The second novel in the Golden Court series definitely is a great continuation of the first book. Solid 4 out of 5 for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

We join Calla and her court several months after the end of Book 1 but this time the POV is split between Calla and Sadie, one of the Silver wolves in her court. There is lot of political intrigue and machinations as the different factions pick sides in the Silver vs Gold pack war. You've got Calla continuing to embrace her authentic self with Grae as her loving male wife and Sadie discovering long lost secrets of the world. There is a bit of a disconnect between the dual POVs, and in some ways it feels like two separate stories mashed together. But the world building you get through Sadie's story was super cool!

My one main critique is that the LGBTQIA characters continue to be in the background and at times feels like they are just included as tokens. HOWEVER I have hope that Book 3 will FINALLY give us Maez and Briar as the main focus.

Going to not so patiently wait for Book 3!!!!

Okay so...I was definitely a little critical of book 1 (it was just okay) but I'm here to tell you that IT DID NOT carry over because A Sky of Emerald Stars was FANTASTIC!
ASOES is a continuation of A River of Golden Bones and is told in dual POV...but not in the way that you'd normally think. Our first POV is Calla, our queen, and takes us on her journey to secure allies and retrieve her dear friend in anticipation of the war ahead. I loved seeing her and Grae work together and love their cutie relationship. Calla is such a cool representation of gender fluidity and staying true to yourself. #vibes
The second 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. I didn't expect to love Sadie so much, but by now I should know that I will always die hard for a bada** FMC! She was fierce, loyal, and even soft when she needed to be. Gish I hope the next book continues in her POV - but also I need to be inside Maez's head too!
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!

Yes! So happy to see Golden Court back together (kind of) and really enjoyed the next installment of their adventure. I love angst, and this book had plenty of it. Talk about down bad! I screamed out loud a few times because of the twists, which I thought really helped the pacing.

The themes about identity and how one adapts/grows into it over time is such a true reflection for so many people and you observe different characters experiencing it in different ways. So well done, I can't wait for the next book.

4 ⭐️ Second installment in the Golden Court Trilogy did not disappoint. The story progresses through the eyes of Calla and Sadie this time. We get to learn all about the traveling musicians from book one with lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

While I did enjoy Calla’s chapters more, I understand the importance in the world building in Sadie’s chapters as well. I’m hoping for more Calla and Grae in Book 3 because those two were my favorite. The LQBTQIA+ representation really makes the series stand out from the crowd.

I love a good cliffhanger so I was a little bummed this book didn’t have one but nevertheless I’ll still be anxiously awaiting book 3. Please tell me there will be more dragons 🤞🏻

“If they can’t handle the brilliance with which you burn, Calla, then let them all catch fire. I’d rather be standing on top of their ashes than miss the brightness of your flame.”

*Insert screaming noises here* Is book 3 out yet?!

This was just as captivating as the first! I'm not going to lie, I had to put the book down a few times because the plot and/or the characters made me so mad, but in a good way! The emotional rollercoaster I went on while reading this was insane! I wish I had kept track of the amount of times I said, out loud, things like: "wtf," "you're joking," or "stfu." I knew it was going to end on a cliffhanger, but that didn't stop me from holding out hope that it might have ended differently.

I can, and will, binge anything they write! Additionally, I am on a mission to convince every reader I know to pick up this series- not only is it that good, but I need people to talk to about all of the things this book made me feel!

This book picks up where book 1 left off. There’s more mystery as we follow Sadie and the humans who definitely have more going on than what it seemed in the first book. I love the storytelling in these books and the character growth.

I was so thrilled to jump back in this world with these characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series and was thrilled to get the ARC from @netgalley.

