Cover Image: Rick Riordan Presents: Aru Shah and the Song of Death-A Pandava Novel Book 2

Rick Riordan Presents: Aru Shah and the Song of Death-A Pandava Novel Book 2

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Member Reviews

Aru Shah and her Pandava sister Mini are in trouble- they just found another sister and they've been accused of stealing from the god of love. They have only a few days to find the bow and arrow or they will be exiled from the Otherworld forever. This was a fun read and I know my students will love it!

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I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

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My goodness these books are bantertastic fun! I literally read this book in a single sitting (roughly 8-11PM), and I totally didn't expect to devour it so quickly. The plot is very video-game-y (go here, do this, now go here, now do this), but I think that works for the intended demographic. Plus, even though I don't like that kind of plotting, the wittiness and characters are so delightful I didn't actually mind that much.

And I know some people are judging me for the three stars, but it is, for me, an enthusiastic three stars. Know that I absolutely would recommend this 100% unreservedly to any preteens, tweens, or teens who love Percy Jackson. (I actually even HAVE recommended this to a coworker for her son.)

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A great continuation of the series!A great continuation of the series! The girls all have unique personalities and I am liking how the story is progressing.

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I love this series! I wish there had been books like this when my sister and I were growing up. Great for Indian and Sri Lankan Hindu kids to see themselves mirrored and for kids in general to learn about Hindu deities and stories. This sequel is just as good as the first book and I can't wait to read the next one. Aru is such a fun character: smart, feisty and brave. Mini is a wonderful character too.

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It took me some time to get caught up on Aru Shah. And I am so glad that I did. I love this middle grade fantasy. I am an avid supporter and promoter of Middle Grade books. It's so refreshing to find a story that you can encourage people of any age to read.

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This high-fire sequel keeps up the spirit, fun, and mythology of the first novel. Readers will dive right in and clamber for more.

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Aru Shah and the Song of Death is an amazing addition to the Pandava series that combines action, adventure, magic, humor and more. I really loved how the Hindu mythology was reimagined for a modern setting and sensibilities. The pop culture references and humor made me laugh out loud. The book strung together a long sequence of events, but I never felt bored or impatient with the story because it was paced well, and each mini-quest/adventure carried its own weight. I loved the detail that went into describing all the Otherworldly places and beings; they felt like they had lives of their own and endless depths to explore. Another of my favorite aspects of the book was the friendship and camaraderie between the characters, which had plenty of banter and bonding to go around. All in all, this was a fun and lovable read, and I can't wait for the next book.

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Thanks NetGalley for this amazing ARC, in exchange for an honest review. First, let me say, I love Roshani Chokshi as much as I love my most beloved author Margaret Atwood... I am a bit biased when it comes to her work. That being said, I devoured this lovely morsel as if it were the first meal after a 10 day fast! I loved this, I admire her commitment to bringing these gods to life! She really gives us a beautiful way to appreciate such a rich culture. Of course, per usual, her world building and character development is out of this world, I’m pretty sure she travels too or has regular communication with “the other world”, how else could one capture its magnificent spirit? I won’t lie, I’m a bit jealous that I can’t physically be in these places, but that’s what great writing does! Love this! Glad we ordered it and I can’t wait for #3! Let’s go Aru!

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The further adventures of Aru Shah and her loveable friends continue. I was sad this book was missing Boo, the hilarious sarcastic pigeon guide. Overall it was fun, but didn't capture the magic of the first book. I will read the rest of this series because I love the array of strong girl characters.

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THIS WAS SUCH A GOOD SEQUEL! I loved this so much! Reading it made my day better especially since I read it right after my exams were finished so I could just have a calming day and wind down. I really love Roshani Chokshi's writing style, and fell even more in love with her writing after reading it. The characters were amazing, the story was phenomenal, and I'm even more excited to read the next book after reading this and I didn't think it would be possible to get even more excited. I can't wait to staff pick this at work and tell everyone at my bookstore about it! I'm sure they're going to love this book, and this series as a whole as well.

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I am soooooo over the moon happy that this was just as much fun as the first book in the series. This is by far my fave middle grade series. The writing is snappy, the humour not overdone and the mythology is fascinating. The first book was my fave middle grade book of last year and so far this one is in my top three.

