I just loved this book. Aru Shah is a young girl that might have a problem in the exaggerate department. But you have to love how she stretches the truth (so what if her mansion is really a museum).. The trouble begins when Aru tries to impress some kids from school by lighting a cursed lamp. It turns out that the lamp is cursed and that the world will come to an end. With the help from a pigeon, Aru sets out to find the five Pandava brothers and save the world. Great characters, fun read and you get to learn about Hindi mythology..

Readers who like Rick Riordan’s books may really enjoy this. However, readers who have no background in the Hindu mythology will find the many layers and levels confusing unless they are willing to really focus on the text. It’s not a book to put down and come back to two weeks later. There are several pop culture references, which I fear will date the book quickly, but kids today will get a kick out of it. I like that it is about an Indian girl. Those books are few and far between. Didn't love it, but liked it ok.

This book is incredible! Reading middle grades books always worries me because I'm afraid I won't appreciate it as much, but Aru Shah and the End of Time blew me out of the water. It's beautiful and diverse and I can't wait to recommend it to students and to middle school teacher friends!

This was an interesting book. The main character is flawed, but your heart breaks for her. This book has the same draw as the Percy Jackson books. My only complaint might have been that it might have mirrored the Percy Jackson books too much.

This book was a lot of fun. With Rick Riordan's new imprint we are getting similar books - tone, gods and goddesses, young heroines - but expanding the cultures. This book features Aru and Mini must find 3 keys and prevent the "Sleeper" from destroying the world. Kids who have enjoyed Percy Jackson and other Riordan books will find a lot to like in this new series.

"It is not failure to fail." Aru Shah learns this lesson and many more in this start to a wonderful children's adventure series. I adored the banter between the characters. I appreciated the diversity of the characters. I have to admit I did purchase the audio book so I could hear the correct pronunciation of the character names. I plan to use this title and audio book with my student book club next term. I hope educator materials will be available later.
Thanks to Disney Book Group and Rick Riordan Present for the ARC of this title via NetGalley.

My students devour Rick Riordan's books and I know they will do the same with these. Thank you Disney and Rick Riordan for finding ways to promote other, less propagated--at least in the west--mythologies, but most of all, thank you, Chokshi for writing a story that is hard to put down. My order has been placed and I look forward to seeing the empty space where this book should sit in my classroom library.

I am a little behind so I just finished the ARC of this book, but I'm going to have to get a print copy and read it again. It's so good. I loved this story of an imperfect girl and her efforts to do the right thing while becoming a hero. Aru has a good heart, and you kind of fall in love with her. There is a lot of humor, monster-fighting, and all the elements of a great hero story.

Percy Jackson fans will love this, but so will kids who have never read a page about Percy and Annabeth.

A great epic adventure of a young girl feels unwanted and out of place coming to terms with being a hero. Aru Shah feels very much like your average middle schooler, only she has epic powers given to her by an Indian god, who just happens to be her unbiological father. Masterfully weaving Indian mythology and the authentic feelings of a young girl who just doesn't quite fit, Chokshi writes a novel for all kinds of readers.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi is a middle school fantasy based on Hindu mythology. It is the first book of the Pandava Quartet and the first book for the “Rick Riordan Presents” collection.

This is unbelievable, but I have never read Rick Riordan, but my students have been reading him since middle school. Those who love mythology will love this new collection. I think early middle school will enjoy it the most.

What a fascinating framework for an adventure novel! Hindu deities and their peccadilloes are just as interesting but much less familiar to most American readers than the Greek or Roman pantheon. Move over Rick Riordan! Besides the novelty, the mundane characters are strong and fully hold their own.. A must-purchase for the library.

*An advanced reader ebook copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I thought this book was pure fun! Chokshi seamlessly ties together Hindu cosmology, adventure, feminism, and amusing dialogue.

