This was an incredible sequel.

These characters all mean so, so much to me. They're all so complex and interesting, and they all have unique relationships with each other that warm my soul and break my heart. Especially Enrique and Zofia. The way they understand and see each other makes me feel so many emotions.

That being said-my poor baby Severin, whom I love, can choke.

The amount of research that went into these novels is honestly incredible. I want a Silmarillion style compendium of the history and lore of this world (which is our world, with Forging added to it, but still).

My soul is broken, and I need the third book right now thank you very much. I think it's safe to say that this is now one of my favorite ongoing series. Everyone go read this series now, please and thank you.

DNF

Unfortunately I had an incredibly hard time connecting with this story. I had requested this before I read the first book in the series which I didn’t enjoy. In the second book of the trilogy, the characters are all trying to deal with the loss of Tristan while also dealing with their own personal battles. Severin and Lailas relationship in this book is so hard to read with all the awkwardness and rage between them. It is also frustrating to read Zofia and Enriques relationship knowing that they both have an attraction to each other but something stopping them. I don’t understand Hypnos character still. I got about 75% of the way through this book and I still have so many questions.

I was hoping that I would enjoy the second book in this series more than I enjoyed the first. I realize that this series was just not for me. It consistently feels like a Six of Crows copy, with far less charming characters. The National Treasure like hunt for objects has also just never appealed to me, so likely this is just not my type of story.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Though I don’t talk about them enough, these characters and this story live in my head rent free. This sequel was just wOW

The Silvered Serpents picks up a few months after where The Gilded Wolves left off, with grief an ever present shadow hanging around each and every one of the characters. The loss of Tristan has driven the L’Eden gang apart, but upon discovering a lead to a certain powerful artefact – The Divine Lyrics - Séverin is determined to bring the band back together and to do whatever is necessary to find it.

Roshani’s beautiful and immersive prose transports us right back into her world of secret Houses, magic and Forging, this time taking us on a quest to Russia. The story takes a much darker turn to its predecessor though I feel like it also really comes into its own. The National Treasure-esque storyline is dialled up with higher stakes and more complex puzzles and twists, and further elements of lore and history have been masterfully interwoven into the narrative.

The pacing and new aspects of the Forged magic system and world really keep you on your toes. I don't want to say much with regards to the plot so as not to spoil anything but I was absolutely hooked.

The L’Eden gang are without a doubt my favourite found family and it really hurt to see how the tragedy at the end of the first book had driven a wedge between them and affected their relationships. Their connections with one another were so full of angst and constantly being explored, as was each individual’s arc and backstory - you can really sense a higher level of maturity around all of them. I really loved how well balanced this all was with the plot. Though the frequent banter from the first book has been somewhat reduced there were still some moments of wittiness that will warm your heart - I particularly loved the dynamic that reformed and strengthened between Laila, Zofia and Enrique. I honestly didn’t think I could love these kids any more but I was wrong.

Now fair warning this book will come with a desire to throttle Séverin on numerous occasions but I feel like Roshani represented grief and its repercussions remarkably well through his character. Again like with book one the various flashbacks added further layers to his story and I won’t lie and say his traumatic childhood had me sympathising with him a little. Well, until he opened his mouth… this boyyyy

If you thought the romance and pining throughout The Gilded Wolves was driving you crazy, if the ending of the first book made you fling the book at the wall, well…

This book well and truly broke me and I will not know peace until I have book 3 in my hands. (But then again I am terrified of what Roshani has planned for my children.)

Either way I urge you to read this series and suffer with me!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars

Second books are often seen as filler—the saggy middle in a trilogy. In this sequel to THE GILDED WOLVES, Roshani Chokshi not only avoids this stereotype, but she ups the ante considerably, raising the stakes for each of the protagonists as they are thrown into an elusive and fantastical ice palace in Russia on the hunt for a historic item that will solve each of their most desperate needs. 

It is hard to say what is best about THE SILVERED SERPENTS, but Chokshi’s characters are certainly high on the list. Chokshi seamlessly brings together characters from different regions of the world, belief systems, sexualities, and social classes. Every single one is lovable and stan-able in their own right, and together, they form an equal-parts-love-and-banter team that’s impossible not to root for. Whether driven by desperation, ambition, or love, each character has relatable and believable motivations—even in their cruelest moments. One of the most wonderful things about this series is that gentleness and vulnerability are presented as strengths, not weaknesses, a welcome offering in a genre that has often trended toward celebrating a gritty ruthlessness.

