This book was GREAT! I have never read anything by this author but I am ready to go grab more off the shelves NOW! I encourage you if you have read Six of Crows and loved it like I did. The author does a great job with her character development and if you don't LOVE Severin, we can't be friends!

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Heist books have really become popular and it is good that I enjoy them. This one was set back in history with a twist of fragments from Babel being thrown in. Chokshi has long ago made me a fan of all her work, but I was slightly disappointed in this work compared to her others. While I did love most of her characters some felt a little lacking. There were moments that I desired to know more than what was given to me. Generally, this all had to do with the fact that two of the narrators had one night where they had sex with each other. They both never let us forget this fact often bringing it up. Still, the plot drew me on until the very end. Another part that could have been handled better. All the bumps won't stop me from picking up the second. book. Chokshi left enough plots left unfished that I have to read the second to know how she ties them all together.

This series has a lot of potential. It’s a little jumbled up, and some of the connections between characters are unclear. Similarly, the motives of the characters and the conflicts aren’t explicitly shared with the reader. The antagonist could be developed more. It’s a fun book, and I’ll read the sequels. Hopefully the story will become more streamlined.

(4.5/5) Well, this was a whirlwind of fun and imagination!

The first thing I"ll note about this book is that it has some of the best world-building and flat-out creativity of any YA book I"ve read in quite a while. The book is set in 19th century France, right at the start of the World Exposition. On top of that intriguing time period, the author adds in magic or "forging" that completely elevates the setting. There are butterflies forged to light up a room, masks forged to smell out thieves, and mirrors forged to hide secret doors. I don't know how many times I shouted, "THIS IS SO COOL!"

As for the actual plot, a team of teenagers run different heists to steal ancient "forged" artifacts in the hopes of elevating Severin (the leader of their group) to a leadership position in the French magical community. The team is a band of misfits who each have their own talents, flaws, and intriguing backstories. The various personalities and the camaraderie shared between the different characters reminded me most of "Six of Crows."

The plot was fast-moving but also had some intimate, emotional moments. The various themes deal with god vs. man and fitting in. The characters grow and invest you more in the story. And that world-building is off the charts!

The ending was also unexpected and delicious, leaving me eager for the next book in the series. Overall, highly recommend this book!

I loved this book,
A group of unlikely friends and thieves are drawn into a dangerous agreement to help find and stop the end of the world as they know it. Each of them has some special skill or ability, and each has something they hope to gain.
The characters are diverse and believable. The story catches you from the first page and doesn't let you go up to the last page. I will have to read this a second time, to see if I missed anything.
Roshani Chokshi's writing keeps getting better with every book she writes. I look forward to her next book. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this title before publication.

Such a great job of world-building by Roshani Chokshi with these unusual characters and their strange powers. A great read for fans of Six of Crows.

I was given this book as an advanced reader copy through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi is a YA novel set in Paris, 1889. It is not, however, a historical novel. It is a fast-paced fantasy novel about a group of tightly banded misfits. The world is full of magic, intrigue, deception, and powerful ruling families. This novel is a cross between The Last Magician and Six of Crows, but it is its own story.
I will preface by saying I had a hard time getting into this book because there were a lot of characters to keep track of, while also learning the rules of the world in which the book is set. That being said, the characters are endearing and have genuine depth. Chokshi has given us a diverse set of characters for which to root, and therefore I will forgive the confusion a large cast of characters caused in the beginning.
This is a heist story, mixed with magic and hierarchy, but at its heart it is a story of friendship. The characters are varied in personality and skillset, and they balance each other well. There is a love (lust?) story involved, which I think makes this more of an upper YA, but it is not over the top. I think it is just enough to lead us into the next book in the series.

Choshi engages in masterful world building that brings the reader into a Paris where magical families rule and their power is woven into everything from clothing to topiaries. Séverin and his ragtag bunch of compatriots plan, play, and steal together but they may have overplayed their hand when going up against the Order of Babel. YA readers will be enthralled with The Guilded Wolves and demanding more of their adventures.

I'm sorry, but this book just did not work for me. It ranges between being overwritten to having anachronistic contemporary slang, with the result that I never got a sense of what was supposed to be a rich, dark alternate Paris.

LOVED this book. I can't wait for it to come out so that I can recommend it to my students. I think it is a mix of Ocean's 11, James Bond, The DaVinci Code, and The Alchemyst series. The history, religion, and political lessons woven into the fantasy of this book is very intelligent. Students will love this fast-paced adventure.

I have read some of Chokshi’s work in the past and found this to be on par with her Star Touched Queen. The world building is intricate and detailed. The characters grow all the way from beginning to end. And the plot lines have a little bit of everything in them. This work is a great example of a fantastical world hiding within our reality. The idea is wonderful and had me excited to learn all I could about this under the surface society. Unfortunately for me, the writing was somewhat long winded and had me stopping quite often out of frustration over the excessive information. I liked the characters, but didn’t feel that I connected to any of them. I wish that I could have gotten more into this novel, but it just wasn’t for me, though I know there are many who will eat it up.

4.5 stars. This book is completely unlike Roshani Chokshi's previous books. It had a steampunk feel, with clever devices and stunning imagery. The characters' banter was snarky and fun. I am very much looking forward to the sequel, especially with themassive cliffhanger at the end of the book.

