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.

The sequel we’ve all been waiting for. Tycho and Jax head to Ironrose castle with Prince Rhen and part of the Emberfall army after the victory at Briarlock. A scraver attacks looking for a mage smith leaving them wondering which side the scravers are on. Will Jax and Tycho be able to settle in at Ironrose and spend quality time together? On the other side of the border, Callyn and Nora are ladies maids to the princess and notice things are amiss between the king and the queen. Is Lord Alek still a threat. What about the Truthbringers? Carving Shadows into Gold centers around trust and friendship and is full of action you don’t want to miss.

I won't give away too much, so that those who may not be caught up can still read my opinion. I really enjoy Kemmerer's way of writing--I find her style and narrative voice to be really accessible but very compelling. I have enjoyed each book by her that I've read, and I can definitely see her characters and understanding of them really deepening as time goes on. I can't wait for more from this author. I highly recommend her fantasy stories!

“I should start keeping a list of all the ways fate hates me.”
Here are reasons to read the YA Fantasy book:

2nd in Series - In this 2nd book in the series, and 5th book in this universe
Travelers - Travelers Jax and Tycho arrive at Ironrose castle
Blacksmith - but Tycho is immediately sent to the Crystal Palace to warn of attacks of scravers, so Jax is employed as a blacksmith at the castle without him
Magic - Syl Shallow has it’s own chaos, stemming from a fear of magic


I really do love this author’s writing as it feels like coming home. I read this as a buddy read with my friend Erin, and honestly, this is what you call a transition book. For the first half, I felt like Tycho’s chapters could have been told in a conversation to someone else as some were slow. I was much more interested in Callyn and Jax’s chapters which really seemed to drive the story between them. I love the universe and the characters but I was left wanting just a little more to happen. Of course there is another book to finish off this series, so there will be more to come!

Carving Shadows into Gold is the 2nd-book in Brigid Kemmerer's Forging Silver into Stars series. If you're unaware, this is a companion to Kemmerer's popular Cursebreakers series, which began with A Curse So Dark and Lonely. This immersive YA-Fantasy world started off as a loose reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, but oh baby, has it come a long way since then!

I really enjoyed my time with the entire Cursebreakers trilogy, but I gotta say, I feel like these books in the Forging Silver into Stars series feel much more substantial and mature. Personally, I feel like it's Kemmerer's writing. It just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Every time I pick up a book by her, I'm instantly reminded what an insane talent she is.

For example, picking this up, I was concerned I wouldn't remember enough from the 1st-book, because it had been months and months since I had read it. I shouldn't have worried. I was immediately invested and it felt as if I had never left. I remembered everything.

As with the 1st-book, we are following Jax, Tycho and Callyn. In this one however, the three are sort of thrust into different parts of the kingdom, all set on different paths. Though apart, their connections to one another feel as strong as ever. As dangerous events begin to strike the kingdom with increasing frequency, our cast is forced to make difficult choices fighting for their lives and the ones they love. The debate over the use of magic gets put to the ultimate test as war looms forever closer.

I have been anxiously awaiting this continuation and it was everything I wanted it to be. I'm so pleased with everything that unfolded over the course of this 2nd-book. I love this world and these three main characters. I'm truly attached to them and was surprised how easily I found myself completely re-immersed in this story. I feel like I'm a part of this world when I'm reading it.

I already cannot wait for whatever Kemmerer has in store for us next. It feels like everything is coming to a head. I'm scared and excited and all the other emotions. While you can certainly read this series on its own, I would recommend reading Cursebreakers prior to picking this up. This is written in such a way that you wouldn't feel lost without that background, but it definitely adds to the experience if you have read that trilogy.

Thank you to the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. You know where to find me when the third book drops!!!

The second book in the Cursebreakers series spinoff continues with the story of Tycho (King Grey’s courier), Jax (a blacksmith), and Callyn (one of Grey’s daughter’s ladies-in-waiting). I think it picks up pretty soon after Forging Silver Into Stars, the first book in the series, leaves off, with Tycho and Jax heading to Emberfall and Callyn settling into her new life as a lady’s maid.

I think all the characters are supposed to be eighteen or nineteen, so this reads more like a crossover book (adult fiction with crossover appeal to teen readers) than a young adult novel. All three characters have full-time work roles and are responsible for themselves as adults.

I like all three point-of-view characters, and I enjoy that this story is Cursebreakers adjacent, with scenes involving Grey, Lia Mara, Rhen, and Harper. Some of the events in the books have soured me a bit on Grey as a character, so at times, it was hard for me to feel the admiration that I thought I was supposed to feel for him.

The romance between Jax and Tycho develops more, and the plot leaves room for them to pine for one another. I like that the story allows Tycho to examine how he avoids connection with people and why he makes those choices. Callyn also experiences some romance. I appreciated how that part of the plot revealed that things aren’t always what they seem.

This book made me want to reread A Curse So Dark and Lonely. The structure of retelling a fairytale in that book felt so compelling when I read it. I think I want to revisit that feeling again– the fantasy landscape and romance with the added fairytale elements.

