What do you think?
Rate this book
Stormkindler
Off the north coast of Midlands a fell wind blows, bringing with it a shadow and a threat. A ship carrying a dangerous crew waits to spring a trap that could change the fates of thousands. And none of them even know it exists.
Glorya Sunchaser has made a name for herself across the known lands. Now she faces her next returning to school for the first time in years. She brings her niece, Zayira, who is of age to study at Weatherwatch, Midlands' premier--and only--weatherworking school, and Glorya has vowed to look after the child as if she were her own. Zayira's abilities don't fit into the molds the school has cast, and she fears for the girl's safety.
One of them goes to learn; the other goes to fill the shoes of her beloved mentor, whose passage beyond this world has left a hole for the students and staff that no one else can fill. In his wake he leaves a mystery Glorya must race to solve before it falls into the wrong hands.
Neither can see what waits for them in the dark.
Glorya Sunchaser has made a name for herself across the known lands. Now she faces her next returning to school for the first time in years. She brings her niece, Zayira, who is of age to study at Weatherwatch, Midlands' premier--and only--weatherworking school, and Glorya has vowed to look after the child as if she were her own. Zayira's abilities don't fit into the molds the school has cast, and she fears for the girl's safety.
One of them goes to learn; the other goes to fill the shoes of her beloved mentor, whose passage beyond this world has left a hole for the students and staff that no one else can fill. In his wake he leaves a mystery Glorya must race to solve before it falls into the wrong hands.
Neither can see what waits for them in the dark.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 21, 2025
Back in the elegant and magical world of Emily Barlow, I was excited to start a new journey and see what the weather patterns blew my way. Welcome to “Stormkindler” book 1 in Emily's ‘The Weatherworker Chronicles’. A unique yet unassumingly powerful magic system headlines a creative and fun YA jaunt. Following a talented new Weatherworker and her friends, navigating school life, secrets, sinister pirates and social acceptance… What else is hiding for us in the approaching storm clouds?! 🌩️
I stated that we are “back” in this world Emily has created. With this being book 1, you may be asking …what?! Well, Emily published a Novella “Sunchaser” that reads as a prequel to this series, this was my introduction to Barlow and her writing. Landing on my reading list as an entry in this year's Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, I found myself entranced with the flow and creativity of her writing and wanted more! Thrilled I was to find out she had a follow up, and it was a novel…yes, more is better! 👊
“Stormkindler” picks up after the events of “Sunchaser” as well as continues the story of our Novellas MC “Gloria Sunchaser”. Gloria is what this world calls a Weatherworker…someone who has the magical capabilities to manipulate certain aspects of the weather. This is the unique magic system that this series revolves around.
**I implore anyone reading this review to read the Novella first, as it does a great job explaining this system that highlights the magic of this world**
Gloria, having already completed her studies at the mysterious school “Weatherwatch” and earning her gold pin as a Sunchaser, is back at the very school that started her journey…called back as a teacher (based on her accomplishments around the world from the Novella), she accompanies her niece Zayira to Weatherwatch where she will begin her studies as a Weatherworker herself. Hiding a secret about her and her abilities, Gloria keeps a weather eye on Zayira and her growth throughout this entry…this is the journey we are embarking on, and it's not always sunny skies and light breezes atop the mountain that hides the school. 😏
Gloria in her first year as a teacher for the Sunchasers, and Zayira in her first year of school, do their best to settle in, fit in, and progress in these new chapters of their lives. Old friends, new faces, and the ever present social hierarchy set the tone and setting for the beginning of our jaunt. Being a YA entry, you won't find big, violent, bloody battles or harsh language…but in a slight variance from the Novella’s tone, this ‘young reader friendly’ book isn't without its darker tones and let's say, not so innocent, suggestive scenes. Pirates sail these waters and they intend to rid the world of these weather bending heathens, and the stain they smear across their beliefs. I mean…this quote should shed light on this entries darker side,
“We will conquer this den of evil and feed its children to the Father of the Underworld to feast!”
