Talise’s spiritual journey is complete, but the enemy is more powerful than ever.
Rivers have been drained and forests burned to the ground, all in the name of change. Despite her own desire for change, the current destruction could wipe out entire cities if it continues. To stop it, she must steal a priceless artifact.
But with such a powerful enemy, even a simple heist could end in death. She must hide her soldiers. She must ask for help from someone who might hate her. She must train like she’s never trained before. Even then, she knows she’s walking into a trap.
If she succeeds, Kamdaria will be safe again. And if she fails, her life won’t be the only one that is lost.
Kay L. Moody is the YA fantasy author of COURT OF BITTER THORN and THE ELEMENTS OF THE CROWN. Her books feature rich world building, slow burn romance, mythical creatures, and twisty plots.
As a lover of strong female characters, books, and the color pink, she enjoys diving into magical worlds where characters can overcome even their darkest struggles. She lives in the western United States with her husband and four sons. Connect with Kay directly when you follow her on social media @kaylmoody
Kay L. Moody’s Vine Gate is another thrilling addition to The Elements of Kamdaria series. In this story, Talises sets out to steal back the Kamdar’s Amulet from the Kessoku. It takes place following book six, Smoke Gate.
Kay L. Moody continues to a great job creating conspiracy and excitement in this series. Talises has undergone a lot. It has become difficult for her to know who she can trust. I appreciate that she realizes that she cannot to do everything on her own and needs to be able to rely on others.
Vine Gate had a conclusion that is making me anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. I would love to see The Elements of Kamdaria turned into a television or movie series. It would be visually appealing. This book is suitable for young adults. I recommend it to people who enjoy magical fantasies. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Ahhh, at last this ARC came into my arms.... Good as where the others. I will give it three stars though because I found it too short, and there weren't any grand surprises or events. Don't get me wrong things happened in here, important things for the story to move on. I just didn't love it. So I will give it an average three because I have a good impression of this series. 👼👼👼💭
Now that the Kessoku has possession of the amulet, Talise must find a way to steal it back. When news of the Kessoku leader’s death and upcoming elections surface, she sees a perfect distraction to retrieve the amulet. However, with a risky plan and little time to prepare, can Talise and her followers find the amulet without getting caught? It’s a race against time to save Kamdaria and all that Talise holds dear.
Talise hears of the chaos erupting in Kamdaria. Civil strife, violent battles, fires, and more plague Kamdaria, which devastates Talise. Her efforts to improve Kamdaria have mixed results, and Talise realizes that there is no easy fix to the deep problems that riddle her world. I found this delve into the socio-economic system and the inner workings of Kamdaria very interesting. Talise witnesses a complex ripple effect, as a result of her benevolent actions, that has benefits and disadvantages. I have a feeling that this experience will help her become a better leader, as she will be better able to predict smart and appropriate ways to help the people. Of course, first, she has to get that amulet, defeat the Kessoku, and usurp her father.
I love that this story included fast-paced and nail-biting action, especially when Talise and her team infiltrate the enemies and try to retrieve the amulet. As the previous story was more about Talise’s spiritual journey, this is more of a physical one. Talise is emotionally stronger which empowers her to act. Her surety, as well as the support of her friends, also gives her the strength to confront her feelings for Aaden.
In Vine Gate, Talise and Aaden finally reunite, though only briefly. I thought these were important scenes for both characters. Talise still misses and is confused by Aaden, and she needs closure. Their lives are complicated and headed in different directions, and they needed some finality before they could fully move forward. I have a feeling that their paths will cross again, but Talise has finally realized who she can depend on.
This is the first book where Talise makes a concerted effort to trust her friends. She is slowly learning that keeping secrets and trying to do everything alone is not always the best way to succeed. Wendy and Claye, in particular, have proven trustworthy, intelligent, and loyal to a fault. I like that Talise is listening to, learning from, and trusting in them.
There is also a bit of a romance developing, which I like. Talise won’t give her heart too easily now, but I have a feeling her love interest is willing to wait. This seems like it’s going to be a slow-burning, slow-developing, deeply loving relationship (or, at least, that’s what I’m hoping!), not a relationship built on mistrust, secrets, and competitive pressure.
