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.

A.K. Mulford is an expert at weaving together beautiful stories and A Sky of Emerald Stars is no different. The integration of some of our current social and political climates was tastefully done and allows the reader to explore these topics through a different lens. While I do typically love a multi-POV tale, this one might have switched just a little bit too much for me as sometimes I felt myself sort of kicked out of the story as we changed chapters.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC! Love you lots, mean it! <3

A Sky of Emerald Stars is a rich and intriguing tale with lots of action, adventure, and romance.

Calla has reclaimed her homeland of Oldmere with Grae at her side. Calla must find allies if she intends to win the impending war. When her dear friend Ora is captured, she tasks Sadie, now her royal guard, to find them. But to do so, Sadie must partner with Navin, who has betrayed her before.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Golden Court series. The dual POV was interesting, as we get to see the story play our from Calla and Sadie's perspectives. I loved to see Calla really embrace their true self - the non-binary gender fluid representation was spot on. They area also settling into the role as ruler, which was exciting to see, especially after the events in book 1. Sadie also has a lot of growth in this story, as she is really finding her place in Calla's court and embracing her strengths. While I had some issues with the pacing in book 1, everything seems a bit tighter in this book. The plot moves at a fast pace, and there is plenty of character growth and development, along with some romance, to keep things interesting. This book leaves us with some pretty big concerns to face in the next book, and I am excited to see where this story goes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

📚 A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Magic
⚔️Shifters x Humans
⚔️LGBTQIA+ Rep
⚔️Secrets Revealed

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the first book in the series, and usually the second book (especially when it focuses on a different person or couple) isn’t as good. Not this book! I dare to say this was better than the first. We still get snippets of Calla’s story, but the main focus is Sadie. I love Sadie. And I enjoyed how she evolves and broadens her understanding of the world she lives in. There are things that challenge the very black and white thinking of the wolf shifter society, and Sadie is accepting and willing to learn and grow. Especially when it comes to understanding Navin and his gender identity as well as who he is as a person.
I was very upset with Navin in the first book and a little bit in the beginning of this book. However, as his secrets are revealed, I grew to love him. I actually enjoyed the level of mystery surrounding Navin throughout the story.
One thing that stood out to me was the incorporation of music and how magic can come from music. I loved this new added element to the story. It kept it fresh as a second book, but then we have a small continuation of the first book and the story there.

✨Pros✨
* The spice- it was a lot spicier than the first book and I loved it.
* The evolution of Sadie. I loved her as an FMC.
* The evolution of Navin. I can always appreciate not liking a character in the beginning, but then loving them at the end.
* The dialogue is great. It seems so rare to find good dialogue, but this author achieves it every time.
* The discussion of gender identity and how it’s infinite. This book does an incredible job of explaining and discussing gender identity.

✨Cons✨
* There were a few parts in the middle that dragged a bit in my opinion.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.

I so enjoyed returning to the world AK Mulford created. A lovely continuation in this series, with a unique take on wolf shifters.

This book just wasn’t for me, unfortunately. The multiple POVs were done in a way that made it more confusing than adding depth to the story. I feel that it made it difficult to really get into the book and immerse yourself into the world and may have made it feel like it was moving slower, so it took me awhile to finish. I don’t want that to deter others from reading this book because it could just be my ADHD talking.

I did like the variety of characters and magical creatures and I think a lot of people will appreciate the LGBTQ+ representation.

Thank you NetGalley for providing a free ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A.K. Mulford weaves the most beautiful stories! A Sky of Emerald Stars is a stunning queer shifter romatasy book and is the second book in the Golden Court series. Every book I read from A.K. Mulford is better than the last and I truly cannot pick favorites because each has a special place in my heart. ASOES is full of even more action and adventure, a new magic system, political unrest, and lots of twists and turns! There is not a dull moment as we follow Sadie and Navin’s tumultuous love story. We also get Calla’s POV as she tackles her role as the Queen of the Golden Court so you will definitely get to see all your favorite characters from book one, A River of Golden Bones.

Fantasy books overall, whether purposefully or not, tend to reflect current political and social climates. Fantasy lets us explore tough topics through a different lens. It often leads the reader to experience “first-hand” the struggles of the main characters. ASOES, along with the first book, explores gender and gender roles specifically with shifters. I think this an amazing concept as, generally, wolf-shifters in literature often have a rigid patriarchal social structure. I think the author does an amazing job of highlighting current sociopolitical issues by immersing you in the stories of her characters.

Overall, ASOES is a stunning sequel in the Golden Court series and I cannot wait for the next book! If you are a fan of A.K. Mulford’s Five Crown’s of Okrinth series (and are craving more like me) or are a big fan of romantasy, I think you are really going to enjoy the Golden Court series!

Happy Reading!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book for review via NetGalley!

A Sky of Emerald Stars by AK Mulford is the second installment in the Golden Court series, a fantasy romance saga of werewolves, royal courts, and political intrigue. Following the reign of the tyrannical sorceress Sawyn, this book introduces new conflicts as the Golden Court rebuilds and faces the looming threat of the rival Wolf King, Nero. With dual points of view, the story splits between Sadie Rauxtide, a royal guard on a mission to secure allies and confront her attraction to the enigmatic Navin, and Queen Calla, navigating diplomacy, personal identity, and prejudice in their quest to save Ora and preserve peace.

Unfortunately, this sequel didn’t improve my experience with the series. While the addition of Sadie’s perspective initially seemed promising, her characterization felt frustratingly similar to Calla’s. Both protagonists are consumed by self-doubt, impulsiveness, and explosive anger, which made their actions feel repetitive and juvenile. Their personal struggles overshadowed the broader stakes of the plot, detracting from the high-stakes revolution and potential for rich world-building.