If you enjoy found family, badass warriors, secret missions, and shifters, this is the series for you. It was everything I was hoping for from the next book. It was a rollercoaster ride and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

A Sky of Emerald Stars, book two in A.K. Mulford’s Golden Court series, jumped right into the chaos of impending war and political intrigue. Because Mulford did a beautiful job with the world building in book one, we were able to dive into more of the character development with character backstories, including side characters. The pacing was strong, and I was pulled right along with Sadie’s pov and the forced proximity trope, even though I was irritated with her quite a bit. The multiple twists and turns from this book were what made it such a strong read for me. Loved the magic systems, loved the relationships, and loved the continued theme of self-discovery. Although Calla and Grae’s story is included, I did miss more time with them since the focus is on Sadie this go around.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Voyager/Avon Books, and A.K. Mulford for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a wonderful follow up to A River of Golden Bones! The stakes are high in this book, and there was better character development. I can definitely say that this series starts out incredibly slow. I found that I wasn't interested in either book until about 20% into the story. This story is majorly focused on Sadie, Navine and Maez while book one was solely focused on Calla, Grae and Briar. Sadie, Navine and Maez are travelling to make alliances in order to help the Golden Court while Briar, Grae and Calla are focused on rescuing Ora. Things become tense and complicated in this story. There is a lot of unexpected betrayal and secrets that start to come to light.

I really enjoyed the fact that we got so many different POV's in this story, and that the story was continued but with a differing main character from the first book. I feel that I don't see that often in fantasy series' and I think it was really well done. I very much enjoy the world building in this story, as well as the different characters.

Overall this was a solid read and I'm excited for the conclusion of this trilogy!

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

A Sky of Emerald Stars is book two in the Golden Court series by A.K. Mulford.
I love book one A River of Golden Bones.
This was such a great romantasy book!
A riveting, enchanting novel. About self-discovery, romance, and adventure.
An high-stakes adventure that captivates you from the beginning.

I think I liked this book better then book 1! I cant wait to add this to my trophy shelf!!! It was phenomenal!!! I wish I could reread it again for the first time! I loved it so much! I am going to buy this book the moment I see it in the store for sure!

Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved this book! I was so surprised to get a SADIE POV! Her character growth was just amazing, and the other characters were great too! The spice was just right for such an intense story! When the magic was introduced, I was totally shocked in a good way—like, “Wow, that makes so much sense!” The loyalty between mates was heartwarming, and the imagery was just fantastic! It was so easy to dive into this world! And that ending? Wow, I’m left hanging on a cliff and I need book 3 like, yesterday!

I should have actually read book 1 before requesting an ARC of this.

I didn't actually like book 1 all that much, but I had already requested this ARC so I powered through. I skimmed most of the book quickly (very quickly for Calla's chapters as I was really tired of them).

Sadie's were at least a little bit better and unravelling the mystery that was Navin. I liked some of his background and getting more magic explanations.

They also set the series up to be continued, probably with someone else's POV. It could get more interesting. If you liked the first book, I would advise continuing!

Read if you love:
-Shifters
-Gender exploration
-Strong FMCs

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this book. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Finish date: 12/22/24, Release date 12/24/24

This book picks up right where A River of Golden Bones left off, and it starts out sprinting! Cover to cover, you’ll find this stuffed full of action, spice, witty banter, romance, and even more political plot twists. I don’t recommend reading this super close in time to the High Mountain Court series as there are a few names that overlap and confused me, but the story and character development are great!

A Sky of Emerald Stars is book 2 of A. K. Mulford’s Golden Court Trilogy, and picks up shortly after A River of Golden Bones ends. Calla and Grae are rebuilding a court that is welcoming to both wolves and humans, but war is on the horizon. King Nero of the Silver Court is unwilling to be bested and does not want to see things change. His ruthlessness only increases as he continues to make the humans suffer while he kidnaps members of Calla's court. With so much treachery on the horizon, Navin and his secrets pique everyone's interest. In a bid to gain allies and uncover Navin's secrets, Sadie, Navin, and Maez are tasked with the diplomatic mission to bring the Onyx Court to their side, while Calla, Grae, and Briar travel to see the queen of the Ice Wolves.

I enjoyed book 2 more than book 1. While it was slower, and had more filler, the character development/growth was significantly better. We watch Calla and Grae take a back seat while the focus shifts to Sadie and Navin. No complaints here! Sadie is strong and spunky on the outside but gooey and hurting on the inside, while Navin isn't just the breakable musician that was presented in book 1. there were times when I wanted to shake both of them- but overall, they're cute together.

I found the writing in book 2 was more adult than book 1, and I enjoyed the flow immensely more for it. I wills say that the spicy scenes often felt forced and out of place. Almost like they were added to appease the want for more in book 1, but that it didn't add much to the story- especially Calla and Grae.