I particularly loved the emphasis on girl power. Throughout the book characters are surprised that she is the hero rather than a boy. Along these lines, there is also an emphasis on female friendship and sisterhood. Mini, is another reincarnated Pandava brother, and Aru's 'soul sister' who helps her on her mission. I really identified with Mini and I loved seeing their interactions together and how the fought evil together. I will never tire of see positive representations of female friendship. More, please!
Additionally, I thought Chokshi incorporated and explained Hindu mythology well. Considering that this book is targeted at middle grade kids who might not have a lot of knowledge of world cultures and religions, Chokshi explains various words and the mythology in a way that I think younger readers will be able to latch onto easily. I appreciated that there was a glossary for particular words. Again, this adds to how much I loved this as an adventure book but also a learning opportunity about a culture that's different than my own.

In classic middle grade and Riordan style, there is character depth and points about realizing that sometimes our supposed 'flaws' can be our strengths. (I'm not crying, you're crying).

I would highly recommend this to fans of Rick Riordan! I think this will be right up your alley. I think fans of diverse fiction and those looking for strong female characters for their younger readers will really enjoy this as well.

This was a fun read but I had some problems with recommending it for my 4th grade classroom.. As the mother of internationally adopted children, I appreciated the fact that this book included diverse characters. I am always looking for good stories that include diverse characters in regular everyday situations. I found the many Hindu deities very confusing though, and think that perhaps my 4th-grade students would have trouble remembering all these new and unusual names.

This was a fun book in the style of Percy Jackson. I liked how it incorporated mythology into the story, and it was a fast paced read. I didn't entirely like the main character to start, but I did enjoy it.

If you don't know much about Hindu Mythology, then get ready for a great ride. I would love to see a nonfiction companion about Hindu Gods and Deities.

Aru Shah and the end of time is deffinately my favorite book this year. When I read PJO a few years ago I knew it will be hard to find a writter like Rick Riordan. But believe me,Roshani Chokshi is such a good writter! This book had the same vibe as PJO and mythology was amazing! Can't wait for the second book!

As a kid, I grew up reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, The Hero's of Olympus, and basically any other Rick Riordan novel available to me. From these books sprang my love for all things mythology, and I'm so, so excited about Rick Riordan Presents so future generations can learn all about different mythologies through characters they will grow to know and love throughout their life times. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi being the first book by Rick Riordan Presents has me very optimistic about the future of this imprint.

Before even entering Aru's world I loved Chokshi's writing style from her previous novels, and I knew she would do an absolutely fantastic job. Aru Shah is a twelve year old girl who lives with her mother above the Ancient Indian Art and Culture. She has a bad habit of lying, and ends up getting caught in a web of lies by her three class mates. As a result, she lights the Lamp of Bharata, freezing everyone in time, releasing the Sleeper, and setting Aru off on the adventure of a life time. I don't really want to say too much about the plot in fear of spoling anything, but it was just so much fun to go on the adventure with Aru, Mini, Boo, and everyone else. It was wonderfully paced, and there was never a dull moment. I really learned so much about Hindu mythology through this novel, and it has even inspired me to go out and do some of my own research to learn some more.

What I think really made me enjoy this novel was Aru herself. Chokshi gave her such a fantastic voice and a sense of humor that I found very Percy-esq that made this book just so much more enjoyable. There was a moment in the very beginning of the book where Aru made a reference to the song "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash, and I knew from that moment forward that I absolutely loved her. Overall I think Chokshi did a fantastic job with the novel as a whole, and I can't wait to see where she goes with the rest of the Pandava Quartet.

In conclusion, I give Aru Shah and the End of Time four out of five stars for being fun, hilarious, and a great entrance into the Pandava QuartetI highly, highly recommend this for young readers, anyone with any interest in Hindu mythology, and anyone who grew up loving Rick Riordan novels as much as I did.

An immersive and suspenseful adventure, and an incredibly promising start to the Pandava series. Cannot wait for the next installment.

Aru Shah and the End of Time is the first book in a brand new Pandava Quartet series by New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi ! I have read The Star-Touched Queen series by Roshani in the past, and really, really enjoyed the story, so when this book crossed my radar, I knew I would have to check it out!! I'm so glad I did, I really enjoyed this book!

