself wanting to know more about Tristan or wishing I could have just a few more pages with Julian I realized that this story had been very well crafted to build vivid characters but also to stay true to its purpose…Kendra’s journey to deal with the Aquidae and protect her people.

This book was fast-paced and imaginative. The dialogue was well written and, in many cases, witty. The interactions between the characters was genuine and believable…it never felt forced or inappropriately placed. There were situations that I could see coming and those that took me by surprise as well. This is a really good foundation for what I anticipate will be a very good series. The author is currently working on the second book and I look forward to reading it!(less)

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Oct 15, 2011 Liz at Fictional Candy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the beginning of this book I was a little put off by all of the customized terms that seemed to have little to no definition. As the story went on, more definition was provided, and it became easier to follow. As it turns out there was a glossary of terms at the end of the book. In an ebook it is not as easy to flip pages, I would have really liked to see this at the beginning.

This book is about an ondine (a water elemental) named Kendra, who has been living a rogue life with her mother, outs...more In the beginning of this book I was a little put off by all of the customized terms that seemed to have little to no definition. As the story went on, more definition was provided, and it became easier to follow. As it turns out there was a glossary of terms at the end of the book. In an ebook it is not as easy to flip pages, I would have really liked to see this at the beginning.

This book is about an ondine (a water elemental) named Kendra, who has been living a rogue life with her mother, outside of the community of other water elementals. Her mother has taught her to be strong, independent, and to take care of herself. Suddenly her mother is gone, and Kendra is alone. A gardinel named Tristan shows up to bring her back to Haverleau – an elemental community. There she will attend school and develop her magic. But this ruffles Kendra’s feathers, as she has always led a very different lifestyle. The elementals are in a war with the Aquidae, the soulless demons who hunt her and others like her.

While I really enjoyed the story, and meeting all of the characters, I feel the main character Kendra Irisavie, seemed a bit arrogant. It seems to me that she really felt everyone in the elemental community was below her for one reason or another. She feels she is the smartest, the toughest, the strongest, most cunning… A couple characters even broached the subject with her. She needed to be part of a community, a family in a broad sense of the word. This is the ultimate goal in her story, she needed to learn that she was a part of something bigger than herself and that she didn’t need to do it alone – that she couldn’t do it alone.

There were a lot of people in this book to meet. I enjoyed all of them, for different reasons. Kendra’s friends, mentors, family, and rivals all gave a unique flavor to the story. I do feel this is a book worth reading. I don’t have any real complaints about it at all. I would enjoy seeing more history on Tristan, he seems to have a rich past and there is something happening in his future that sounds interesting.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read. I do recommend it to anyone interested in urban fantasies involving elementals.
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Jan 05, 2012 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Awesome!!!!!!

There were some areas that seemed slow but they didn't last long...I can't wait for what is to come...

Kendra has been on the move all her life..her mother Nadia constantly pushing and traing her to fight harder press for more. She has to prepare and be ready at all times to fight the Aquidae (demons). Sneeking in one night from partying she sees her mom speaking with someone on the street. Unable to hear them she goes inside only to be interrupted by her mom who is merely angry she...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Bailee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Bailee by: LibraryThing

Shelves: favorites, review-books, young-adult

After processing through my different thoughts on Whirl by Emma Raveling, I decided to repost my review with greater detail to what I liked and disliked.

I actually went into this without any idea of what this story was about other than it was about the Ondine, a creature that in my mind seemed to be connected to mermaids. It was after reading that I realized that the Ondine and their world was so much more than just another tale about a mermaid.

This debut novel by Emma Raveling is an addicting...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pretty-good-books, tough-main-character, strong-main-chracter

This book was okay. The begginning was okay, the middle was good and then some parts of the end. The characters were also good. They weren't amazing. Kendra is tough, but she shuts everyone out. It makes sense that she did, but that took a lot of characters out of the book and that made it boring at times. I also didn't like Tristan as a love interest. He knew her parents!!! I mean gosh i've read books where the character is older (like in the Vampire Academy), but...he KNEW her PARENTS!! I don'...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Revati Ragini rated it 2 of 5 stars

PAGE 131 - 54%

Hmmm.... Vampire Academy revisited? We've got (ROSE) the previously rogue bad-ass promiscuous girl who's not as good at fighting as she wants to be and struggles with 'inner darkness', Roses mum who is all business and no affection, a school only for this particular race where half learn to fight, the other half learn to use elemental magic but aren't allowed to defend themselves, the politics of it all, the stupid royalty, the couldnt-be-dumber upper class, the evil race only afte...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Better Read Than Dead (Kelly & Kristin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every book I have read about elementals has been phenominal; Whirl is no exception. While this wasn't a unique story line, I loved the fierceness in the characters. Kendra is independent and broken. Her mother raised her in the mortal world and taught her to fight for her life; sadly, Ondines are not meant to fight. They are meant to wield magic and sometimes that just isn't enough. Kendra's mom dies tragically, leaving Kendra alone in the mortal world...until...

