A River of Golden Bones by A. K. Mulford

Hello dear readers,

It’s been a little while since I’ve had the chance to share my thoughts on a book of my own choosing. I’ve been deep in ARC territory lately (those reviews will be going live on their respective release days—so stay tuned!). But today, I’m excited to talk about a library pick that swept me away: A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford. A beautiful story with a powerful, timely message.

Before we go any further, here’s the synopsis:

“A sleeping curse. A fallen court. A secret twin.

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 allied 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 her sister’s betrothed), the distractingly handsome Prince Grae. But when Calla and Briar journey out of hiding for Briar’s wedding, all of their careful plans fall apart. The sorceress returns with another sleeping curse, and Calla must step out of the shadows to save her sister, their kingdom, and her own legacy.

Continuing to hide as a human and deny who she truly is, Calla embarks on a quest across the realm, discovering a whole world she never knew existed. As she ventures beyond the confines of rigid Wolf society, Calla begins to ask herself: Who could I become, if I dared to try?

Full of adventure, love, gender exploration, and self-discovery, A River of Golden Bones follows Calla’s journey through treacherous Wolf kingdoms, monster-filled realms, and the depths of her own heart in this thrilling romantic fantasy.”

Content warnings:

This story deals with heavy, real-world themes such as spousal and child abuse, suicide, violence, graphic deaths, and transphobia. If those are triggering for you, proceed with caution or consider skipping this one.

Now, on to my thoughts:

The heart of this story is the bond between twins Calla and Briar. Calla is our central narrator (I’ll be using she/they pronouns for Calla). The connection she shares with Briar is deeply moving—it’s the kind of bond you’d hope to see between twins. I grew up around twins and always admired their unique closeness. While I’m incredibly close to my own siblings, the connection between twins feels like something on another level, and that came through beautifully here.

Calla’s internal journey was especially compelling. She wrestles with her identity and her place in the world—something so many people can relate to. In a society trying to mold her into something she’s not, she’s forced to explore not just who she is, but who she wants to be. That theme of self-discovery, especially in relation to gender identity, was handled with care and relevance.

There was so much to enjoy in this story—from the richly imagined world to the nuanced characters. The relationships were well done, though I would have loved to see a bit more depth and backstory between Calla and Grae. A flashback or two to their shared past could have added emotional weight to their present dynamic and helped readers understand how deeply they cared for one another.

The Wolves element added a really interesting twist. It’s been a while since I’ve read a werewolf story that felt fresh, and this one took me back to the days when I wrote my own werewolf tales as a teen. The “fated mates” trope was used here, and I can absolutely see why it remains so popular—it adds tension, longing, and a layer of inevitability that works so well in romantic fantasy.

Mulford’s writing brought this world to life. From snowy landscapes to golden forests, the visuals were vivid and immersive. I felt like I was right there on Galen den’ Mora. The villain's backstory was also surprisingly strong. I even found myself feeling a flicker of sympathy. As a woman, I deeply understood the fury that comes with being dismissed or stripped of power simply because of your gender.

While I thoroughly enjoyed A River of Golden Bones and found the ending both beautiful and satisfying, it felt complete enough that I don’t feel an immediate pull to continue the series. That said, this book stands strong on its own, and I deeply appreciate the story it told.

Overall, I’m giving this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I’m excited to explore more of A.K. Mulford’s work and will definitely be diving into their other series soon.

Sending all my love,

Vic