Book Title: Carving Shadows into Gold (Forging Silver into Stars #2)
Author: Bridgid Kemmerer
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Target Audience: Yound Adult
Publication date: 28th January 2025
Format: eBook/Kindle
“Its clear you’ve cast me as your villain.”
What it’s about
Dangerous magic. Fateful choices. Broken promises.
The King’s Courier Tycho has made a treacherous bargain. Now beholden to the magical scraver who saved King Gray’s life, one false move could end everything.
Jax escaped his life in Briarlock and traveled with Tycho to Emberfall. But life outside his small village brings unexpected challenges–and unlikely adversaries.
After years of hating the royal family and their magic, Callyn never expected to be at the Queen’s side, with magic on her fingertips. But at the royal court, she can’t trust anyone–including the man she thought she loved.
Cast apart, Tycho, Jax, and Callyn must learn to wield the magic that is dividing their kingdom. As the magical scravers attack from the north and the king’s rivals gain strength, time is running out.
War is looming. Love is tested. And magic could be the only answer. . .
Author
Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring YA novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Defy the Night, and Letters to the Lost. A full time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her family. When she’s not writing or being a mom, you can usually find her with her hands wrapped around a barbell.
What I Thought
I was really excited to return to the setting of this book, having already enjoyed the previous four. However, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It’s not a bad book, but it seemed to suffer from middle book syndrome, feeling more like filler.
If you’re a fan of Tycho and Jax, you’ll probably enjoy it. But since I preferred Callyn, I felt like she was almost forgotten until chapter 11.
Even though it feels like filler, the events are still relevant. Unlike “Forging Silver into Stars,” where the stories of the three main characters were intertwined, here they’re mostly separate for the majority of the book.
Tycho is more interesting in this book; it’s like he’s suddenly realized he’s an adult now and can form his own thoughts and feelings without worrying about what others (like Grey) think.
I usually love Callyn, especially since she’s the type of person who follows the “do no harm, take no shit” motto. But she disappointed me here, though I understand she’s on her best behavior.
Jax felt like the most central character in this book. We get to see how much he has grown at Emberfall, and I’m excited to see the person he becomes.
I am hoping that book three brings us back into the forefront of the warring between magic weilders and non magic weilders as well as the Scravers.
Star Rating
Have you read Carving Shadows into Gold? Let me know in the comments
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