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Aru, Mini, and Brynne are Pandavas. Demigods tasked with protecting the human world. When the god of love’s master bow and arrow gets stolen, Aru, Mini, and Brynne get accused of stealing it. When they came to the Underworld, they were bringing it back, but someone took it from them when they arrived. Now, several humans are popping up as zombies. If they can’t bring the bow and arrow back to the Naga Council and prove their innocence, their memories will be wiped, they will no longer be Pandavas and those pricked will forever be zombies. With the help of Aiden, a relation of Uloopi, and Aru’s next door neighbor, can the group of four save the world? Will they ever find the god of love’s bow and arrow? Who is behind the theft? The plot is action-packed, intense, and well developed. The characters continue to grow and warm the hearts of the readers. The mythology seems true to the original stories. Inclusion of Indian cultural things like Bollywood and Indian dance and music are easily interweaved into the story without overwhelming it. Fans of mythology, adventure, and fantasy will enjoy reading this book.

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I love chokshi's style of writing. Her characters are funny and relatable and I couldn't put it down! A fantastic sequel to her middle-grade series!

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Thank you Disney Book Group And Rick Riordan Presents for the eARC of this fabulous book!
I have been absolutely loving the books from Rick Riordan’s new imprint, and this was no exception! The second book in the Pandava series follows Aru Shaw, Mini, and Brynne on a quest to save their Pandava legacy by rescuing the god of love’s bow and arrow.
I loved that this book was able to jump right into the adventure, and the characters felt more complex than in the first book. I think anyone who enjoys Percy Jackson will really enjoy this book!

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The thing that makes this book better than the first is that it has a glossary in the back. This is a delve into a new mythology culture for me and I do not have the background knowledge to keep all the characters and characteristics of the different beings Aru and her team of Pandavas encounter along the way in the book. A fun read with some interesting turns and plot twists along the way.
Appropriate for middle grade fans of other Rick Riordan fiction.

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Aru Shah fights Otherworld monsters and saves the day again - this time, without the Spider-man pajamas. Now with double the friends!

I liked the second installment in the Pandava Quartet, but only after I embraced all the modern-day meme references and general wackiness that was most of the dialogue. Aru Shah and the Song of Death is a good sequel, but you have to get into the fact that this book is childish since it's aimed at children, obviously.

Song of Death has all the mayhem and mischief of the first book so if you liked Aru Shah and the End of Time, you're going to like the sequel, too. There's no downgrade in the second book in any sense - there's still the same humor and fun from the beginning of the series.

I was a little overwhelmed with the references in the beginning of this book. You know the giant blue crab thingy on the cover? He's supposed to be the brother of the crab monster in Moana. Yeah. And that's just one of the sea creatures with a Disney movie sibling in that chapter. All you can do is accept the craziness and move on with the book (which makes it better, actually).

Every age group can love Aru Shah and the Song of Death. I know I enjoyed it overall, and I can't wait for the third book in the Pandava Quartet series.

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What I Liked
This is a great follow-up to "Aru Shah and the End of Time." Aru has a fantastic, fun voice, and her interactions with Mini and Brynne are oftentimes hilarious. The chapter titles will make you laugh out loud, with such gems as "New Demon, Who Dis?" and "But Real Talk, Where Are the Cookies?" The folklore is woven along for people who are unfamiliar with it, and even if you have no idea any of the mythology, you are able to keep up with it.

What I Would Have Liked to See
The beginning was a little clunky in places so the reader could be caught up with the events of the last book. This is hard to do, but I wish it had been a little smoother.

My Favorite!
The antagonist! No spoilers, but the antagonist's motivations and past make you say, "You know what, I'd be mad, too." The antagonist not being a black-and-white evil villain was refreshing. I love villains that you kind of root for!

TL;DR
When Aru and her friends are falsely accused of stealing a magical weapon, they have to recover the weapon and find the real thief, or lose their Pandava heritage and powers--and their memories of one another--forever.

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Chokshi continues the story of Aru and her companions, the modern reincarnations of the Pandavas from Indian legends. Aru's distinct voice rings true; she sounds like many thirteen year olds, strong enough to save the world one moment and intensely insecure the next, and like most early teens, her friendships with Mini and Brynne, her soul sisters, and Aiden, their male companion, are fraught with drama. Highly recommended for Rick Riordan fans, who, like me, will eagerly be awaiting the next in the series.

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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!)

Happy Reading!

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