I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Those who follow my Instagram account will know that I am in LOVE with Paris and French culture in general. The moment I read the synopsis for The Gilded Wolves I knew I needed to read it. A gang of misfits coming together to pull off a heist? Yes, so much yes.

For me, the book took a while to get into. While the writing was beautiful and immediately plopped me into the setting, there was so much information to absorb right off the bat. The intricacies of the society as a whole confused me for the first hundred or so pages. I like a book that builds quickly as much as the next person, but there is something to be said for a book that eases you into the world building.

That being said, I was connected to the characters quickly. Their overall dynamic was fascinating, and I really loved the romantic entanglements. They were so insanely full of angst and longing that I was intrigued right away.

My favorite part of the book though was the number of intricate puzzles Chokshi wove into the plot. They were intriguing and intricate, making me think. I adored watching the characters work together to solve them.

My Takeaway: Even with the confusion at the start of The Gilded Wolves, it was an intriguing read with an EPIC ending. I will absolutely be reading the sequel to this one!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

When I finished reading this book I was in love with it. Of course, I also wanted to throw it against the wall and rant and rave over the ending. So, the short of it is, this book is absolutely amazing and I love it, but the ending ripped my heart out and lit it on fire.

First up, let me tell you about the amazing characters. I love books with fascinating characters and this one has 6-- yes, that means there are also 6 POVs, but I think they are all very distinct. We've got a diverse crew here in looks, nationalities, gender, sexual orientation, motivations, religions, and Zofia is on the Autistic spectrum. They all have flaws. faults, strengths, weaknesses, and will wiggle into your heart faster than you can properly learn their names. Do I have a favorite? No, I can't choose, I love them all. I'd love to talk about them all individually, but I think we'd be here forever and I'd start ranting soooooo, moving on!

There is some romance tension, but it isn't a big portion of the book. It is there, past sexual experiences are mentioned, and feelings towards other characters and their looks are brought up, but it isn't overpowering. I think it was just enough and you know... contributes to my overall heartbreak. Oh, speaking of heartbreak, there are mentions of child abuse! So, please be forewarned.

Now the plot. We've got treasure hunters searching for artifacts and there are many other little motivations in the background which come up and will influence decisions. such as Severin wanting his place as patriarch, Tristan wanting to be safe and Severin happy, Laila wanting a book, Zofia wanting to pay off her debt so she can send her sister to medical school, Enrique wanting to become a more influential member of a secret society so he can help his people, and poor Hypnos who just wants friends. Oh? Is that last one not true??? I will fight you!
But it all revolves around the treasure (and friendship) and so they have to decipher codes, go to secret locales, and fight mysterious people. It is such a fantastic read.

Oh and the dialogue between characters is A+! I can't remember the last time I highlighted (on my e-reader) so much of a book. I kept wanting to add more and more updates to Goodreads. The writing is brilliant! I was sucked into this world and felt like a fly on the wall for these characters. I love everything about it so, so much. it is definitely a new favorite and I cannot wait to get the sequel in my hands.

I HIGHLY recommend this one and will be reading the sequel and more by this author. Go read it!!
The only thing... I still don't understand the title...

The Gilded Wolves is a book I really liked. I liked the story and the way it is developed by the author. I like that it is a fast-paced adventure that takes place in a 19th century Paris which is also full of magic. The world building of the novel is amazing.
The story combines treasure hunters, ancient magic and a group of misfits.
I highly recommend it and I can't wait for the sequel.

I'm...speechless. This book. I devoured it, truly. It bears certain resemblances to Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, in that it features a diverse cast of characters who go on a quest. A few key differences include the motivation for the quest, and the relationships between the different cast members.

More so, this isn't a heist book as much as a story about characters attempting to reclaim what's theirs: their inheritance, their life, their sanity, their friendships...you name it. And their motivations for the quest, while on the surface driven by an oath, run deeper: they are all also rooted in their deepest desire.

It's frustrating on one level, a book about teenagers on a quest because they're teenagers so they don't communicate with each other and that would solve a lot, but at that same time that's...literally teenagers. In 2018 contemporary but also in the 1880s fantasy.

There were moments reading this book that I felt like my mind was being twisted in literal pretzels. There is so much mythology and so much history, not to mention math and even science, that comes into play, and it felt like I was back in my own high school class, trying to understand. But I let it happen. There's a richness to this story BECAUSE of all those depths and all that twisting, because of the characters' pasts, and their present worries, their fears for the future. There's a beauty to it because of my worries for their future.

The ending came and took my breath away and to be QUITE honest, I'm not sure I'll get it back, like, until I get a chance to read Book 2.

