I just knew you were going to go and breaker my heart, Emma Raveling! And you did. You chipped little, and big pieces away throughout this book….nay…..this whole series. Breaker was everything I had wanted it to be, and a bunch of other things I didn’t know I wanted, or needed. It was the perfect combination of somberness and hopefulness. There wasn’t a single second of this that I would change, even the parts that broke me. They all added up to something so incredible. I felt like we experienced everything right along with Kendra. I felt every twinge of regret, hurt, betrayal, and loss.

But I also felt the pride, hope, and ultimately love too. This was an emotional journey through the past, present, and a glimmer of hope for a better future. It wasn’t just Kendra who shinned though. Every character we have come to know and care for was a star. Tristan, Julian, Nexa, Chloe, Alex, Cam, Aubrey, Ian, Ray, Jeeves, and so many more, they were the truly magical parts of this story. They are what had me emotionally invested in the story.  I cared for each of them in so many different ways. It was so sad saying goodbye to them!

   It also must be said just how gorgeous the writing in this book was. It was poetic. It was word magic. I felt how grand it was going to be in the freaking prologue! It really set the tone for the entire book. I loved how everything connected at the end. I enjoyed guessing repeatedly at how everything was going to turn out, or different plot twists, and always ending up surprised! Especially when the answers were really there all along. I was also thankful for the few undercurrents of humor, and the small moments, the underscored wins in comparison to the larger battle going on.

   So thank you, Emma Raveling. Thank you for creating this incredible, unique world, full of magic, possibilities, and some of my favorite characters. Thank you for always keeping us readers on our toes, with your plot twists and revelations. And thanks for always being brave and ripping our hearts out, dragging them through the mud, and then magically putting them back together again. One of Daniel’s magical scans would surely show all the old injuries and magical residue around my savaged heart! But it was the price I paid for a perfect ending to a fantastic series!

   I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

    Didn't want to overwhelm any news feeds here, and after the past few weeks dealing with my daughter having strep throat, my guy having pneumonia, numerous doctors visits, and days taking care of my sickies and disinfecting EVERYTHING....I'm just lazy and tired. SO that's why I'll be condensing this review a little. I just recently started this series, and after book one, I was hooked! I immediately devoured every available book I could in the Ondine Quartet series. Without any further ado.......let the gushing commence!

   BILLOW  (4stars) :

      Billow was a great follow up to Crest. Kendra is starting to learn what being the sondaleur truly means, piece by brutal piece. She's also realizing that she isn't walking the lonely path she always has anymore. Somehow people have wormed their way into her life, and her heart, even though she tried to fight it. I'm not sure what was the larger struggle for Kendra here, navigating her way through the hardships of the responsibilities and being the sondaleur or figuring out how to deal with having relationships with people. We learned in Whirl how Kendra was raised to take care of herself, and NEVER form any kind of attachments. Well in Billow we really get to see what that means for her while she flounders through trying to understand others and what her role in a relationship really is. I loved this! It's one thing to be told someone is a certain way, and it's another to watch the person deal with the inevitable repercussions because of it.

      Now, while I loved the journey of self discovery that Kendra was on.....I could have done without all the whining she did. I get that she was brought up in such a foreign way, that she was struggling with basic social skills that normal people acquire when they are in elementary school, but sometimes it was agony to listen to her incessant whining. Sometimes I wanted to reach through my Kindle and just shake her a little.

      Obviously Kendra is the star of the show, but there's something to be said for all these other AMAZING side characters. They all truly shine in this book. I'm not going to lie, Julian's wit and relentless flirtatious behavior with Kendra charmed me. I mean Tristan is fabulous and all, but he's also somewhat intangible right now. Which is precisely what makes Julian's in your face, I'm right here and my body is ready, attitude alluring. I just hope that he doesn't break my heart in the end. Stay good Julian, don't turn into a villain if Kendra doesn't choose you in the end!!!!

