I absolutely devoured this book in both audio and e-book format. I loved A River of Golden Bones and A Sky of Emerald Stars topped that. This book is more emotional and devastating than the first and has multiple moments where I gasped out loud. The betrayal is BETRAYING in this book. The characters are beautiful and complex and the war between the "elite race" of wolves and humans feels maybe a bit too on the nose for today's times. I also loved the aspect of the musical magic that was woven deeper into this book. We had hints in the first book but this book dove further in and it was really unique. We also get a secret society and a hidden city, dragons, and monsters galore. We follow Calla, Grae, Sadie, Maez and Navin as they navigate not only their own truths, but how to gain more support for the war on the horizon. I cannot wait to dive into book 3!

A Sky of Emerald Stars is the second book of the Golden Court series, following A River of Golden Bones, however, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. The writing is incredible, the world-building is phenomenal, the characters are captivating, and the plot is enthralling! This book has everything that makes a fantasy great! This novel is told from two POVs- Calla, the queen, and Sadie, a wolf shifter. Calla's story is interesting as she works to gain allies for the upcoming war, however, Sadie's story is what really grasped me. She is tasked with finding out Navin's secret and experiences A LOT along the way. I absolutely loved Sadie! She's a wonderful character in this series, and I can't wait to see what happens with her in the next book!
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and the incredibly gifted A.K. Mulford for this read!

I love Sadie so much. I may have enjoyed this book more than book 1. I loved how much heart it had and the twists, I did not see coming. It was an amazing edition to the series.

I also listened to the audiobook and Vico and Bridget are so easy to listen to. So whatever for at fits your life best, I recommend.

Thank you to Ali, Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC. I attest I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

I went into this story a little weary since I didn't love the first book. It was ok. Not one I was fully invested in or cared to finish much. Just some themes throughout that I did not care about and was harped on too much.

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑨 𝑺𝒌𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑨. 𝑲. 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒅

Release Date: December 24, 2024

5⭐️3🌶

Ms. Mulford continues to deliver with this second installment in the Golden Court series. This book picks up right where A River of Golden Bones left off, and Calla and Grae have plenty on their plate. Calla is now responsible for the Golden Kingdom, and must try and right the wrongs that the previous Evil Queen has done to her people. In addition, she must find allies to support her claim to the Golden Throne. Grae's father hasn't lost his ambition to hold Calla's Kingdom as his own. He plans to overthrow her and place one of his own puppets on her throne.

Sadie Rauxtide is still reeling from Navin's betrayal during the battle for Calla's throne. She doesn't understand why he would choose his traitor of a brother over her IN BATTLE. Come to find out, he has quite a few secrets that Sadie and Queen Calla don't know about. When Ora is captured by Grae's father, Sadie and Navin must find a way to work together again for the good of the Golden Court.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Friends-Enemies-to-lovers
🍁Warrior Shifter BA FMC
🍁Soft MMC
🍁Wolf Shifter Pack meets Princess Story
🍁Fairy Godmother
🍁Shifters-humans-sorcerers

TW:
✨Fight Scenes
✨Big Monsters
✨Abusive Father
✨Child Abuse (past)
✨Murder
✨Betrayal

A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford is the second book in the Golden Court series. I enjoyed the first novel and loved that it ended wrapped, and the second book continues the storyline. A Sky of Emerald Stars has two stories being told that run parallel to each other. Calla, now queen of golden wolves and integrating humans into their court, has to make political allies to prepare for the impending war. Sadie has been struggling with betrayal and stagnant sets of Navin and Maez to get more information and allies. This is where everything goes in an array for both of these parties!

This book has the double of badass main characters, Calla, a genderqueer wolf shifter warrior, and Sadie, a knife-wielding soldier; both have the bite to match their bark! A.K Mulford did a fantastic job with this second book; the pacing was good, and the book was decently engaging throughout the entire novel. I am not going to lie; Calla is annoying at times with her rashness and rage against not knowing how to lead, but I do understand it, so I got over it pretty quickly. Also, I loved that the second book was a dual POV with competing storylines. Sadie and Navins' story arc was fantastic, and I love them! Reading the ending had screaming, and I was so unprepared for what happened. Overall, I love this story and the characters, and I am excited to see what A.K. Mulford has in store for us! If you haven't started this series, I recommend picking it up.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC copy

A Sky of Emerald Stars is the follow-up to A River of Golden Bones. It follows two different main characters, Calla and Sadie, as they try to rescue their friend Ora and aid the Golden Court. Calla travels with her mate Grae and her sister Briar while Sadie travels with Maez (Briar's mate) and Navin.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. This book had more action and plot twists. I was more into Sadie and Navin's plot line and liked their rocky relationship. The book definitely ended with lots of loose ends and I'm excited to see what the third book holds.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a captivating read for fans of high-stakes adventures, self-discovery, and romance, particularly those who appreciate LGBTQIA+ representation, fantasy worlds, and found family themes, as it weaves a rich tapestry of magic, politics, and love in a world on the brink of war.