The Gilded Wolves is an ambitious novel. I'm not sure it always lives up to its ambitions but it provides an astonishing array of diversity and perspectives on colonialism, cultural identity and erasure. I have seen quite a few reviewers compare it to a combination of Bardugo's Six of Crows and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and while I think the comparisons are astute looking beyond that, I think that Chokshi has managed to make the themes of both those books (found family, and mysterious objects and elements with grave portents for humanity, respectively) and spin them into something uniquely hers. Her central characters are all eccentric individuals of various cultural and racial backgrounds, living and working together in L'Eden hotel in Paris. We meet Séverin, cast out as presumed heir to House Vanth, one of four powerful gatekeeper houses of the West, his arachnid-loving foster brother Tristan, Laila, an Indian dancer (really the least of her skills), Zofia, a Polish Jewish autistic math prodigy, and Enrique, a Fillipino/Spanish historian. They join forces with Hypnos, the part Haitian and deliciously queer head of House Nyx, one of the two remaining houses* of the Order of Babel to try, ultimately, to secure the so-called Babel Fragment, recover a missing Babel ring, stolen from the other remaining house, House Kore. (And if you're thinking that Babel, you're right- we are talking about five fragments from the biblical Tower of Babel.) The mystery that binds these six together is developed slowly, and is set in part around the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889.

What is fascinating about this novel to me is its deft handling of prevalent antisemitism, racism, and the sense of isolation felt by those from perceived outsider/inferior cultures cultures. There are tossed off moments in this book that made me draw a sharp breath, like that when Enrique is handed an invitation under a false identity bearing a Chinese name, as if it was nothing, or when the whole intent of Laila's cultural dances is obliterated by demands and expectations of vulgar display. The normalcy of many small events, peppering the story, make the perceptive reader keenly feel all the ways cultural identity can marginalized, overwritten, ignored. While not a perfect book (if there is such thing) I'll eagerly pick up the second book in the series, which will hopefully release in 2020.

*The missing house in this scenario is the Fallen House and you'll be wanting to learn more about that one, to be sure.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Set in an alternative Gilded Age Paris where there are four houses in power, this book brings together five uniquely talented young people who need to work with each other to save civilization from collapse. At first, these unlikely allies are only looking for ancient artifacts to benefit their own agendas, but when they find out that the Fallen House is trying to find and awaken the Babel Fragments in order to destroy and remake civilization, they must decide to put their lives on the line to stop these evil people from committing unspeakable horrors. This first book in a new series will follow Severin, Laila, Zofia, Tristan, and Hypnos as they hunt for important artifacts and end up in danger along the way.
I enjoyed this book overall, with some reservations. The writing was exquisitely descriptive, making me want to experience this alternative Paris myself. The cover is so beautiful as well and helped me envision parts of this world. The characters were well drawn and easy to sympathize with. I found myself laughing and crying several times as they went through difficult and dangerous circumstances together. The heist that occurred was so interesting that I couldn't stop reading. I didn't care for the profanity, didn't agree with some of the views presented, and at times the violence was a little too descriptive for me. Other than that, I will be looking forward to reading the next book, and I recommend this book to older teens and anyone who enjoys a good adventure story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the NetGalley Bookish First program. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I read somewhere that Chokshi said (and I’m paraphrasing) when you think of 19th century Paris, it’s full of glitz and glamour. However, they had some disgusting practices and all of that beauty covered up that vileness. Chokshi captured that perfectly. It was almost as if she went to 1880’s Paris, took notes, then came back and told us about them. With a fantasy twist of course! Her writing is beautifully descriptive without the reader getting lost. I loved reading about the extravagant parties and the people. Her six characters were very well rounded each with personalities of their own. My favorite was Laila! She is a dancer but that’s not who she really is. She seems happiest baking and feeding people. She was the most relatable in the sense that I feel as though her actions and decisions were something I would make in her shoes. She also has a super rad, dark secret that I’m dying to dig deeper into! Severin’s relationship with each of his crew is really fascinating to read about. He’s got a unique bond with each of them. The magic system is really nifty! It is a little bit more based on science than pure magic, and I loved every moment of the steampunkness (totally a word). Lastly, I’ve just got to say…. THAT ENDING HURT MY HEART!

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 30% but I’m sure many will love this book.

It is very diverse, the writing is really good and the world is just wondrous.

So, WHY I DNF IT???

The world is complex and was thoroughly described in many instances, BUT it mostly felt like telling and it wasn’t described where I needed it so I couldn't to understand what was happening.

It was like jumping in a sequel of a series without having read the first book!

