Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer Book Review!

 

Title: Forging Silver into Stars (Forging Silver into Stars #1)
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publish Date: June 7th, 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy for review!

When ancient magic tests a newfound love, a dark fate beckons . . .

Magic has been banished in the land of Syhl Shallow for as long as best friends Jax and Callyn can remember. They once loved the stories of the powerful magesmiths and mythical scravers who could conjure fire or control ice, but now they’ve learned that magic only leads to danger: magic is what killed Callyn’s parents, leaving her alone to raise her younger sister. Magic never helped Jax, whose leg was crushed in an accident that his father has been punishing him for ever since. Magic won’t save either of them when the tax collector comes calling, threatening to take their homes if they can't pay what they owe.

Meanwhile, Jax and Callyn are astonished to learn magic has returned to Syhl Shallow -- in the form of a magesmith who's now married to their queen. Now, the people of Syhl Shallow are expected to allow dangerous magic in their midst, and no one is happy about it.

When a stranger rides into town offering Jax and Callyn silver in exchange for holding secret messages for an anti-magic faction, the choice is obvious -- even if it means they may be aiding in a plot to destroy their new king. It’s a risk they’re both willing to take. That is, until another visitor arrives: handsome Lord Tycho, the King’s Courier, the man who’s been tasked with discovering who’s conspiring against the throne.

Suddenly, Jax and Callyn find themselves embroiled in a world of shifting alliances, dangerous flirtations, and ancient magic . . . where even the deepest loyalties will be tested.

Penelope's Review

This is the first book in a new trilogy by Brigid Kemmerer - back in the same world as her Cursebreaker series. I actually haven't read the original trilogy yet, and though this book does have spoilers, I'd say you can read in whatever order you'd like if you don't mind that. I didn't feel lost or confused at all, there was enough explanation surrounding previous events, and this was enough of a new plot that I feel the Cursebreaker series is not 100% necessary - I'm going to go ahead and treat them like a prequel!

Let's talk characters! The story is told from three different points of view, and we have quite a few interesting side characters as well! Callyn owns the bakery, and though I did like her... I will say that she wasn't my favorite of the three. She fell a bit flat in my opinion, but I adored her little sister Nora! So inquisitive and full of life... she was a funny one and I enjoyed her parts! Then we have Jax, the blacksmith! Him and Callyn are close friends, and I liked his character alot. He's resilient yet sweet, and in a tough spot due to his father's drinking/gambling problems. In order to save his forge, he enters a deal that may or may not have him committing treason....

And then we have Tycho! Tycho was also a character I liked - straightforward, sure of himself (usually), and well-spoken. I enjoyed seeing things through his eyes, and liked reading his internal monologue.

In terms of romance, we have two different relationships building throughout, one of which is LGBT, and both have their pros and cons! In terms of plot, it's a bit on the slower side overall, but also not at the same time.. if that makes sense lol! There's alot going on, but also alot of information and world-building and so on. A good read overall though, and I'm excited to see what happens next!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!