This wasn’t my favorite Brigid Kemmerer book, but it was still a strong and compelling story! Kemmerer just sets her own bar so high that this didn’t quite live up to what I expect from her.

Carving Shadows into Gold (CSIG) is the second book in the Forging Silver into Stars (FSIS) trilogy, which is a spin-off of her Cursebreaker trilogy.

CSIG picks up immediately where FSIS left off, and I was initially excited to jump right into the action, but was surprised to find that there was actually a bit of buildup before the momentum really took off. I read both books on audio, and though FSIS was a reread, I really enjoyed the three narrators and how they brought the story to life! I’ll definitely be getting the conclusion to the trilogy on audio as well.

I love our three POV characters—Callyn, Jax, and Tycho—but I felt that there wasn’t enough of Callyn’s POV in this book. It takes a WHILE before we get to her first chapter in this book, and we only rarely visit her POV, even though I thought she was doing some of the most important work between the three POVs.

I was also sad to see Tycho and Jax only rarely interact, and Jax and Callyn didn’t interact at all. I found it interesting that they only ever wondered how the other was doing I think one time each during the whole book; if my best friend was someone I spent my whole life living next to and they started living in another country and we had no way to communicate, I would worry about them more than that!

Some of those frustrations were lessened by the presence of our new characters though, particularly Malin and Sephran. Well… mostly Malin, honestly. Sephran was wonderful until he brought some pretty unnecessary drama toward the end of the book, and he started to lose me when that happened.

I also loved seeing the intricate details of Jax learning Emberish and how he developed his knowledge of the language throughout the book. The broken communication style and his frustration with no one being able to understand him felt very authentic, and I feel like that’s not something you see often in books.

Some of the characters in this book were simply so frustrating for me—namely, Grey and Alek. I don’t remember Grey being as much of a headache in the Cursebreaker trilogy, but seeing how he’s acting in these books is making me want to go back and do a reread and see if I’m remembering correctly.

And Alek. If Alek has no haters, then I’m dead. Callyn should’ve dumped his ass back in Briarlock, and I can’t BELIEVE he wormed his way back in. He honestly has no redeeming qualities, and Callyn should not have saved his life. But I digress.

Speaking of Alek, I found it interesting that both FSIS and CSIG ended with threats from Alek toward Callyn, but as we well saw in this book, he didn’t follow through on any of those the first time, so I can’t say I expect much from him now either.

Despite my frustrations, I really do enjoy these stories. I love returning to this world and seeing characters from Cursebreaker, especially Rhen and Harper. Kemmerer’s worldbuilding is so immersive that I truly couldn’t put this book down, and I am obsessed with all of the complex characters (even the ones who fill me with rage).

I just can’t help but wish there was a little less pining in this book and a little more action—both romantically and in general. The characters spend a lot of time considering what they should be doing, and I wish they took more action directly.

I definitely look forward to seeing how this trilogy wraps up and how our characters will fare!

I do recommend picking up these books, but you’ll want some patience with this one—it’s definitely hitting that second-book-in-a-trilogy slump. But before you pick up FSIS, make sure you read the original Cursebreaker trilogy, or you will be severely spoiled!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although reading the Cursebreakers series first is necessary, Forging Silver into Stars is such an excellent queer spinoff I simply had to recommend it. Jax has labored under his drunken father’s cruelty at the forge for years, but when he spends their tax money on liquor, he can’t even ask his best friend at the bakery, Callyn, for help. After all, she is struggling to. Instead, when Jax is offered money in exchange for passing off treasonous notes, he says yes to save them both. Neither expected the King’s Courier, Tycho, to come to their remote town. Even if he’s distracted by Jax’s beauty, they can only get away with the plot for so long before he notices. In her captivating series, Kemmerer offers premium yearning, magic, and political turmoil.

Kemmerer has that skillful ability to create tension and suspense without slipping into drama for drama's sake. Every bit of suspense felt earned, and every action by a character--even and especially the ones that made me want to reach through the pages to shake them by the shoulders--was organic and authentic to that character.

The Cursebreaker series was so well done, but Kemmerer's writing and storytelling, especially the emotional arcs, has really matured and strengthened in this spinoff series.

And honestly, Jax + Tycho is my favorite relationship in any contemporary series because it is real and imperfect and not forced at all.


