I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion. This was a Romantasy with werewolves. I had such a difficult time getting into this book. It’s started out very confusing from the first paragraph. The pacing, descriptions, characters were just… confusing. It didn’t flow which was such a disappointment as I’ve been really looking forward to reading. Thank you for the opportunity.

I received a free e-arc through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the story.
2.75/5

It is a sleeping beauty retelling. I love fairy tell retellings and loved high mountain court so this would be a big win for me. Not really, I found this way to fast paced that I didnt really have any attachment to the "sisterly" bond (which is the drive of the story) or the main character. I found MC annoying and naive with no real growth throughout the book. MC comes off as a "Rapunzel" but angry and stabby more so than happy and care free. But MC naive to the world around and it's suppose to be about the "growth" and adjustment to the world. The side characters that are constant are a fun read but again it doesn't seem as well developed. By the time I got to about the 70% mark of the book I lost interest and started skimming the book to find out the ending. The overall plot seemed really good but just seemed to lack a lot with the characters.

3.5 rounded up.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly throughout the first 45%! It is well-written, and the main character, Calla, is a FANTASTIC representation as someone who is not meant for the skin they were born to be in. That being said, the entire middle of the book was a dredge to get through. I almost would've preferred it to be written as YA instead of the multiple pages of "I want to make you mine - but not here and now" over and over. I also wish the spat with Grae would've been different than almost the same exact spat they had in the beginning of the book. It felt redundant.

Pros:
- The representation in this book is beautifully written. You truly feel for Calla, and understand her inner crisis with not feeling like the "girl" she's been pigeon-holed as. The found family that she meets along the way that helps foster her awakening was so emotional, the support that she's given at multiple points throughout the book is palpable.
- Calla is an MC that you can't help but love. Even while internally battling herself and mourning, she's still strong and fierce.
- It truly reads like a fairytale. Obviously as a loose Sleeping Beauty retelling that would be almost given, but it felt like a TRUE fairytale. Just magical and mythical and immersive.

Cons:
- I believe it was too long for the story itself. The entire middle could've been cut in half and I wouldn't have been known the wiser
- The points made by the main villain felt convoluted. She wanted to be able to keep her throne as a woman, and wants other women to be able to rule, but also fiercely defends archaic wolf traditions and mocks Calla for not identifying as a girl. It felt very backwards.

Overall I think this book was a good read! The colors of the genderfluid/bi flag on the (STUNNING) cover is a fantastic nod to the book's contents.

I think this was the perfect romantasy to fill a void left by others. It has quite a few refreshing takes that aren’t as popular right now and it made me enjoy it even more. While the middle of the book lagged off a bit slow I think the pacing in every other aspect really shined. The wolf-shifters, queer representation, world building, and political intrigue had me flipping through the pages ready to devour more. You should definitely give this one a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars, that I have rounded up to four, and I will tell you why. Overall, this was a tough review for me! I kept flip-flopping on how I felt about the novel as I read— at times being extremely engaged with the stories and characters, almost to the point of tears, and at other times literally rolling my eyes at the prose. However, The reason I have given this book 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars, is because I think that the issues I had with the novel were mostly personal. The novel was technically sound, the writing was strong, and it told a good story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had court intrigue and politics, family drama, warring kingdoms, an evil sorceress, and super cool and unique take on werewolves/wolf shifters.

[SPOILERS FROM HERE]

BUT, I personally, cannot STAND the “fated mates” trope. I’ve disliked it in other books (looking at you SJM) and I dislike it here. Which is a shame because I really like the characters! I think they could have gotten together naturally and Calla’s sister could have just had the only fated bond, which would have been enough to screw up the betrothal. Calla and Grae had enough history, and traveling together would have drawn them close. I just wish it had gotten to happen more naturally.

[END OF SPOILERS]

In addition to the above, this book is S P I C Y! I know many people really enjoy that in a fantasy novel. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. That’s just a personal preference, no fault of the author at all, but it did decrease my enjoyment of the book by a slight margin.

What *improved* my enjoyment, was Calla’s journey to understanding and learning about gender outside of rigid Wolf society. I don’t want to put any more spoilers in this review than I already have, but I think that plot line was written well and very strongly— and I hope there’s more of it in coming books. I worry that there’s a potential for it to fall by the wayside given how much Plot is going to be coming up in the next books, but I sincerely hope that is not the case.

In general I would say that I enjoyed this book, and I think many other folks will too. The characters are strong and well-defined, the story is engaging, and, I mean, it’s got queer werewolves. Honestly what more could you ask for?

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The world building was strong and didn’t feel difficult to follow. The pacing did slow down a bit towards the middle. I love the representation in this book and how it was written. Overall I thought it was interested and I’m curious about the next one.