     ONDINE (novella; 4 stars)

          I loved this brief glimpse into Kendra's life before the Lumiere Academy. I liked seeing this younger version of her! It was nice to see the way she has always stuck up for the underdogs. Even though she seems harsh or abrasive, she has always been a quiet hero. I enjoyed the story, and the sweet twist at the end.

      CHEVALIER  (novella 4 stars)

           Loved this little short story from Julian's point of view! It was really fun watching him and Kendra conduct their covert investigation, especially in a foreign city, with some new interesting people. It was also nice to get a peek into what Julian was thinking for a bit. I feel like we got to see a slight shift in his attitude towards Kendra, and her relationship with Tristan in this novella. The calm, cool exterior appears to be cracking.

       WARIOR PRINCE  (novella 3.75 stars)

            Am I the only one that re-read the ending in this one a few times because I totally thought I was missing something. That was a sneaky thing to do Miss Raveling! You didn't quite give us the whole picture as to what dear Tristan was up to when visiting home, but it was certainly enough to have me chomping at the bit! It was also way cool to see some of the more pivotal scenes between Tristan and Kendra from Tristan's point of view this time around. Especially since so much of the time he has his emotions locked down like Fort Knox and it's as hard for the reader as it is for Kendra to guess as to what he's thinking or feeling.

         CREST  (5 stars)

       LOVED this!!!!!!  Such huge growth from Kendra in this book! She has truly flourished. I was so shocked and pleased to see Kendra handling everything that she was, with so much grace, and responsibility. She is becoming the leader she was destined to be, and so much more. She is fighting for and navigating her new role in the draining political world. We have seen in the previous books what a fierce and dedicated warrior Kendra can be, Crest really highlighted the fact that she is much more than a deadly weapon. She has a strong political presence and she's making it known. I think it can be said for any form of politics, it's not for the faint of heart or weak of mind. Kendra proves to be neither. She will do whatever she can, and must for the sake of the Irisavies and all the elementals and even associates of the elemental world. She has some great ideas and plans to truly unify everyone and make things equal for all, but of course tradition and traditionalists stand in her way. It's been awesome seeing Kendra finally play their game, and do it so well.

       Can we say a big hell yes for getting to see so much selkie awesomness in this book?! I mean it's all about the

 Having this book take place in the Selkie Kingdom was amazing. The selkies have been such an intriguing race, shrouded in mystery. It was kind of like getting to peek behind the curtain at Oz, only the selkies were way better than some old dude pretending to be great and powerful. We got to learn so much about their way of life and culture, it was so cool! Especailly considering that this is the first supernatural/fantasy book that has ever featured this particular race.

     We are also closer to the Shadow then ever before in this addition. Come on that ending was EXCRUTIATING!!!!!  Two things I have learned in this series thus far, you never quite know who your enemies are, and Raveling doesn't blink an eye at injuring, maiming or completely offing people. Even characters you love! So beware forming attachments, because you truly never know who is the next to plunge the knife in your back or bite the bullet.

      I also need to sat how much I love a slow building romance. I love the agonizingly slow and torturous journey to your OTP finally coming together. Raveling expertly weaves this journey in this series. I have to say that I have seen a lot of people talk about a love triangle in this series. I can't say I ever really thought that was the case here. I always felt things would play out a certain way, and I never felt like there was even a choice for Kendra. I thought her feelings were clear from the get go, even when she had trouble admitting them to herself. I admire the way she handled things with both leading men in this book. Gone is the girl that struggles so much with people and relationships. Kendra really stepped up and was honest and mature in dealing with everyone.

    I can not wait for Breaker. I so look forward to seeing what happens next in this incredible series!  This was the first book in awhile that gave me one hell of a hangover. I couldn't put this down, not when it was time to cook dinner, not when it was time for bed, and not even when I knew I had to work in just a few hours. That next day was a long one, but totally worth it!

