It's been a while since I read the first book, so I had some trouble getting into this one. The slower pace at the start didn’t help, but as the storyline progressed and picked up, and I became more invested in Sadie's relationship. There’s a lot happening across the two storylines, and I'm looking forward to the next book to see how it all plays out. As always, AK Mulford crafts a fun, diverse, enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Voyager for the digital galley in exchange for my review.

A Sky of Emerald Stars is the second book in the Golden Court trilogy and should definitely be read in order. It is told from Calla, the new Golden Court Queen, and Sadie’s, a royal wolf shifter guard, points of view. Calla struggles with leadership and maintaining their Merem identity in this book while dealing with political alliances. Meanwhile, Sadie, Maez, and Navin are on assignment and we follow their journey.

It has been a while since I read the first book and as a result I had a bit of a hard time getting into this one. Being slower paced at the beginning contributed, but it picked up and I became more invested in Sadies relationship. There is a lot of concurrent action across the two story lines and I look forward to reading the final book to see how all of the problems presented are resolved.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Honestly this was a great sequel. The progression felt natural and even included pov from the original fix. I was invested in Sadie's story and was impressed with the twist in the story that I wasn't expecting.

A very fun read! I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. I find Sadie a much more compelling character than Calla, so I really enjoyed getting more of her story.

In the second installment of the Golden Court, Sawyn, the evil sorceress, is defeated, but the Golden Court is scrambling to rebuild and there are still threats lingering. Unfortunately, one of those threats kidnaps Ora, and Sadie is tasked to ride with Navin and Maez to win allies and to uncover Navin's secrets. Sadie is absolutely stewing because Navin betrayed her, but Maez suggests she try to seduce him to learn his secrets. Calla and the rest of the Golden Court go to the Ice Wolves to try to make Ingrid, the Ice Wolf pack's queen, help her rescue Ora and keep Nero at bay. Unfortunately, everything is a hot mess, and no one is being helpful and disaster lurks around every corner.

First off: you HAVE to read A River of Golden Bones to understand anything happening in this book. It picks up pretty much right after that one ends, and it is easy to get lost if you don't remember what happened in the previous novel. This book is so angsty with sooooo much betrayal. I honestly don't understand how anyone trusts anyone else in this universe, especially after the twists and turns in this one. Sadie is kind of a mopey, self-centered pain in the ass who fails to see the bigger picture sometimes, but her chemistry with Navin was great. Navin is a very layered character with an interesting background, so it was annoying to see Sadie fall .

There are some issues with pacing, and I found myself skimming a bit, but overall, this was an enjoyable follow-up to the first in the series. The characters act immature at times, but that seems to align with other new adult books I've read. The spice, while fairly good, is placed oddly sometimes - the characters seem to use sex as a distraction from life-threatening situations, which can be jarring as a reader. However, the big reveals in this book related to Navin and Ora were more than enough to keep me interested despite any other flaws the book may have had.

I really loved the expanding story, world and characters we get to see through the dual POV. We also have the continuation of Calla's relationship while simultaneously getting to see Sadie grapple with Navin's betrayal and her feelings for him.

The villains were realistic in their beliefs, and behavior. The parallels they draw to real life are humbling, and had me seeing red.

Watching Calla slowly destroy themself to appease others hit a little too close to home. Once again proving how similar Calla and myself are.

The idea that songs and music carry magic is beautiful. I can't wait to see more of it in the next book.

The story has a dramatic and not too happy conclusion, The two final battles appeared to be mirrors of each other in different regions. Both had my anxiety at an all time high!

Full of misadventure, political qualms, brewing war, steamy romance and plentiful betrayals this book had everything I wanted and I cannot wait for book 3!

A Sky of Emerald Stars is book two in the Golden Court series, following A River of Golden Bones. Please read A River of Golden Bones before reading this book. They are not stand-alone.

I can say that I was not a fan of the writing style of this book. It switches back and forth between POVs of two different characters, Calla, who was the main character of the last book, and Sadie, who steps up in this book as another main character. Both POVs are told from the first person POV, which adds to the confusion of what is happening to who. It also really halts the momentum of the story often when something happens in one chapter and leaves on a cliffhanger, and then the next chapter is told from the other person's point of view who is doing something else. It really halts the building momentum, which I didn't like. I wasn't able to get invested in one part of the storyline without getting dragged to the other and my attention getting pulled away from what was happening.

