"A River of Golden Bones" by A.K. Mulford is a captivating and promising start to the Golden Court trilogy! The story revolves around Calla and Briar, twins with a hidden heritage and a deep-seated fear of a powerful sorceress. Both characters have their own distinct roles and destinies, but the narrative mainly focuses on Calla's journey from the shadows to the forefront as she embarks on a quest to save her sister and their kingdom.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the exceptional world-building. Mulford creates a vivid and immersive realm filled with Wolves, magic, and intricate societal structures. The world feels rich and well thought out, with a great attention to detail that brings it to life. Character development is another strong suit of Mulford's. Calla's journey of self-discovery is both relatable and compelling. I especially enjoyed the representation of gender exploration and identity. I truly cannot wait for the next installment in this series!

I was super excited to get a copy of this book, as I’d seen it advertised on social media and was super intrigued. I will say, it definitely met if not exceeded my expectations!

In this book, which is the first of a trilogy, we follow closely Calla’s story, which began with the tragic death of her parents, the king and queen of a wolf kingdom, at the hands of an evil sorceress. Since then, she has been in hiding with her sister, who is believed to be the sole survivor of the attack, and is betrothed to the prince of a neighboring kingdom. However, through some unfortunate events, her sister, Briar, is placed under a sleeping curse, spurring Calla into action. She must fight to take back her kingdom and defeat the evil sorceress in order to save her sister and their future.

I love a wolf shifter story, and I love that while the base lore is always the same, they almost always have their own twists. The thing I really liked about this story, so far, is the structure of the kingdoms in the world, and the way that Mulford built the relationships between the wolves. Calla was also SUCH an interesting character. I loved seeing their journey to discovering who they are and their identity. Also, the side characters? Totally awesome? The little family Calla and Grae found on their journey was such an enjoyable one.

I think for people who love a good fantasy romance, but also are looking for a self-discovery journey and fantastic representation, this is a top tier read. It definitely got 4.5 stars from me and I am really looking forward to reading the next one!

I wanted to read this as I heard it was kind of based on Sleeping Beauty, but truly that doesn't really play much into the story beyond a brief plot point. This is otherwise not my kind of book, but I found it well written and attention keeping. The non-binary representation of several characters was well done and will no doubt interest readers looking for that.

Thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all I would like to praise the representation in this book, absolutely lovely to see genderfluidity normalized even if it is in a fantasy setting. The premise is interesting, and the magic system is compelling, but the characters just fell a bit flat for me, and I’m not sure why. I can see there was some found family stuff in there, but I think I really got put off by Grae, he just wasn’t a compelling love interest to me personally.

This is the sexiest, most heart-wrenching A.K Mulford book to date. A book that shows us a brand new side of this author’s writing genius, and it is in my humble opinion, her best work thus far.

I was pretty disappointed with this one. I really love the authors other series, but I found this one really boring and I just didn’t find myself caring about it.

Unfortunately this book ended up being a DNF for me. I reached just shy of 60% of the book and just found that reading it was a chore and there were just other books I wanted to read more. The pacing was awkward, the world building felt thin, and I just haven't found a single character likeable. The writing itself read as YA, but because of the spice of book it's not something I could recommend in that genre. It felt like the writer was trying to leave plot breadcrumbs for the whole book and end up with a multilayered plot, but it just didn't flow. It's somehow both rushed and slow at the same time. I had high hopes for the book since I saw others on BookTok giving it glowing reviews and I am, admittedly, a werewolf fanatic but even the werewolf lore didn't feel very fleshed out. Since our FMC and MMC are both werewolves, I would've thought to have had a better understanding of how exactly they are Wolves by more than halfway through the story.

I'll probably try and finish this book down the road, but with new books coming out all the time I'm not sure when that will be.

I still plan to have a copy or two available in my store simply because of it's popularity on BookTok but it won't be sitting on my employee recommendations shelf.

Reading this gave me just the right amount of Sleeping Beauty nostalgia. It’s not a retelling, but a reimagination with a whole herd of new monsters, and better yet, wolves. The way the wolves are described gives such a beautiful picture in my head, and the monsters were terrifying. There was a lot of very good build up to them like you get when you heard stories about the hydra as a kid when you were just getting into Greek mythology.

The love side of the story, it was beautiful. It’s a slow burn, a very slow burn but their are some other sides to the story that play in making it much more realistic than some. The insta love is not quite there, but we do get the found family trope and it’s wonderful. The hooligans they meet up with on a van, the best people we encounter!

Last thing here, this is probably the best book I’ve read when it comes to LGBTQIA+ representation. I really appreciate that there are multiple characters in the umbrella represented here, not just one. It’s not overdone, it fits the story and made me absolutely fall in love with the book. This book also has use of sign language, and it’s done in a very cool way that doesn’t need to explain the inner workings of peoples choices.

I was so scared to finish this book, but the ending is set up super well and didn’t make me want to throw the book for once because the author ruined my life with a cliffhanger.