The narrative itself felt disjointed, with revelations that lacked impact and pacing that made it hard to stay engaged. What could have been an intricate exploration of identity, diplomacy, and resilience instead became bogged down by underdeveloped emotional arcs and predictable conflicts.

Though A Sky of Emerald Stars aimed to blend themes of self-discovery and adventure, it ultimately fell flat for me. With this installment failing to address the issues I had with the first book, I’ve decided to part ways with the Golden Court series. Fans of the first book may still find elements to enjoy, but this series hasn't capture my interest enough to continue.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This sequel didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but held some interesting elements nonetheless.

I wish there were more Calla chapters. I think this book is divided into ⅔ Sadie chapters and ⅓ Calla chapters, or maybe even ¾ vs ¼. I really loved her character in the first book, and her relationship with Grae, so of course I was a little sad they only got this little page time.

Sadie was… well… she was whining a lot and definitely felt like a flat character. She got on my nerves for the largest part of this book. Partly (but not limited to) it was because I would have preferred for her to follow through on some of the (threatening) promises she made, yet she didn’t.

The plot twists in this story (plural, because yes there are multiple twists that will blow your mind), on the other hand, managed to surprise me and get me more invested while reading this story. Also, just like in the first book, identity and discovering who you are, coming to terms with limitations and short sightedness, yet never giving up, play a major role in this story, and I loved that.

I’ve read the ebook and the audiobook, both were great. The writing style and the way the narrator brings the story and characters to life are definitely two reasons why you should pick up this book (written or audio) if you’ve read book 1 already.

Still, I’m eager to find out what will happen in the next and last book of this trilogy.

3,5/5 stars for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for this eARC.

A Sky of Emerald Stars picks up where A River of Golden Bones left off, and some of our beloved characters are struggling. As the threats against the Golden Court increase, Calla and Grae must take some risks to try to secure the support needed to protect their kingdom. A Sky of Emerald Stars also gives us Sadie’s perspective as she deals with the fallout of the events from A River of Golden Bones.

Ultimately, the core group of characters is divided, with different people taking on important missions. This doubles the risks and allows us to both return to familiar places visited in book 1 and explore new locations relevant to book 2. As the groups travel and attempt to complete their missions, they face new threats that increase the risks and up the stakes.

A.K. Mulford takes her time to develop the characters and their arcs, and I consider that a plus. We get to know the characters better and there’s no magic switch flipped to solve their problems. The struggles Sadie faces are ones that she wrestles with, and they’re presented realistically. It does make the resolution more meaningful because she thinks about everything and considers the implications of her decisions.

We also learn more about the history of the courts and the relationship between the wolves and humans. It’s clear some have twisted the stories to give themselves more power and justify the mistreatment of humans.

While there are some surprises and obstacles along the way, there’s a sense while reading this that things are almost too easy. There’s almost a false sense of security as everyone works through the challenges they face without dire consequences. Of course, that only makes the events at the end of the book hit harder. The stage is set for confrontation in book 3, and the consequences of failure weigh on everyone. There was definitely a shocking development at the end that I didn’t see coming, and I’m definitely curious to see how things play out in the next book.

I really just couldn’t get into this book this time. The pacing of the book was really slow and nothing major happened that would grab your attention. I listened to the audiobook and I just couldn’t remember anything memorable about it in which I remember liking the first book. Just overall I I didn’t like it.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

ARC REVIEW: A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon with Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd installment in A.K. Mulford’s Golden Court fantasy shifter series. A Sky of Emerald Stars is told from both Calla and Sadie’s POV in alternating chapters, instead of solely Calla’s point of view. This allowed for the group of wolves to split up and set out on different missions in order to try and garner alliances against the ongoing threat of war. This one suffered from “middle book” syndrome - the reader received a lot of important information, but ultimately the plot wasn’t advanced very far forward.

I loved getting Sadie’s point of view! In a way I wished we stayed with her the whole time, even though I know we needed to see what Calla was also up to. Although, it seemed like Calla’s POV mostly served to give us smutty scenes with Grae, which felt like pure distraction. Sadie felt like a very raw, real character and I can’t wait to see more of her journey. This book lacked that unexplainable magic that the first book had, it’s hard to put into words because I enjoyed reading it but also felt disappointed. I will definitely read the 3rd book to see how things resolve with our wolves!

A Sky of Emerald Stars will be released Decently 24th 2024!

Being a while since I had read the first book, I had some trouble getting into things. However, I do enjoy the new POVs and the better look we get in to more characters’ heads.

A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford (Release Date Dec 24)

Okay, I’m pretty sure the second half of this book my anxiety had anxiety 😂 I honestly ended up loving this book, and now I need answers for what’s to come. I literally need them and I needed them yesterday. This world has such a unique magic system, history and storyline I’m becoming so invested. Not only that the representation, the character relationships, and growth that occurs is *chefs kiss* I loved that we got more points of view, and learned so much more about characters from the first book. Also the spice and plot twists 👀

Needless to say: I blushed, giggles, laughed, gasped VERY loudly, and tried to speed read various times 😂 if you enjoyed book one, please for all that holy read book two.

4/5 🦝🦝🦝🦝
3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What you’ll find:
* Fated Mates
* Found Family
* Wolf Shifters
* Insane Magic System
* Battles & Quests
* TENSION & SPICEY SPICE
* Forced Proximity
* Second Chance
* LGBTQ+ Representation