Tristan, powerful and skilled, ar...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So... I already wrote a review for this book but apparently it did not save! (Boo for glitchy Internet!)

Just a fare warning, I may be semi biased since I had a nice email conversation with the author! (Yay for authors who actually take the time to reply to readers!) But fear not dear readers, I enjoyed the book regardless of the authors reply. (I promise I was not bribed to write a good review... I'm not cool enough for authors to bribe me haha!)

In Whirl readers are introduced to an entirely new...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I bought this book, I was not expecting such a delightful read. I might be a little biased now since I actually emailed the author and had a nice conversation with her! (I absolutely adore authors who reply to their readers!) This book is the type that most don't give a second thought to after reading the plot description! (I know because I was one of those people and I only decided to read it because it was cheaper and I had nothing else to read.) Well I was very very wrong for judging thi...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Aeicha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Whirl has one of the most intriguing synopses that I’ve read in a long while, but they way the synopsis grabbed my attention cannot even begin to compare to how gripping I found the book itself. Emma Raveling’s debut novel Whirl is a captivating, imaginative, enchanting, enticing, fast paced page turner.

Seventeen year old Kendra’s life changes forever the night her mother dies. Kendra is an ondine, a powerful water elemental, who, along with her mother, has lived away from the ondine community a...more Whirl has one of the most intriguing synopses that I’ve read in a long while, but they way the synopsis grabbed my attention cannot even begin to compare to how gripping I found the book itself. Emma Raveling’s debut novel Whirl is a captivating, imaginative, enchanting, enticing, fast paced page turner.

Seventeen year old Kendra’s life changes forever the night her mother dies. Kendra is an ondine, a powerful water elemental, who, along with her mother, has lived away from the ondine community and in the human world her entire life. After her mother is killed, the mysterious and good looking Tristan comes to take her back to Haverleau, an ondine community in Washington. Once in Haverleau and among her own kind, Kendra quickly learns things about herself, her mother, and her purpose that she never expected. With new friends, complicated romances, and an unasked for fate, Kendra must find herself and her power in order to defeat the evil Aquidae who are out to get her.

Whirl pulled me in from the beginning and by the last sentence of the prologue I was hooked. In Whirl, Raveling has created a highly original and spellbinding fantasy world full of charismatic characters, a thrilling story, creative fantasy elements, and some sizzling romance.

I love how Raveling took a fantasy/mythical being- the ondine- that has not been explored much in YA books, and created such an intricate and fascinating world around it. From the detailed histories of the ondine to the governing infrastructure within Haverleau to the societal hierarchy in this community, Raveling provides so much detail, background, and development that this world she created, especially Haverleau, and the people within it, seem incredibly real and believable.

There is a large cast of characters, all very well developed and engaging. I really love the heroine Kendra. She is one of those perfectly flawed characters that could easily demand your attention, but doesn’t have to because you can’t help simply giving it to her. Kendra is witty, independent, tough, clever, and compassionate, but she’s also quick to judge, hasty to act and speak, and has a temper…yet, underneath her tough, hard exterior lies an insecure vulnerability. I instantly connected with Kendra and found her to be a relatable and impossible to ignore. Kendra’s new friends, Chloe, Aubrey, Ryder, Cam, and Alex provide an eclectic and refreshing reprieve for both Kendra and readers alike.

Two of the most intriguing characters are the charming Julian and the mysterious Tristan, both of whom make for very different romantic interests for Kendra. Julian is a rich, charismatic demillir (male ondine-born) who serves as a chevalier (knight or protector of the water elementals). Julian and Kendra often share witty, sarcastically insulting banter and always seem to be trying to one up each other. Julian really gets underneath Kendra’s skin, but there exist an undeniable attraction and pull between the two. Scenes involving these two were always fun to read. Tristan on the other hand is a gardinel (a selkie warrior) and his job is to protect Kendra. A romance between Tristan and Kendra would be most forbidden and dangerous, but their connection is palpable. The chemistry between these two sizzles right off the page and is enticingly hot. Both men are completely swoon-worthy and I cannot wait to see how this little love triangle progresses.

The story itself is fast paced and never boring. There were scenes that left me breathless and wanting more and scenes that took me by surprise. Raveling doesn’t shy away from the realistic and vivid when it comes to the fight scenes; there’s an exciting edge to the way she presents these scenes. The fantasy elements are, well, fantastic. Kendra’s ondine powers are explored in such a way that I found them wickedly cool. Raveling has truly presented the world of water elements in a new, fresh way.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I am always impressed when a writer can create a new, refreshing, and fantastical world that I’ve never imagined before, and I’m doubly impressed when I find myself longing to be back in that world hours after I’ve put a book down…when it comes to Whirl consider me doubly impressed. Whirl is an enchanting, fun, beautifully written novel. I will eagerly be awaiting the next book in the series. A definite MUST read!