***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

Summary:
Following the story of King Grey, this book focuses on Tycho, Jax and Callyn and the upcoming political conflict in the kingdom. As all three characters are cast into different parts of the country, each must make harrowing decisions in the face of disaster and with the use of magic. Can the three of them live up to their potential without sacrificing their relationships? And what will they do to ensure success in their quests?

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
Magical Bargains
Political Unrest
Found Magic

Triggers:
Blackmail
Impending War

My Thoughts:
How many times can I yell from the rooftops that I LOVE Brigid Kemmerer?! All of her stories are multifaceted with amazing character arcs. Seeing Tycho as a main character is something I was looking forward to and this book did not disappoint. I adored reading about his relationship with Jax and the author did an amazing job with the LGBTQ+ representation. I cried when I read A Curse So Dark & Lonely, and Carving Silver into Stars and now with this book. Go grab a copy - you won’t regret it!

Love this series and this book, possibly more than the first series! I love the relationship between Tycho and Jax. Can’t wait for the next one.

Kemmerer excels in character development, particularly in exploring the evolving relationships between Tycho, Jax, and Callyn. The slow-burn romance between Tycho and Jax is a highlight, offering a nuanced portrayal of love amidst turmoil. The political intrigue and world-building are richly detailed, immersing readers in a complex and dynamic setting. However, some readers may find the pacing deliberate, with the narrative focusing heavily on character introspection and relational dynamics.

Brigid has no misses. I loved Tycho when he was in the Cursebreakers series. He was so underexplored there, but still such a standout. I am so so excited to be diving back into his story. The action of the story also serves as a great highlight to the romance between Tycho and Jax. I love them so so much and found myself wanting so much more of them together. The emotional development of this book was just next level good. While this was 100% a middle book and very much had that energy at times, Brigid is so masterful and writing that I was hooked from page one all the way till the end

Great follow up to "Forging Silver into Stars" with a nice cliff-hanger keeping me wanting more. I did find that I'm considering this an extension of the Curse So Dark and Lonely series because, while it stands on its own, it makes more sense with having read the first books.

3.5*
This is the second in the Forging Silver into Stars series. It’s a takeoff on the Cursebreakers series which is set in the kingdoms of Emberfall and Syhl Shallow. Magic is allowed in Emberfall where Prince Rhen rules with Harper by his side. Rhen’s close friend Gray rules Shyhl Shallow alongside his wife, the Queen, where magic has been banished. Gray is a magesmith and monstrous creatures called scravers are threatening his kingdom because of his magic. Many in the kingdom want Gray gone. Concerned about all the threats to his kingdom, Gray sends his courier Tycho to deliver private messages to Prince Rhen.

Jax is a former blacksmith who must navigate with crutches because of his missing foot. Tycho had been helping him before he left on his mission. The two shared stolen glances that left both of them craving more. When Tycho doesn’t return, Jax worries but he knows he needs to continue to build up his abilities despite the absence of his close friend.

Callyn is Jax’s childhood friend who is living at the queen’s royal court. In the first book she had unwittingly become involved in a conspiracy to hurt Gray when she agreed to help Alek, a member of a powerful group with strong loyalty to the queen. Alek and his allies are vehemently opposed to any magic and they fear that Gray’s presence endangers the queen and the kingdom. Callyn begins to train with Alek because she realizes she must be prepared if the kingdom is attacked. She has discovered that she has magical powers but must keep that a secret. In the meantime, the queen is depressed and all at court are unsettled.

Gay romance, marital strain, alliances, betrayal, and loyalty to the queen are all part of the building tension. Kemmerer is skillful at creating characters who jump off the page and endear themselves to readers. While this book focuses on Tycho, Jax and Callyn, the other characters play an important role and remain ever-present in setting the scene with much anticipation for the next installment.

I love this series and I love the characters. As a lover of the cursebreaker series, the problems with Grey and Lia Mara are heartbreaking. Love Tycho and I liked malin, but absolutely NOT loving Callyn right now. I’m hoping her friendship with Lia Mara will grow in the next one and I will like her a little more🤞🏻. Loved the appearance and role of rhen! Regardless, can’t wait for the next one.

