Definitely something to recommend to lovers of Rick Riordan’s books. Ari is feisty and clever. Her interactions with Boo are hilarious.

I can see why this book is published a "Rick Riordan Presents". Chokshi's tale takes a very similar tone to Riordan's novels and is equally adventurous. I enjoyed learning more about the Hindu gods and goddesses (or Chokshi's interpretation of them).
Aru Shah is Indian and and lives with her mom at the Museum of Indian Art and Culture in Atlanta, a detail I LOVE. I have a strong background in Art History and know of some of the major Hindu mythological characters from studying Indian art. I'm not aware of many middle grade books with Indian American protagonists, so there's a definite need for more Aru. Also? Her pigeon rocks!
There are quite a few characters in this book. I'm hoping to learn more about them as the series progresses. Some of them seem rather one dimensional at this point. Overall I loved this book and would recommend it. I haven't been able to keep it on the shelf in our Library!

I just loved this book. Aru Shah is a young girl that might have a problem in the exaggerate department. But you have to love how she stretches the truth (so what if her mansion is really a museum).. The trouble begins when Aru tries to impress some kids from school by lighting a cursed lamp. It turns out that the lamp is cursed and that the world will come to an end. With the help from a pigeon, Aru sets out to find the five Pandava brothers and save the world. Great characters, fun read and you get to learn about Hindi mythology..

Readers who like Rick Riordan’s books may really enjoy this. However, readers who have no background in the Hindu mythology will find the many layers and levels confusing unless they are willing to really focus on the text. It’s not a book to put down and come back to two weeks later. There are several pop culture references, which I fear will date the book quickly, but kids today will get a kick out of it. I like that it is about an Indian girl. Those books are few and far between. Didn't love it, but liked it ok.

This book is incredible! Reading middle grades books always worries me because I'm afraid I won't appreciate it as much, but Aru Shah and the End of Time blew me out of the water. It's beautiful and diverse and I can't wait to recommend it to students and to middle school teacher friends!

This was an interesting book. The main character is flawed, but your heart breaks for her. This book has the same draw as the Percy Jackson books. My only complaint might have been that it might have mirrored the Percy Jackson books too much.

This book was a lot of fun. With Rick Riordan's new imprint we are getting similar books - tone, gods and goddesses, young heroines - but expanding the cultures. This book features Aru and Mini must find 3 keys and prevent the "Sleeper" from destroying the world. Kids who have enjoyed Percy Jackson and other Riordan books will find a lot to like in this new series.

"It is not failure to fail." Aru Shah learns this lesson and many more in this start to a wonderful children's adventure series. I adored the banter between the characters. I appreciated the diversity of the characters. I have to admit I did purchase the audio book so I could hear the correct pronunciation of the character names. I plan to use this title and audio book with my student book club next term. I hope educator materials will be available later.
Thanks to Disney Book Group and Rick Riordan Present for the ARC of this title via NetGalley.

My students devour Rick Riordan's books and I know they will do the same with these. Thank you Disney and Rick Riordan for finding ways to promote other, less propagated--at least in the west--mythologies, but most of all, thank you, Chokshi for writing a story that is hard to put down. My order has been placed and I look forward to seeing the empty space where this book should sit in my classroom library.

I am a little behind so I just finished the ARC of this book, but I'm going to have to get a print copy and read it again. It's so good. I loved this story of an imperfect girl and her efforts to do the right thing while becoming a hero. Aru has a good heart, and you kind of fall in love with her. There is a lot of humor, monster-fighting, and all the elements of a great hero story.

Percy Jackson fans will love this, but so will kids who have never read a page about Percy and Annabeth.

A great epic adventure of a young girl feels unwanted and out of place coming to terms with being a hero. Aru Shah feels very much like your average middle schooler, only she has epic powers given to her by an Indian god, who just happens to be her unbiological father. Masterfully weaving Indian mythology and the authentic feelings of a young girl who just doesn't quite fit, Chokshi writes a novel for all kinds of readers.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi is a middle school fantasy based on Hindu mythology. It is the first book of the Pandava Quartet and the first book for the “Rick Riordan Presents” collection.

This is unbelievable, but I have never read Rick Riordan, but my students have been reading him since middle school. Those who love mythology will love this new collection. I think early middle school will enjoy it the most.

What a fascinating framework for an adventure novel! Hindu deities and their peccadilloes are just as interesting but much less familiar to most American readers than the Greek or Roman pantheon. Move over Rick Riordan! Besides the novelty, the mundane characters are strong and fully hold their own.. A must-purchase for the library.

*An advanced reader ebook copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I thought this book was pure fun! Chokshi seamlessly ties together Hindu cosmology, adventure, feminism, and amusing dialogue.

I particularly loved the emphasis on girl power. Throughout the book characters are surprised that she is the hero rather than a boy. Along these lines, there is also an emphasis on female friendship and sisterhood. Mini, is another reincarnated Pandava brother, and Aru's 'soul sister' who helps her on her mission. I really identified with Mini and I loved seeing their interactions together and how the fought evil together. I will never tire of see positive representations of female friendship. More, please!
Additionally, I thought Chokshi incorporated and explained Hindu mythology well. Considering that this book is targeted at middle grade kids who might not have a lot of knowledge of world cultures and religions, Chokshi explains various words and the mythology in a way that I think younger readers will be able to latch onto easily. I appreciated that there was a glossary for particular words. Again, this adds to how much I loved this as an adventure book but also a learning opportunity about a culture that's different than my own.