See…darkness is in the forecast! Secrets held within the school, betrayal from unexpected allies and friends, as well as trust that shouldn't be called upon at such a young age, all fill the pages and send us riding wind currents both beautiful and violent! 😈
My only issue with this book (and a big reason I recommend reading the Novella first) is that the weather bending magic this series boasts isn't explained enough…imo. We learn that there are three separate abilities, briefly experiencing some in use…but it's left highly up to the reader's imagination. “Sunchaser” broke down the magic abilities in a much more detailed and elegant way, allowing us readers to visualize each working and scene, driving home the wonder and beauty of this creation of Emily's. Like I said, my only issue, and still definitely recommend to any that find this level of fantasy in their wheelhouse! YA isn't my usual fantasy genre, but Barlow did a great job of holding this reader's attention. 📚
4⭐ for this meteorological super storm, sweeping in to unsettle a group of young minds and their innocent lives. No skipping classes and make sure your studies have you at the top of the class…magic, swordplay and bravery will be called upon to weather this storm. 🔥
I stated that we are “back” in this world Emily has created. With this being book 1, you may be asking …what?! Well, Emily published a Novella “Sunchaser” that reads as a prequel to this series, this was my introduction to Barlow and her writing. Landing on my reading list as an entry in this year's Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, I found myself entranced with the flow and creativity of her writing and wanted more! Thrilled I was to find out she had a follow up, and it was a novel…yes, more is better! 👊
“Stormkindler” picks up after the events of “Sunchaser” as well as continues the story of our Novellas MC “Gloria Sunchaser”. Gloria is what this world calls a Weatherworker…someone who has the magical capabilities to manipulate certain aspects of the weather. This is the unique magic system that this series revolves around.
**I implore anyone reading this review to read the Novella first, as it does a great job explaining this system that highlights the magic of this world**
Gloria, having already completed her studies at the mysterious school “Weatherwatch” and earning her gold pin as a Sunchaser, is back at the very school that started her journey…called back as a teacher (based on her accomplishments around the world from the Novella), she accompanies her niece Zayira to Weatherwatch where she will begin her studies as a Weatherworker herself. Hiding a secret about her and her abilities, Gloria keeps a weather eye on Zayira and her growth throughout this entry…this is the journey we are embarking on, and it's not always sunny skies and light breezes atop the mountain that hides the school. 😏
Gloria in her first year as a teacher for the Sunchasers, and Zayira in her first year of school, do their best to settle in, fit in, and progress in these new chapters of their lives. Old friends, new faces, and the ever present social hierarchy set the tone and setting for the beginning of our jaunt. Being a YA entry, you won't find big, violent, bloody battles or harsh language…but in a slight variance from the Novella’s tone, this ‘young reader friendly’ book isn't without its darker tones and let's say, not so innocent, suggestive scenes. Pirates sail these waters and they intend to rid the world of these weather bending heathens, and the stain they smear across their beliefs. I mean…this quote should shed light on this entries darker side,
“We will conquer this den of evil and feed its children to the Father of the Underworld to feast!”
See…darkness is in the forecast! Secrets held within the school, betrayal from unexpected allies and friends, as well as trust that shouldn't be called upon at such a young age, all fill the pages and send us riding wind currents both beautiful and violent! 😈
My only issue with this book (and a big reason I recommend reading the Novella first) is that the weather bending magic this series boasts isn't explained enough…imo. We learn that there are three separate abilities, briefly experiencing some in use…but it's left highly up to the reader's imagination. “Sunchaser” broke down the magic abilities in a much more detailed and elegant way, allowing us readers to visualize each working and scene, driving home the wonder and beauty of this creation of Emily's. Like I said, my only issue, and still definitely recommend to any that find this level of fantasy in their wheelhouse! YA isn't my usual fantasy genre, but Barlow did a great job of holding this reader's attention. 📚
4⭐ for this meteorological super storm, sweeping in to unsettle a group of young minds and their innocent lives. No skipping classes and make sure your studies have you at the top of the class…magic, swordplay and bravery will be called upon to weather this storm. 🔥
July 9, 2025
Oh man the last 70 or so pages we SO intense! I'll keep this spoiler free and just say that this sequel definitely doesn't hold back.
I really loved where Emily takes the magic system in this book and I cannot wait to see what new ideas she has in future Weatherworker books.
Also curious to see if some of the new characters earn their own book in the future...