The pacing was a bit slow and nothing really major happens that grabs your attention and the book isn't really memorable. I listened to the audiobook completely, and then the second half again, and yet I still can't really remember what happens and nothing really stuck. What I do remember was enjoyable, but I do wish that there were more twists and turns to keep be engaged and more time spent in one POV before moving back to the other. There is also a heavy emphasis on gender roles and gender identity in this book and it goes more in depth into the characters finding out who they are and becoming more comfortable with themselves.

The romance was shoved in your face a lot since they go back and forth between two different couples. Something bad happens? Add in some spice. Need to hide from someone who holds your fate in their hands? Throw in some spice to tempt getting caught because that's more important than your mission and kingdom. There were so many times where it was really not needed and seemed so out of place. The new romance in this book between Sadie and Navin was more of a slow burn than Callie and Grae's in the first book due to unfinished business that the two have but the chemistry is there.

Our side characters were great. I still loved Briar, and how supportive she is of Calla and her new found queendom. I really hope that Briar and Maez are able to actually going to be able to spend more time in peace.

Will I continue this series? Maybe. I enjoyed the first book a lot, but enjoyed this one a little less. I would probably give the next book a read.

Thank you to A.K. Mulford, HarperAudio Adult, and NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Absolutely amazing. Following book one when Calla took ownership over herself and her people, she's now working with Grae to get a dear friend back from their enemies. Betrayal runs amok in their endeavors, and they split to solve the problems plaguing them.

Sadie is going out of her mind suck at the Golden Court. Not because its bad, it's great, but because she needs to fight and run. So she and Navin, of all people, are sent with Maez on their own quest to help Calla in her quest to create a better world.

Obstacles are thrown in front of both parties at every step of the way. Self growth, growth in relationships, and realizations that although there is a divide in language, humans and wolves are not all that different after all are beautifully written in this novel. As always, A.K. Mulford brings reality crashing into fantasy, focusing on the fight for equality.

A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford delivers an ambitious story filled with political intrigue, self-discovery, and simmering tension. Set against the backdrop of a world striving for peace amidst chaos, the book explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the weight of leadership.

Sadie Rauxtide’s journey as a royal guard thrust into a mission fraught with personal and political stakes is compelling. Her evolving relationship with Navin adds a layer of emotional complexity, though their romance often feels rushed, overshadowing the nuanced exploration of trust and betrayal. Meanwhile, Queen Calla’s struggle to assert their identity amidst political resistance provides a heartfelt narrative thread, capturing the courage required to live authentically in a world reluctant to change.

Mulford’s worldbuilding is rich, with the Golden Court and the Ice Wolf pack vividly brought to life. The stakes are high, and the dual perspectives of Sadie and Calla offer an engaging contrast between battlefield strategy and the delicate dance of diplomacy.

However, the pacing of the story falters at times. Key plot points are introduced and resolved too quickly, robbing moments of their potential emotional impact. Additionally, the narrative occasionally feels overcrowded, juggling too many characters and subplots without giving each the attention it deserves.

Despite its flaws, A Sky of Emerald Stars is a commendable effort, weaving heartfelt themes into a high-stakes fantasy adventure. While it doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of character-driven stories who appreciate a blend of romance, identity, and political intrigue.

In the second book of this series we get a continuation of our story through the eyes of Calla and Sophie. Calla and Grey are navigating their new royalty and in trying to establish their Court, they are threatened by Grey’s father, Nero. They take off in search of allies with Briar and some of their human companions.
At the same time Sophie and Maze take off to another kingdom me Maven, who is hiding something and Sophie must nuzzle up to him to try to figure that secret out while fighting her hurt from his rejection.
Throughout these two separate adventures, both Sophie and Briar end up betrothed to o different wolf royalty, despite their feelings for others.

Again, I overall enjoy the story in this series. I continue to find it to flow well. I was worried with the two POVs in this installment that things would get confusing, but thankfully the two timelines progressed at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyage for this ARC!

5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Not everything can be solved by stabbing..”

