I've really tried to get through this one. I'm on the HarperCollins Canada YA team (HCC Frenzy) and this was the big headliner title for its catalogue. We listened to an interview with the authors and I was so charmed by them that I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and read it. (Ironically there was supposed to be a print ARC earmarked for me but it never made it into the envelope headed my way with my other print ARC that round.)

A "prince and the pauper" story but make it Indian and make it princesses, Sisters of the Snake is a fresh, magical twist on the age-old tale. I couldn't wait to see what a set of real twin sisters of Indian heritage would do with this take on this story. I thought it was fascinating that both sisters wrote both sisters, rather than each writing one sister and merging their stories that way. I think that's why I can't get more than 20% into this book, though. Rani and Ria grew up in very different circumstances. They should be very different people. They read like exactly the same person, with the same narrative voice, and it quickly became very difficult to keep track of POVs.

I'm very interested to see what the Nanua sisters do next and I'd be willing to give them another try, but after several months and just as many attempts to get through this one, I'm throwing in the DNF towel.

This was such a fun read! I enjoyed the dual POVs more than I expected to. The cover for the sequel has also been released and I am SO EXCITED to read it!

I kept putting off reading this book but I am kicking myself for it. It was SO good! I loved the prince and the pauper vibes of this story. I loved the immersive quality of the setting. I loved both twins and both of their partners!

I really liked that each twin had their own unique voice and you could tell which was which as you were reading. It really helped distinguish the different POVs.

There were a good amount of plot holes in this book. The worldbuilding was awesome and the characters were great, the overall story just fell flat for me.

I wasn't sure about the whole twin sisters co-writing a book thing but this is fabulous! They know how to draw in a reader. Everything felt so real and vivid. I can't want for the second book! I bought a personal copy as well as a copy for the school!

Cool YA story. With adorable romances. The book is chunky- probably more than it needs to be. First in a series. Didn’t end on a cliffhanger, but left me with more questions.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. This story reads like fan fiction, and to be honest it felt very amateurish. However, I really love the concept and the way that the novel was pitched. Not for me, unfortunately.

Princess Rani and street urchin, Ria were unaware they were twin sisters until they see one another accidentally. They decide to switch places, each seeking something personal in their lives.

I love that this is a book about twin sisters, written by twin sisters! I enjoyed the characters and the dual POV in this. I like how there were two separate plotlines that converged in the end. The reason I only gave it four stars, was because I listened to this on audio, and at times I felt that the sisters were a bit hard to distinguish from one another, and I was relying more on who they were interacting with to figure out which was which, rather than distinct personalities. I feel like if I had read it on paper, it would have been easier to tell them apart, but because it was the same narrator for both sisters, it was a bit difficult for me. I also wasn't the biggest fan of EITHER of the romances and honestly could have done without either. I wish there had been more of a focus on the sister relationship, although it is understandable why there wasn't since they are separated for most of the book. I enjoyed the incorporation of the Indian culture and learning more about the food and clothing through this story.

Overall, I am intrigued to see where the story goes from here and I'll be sure to pick up the sequel when it is released!

A dark twisty story about lost twins, big deceptions and family. I really enjoyed this book even more than I expected I would. I loved both povs equally which is always a huge feat for an author. I cant wait to read the next one!

I was so excited to get this from Owlcrate and dived right into it as soon as it came. But sadly that excitement ended early on. This book told from dual POV wasn't one for me. I felt that things were just to far fetched with these two girls switching places. I mean one is starving on the streets and one is a princess in a castle with food galore. So you are going to tell me that these two girls look exactly the same? No just no its too much to believe in. Other things happen the same way that you just have to basically take the story with a grain of salt. Like Amir couldn't tell that this girl wasn't his BFF, etc. There was just way to much that you just had to overlook .

The story itself was just kind of boring. I kind of wished that this book would have been about one sister then the next book would have been about the other sister. Without the switching. I think it could have been an interesting take on Aladdin with the Ria learning that she is a twin or even take that sister aspect out. Turn it into a new take on Aladdin and have Ria and Rani fall for each other instead. I think that would have been a much better story.

Princess Rani is stuck in a palace, wishing to escape to freedom. Ria is a thief, stealing for her next meal. When Ria goes into the palace to steal some jewels on Diwali, she meets Rani, who has her face. They are long lost twins who didn’t know the other existed. Since they each have the lives that the other wants, they decide to switch places. Rani wants to search for the Bloodstone that will win her father’s war. Ria wants to find out the secret of her birth and why she was raised in an orphanage instead of with her family. Both of their worlds have hidden dangers, which they must face to save each other.