Each character has been made a misfit or underdog by historical processes of colonialism, racism, and other forms of exclusion. Chokshi offers a compelling underlying commentary on coloniality that is relevant both historically and contemporarily, amid current struggles against imperialism, racial injustice, systemic violence, and extremism. Some further situating of Russia’s role in the colonial history of the Order of the Babel would have been appreciated (though, admittedly, would perhaps have turned off non-history buffs).

The cast of dashing nerds, a glittering setting, steampunky magic, swoony but messy romances, and historical factoids will hook readers right away. It seems that there are fewer puzzles than there were in THE GILDED WOLVES, which may disappoint some riddle lovers but could be welcome to those who get antsy in between action-driven scenes. Fans will absolutely love the tender moments between those in the book’s found family, and love-to-hate the parts where things all go so stupendously wrong.

What was THAT????
I kept reading and reading even though i had hw and finals!! COULDNT STOP!!
I gave the gilded wolves 5 stars and this too, but THIS FIVE STARS WERE ANOTHER LEVEL!!!!
The book was PERFECT!!!! Everything i needed!!
Made me cry, mad, sad, and HAPPY AT TIMES!!
It mostly broke my heart to be honest but i’m fine with that!
What i’m not fine with though is waiting FOR A WHOLE YEAR TO GET BOOK THREE???? 😭

Roshani Chokshi said that I will write a book that is so beautiful, intense, and so painful and it will hurt you so so bad, that you will sit their and be in awe of this world and these characters while sobbing your eyes out.

And that is exactly what she did. She brought beauty and she brought pain.

In this book we return to the glamorous 19th century world of The Gilded Wolves. Here we experience another riveting tale filled with danger, darkness, mystery, and heartbreak.

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

Séverin and his team (Laila, Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos) while having successfully thwarted the Fallen House suffered a great loss of their own, and in turn are haunted with grief and sadness which has torn them apart.

Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact — The Divine Lyrics, a book that contains the secrets for rejoining the Tower of Babel and promises to erase suffering, and guilt but it also promises access to the power of the God.

Thus they travel to wintry, icy Russia where they encounter crystalline ice animals that stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses who carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders, which makes Séverin and his 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. They experience many highs and lows, a lot of laughs and sweet moments but also a lot of pain. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.

This is a tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job.

Review:

Roshani Chokshi wrote an extremely beautiful story with captivating and complex characters, dialogue, vivid descriptions, and a well executed plot. This book was filled with so many painful moments. All the characters are visibly grieving the loss of Tristan in their own ways, and it just made me so sad reading about them hurting. I hated that they were hurting. I wanted to bring them all into a group hug because they deserve some hugs.

There were definitely several moments that made me happy. Any scene with Hypnos had me smiling like an idiot. The ZofiaEnrique scenes made me so so soft, and their banter had me grinning so hard. Zofiais my cinnamon roll, she is so precious i could cry thinking about her. The EnriqueLailaZofia scene after finding out what she has been going through made me cry. You see the crew struggle with their grief and emotions, but you also see beautiful individual growth.

Now that ending. All I did was cry my eyes out the last couple of chapters. Roshani said do you know pain? Well think again. I am very unstable after that ending. I NEED THEM ALL TO BE SAFE EATING SOME COOKIES AND DRINKING SOME WINE AND BEING HAPPY.

Overall, I LOVED THIS BOOK. If you want to read about a beautifully crafted world rich with history and characters that will make you giddy, but will bring you a world of pain then this series is for you. Would 100% recommend it!!!

Having to wait till next year for the finale *deep sigh*
I NEED THEM ALL SAFE ALL OF THEM!!

The Silvered Serpents starts a few months after The Gilded Wolves. Our main characters are off doing their own things as they try struggle to deal with the consequences of their first adventure. This sequel is much darker than the first novel. It has you nervous for all of your faves as they are faced with conflicts brought on by others and amongst themselves. I loved getting the different points of view of the characters and they really have such distinct voices. This book hurts your heart and is such a beautiful continuation of the series.