Things to expect:
- Fated mates
- LGTBT representation
- Wolf shifters
- Political intrigue
- Sleeping beauty retelling
- Spice 🌶️🌶️

The cover was the initial reason this book caught my eye - it's gorgeous. I also really enjoyed the inside of the book; fated mates isn't always something I enjoy reading, but it worked here. I did wish that a bit more of the story had been dedicated to the MCs backstory - it would've been fun to get a bit of them growing up together. It was interesting to go through the MCs journey of self-discovery with themselves, and I liked that Ora was there as a supportive character to help the self-discovery process.

"A River of Golden Bones" by A.K. Mulford is a captivating and enchanting start to the Golden Court romantasy trilogy. This novel seamlessly weaves together elements of fantasy, romance, and adventure to create a compelling narrative that will leave readers eager for more.

The story revolves around twins Calla and Briar, who have lived their lives in hiding from a powerful sorceress. As Wolves with a hidden heritage, each twin has a distinct role to play in the fate of their kingdom. Calla's character is particularly intriguing as she navigates her dual identity and her connection with Prince Grae. When a new sleeping curse threatens their kingdom and their sister, Calla is forced to step out of the shadows and embrace her true self.

The world-building in the novel is rich and immersive, with Mulford introducing readers to a realm filled with magical creatures, treacherous kingdoms, and unexpected allies. The exploration of gender identity adds depth to Calla's character, and the themes of self-discovery and acceptance resonate throughout the story.

The romance between Calla and Prince Grae is a central element of the plot, adding a layer of emotional intensity to the narrative. Their connection is both heartwarming and complex, as they navigate their feelings while also dealing with the challenges of their world.

"A River of Golden Bones" is a tale of courage, resilience, and the transformative power of embracing one's true self. Mulford's writing is engaging and evocative, drawing readers into a world filled with magic, mystery, and intriguing characters. This book sets the stage for an epic journey of adventure and self-discovery, making it a must-read for fans of romantic fantasy. As the first book in the trilogy, it leaves readers excited to continue following Calla's journey as she navigates the complexities of her destiny and the world around her.

DNF | Unfortunately, I’m sending this book back to its little stay-cation in my kindle library after reading through the first chapter.

I was happily sold on what other early-reviewers called a fresh Sleeping Beauty retelling from a non-binary POV character until the first ten pages hit me with so many red-flags that I had to expedite this book straight into DNF-land.

Some misses from me: The romance between the two main characters (not a spoiler!) is feeling super insta-lovely and flat, the flashbacks and allusions to wolf pack dynamics are already making me uncomfortable—like, I don’t even want to think of the possibilities for what directions that might be developed in—, and the tone/language feels a bit on the younger side of the YA books I typically enjoy.

I honestly rarely ever DNF books, so if you think I’ve made a mistake with passing this one up, please please please (!) let me know! I love a good second-chance comeback read.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper/Avon for sending me an eArc in exchange for an honest review! ✨

A River of Golden Bones was a good read, a story of the Murriel twins, the last Gold Wolves who were in hiding after a sorceress attack. These lost princesses were due to start their lives with the Silver Wolf pack due to a marriage alliance. It follows Calla on her journey to get her revenge, set things to rights and explores her path with gender identity going from she to they. The gender identity topic grows and is the main forefront of the last half of the book. There is diversity through the characters, with a lot of human rights references. There is wolf/human racism, humans treated as lesser, sign language representation, sapphic pairing. This isn’t like any other book I’ve read, so I applaud the author for being creative and adding diversity to fantasy romance.

A River of Gold Bones is about Calla, the twin princess who wasn't supposed to be that now has to fight to save not only their sister but their throne from an evil sorceress. Along the way they have adventures that help them learn who they are.

This story started off very strong. I enjoyed the plot of the shadow twin having to go off to rescue the sister that fell under a curse. There was a lot of character development along the way which was sweet. I loved seeing how all the characters evolved. This book was cute and had amazing potential!

However I felt like as the story went on it became slow. At times I feel like we got away from the main plot line of the book. Anything Calla and Grae needed along the way seemed to fall right into their lap and made things too easy. There are spicy scenes. If it wasn't for those I would have rated this more of a YA book. You were also left with an ending that could have been a standalone book but still hinted towards what was going to happen.

This book did keep me interested enough that I do plan on reading the next book in the series to see where it goes from here!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

So there are many things I could say about this novel, let’s start off with wow. The spice build up. So good. The love for these people. ( I can’t even say characters) Calla, Briar, Grae. The moon goddess, she was definitely one to thank. I can’t wait for more in The Golden Court. Thanks to NetGalley, Avonbooks & Harpervoyage.

Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful found family story with great LGBTQ+ representation.

Things I especially enjoyed:
-Calla exploring their identity
- the world-building

There was a end-of-book twist that I think more could be done to hide. I'd also love to see more of the development of relationship between Calla and Briar as well as with their love interest

Calla and Briar are twin Wolf shifters who have spent their entire lives hiding from an evil sorceress who destroyed their family and their kingdom, the Golden Court. Briar is destined to marry Calla’s childhood best friend, Prince Grae of the Silver Court. Calla was raised to be Briar’s secret shadow, but all of that changes when the sorceress reemerges at Prince Grae and Briar’s wedding and puts a sleeping curse on Briar.