I’m an only child but I’ve always been fascinated by stories about twins. The Parent Trap was one of my favourite movies when I was a kid. The idea of seamlessly switching places with someone who looks exactly like you sounds so fun, but it comes with many problems. Ria and Rani had to get used to the new rules of their worlds when they switched places.

The concept of freedom was explored in this book. Both Ria and Rani were searching for freedom in their own ways. Ria wanted the freedom of not having to steal and having a safe place to eat and sleep. Rani wanted the freedom to travel outside of the palace and make her own rules. They saw each other as being free, yet they had to realize that both worlds have sets of rules.

Sisters of the Snake is a fun new fantasy! I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Since hearing about this book at the HCCFrenzy book preview and hearing the authors speak, this definitely became one of my most anticipated releases for the year and I am so happy it did not disappoint! Sisters of the Snake follows twins Ria and Rani who don't know the other exists until by chance, they meet on Diwali night. Ria - a thief - just wants to steal some jewels from the palace so she can leave the kingdom before war breaks out but unexpectedly runs into Rani - the princess of the kingdom - who wants to try and stop her father from starting a war with the neighbouring kingdom. The two decide to do an ultimate twin swap to have a chance to both do what they think is best without being caught.

This is such a solid debut! I love that it is written by twins about twins. This is a very character driven book, rather than plot or world building too much. Both Rani and Ria are both well fleshed out and I loved following their journeys. The book is told in alternating POVs between the two characters and I really enjoyed that, I feel like we would have been left out if the book only followed one sister or the other. At times the voices did seem a little bit too similar for people who grew up in two very different worlds but it did not take away too much from the story for me. There were times when both character's personalities shined and we got to know them both individually which was really great to read.

The plot itself is an interesting take on the twins separated at birth and twin swap ideas. I really liked seeing how both characters adjusted to the new lives they stepped into. I found the book isn't as plot driven, like I previously said, but it did still play a huge role in the book. Each character had huge plot points in it and I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to keep finding out what was going to happen in the next chapter. The alternating POV was really fun with this because it helped to give a little bit of anticipation to what was going to happen to either Ria or Rani in their next chapter. The plot is fairly fast paced and at times it did feel like some things were glossed over but I didn't find this to be a huge deal, but some possibly plot holes (small ones) were made because of this.

The world building, since it is in a fantasy world/novel, was a little lacking for what I was expecting. There was some and when it was there, it was well done. I liked to learn about the history of the world, and loved to see it kind of given away through history lessons. I just wish we got time to learn a little bit more about the Kingdom and the different Masters of the magic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! Sisters of the Snake as well as both Sasha and Sarena have huge potential and I can't wait for book two!

A new, interesting take on the Prince and the Pauper, plus magic. This was atmospheric and fun to read, and I certainly recommend that you give it a try.

The first in a promising new series (duology? trilogy? not sure, but there's definitely more to come here!), Sisters of the Snake is a delightful novel that places twin sisters into each other's lives, where they must live into their new roles in order to save their kingdom--and its people--from certain demise. A compelling fantasy story for those interested in trading places/princess and the pauper tropes (those are good things!).

While this wasn’t my personal favorite book (I liked the general storyline, but the writing felt very juvenile for my tastes), I do think that this book would be perfect for younger YA. In the past, many of my middle school students wouldn’t want to pick up a book if the cover looked too “babyish,” but this book will be so appealing because the cover is so stunning. While I personally think that this book was predictable, your average middle schooler will be sucked into the fast paced plot.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

I enjoyed this fun adventure book with twins switching places and cool snake magic. The authors take on this Prince and the Pauper retelling was refreshing and infused with their own voices. The exploration of Indian culture, food, and other tidbits really added to the story and the world-building. The first book in the series was tantalizing and exciting, I look forward to the rest of the series.

On the brink of war, two sisters will challenge fate, love, and the limits of their magic.