I would give this 3.5 stars. It started out pretty slowly and I was almost instantly annoyed with everyone's woe is me attitudes. That being said, once everyone split up and went their own separate ways for the story, things became a lot better. The character development after that was wonderful and showed different sides to everyone. Honestly, Jax is probably the one that annoys me the most but oh well. I loved the Cursebreaker series so I would have loved to get some more Harper, Rhen, and Grey but oh well. It definetly ended on a cliffhanger so I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC!

Brigid Kemmerer does it again. The queen of fantasy is back. This book did not disappoint, you need to pick it up!

This continues Kemmerer's series and returns us to fan favorites, Jax and Tycho. I enjoyed the story but it also made me sad to see so much disfunction and frustration between the characters. I love Kemmerer's writing and the world she has created so I will continue to read her books, even if this one wasn't my most favorite.

Carving Shadows into Gold really blew me away. As the second book in Brigid Kemmerer’s Forging Silver into Starsseries, it picks up right where the first one ended, and I couldn’t wait to dive back into this world. The pacing starts a bit slow, but it allows for deep character development, and I ended up really appreciating how everything unfolded.

Tycho's journey hit me hard. Watching him struggle with betrayal and a desperate need for loyalty felt so emotional and real. And Jax! I loved how his character grew, particularly how his relationship with Tycho evolved into something so tender and genuine. Their romance is done so well—it's natural, heartfelt, and offers great LGBTQ+ representation. I was rooting for them from the start.

Callyn’s journey at court was intriguing too. She starts to gain confidence and learns that the political world she’s been thrown into isn’t as black and white as she thought. The tension between her and the royal family was really interesting to watch unfold.

The political aspects of the story slowed things down for me at times, but they were essential to setting up bigger events. The world-building is incredible, and I found myself completely immersed again, even though I hadn’t read the first book in a while.

Overall, I’m really pleased with how this book turned out. It’s a great mix of magic, action, and complex relationships. I can’t wait to see what happens next—I’m already looking forward to the next book!

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.

I really enjoyed Carving Shadows into Gold. I think Jax is a stupendous character, and his growth and development in this book was masterful. While I was bereft that this book didn’t have nearly enough Jax-Tycho interactions, I am a huge fan of Jax finding out who he is now that he’s out of Briarlock, and without the influence of a relationship. As for Tycho, I’m so devastated for him – this entire book was the creation of distance between him and the people he loves. His devotion to Grey has been a point of pride for him his entire adult life, and I am intrigued to see what he does if that changes. I love Callyn, but I don’t feel like this book gave her much of a chance to shine. Overall, the pacing was slow, albeit steady, with most of the plot happening within conversations verses events. I’m looking forward to seeing which characters get redemptions, how relationships will continue to evolve, and what part Tycho plays in Nakiis’ plans.

Brigid is one of my favorite authors and I will eat up everything she writes. I absolutely loved the first book, i re read it on audio to prepare for this book and was dying to dive into it and it did not disappoint. I really love the magic and politics in this book. And the connections and relationships between the characters are everything. It did fill a little slow paced but overall I enjoyed it. I need more Jax and tycho!!!

This author is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors of all time. Stunning world building. Brilliant pacing. And characters that made me want to stream at them and be their best friend at the same time.
I cannot wait to read more.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!

Carving Shadows into Gold wrecked me in the best way. I didn’t want to stop reading, but at the same time, every page hurt. Kemmerer’s world pulls you in so deep it’s impossible to let go.

This book aches. Tycho’s pain, his loneliness—it’s raw and real, and I just wanted to reach into the pages and hug him. Watching him open up to Jax, only to end up alone again? Absolutely brutal. The first half is packed with drama and the slowest slow burn, while the second half had so much tension building I was begging for something to explode. Jax’s struggles dragged at times, but Callyn? Watching her find her strength was everything.

But what really hit me was seeing them start to come back to each other. That found family bond has always been the heart of this story, and I missed it. Now I need book three yesterday—I need answers, I need chaos, and more than anything, I need Tycho to finally be loved the way he deserves.

This sequel delivers everything I hoped for political intrigue, deepening character relationships, and high-stakes magic. The story moves at a gripping pace, keeping me invested in the characters’ struggles and triumphs. The romance remains a slow burn, which makes it even more rewarding. If you loved the first book, this one is a must.