A Sky of Emerald Stars is the second novel in the adult fantasy romance series, Golden Court. Written in dual first person POV, the story follows Calla and Sadie. Calla, our beloved queen from the first novel, and she is in a bit of a pickle. Though they have reclaimed the Golden Court from an evil sorceress it will take to to rebuild and the other surrounding courts are not always making this easier. To make matters worse, one rival wolf pack kidnaps Calla's dear friend, Ora. Unable to be in two places at once, Calla sends Sadie to find Ora while Calla navigates court politics with the ice Wolf pack with a hope of building alliances to stop her enemy, Nero.

Sadie, now a royal guard, has been disillusioned thanks to a betrayal at the hands of a human she cared for. When she is sent on her journey she is further angered to know the very man who betrayed her, Navin, will be joining alongside Maeve to keep the status quo. See the secrets Navin has been keeping appear to be crucial to the Golden Court and Sadie must do whatever it takes to unravel them... Now tensions rise as both Calla and Sadie must unravel secrets, navigate court games, while facing a threat of looming war for the world they know seems to be so much more than it seems...

I had so much fun with this book!

Sadie is absolutely fierce and it shows. She holds a mean grudge and she can fight skillfully. At the same time we do get to explore some vulnerability to her which I enjoyed a lot. She's struggling with her feelings for Navin and finding her place in the world but she refuses to let that hold her back.

Calla, of course, continues to be as amazing as they were in the first book. We get to really explore a more nuanced situation in their character as they balance their freedom of expression as a merem while also navigating court politics where their identity may risk the alliances they believe they need.

I also want to give a shout out to Navin because he is so adorable and sweet but he has such layers to his personality that thrilled me as we peeled them back bit by bit. He may be human but there is so much more to him.

There are also so many other amazing characters we explore in this novel that really fleshed out the world. Grae gets to come back and him and Calla together is an excellent combination. Briar and Maeve were so cute together but don't let that fool you - their journey is a WHIRLWIND. We get more time with Maeve and Briar separately here which drew me in and I am hoping for more time with as the series progresses.

In terms of spice, I would place this novel at 3 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. There is spice in both POVs. Calla and Grae are an already established couple so we see spice from them earlier on and it is detailed, explicit, and a delight. Navin and Sadie take more time with the angst between them from betrayal but the pay off is wonderful. There is a bit of grit to their spice with domination and control and that really plays well into things. I found their chemistry off the charts!

“You are so beautiful…And powerful and terrifying and completely and utterly hypnotic…”

For the story, I will be honest I wasn't sure where this story was going when I started but it was a thrill of the time. You have Calla trying to navigate court intrigue as they attempt to build an alliance with another world pack and struggling with having to minimize themselves in order to gain favour with this pack. Then, you have Sadie out to find Ora while also gathering Navin's secrets because they believe whatever Navin is hiding is tied to what happened with Ora. There is also the larger looming conflict of the world that has me so excited for how it all comes together. There is plenty of action, mortal peril, and sweet intimacy that helps highlight the strength and vulnerability of our cast and crew. Also so much more fun magic! This book will put you through the paces but you will have so much fun! There is unresolved conflict for book 3 that is a bit cliffy but not for all characters. I am not desperate for book three.

AK Mulford has once again done it! Thank you so much to Harper Voyager for this arc!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and HarperAudio Adult, through NetGalley, for an advanced reader copy of the e-book and the audio book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This was a great follow-up to the first novel in the Golden Court series. I enjoyed this one more than the first. The pacing was better, the characters more comfortable in their skin, and the stakes even higher. The magic system is more thoroughly fleshed out and is unique. At times I found Calla and Grae to be frustrating in the first installment, so I was happy to have shifting points of view here to see the perspective of a new set of "main" characters in what is really more of an ensemble cast situation.

The romance scenes for Calla and Grae felt forced and unnecessary to me. That relationship was already fleshed out in the first novel, and felt to me like it did nothing to drive the plot forward. Admittedly, I skimmed those pages. This is the main reason for my drop to 4 stars for the review.

Navin's character development in this installment is by far my favorite. His development was well paced over the entire course of the book.

