A River of Golden Bones

The Golden Court Book 1

By AK Mulford. Pub Date 12/5/2023

4*s. Best enjoyed when you want some adventure, self discovery, and romance.

Publisher’s Synopsis

“Twins Calla and Briar have spent their entire lives hiding from the powerful sorceress who destroyed their kingdom…and from the humans who don’t know they are Wolves. Each twin has their own purpose in life: Briar’s is to marry the prince of an ally pack and save the Golden Court. Calla’s purpose is to remain a secret, her twin’s shadow . . . the backup plan.

No one knows who Calla truly is except for her childhood friend—and sister’s betrothed—the distractingly handsome Prince Grae. But when Calla and Briar journey out of hiding for Briar’s wedding, all of their well-made plans go awry. The evil sorceress is back with another sleeping curse for the last heir to the Golden Court.

Calla must step out of the shadows to save their sister, their kingdom, and their own legacy. Continuing to hide as a human and denying who she truly is, Calla embarks on a quest across the realm, discovering a whole world she never knew existed. Outside the confines of rigid Wolf society, Calla begins to wonder: who could she be if she dared to try?”

REVIEW

This was my first introduction to AK Mulford in any capacity and I’m going to say this right now, on record: worth the hype. 

A big part of this book is self-discovery and breaking from a traditional structure that no longer fits the vision for your life, a thing I feel a lot of people can empathize with these days. That makes this somewhat harder to judge as the change seemed minimal, but it’s also a huge thing that people go through every single day. This helped me understand a little more coming from a voice unlike my own but also honestly the same. The bravery that it takes to live your truth is nothing to joke about, especially when breaking away from a regimented structure as Calla and Grae do here. 

The villains were villainous, and the love felt very real. The adventure and experiences of the characters along with the changing internal and external beliefs held therein kept the pace of this. Do I think the acceptance of ones own identity should have happened quicker? Sure. But these things happen when they happen. 

Also I LOVED the travelling musicians. The entire feeling of family and home and acceptance was very much THERE—Mulford’s writing made them feel like real people, a real found family. It was such a warm feeling for me as a reader. I loved every moment of it. This book is absolutely packed with feeling, adventure, and beautiful scenery. Villainous villains, brave heroes inside and out, and true desire for change and sanctuary, and a people willing to fight to make those a reality for all.  

Thank you to Netgalley, AK Mulford, and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for this review.