I really liked how this story had so many of the key elements that we enjoy in fantasy but having it just a bit different with the Wolf plot points to make it seem fresh and exciting. I think our new adult patrons will be happy to see this on our shelves and will appreciate a new and interesting fantasy story that they can spread among their friends. The sister aspects of the story and the romance elements are added bonuses that will really appeal to the readers we have that would pick this up.

Rumors had swirled for years that the last of the Gold Wolf line yet lived, that the Marriel princess named Briar had survived the fateful night of her birth . . . but no one whispered about another named Calla

A River of Golden Bones begins the trilogy about Aotreas, a land ruled by four Wolf Kingdoms. With a little bit of Sleeping Beauty inspiration, the story is told all from Calla, the secret twin sister of the Crimson Princess. Hidden in a small-town with a faery, backed by the power of their mother's dying wish, Calla has grown up learning to fight and protect her sister, who is betrothed to the Prince of the Silver Wolves, Grae. Calla and Grae were childhood friends until he had to leave for school and stopped writing her letters but he's back now that the sisters will be turning twenty and his marriage with the Crimson Princess is to take place. With the marriage, Grae's father says they'll help fight to take back the sister's Golden Wolf Kingdom from the evil sorceress Sawyn, who killed their parents and have been hiding from, and announce Calla's existence.

I was meant to pledge my loyalty to King Nero that night, but I ran. If Grae came with me, he’d be picking sides. I’d take away his family, his pack, and ultimately his life.

When the sisters get to Grae's kingdom, it becomes apparent that the king hasn't been fully honest and doesn't plan on helping them take back their kingdom but instead mine the gold on the boarder to enrich his own kingdom. The night of the wedding ceremony also throws all kinds of wrenches into everyone's plans when it's revealed that the Crimson Princess has a fated mate that is not the prince, along with Calla and Grae learning that they are fated mates. Wolves are a traditional society and messing with fated mates is frowned upon but while everything is in chaos, Sawyn makes an appearance and puts a sleeping curse on Calla's sister and takes the Crimson Princess' fated mate hostage. Calla wants to immediately go and fight Sawyn to free her sister but the king now wants to use Calla in her sister's place, leaving Grae in the middle and worried for Calla's safety. Concerned only for her sister, Calla runs away to travel to her home kingdom and fight Sawyn.

Before, my destiny had just been daydreams, and now, it was real and raw and vicious.

The vast amount of the story then becomes a road adventure where Calla joins up with a musical troop and learns that humans aren't everything wolves have made them out to be. Grae, along with two friends of his royal guard, meet up with them and Calla struggles with accepting to be his mate and how that fits into who and what she wants to be and get out of life. Some soldiers of Sawyn, Rooks, and Silver Wolf guards sent by Grae's father to bring them back, make appearances for some danger and battle scenes, while the push and pull Calla feels toward Grae has them working to develop their relationship, along with kissing for some romance. However, while the distant looming of Sawyn is always there, I would say this story is mainly about Calla and her struggling to learn how she wants to define herself.

Wolves clung to tradition and, for some reason, I’d thought those traditions would keep us safe. Yet as soon as I stepped outside of that world, I realized how hollow it all was. It wasn’t for safety. It was for power. And not my power.

With the help of the troop's leader, Ora, Calla gains some vocabulary and thought from humans, that the wolves' society didn't come equipped for her and Calla begins to gain knowledge, confidence, and strength in how she defines and views herself. This personal journey really felt like the main focus of the story and while the road adventure part helped flush out the worldbuilding for the continuing series, I did feel the middle of the story's pace dragged. The personal journey aspect did give this a little bit of YA vibes and I can see why some have tagged it as such but the romance that heats up hot in the latter second half (instead of open door bedroom you get open door wood scenes) would have me labeling this New Adult. There wasn't quite the adult intimacy in those scenes but straight to the raw; if you're looking for this would be awkward to read in public steam, they'd probably work but I like some deeper emotion in my romance. The aspect of the fated mates kind of took some of the journey of depth of emotion from these two and forced them to be together. Calla's constant misjudging of Grae's actions/emotions also started to strain and feel a bit forced to keep them apart.

“Who knows who we could have been,” Grae whispered, the candlelight dancing in his eyes. “But I’m grateful for who you’ve become.”

The last twenty percent has the group making it to Olmdere and the battle standoff with Sawyn. The ending does give a happily ever after for our main couple and their romance and since this author's previous series (The Five Crowns of Okrith) had each book showcasing a different romance couple but with a continued overarching world plot, I'm going to guess this is how this trilogy is going to go. There were two couples that seem like potential possibilities, two of Grae's wolf guards with humans from the troop. The fight to recapture Calla's kingdom may be over but to keep it seems to be the next battle as Grae's father and other wolf kingdoms might not like how Calla plans to rule with humans. If you're looking for more of a story about self-discovery than romance or fantasy but set in that world, this would be one to pick up.

“I think we’ve just started a war.”

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC for an honest review.

I went into this book blind and really enjoyed this unique shifter romance with fated mates and a twist of sleeping beauty retelling.