This is an excellent continuation of The Elements of Kamdaria series. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Another anxiety inducing mission down but Talise is far from finished. This seventh installment is as great as the first six. I'm again counting down the days until book eight releases. I'm dying to know how this series will eventually wrap up (though I could read a series like this forever).
Wow! This is a fab continuation of this series! Well written and action packed, this fast paced read will just grab you and not let go. I love the storyline, love the characters , love the excitement, the intensity and the romance that is slowly brewing and am waiting with bated breathe for the next instalment!
Book Title: Vine Gate (The Elements of Kamdaria Book 7)
Author: Kay L Moody
My rating 1-5
Edit quality:5 World Building:4 Characters : Main character 5 ; Supporting Characters 4
My attempt at a summary:
This is the 7th book in the series. Talise finally comes to terms with her choice and goes to retrieve an item that will take down her enemies. The difference is she has accepted that she will rely on faith and start trusting people. This is the main plot line in this story .
A new love interest comes into view from the unlikeliest of candidates. Aaden has firmly set his feet in the Antagonist arena with his father. So now they can be the happy family he wants but fighting for the opposite side.
Which leads us to starting book 8 whenever that will be released, how will she use power without it corrupting her? Will she be able to save everyone she is wanting to save? How will the Emperor fit into all of this?
You, Me and the rest of the world would like to know.
Spoilers/ Suggestions:
Although her buddy Claye who she had no feelings for in the beginning starts too look like the tasty option since smolder face Aaden decided to turn his back on her. Not just turn his back on her, bruise her, betray her...multiple times, manipulate her. So heres the dealeo, if she EVER in the future ends up with Aaden, I could never respect her as a woman. RIP smolder face.
Although it looks like it's taking A LOT of effort for a smidge of chemistry to exist between Talise and Claye, yeah.....not feeling it at all.
Also playing hot potato with the amulet was nerve wracking, and even though in the book she made a decision to get the amulet. Nope. Let's obtain it, let's destroy it, okay I'll use it I guess? Girl has commitment issues with everything it seems.
I can honestly say if things dont turn around in the next installment, I dont know how much of this fantasy version of "The Series of Unfortunate Events" I can take.
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.
Vine Gate by Kay L. Moody is the seventh installment of her novella series The Elements of Kamdaria. I adore this series! Each installment is better than the last even when I think that’s impossible. If you haven’t started the series yet, please note that there may be minor spoilers to previous books in this review. At the end of Smoke Gate, Kessouku stole the amulet from Talise. Now the empire is in chaos as they use the amulet’s power to wreak havoc on the emperor and people of the Crown. Talise and her crew are desperate to get it back. The question is how.
Talise is done mourning Aaden’s betrayal. She’s ready to move on though the hurt lingers. Her distrust of her friends has caused more problems than she bargained for. Talise is learning to trust Claye and Wendy more than she ever has. They know everything about her, and she is done keeping secrets. She is learning to rely on them, and I love how this shows her character’s growth.
As Talise begins to move on from Aaden, she begins seeing Claye in a new light. He is still her friend, but there might be more there. While I’m not a fan of love triangles, this feels different. The author is allowing the relationship between the two friends to grow naturally. It’s interesting seeing a different side of Claye, and we get even more information about him as we meet his family at the Vine Gate.
Overall I really enjoyed this installment. Vine Gate focuses on character growth with an action-packed, explosive ending. Fans of YA fantasy will devour this series.
The amulet with the ability or change the fate of this three sided conflict is in enemy hands. Which calls for a heist. They had a plan, a really good plan. You know what that means! Talise's new found ability to trust is really put to the test in this book as her best hope for success are often not the people closest to her.
This world continues to grow increasingly complex on all levels. Every time Talise moves we learn more about the fantastically layered world and varied peoples. She's learned that Kamdaria's history and leadership was not what she though, and that her helpful actions sometimes have completely unintended and sometimes even harmful results. Now we learned that even the enemy is not as single dimensional as they originally appeared.