Calla embarks on an adventurous journey across the realm, discovering a world she never knew and learning who she truly is.

A River of Golden Bones is full of adventure, romance, monsters, and magic. The writing and world building were beautifully done. I enjoyed the characters, especially Calla’s journey of self-discovery.

5 Stars!

A nonstop roller coaster of adventure and fantasy!

If you are are into fantasy stories with a twist of fairytales, I highly recommend this story!
We have fated mates, royal politics, wolf shifters and self discovery.

An evil sorceress cast a sleeping spell on Briar (our sleeping beauty) who is the rightful heir to the Golden Throne. The only person who cares about this is her twin Calla. Shifting the sleeping beauty aspects so her bad ass sister comes to save the day and rescues her! POV storyline from Calla. Hidden away for years!!

You have the power houses of the Wolf Shifters who are in control of everything, humans included. I enjoyed seeing the development of their structure and struggles as well.

Self discovery, they look deep within to find out who they truly are, what they want in life, and where they want to be.

10/10, highly recommend!!

This fantasy romance follows a wolf shifter named Calla. She has a twin sister named Briar who was “destined” for greatest, but Calla was known as her shadow and protector. No one truly knew her identity besides a few including Grae. 🫠

I loved that this story only followed wolf shifters and humans rather than a large variety of fae. The world building was absolutely perfect compared to other books that have too much or not enough. The little twists and turns of the story kept me on my toes. The side characters of the stories were a big part of the plot/storyline, which I LOVE in books.

Tropes:
Fated Mates
Childhood friends to lovers
Slow burn
Touch her and die
One bed

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved this!! Finally, a fantasy with something other than Fae and Vampires!!! This has everything… actions, adventure, romance, angst, and oh the spice!!!!

The character development and world building done was spot on and the pace made this story captivating!!

I can’t wait for book 2!!

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this arc!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Voyager for the opportunity to read and review an ARC copy of A River of Golden Bones.

A River of Golden Bones was a fantasy romance following Calla the twin sister of the Briar, the last recognized heir and Gold Wolf of Olmdere. Years ago their parents were killed and the twins were raised in secret until their 20th birthday. Calla has always been trained to protect her sister and keep her identity hidden. Briar is set to marry the Prince of Damrienne, Grae, who Calla had had a crush on for years. When they are set to marry, the sorceress who killed their parents, shows up and curses Briar with a sleeping spell and takes her true love captive. Calla goes on a journey to get back her sister's true love and break the spell. Along the way Calla learns who she is when she is not in the role of twin sister and protector.

This story was an action packed romance full of fated mates, hidden identities, wolf shifters, and LGBTQ rep. The world building was interesting with a clear divide between the wolf packs who rule and the humans. Calla was a strong willed character who goes on an incredible journey of finding out who she is when she is not a hidden twin sister or protector. Calla's journey of self discovery was my one of my favorite parts of the story.

The romance between Calla and Grae was sweet and steamy. As Calla grows into herself she lets herself get swept up by Grae who has been her friemd for years. Their chemistry is fantastic and a great driver. The story had so many vibrant side characters as well including a group of human musicians who befriend them.

A River of Golden Bones was another enjoyable read by AK Mulford.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an arc.

I enjoyed this one! The world building and backstory was woven in perfectly. I loved the character growth of Calla. Great romance/fantasy. Can’t wait to read more of the series.

Hey there, lovely readers!

I just had to give a huge shoutout to Netgalley and the fantastic A.K. Mulford for whisking me away into this enchanting world via their ARC. 📚✨

Let me just say, if you ever had a soft spot for Twilight and found yourself cheering for Taylor, hold onto your hats! This book is like your love song for TEAM WOLF that will make your heart howl with delight. 🐺❤️

Now, I'll admit, I've never really ventured into the world of wolf culture before, but oh boy, am I thrilled I took the leap! This book ticked off so many of my "must-haves" that I'm confidently giving it a twinkly 5-star rating.

Calling all fellow lovers of fated mates, brace yourselves! We're talking about a main character who's lived in the shadows, dancing through a journey of self-discovery that will leave you cheering. And wait for it... there's a dash of fate and a sprinkle of dystopian vibes that add that extra layer of thrill!

But that's not all, this book isn't just about romance – oh no. Get ready for a whirlwind of emotions as you're taken on a healing journey, a rollercoaster of suspense, heart-pounding action, and drama that had me flipping pages so fast!!! From the get-go I was *hooked*. 🎣💫

I've officially become a fan of The Golden Court since it's a Book One. If this is truly just the beginning, well, I can't even begin to imagine the whirlwind of enchantment that awaits in the future.

So, hats off to A.K. Mulford for giving us this delightful tale. My bookish heart is beyond excited for the books that may lie ahead. Keep those pages turning and keep the wolfish magic coming!