    Okay Jenny, you were right.....I dug it. I've had this book for quite some time, after much prompting from my blogger buddy, and now I'm just bummed I didn't get to it sooner! I've heard a lot of people talk about the similarities with this book and The Vampire Academy by Racheal Mead, and the Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. You know what, they aren't wrong. But I will say that I heard the same thing when the Covenant series came out, Vampire Academy fans were hating big time. I read Covenant first, and then Vampire Academy, and similarities or not, I LOVED the Convenant series, and was not a fan of Vampire Academy. Even though they had some things in common, they had different themes, styles and characters, and it made them completely different. Such is the case with Whirl too. Raveling put her own stamp on this, hands down. I saw the common threads, but she made it her own, and I enjoyed it!

     First off, I LOVED the idea of this world of elementals!! We got a close look at the water elementals and their various roles and just scratched the surface of their abilities.  Ummm first time seeing Selkies in a book, and how sweet is that?!  I can't wait to see more of them!! This was clearly the start of a series, and a fantastical one at that, so Whirl ended up being more of an introduction to a very complex, imaginative world. I'm cool with that, as long as the world keeps expanding and bringing the wow factor, and I have high hopes for this as of now.

    I liked Kendra for the most part, she's kind of a badass, but like a baby badass in the elemental world. I like that she's still got a lot to learn, it makes it fun for the reader to learn right along with her. She's used to being mostly on her own and she doesn't exactly play well with others, but she's also that kind of heroine everyone likes because she has a penchant for befriending, and defending the underdogs, and who doesn't like a good underdog? She can be a little brash but I'm cool with that, I think that will even out as her character grows throughout the series. Totally random, and really childish, but I also love that there's cuss words in this book. I don't know many 17 year olds that talk like granny church mums, so I'm glad when that comes through in a story. It makes it feel a little more real. And I have a mouth that can rival any sailor most days, so

    I'm done waiting, I already have the sequel, Billow so I'll be starting that like

Welcome to St. Vladimir's Academy. Or rather...

"Welcome to Lumiére Academy. Your school."

For fuck's sakes, the book doesn't even spell Lumière with the correct accent mark (4 years of French, bitches!).

A 17 year old girl is living on the run; she is on the move every few months, she cannot risk staying in the same place for long. Suddenly, a handsome, mysterious, dark-haired ass-kicking stranger shows up to carry her back to a secret school for mythological creatures of her race, to the heritage to which she was born. She is behind in schooling, she is forced to take remedial lessons with a sexy fighting tutor. Her school and her people are attacked by evil, demon-like, soulless creatures who seek the extinction of her race, and to turn others into themselves. Meanwhile, at her school, there are tremendous social conflicts between the soldiers who are forced to serve and protect the "royal" members of a pure bloodline. It's all fun and games until someone gets kidnapped.

Does that sound fucking familiar to you?

This book would be a blatant ripoff of Vampire Academy, if Vampire Academy had no depth whatsoever. The characters are a mermaid-mythology mixture of the characters from VA, which would be funny if not for the fact that they are all Super. Fucking. Special. Like this book's equivalent of Dimitri Belikov...he's not just a bad-ass soldier. He's a PRINCE as well!

Not to mention there's a freaking love square.

The Similarities:

The Moroi = The Ondines: The pure-blooded vampire Moroi are this book's equivalent of the Redavi, the royalty of the Water Elementals. Like the Moroi, the Ondines think themselves superior. Like the Moroi, the Ondines are capable of the creation of two races.

"Ondines are peaceful, powerful, and protective. Along with our dessondine ancestors, we are responsible for the protection and maintenance of water. We give birth to two races, ondines and demillirs. We are beings of magic, leaders and symbols of the water elemental world."

Ondines, like Moroi, do not fight. They have others to fight for them.

"I still don't understand how training ondines to fight is a problem."
"It goes against our very nature." Her lips tightened. "It would be like trying to turn a swan into a shark."