We get more background on each of the characters which was really helpful to understand their decisions. I love the new setting of The Sleeping Palace. It sounded both beautiful and terrifying. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book and was completely taken by surprise with the twists (I usually really love trying to figure them out and did not see these). I am truly excited but also very nervous for the next book. Laila, Zofia, Enrique, Hypnos and Severin have a long path ahead of them before they have their happy endings if that is what is in store for them.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For me, The Silvered Serpents is a solid 3.5 stars. We are following the crew through their grief and the different ways they are dealing with it. I felt like the whole book was just sad and angsty. Laila and Severin were still doing the push and pull in their relationship, and it was exhausting to watch because Layla deserves so much better. Severin is still the character I dislike most. I also found myself disliking Hypnos more and more in this book. Most likely because I don't think Enrique deserved to be treated like that by him. Laila, Zofia, and Enrique are still my favorite characters in the story.

Now onto the plot: it was a little sparse. The story was stretched out so long for the amount of plot points that were actually in the book. **SLIGHT SPOILER BUT NOT ANYTHING SPECIFIC** There were puzzles and things like in The Gilded Wolves, but the reader doesn't get to work them out or even see them in the process of working out the puzzles. That was my favorite part of The Gilded Wolves and the reason I was so excited to read this book. So I'm pretty disappointed. **SLIGHT SPOILER OVER** I also saw the plot twist coming a mile away, which was a little annoying. There is also a death at the end that was pointless and really annoyed me.

What did I like? The atmosphere and descriptions. Chokshi has a very beautiful writing style that really transports you right into the location. I also appreciated the continued discussion of colonialism and its effects. Zofia really brings it home as being pretty much the top tier character in this book. Laila really frustrated me, but I felt so much for her and her struggles. My poor bean.

All in all, I will be reading the next book in the series, and seriously crossing my fingers for puzzles to help solve. If the reason you loved The Gilded Wolves was the characters, I definitely think this book will be one you'll like more than me, as I was really in it for the plot and puzzles.

Last thing I need to say is that Severin can meet me outside so I can dropkick his dumb ass.

Séverin and his crew are back in this sequel to 2019's The Gilded Wolves - a dark return to the world that Roshani Chokshi has crafted so well. With higher stakes, boiling drama, deadly secrets, and rising tension, The Silvered Serpents brings with it a page turning mystery that hurts the heart and touches the soul with its complex characters, layered story telling, and stellar world building. And if that's not enough to float your boat, how about we add some witty banter, magic, plot twists, and an eye popping cliffhanger to the mix! This book truly has it all. Don't be late to this party. Make sure that you are here with us so we can all scream about book 3 together!

I must start off by saying - the entirety of “Part IV” ... *aggressively needs paper bag to breathe into* That was Intense™. Before starting part 4 of the book (chapter 25-epilogue) please listen to my advice and make sure you set yourself time to sit and read the whole thing because your body will be shaking with the inability to put this book down. Wide-eyed emojis don’t even compare to how wide your eyes will go.

Anyway, regarding the entire story, I was pleasantly surprised! It starts off feeling like it’s very much matching the tone and feel of The Gilded Wolves. It was apparent it wasn’t going to suffer from the dreaded middle book syndrome. It actually ended up being even better than The Gilded Wolves.

Of course now I have to endure the hair-ripping, midnight pacing, constant clock checking wait for book three.

The Silvered Serpents is a wonderful continuation of the series! It had the complete package of being intriguing, action packed, romantic, and of course, mysterious. One thing I believe was done exceptionally well was the character growth. They all faced their own personal demons in a multitude of different ways, which helped me better understand them and their motives in the second book.

I do hope the physical book as more of the printed puzzles/pictures in it as the version I had did not, but I loved that addition in the first so hopefully that will be the case for this one!

Overall, if you enjoyed the first book, you are going to love this one! I can't wait for the third installment to come out!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

I’ve been waiting for this book for AGES because the last few pages of The Gilded Wolves is massive cliffhanger after cliffhanger. And holy hell did this book not disappoint.

After the death of Tristan all of our characters are a little fractured. Séverin is a lot colder than he was before, Laila stopped baking, Zofia has retreated back into her shell. The foundation that they built for themselves and the life of heists and secrets has come to a crashing halt, and they’re not too sure how to start over again.

But as they all reunite to stop the Fallen House and save Laila, they learn to move on and rebuild the relationships and trust that they had before. It’s heartbreaking, its breathtaking, and absolutely wonderful.