I'm excited to continue (complete?) the series in the next installment. The world is really interesting and the characters engaging. I recommend particularly for fans of fantasy, romantasy, kingdoms with power struggles, LGBTQIA+ representation, wolf-shifters, magic systems and fated mates.

I was so excited for the next book in this series and to get back into Calla story. I was slow to get on the bandwagon for Sadie's parts but Sadie story stole the show, for sure. I was a little sad that a lot of Calla parts were so depressing and she lost her bad assed self with Grae. The spice is spicing, I approve. I did have to look back at the character list because for some crazy reason I forgot who was who!!

3 stars
——————

I took a while to ruminate on this one and I still just don’t know how to feel.

I went into this one fresh off a reread of A River of Golden Bones and that was a good idea. This book drops you back directly into the plot line of book one and without a refresh, I would have been confused. This book felt like a filler immediately. The plot is almost none existent and focuses more on “growing” the characters, but it heavily grows on the relationships more. I wanted more action, more plot and dare I say…less spice. It certainly picked up at the end, but it took a while to get there and to get through this one. The multiple POV was good in the sense that our characters are split up this novel, but it didn’t feel like they were connected either. It was like reading two separate stories at once. I enjoy the world and the lore, I liked the ending, but nothing really stood out to me.

Character wise, this book really is character driven. I just didn’t enjoy that when this one could have benefited so much from being plot driven like book one. There is a good sense of self discovery and I enjoyed the relationships, there was just too much of them. I DID enjoy the queer discovery aspects, but they felt heavily relied on in Calla’s POV to drive her as a character.

I’ve got mixed feelings on reading book three.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Calla might be Queen, but there is still trouble brewing for the Golden Court. And it's up to Sadie to serve her Queen and kingdom. Even if that means traveling with the human who broke her heart.

Read if you like:
-Wolf Shifters
-Second Chance Romance
-Magic
-Secrets

After falling in love with Calla in book one, A Sky of Emerald Stars fell short. It was a good book, but I just didn't lose my mind over it. Or my heart to Sadie and Navin. I'm still excited to see what will happen in the final book of the trilogy.

I am so happy I got to read this one early! I loved the first book in this series and the second didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed getting a new POV and I was worried at first that I didn’t care much for Sadie but she proved herself to me. And Navin has so many layers which made this story fun.

Of course I love Calla and Grae as always. This story gave me slight ACOTAR vibes but make it wolves and kind of Sleeping Beauty. I am definitely excited for the next installment because there is so much left to happen!

This book had me at the edge of my seat, chewing my nails, and screaming bloody murder!!! I threw my kindle, I cried, i gasped, and at the very last page, i leapt to my feet and cursed the author!!!!

All that to say, this is, in my fine opinion, a book even better than the first!!! and given my absolute obsession with the first book, that's saying a lot!!! it's hard to leave a review here without filling the page with spoilers but let me tell you, this is a book series well worth reading! there are betrayals, there are allies, there are secrets! (there is a LOT of spice). we learn so much about the Galen del Mora, even more about Sadie and Hector and the way the wolf packs work and at the very end, your left absolutely desperate for more.

I jumped into A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford right after finishing A River of Golden Bones, and I’m glad I did because it picks up exactly where we left off. Having everything fresh in my mind definitely helped. That said, as a follow-up, this one fell a little flat for me.

My biggest critique of the first book was that it focused more on Calla’s journey of self-discovery than on the actual plot. And somehow, A Sky of Emerald Stars felt like it had even less plot movement. It honestly just felt like a filler book.

On the plus side, the magic system is better developed in this one. But at the same time, it kind of came out of nowhere, which made it feel a little disconnected.

This series shines when it comes to queer representation, and I do appreciate that aspect. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it’s not something I’m rushing to tell everyone about. If the pattern of last-minute betrayals between side characters continues into the next book, I feel like I already know what’s coming—and honestly, I’m not sure I care enough about the new characters based on what I’ve seen so far.

Like I said in my review of the first book, this is a solid pick if you’re new to fantasy and want to dip your toes into the genre. But if you’re a seasoned fantasy reader looking for something groundbreaking, this one might not quite do it for you.

