While I have really enjoyed almost all of Rick Riordan's Presents series this one from Roshani Choskhi is just not my favorite. This is the fourth book with one more in the Pandava series. I just wanted to see more growth in Aru as I still find her anger off putting. The Hindu mythology is very interesting though and I think that is what has be coming back to the series.

I can’t love this series enough for middle schoolers! Everything Rick Riordan touches turns to gold and that includes the authors he presents with these branch off series. My only disappointment was that I didn’t realize there was going to be a 5th book and I had to wait for the ending!

One of my favorite genres has always been mythologies, and with this one, Roshani Chokshi has done it again! She picks up right where Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes left off, and leaves us waiting for the 5th installment that, I'm sure, is soon to come. It was a thrill to read this latest installment in the Pandava series.

actual rating: 3.5

I was a little bit worried about this because I just could not get into the previous book in this series at all, but this one was a welcome return to form [or maybe my state of mind is just better this year]. I thought that Kara was a really interesting addition to the cast. Also I love that because I'm not really familiar with this particular mythology I had absolutely no idea where her character was going, but I assume to a lot of people it was apparent from the moment she was introduced. Giving it a technical 3.5 because it did get a bit slow [or maybe repetitive is a better word] in the middle but it definitely picked back up at the end with a lot of things happening all at once. Can't wait to read the next one now!

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

I have to admit I have not read the first three books but will. If you are a mythology or religious figure fan, this book should be added to your repertoire. It explores the Hindu gods and the relationship between sisters. I will locate the first three books.

It is a one sitting read that you will not want to end. Read the Mahabharata and familiarize yourself with the Pandava legends. Rick Riordan fans, this is another series to add to your collection.

4.5/5 stars; This book really packed a punch. It was great all throughout and kept me very entertained. This book really gives the reader what they want and doesn't hold back. Aru Shah is a teenage girl who has discovered she is a Pandava. In this book, she is trying to stop an army after hearing a prophecy about herself. She has her sisters by her side and meets another one along the way.

The pacing was really good and didn't drag at all. It was kept consistent and it wasn't too slow or fast at any given point.

The characters are amazing. This author really writes the best characters and doesn't stick to the standard image of a book's characters. This book portrays the characters as their own and it's amazing to see them work through all the difficulties throughout the book. The evolution of each personality is amazing and they are written as real people rather than as cardboard.

In the end, the plot pieced together very nicely, though I'm sad to say that I figured out what would happen in the end earlier on. I think this generally wouldn't be too predictable, but I am quite familiar with Hindu Mythology myself.

If I had to choose which book in this series had to be more heart-wrenching and gut-punching for me, it's this one, 100%. Roshani Chokshi continues to spin beautifully-woven tales of Hindu mythology into the modern setting of Aru Shah's world, but we're also introduced to new allies and new foes, all with their own complex backgrounds and multidimensional personalities.

Book four in Aru Shah's series starts off directly after the end of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes, where she meets Kara, the Sleeper's other daughter, and Aru finds herself in conflict with not just the Sleeper and his own army, but also herself as she struggles with guilt at her own actions and mistrust after a heavy-hitting betrayal from the previous book.

I absolutely enjoyed this book even more than the previous one. The dialogue between the Pandavas and Aiden along with Kara, the newbie in this bunch, are delightful and entertaining, per usual, and Chokshi also does an amazing job with the will-they-won't-they interaction between Aru and Aiden. (Personally, the cuteness of Aru's crush makes me want to just die! HEART EYES AT THE TWO OF THEM!) The book was just all around a perfect blend of funny, entertaining, and sucker punch to the gut from all the emotional turmoils that must come from a teenager who has so much self-doubt.

Beautiful 5 out of 5 stars for me!

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

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

Aru and her Pandava sisters are back right where they left off. Ahu has just made a wish at the Tree of Wishes but, unfortunately, she cannot remember what she wished for. Aru has just woken up in the Sleeper’s (aka her father) cave next to a girl who claims that the Sleeper is her father too! Kara helps Aru to escape but Aru doesn’t quite trust her yet. They arrive back at the museum to find out that 2 months have passed and Aru’s mother is missing. But the Sleeper and his demon army are still approaching the Otherworld and it’s still up to the Pandavas to stop them. To that end, Kubera, ruler of Lanka (the City of Gold) will grant them 2 powerful weapons but only if they successfully complete the quests he has assigned. But Aru has deep feelings of doubt stemming from the adults in her life who were supposed to help and protect her and failed. Will she be able to overcome these feelings to defeat the Sleeper and his army?