Like the old-blood Moroi, the royal Ondines are immensely wealthy, having amassed fortunes throughout their long lives.

Elemental Magic: Like the Moroi, the Ondines each possess a magical ability.

Broussard's eyes swept the classroom. "Who can name the eight Virtues?"
"Clairvoyance, Kinesis, Projection, Healing, Cloaking, Empath, Teleportation, and Transmutation."

The Dhampirs = The Demilirs/The Gardinels: Half human males who serve as protectors and guardians of the Ondines. They possess the strength and agility that the Ondines do not possess (except for Kendra because she is extra fucking special).

...most non-Redavi demillirs serve as chevaliers because they possess extra-human speed and strength.

There is a considerable amount of tension between the working class guards and the Ondines who think themselves superior to those who have to fight.

"Redavi demillirs take afternoon classes in business and politics. But they usually just hang around bragging about their inheritances."
"Fucking Redavi," Cam muttered under his breath.

The Strigoi = The Aquidae: Both are demonic beings who seek to "turn" the pure into their own wickedly evil race. They used to be normal, until they were turned.

"Aquidae are grotesque demons with no soul. No matter how much they may look like us, they are not. They do not live, but feed off violence and death." She shook her head sadly. "The great tragedy is that these abominations used to be beings of light."

Aquidae were humans or elementals who were turned, either by force or by choice.

Their numbers are endless because they can always be created. The only way to destroy them...is by staking or decapitation.

"How can an Aquidae be killed?"
"By destroying the Origin scar, either through staking or decapitation," Ryder said. "Staking is the easier of the two."

St. Vladimir's Academy = St. Lumiere Academy: A specialized academy, unknown to humans, whose mission is to educate in the use of magic for the "pure" Ondines, and fighting classes for those who live to serve the Ondines.

"Depends on what teacher you get. We're all juniors," Ryder motioned to everyone at the table, "which means we have most of our regular classes together. In the afternoon, we go to chevalier training classes while ondines take elemental magic or Virtue classes."

Rose + Lissa = Kendra: What do you get when you mix Dhampir Rose with Moroi royalty Lissa? You get super special ass-kicking prophecy child Kendra. She has all of Rose's sultry, dark-haired sexiness.

Thick, straight hair tumbled down to my waist, and I gave it a few more swipes with a brush to make it shine. I swept all of it in front of my left shoulder so that my right shoulder lay bare, showing off my tattoo. The familiar feel of my dagger in its usual place at the small of my back comforted me.
Sexy and just a bit dangerous. Exactly the look I was going for.

And Rose's sexuality, and Rose's fighting skills, and Rose's attitude. And none of her depth.

Kendra is Rose in a photograph. You can see what she's like, but there is no personality to her otherwise. She does not grow, she exhibits all of Rose's temper and childishness, and none of the likeability because of the fact that she is so utterly special. Rose is imperfect. Rose is shunned, Rose earns our respect. Kendra does not. Mainly because Kendra exhibits all of what makes Lissa special, as well.

Kendra never has my sympathy because of how utterly fucking special she is.

I remembered that tournament two years ago. I'd won decisively in kumite, the free sparring division against a six-five guy who was over twice my weight. Receiving that trophy was one of the proudest moments of my life.

She is not just a bad-ass fighter, she is also Ondine royalty. Or as they call it here, Redavi.

I knew we were Redavi, which is kind of like nobility in ondine society.

Not only was my mom Redavi, but she was the daughter of the official political leader of Haverleau.

So she has Lissa's royal bloodline. Fucking awesome, and not only that, Kendra has Lissa's special talent in Spirit, as well. Or as they call it here, Empath. And Empath are SOOOOOO FUCKING RARE among the Ondine.

"You're an Empath?" Chloe squeaked. "That's really rare."
"I've never met an Empath before," Ryder said, staring at me like I'd grown horns out of my head.

So not only is she special because she is a fighter, she is royalty, she has special clairvoyance, but Kendra is also part of a prophecy. She will save her people.

"There was a prophecy," Aubrey said. "No one knows the exact details because prophecies are highly protected. But it predicted the coming of an ondine who would have the mark of the elemental diamond on her left ankle, and the mark of water on her right shoulder. As the sondaleur, she'd bring about the end of our war with the Aquidae."

God help us. Not only is she super special, but there is a prophecy involving her birth as well.

Dimitri Belikov = Tristan Belicoux: My god, even their last names sound alike. Tristan is actually Dimitri with a dash of Adrian Ivashkov. Not only is he a very competent bodyguard and fighter...

Every movement was full of power, revealing the litheness of his body and his superior skill and control. Gold streaked through the air as his kouperet staked first one and then the other.
All three Aquidae were on the ground, dead in a pool of thick, dark blood.
I couldn't believe it. I'd never seen anyone move as fast or as effectively as this man just did.

But he is fucking Selkie royalty, as well. He is wealthy, he is refined, he is a Prince and a fighter.

"And of course, you've met Prince Tristan Belicoux."
Prince?
"He's Chief Gardinel and Crown Prince of the Selkie Kingdom."

He is more of a Dimitri than Adrian. Tristan has Dimitri's self control, his sense of loyalty and honor. A blatant ripoff.

Adrian Ivashkov = Julian LeVeq: The playful, insolent playboy, also of royal blood himself. A few years older, a graduate of Lumiere Academy. He has a reputation for dropping panties everywhere he goes.

"He's got quite a rep with the ladies," Chloe said. "And you're totally his type."

There is a hidden depth to him. Adrian Julian lounges a lot. He leans against...stuff.

Julian LeVeq leaned casually against the wall, a small smile playing on his lips.

He chills.

Julian LeVeq leaned casually against the doorjamb with his arms crossed, charisma rolling off him in waves.

He lounges on a park bench. He is smooth. He reads obscure poetry. He is relaxation personified because every fucking time we see him, he's just chillin'.

Julian LeVeq lounged on a bench directly beneath the lamp, reading a battered paperback of The Complete Poetry of Arthur Rimbaud.

Except for when he's fighting. A lover AND a fighter. Color me bored.

Mason Ashford = Ryder: A dhampir demilir. A sandy-haired, muscular, friendly, laughing boy who is one of Rose Kendra's closest friend and ally. Sound familiar?

Forbidden Love: It wouldn't be a Vampire Academy ripoff without a love story, would it? In this case, we have the forbidden love between Dimitri Tristan and Kendra. The love between a guardian and an ondine?! Impossible!!!!!! It would be such a scandal if such a thing were to happen!

Aubrey shot me a surprised look. "You haven't heard? She went Rogue. Ran off last night with the gardinel assigned to her mother. They'd been together secretly for awhile."
Everyone shifted uncomfortably and I suddenly noticed my chest hurt.
"Don't they know what's going to happen?" Chloe shuddered.
No one said anything. We all knew the consequences.

LOVE SQUARE: THIS IS NOT A SIMILARITY TO VA BECAUSE EVERYONE IS IN LOVE WITH KENDRA. Not only the dreamy, swoony, impossible-love of Tristan, but there's also funny, friendly boy Ryder who is once again relegated to the fucking nice boy who is jerked around like a puppet on a string.

Ryder and I spent quite a chunk of time together every day. I didn't consider him my boyfriend, but I did enjoy being around him. He made me laugh and his unfailing admiration made me feel good. Selfish as that feeling may be, I needed it a lot right now.

But there's also Julian on top of that!

Julian probably wanted to add me to his long list of conquered women and he thought his chances would improve if we spent more time together.

So what's better than ONE royalty in love with you? TWO royalty who wants to get into your pants, as well as a boy on the side with whom you can screw around without consequences, because, hey, fuck his feelings, amirite?

Just read Vampire Academy, your mind will thank you from not having to draw out constant similarities.