I’m eager to see how the story concludes in the final book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Voyager, and A.K. Mulford for supplying me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5⭐️ for overall story, rounding up to 3

This second book in the series was just ok for me. I found myself not really caring about Sadie and her plotline all that much and Calla's plotline just seemed to fizzle out and be all about their gender identity. While I genuinely appreciated and felt seen by the representation Calla's character provided, I felt it really overshadowed what should have been the larger plot, unnecessarily. I understand the purpose behind it, but I found the overall plot a little on the boring side because of that. And that disappointed me. I felt it kind of defeated the purpose of the rep. Not to mention Calla's character just seemed to fade into the background despite being a main character. I wanted them to shine in this book and take charge in their new-found inner space and identity. Instead they just seemed to cower under scrutiny and not really allow themself to truly take their power for what it was without question. Again, just a little disappointed they kept allowing themself to seek approval and acceptance from others instead of just living in their truth and kicking ass.

I also thought that for a YA book, this was pretty spicy. I don't typically mind it, but it's kind of jolting when it really isn't expected, in terms of language. So for most of the book, it's kind of YA language, and then all of a sudden we're in adult spicy language... I don't know, it just felt a little awkward to me.

I like the first book in the series for what it was to me and I gave this one a shot based on how the first one made me feel, but after this I don't think I'll continue with the series unfortunately.

Happy reading friends! 🤙🏼💕

Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an early copy of both the ebook. This review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.

This book started out really slow for me. I think I was hoping for a bit more but currently can't put my finger on it. Planning to do an eventual re-read with the first and second book to see if it feels better.

4 ⭐
3 🌶️

If I had to use a word to describe this book, I would use the word passionate. That not only refers to the romance side of this story but also to how the characters are devoted to each other and their cause. This is a story of acceptance and loving people where they are. The story between Sadie and Navin is one where they both have things they need to overcome, and Sadie has some prejudices she holds on to. Calla wants to be accepted no matter what they call themself; however, we find the wolves of this land have deep-seated prejudices against anything not human, and the misogyny runs deep. Briar, Maez, Sadie, and Calla are strong wolves who believe in what and who they are fighting for, but this book brings about all the trials they must endure to reach their goals. First, there is Grae, Calla's consort, who loves Calla deeply, accepts her and believes in what she's fighting for and against. We will gain more allies but also face tremendous obstacles and betrayals.

This is a fun read with characters you can root for and bad guys who are really, very, very bad. Unusual monsters that are pretty creepy and enchanted wagons make for an exciting and, at times, humorous journey. I look forward to the final showdown!

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

I love that this book focuses on a new couple and I personally like this one better than the first! A little slow in some areas, but there's quiet a few twists and I'm excited to see where book three takes our new couple.

ARC Review: A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford
Pub Date: December 24th, 2024

In A Sky of Emerald Stars, the second book in the Golden Court series, we meet back up with Calla and the gang of wolf shifters and humans as they navigate life after the evil sorceress has been defeated. After one of their members is kidnapped, the group separates in order to both get Ora back and to gain support from other Kingdoms for their cause. Unfortunately for her, Sadie is sent to escort Navin, who betrayed the group previously to save his brother. Sadie has no intentions of forgiveness but as more and more secrets come to life, she finds out that things aren't quite as they seem.

I truly love this series so much - it's exactly what I want from a romantasy - queer, spicy, full of action, and with no fae! Instead we get wolf shifters which is so incredibly up my alley. And when I say queer, I mean that it is so deeply queer - the way characters are able to explore both their sexuality and their gender expression is just everything for me! I really particularly love seeing this in a fantasy setting.

This book is such a great continuation of the story we got in the first - while in the first book we primarily get the relationship between Calla and Grae, in this we get the continuation of their story but also the addition of a new relationship and POV from Sadie. I was initially a little worried that having the two plots would be a little confusing but it really never was! And the plots do intertwine at points. I really liked the progression of Sadie and Navin's relationship from hatred to so much more.

I really recommend this series - it feels unique and intriguing (I need the next book NOW!!). Book one has some spice but this one has even more, especially since we get two romance arcs. I really need to pick up A.K.'s other books, because this series has really worked for me.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.