The second book in the Golden Court series did not disappoint, combining political intrigue, wolf pack drama, and a forbidden romance that kept me on the edge of my seat.

As Calla works to maintain control of her court, she sends Sadie and Navin on a mission that ignites undeniable chemistry between them. Their forbidden relationship adds a layer of tension to the story. The world-building continues to impress, and the shifts in perspective, including Calla’s, provide a fresh dynamic. The vivid descriptions drew me into the story, making me feel like I was watching it unfold on screen.

If you’re a fan of forbidden romance, complex characters, and political intrigue, this series is a must-read. I’m excited for what’s next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing hooks me into a book faster than a baddie main character who refuses to break down her walls....until HIM. Like, yes, I’m a romance lover, SUE ME! 🫶

This amazing book is the second in the series, so if you’re into political war, self-discovery, and wolves (duh), you’re gonna LOVE THIS 🐺✨

This book goes deep into the political war between the wolf packs. While Calla is doing her best to keep her Golden Court problem-free, life has other plans. And let me tell you, she will DO ANYTHING to protect her people. So, obviously, Calla sends our baddie Sadie and Navin on a mission, and OMG, do things heat up. But let’s focus on Sadie and Navin because their love story? OMFG. 😍🔥

Sadie & Navin---aka a wolf and a human---are everything. Their type of relationship in this society is veeeery frown upon, a love like theirs could cause chaos. Yet, they’re thrown together to help Calla, and what happens? LOVE, OBVIOUSLY! 🫠 The slow burn, the banter, the tension and we cannot forget the UNSOLVED TENSION from book 1!!!! AGHHH, it was the reason I couldn’t put this book down! 💕

If forbidden love, badass characters, and a world full of wolves and political drama are your vibe, you need to read this ASAP. You’ll have the best time, I promise! 🐾✨

𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅:
- 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊 𝒑𝒐𝒗 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔
- 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒔
- 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎

Tropes
🐺 political intrigue
🐺 enemies to lovers (ish)
🐺 "let me take care of you"
🐺 witty banter

I didn’t love this one as much as the first. I wish we could’ve read more from Calla or Grae’s perspective or even Briar’s. I did like diving into the song keepers lore but overall I feel that this book was just to set up the next one instead of being a good story on its own.

This series started as a cover read, but I'm so glad I've continued. This book has so many good twists and turns and overall is just an exciting journey. I cannot wait to continue!

The second book in the world of the Golden Court, this one focuses on Sadie, with some chapters from Calla's perspective (providing a glimpse into what is happening on the other front of this mission).

I loved the Galen Mora in the first book and now I get to see more of what makes it so unique and also Navin's secrets come to light as he journeys with Sadie and Maez.

Lots of interesting representations in this one, Navin's comes with a price that Sadie isn't sure she wants to pay, and you also get the reactions to Calla's merem status from other wolves.

Highly recommend.

I was impressed at how much I enjoyed this! I didn’t think I would like Sadie as much as I did but she turned out to be one of my favorites.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this. I also had the ALC and loved being able to go between listening and reading.
I really enjoyed book 2. It felt like there were a bit more stakes to this one and I can’t wait for book 3

I rated this one 3 stars. It was okay. I was lost and a bit bored at first, but it picked up and then it got better.

I have been anticipating this release ever since my book club read it a few months ago. We get new POVs and also follow the leads of the first book. I really like the world building in this series. It’s so vividly written that I was watching a movie in my mind while reading. The shifting in the book was exceptional. Just call me little fox 🦊

I recommend this and look forward to the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an EARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a compelling sequel that delves into themes of identity, resilience, and love. Sadie Rauxtide’s journey as a royal guard brings emotional depth, especially as she confronts her feelings for Navin while on a mission to uncover secrets and secure allies. Queen Calla’s storyline adds complexity, highlighting struggles with diplomacy, prejudice, and self-discovery as they face challenges with the Taigos Court. The book is rich with twists, high-stakes action, and heartfelt moments, though it leans heavily on its character-driven narrative. While not as strong as the first book, it still captures the magic of the Golden Court and sets up an exciting finale. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Thank you Harper Voyager and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

As far as being a continuation of the first book, I liked this one much more. The introduction of Sadie’s POV was a welcome, refreshing, addition to the story. I hope that in the future we are able to see move POVs of the other characters. Calla’s story was interesting, but it definitely took a back seat to Sadie’s for me.

Also, just want to say that the amount of times Briar is useless is frustrating to me,

The overall themes about identity and being true to yourself come through in this book as well as the first. It is just another perspective of it.

It's a great book. I enjoyed the storyline. I got to better understand the characters of Sadie and Navin while still watching Calla grow into her own. I can't wait for the third book.


Thank you to NetGalley, HarperVoyager/Avon Books, and A.K. Mulford for the advanced reader e-book of A Sky of Emerald Stars!