Spending their entire lives concealing themselves from both a powerful sorceress and oblivious humans, the twins Calla and Briar hide the fact that they are Wolves and keep themselves safe. Each twin has their own distinct purpose in life: Briar intends to wed the prince of a friendly pack in order to rescue the Golden Court, while Calla's objective is to remain concealed as her twin's shadow, acting as a contingency plan.
Except for her childhood friend and her sister's future husband, the extraordinarily attractive Prince Grae, no one truly knows Calla's identity. However, their meticulously crafted plans unravel when Calla and Briar depart from their hiding place for Briar's wedding. The malevolent sorceress returns, threatening the last heir of the Golden Court with a new sleeping curse. Calla must emerge from the shadows to save their sister, their kingdom, and their own legacy. Determined to hide her true nature as a human and reject her inherent identity, Calla embarks on a journey across the realm, uncovering a previously unknown world. Free from the constraints of the rigid Wolf society, Calla starts to ponder: what could she become if she had the courage to try?

I can’t wait for the next book and see how much Calla grows to be the ruler she was meant to be with the help of her mate and new found family.

A.K Mulford is a master of their craft! I loved their other series and this was no exception. Everyone needs to read this book!

This book was interesting yet confusing at the beginning. It read like a YA for most of the book and I was expecting it to be different. My favorite part of this book by far was the LGBTQ+ rep. I don’t read a ton of fantasy but I don’t think I’ve read a lot of fantasy with a non-binary main character. The romance was insta-love and I wish there was more of a back story on their childhood. The werewolf aspect was interesting, but not don’t particularly well in several aspects. This one reads a lot like a coming-of-age novel for Calla and I enjoyed that but I just wanted more from this book overall.

A River of Golden Bones is such a fast paced and fun read! It has werewolves, hidden identities, and a Sleeping Beauty-esq curse.

The book starts by introducing us to the main character, Calla. We learn about her past friendship with Prince Grae, and that she might like him as more than a friend. However, Grae is betrothed to her twin sister, Briar.

The story moves very quickly, and we learn a ton about Calla and Briar’s history. Their family was murdered and their kingdom stolen by a sorceress, and Calla’s goal is to get it back.

I did not anticipate how quickly this story would unfold, or the twists and turns it would take.
There is a lot of politics and background stories spread throughout to keep the reader informed. The author did a great job creating this world and explaining it as the book progresses. There are many characters that come into play, and I am excited to see how the rest of the series goes.

I would recommend this if you enjoy fantasy romance!

✨arc review ✨

Um, yes. yes. and yes. I thought it was well written and also inclusive. And dated mates? Sold. I need more 🤓🖤

Thank you for the arc opportunity.

This is the first book I’ve ever read of A.K. Mulford, and needless to say I’m going to binge her other books. I devoured this book, easily one of my top 5 reads this year! I can’t wait to see what happens when the story continues. Watching Calla come into themselves and learning exactly how they are feeling is okay and no matter what they will be loved is such a heartwarming Moment.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Friends to lovers
Fated mates
hidden identity/secret princess
LGBTQ+
found family
Self discovery

One part made me cry just as bad as i did with KoA by SJM

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper voyager for an E- ARC in exchange for an honest review

I love A.K. Mulford and I have read and loved everything they have written, except for this story. There were a lot of things that were beautifully done--Calla's confession to Ora being one of them, but the vast majority of this book felt like a rough draft. The beginning was confusing and a straight info dump, and the middle felt like it had no real purpose. None of the characters felt flushed out and they were incredibly immature throughout the events of the story. I think with some more editing and restructuring, it could be a great story, but it's really not on the same level as A.K.'s other works.

DNF - Did not finish.

I wanted to love this book but for some reason could not get into the writing style - not a bad book, just not my cup of tea!

Pulling from Sleeping Beauty, this YA fantasy follows Calla and her twin sister, Briar, as they emerge from hidden on the eve of Briar’s arranged wedding.

For twenty years the sister have been in hiding from the evil witch who murdered their parents. Only Grae and his father, the King of the Silver Wolves, knows about them. As the wedding of Grae and Briar starts, the evil witch interrupts and puts a sleeping curse of Briar.

It’s up to Calla and Grae to fix it and restore the kingdom!

This book had all the young adult angst and complicated romance to go with it. You’ll be rooting for Calla and Grae the whole way!

Thank you to HarperCollins, A.K. Mulford, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I wanted so badly to love this book. But it just left me wanting a little… I thought the storyline itself was good. I wouldn’t go as far as to say some parts were slow but for some reason I just couldn’t stay engaged. It took me two and a half weeks to read this one. Maybe that’s just as a result of life but it definitely didn’t suck me in in a way that made me have to keep reading.

I loved that the story had wolf shifters, as that’s a little different than what’s trending in fantasy right now. I loved the idea of a non-binary lead who doesn’t fit typical beauty standards. I loved that there was so much LGBT inclusivity. I wish the character development had been more organic. It just felt a little forced as did most of the romantic relationships. I feel like this book did a lot of telling rather than showing. So like telling us that characters felt a certain way instead of showing us how or why. And some of the dialogue felt odd and unnatural.

I don’t think this book was bad it was just a little hard for me. It did definitely pick up at the end in the last 100 or so pages. If you’re looking for a fantasy book with inclusivity I would say give it a try for sure I just think maybe it wasn’t for me.