*This review is based on an uncorrected proof copy provided by the publisher.*

4.5/5 stars

In the sequel to The Gilded Wolves, Severin and his crew are reeling from the loss of one of their own. Each deals with grief in their own way. Enrique has thrown himself into his work, trying to impress his colleagues and earn his place as a historian. Zofia has returned to Poland to tend to her ill sister. Laila is immersed in finding the Divine Lyrics, the book she believes can save her from death and unmaking. Severin is searching for a way to keep everyone around him safe.

When a lead on the Divine Lyrics emerges, Severin recalls his crew for a risky mission that leads them to the heart of Moscow and beyond. Joined by Hypnos and other members of the French and Russian Houses, the crew tries to solve the mysteries of the Fallen House, uncovering a lost palace and risking everything. Love takes many forms, but only the greatest trust can lead to the ultimate betrayal.

Once again, Roshani Chokshi has delivered a stellar treasure hunt with an incredibly deep, scarred soul. The crew are back, as diverse and lovable as ever, but new wounds run deep and everyone is changed after the events of The Gilded Wolves. The rift that is growing between Severin and his friends is affecting and gut-wrenching. Every step of the journey through this book is dogged by the emotional tangles the characters have worked themselves into. The only things more dangerous than the relationships are the trials the crew goes through to find the Fallen House.

What were vivid and intriguing characters in The Gilded Wolves have become real, breathing people that drive this story. Severin is haunted and half-mad with want and fear. Laila is broken by the loss of her friend and the idea that her clock is ticking. Zofia and Enrique are trying to work out what they want from the world, while simultaneously feeling their friends slip through their fingers. Each point of view is riveting and nothing in the story drags or detracts. It is rare that a cast of characters is so magnetizing across the board, without a single misstep or boring chapter.

The plot of this novel is as tightly-woven as the first. The mysteries placed before the characters dive deeper into the Tower of Babel mythos and expand into legends from all over the world. Chokshi continues her unflinching look at the effect of colonialism on the societies who are colonized. Every clue is brought to fruition, and readers will find themselves flipping back to earlier parts of the book to confirm their "ah-ha" moments and figure out the mysteries on their own.

This novel did not suffer from second-book syndrome, which can plague the middle book of trilogies. I was hooked throughout and the ending left me wanting the final book immediately. Readers who enjoy mystery, adventure, angst, and emotional ruin will flock to this series. I expect there will be new readers who discover this series far into the future. They are in for a treat. Recommended for fans of National Treasure, ensemble casts, Six of Crows, and diverse casts.

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really liked The Gilded Wolves when I read it last year. I loved the characters. I thought the magic system was interesting (even if I didn’t fully understand it) and enjoyed the plot. So I had high hopes for The Silvered Serpents and it did not disappoint.

The Silvered Serpents is a wonderful sequel. It is a bit darker then The Gilded Wolves and the characters are haunted by the aftermath of the previous installment. The mystery they are trying to uncover is at its core quite dark, but despite the darker themes and elements there is humor throughout to balance it.

I just adore Roshani Chokshi’s writing style. The descriptions were so vivid. I appreciated there weren’t any major info dumps from the previous book, just what you needed to jog your memory. I usually reread previous books, but was unable to do so and didn’t feel lost. Even without reading the recap on the author’s website I would have been fine.

The only complaint I have was some of the content was repetitive. I’m not sure if it was because it was a lot of information to remember, or an attempt to convey a character’s thought process, but there were a couple instances where I found myself skimming.* Note: This may have been changed in the final version. This didn't hamper my enjoyment of the book though.

I loved revisiting these characters and this world and can't wait for the third book!

If you enjoy books with found families and cool magic systems you should check out this series.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

*A review featuring small spoilers is available on GoodReads.

After the terrible loss and surprising reveal at the end of The Gilded Wolves, Severin and crew seek out a mysterious and powerful artifact in Siberia. Their travels lead to a mystical palace full of ice and forgotten memories, and beasts of the tundra lurk within as the crew aim to decipher the clues that will lead them to their goal. However, alliances are strained due to competing priorities, and the pain of the past has presence in the now as each member of the crew must determine where their loyalties lie, and what they will do to get what they want. The prize is godly, but is it worth it if all is torn asunder?

The Gilded Wolves series takes on a new tone in The Silvered Serpents. Where the first installment was light streaked with darkness, its sequel is full of icy darkness. With who he has lost, Severin must deal with his own demons, and the new conflict with Laila. Hypnos continues to be amusing, and Laila is such a strong, capable woman who has a commanding presence. Zofia is also very strong, because she is introspective and perseveres even in the face of things that are tough for her. Enrique is still pulled in different directions, and he is always ready with a solid contribution to any situation. The architecture and setting in The Silvered Serpents really did it for me, and I loved being sucked into this world of history, magic, and lore once again, where assumptions are challenged, and what seems apparent at first may not be so apparent after all. Roshani Chokshi has expanded her world into new terrain and stretched her characters beyond their previous limits, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Grab your parka and find your way to the nearest copy of The Silvered Serpents today!

