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

The end is fast approaching for The Elements of Kamdaria series, and y’all I am NOT ready! Earth Storm by Kay L. Moody is the next to last book in the series, and it has set a heart-stopping pace. Please note that if you have not read the previous books in the series, there may be spoilers to those books ahead. Talise and her friends have formed a tenuous alliance with Kessouku. With her army back and a large contingent of Kessouku on her side, Talise is ready to take down the walls surrounding the Gate and the Crown. Then, it will be time to face the emperor.

Talise has always been a force to be reckoned with, but all of her training and preparations from her time in the Storm to her time at the palace as Master Shaper come together here. I had chill bumps reading as she stepped into the role she was born to. Talise never wanted the crown. As the youngest daughter of the emperor, it would never have come to her if not for Kessouku’s butchering all those years ago. Now Talise’s love and duty to Kamdaria drives her every action and most of her thoughts. It made it easy to understand why her soldiers and closest friends were willing to follow her. I would follow her!

While the story ultimately focuses on Kessouku and the wall, there is also some romance. Aaden has been back for a while and given Talise the space she asked for. Now she’s ready to admit her feelings for him, but she’s unsure if he still returns those feelings. Aaden is Talise’s rock, always in her corner, and always willing to fight at her side. He doesn’t try to hold her back, instead he asks what he can do to help her accomplish her goals. Who wouldn’t love that?

Overall, Earth Storm is a fantastic addition to the series. In it, the author ties together every loose thread from the previous installments, bringing Talise to the final part of her story whole and confident in her mission. Kamdaria will never be the same after what happens in these pages, and as Talise hopes for a brighter future, I can only hope the same. I cannot wait to see the final battle in Fire Storm.