There’s so much I want to say about this story, but so little I feel like I can say without giving away spoilers.

But I will say this: I adore the relationship building soooo much in this story.

Laila and Séverin trying and fighting against rebuilding what they started. Enrique and Zofia’s relationship, Hypnos and Enrique. Hypnos and Séverin. It’s all so beautiful and realistic, something you don’t see enough in novels nowadays.

The world building in this book was also AMAZING. The quest to stop the Fallen House and get the Divine Lyrics brought the team to Russia and it was so beautiful. (Have I been using that word too much?) I loved the new ways of traveling introduced in this book, the added information about how magic works in this world, and I loved absolutely every single thing about the Ice Palace. Seriously, from the guard animals, to how to access the dining room, the palace was just so well thought out and so creative and if I wasn’t 100% sure I would die in it, its a place I would love to go to.

Some parts of the story were a little predictable, especially in relation to Séverin’s past, but overall it was very entertaining to read about.

And of course, it ended once again with massive cliffhangers and WHAT THE HELL moments, so I need book 3 immediately.

I enjoyed this second book to the series much more than the first. I felt the characters were better developed and flowed well with each other. We got to see into the person of these characters more and what they brought to the adventure. This second installment was much easier to follow and the overlapping histories of the artifacts weren’t as distracting as the first book. I’m devastated where the book left us because I am only assuming the worse and now I have to wait to see what happens. But I’m happy to say I’m looking forward to the next book!

Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves was not my favorite book of 2019. I loved the world-building and some of the characters, but I found the main protagonist, Severin, mostly unlikeable. But the intrigue of the plot and the heartbreaking ending of that book hooked me enough to want to read The Silvered Serpents.
The Silvered Serpents begins with Severin’s house in disorder. He has hardened his heart after the death of his brother in order to protect himself from further tragedy. Unfortunately, his team – Laila, Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos – don’t know the reason for this new cold demeanor. And so they keep secrets from him – and each other. Their continued quest for an artifact known as The Divine Lyrics leads them to the heart of Russia and The Sleeping Palace. But they are not alone, and there is a traitor in their midst.
I enjoyed The Silvered Serpents a great deal more than its predecessor. Chokshi is adept at world-building, and the descriptions of the Sleeping Palace and its contents are beautifully-rendered. I also enjoyed the continued development of the rest of the team. Laila was my favorite character in the previous book, but Enrique and Zofia are more fully-developed here. Chokshi’s characters are truly diverse, which is refreshing in YA literature, and her plots are truly complex. While I figured out a few of the plot twists in advance, there were quite a few unexpected developments that kept me guessing.

The Silvered Serpents is far superior The Gilded Wolves in both plotting and characterization. And the book’s ending has ensured that I will be returning for the next installment – in spite of Severin. He still hasn’t grown on me. Maybe he can redeem himself in the next book?

DNF @ 66%
actual rating: 2.5

The Gilded Wolves was one of my favorite books last year but this was so disappointing. I have been trying to read this for a week and a half and just cannot bring myself to spend any more time on it. I'll round it up to 3 stars because I realize that I'm here complaining about YA tropes in a YA book and I think my love of the first book is still coloring my opinion a little, but it is just such a frustrating book. The first book had such a good group dynamic and then I open this one up and find out that literally half the page space to dedicated this awful romance between Severin and Laila. It's Kaz and Inej all over again, except at least the Six of Crows sequel still managed to have a decent plot that encompassed all the characters even though some of them were in relationships with each other.

If the plot in this book was stronger I would probably have been able to get over it here too, but I feel like the other characters don't have much to do except I guess help solve the puzzles to move the plot forward. If you're really into YA and romance then you'll probably still like this but unfortunately, much like I did with Kaz, I rubbed my grubby little aroace hands all over Severin as soon as I saw him and cannot make myself even mildly care about him and Laila as a couple.

An enjoyable sequel to the Gilded Wolves. Sevrin and the group is still reeling from the events in the last book (spoilers!) and struggling to come to terms with the death of Tristan. The never ending quest for the Divine Lyrics takes them to a fantastical ice castle in Siberia in search of the lost treasure of the Fallen House. While the book is packed with adventure, I struggled to grasp the motivations of Sevrin throughout the story. To be plain, he's a jerk to all of his friends, and stops communicating, causing a majority of the problems. Zofia, as usual, was my favorite. Her quirky charm is simply infectious.