Good news for #TeamClaye fans, he gets an expanded role in this book. We've been meeting the families of Talise's friends as she journeys, and this installment gives us a glimpse into Claye's home. turns out he might just be good for more than gardening after all. For #TeamAaden fans, it's complicated! but it always has been with him.
This is a series that should be read in order as the story line builds from one book to the next.
Talise’s spiritual journey is complete, but the enemy is more powerful than ever. Rivers have been drained and forests burned to the ground, all in the name of change. Despite her own desire for change, the current destruction could wipe out entire cities if it continues. To stop it, she must steal a priceless artifact. But with such a powerful enemy, even a simple heist could end in death. She must hide her soldiers. She must ask for help from someone who might hate her. She must train like she’s never trained before. Even then, she knows she’s walking into a trap. If she succeeds, Kamdaria will be safe again. And if she fails, her life won’t be the only one that is lost.
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series! Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story. Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read more of these. Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
After losing the amulet at the end of the last book, Talise must find a way to recapture it with the help of her friends. Unfortunately, that means walking into a Kessoku trap. Fortunately, she has Wendy and Claye by her side all the way. She and Aaden run into each other several times, but they are on different sides of the war now.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I have loved the series so far, and I will always love Talise, but what the heck, Aaden! Have you really switched sides? Or are you just too good an actor for your own good? I also don't ship Talise and Claye. It feels off somehow, not that I think class matters, but Talise and Aaden were a better match for wit. Claye is too nice. But we'll see how that goes. I'm also still at a loss about the emperor. He seems as bad as the Kessoku, just using his power to benefit a different group of people. It's up to Talise to change things and repair an entire kingdom all on her own.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and have reviewed it willingly.
Book 7 in the Elements of Kamdaria and it is filled with rich details as it’s predecessors.
It was a quick read that will have you hooked from the beginning to the end. It does feel like it was quicker than the last but that may be because we’re in the thick of action.
Talise and Claye have had some interesting developments within this book. Also can I just say Aeden what is going on?!?! Is he still on Talise’s side or has he crossed over to enemy territories?
I can’t wait to see where the relationships are going to go from here. And what is going to happen to the empire? The details are fantastic and the writing is exquisite. There is a beautiful flow to these books that H.M Gooden always delivers.
I hope you are reading this because you have read all the books so far. If you have not... What are you waiting for? This is just the best serie out there right now. It will become a classic sooner or later. So, you will like to be the one to say: I've read it first!
This time the mission is: get the amulet back. It will be a trap because they will be expecting her, but she has friends and she has a plan, and a backup plan... So what could go wrong. Everything! I think this is the most spectacular recue scene I ever read in every way! The love department is not forgotten and everything is getting a real big mess. Even though each book is not very long, it feels like a life time has passed. I can't wait for the next chapter on this epic story!
Another instalment of Elements of Kandaria - really just a very long chapter
This novella deals mainly with Talise and her company trying to recover the amulet from the Kessuko. It's amazing how things can go wrong and therefore the whole venture takes a bit longer than expected. There's also the development of a love triangle. I think that this might be the penultimate novella in the series but could be wrong. As a fantasy fan but no longer classified as a YA, I'd prefer a longer novel. However it is certainly engaging but unsatisfying as I'd like to just get on with it. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a quick read, I think a lot quicker than usual, or maybe it just felt that way, I’m not sure. It was an enjoyable read, very fast paced, and well written. I loved the development of Talise and Claye’s relationship. It’s subtle, and it’s sweet moments. I’m not sure how I feel about Aeden. There’s a hint of distrust there, and I’m not sure if he’s still on their side or if he’s officially joined Kessoku.
I’m excited to see what Ember Gate brings next. I highly recommend this story!
. . . So, just finished the latest book from the series 😍 Talise retrieved the amulet, Tempest is back and we have 2 more members to Talise's team 💪 Also, we got the chance to see more of Claye. He really proved to be a good member of the team 👍😁
I know I should be glad that all went well in the end but I don't understand what is happening with Aaden. Until this book I was still hoping for a happy ending for them both. But now I'm not so sure anymore :(.