In classic middle grade and Riordan style, there is character depth and points about realizing that sometimes our supposed 'flaws' can be our strengths. (I'm not crying, you're crying).

I would highly recommend this to fans of Rick Riordan! I think this will be right up your alley. I think fans of diverse fiction and those looking for strong female characters for their younger readers will really enjoy this as well.

This was a fun read but I had some problems with recommending it for my 4th grade classroom.. As the mother of internationally adopted children, I appreciated the fact that this book included diverse characters. I am always looking for good stories that include diverse characters in regular everyday situations. I found the many Hindu deities very confusing though, and think that perhaps my 4th-grade students would have trouble remembering all these new and unusual names.

Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet #1)
by Roshani Chokshi

Release Date: March 27, 2018

My rating: 4 stars

SUMMARY: Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi is a middle school fantasy based on Hindu mythology. It is the first book of the proposed Pandava Quartet and the first book for the “Rick Riordan Presents” collection.

I have never read Rick Riordan (gasp!), but my younger daughter loves mythology and has devoured them all. I think she will enjoy Aru Shah as well, although we have never studied Hindu mythology.

Aru is a modern day student who has a tendency to lie (later she decides she has the gift of imagination and not a gift of lying). She is trying to survive middle school, where she often lies in order to try to fit in with the crowd. She is a bit resentful of the fact that it’s just her and her mom, they live in a museum, and her mom never has time for her because she is always flying off to do work for the museum.

One day, three classmates—wanting to catch her in a lie—dare her to light a lamp in the museum that Aru says is cursed. She figured it won’t hurt to just do a quick lighting of it., then she’d blow it out and “never ever ever lie again.” Of course, you know how these things go….something bad always happens. In this case, the “quick light” of the lamp releases a demon whose job is to wake up the Hindu god of destruction who will destroy the world. Nothing major, right?!

Aru, who learns that she is the reincarnation of one of the legendary Pandava brothers of ancient Hindu mythology, must locate the other reincarnated brothers and stop the demon from waking up the god. And, man, she’s still in her Spider-Man jammies….

MY THOUGHTS: As a Christian, I obviously do not believe in mythology or reincarnation, but this story was still a very fun read for me, even though at times it was very middle-schoolish in attitudes and actions. I learned a lot about Hindu mythology. There were several funny places, a talking pigeon, and mythological creatures galore.

I do wish I had seen that there was a glossary in the back of the book before I finished it, but that was my fault for not seeing it in the table of contents.

I would recommend it to middle-grade students who enjoy mythology.

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At my request, I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions on the book, and I received no compensation for this review.

This was a fun book in the style of Percy Jackson. I liked how it incorporated mythology into the story, and it was a fast paced read. I didn't entirely like the main character to start, but I did enjoy it.

If you don't know much about Hindu Mythology, then get ready for a great ride. I would love to see a nonfiction companion about Hindu Gods and Deities.

Aru Shah and the end of time is deffinately my favorite book this year. When I read PJO a few years ago I knew it will be hard to find a writter like Rick Riordan. But believe me,Roshani Chokshi is such a good writter! This book had the same vibe as PJO and mythology was amazing! Can't wait for the second book!

As a kid, I grew up reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, The Hero's of Olympus, and basically any other Rick Riordan novel available to me. From these books sprang my love for all things mythology, and I'm so, so excited about Rick Riordan Presents so future generations can learn all about different mythologies through characters they will grow to know and love throughout their life times. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi being the first book by Rick Riordan Presents has me very optimistic about the future of this imprint.

Before even entering Aru's world I loved Chokshi's writing style from her previous novels, and I knew she would do an absolutely fantastic job. Aru Shah is a twelve year old girl who lives with her mother above the Ancient Indian Art and Culture. She has a bad habit of lying, and ends up getting caught in a web of lies by her three class mates. As a result, she lights the Lamp of Bharata, freezing everyone in time, releasing the Sleeper, and setting Aru off on the adventure of a life time. I don't really want to say too much about the plot in fear of spoling anything, but it was just so much fun to go on the adventure with Aru, Mini, Boo, and everyone else. It was wonderfully paced, and there was never a dull moment. I really learned so much about Hindu mythology through this novel, and it has even inspired me to go out and do some of my own research to learn some more.

What I think really made me enjoy this novel was Aru herself. Chokshi gave her such a fantastic voice and a sense of humor that I found very Percy-esq that made this book just so much more enjoyable. There was a moment in the very beginning of the book where Aru made a reference to the song "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash, and I knew from that moment forward that I absolutely loved her. Overall I think Chokshi did a fantastic job with the novel as a whole, and I can't wait to see where she goes with the rest of the Pandava Quartet.

In conclusion, I give Aru Shah and the End of Time four out of five stars for being fun, hilarious, and a great entrance into the Pandava QuartetI highly, highly recommend this for young readers, anyone with any interest in Hindu mythology, and anyone who grew up loving Rick Riordan novels as much as I did.