My Thoughts: The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

The Silvered Serpents
(The Gilded Wolves #2)
by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: September 22nd 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9781250144577
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Historical
Source: Netgalley Review Copy / Own

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

They are each other's fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope.

Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost -- one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumoured to grant its possessor the power of God.

Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all.

As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.

A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job. (Goodreads)

I cannot believe that I waited so long to read The Gilded Wolves series by Roshani Chokshi! The first book, The Gilded Wolves, had been on my TBR for a while before I finally started it, and once I did so, I was kicking myself for not having started it sooner! Once I finished the first book, I immediately made plans to start The Silvered Serpents right away, and I’m so glad I did!

I always enjoy Roshani’s books whenever I read them. The first series I read by her was The Star-Touched Queen series, and then after that, The Pandava Quartet, which happens to be one of my most favorite middle-grade series. I will definitely be adding The Gilded Wolves to my list of favorites as well!

Since I didn’t write a review for the first book, let me assure you that I did enjoy it. The characters and the storyline were really great, and while the ending was a bit of a shock, it was still an all-around great read. I very much enjoyed it.

The Silvered Serpents picks up not long after where The Gilded Wolves leaves off and takes you on another great adventure full of twists that you probably won’t see coming, and so much going on that you won’t know what to expect next ... at least I didn’t! The book ends in a way that will leave you dying to get your hands on the third book, The Bronzed Beast, and I will be patiently waiting for it to release in September!

Oh, can I also say that I love so many of the characters in this series? They are all so great, and all for different reasons, and I adore them all. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them in the next book!

Overall;  The Silvered Serpents was a fantastic sequel to The Gilded Wolves! I really wish that I had started this series sooner, but I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on the next book coming soon … it’s going to be a most anticipated read for me for sure!

Waiting on Wednesday: Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes & The Empire of Dreams

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes
(Pandava Quartet #3)
by Roshani Chokshi
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: April 7th 2020
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
ISBN: 9781368013857

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

War between the devas and the demons is imminent, and the Otherworld is on high alert. When intelligence from the human world reveals that the Sleeper is holding a powerful clairvoyant and her sister captive, 14-year-old Aru and her friends launch a search-and-rescue mission. The captives, a pair of twins, turn out to be the newest Pandava sisters, though, according to a prophecy, one sister is not true.

During the celebration of Holi, the heavenly attendants stage a massage PR rebranding campaign to convince everyone that the Pandavas are to be trusted. As much as Aru relishes the attention, she fears that she is destined to bring destruction to her sisters, as the Sleeper has predicted. Aru believes that the only way to prove her reputation is to find the Kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree that came out of the Ocean of Milk when it was churned. If she can reach it before the Sleeper, perhaps she can turn everything around with one wish.

Careful what you wish for, Aru . . . (Goodreads)

Guys... I LOVE THIS SERIES!
And I'm super excited to see what's going to happen next in this much anticipated third book!
I know it's going to be awesome.

The Empire of Dreams
by Rae Carson
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: April 7th 2020
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 9780062691903

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

New York Times-bestselling author Rae Carson makes a triumphant return to the world of her award-winning Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy in this extraordinary stand-alone novel. With action, adventure, and a heroine set on destroying the patriarchal limits meant to keep her in her place, The Empire of Dreams once again proves that Rae Carson is a master of epic fantasy.

Even though Red Sparkle Stone is a foundling orphan with an odd name and a veiled past, she's about to be adopted into the royal family—by Empress Elisa herself. Sixteen-year-old Red can hardly believe her luck. Then, in a stunning political masterstroke, the empress's greatest rival blocks the adoption, and Red is left with no family and no future.

Grieving and lost, but determined to find her place, Red hatches a daring plan: she will prove herself as a recruit for the world's most elite fighting force, the legendary Royal Guard—something no woman has done before. But it's no coincidence that someone wanted her to fail as a princess, someone whose shadowy agenda puts everything she loves at risk. As danger closes in, it will be up to Red and her new friends—and maybe some new enemies—to save the empire. If they can survive recruitment year. (Goodreads)

Ah! It has been SO long since I read the Fire and Thorns series,

but I am SOOOO excited to get back to this world!
I wish I had time re-read the books before starting this one,
but I'm too impatient to wait. lol!

•     •     •

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah and the Song of Death
(Pandava Quartet #2)
by Roshani Chokshi
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: April 30th 2019
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781368013840
Genre: Middle Grade | Fantasy | Mythology
Source: Netgalley Review Copy

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Aru is only just getting the hang of this whole Pandava thing when the Otherworld goes into full panic mode. The god of love's bow and arrow have gone missing, and the thief isn't playing Cupid. Instead, they're turning people into heartless fighting-machine zombies. If that weren't bad enough, somehow Aru gets framed as the thief. If she doesn't find the arrow by the next full moon, she'll be kicked out of the Otherworld. For good.

But, for better or worse, she won't be going it alone.