In this sequel to "Forging Silver into Stars," Tycho, Jax, and Callyn's paths have diverged. Callyn resides in the Crystal Palace, acting as a nursemaid to the young Princess. She keeps the secret of her magic close, but when tensions rise in Syhl Shallow, she realizes the danger her magic - and the queen's - could mean for the royal family. Jax finds himself alone in a strange country; he is learning the language, but time is not on his side. Prince Rhen offers assistance, but Jax can't forget what he did to Tycho, even if Tycho himself seems to. Tycho finds himself on the road back to the Crystal Palace, and caught up Grey's fears about magic. Distanced from Jax and from Grey himself, Tycho feels adrift, when he discovers a plot to rid Syhl Shallow of magic once and for all.

This sequel makes for a roaring continuation of "Forging Silver into Stars." Kemmerer's characters are well crafted, multi-faceted, and engaging, and the situations she puts them in are even more so. There's more than one side to take in this story, which is to say that the in-world politics are complex and interesting, and just gray enough that one could have a really rousing discussion about the character's choices. The romances are just as good - although Jax and Tycho don't get as much page time in this volume, their romance is still an ever present thing. Alek and Callyn's romance is just as conflicting and intense as ever, and their future together is left even more uncertain than before. I highly recommend this for fans of Kemmerer's work, as well as for fans of Heartstopper, Lexi Ryan, and Tricia Levenseller.

Carving Shadows into Gold was a strong continuation of the tale. The multiple POVs enhanced the character development (though I especially enjoyed Callyn’s). My students will not only enjoy the action and intrigue, but the themes of sacrifice and honor. I will absolutely be utilizing this title for First Chapter Friday.

I have waited over 2 years for this sequel and let me tell you IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT.

Tensions are high in Emberfall. The fear of magic in Syhl Shallow has created tensions between the king and queen. The Truthbringers, an underground rebel group, continue to stir up distrust amongst the people. Meanwhile, scravers are gathering in the skies, also seeking to eliminate anyone with magic. Tycho, Jax, and Callyn are caught between loyalties and their hearts.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Okay the tensions are very high from the start and only get higher. The first half of the book is pretty heavy with setting the scene and diving deeper into the characters and their relationships with each other. I really enjoyed all the POVs (though Callyn was my favorite). Tycho's reflections on his own loyalties and whether they are wisely placed made me so emotional. All the history throughout these books makes his personal journey so moving. Jax is learning so much about himself and this world and becoming his own person more and more, overcoming a language barrier and making friends with people who seemed to dislike him. Finally, Callyn whose struggling through her own heartbreak and betrayal while finding her place in the Syhl Shallow court and deciding who she can trust.

THE END of this book had me in SUCH a grip. Oh my gosh it was so good and heartbreaking and emotional. I couldn't stop reading. I gasped multiple times. There was multiple moments that ripped my heart out.

I am BEGGING to the book gods PLEASE give me book 3 ASAP. PLEASE. 🙏

This was an excellent continuation of the storyline from Forging Silver Into Stars. We pick up right where the first book left off and follow Jax, Callyn, and Tycho as they navigate complex political conflicts, forbidden and feared magic, danger from unknown magical creatures, and complicated personal relationships. They all have to make choices that could have far reaching consequences for their kingdoms, and the odds are perilously high. Their chapters weave together seamlessly to create a well crafted narrative that mixes their personal lives with the larger outside threats to their kingdoms. The romantic relationships in this book are very well done, without being the focus of the book. Jax and Tycho’s relationship is tender, emotional, and sweet, while Callyn and Alek’s is unsure and filled with mistrust. This is an excellent fantasy story about loyalty, sacrifice, and love. It’s gripping, filled with action, politics, and magic, and I highly recommend it.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️ 🌶️
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Read if you like:
▫️forbidden magic
▫️political intrigue and warring kingdoms
▫️disability rep
▫️LGBTQIA+ main characters
▫️multi POV
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Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing, Brigid Kemmerer, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kemmerer is an expert at weaving an extensive cast of characters and their individual developments into a larger plot, making you care about each one. She manages to balance both extensive character exploration with an insanely intricate plot.

I sobbed when I received this ARC. When I read Forging Silver, I thought it was just a SINGLE SPINOFF BOOK SO I WASN’T EXPECTING A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER. I have been foaming at the mouth ever since January 2023 to read this. This is my MOST ANTICIPATED book. Essentially this book is my Onyx Storm.

One thing about me is that I love multi POV in fantasy books where at some point all the storylines & paths come together(this is also why stranger things is sooo good lol)

Great balance of political intrigue, complex magic, emotional depth, & TENSION.

This is one of those books that I wish I could crawl inside & join them. I think this is written soooo well & once again, I cannot wait for the next book.

Major thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books | Bloomsbury YA for providing me this ARC in exchange for my opinion.