I really loved where Emily takes the magic system in this book and I cannot wait to see what new ideas she has in future Weatherworker books.
Also curious to see if some of the new characters earn their own book in the future...
July 1, 2026
It was so good to return to the world of The Weatherworker Chronicles. It was a pleasure and an adventure getting to know Gloria in Sunchaser and I knew I would enjoy this story, but was still amazed at how quickly I forged connections with characters in Stormkindler. Fantastic writing!
This was a two person POV story, with one mirroring the other across the age difference of the two FMC's. It reinforced the themes of persistence, strength and empathy which really struck home for me in book 1. I liked these characters for the challenges they faced and the determination they showed resolving them. The author has done a superb job of building individuals, emotion after emotion, scene by scene.
The magic system was clever and very well crafted, with some science added for verisimilitude (just the right amount to feel authentic). That made the reading even more enjoyable for me.
The story started out quite ruthlessly but it set the scene well and gave insight into motivations. The twist later in the book still caught me by surprise! Great plotting by Ms Barlow.
The narration was so good. I loved how the underplayed energy came through perfectly to bring life to each interaction. Ms Parker has a lovely tone to her voice and listening as she brought these people into reality quickly built a three dimensional world in my head - the perfect narrative experience.
I really am relishing the time I spend with these stories and can only hope for more in the series.
This was a two person POV story, with one mirroring the other across the age difference of the two FMC's. It reinforced the themes of persistence, strength and empathy which really struck home for me in book 1. I liked these characters for the challenges they faced and the determination they showed resolving them. The author has done a superb job of building individuals, emotion after emotion, scene by scene.
The magic system was clever and very well crafted, with some science added for verisimilitude (just the right amount to feel authentic). That made the reading even more enjoyable for me.
The story started out quite ruthlessly but it set the scene well and gave insight into motivations. The twist later in the book still caught me by surprise! Great plotting by Ms Barlow.
The narration was so good. I loved how the underplayed energy came through perfectly to bring life to each interaction. Ms Parker has a lovely tone to her voice and listening as she brought these people into reality quickly built a three dimensional world in my head - the perfect narrative experience.
I really am relishing the time I spend with these stories and can only hope for more in the series.
July 6, 2026
Glorya Sunchaser is now a seasoned weather worker. She has had adventures all over and is well known for her abilities. When the school has a need for a new teacher, Glorya decides to help out temporarily since her niece, Zayira, has shown the talent for weather working and is of the age to attend the school. They travel together to the school and face different challenges as the year progresses, but they face the final challenge together as they fight to save the school and the students.
Glorya is still the confident woman she was when we met her in the prequel novella. She is definitely a take charge kind of person and has no problem settling in. Zayira is a lot like her aunt, with the added bonus of being able to work more than one kind of weather magic. She is just as determined and willing to put herself out there. She will definitely let someone know what she thinks, even if it means she gets reprimanded.
This is a slower paced story and takes place over the course of a school year for a majority of it. There was not a lot of the actual weather magic as I was expecting after the prequel. They did use it a bit, but this more about the school and the intruders as they made their way to the shore. It was a dual POV between Glorya and Zayira. I did enjoy both POV's and it gave the story more depth. This was also a quick listen for me and enjoyed being back in this world.
Glorya is still the confident woman she was when we met her in the prequel novella. She is definitely a take charge kind of person and has no problem settling in. Zayira is a lot like her aunt, with the added bonus of being able to work more than one kind of weather magic. She is just as determined and willing to put herself out there. She will definitely let someone know what she thinks, even if it means she gets reprimanded.
This is a slower paced story and takes place over the course of a school year for a majority of it. There was not a lot of the actual weather magic as I was expecting after the prequel. They did use it a bit, but this more about the school and the intruders as they made their way to the shore. It was a dual POV between Glorya and Zayira. I did enjoy both POV's and it gave the story more depth. This was also a quick listen for me and enjoyed being back in this world.
June 25, 2026
This was such a good read! Once I started it, I literally could not put it down.
I’m so glad I read the novella first because it added so much depth to Gloria’s character, and I already felt at home in the world by the time this book started.