It took me forever to go through this 30%. I had to go back and reread often to make sure I had not missed anything!

Accents in audiobooks can be a hit or miss for me. I think the narration didn’t allow me to fully enjoy t so I may try again with the eARC

Combining the cleverness and action of a heist movie with a touch of fantasy and whole lot of charm, The Gilded Wolves is a story of colonialism, power and corruption. But mostly, it’s a tale of friendship and finding a place for ourselves in a world that has no room for us.#

When God destroyed the Tower of Babel, He left humanity a gift. Fragments of the tower which bestow on a chosen few the power to Forge, a gift of creation second only to the power of God. The Fragments are hidden, safeguarded by The Order of Babel, a group of nobles entrusted with their keeping. The Four Houses of France were given the job of protecting the European stone for this season but problems have occurred. One House indulged in blasphemy and had to be purged. Another house had their ring, which can reveal the location of a Babel Fragment, stolen. One house produced a “mongrel heir”, a bastard born to the daughter of slaves from Martinique. And one house produced no heir at all.

Or so the story goes. Séverin Montagnet-Alarie believes differently. He knows he is the heir to House Vanth. The nobles of France didn’t want two “mongrels” holding European rings and had denied him his rightful place because of his mother’s Algerian blood. He, however, has a plan to get his birthright back. As a wealthy hotelier, owner of the most fashionable establishment in France, L’Eden, he has been able to attract a motley band of followers; Enrique an historian of Filipino descent who dreams of freedom and reform for his Spanish controlled country; Laila, a breathtaking young dancer with a mysterious past; Zofia, a brilliant Jewish engineer whose nationality has kept her from rising to her proper place in society and Tristan, who can Forge plants into fairytale (or nightmare) creations. They’ve been stealing, er… acquiring, secrets and treasures needed to force the Order’s hand and return Séverin to his true position. Once there, he will be able to help the others gain what they need to make their dreams come true.

But beneath the excitement and charm that shimmers through Paris are dark, ancient secrets. A phantom menace hunts the European Fragment and it will be up to Séverin and his friends to save all of Europe. And if each of them profits from this brave deed? Well, that’s just icing on the cake.

The author does an excellent job of blending fantasy, history and reality to create a unique, lushly imagined world which glitters with the opulence of La Belle Époque but shows the shadows in which the dark stain of colonialism cast upon a large portion of the world’s population. The fantasy aspect weaves gently and naturally through this universe, the rich costumes, decadent cuisine and fabulous, lavish parties of the era a perfect fit for the luxurious, often ornate, magic of Forging.

The author has a writing style entirely suited to such work. She paints word pictures which are always sumptuous, gorgeous, and posh. Her characters might face hardship and hatred but they do so in style. This really adds to the enchantment of the work, forging an extra layer of bewitchment to the text.

The characters are all well drawn, especially Séverin. One paragraph describes both the man and the world he dwells in perfectly:

Everywhere he looked, he was surrounded by gilded wolves. And for whatever reason, it made him feel perfectly at home. Wolves were everywhere. In politics, on thrones, in beds. They cut their teeth on history and grew fat on war. Not that Séverin was complaining. It was just that, like other wolves, he wanted his share.

That’s plot, character, and setting in just a few sentences. His friends are handled with the same consummate skill, and their camaraderie is one of the best parts of the story. The author is able to explore their vulnerabilities, their hopes and hurts and dreams and show us how they have been both crafted by the world they live in and have risen above it. I truly enjoyed every moment I spent with them.

The romances in this tale are all in their embryonic phase. Séverin and Laila shared a night together once but that takes place in flashbacks, and during the course of our story, they are discreetly dancing around each other. The feelings are clearly there, desire is clearly there but both of them have good reason to be cautious regarding moving the relationship forward. There is also the start of an affair between Enrique and an enigmatic young man but the two don’t progress beyond a kiss before the end of the tale. Still, there is a promise of an epic love(s) here, we will just have to wait and see if it comes to be.

In any tale that deals with serious subjects such as racism and colonialism and political power struggles there is the possibility that the fictional story will be lost to the lesson or cause the author has embedded in the book. Rest assured that does not happen here. The darker aspects of history never overshadow the brilliant, fantastical fable the author is spinning for our pleasure and amusement. Those factors remain very much in the forefront, while the darker threads lend a quiet, subtle much needed gravitas to the brilliance and lightness of the surface.

The Gilded Wolves is the first book of a trilogy that promises to be entertaining, engrossing and utterly enjoyable. This is a must read for fantasy fans.