This book, like Roshani's other books, is absolutely incredible . Her writing style is something I absolutely adore and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

DNF at 19%. It feels like a blend of The Young Elites and Six of Crows. I was beginning to like this, despite the overuse of purple prose which makes the whole thing confusing and hard to get into. However, the inclusion of gay romance sealed the DNF-deal for me. This is a story with a lot of promise, but the violation of my faith makes it impossible for me to waste my time finishing it.

Late 1800s Paris. The L'eden hotel. A group of intelligent, eccentric, unique young people all work together on "acquisitions," aka thievery. When they stumble upon something that is connected to something much larger, and scarier, than they anticipated, they bring one more into their fold to find an ancient artifact with more secrets than they know the answers to.

I realize that this might not be the most popular opinion.... but I wasn't absolutely obsessed with it quite like other readers. The writing is superb, especially when discussing the emotions and turmoil of each of the characters. While I loved finding out about Zofia and Enrique and the relationship between Laila and Severin, I thought that the multiple character perspectives was just.. too much. I would have liked a focus on just 2 characters to go a little more in depth and feel connected.

I would definitely recommend this to other readers-- it's fantasy, treasure hunt, romance, friendship... It's worth a read :)

This will appeal a lot to fans of Six of Crows by Leigh Badurgo and for people who just like YA packed with magical elements, great characters and that historic vibe.

We’re introduced to Séverin, who believes he has cheated of his status as the heir of House of Vath, so he makes an unusual alliance with an old friend that he’s not sure he can trust. Séverin is the owner of a hotel and already has a group of partners, his friends, each one with a different ambition and goal, and they’re great in their own unique way..

This is all set in Paris 1889 and the aesthetic that it gives is amazing, with Secret Societies that hold a lot of power, elegant parties, glamour and heists/treasure hunts. All of this has a mystic catch to it, with magical elements related to alchemy, enigmas and puzzles. It also good in the representation aspects, with so many diverse characters, addressing racism, colorism etc.

Being a little bit more critic, I think some scenes and plot points were a bit confusing to me, I felt like the story wasn’t as easy to follow, but that might have been my own fault.

And even though I really liked the characters, to me their dynamic in the beginning felt off, kind of forced. From the start they were already a group and had their schemes (except for one character) so I think I would have liked to see more of how some of them met, what were their first impressions of one another, something that made me see more of their companionship and comradery. Towards the end of the book I felt like it gradually changed, though. By the end their dynamic was a lot more convincing, and it paved its way nicely for the next book, so I’m excited to read that.

Paris, 1889 - Severin has put together a group with a range of brilliant abilities, aiming to restore his place as head of a magical House. A historian, an artificer, a caberet performer who can read people and objects - all of them with interesting back stories which are gradually revealed and are vital to the major heist another head of House wants them to carry out. The world building is good, the characters are sympathetic, the betrayal was NOT the one I expected (there's always one in a heist) - it was a highly enjoyable combination of action and good writing which I raced through and want the next instalment already!

Several things which I liked about it in addition: the setting, it feels a little unusual to get a YA Book set in Paris and it made a nice change; the use of religious myth was sympathetic; the varying personalities of the main characters.

Magic, mathematics and mayhem. Heists, history and humor. Glamour, gore and a gardener’s pet gargantuan spider. Welcome to the world of “The Gilded Wolves.” Set in 1889 Paris, readers are swiftly enveloped into a high-action heist led by an “Ocean’s 11” type troupe teens. Each character is intoxicatingly enjoyable, and as an ensemble of friends, they each contribute talents and traits critical to the team’s success. In their pursuit of ancient artifacts, planning is paramount and death-defying dangers abound.

Readers will revel in Chokshi’s ability to seamlessly integrate a breadth of knowledge to construct a world that is superbly imaginative and brilliantly built. Alluring costume design and stunning architecture heighten story aesthetics. Enigmatic equations and expertly engineered gadgets add technical appeal. Kitchen concoctions, a performer’s perfumes, and chemical explosions intensify olfactory experiences. Meanwhile, allusions to mythology and religion intensify the depth of the story.

Roshani Chokshi’s writing acumen is astounding. She crafts polished prose, ignites multi-sensory imagery, and delivers dialogue that is deliciously dry, undeniably funny, and always true to character. “The Gilded Wolves” is truly a “14 carat” contribution to the fantasy canon. Guaranteed to enrapture YA and adult readers alike. Recommended for grades 9 and up. ~Lisa Brennan, Middle School Librarian @noveltalk _ARC via Netgalley

~~ I was provided with an ARC copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~

Wow.
I haven't loved a book in a long time.

But this book, reminded me why I still love the YA genre. I loved the twists and turns, the nuances of the characters and the development of the plot wouldn't let me put The Gilded Wolves down. Chokshi's new work is a masterful tale of a clan of misfits looking for acceptance. I love the details explaining L'Eden, the Palais and the Houses. Severin, Laila, Sophia, Enrique, Tristan, Zofia and Hypnos are all complex characters that don't fall into the stereotypical mold. The plot was well developed and the twists and turns were spectacular. It was a joy to follow this story and the end has me craving book 2.

A beautiful beginning to a promising new series.