Chokshi's next installment of a Pandava Novel is delightful! Written for middle-readers, the characters face both supernatural obstacles and the struggles and fears of growing up. Readers are sure to appreciate the beautiful mythologies of India, and a narrative that is littered with pop-culture references and plenty of character.

Aru Shah is a hero ... she thinks. After her last quest with her soul-sister Mini, she doesn't feel like a hero, but being a Pandava means she fights on the side of the Gods. When an enchanted bow and arrow is stolen and humans start becoming zombie-like creatures, Aru, her soul-sisters and friend Aidan quest into the Otherworld to retrieve the bow and arrow, save man-kind and clear their names. Hold on to your celestial weapons, because challenges await!

I enjoyed this entallment of the Pandava Series. We get to learn more about Aru & Mini and are introduced to two more characters. The additions allowed for increased character development and to see the kids learn some valuable lessons. Lots of action, mythology and friendship.

We meet up again with Aru and Mini after The End of Time and plunge right into the action. The Night Market is filled with zombies, and Aru sees another Pandava fighting... her. Clearly, it's a shape shifter in Aru's form, but that doesn't keep Brynne from being very angry at Aru when it turns out the bow and arrow of Kamadeva has been stolen. Not only that, but Aru, Brynn and Mini, as well as the pigeon-tutor Boo are blamed! Uloopi, the naga queen, sentences the group to retrieve the bow and arrow or to be exiled from the Otherworld! Brynne is hostile and doesn't seem like a great travel companion, but it's even worse when Aiden shows up to help in Boo's place, and Aru can't get over the time she sounded like an idiot in front of him. With only eight days to retrieve the stolen goods, however, there is no time to waste, and soon the group is headed on a magical quest to the naga realm on enchanted gazelles! Aru needs to find the thief's name, speak it, and will then be able to locate the stolen items. This quest takes the group through many portals, and they must talk to many different characters to obtain the information and artifacts they need. Mini is kidnapped and taken to the land of sleep, so on top of everything else, Aru must rescue her. At one point, they are in Little India in New Jersey, and are soon off to enter the Ocean of Milk to try to get an item that the thief is also seeking. This leads to an epic battle between the thief. Since Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes is due out in spring of 2020, I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say that Aru's side manages to win.

Strengths: Of all of the Rick Riordan Presents books, this channel's Riordan's own work the best. Immediate action, great humor, and a formulaic quest will keep middle grade readers desperate for the next installment. There are mythological creatures sprinkled through the whole book, and a very helpful glossary of terms and people at the back. The characters are all very different and engaging, and of course Brynne becomes less hostile. Her love of food is a fun touch, as is a secret about Aiden's past lives. There is also plenty of backstory scattered throughout-- Aru's mother and her unwillingness to discuss her father and Mini's parents' pressure on her to become a doctor as well as a first rate Pandava-- but it never bogs down the plot, which is a sign of great writing.
Weaknesses: There are a LOT of characters, and it's always a struggle for me to keep all of these, as well as all of the locations on the quest, straight in my mind. I'm also never sure where the line is drawn between Indian legend/ mythology and Indian religion, and wouldn't mind a not to that effect in a future volume. I imagine many of my students also would benefit from an explanation.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and looking forward to meeting the other two Pandavas in the upcoming volumes.

I absolutely love this series! In Aru Shah and the Song of Death, Roshani Chokshi takes a seemingly ordinary girl and turns her into a demon-fighting hero! The Song of Death is fast paced and full of humor, with a lot of contemporary references (the blue crab WILL NOT sing Under the Sea! as well as a reference to I''ll Make a Man Out of You!). A great sequel to the first Aru Shah! Now I have to wait until 2020 for Book #3!

Overall, I think this was a fun and exciting read, aimed at the same age group as the first Percy Jackson novels - young middle grade. Chokshi has a way of writing interesting characters, and I love how she is adapting Hindu stories to a (Western) modern audience. The three main sisters (and token dude, in this volume) are all very different from one another, and I enjoyed watching them all figure out how to work together to achieve their goals.