It's 1889. Paris is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood. Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. I picked up this book because the title, cover and the descirption intrigued me. That’s a rare combo for me, so I was really excited to read it. I’d also heard a lot of hype about the book from some of my fellow ARC (advance reader copy) bloggers.

The unique and immersive world that the author created was immediately apparent from the first page. The decadance, magic and beauty of Paris in Chokski’s world jumped off the page from the beginning of the book to the very end. Everything from the entertainment to the food to the clothing was thoughtfully planned out and worked together to create the background for the plot. Additionally, the time period Choski selected plays an important role in the conflicts the characters face. It was great to see all these elements come together to create a truly one-of-a-kind landscape.

This books features a large cast, but the author does a good job of making each character distinct. The perspective also shifts between four of the characters of the main crew. While this is sometimes frustrating, I never was confused about whose perspective I was in, thanks to clear perspective changes at each chapter. As always, when there are perspective changes, I found myself wanted to skip through some character’s sections to get to the characters I preferred. But it was fun seeing some scenes from multiple perspective.

The plot of the book starts in a strange place, as all the characters already know each other and have history together. This lead to a lot of backstory and flashbacks later on, but I was impressed with the author’s ability to spread this out so it didn’t feel so heavy right up front. That’s definitely something I need to learn from for my own writing. And, since this book often dealt with puzzles or riddles, the pace did slow in some sections, but in general, the tension was strong enough that I was willing to read throught hese slower sections to get the action.

The Gilded Wolves is a book heavy with mystery, tension and magic. The world the author created is unique and memorable. There is a large, but enjoyable cast of characters to get to know. The pacing can be slow at times, but, overall the book makes up for it with excellent tension and action.

The Gilded Wolves Is Available TODAY From Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Or Your Favorite Local Bookstore.

Historical fantasy, engaging cast of characters, Paris?! Check check check. This one is so good, the pacing is swift, the characters keep you laughing with their banter while also keeping you eager to keep turning the pages. This story is a must read.

There was no surprise that I'd love this book. The diversity and the found family aspect and the premise in general. Everything was so complex and 3-D and nothing felt flat. Even thought there was a lot of math, which I hate as a subject, it didn't bother me. The beginning does have a bit of infodumping, but it eventually passes, so it wasn't too much of an issue. I'm really excited for the sequel, especially after that heartbreaker of an ending.

I'm really having a hard time making any sense of connection to this novel. I find it very wordy and in turn I'm being brought out of the story. On the other hand, the interactions between characters seems very light and amusing. The disconnect here unfortunately is too strong to ignore and I'm choosing not to finish this novel.

Pretty good, it was very interesting and fun to read. It was interesting to get to know the characters. 4 stars

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Six of Crows meets The Da Vinci Code and The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in Roshani Chokshi’s tale of treasure hunts and cryptic riddles with compelling characters whose witty banter and dramatic gestures are sure to entertain.

The Gilded Wolves has three of my favourite things: a heist story, fascinating magic, and REPRESENTATION.

Our story is set in 1889, when a world’s fair called the Exposition Universelle was held in Paris. The major attraction of this event was a human zoo, then called a “Negro Village”, a large colonial exhibit which displayed over 400 indigenous people from a host of French colonies. In her Author’s Notes, Roshani mentions this time in history was what inspired her to write The Gilded Wolves.

“History is a myth shaped by the tongues of conquerors. What appears good may eventually sour and curdle in our collective minds. What appears bad may later bloom and brighten. I wanted to write this trilogy not to instruct or to condemn, but to question what is gold and what glitters.” — Roshani Chokshi


In the midst of this ugly reality, we find ourselves in a place thriving with Forging, the science of bringing life to matter. People believe that Forging comes from the presence of scattered fragments from the Tower of Babel when it was destroyed, and finding a Fragment can either birth or end a civilization.

This is where we meet our cast of ragtag renegades. (They’re officially my children and I will stan them for the rest of time.) If you’re a lover of diverse reads, you’re going to love Roshani because The Gilded Wolves doesn’t shy away from diversity, feminism, LGBTQIA+ representation, and inclusivity. I’m a bit of a character design enthusiast and I’m in awe of Roshani’s ability to not only write characters with such distinct personalities, but to write them in a way that I understand and feel the strength of their motivations.

I love that she writes about marginalized characters and their struggles, and especially loved reading about Enrique, a Filipino-Spanish character who is a member of The Ilustrados — a group of European educated Filipinos who dreamed of reform for the Philippines. However Enrique, unlike other members of The Ilustrados, looks more Spanish than Filipino and has always felt left out of the group’s inner circle.

As a Filipina, I can’t even begin to tell you how it felt to read a bit of our history in the pages of this book. Enriques desire to free the Philippines from Spanish colonization resonated so strongly with me and it goes without saying that his arc is the one I’m most eager in following. I was also overwhelmed by the fact that readers who may not know much about the Philippines get to see this part of our history and I absolutely loved that.

Enrique may be my obvious favourite, but from Zofia to Laila to Tristan and Séverin, I love them all. It’s rare for me to care about all of the characters in the cast and want a book about each of them. They’re so well-written and fleshed out, I can recognize them from a distance.

The Gilded Wolves is one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in a long time. There wasn’t a dull moment in this book and I found it evenly paced. There are hints of romance, most of which manifest as sexual tension, and while moments of it happened a bit too often for me, I generally found it wickedly teasing. 😉 I also loved that it was pre-existing, and there’s history between the characters involved.

The Gilded Wolves is a strong start to what’s shaping up to be a series to be reckoned with. The worldbuilding was a little infodumpy in the beginning but it’s such a small factor to everything else I loved about the book. It’s alternate historical fantasy with mythologies, secret societies, and mysteries. It’s for fans of beautiful imagery, found families/friendships, diverse characters, and snarky, humorous banter. It’s a smorgasbord of everything I love and I feel like Roshani wrote it for me. 💕

This is a fast-paced book. You get sucked right into the story and don't want to stop reading. I like how we switch people telling the story throughout the book. It is at times to hard to remember that all the people in this story are under the age of 20 because they act and talk well beyond their years. This story takes place in Paris near the turn of the century but with magic. I'm not really sure how to describe Forge but to call it magic. This is a fun adventure that had a lot intellectual writing and I'm really looking forward to the next book.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I read an excerpt from The Gilded Wolves, and I couldn't wait to read more. I was so excited to get an early reader copy. Thank you, Wednesday Books. I couldn't put it down. The magical realism and fast-paced story grabbed me from the first page.

I'm a fan of magical realism and fantasy, and this book delivered. I loved stepping into the detailed world created by Chokshi. The characters were interesting. Each character had an interesting backstory and brought unique personality and talents to the group. Paris in the late 1800s was the perfect setting to bring them to life.

Just enough questions were left unanswered and history unexplained to leave me anxious for more from this world with these vivid characters.

Librarian: If you're looking for a book to use for a teen book group or one to use for a battle of the books competition, this is a great choice. It has a little bit of something for everyone. Mystery, Adventure, Fantasy, Humor. There's plenty for all sorts of readers to enjoy, and enough actual meat to encourage all sorts of debate and discussion. Plus, it's by an author who is definitely on the rise, so it's likely to be in demand by many readers. I would definitely encourage teen librarians to snap this one right up.
Reader: So much fun. This book is part fantasy, part historical fiction, part heist story, non-stop action. The story drew me right in and didn't slow down. I loved the ride, and I can't wait until the next one comes out. Because, man, that cliffhanger. I need to know what happens next.

I was looking forward to this book from the time that I read the first blurb on it, and I was so excited to receive a galley copy of it! Guys, this book did not let me down. It was everything that I was hoping that it would be. Chokshi took the time to create a beautiful, rich fantasy world within the backstop of what we know historical Paris to be. The character development is incredibly well done. The characters are well fleshed out throughout the book, as they alternate chapters and we get to learn the backstories of each. If you’re a fan of fantasy, you can tell that this is the beginning of a fantasy series, as the author is taking the time to set up the world, etc, which can get a bit tedious at times but it never felt stale. There were wonderful twists, riddles, puzzles, and delightful banter to keep me fully engaged throughout the book. I’m anxiously awaiting the next!

I was mesmerized by the description of Gilded Wolves and thrilled when I received a copy. The promise of secret societies and art heists in Paris during the late 1800’s were all the temptation I needed.
Gilded Wolves is a YA fantasy about an ancient order with a drastically diminishing number of houses. Severin is an exiled member of his house—and an antiquities thief--, trying to earn his way back by finding an ancient artefact. In order to do so, he enlists the help of a group of colleagues and friends, each as unique and varied in skill as well as personality.
This book is rich in magic and artistry, as well as multi-cultural mythologies and beliefs. I found it very difficult to get in to, the first several chapters were slow to grab me in all honesty. But once I was finally drawn in to the story line, I was pulled along on a magnificent journey.
I adore how intricately the mythos was woven into the storyline and the subtle undercurrent of history and science that happens throughout this novel. Of course there are comparisons to Six of Crows, but I think Gilded Wolves has set itself apart as it’s own unique world and Roshani Chokshi has developed it beautifully.

*I received a copy of Gilded Wolves from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*