River Gate (The Elements of Kamdaria Book 5)

Fantastic! Talise is still kicking butt while being human. The intrigue is heavy in this book, and what’s happening is anything but straightforward! Loved the twist at the end- I was wondering who that guy was! The next book is going to be even better!! I just miss a certain character from the first four books and wish he’d come back… but I guess we have to wait, along with Talise!

I received an eARC of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

River Gate by Kay L. Moody is the fifth installment of her novella series The Elements of Kamdaria. I have needed this book like I need air since finishing the first four in December. The series follows Talise, a Master Shaper from the Storm, as she works directly under the emperor to protect the people of Kamdaria. Please note: I will do my best to make this review as spoiler free as possible. However there may be spoilers to previous installments in this review.

Talise is angry and hurt at the beginning of River Gate. Aaden is on a mission, infiltrating the rebel faction that kidnapped Talise in the previous installment. She begged him not to go, but he still went, and now she questions his loyalty to her and the emperor. Talise isn’t one to trust easily. She has few friends, however those she counts as friends she’s fiercely loyal to….at her own detriment. During the previous books, we learn an important secret about Talise. That secret plays a big role in River Gate. It is no longer a secret, and Talise must come to terms with her new role.

This secret along with the secret the emperor kept comes to light. The citizens’ reaction is the catalyst for this story. Talise is sent by the emperor to the Gate (the middle ring of Kamdaria, where most of the citizens live) to win back the loyalty of the people lest they side with the rebel faction. I found this element of the story fascinating. It is the first glimpse the readers have gotten of the socioeconomic status of Kamdaria. We’ve been given hints along the way of how bad it is, but this is the first time we see it through Talise’s eyes. I love this world-building as it adds so much to the story and gives weight to what the rebels are doing.

Overall I really enjoyed River Gate, finishing it in just over a day. Each installment of the series is just over a hundred pages, making for quick, action-packed reads. River Gate is no exception. While the author had introduced us to Talise’s friends Claye and Wendy in the previous installments, they play a larger role here. I loved learning more about both of them and their interactions with Talise, Claye in particular. If you enjoy dystopia and fantasy, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this one.

I adore this series so much! I love the storyline, it’s intriguing and exciting and I love Talise as she settles into her role, as she accepts her new responsibilities, she is totally kicking ass! The world this author has built continues to grow and develop as does the story and her characters and I eagerly await the next episode!

I love Talise so much! I had forgotten how much I love Talise! She is fearless. She is strong. And she is kind. She stands in sharp contrast to the emperor who is so fixated on this war that he seems to have forgotten why he is fighting. Talise, struggling with the continued absence of Aaden, shines as she consistently fights for what she believes is right, regardless of her father’s demands. She is also learning to step into her role as a princess and future ruler while listening to the nobility and the people. In this book, more than ever before, Talise reminded me of Katniss from the Hunger Games. She accepts the high cost of caring for others, even at the risk of her own personal safety.

In River Gate, Talise stands up against the emperor and is tasked with changing the people’s view of the royal family. As she hears their needs, she grows more frustrated with the emperor’s focus on the war and the way his economic policies seem to be for the good of the upper class rather than all of his citizens. As a result, she begins to visit the people in their home villages in order to offer solutions to their problems.

There were a couple of unique things about this book. Aaden never appeared and there was no new information about him or his absence. Despite his being constantly in her thoughts, his absence is neither an excuse nor a hindrance to Talise’s actions. I also felt like I got to know several of the side characters (and their motivations) a bit more deeply. And while the story is complete on its own, it definitely helps to know the story leading up to this one. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

I received a free ARC of this book from the author and have reviewed it willingly.

I love this story and these characters! Fun surprises keep coming. This is a great episode continuing the story, more to come though! Cant wait!

Wherein focus shifts from learning about Talise to learning about Kamdaria. Up to this point in the series most if the attention has been on Talise, who she is, her relationships, and what she can do. In the River Gate, we learn more about her people and see Gate for the first time. Talise does a lot of growing up in this book as she sees with new eyes both sides of the conflict in her nation and starts to understand the underlying pressures and influences.

It was a nuanced, balanced approach to the situation. Nothing is truly black and white. We all know history is written by the winners, who use their brush to paint with a broad stroke the villains and heroes. Reality is rarely so clear, as both sides are generally fighting hard to protect and preserve something valuable to them against an enemy they see as acting in a way that is unreasonable. Talise begins to see all these distinct motivations, and learns in a very personal way about the law of unintended consequences.

This is book 5 in a series of novellas that just keeps getting better. They are chronological and build on each other, later books are definitely spoilers for earlier ones. Start with the Ice Crown, it is an adventure you will enjoy traveling.

*I read an early copy from the publisher. This does not affect my review.*

Intriguing, and nicely done! <- My actual thoughts on the ending, and about the overall installment. This one is very much a 'transition' story, where many things happen, and most of it will lead to events in the coming books, but not a lot is clear or can be seen just yet. Talise spends her time between trying to accept her role, and new found leadership powers, as princess, while still missing Aaden and her place among her friends as her new responsibilities change the dynamics of the life she's been used to. I loved seeing a bit more of the lands of Kamdaria in this, and I'm sure even more in future installments, as well as getting to see Talise really make an effort to understand what's going on. She has felt something was...off for a while, and I'm glad to see she's starting to ask questions from those who can give her the answers she needs. So much in this story is about subtly, subtle looks, subtle changes in expression or body language, subtle hints in wording or tone...Wow, I'm excited to see what's really going on, and to see how her friends and their relationships are changes as her mission to protect Kamdaria plays out.

A great read that grabbed me from start to finish. A fast paced read that is action packed, and has epic scenes the way they are written I felt is like I was living Vicariously through the characters. I. Could not put the read down. The Character building and World Building is fantastic I definitely recommend this read.
Shauna Joesten