The Golden Court is learning to breathe again after the demise of the malevolent sorceress Sawyn. But in the vacuum of power left behind, other rulers are looking to reign supreme. In A Sky of Emerald Stars, we flip between Sadie and Queen Calla as they embark on perilous journeys to restore peace and balance. Sadie, Maez, and the human musician Navin are sent on a mission to gather allies for the Golden Court’s cause. But as Navin and Sadie grow closer, will the secrets between them tear them apart? Can a human and a wolf ever fall in love? Calla, on the other hand, tackles the Ice Wolf pack in Taigos with their mate Grae by their side, dancing a treacherous tango around politics and blood where they’re completely out of their depth.

A Sky of Emerald Stars takes the chaos of the last novel and expands on its cruel but magical world. Splitting the chapters between Calla and Sadie’s perspectives takes a while to settle into and makes the momentum stutter at times but by the end, it’s straight-up frenetic. We learn more about the other kingdoms and their motivations for choosing a side in the growing war between the Golden Court and the wickedly tactical Wolf King Nero—and how Sadie’s family loyalties will be put to the test. The world’s political machinations are always changing but they never feel too heavy to grasp. While the two alternating storylines have threads connecting them, sometimes they do feel entirely disparate; this novel definitely feels like a chessboard where the pieces are being set up to play in the sequel.

Sadie and Navin’s growing romance takes center stage as a slow burn filled with plenty of will-they-won’t-they moments and “forbidden love” tropes. Is it satisfying? For the most part—their story is filled with heart and has some pretty spicy moments, turning Nevin into a romance hero who’s sweet and kind but also knows how to play. Although you may be left wanting a little bit more (which hopefully the sequel will provide), Sadie finally finds someone who can not only match her in her sparring energy but is also strong enough to take care of her, to handle her, to let her be vulnerable, and that’s beautiful.

To balance out the yearning, Calla and Grae’s fiery connection has plenty of steamy scenes as their love and lust for one another gets stronger. The way they both navigate the politics of the fragile alliances and broken kingdoms, using the plays and skills they’ve learned over their time together, shows their growth as individuals and as a couple. The surrounding romances are where the drama comes into play, with high stakes for Maez and her mate Briar as they find themselves drawn to their own quests. There are some lovely queer moments that come into play in unexpectedly sweet ways; it’s refreshing to see how well the explorations of gender and identity are woven into a fantasy setting.

The fight scenes are intense and thrilling, with some gore and lots of bloody action. The shifters are powerful and mighty but there are other magics and mysteries that challenge them here, and learning their lore is a bonus. While the pacing is slow to begin with and some parts feel extraneous, as this is the second novel in a series with more to come, the added worldbuilding and storylines will hopefully have more of a pay off later. Overall, A Sky of Emerald Stars is a decent addition to the Golden Court romantasy world, building the momentum towards what promises to be an epic showdown.

—

Thanks to HarperCollins for the ARC.

In A Sky of Emerald Stars, we return to the Golden Court to follow wolf-shifters Queen Calla and Sadie in this whimsical romantasy series.

This 💫Sleeping Beauty-esq 💫 tale is perfect for readers who enjoy romance and are possibly new to the fantasy genre because it has a very easy-to-follow magic system, steamy romantic scenes, and diverse character representation.

Rosy Moments 🌹
- Diverse character representation (including gender fluidity in main characters)
- Reminders from Book 1 are subtly incorporated to help the reader without seeming repetitive - very well done!
- Spicy scenes beginning at 25% into the book from characters you met in Book 1

A Few Finger Pricks 🪡
- The dual POV lacks crossover and while the cast is split up it begins to feel like two separate books vs a collaborative storyline
- 70% Romance / 30% Plot Split… and I simply prefer a little more plot

+++👂🏼The audiobook narration features performances by Bridget Bordeaux and Vico Ortiz who deliver accurate emotionally resonant performances that showcase their range as voice actors and bring a lot of depth to the cast of characters.

🏳️‍🌈 I respect Mulford, a former wildlife biologist turned fantasy author known for their dedication to crafting inclusive stories that spotlight diverse characters and cultures.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, HarperAudio, and A.K. Mulford for the advance reader copy of this book!

⭐ 3.5/5 Stars – I recommend this spicy fairytale romantasy if you’re looking for a lighthearted adventure!