Aru Shah and the End of Time is the first book to be released by the new Disney-Hyperion imprint, Rick Riordan Presents! If you don't know what Rick Riordan Presents is, you can read more about it Here. Basically, it's an imprint that will be devoted just middle grade books by authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. Does that sound great, or what?? How awesome will it be to read about different cultures, from authors that are actually from each culture? I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty excited for this!!

Aru Shah and the End of Time is a story is about a 12 year old girl named Aru Shah, who, in an attempt to impress her schoolmates, unintentionally releases and ancient demon, who, if not stopped, could cause the end of time.

Let me say, if you're a fan of Rick Riordan's stories, or of any kind of mythology, you will definitely want to check out this book. I love reading Rick's books, because not only are they completely engaging, but they are also educating as well. I felt this and SO MUCH MORE about Aru Shah and the End of Time. Not only did Roshani Chokshi keep me completely entertained with the story, but it also taught me all about Hindu Mythology, which I knew nothing about, but am now completely fascinated with.

This book also has some really great characters. There's not just one, but TWO awesome heroines' in the story, and it was absolutely fascinating to go along on their journey with them to stop the end of time. These girls were in no way perfect, and brought up so many memories from my youth. (Yup, I was once a 12 year old girl. I get it, Aru!) I love them! There are a lot of really awesome secondary characters in the story as well, Boo being one of my favorites, and I was completely fascinated by them all!

The storyline for the book, as I mentioned above, is all about Hindu mythology. I'll be perfectly honest with you, I probably wouldn't know half of the things I know about Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythology without having read Rick Riordan's books, and I LOVE that I have retained that information long after I read them. (It helps with those Jeopardy categories!) I know the same is going to happen with this book. Not only is Roshani is telling us a story with Aru Shah and the End of Time, she's also educating us on Hindu Mythology as well, and I love that! The whole story was completely fascinating, and I can't wait to get my hand on the next book(s) in the series as soon as possible.

Overall; I really, really enjoyed Aru Shah and the End of Time, and I absolutely can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series when they are released!! I love the characters, and the storyline, and the fact that it made me laugh out loud so many times. I loved it! (As if you can't tell!) If you're a fan of mythology, and love books that are similar to Rick Riordan's, do check out Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi! I hope you enjoyed it just as much as I did!

Happy Reading!!

This was a really fun read.  I will admit to not knowing much at all about Indian mythology, but Chokshi had a way of introducing bits and pieces of it throughout the story that both did not seem ham-fisted or patronizing.  The moments where different elements of mythology were brought in were really the strongest part of the book, and I definitely want to learn more about some of these myths after reading.  This seemed to pick up as the book went along and some of the scenes in the second half of the book were not only fascinating but hit me on an emotional level I was not expecting.

Another strength was the title character Aru and especially her relationship with her "sister" Mini.  I found them to be incredibly endearing and funny, both individually as characters and their relationship as a whole.  For not spending a ton of time with the characters, I felt like I really knew who both of them were very quickly.  I liked how Aru did not completely change throughout the story; rather, she realized that some of the things about herself that she previously thought of as negatives, she began to look at in a different way and see them as strengths.  I constantly found Mini saying the types of things I immediately thought her character would say, but doing so in a way that was still somehow unexpected and would make me laugh.

If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that it took me a little bit of time to get into.  I never was not enjoying myself reading the book, but it did not grab me right from the jump.  It definitely picked up and I found myself unable to put it down for the last third or so of the book, but this somewhat slow beginning is the reason I would not give the book the full five stars.  I'm excited for future installments in the series and if they pick up where this book left off, I think I'm going to love them.

I think this is a book some of my students would enjoy.  I think students who are interested in mythology would really like this book, especially because it is a different mythology than the ones they are constantly exposed to.  I also like having middle grade books in my classroom because they are less daunting to take on as a book to read on the side while dealing with schoolwork for a lot of my students.  I would be happy to have a copy of Aru in my classroom to recommend to students!