My main quibble was the use (overuse?) of pop culture references - most of them were fine (there were just a lot), but some were already out-of-date by the time I received this ARC, which is still two months before the official publication.
I understand trying to ground a story in the modern day, but the constant references got tired pretty quickly.

I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was very excited to get the second Pandava book and it did not disappoint! Aru and Mini are back and their group is expanding. Joining them is their new Pandava sister, Brynne, who happens to be super-strong; and Aru's neighbor/crush Aiden, son of an apsara with skills of his own. The gods are in full panic mode because Kamadeva's sacred bow and arrow are missing and Aru is blamed for the theft. She and her sisters have 10 days to find it (it wouldn't be a quest without a time limit!) or they will be banished from the Otherworld forever. Their quest for the true thief's soul song takes them to different realms, battling demons and the Heartless zombies along the way.

I absolutely love this series! In Aru, Roshani Chokshi takes a seemingly ordinary girl and turns her into a demon-fighting hero. This book is fast paced and full of humor, with a lot of contemporary references (the blue crab WILL NOT sing Under the Sea!). A great middle grade sequel! Now I have to wait until 2020 for Book #3!

#AruShahAndTheSongOfDeath #NetGalley

Aru Shah is the kind of series I wish I'd had as a kid - a clever, witty, imperfect GIRL who gets to go on adventures through mythology and save the world, with a bonus for being about a different mythology than the dominant American culture teaches - and this second installment does not disappoint. I loved the addition of Brynne and Aiden; in addition to another fantastic and challenging quest (and heaping doses of delightful snark - seriously, Aru's sense of humor reminds me so much of young me), readers get to explore the difficulties of learning to see someone new as a friend, navigating sort-of crushes, understanding the hardships of others' lives, and forming your own family. I can't speak highly enough of Aru Shah, and I'm excited to tell my kiddos they'll love the second one just as much as the first.

Just as brilliant as the first book, and it’s so wonderful to see the girls shining and growing in confidence and abilities. The two new characters were great additions, and the ending leaves you wanting more.

I've been a fan of the various Rick Riordan demigod series since I first read them many years ago, so when I heard about the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, I was cautiously optimistic. Reading Roshani Chokshi's first book on that imprint, Aru Shah and the End of Time, told me that optimism wasn't misplaced; I felt it admirably captured the heart and fun of the various demigod books without just being a copycat of Riordan's works. Roshani Chokshi brings a different perspective to the same type of coming-of-age stories and characters with deep, charming characters.

The second book in Roshani Chokshi's series still hits most of those same high notes for me. The characters still feel alive and real. The world is brightly painted and, though it can only really lightly touch on the mythology it uses for inspiration, it inspired me to find out more about the various Indian mythologies in much the same way Rick Riordan did with his Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse series.

If the book falters anywhere, it is in some occasional inconsistent pacing. Since I was reading an uncorrected proof, however, it could very well be that the perceived pacing issues were highlighted for me only because the chapter and section breaks weren't in place in the copy I read. Pagination, whitespace, and heading dividers can significantly affect the communication of scene transitions, so I hesitate to really ding this book over something that very well could not be an issue in the final copy..

Aru Shah is accompanied by another sister in this adventure, and a cute boy that is most definitely not a Pandava. The action is again swift, the text full of pop culture references, and humor abounds. This series is the obvious next step for fans of Percy Jackson, and the connections to Indian mythology are very rich. Highly recommended.

I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I am a fan of Roshani Chokshi. She always is well researched, well spoken and so kind. Every one of her books I look forward to and I have anticipated reading this book for such a long time. It was action paced and never lacked for magic. I loved the elements of love and cupid in this storyline and the elements of good vs evil. I read this book with my 8 and 11 year olds and let me tell you we all loved this and had the best time inside of this storyline. I will also say mom enjoyed it just as much.