As soon as this title became available, I stopped what I was reading to start this one! I so enjoy this series and Roshani Chokshi does not let her readers down. The pop culture references, especially one of my favorite movies The Princess Bride, crack me up! I wonder if she included these references for the adult readers and, if so, THANK YOU! I am looking forward (and not) to the conclusion which will come out next year.

#AruShahAndTheCityOfGold #RickRiordanPresents #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this new section of Aru's story. Her longing to belong and connect with her Pandava sisters is definitely one that I feel would resonate with a lot of the target age range. As always, Aru and Co. are scrambling to overcome obstacles to save the day, quipping and sassing everyone around them along the way. The story concludes with a cliffhanger (not quite as dramatic as the last one!) that sets up the final installment of the Pandava quintet quite nicely.

Once again, Roshani Chokshi knocks it out of the park with another installment of her fantastically fun and charming ARU SHAH series. Seeing these characters grow from book to book, the stakes get higher, and the world expand has been a delight. I am already itching for the next (and final!) book even though I am dreading this series coming to an end. This is middle grade fantasy at its finest and one of the best that the Rick Riordan Presents imprint has to offer.

ARU SHAH AND THE CITY OF GOLD is an excellent addition to the Pandava series, proving once again that author Roshani Chokshi knows how to create engaging, character-driven, humorous adventures. In this fourth book in the series, fantasy fans will be eager to read about Aru's latest hijinks, and to uncover the mystery behind her new sister, Kara. Purchase in libraries were the series or other Rick Riordan Presents titles are popular. The bright, witty dialogue will especially appeal to middle grade readers.

I really love this series. It is so appropriate for the age group. I'm a grade 6-8 teacher and the issues discussed in the book are very relevant to my students. We are currently reading the first book as a class, and it is informative and relatable.

This novel (the 4th in the series) was excellent. I went into it at the end of the month because I wanted to finish it for a reading challenge. I thought I would have to push through a little. It swept me into the story and through half the book before I realized that bedtime was 3 hours past. The pacing was excellent and the writing was engaging. The storytelling seemed to age a little with Aru, and the character development was phenomenal. The characters evolved and matured throughout the story and I really got to follow and experience Aru's feelings and fears. The best part of this series is the characters. Long live the Potatoes!

The worst part of this book is that I misunderstood and thought this was the final book. It is not. I am dying to read the next installment. I am not a patient person and may cry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing a copy of this e-ARC for review.

As always when it comes to Rick Riordan Presents, this book is a lot of fun. There's adventure and magic, there are monsters and sister relationships, there's young love and ridiculous fandom references.

Before reading, I was a little sad this wouldn't wrap up the story and I would have to wait another year for another book. But by the time, I finished I was glad there is more time to explore and expand upon the events that take place in this book. Aru is a good protagonist--she's relatable and funny, she's loyal and determined. She makes mistakes but she doesn't give up. I love the new situations she finds herself in and the new friends she meets along the way. (Also, FINALLY something happens between her and Aiden so that doesn't have to be dragged out for another book.)

Some aspects were a bit long winded. After about the second or third god they encounter, it felt repetitive to have them listen to another story, even though I realize that's part of the culture. Some of the twists/reveals were also obvious early on in the story, but I didn't find that to keep me from enjoying the story.

This is a fun series and exactly what I would expect from a Rick Riordan Presents book. I look forward to finding out what happens next with Aru and her sisters, especially with that cliffhanger ending!

***This review contains spoilers for the prior series installment, book 3, ARU SHAH AND THE TREE OF WISHES**

With war with the Sleeper looming closer, Aru and her sisters are in need of an army, specifically one from Kubera, ruler of Lanka, city of gold. In order to get the army and save Hanuman and Urvashi, the Potatoes, along with Kara, the new arrival who claims to be the Sleeper's daughter, must pass several trials. But all is not what it seems and Aru grows more confused (and angry) as the adults around her keep betraying them. Aru and the rest of the Potatoes will have to decide who and what they are willing to fight for in this penultimate tale of the Pandavas.