I absolutely loved the sweet, protective kinship between Gloria and Zayira. Zayira was one of my favorite characters because she was so genuinely kind to everyone, but when someone needed to be put in their place, she never hesitated. Watching her and Gloria constantly look out for each other and lean on one another when everything went sideways was one of my favorite parts of the story.
The last third of this book is absolutely wild. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I won’t spoil anything, but I loved the way it all wrapped up… especially what happened to the Headmaster (he was the worrsssttt)
I listened to the audiobook and man that is definitely the way to go for this series! I really loved the narrator and she just does an amazing job at brining the story to life.
I have been completely won over by this series, and I already cannot wait to get my hands on book two!
Thank you to Cheryl-Annette Parker for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’m so glad I read the novella first because it added so much depth to Gloria’s character, and I already felt at home in the world by the time this book started.
I absolutely loved the sweet, protective kinship between Gloria and Zayira. Zayira was one of my favorite characters because she was so genuinely kind to everyone, but when someone needed to be put in their place, she never hesitated. Watching her and Gloria constantly look out for each other and lean on one another when everything went sideways was one of my favorite parts of the story.
The last third of this book is absolutely wild. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I won’t spoil anything, but I loved the way it all wrapped up… especially what happened to the Headmaster (he was the worrsssttt)
I listened to the audiobook and man that is definitely the way to go for this series! I really loved the narrator and she just does an amazing job at brining the story to life.
I have been completely won over by this series, and I already cannot wait to get my hands on book two!
Thank you to Cheryl-Annette Parker for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 24, 2026
Stormkindler brings us back into Emily Barlow's world through Glorya — except now she's the one with the new job, navigating grown-up "first day" jitters as a sun-chaser instructor at her Alma Mater. Meanwhile, her niece Zayira is starting her own first day, training as a Stormkindler at Weatherwatch. Watching both of them stumble through new beginnings at the same time, in the same family, gave this book such a tender double coming-of-age feel. The vibes were pure cozy and real.
The school-conflict-and-new-friends arc for Zayira hits that perfect cozy academic sweet spot — just enough tension to matter, never so much it stops feeling warm. And the found family threads (new and old) made this an easy 5 stars for me.
Listened to this one as an audiobook and the narration was solid and well-matched to the story's tone the whole way through.
Emily Barlow has become one of my favorite comfort-read authors, and Stormkindler might be my favorite of hers yet.
The school-conflict-and-new-friends arc for Zayira hits that perfect cozy academic sweet spot — just enough tension to matter, never so much it stops feeling warm. And the found family threads (new and old) made this an easy 5 stars for me.
Listened to this one as an audiobook and the narration was solid and well-matched to the story's tone the whole way through.
Emily Barlow has become one of my favorite comfort-read authors, and Stormkindler might be my favorite of hers yet.
October 29, 2025
I couldn't wait to come back to the magic system in Barlow's book series. There's a rugged feel to it like the sailors alongside it that does the hard work without unnecessary theatrics which I find inspiring. It's a YA book and I feel it would be incomplete without at least a touch of the chosen one, but Zayira is not the type to let it go to her head. A farm girl in her big heart, she's more likely to buckle down and do the necessary work and eschew any sort of glory. Add in a YA voyage of discovery of hatred, generational trauma, and class based exploitation, and there's a lot swirling around inside this hurricane.
Does that mean Windwaker is the next book? One can only hope.
Does that mean Windwaker is the next book? One can only hope.
March 19, 2026
Zayira is such an interesting character, and I love how she is so knowledgeable even before she arrives at the school due to her experiences with her Aunt and on the farm. I like how she sees the best in people and tries to include everyone. This world could use a little more of that. I would love to see more of the adventures of all of these characters, especially Glorya and Zayira. I'm a fan of anything weather, so this magic system and world-building captured my attention from the start, especially in Sunchaser. I would be one of those that would also recommend reading Sunchaser first for those weather working details. Loved! ❤️
June 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this book in the series. Much more detailed than the novella, but I still felt there could be more detail in the story. The characters and magic system are interesting, and it was nice being able to go back to school which I felt was missing in the first book. I really enjoyed the narration too. Thank you to the narrator for a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2026
The last third of the book was jam-packed with action. The sweet ending was great and now I'm curious to know where the characters end up next!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews