Unfortunately this book was a bit of a let down for me. it wasn't horrible, but it didn't wow me. I think I enjoyed book one more.
the characters felt a bit flat, the pacing was a bit too slow.

This book was kinda slow, but ultimately got me in the second half. It definitely took me a moment to remember who everyone was, but once we really got in the thick of the drama, I had a great time! Navin was an interesting character, and I wish it wasnt completely glossed over that they were agender. But I should have known that all 3 books were gonna be queer! i'm definitely looking forward to book 3, especially after that crazy ending!

A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford is a strong, emotionally driven follow-up to A River of Golden Bones. With dual POVs from Queen Calla and Sadie Rauxtide, the story blends magic, politics, and romance as they each fight for their people and navigate complicated relationships. Calla’s journey of identity and leadership feels heartfelt, while Sadie and Navin’s slow-burning trust and connection add a nice romantic edge.

The worldbuilding is lush and diverse, with settings that feel vivid and real—from frozen courts to fiery strongholds. The pacing dips a bit at times with the shifting perspectives, but overall it’s a solid mix of action, heart, and fantasy. If you're into character-driven romantasy with themes of resistance and self-discovery, this one’s worth picking up.

I requested this with not having read the first book. I have tried getting through the first book to read this but unfortunately I just could not get through it. So I won't be able to read this one as I don't think I'll continue on with the series.

Okay sooo… A Sky of Emerald Stars had me excited (like super excited) after how much I LOVED A River of Golden Bones — but this one? Ehhh, it kinda missed the mark for me.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some really great moments!!
Sadie’s POV?? LOVED.
More of Calla?? YES PLEASE.
The worldbuilding?? Gorgeous as always — like, seriously, A.K. Mulford never fails to create a setting that feels rich and magical and alive. I felt totally immersed in Aotreas again and was so here for all the icy courts and wolf politics!!

BUT… the pacing?? Oof. I felt like I was in one long side quest that never quite hit its destination. I kept waiting for something big to happen, and it kinda just… didn’t? It dragged in a way that made it really hard to stay locked in, even while tandem reading with the audiobook.

And okay — Sadie + Navin?? I wanted to root for them, but the second-chance romance didn’t fully convince me. Like yes, enemies-to-lovers is my jam, but middle of a battle confession?? That whiplash was real. I literally went back thinking I missed a chapter or something. I needed wayyy more buildup and resolution for that “I love you” moment to land.

Also… this really could’ve been a novella and I think it would’ve packed a stronger punch. The pieces were there, the characters were growing, the world is so good — but the story just felt stuck in limbo instead of taking the next big leap.

3/5 stars from me
Still love the series, still love Calla, and I’m definitely sticking around for book 3 because the potential is HUGE… but yeah, this one wasn’t my fave.

PS: Navin, I am watching you.
PPS: Sadie deserves a full arc, not just romantic drama!!
PPPS: Calla’s journey with gender identity?? Beautiful and real — more of that please!!!

Here’s hoping the next book brings the FIRE!!!
Still rooting for Aotreas… but I’m gonna need more DRAMA and less filler next time.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This was a great follow up to the first in the series. I do think that there were more slow portions of the plot than I was hoping for which is the main reason for 3 stars overall..

Holy crap!!!! I wish I started this series sooner! I love love loved it! It’s an action packed fantasy that is perfect for werewolf loving readers! What a great way to continue! I thought this book was better than the first book!

What a solid follow up! This sequel filled in just the right places in the story to keep it connected to the first book, while still opening the universe up a little more in a really inviting way. The continuation of the story and the continued character growth felt honest, natural and authentic. This is another really solid LGBTQIA+ story that never feels forced or overdone.

This book started out really slow which made it really hard to get into it. However, I did really enjoy the world building and character development!

Badass FMC: ✅
HOT MC: ✅
Wolves: ✅
Romance: ✅
Slow burn: ✅
Banter: ✅
Let me take care of you: ✅
Enemies to Lovers: ✅
I ate this book up! It was truly such a joy to read and I highly recommend this to anyone who loves these tropes and more!

⋆.˚✮ 3.5 stars ✮˚.⋆

⤿ Thank you to Harper Voyager for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

let me first admit that i have always been a vampire girly, werewolves were never my favorite but as i have evolved in my reading i find it fun to try to explore more tropes and mythology. this series seemed like a great first step, as it includes werewolves at the helm of the plot but fae and other magic users exist. i would say thats accurate, this is an easy book to read and that is one thing i enjoyed about this story.

like i said, i might just not connect with this book in the same way others might because i don’t prefer werewolves. however, for those who enjoy them this is perfect. the first book is a lot more about exploring and introducing the main characters for the rest of the series, but i really liked how political this story was. the reader is exposed to a lot more of the political figures at play and expanded the stakes.

the first book focused on Calla, and while she still had some chapters it was a lot more about one of the wolves in her pack, Sadie. I didn’t expect this but I thought it was good for more characters to get focus. however, her romance that was developed a little too fast for me. she had fallen in love with her romance interest in the last book, ended up hating him, and then eventually in this went back to loving him. the way it was written and with events happening it just felt a little fast to me.

my favorite thing about this book was how diverse it is. there’s so many different kinds of characters and their sexuality, gender, cultural values, etc. overall this is actually an interesting story even if I felt a bit detached, so I recommend!

↬ trigger warnings: death of friends mentioned, blood and gore, war themes

Calla is the new Queen of Olmedere and needs to save her sister and create an environment where wolves and humans can live together. Nero on the other hand disowns his son and rages war because he doesn’t feel a Queen should rule. There is courts who join them and then in return help the enemy to try to take down their court.

There are LGBTQ characters, wolves, magic. This story is all inclusive.

I didn't realise this was a Book 2, which is on me, I just loved the cover. I do like werewolves so that was a real bonus for me. It had nice slow burn and queer rep which I liked. I enjoyed it but it didn't especially move me.

So good. I love reading anything by this author as she uses lgbtquia and all the fun stuff that makes a person unique like a woman being a guard. She really does make any thing seem possible

A wonderful next installment! I still loved the first book more, but this did a great job in moving the story along, introducing us to new characters, and expanding upon the world we love.

Everything A.K. Mulford does is amazing, and I love all their work. This is no different. Just delightful.

ASOES is a continuation of the first book, A River of Golden Bones. Our first POV is Calla, the queen, we go on her journey to secure allies and retrieve her dear friend in anticipation of the war ahead. Calla is also an amazing representation of gender fluidity and staying true to yourself.
The other POV is Sadie - a wolf shifter in Calla’s court who is sent on a mission to unveil Navin’s secret that he is keeping from their court.
There were twists, turns, and some spice to keep things interesting. There was such a difference in the prose compared to the first book - this book flowed so seamlessly and was such a good time. I enjoyed every single second!

This is the second book in the series, and even though I liked how the story continued, I wished the pacing band character development had been more at the forefront.

Despite there being major lulls in the storyline, I think this set itself up for more stories in a fun and built out world.

A secret song. A Hidden fortress. A world on the brink of war.

A Sky of Emerald Stars is the second book in the Golden Court series, continuing on the same trajectory that its predecessor left us with. While remaining in the mind of Calla and continuing their journey, we get to also learn more about Sadie, a wolf-shifter who has pledged her life to the Golden Court, but whose heart is also broken after a break-up with Navin, a human singer, and is grappling with the fact that she feels as if she doesn't have a place in this new world. When a friend of Calla, Ora, is captured, this forces Sadie to go on a journey alongside her ex in order to save them from the King who wishes to destroy the Golden Court and Calla. We revisit old friends and discover new secrets that threaten to upheave the very court that Calla and their friends have created.

I loved this book. It pieced so perfectly with the first that I decided to do a quick read of the first in order to bring myself back into the world of Aotreas. A.K. does it again, bring a rich world to life, creating characters that experience growth within themselves as well with others, and they have a way of bringing depth into the characters where you want to root for as well as feel a connection to.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ALC as well as A.K. Mulford for the Arc, as I am in their Patreon. I absolutely hope you give this book a listen, a read, and dive into the world of Aotreas as well.

My initial review was "I want to ask Mulford, wtf happened to happiness and why can't these wolfies have that?" A Sky of Emerald Stars was a 5 star read for me and it falls in line with me being absolutely besotted by Mulford's "second in a series" book. I preferred this story to the first as it felt like higher stakes (and more likely, because I am not a huge fan of instant/pre-established lovers). This story was less about identity and more about the greater problems that exist in their world. I am excited for the next installment!