TW: anti-antisemitism, child abuse, body mutilation, self-harm, gore, violence.

This was one of the best sequels I have ever read and it only cemented my love and appreciation for The Gilded Wolves trilogy.

There is no question in Chokshi's skill in crafting compelling characters and scenarios where we're on the edge of our seat, hoping for the best. It's impossible not to love them, share in their pain and sorrow, waiting for things to get better. I can see Séverin, Laila, and Zofia so vividly between the lines of each page, I know what Enrique fears and what Hypnos desires the most.

I say it's one of the best sequels due to how action-packed it is, the story quickly continues where it left off and there is no time to catch your breath. Simultaneously, it's a slow narrative where you learn what each character is dealing with emotionally as they try to grow from their experiences. And I was always on the edge, anxious about what could happen next. All I can say about the ending is that I screamed into my pillow and then cried because I have to wait to read the conclusion.

Truly, there's nothing I disliked from this: from the characters to the enigmas, the beautiful writing, and the atmosphere of a cold palace near the Ural mountains. The discussions about colonialism, tokenism, white people's belief that they have a right to strip away another culture's identity and artifacts, and how society pits girls against each other and raises us to hate one another.

I love this so much and I highly recommend reading this trilogy. There are not enough words to explain how incredible it is.

Once more we get to face the challenge of a heists/treasure hunt wit the amazing group (family) under Severin's command and this time, the stakes are extremely high!

In this second installment of the Gilded Wolfs Trilogy, we star by following our 5 main characters in the aftermath of events of the previous book, dealing with loss, frustration and secrets (a ton of secrets!!!) that threaten to break the family apart (or is it to bring it together? it all depends!)

The group will then have to face a new challenge as treasure hunters (starting with a heist off course) and travelling to the Russian capital St Petersburg , meeting new and stingy characters, rejoining old relatives and traveling to the coldest depths of Siberia, where a new riddle awaits to be decoded in hope to recover a godly treasure that might provide the answers to all needs.

Along the story, Roshani Chokshi grace us with her amazing writing, taking us as spectators of the personal struggles, weaknesses and innermost secret fears of each of the characters, making us care more (as if we did not lock our hearts with them in the first book) for this broken found family and hoping they could see better times (which obviously will not happen since this is the second book in the trilogy)..

I very fast read that will snarl your senses and keep you to the edge of your sit until the last page (and then leave you hanging on an unexpected cliffhanger)!!!

All in all, and excellent read!

A copy of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Losing Tristan has devastated Séverin and his team but their grief must wait as they are facing another tragedy, Laila is running out of time. Séverin has recalled the group for one last mission: discover the location of the Sleeping Palace, find the lost treasure of the Fallen House, and hopefully find The Divine Lyrics along the way. Lured by the possibility of reclaiming his true inheritance, Séverin has placed his needs and desires above those of his friends, and this time, he may have finally gone too far. Long held secrets come to light as the group forms an unlikely alliance with someone from Séverin’s past, and many players are far from whom they appear. Full of magical adventures, ancient puzzles, and incredible feats of Forging, The Silvered Serpents is an intensely compulsive read that shouldn’t be missed. 

I absolutely loved this book. I curled up in my new reading nook with the pups, brewed a pot of tea, and didn’t get up until the book was finished. Reader friends, there are magical animal ice sculptures that come to life to help serve a fancy dinner. What more do you want? Roshani Chokshi’s ability to give readers an immersive reading experience with her gorgeously imagined and intricately described world, complete with all the glitz, glamour, and magic of Paris. Her characters are rich and full of life and you are immediately invested in their story and I spent the whole book with my fingers crossed that everyone would come out safe and sound. 

I am a sucker for a found family and this book does this trope perfectly. Séverin, Laila, Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos love each other fiercely, are incredibly loyal, and no one is capable of hurting them more than each other. Grieving Tristan in their own ways has led to some fissures in their relationship and the stress over the possibility of losing Laila is almost more than they can bear.  Add to that their own personal struggles and you have a group of people at the end of their rope desperately trying to hold on. 

It’s all so well done. So good. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Warning:

This book ends on a massive cliff hanger. It’s incredible.