Absolutely loved this YA read holy moly 🫶🏻😭 tensions were high throughout, keeping it a fast paced read for me. I’m already both dreading and excitedly anticipating the next book 🥹🥹🥹

If you love;
found family
political intrigue
romance
elements of fantasy

Then you will LOVE this series!! Thank you so much to the beautiful team at Bloomsbury Australia for the ARC 🫶🏻

Side note & slight spoiler: we ride at dawn for Tycho (I feel for him and the realisations of unreciprocated loyalty 🥹)

This was so good - and I was beyond please to see that there was another instalment in this series (finally!). I had to skim through Forging Silver into Stars since it's been a couple of years since I've read it, but this one picked right back off where it ended.
I thought the pacing off this was perfect - it was fast moving (without skipping over anything) which made it so gripping and intense. I really enjoyed the use of magic and the overall system, it added to the experience. The romance was super slow burn, which I enjoy.
Can't wait for the next!

Rating: 4 🌟
This was a gorgeous follow on from 'Forging Silver Into Stars'. It's a thrilling fantasy with some unforgettable characters! Tycho, Callyn, and Jax are a complex trio who must navigate betrayal, magic, and a dangerous conspiracy that could destroy their world. The story blends rich world-building, shadow magic, and powerful relationships, making it a must-read for fans of character-driven fantasy.

I really enjoyed the blossoming romance between Tycho and Jax. The LGBTQ+ representation was written beautifully through the blossoming romance of Tycho and Jax. This added great elements to the group dynamic, especially as Callyn is facing her own issues whilst handling court life. Also, give Alek the flick, please....that man gives me the ick 😒.

Although the pacing can slow at times, the emotional depth and twists keep you hooked. If you're into morally complex characters and intense action, this one's for you!

Thank you @brigidkemmerer, @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for giving me this ARC! Enjoyed this magical read.

"Carving Shadows into Gold" by Brigid Kemmerer is the second book in the "Forging Silver into Stars" series, and it doesn't disappoint. The stakes are higher than ever, with characters facing dangerous magic and tough choices that keep you hooked. The magical world is richly drawn, the political intrigue keeps things interesting and the story throws plenty of surprises your way. If you're into fantasy that mixes action, magic, and complex characters, this one's a solid pick.

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury ANZ for an ARC copy of this book.

It doesn’t feel like it’s been three years since I read the first book, Forging Silver into Stars, in this series, but that’s what my Goodreads tells me. Luckily, Kemmerer keeps bringing out other excellent books, so I have been able to get my fix. And now we have this one, which is a second book, so be aware there are tropes – nothing is resolved, there’s a cliff-hanger ending, and now we possibly have to wait another three years to read the conclusion. But none of that puts me off. I love these books.

This series is a spin-off (a companion?) to Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker books. We are still in the world of Rhen and Grey, but now have three new narrators, so our view of the two royal siblings is different. But because we know how loyal and brave they are, any negative perceptions are recognised by readers to be misunderstandings. Of course, Rhen and Grey can do no wrong! Ah yes, but they are only (mostly?) human, and (regardless of magical abilities) are still fallible, and as expected, will sacrifice much to protect each other and those they love.

Our three main characters from the first book continue the story here: Tycho, Jax and Callyn. Each time we leave one of the narrators, we are frustrated to have to move to a different person and a new part of the story, but it doesn’t take long to become immersed in this different perspective, and once again, when Kemmerer moves away, we feel the loss. Great storytelling! Ultimately this means we have only bits and pieces of the story, until they all culminate and connect to provide the bigger and scarier picture.

At the core of the plot’s tension is magic: its uses, both good and evil, its secrecy and the impacts of that. And of course, there’s the hypocrisy of the people who want to ban it but use it to further their own agenda. The parallel to our modern-day geopolitical conflicts is unambiguous. And we connect with our heroes because like us, they feel small and significant to the growing plots and rebellions against those they support and love. But this doesn’t stop them from putting themselves in risky situations to play whatever role they can.

Kemmerer writes with nuance and empathy. No one is perfect, and terrible acts and events happen, and the characters sometimes have to change and adapt. While we hope Tycho and Jax’s feelings for each other will stay strong, we worry about Callyn’s continued attraction to the enigmatic (dare I say swarmy?) Lord Alex. Both Grey and Rhen appear, and are clearly in charge, but their appearances on page are few. I suspect this might change in the next book.

This is not strictly a review of the plot of Carving Shadows into Gold. This is a shoutout to an excellent fantasy author for young adults who consistently writes age-appropriate books for her audience. Her books are deliberately and seamlessly inclusive, diverse, emotionally impactful and swoony. I recommend them all highly to teenage fantasy fans.

Book 1: 5⭐️ Forging Silver into Stars was action packed with loyal friendships, an intriguing plot and the most beautiful budding romance with an unexpected ending.

Book 2: 4⭐️ Carving Shadows into Gold is the quiet before the storm, (which we just know is set to come on book three) where all the characters we grew to love in book one were sent their separate ways.

The first half had so much drama, miscommunication and the slow burn romance was slooooooowwwww!

I appreciated seeing the truth of Tycho’s mental state after so much turmoil and trauma, (seeing it in books is so healing). But it was still hard to watch Tycho struggle so much after finally letting his guard down enough to let Jax in only to find himself alone, again. I was ready to jump into the pages ‘the never ending story style’ and giving him a big hug.

I longed for some more action and less talking by the second half, where so much of the drama was building but not really going anywhere. Jax’s struggles with a new culture and new language was particularly tiresome, while Callyn’s struggles with her new role and the confusion of court politics was intriguing, especially watching her grow in strength and knowledge.

I was grateful to watch our characters start to slowly come back to each other like the family we have seen them to be as I missed that for most of the book.

I look forward to reading the third book and hope Tycho finds true love.

*Carving Shadows into Gold* is the sequel to *Forging Silver into Stars*. This book offers a deeper exploration of Tycho, Jack, and Callum as their relationships grow more complicated and their personal struggles are challenged. Their limits are pushed, showing sides of them we hadn’t seen before. I kept rooting for Tycho and Jax, hoping things would finally go smoothly for them. The pacing in this sequel is faster and more urgent—I found it more of a suspenseful and emotionally intense read. The magic system is woven beautifully into the story, adding layers of complexity and raising the stakes. The romance was super exciting with a tiny little bit of spice involved. The ending left me screaming… Can’t wait for book 3!

As with anything I've read from Brigid, this book grabbed me right from the beginning and never let go right up until the last word.

It picks up immediately after Forging Silver into Stars with Tycho and Jax travelling to Emberfell and Callyn finding herself in the palace. As with all second books in a trilogy, overall things are not going well and they just get progressively worse for our fearless band of characters. I did however enjoy Jax coming into himself at Ironrose Castle and the addition of a couple of new characters, Malin and Seph who both become close friends with Tycho and Jax. I also enjoyed the relationship development and burgeoning trust between Tycho and Nakiis.

As always, I will pretty much recommend anything that Brigid writes and this is not exception.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for the eARC and because I have just move house right before Christmas (never again!) I have left an honest review.