ARC received from the author. Thank you ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Vine Gate, the seventh book in the Elements of Kamdaria Series by Kay L Moody pulled me back into the story immediately. It's even more suspenseful than the books before and we have a lot of fight scenes, but also scenes that make your heart flutter. The perfect mix! The book mostly plays at Vine Gate, the city where Kessoku hide the Amulet of Kamdar. Talise and her friends try to retrieve it by breaking into Kessokus Base, but that doesn't work out as planned. Will she get the Amulet or will Kessoku win?
No surprises on what went on in this book. Talise had to get the amulet back no matter what. Luckily she has learned to trust those around her. Wendy and Claye were such a huge help to Talise. I really do not like the idea of Claye and Talise together. They just don't make sense, not with personality or wit. Though, claye is sweet and charming but he deserves someone whose heart isn't given to another. Aaden...I just can't believe how much of a traitor he is. I really hope I'm wrong. I really do. Aaden and Talise belong together. I will die on that hill.
These novellas are a great read, they always leave me wanting more. This novella starts as it left in the last one and continues the journeys of Talise and Aiden. This one sure leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering what will come next.
I have been reading and loving the series as it has gone so far thanks to the Author and her generosity in allowing me to read it, so that I may post an honest review of my thoughts on it.
Wooow. I'm not sure about where the romance is heading in and I'm torn with what's going on with Aaden too. One thing also bothered me in the last book. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Claye graduate with Talise and Wendy, meaning that he should also have proficiency in other elements besides earth too? Yet he is constantly referred to as no fighter and only a gardener. I felt kind of pissed off on his behalf! Surely he could easily learn some moves even if he wasn't trained as a fighter. Thankfully, he is sort of redeemed in this book where he gets to show off some of his awesome earth shaping skills. Now things are ramping up once more for the next book!! I hope my heart can take what's coming.
Well, I guess I'm officially team Claye, now! From the very beginning of this book, Kay got me to drop my barriers considering him and Talise. Still need to figure out what's going on with Aaden, though...
This book was intense! Excellent just like all the rest. Kay is absolutely brilliant, I love all of these books! #readerforlife!
From start to finish this book is non stop action. Talise and her friends have evaded the Emperor’s soldiers to travel to the Vine Gate to try and retrieve the Amulet. They have a plan but run into trouble and they have to escape. They escaped but it was not easy and now they have a new problem. This book was so good and addicting. I can’t wait for the next book. Highly recommend this book.
After reading this book, I wanted to write and post this review to share my honest experiences toward the story. This story keeps getting more exciting the more I read. Well written, engaging, exciting, with diverse characters and an intricate plot that keeps you hooked and wanting more. Definitely looking forward to seeing how this series continues.
A fantastic read that grabs you from the first page to the last. Its a fast past read with epic scenes, the scenes are written so well that I can picture them in my minds eye. This is a real page turner with twists and turns that keeps you enthralled with this read. This definitely a home run. I definitely recommend this captivating read. Its a must read. Shauna Joesten
Another beautiful book that keeps dragging us into Kamdaria. I have to confess that I always rooted for Talise and Aaden who would have thought that Claye would have been such a great candidate. Going straight to read the next.
Kay L Moody captures you with this story more and more! Each character grows with each book. The bond of friendship grows as well as new love. Such an amazing story!
Another great quick read. I love how the relationships are building in the characters. The strength of the Princess is shown in this book. Can’t wait for the next one.
Vine Gate is the seventh book in the Elements of Kamdaria series. Talise must steal the amulet back from Kessoku, but she can't do this alone. She has to trust some more people apart from her friends. When she finds a way to steal back the amulet, she knows it's a trap, but the fact that she knows this is her advantage. I really liked this book, as all the other books in the series. The story is centered around one mission this time. There was a lot of action and she even met Aaden a few times. I also liked what's going on now with Claye. He's such a nice character. I can't wait to see what happens in the next books.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.