Even with great power at Talise’s fingertips, this rescue might still be impossible.
As she and her friends head toward enemy territory, new obstacles meet them at every turn. Her army is running out of supplies. The nearby citizens won’t help if they’re already working for the enemy. Even worse, Talise doesn’t even have a map of the base she needs to infiltrate.
In desperation, she turns to … infiltrate.
In desperation, she turns to the man who has the power to give them everything they need. Unfortunately, that man is the emperor, who also has the power to imprison her once it’s all over.
But Talise is determined to do whatever must be done. With the life of her best friend’s brother on the line, she’ll either rescue the prisoners… or die trying.
Ember Gate is episode 8 of The Elements of Kamdaria. Don’t miss the other books in this novella series.
Episode 1: Ice Crown
Episode 2: Wind Crown
Episode 3: Dust Crown
Episode 4: Flame Crown
Episode 5: River Gate
Episode 6: Smoke Gate
Episode 7: Vine Gate
Episode 8: Ember Gate
Episode 9: Water Storm
Episode 10: Air Storm
Episode 11: Earth Storm
Episode 12: Fire Storm
Or get the bundles that include 4 novellas each
The Elements of the Crown (includes novellas 1-4: Ice Crown, Wind Crown, Dust Crown, and Flame Crown)
The Elements of the Gate (includes novellas 5-8: River Gate, Smoke Gate, Vine Gate, and Ember Gate)
The Elements of the Storm (includes novellas 9-12: Water Storm, Air Storm, Earth Storm, and Fire Storm)
more
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
The end is in sight! Ember Gate by Kay L. Moody is the eighth installment of the novella series The Elements of Kamdaria, and picks up a few weeks after the events of Vine Gate. If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, there may be minor spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk! Talise and her friends are close to the Kessouku main base, ready to rescue the soldiers who were taken from the Crown. Among those prisoners is Wendy’s brother. Talise is determined to do whatever it takes to save her people, but her own soldiers are running out of supplies as winter closes in. She has to do something she doesn’t want to do: ask the emperor for help. Ember Gate is full of action and deception from those you don’t expect.
Talise is ready to move forward. She has come to terms with Aaden’s betrayal, and she is ready to take Kessouku down. However she is still confused. She believes in what Kessouku originally fought for: equality in the empire. It’s how they are going about achieving it that she disagrees with. While reconciling her beliefs for her people, there is also the matter of her heart. She isn’t fully over her feelings for Aaden, but Claye is there. He is kind and loves her. And he gives her butterflies, that has to be good right?
The plot revolves around Talise and her soldiers planning an attack on the Kessouku base. As they plan, Talise begins suspecting that there is a spy in their camp. She trusts her friends implicitly, and this trust could be her downfall. I like how the author interweaves the action and suspense. Talise and her closest friends enter the base undercover while her soldiers draw Kessouku out for a battle. This creates wonderful tension as Talise, Wendy, and Claye enter the base with a few others. They have to move quickly and a lot rides on it.
Overall I enjoyed Ember Gate. However it felt like a filler book. Not much happens until the end and then EVERYTHING happens. It’s a slow read up to that point. I’m curious and excited to see how the events of this book affect Talise going forward. A big twist leaves you with a not so happy ending. If you enjoy fantasy, I highly recommend this novella series.
Ember Gate is the eighth book in the Elements of Kamdaria series. In this book, Talise tries to rescue the prisoners of Kessoku, including Cyrus, Wendy’s brother. But in order to do so, she needs help. Life in the gate is difficult for Talise and her soldiers. Supplies are running out and winter is coming. The only option is to ask for the help of the emperor. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters. There were many twists and turns, one of which was huge and emotional. I really didn’t see it coming. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kay L Moody continues the amazing journey with book eight of The Elements of Kamdaria series, Ember Gate. In this book, Talise and crew set out to rescue the prisoners held by Kessoku, including Cyrus, Wendy’s brother.
Ember Gate was skillfully written. The story is full of surprises and deceit. I appreciated the outcome with Aaden and Claye. My heart went out to Talise and everything she has endured.
I have said it before in previous reviews of this series, but I am going to say it again. The Elements of Kamdaria would make an incredible television or movie series. It would be visually appealing and thrilling. I cannot wait for the next book. I recommend The Elements of Kamdaria to people that enjoy magical fantasies. I also recommend reading the books in order. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
My emotions!!
I almost wanted to rate this as 4 stars instead of 5 simply because I was upset lol. But she definitely made the reader feel something. Like, all of the somethings. I was about in tears at one point. Kay does not mess around in this book! As upset as I am as a reader, I am very impressed with what she was able to accomplish in this book. It does take skill to leave a reader in such turmoil, to be sure! 6 star out of 5 stars there! Very very well done!
Kay is very skilled and I recommend this entire series to everyone, but with a warning to prepare your emotions for the rollercoaster that follows! Things aren’t easy for main characters in any book, but gosh dang, things are ridiculously IMPOSSIBLE for Talise in this series! As the romance element grows, it only gets worse.
If you like books where the main character is up against insurmountable odds, I don’t know that you’ll find much better than these books!
Once again, this series does not fail to surprise! If you read the blurb you know that Talise has found herself and her army in a bit of a desperate situation driving her to make plans and alliances that are completely out of character. I just wanted to scream at her to slow down and look for other options because what she was doing was wrong and inevitably was going to blow up in her face. But time was of the essence. And it did blow up, but not at all the way I anticipated. This is the end of the Gate arc, moving into Storm so certain parts of this book were inevitable, but how they happened still managed to be unexpected.
For the #TeamAaden vs #TeamClaye people……WOW! yeah, that situation really blows up. Some sweet moments, more betrayal, and yet more reveals – not necessarily in that order.
Another incredible, fast read. This is book 8 in the series, read them in order as this is a story that really grows as the writing progresses.
Talise and her followers are ready to take action against the Kessoku, but first, they need to rescue those that are being held prisoner. This rescue mission is personal since Wendy’s older brother Cyrus is one of the prisoners. Winter approaches as Talise and her army head toward Kessoku’s main base, and they are slowly running out of supplies and food.
Talise sends word to the Emperor for assistance, even though it means her probable imprisonment. She’ll do whatever it takes to save her best friend’s brother and the other prisoners before she fights to end the Kessoku forever.
In Ember Gate, Talise demonstrates yet again why she is quickly becoming my favorite protagonist. She is an exceptional teacher, friend, and leader, and her self-reflective and honorable character proves wise beyond her eighteen years. I like that Talise constantly questions and considers the ramifications of her actions before acting. She truly wants the best for Kamdaria.
I also love the way that she involves her people in the decision-making. By putting her trust in them, she proves that she is a worthy leader. The stakes grow ever-higher for Talise, and the EPIC motivational rise-and-fight-for-me speech shows just how far Talise has come. I’ve enjoyed watching her grow into a strong and admirable person that people want to follow, and she is the progressive leader that could bring change and unity to her kingdom.
As the series progresses, the story becomes more intense and suspenseful, and the nail-biting, gasp-out-loud events in Ember Gate suggest that we’re nearing a big battle against the Kessoku. However, I have a feeling Kay L. Moody will throw a few twists and turns in first. She sure did in this book!
Just when I thought I had The Elements of Kamdaria series all figured out, Kay L. Moody throws a wicked twist that I did not see coming!! I won’t give anything away, but holy cow! I am not okay…but I kind of am? I need to know more about this unexpected happening and the motivations behind it.
It seems the more that is revealed, the more complex things become for Talise. There are several shocking moments in Ember Gate that contradict Talise’s beliefs and shake her to the core. Knowing how smart and determined she is, and how hard on herself she is, Talise is sure to struggle with what she learned and how to progress. I can’t wait to see where her journey leads her next!
Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
This was pretty good. I didn’t see that certain twist coming (I’m hurt by it–but it is what it is). Looking forward to the next book as usual. I have a feeling it’s going to be greater than this one, considering how things are shaken up now.
Okay, so way too many spoilers, and so much happens as this is the end of the 2nd book, and if you’ve read Flame Crown you know the tension and excitement are high, more so in this one! I will say that I was internally giddy, and probably grinned all the way through reading this one! I also loved seeing some of the things I had predicted earlier in the series, plus some other things I was wondering about finally get touched on in this one, some being resolved, while other leading to interesting changes that I’m so excited to see as the series continues!
Wow! The truth finally came crashing down!
Just when I was thinking how did Claye became so charming & good at everything and begun to question my thoughts about him because I had my suspicions about him for a while now, the truth was finally revealed. And it hurt because just like Talise I was starting to think that maybe he was not like what I initially thought
But Talise must and will get over this because she has Kamdaria to save
ARC received from the author for an honest review
Oh, my heart! Seriously this series is amazing! So many surprises, action, great friendships. I love Talise’s heart. She’s strong, courageous, determined. I can’t wait for the next episode! Thankfully Moody doesn’t make us wait too long between releases
A fantastic read, And A fantastic Series. This read has scenes that are written epically. It grabbed me right from the beginning to the end of the read. It had me on the edge of my seat. The world building is fantastic as well as the Characters and there personalites. I definitely recommend.
Shauna Joesten
Omg there is so much happening and none of it was expected. Poor Talise. I said to before and I’ll say again I juts want her to win. She is really going through it right now y’all. This pace of this book was awesome. There was a lot of action and finally a few revelations that I’ve been waiting for. The author did a wonderful job of giving me all the feels. Somehow she balances heartbreak and hope expertly. By the end you’re dying for more pages. Love it so much.
Received as an ARC copy, this is an honest review. As the weather turns frigid, the time seems no better than to rescue those taken by Kessoku. Entering enemy territory, Talise fights to convince the those living there that there is worth being a part of Kamdaria. With a desperate rescue plan and little hope of being back by the emperor… Talise must go forward and challenge their enemy, sacrificing everything in the process. Highly recommended.
Talise, her friends, and her soldiers are on the run from both the emperor and the Kessoku, and their resources are running out. Winter has come and they need blankets in addition to food in order to survive. In order to save her soldiers, Talise makes a deal with the emperor. The deal includes her returning home to what may be equal to her own captivity but will allow her to rescue Wendy’s brother Cyrus and the other prisoners first and possibly even defeat the Kessoku for good. Time is running out. An unforeseen betrayal changes everything. Help doesn’t arrive when expected, but unexpected help comes just in time. And Talise is faced once again with the choice of trusting her friends or, like her father, trusting no one.
Talise’s nobility and concern for her people are again highlighted as she teaches those at Ember Gate how to defend themselves in preparation for the upcoming war. She is also forced to consider that while many of the Kessoku are out to kill her and her family, others simply want to restore unity to the land and that all of the Kessoku are part of Kamdaria – her people. But who is truly on her side?
I received a free ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly.
Action, drama, bitter betrayal!
I can’t get enough of this series. Talise is trying to rescue the prisoners and she is met with resistance every step of the way. Her friends and soldiers are loyal to her but she doesn’t want to start a war they will not win. Time is running out for them all and they need to stay one step ahead at all times.
This book has twists and turns that you never saw coming and a huge betrayal is devastating.
I highly recommend this book and series.