Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
✩⚔️⚜️Review:
This book is a pressure cooker and I could not put it down!
Following the events of the previous installment, “Carving Shadows into Gold” picks up with Tycho, Jax, and Callyn as they learn to wield the magic that is dividing their kingdom.
All three characters undergo significant growth as they navigate life outside of Briarlock and the challenges that come with being cast apart. Tycho’s unresolved trauma begins to haunt him now that he is beholden to both the king and to the magical scraver that came to his aid, Jax faces prejudice as he works in a kingdom that was once enemy to his own, and Callyn has a hard time discerning who to trust at the royal court.
I kid you not when I say that the tension in this book escalates to reach a fever pitch! With all three characters spread across both kingdoms, their points-of-view allow the reader to learn more about how the brewing war surrounding magic has affected not only the populace, but also the royal family. There is a lot in the way of political maneuvering as Callyn and Lia Mara work to prevent Syhl Shallow and Emberfall from being pitted against each other by the Truthbringers. Having to watch some of my favorite characters from the “Cursebreakers” trilogy—in addition to Tycho, Jax, and Callyn—suffer under the weight of the pressure hit me with a wave of emotion, because I’m so deeply invested in the lives of all of Kemmerer’s characters!
While perhaps not the main focus of the book, the romance made my heart ache. The looming conflict definitely serves as a source of tension for both Tycho and Jax’s as well as Callyn and Alek’s respective relationships. Their love is continuously put to the test, yet it remains steadfast. The intense yearning will definitely make you swoon!
I anxiously await book 3 in hopes that it will put my heart at ease!
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