After two years of anticipation for this book, I am so happy to say that it was exactly the compulsively readable, romantic, tension-filled, equal parts upsetting and wonderful book that I wanted it to be. I have to admit I was almost scared to start this book. I love Brigid's books so much and I love all the characters in her book so much, but as enjoyable as they are, Brigid is not afraid to really put her characters through the ringer. My poor sad and beautiful children! This is very much a second book in a trilogy in that a lot of it is about ratcheting up tensions, miscommunications and table setting for what is sure to be an epic conclusion. In a lot of ways, Brigid's Cursebreaker series was not finished. The conclusion at the end of the trilogy was very tenuous. The prejudices and issues between the two kingdoms don't magically go away because the king married the queen. Brigid does an almost too good of a job stoking the embers of those latent tensions and creating a tinderbox of issues that will undoubtedly make for a conclusion to another trilogy that will have me on the edge of my seat.

I love these characters so much and it is so painful to see them hurting. So many times I just wanted to shake them and get them out of their heads. A lot of the issues sometimes stems from the characters themselves who seem frightened to just say what they feel! Still, for how frustrating they are, they still remain completely loveable and the stakes are so heightened. It is SO funny that Rhen of all people is the voice of reason in this series after what happened in Cursebreakers and the tenuous connection that he and Tycho have is my favorite part. My beloved Grey...my guy...you gotta see a therapist please. Everything about this book, this series and Brigid's writing is just wonderful and I am equal parts frightened and excited for the next installment in this series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this book just as much as the first. The author does a really good job writing her characters. They are fleshed out and none of them are perfect with varying flaws even if they are considered protagonists. None of the characters are invincible or overpowered even if they carry magic, they still get injured and have to face the consequences.

Ahh, Brigid did it again!! I was waiting for this book for so long, and it did not disappoint. I loved being back with this cast of characters, and I feel like they all developed so much within this installment. I couldn't stop reading. The world of Emberfall and Syhl Shallow has expanded so much, which I love, and I can't wait to see how this trilogy wraps up. There was plenty of pining and yearning, plus a bit of enemies to lovers, which is always a treat of its own. I also loved the alternating POV. It was a nice way to keep the story flowing and see what each character was up to at the time. I'll always be a fan of Brigid's, and I can tell that book three will be so good! Can't wait to see what she'll do next! Thank you to Bloomsbury for the ARC to read and review!

A good middle book in the trilogy. I have been highly anticipating this since I finished book one. It was a long wait and again I cannot wait for the next one. But like most middle books it is just a bridge between the beginning and the end. I liked seeing old characters come back and the action/romance scenes were fun but it just didn't hit as high as the first in the trilogy.

If you’ll recall from my review of “Forging Silver into Stars”, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the new perspectives and voices in this spin-off series, but dare I say I enjoy Callyn, Jax, and Tycho even more than the original trio. “Gold” starts with our characters being separated, so each POV provides perspective on the mounting conflict against magic, as well as insight into our characters’ state of mind.

Syhl Shallow is on the brink of war, and there seems to be no way to avoid it. Queen Lia Mara’s people fear King Grey’s magic and want her to evict her husband from the castle and their country for good. Additionally, there’s the promise of battle on another front; the scravers who were originally banished to the ice forest of Iishellasa have left the forest and are attacking both Syhl Shallow and Emberfall.

All the dynamics have changed between “Silver” and “Gold”.

“I’ve never battled with my own sense of duty and honor like this before, and I hate it.”
Everyone has a role to play at court. Whether you’re a metal worker, a lady-in-waiting, a soldier, or the King’s courier. All of our characters are struggling with their place at court for one reason or another.

Kemmerer is a master at not only weaving a story between multiple perspectives, but also examining the human spirit through internal monologue. While the country of Syhl Shallow is on the brink of a two sided war, our main characters are struggling with their insecurities and personal relationships.

Callyn and Alek, find themselves partnering together, but they have a sordid history and she doesn’t trust his motivations or intentions. Further still, she harbors a secret of her own and doesn’t know what to do with it.

Jax manages to integrate into Emberfall’s day-to-day while he doesn’t speak their language and he knows people actively hate him.

Tycho is in conflict with his oldest friend and doesn’t see a way past it. He’s always been loyal to Grey, but lately their relationship is strained and they continue to find themselves at odds. I feel terrible for Tycho. He was drafted into conflict at such a young age, and has done nothing in his life but be at the will of others, fighting for others. Poor kid deserves a beautiful vacation and an easy life.

Kemmerer managing to show the characters’ personal growth along with plot development while they’re all separated is such a difficult thing to accomplish, but she does it with absolute skill. Her writing seems simple but page after page is layered with depth and detail. She takes complex connections and power moves and makes them digestible by having the characters work through them in their internal monologues on the page.

“We keep coming to this point, and I don’t know how to end up at any other.”

War is coming. That’s a fact. War with the People. War with the scravers. War with each other, if they don’t learn how to start communicating effectively and get past old hurts.

“Carving Shadows into Gold” is book two of a trilogy, so before you open the book you should know that the main plot points and conflicts aren’t going to be resolved here. This book is 100% written to set up for the final battle, and to that point if I’m being honest and speaking from my heart, I feel like series could have been a duology. There’s not a lot that happens to advance the plot except for some attacks to build the tension and drama. I don’t hate it though. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see how everything plays out in the finale.