The Pandava series gets better and better with each book in this series as the stakes continue to build. I love how rich the emotion is in CITY OF GOLD. While Aru's temper has flared before, this book is where her anger really grows as she sees just how unfair and complicated their situation is. Her beloved mentor has betrayed her, her mom is gone, and just when she was starting to feel some empathy for her father, she finds out he has a whole other daughter she's never heard of until now, a daughter who seems way more perfect and nice than Aru. With Aru's anger comes a big question: what will she do with it? Just as the battle with the Sleeper escalates, so does Aru's battle with herself. She has to search for what's underneath all the anger and understand what could happen if she lets the anger control her.

It's quite a feat to balance heavy emotion and dramatic stakes with humor, but once again, the Pandavas series shows exactly how it's done. From the pun-filled chapter titles to snappy one-liners to dancing mongooses, this is a series as likely to make you laugh as it is to make you cry.

With an explosive final scene that turns everything on its head, ARU SHAH AND THE CITY OF GOLD sets readers up for a finale that is likely to pack quite an emotional punch.

What a grand penultimate book for the Aru Shah series. I feel like Chokshi has really grown fully into the story and its characters with this book, and I enjoyed it immensely. We figure out where Aru had gone at the end of Tree of Wishes, but Aru can't seem to remember what she wished for. Without spoiling too much, we meet some great new characters on the way to the golden city of Lanka to gain the assistance of Kubera, the god of wealth, in the fight against the Sleeper. In typical Aru Shah style, the book is funny, well-paced, and heartfelt. The Pandavas continue to wrestle with hard things, like jealousy, what it means to be a family, betrayal, and loss. The end will have you on the edge of your seat, courtesy of a Dicksinson poem, and I cannot wait for the final installment of this series!

Another great book in the Pandava series! The continued emphasis on good versus evil not being so black and white is still so compelling and is a theme that will give readers of all ages a lot to think about. Really love the social justice theme running throughout, too.

And that ending!!!! AH! Can't believe I have to wait ANOTHER year for the next one! I really love those Potatoes.

I received an electronic ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide through NetGalley.
Book four continues to build the excitement and connections as the Pandavas continue their battles to defeat the Sleeper. The surprise twist at the end of book three introduced a new character who becomes part of the team in this one. Aru's sister, Kara, was kept hidden by the Sleeper. Her memories were wiped to erase her past so she only knows what the Sleeper has shared. After a rocky start, the Potatoes accept her and embrace her as part of their team. Sadly, the book ends with one final betrayal foretold in the prophesies throughout.
Chokshi continues to spin out her created world in full detail and to reveal more about her characters as the story develops. Readers learn more about the mythology of India as the gods and goddesses interact with the Pandavas throughout the adventures. The Glossary at the end provides further information on these beings.
Middle graders will feel they are on this journey with the Potatoes. They will be part of the battles and part of the quiet times. Chokshi challenges them to think along with the characters to see if they can also rise to the challenges and save the worlds.

Book three ends on a cliffhanger. We find that the Sleeper has been hiding someone, but this someone is willing to travel with Aru and the Pandavas to try to gain an army to defeat the Sleeper. Their adventures take them to many new and dangerous places, and Aru learns that no one should be defined in absolutes. Funny, sad, and adventurous, Aru Shah and the City of Gold is another great part of the series.

Middle grade

What a fantastic almost-conclusion to the Aru Shah world. I'm dying for more in this world, as I am a sucker for mythology. So this was such a great and exciting read.

We follow Aru Shah as she goes to find the City of Gold to stop an epic war from happening. Naturally, everything goes wrong and we follow Aru as she deals with consequence, meets old friends and makes new ones, and learns more about the mysterious world in which she lives.

I love the whole Pandava series. I love Aru's growth through out the series. Shes' growing and learning but still full of wit and sass. Are Shah and the City of Gold is SO GOOD. Dare I say its pure gold! Ha! But seriously I LOVED everything about this book. EXCEPT FOR THE CLIFFHANGER! Like OMG WHATTTT! Anyway no spoilers but this book is a fantastic continuation to an epic series! I can't wait to see how it ends!