READ THE COMPLETE AND ORIGINAL REVIEW (AND MANY MORE) AT Word Spelunking (less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Faydra rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was pretty good.... I have some major problems with it....This book was almost a carbon copy of Vampire Academy which was a GREAT series!!! Kendra is an Ondine and they are at war with Aquadae however the Ondine wont actually fight they have other people do it for them...sound familiar?? Additionally there is the crush on the forbidden teacher Hmmmmm i think i have read that before......**cough *Rose and Dimitri* cough** anyway so why am i giving this book a 3?? well because i was able...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Rachel Costa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was a little lost at the beginning and I'm still a bit shaky with the terms (I wish the glossary had been at the beginning of the book and not the end) but I genuinely enjoyed the story and characters and I'm excited for the sequel!

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Jan 13, 2013 Halie Gehling rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was one of my favorite books I have read so far, and I've read a lot of books. The best part about this book, in my opinion, is that it never gives you a time to get bored. It is very fast and has lots of action. One thing about this book that I didn't really like is that, it can very easily be compared to "The Vampire Academy" series. I'm not pointing fingers or anything, I'm just saying it like I saw it.
But even with the similarities, the author really put her own kick to it. Adding...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Faedivagal rated it 5 of 5 stars

I.NEED.BOOK 2.NOW!!!!! Love Love Loved this book! Read it in one day...no housework done! Kendra is the main character,a very feisty young lady who possesses 'Ondine powers' not quite fully developed until she becomes Seventeen. She is protected by a sexy Selkie/Prince(Tristan) due to being 'special' and needing constant protection from the 'Aquidae'(Demons).
Although I only read it yesterday, I could quite easily read it again today(you know it's a good book when you can say that :)
Emma Raveling...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Nicole R rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-young-adult, paranormal-supernatural, sci-fi-fantasy, 2012

I love the concept of Whirl. It kind of reminds me of Vampire Academy, in the the society is structured and how the school is set up. But obviously with water elementals instead of vampires.

Okay, so Kendra falling for a prince and being the chosen one was a little obvious. But there were a couple other guys I could see her with, and I'm not completely sure who she'll end up with. You have Tristan (the prince) and Julian, and I could see her with either one. There was the possibility of her and a...more I love the concept of Whirl. It kind of reminds me of Vampire Academy, in the the society is structured and how the school is set up. But obviously with water elementals instead of vampires.

Okay, so Kendra falling for a prince and being the chosen one was a little obvious. But there were a couple other guys I could see her with, and I'm not completely sure who she'll end up with. You have Tristan (the prince) and Julian, and I could see her with either one. There was the possibility of her and a friend, but that's not going to happen because he (unfortunately) died. I like that it's not completely obvious. It's a nice change from a lot of other books, where you know right off the bat who the main character will end up with.

I love that the water element is the focus, and that there are elementals who have Virtues (or super-special abilities) and elementals who don't have any Virtues. I thought Raveling did a great job with coming up with her own terminology- which is even explained at the end. I wish I had read it first, but either way, I'm glad she included it.

I haven't come across anything involving the elements to this degree. I'm sure they've been in the background of something I've read, but they've never been the focus. I just love this idea! I really do.

Kendra was way too independent, and was determined to do things on her own. I guess part of it is that she grew up "rogue" with her mother. So while she's the chosen one who has to defeat the Aquidae, she'll (hopefully) learn that she can trust others enough to let them help her.

I did find some of the other characters more interesting. Like Nexa. I sort of want to know more about a mission she was on. And I thought Julian and Tristan were interesting characters. I was hoping for more scenes with both of them, but I'm really hoping we'll see more of them in the rest of the series.

I think Whirl deserves a 4 out of 5. It really is an interesting idea, and I love the idea of water elementals. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, paranormal

Breathless! That's how this book made me feel half of the time! Here is the kind of novel that sucks you in and leaves you desperate for more. I loved Rawling's world of Ondine's, being a huge fan of mermaids and the Colin Farrell movie Ondine lol.
What I found was a refreshing twist on the siren tale.
The main characters are three dimensional and suprsing. The main love story is one of the best I've read recently, right next to Wanderlove for me.
What took Whirl to the next level for me was tha...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

5*s
Review posted here
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

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Jun 16, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Whirl has a unique and interesting premise and is quite well written. There are several characters involved in the story, most of which are developed enough to get a sense of who they are. The main character, Kendra, is a bit too arrogant for my taste, but I still enjoyed watching her story play out. All in all this was an enjoyable read. That said, it seemed like something was missing. Maybe not from the story, but perhaps from the writing style, just something that would have pushed this into...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's The Name o...: YA novel about a girl that, duh, has powers and falls in love with a older guy [s]	20	152	Apr 16, 2013 03:30am
}~>O MERBOOKS...: Whirl - by Emma Raveling	4	9	Apr 29, 2012 12:13pm
YA Must-Reads: Whirl, Book One of the Ondine Quartet series	1	7	Nov 09, 2011 12:20pm

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Whirl (Ondine Quartet #1)

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