I received an e-copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

The return of Aru and Mini is finally here, and they've found some new friends! I love Aru's story and I really enjoyed her latest adventure. The Pandavas (and Aiden) are all so relateable and funny, it's truly a joy to experience their story! The author has done another amazing job at pulling the reader in and keeping them entertained with a beautiful story filled with hilarious kids and gorgeous mythology!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to join Aru and Mini for their next adventure. I was not disappointed.

Aru and Mini were just as quirky and fun as they had been in the first novel. Add in tough Brynne and steamy Aiden and we have ourselves a ton more fun. These new characters were well played out and created believable and enjoyable situations that continue along until the four have become a strong family together. Minor characters, gods, demons, and random mages are given personalities of their own, creating a well-rounded cast of characters.

The writing was easily followed and quick to read. Chokshi has a fantastic sense of humor that is enjoyable to both adults and children alike. The only issue I had was some choices in pop culture references. There was a paragraph that had both The Rock (wrestling reference) and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. As much as I liked the parallels, they will most likely fly over the intended audience’s heads.

The ending left me eagerly anticipating the next installment to see what trouble this little gang will get into.

This exciting continuation of mythology-themed adventure immediately drops readers into the action. Aru Shah and her friend Mini are the reincarnated souls of demigod brothers, the Pandavas, from Hindu mythology. In this new installment, they meet another girl, Brynne, who is also a reincarnated Pandava. (There were five brothers in all, so it makes sense that in future offerings, more Pandavas will be introduced.) Putting aside their initial antagonism, Aru and Mini have to work with Brynne and a classmate, Aiden, to recover a bow and arrow that was stolen from the god of love. This was a fun story, due to be published in April under the "Rick Riordan Presents" imprint. I think this book will definitely appeal to readers of mythology-based fantasy.

I enjoyed this, quite a lot. Definitely looking forward to continuing and would recommend to fans of the first book. I’m planning to reread with my daughter because I think she’ll enjoy it as well. The kids could be kind of obnoxious, but that’s probably just my age showing 😂 and it’s not my favorite middle grade, but I love the diversity and mythology.

I really enjoyed this book, and think my students will, too. It ties in well with the first book, but could be confusing to those who had neglected to read the first book, as it jumps right into the story without any of the backstory review from the first book. It has plenty of twists and turns, keeping the reader engaged, and leaves itself open to a third book, The Tree of Wishes. There are many references to the Lord of the Rings, which I enjoyed as well. The reader will also learn a little bit about Hindu mythology just from getting into the novel. Great for fans of Rick Riordan books!

I loved this book! The full review will be posted April 25, 2019 at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

I received this book as an ARC from Disney Book Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Our patrons really enjoyed the first installment of the Pandava series and when we heard about the next book, we could not wait to get started reading. I can definitely say if you are a fan of the first book, you'll become an even bigger fan of Aru Shah and the Song of Death. The plot was so invigoratingly captivating that we could not put the book down and Aru Shah takes more of the heroine role in this novel as she did in the first one. We can not wait to recommend this book and we know that our youth patrons and patrons of all ages will love it.

We will definitely consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This is the second novel in the vastly underrated Pandava series which is in turn associated with the Rick Riordan Presents suite of books. I'm not sure this novel would make much sense or be very enjoyable without having first read the first novel in series but for those of us who have, and in particular for those of us who loved that first work, this is a wonderful return to the world of Aru Shah and her Pandava sisters. As ever the story is fun, proceeds swiftly, and often causes readers to laugh out loud. I enjoy the emphasis on female characters in the series and this novel in particular. There's a lot of wonderful fantasy children's lit out there, but not nearly enough of it focuses on excellent female protagonists. The Pandava series is a great attempt at addressing that imbalance. I can't wait to read the third novel!