Whirl by Emma Raveling

September 15th 2011, Mandorla Publishing
E-book
First in Ondine Quartet series
Young Adult Fiction

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 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 YA urban fantasy/paranormal romance, Whirl is recommended for older teens and mature readers due to strong language and mild sexual situations.

Opinion:

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started reading Whirl. My friend recommended this book to me because she loved it so much. After quickly digging into the book, I was fully captivated by the first few sentences and by the next few pages, I was completely enthralled by this stunning debut. She was right!


After the death of her mother, Kendra is taken to Haverleau, an Ondine community where she is taught how to control her water abilities. She learns that she must free her race, the water elementals, from the Aquidae, the fire elementals. She is a warrior. And she fights against the demons.


The characters were intense but still realistic, something I can’t say for every young adult read. Kendra is tough and full of spirit. I could get glimpses of her teenage self and her sense of humor, especially with her grandmother tagging along the way. Her new elemental friends are also entertaining and funny, along with being some pretty awesome sidekicks. Julian and Tristan, the two boy interests, are both swoon-worthy. One with a definite attraction to the main character and the other a forbidden lover.


I loved the overall plot and was surprised to learn that the book was over before I even knew it. Emma has definitely built up a wondrous world in Haverleau with so much potential in fantasy aspects, which she manages to surpass. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in this addicting series and would recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy or paranormal themes.

Rating:

 

The elusive Linda-saurus:

Mover and shaker by day, book-ninja by night. Only native to Florida. Afraid of small children but has an affinity to the elderly. Beware of her sarcastic humor.

Categories: First, Indie Week, Review, Series, Young Adult