The chapters are told alternately by the two main characters -Ria, an orphan and thief prowling the streets of Abai, and Rani, a princess trapped inside the palace walls. After the battle of the Great Masters of Magic, Amran enforced a 100-year peace treaty between Abai and Kaama, and as the end nears, a bloody war seems inevitable. Ria plans to steal some palace jewels to escape her conscription for this coming war. Once in the palace though, Ria and Rani have no time to register their shock –to have a twin they never knew existed. Ria has to postpone her escape to swap places with Rani in exchange for passports and financial aid. Rani will have the opportunity to escape the palace and find the Bloodstone to prove herself as the next monarch, while Ria uncovers the truth of why she grew up in an orphanage. It’s more than a good bargain!


There are several reasons why I enjoyed reading the SISTERS OF THE SNAKE. (1) It’s refreshing to read a retelling of an old English tale in an Indian setting. There is fullness on diversity and awareness of South Asian culture. (2) I like the magical structure. Having animals as familiars is nothing new in fiction, but making them work better with other forms of magic is quite fascinating. And by gods, I love Shima’s sassiness! (3) There are contrived scenes, here and there, but I like how the plot flowed. There are no dreary or stagnant chapters. (4) Twins on twins! Sasha and Sarena are convincing storytellers. I can hear the echo of their voices in the storylines. I’m sure they will explore more of the twin chemistry in the next installment.


There is magic, young love, action-packed adventure, and unselfish heroes –every fantasy should have! And if you love to try the audiobook, Soneela Nankani is amazing.

This book was such a fun adventure! Very fast paced, with an interesting story. It was well written, and though the concept isn't super unique per say, the execution was on point.

This book is told through dual perspectives, we get both Ria and Rani. The twins are very much opposite, coming from vastly different walks of life.

Ria grew up in an orphanage, and then spent her time on the streets. Most of her time in this book is spent in the castle, but it is established that she is a good thief, and her and Amir are great friends. I would've enjoyed a little bit more set up, but I understand why it was this way. In the palace we see a lot of growth from Ria. She comes into her snake power, and fights for what she believes in. Her love for Aditi was amazing to see, and watching her take control of her past was great.

Rani begins as a very privileged character, and I found her character arc a little more interesting personally. Seeing her roughing it and getting to know people outside of the palace was amazing. She really fought for what she wanted to see in her world, and I loved watching her come into her own skin. Both of these lead characters were incredible. They had unique and distinctive voices, their passions and motivations made sense, and they really drove the story forward.


For our side characters we have Saeed and Amir. Saeed is Rani's betrothed, and Amir is Ria's best friend. Msot of the realtionship building we saw was between Saeed and Ria, and Amir and Rani. I was not shocked in the slightest by how things turned out with this group, but I also wasn't mad at it. In the palace alongside Ria we have Aditi, a servant girl who is integral to Ria's story. Then the parents who were barely in it, and Saeed's mom who was low key a villain from the start. With Rani we have Amir's sister Sanya, and Jas and Irfan who were super important and very interesting.

To be honest: there's nothing unique about the way this story is structured. It's very much the Prince and the Pauper, with a little bit of It Takes Two and The Parent Trap thrown in. Twins who switch places, one is a princess, the other is poor, and from there, our story is born. Both perspectives had really interesting journeys, though there were times where the plot felt very predictable.

I was very surprised by the ending of the book to be honest. It seemed like everything was leading one way, but that epilogue just came to FIGHT.

The world building was good, though at times I found myself wanting more. I wanted to know a little more of the political side, as it was there but there were a few things I wanted answers to. The history of the magic in the world kind of felt like it needed or deserved more fleshing out, but for the most part everything was great. The writing was lovely, everything flowed so nicely. I loved how descriptive it was when it came to food and clothing, it made me feel so immersed in the book.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. The characters were phenomenal, the world was well written, and the plot was fun.

I would recommend this to fans of: An Ember in the Ashes, Nocturna, We Hunt the Flame, Three Dark Crowns, and Raybearer.

I enjoyed reading this book, it’s a quick, YA fantasy read. It has great themes like familial love, finding your path, prophesies and friends to lovers. I loved the Twin switching places plot line!
The world building is colourful and beautifully written. The magic system—of what we saw feels realistic/plausible as far as “magic” goes and has potential.
I definitely preferred Ria’s POV, I found her more relatable and liked following her storyline.
I did find the pacing and timeline to be full of holes, but it doesn’t really take away from the overall story.
The ending is nice and sweet but leaves potential for a great sequel!
I think this is a great book for all ages and will definitely check out the sequel when it comes