Along with her soul-sister, Mini, Aru will team up with Brynne, an ultra-strong girl who knows more than she lets on, and Aiden, the boy who lives across the street and is also hiding plenty of secrets. Together they'll battle demons, travel through a glittering and dangerous serpent realm, and discover that their enemy isn't at all who they expected. (Goodreads)

Aru Shah and the Song of Death, the second book in the Pandava Quartet series by Roshani Chokshi, was super high on my list of most anticipated reads for 2019. I read Aru Shah and the End of Time, the first book in the series, last year, and enjoyed the story SO much that I couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel. It definitely did not disappoint!!

One of the things that I love most about this book series is that it reminds me so much of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. They are fun, addictive reads that you can't help but love. So, it will come as no surprise to you that this book is one of many books brought to you by the Rick Riordan Presents, which is an imprint by Rick Riordan himself, which brings us middle grade books by authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. I have had the pleasure of reading quite a few books from this imprint already, and they are all SO great!

Another thing that I love about this book is that the storyline is all about Hindu mythology, which I admittedly know very little about, but am learning more and more of as I read the books! I love that these stories are engaging and addictive, but also leave me feeling like I've learned something after I close the book. And the more I read these books, the more fascinated I become with the mythology, and it definitely leaves me wanting more! The storyline also has great messages and situations that so many will be able to relate to, and I love that as well.

And I can't finish up this review without saying something about the characters in the book. If you've read my review for the first book, you'll know just how much I adore the characters in the story, including the main characters, Aru and Mini, and especially Boo. And while we get our fill of these characters again, we are also introduced to a lot of new characters in this book, and I guarantee that you're going to love them all as well! (Brynne and Aidan especially!)

Overall; I was once again captivated by the awesomeness that is Aru Shah and her fantastic story. Roshani Chokshi definitely has yet another hit on her hands with Aru Shah and the Song of Death, and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, which is currently untitled and without a release day, but which I will most definitely be keeping my eye out for! If you've not yet read this series, I highly recommend it! (Especially if you like books like the Percy Jackson series!)

My Thoughts: A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

A Crown of Wishes
(The Star-Touched Queen #2)
by Roshani Chokshi
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: March 28th 2016
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781250085498
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Review Copy

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I went into A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi thinking that the book was a sequel to The Star-Touched Queen, which I read last year and really enjoyed. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was actually a companion novel instead. Either way, I was super excited to finally read the book, as I had my eye on it for quite a while, and I was curious to see what it was about. This book is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2017 so far!

As I mentioned above, A Crown of Wishes is a companion novel to The Star Touched Queen. This is the story about a story about Gauri, the princess of Bharata, who is also the sister of Maya in the first book. To be honest, I didn't remember much about Gauri at first, and unfortunately I didn't have time to reread the first book before starting this one. Luckily there were plenty of reminders in the book to refresh my memory, and I quickly fell right into Gauri's story.

One of the things I love most about this book is our two main characters; Guari, the princess of Bharata, and Vikram, a prince from the neighboring land. These characters really made the book for me. I loved their snarky sense of humors, and the fact that they made me laugh so much throughout the story. I found myself totally rooting them on as they played the game, and I enjoyed that the story is told from their alternative perspectives. I also really loved Aasha, a secondary character in the story, whom is probably my most favorite character in the story. *grin*

I'm always a little nervous when starting the second book in a series, as it could either be really great, or totally not great at all, so I was curious to see where this book would stand. I was not disappointed at all! The storyline for the book was definitely entertaining, and I loved the 'game' part, which reminded me a little of Caraval by Stephanie Garber. The game was very interesting, as I never knew what to expect, and was always wondering what was going to happen next. I would totally not have survived these games if I were participating. Just saying.

Overall; I really enjoyed A Crown of Wishes a lot more than I expected to. The characters were great, and the storyline was entertaining and captivating. I'm not sure if there are going to be more books in this series, but I'd really love to see these characters again. Do check out The Star-Touched Queen AND A Crown of Wishes!!

Review: The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

The Star-Touched Queen
by Roshani Chokshi
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 26th 2016
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781250085474
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Retelling
Source: Netgalley

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
To be honest, I hadn't planned on reading The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi right away. I had it on my to-read list, and planned to get to it when I got caught up on my reading. Then I started seeing all the positive reviews for the book, and I knew I would have to check it out sooner rather than later. I'm really glad I did!

I really liked the characters in the novel. The main character, Maya, has not had the easiest life. Although she is a princess, she is one who is cursed, or so people let her believe. I found her to be very strong willed, and very much determined to find where she belongs in the world. There were a lot of great secondary characters in the novel as well, including Amar, who was completely mysterious and I wanted to know more and more about him as the story went along.

The storyline for the book was very unique and quite captivating as well. I've read quite a few novels lately that have been retellings of folklores, and I find myself enjoying them so very much. This book was full of twists and turns that definitely kept me guessing throughout, and with this being a standalone novel, the ending wrapped up perfectly.

Overall; I really enjoyed everything about The Star-Touched Queen, from the great characters, the captivating storyline, and even the gorgeous cover. I'm putting Roshani Chokshi on my list of authors to keep an eye out for, as I'm definitely interested in reading more of her work in the future!