Rep: french-algerian main character, bisexual spanish-fillipino main character, south indian main character, autistic jewish main character, achillean french-haitian main character

CW: grief, terminal illness, murder, antisemitism, self harm (for magical purposes), sexual assualt by deception, mention of suicide, mention of cruelty to animals, mention of miscarriage

I read The Gilded Wolves not too long ago and I enjoyed it. I knew before I started reading The Silvered Serpents that I would probably enjoy it too, and that this series had the potential to become a favourite of mine depending on how this one went. Chokshi then proceeded to hurt me from the very first chapter, and it took me ages to read this whole book because I knew that every time I picked it up I’d get hurt again, so obviously I loved it and this series is definitely a favourite of mine. Which makes talking about it in a review rather difficult, but I’m trying my best. Please bear with me lmao.

Séverin’s goals and motivation has changed massively following the end of The Gilded Wolves. He’s very much not coping well, and if you were to try and place him somewhere on the five stages of grief he’s stuck at stage one. His new goal is born from this, and oh boy. It’s a type of goal that’s usually reserved for villains. Which is something that Séverin seems to almost be aware of, but he’s so sure of himself and so clouded by his own grief that despite everything that it will take to get there he’s choosing to do it anyway. I know I’m not the only one who spent a lot of their time reading this wanting to reach into the book and shake some sense into him. It was fascinating to read, it was a highly unusual direction for a protagonist’s arc to be going in, and it caused me much pain.

There were a couple of things concerning Laila that I really liked. The first is something that was also the case in the first book. Laila is shown to have casual sex sometimes, and she isn’t demonised or glorified for it. It’s just a thing that she does because she enjoys it, and that’s okay! It doesn’t make her worse than anyone else and it doesn’t make her better than anyone else. It’s a really small part of the series and of her character but it’s something that I appreciated and I’m glad that Chokshi included and wrote it the way she did.

Another thing that I like about Laila is that she refuses to fall prey to certain misogynistic tropes, especially when other characters seem to expect her to conform to them. A new character is introduced in this book who develops a crush on Séverin, and she takes an instant dislike to Laila because of her not-relationship with him. Laila, however, is unwilling to participate in a rivalry and holds no ill-will against this character because of this. Laila saw the girl-hate trope and said no. This book takes place in a period of time very close to Laila’s birthday, less than a month away from it, meaning that she’s due to die soon. When it’s suggested to her that maybe if she tells Séverin about it he’ll start to act more like his old self again, she shuts that suggestion down immediately. She has enough respect for herself not to let her death just be motivation for the boy in her life. Her death is her own. Laila saw the fridging trope and said no.

I want to give Zofia a hug and reassure her that her friends do love her and don’t think she’s a burden at all. It’s very obvious from all of her friends’ POVs that they adore her, but she doesn’t believe it and thinks they’re just putting up with her. This is probably relatable to a lot of people, including myself at times, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read ;_;

I didn’t expect the Hypnos/Enrique/Zofia triangle to develop in quite the way that it did, but I liked the way that it’s going! I’m going to avoid going into too many details about it here, but this storyline highlights that mutual attraction alone doesn’t necessarily mean that a perfect relationship will follow, even if everyone involved in said relationship are ultimately good people who care about each other. I’m still holding out hope for a happy ending for all three of them!

I told my partner about the book as I was reading it, and I ever so slightly spammed them while I was in the final stretch. Highlights from that conversation can be found in the version of this review posted on my Wordpress blog!

I think it’s safe to say that I’m in pretty deep with this series. I just checked what content there is for it on ao3, and I am horrified at the lack of fic there. This is a disgrace. Somebody needs to rectify this immediately. (Please don’t make that person be me, I have enough to do already.)

In case it wasn’t clear already, I highly recommend this series. My heart has been stabbed multiple times and I need more people to suffer with me.

Where do I begin when I talk about this book? Silvered Serpents is the second book in the Guilded Wolves Trilogy. I loved the first book and was so excited to get a copy in advance. Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martins Press. ⁣
⁣Roshani Chokshi is such a talented writer and this YA fantasy does not stop with imagination, action, and emotion. Chokshi said that “This is a book about love” and I have to say that I felt the pain of each character that can only come with love. ⁣The book follows Severin, Laila and the team as they search for treasure once again. This time, they are far from Paris, in Russia. The book is non-stop from the minute they arrive in Russia. This is such a great YA fantasy and I’ve been yearning for one for months. I cannot believe that the book ended and left me hanging. Now I have to wait a year on the edge of my seat to find out what happens to these beloved and complex characters!

Not as intriguing as the first book. There was none of that connectedness of the group like there was at L’Eden. Ava was an unnecessary annoyance, in my opinion, and I felt like some parts dragged.

However, I’m very interested in Severin’s god storyline, and I’m curious to see what happens with Laila—will she really die in a week? I also just want Enrique and Zofia to be together, but I don’t want her to be the “second choice” now that his relationship with Hypnos didn’t work out.

The Silvered Serpents is Roshani Chokshi’s highly anticipated sequel to last year’s bestseller The Gilded Wolves. Like it’s predecessor, The Silvered Serpents is set in the mesmerizing world of 19th century Europe, following Séverin and his eccentric crew as they hunt for hidden treasure. The team is still reeling from the events of The Gilded Wolves, and not everyone is handling the trauma well. But they have to put their differences aside if they are going to find the coveted book, The Divine Lyrics.

I’m a sucker for any kind of treasure hunting adventure or heist, so this series was right up my alley! I feel like there were so many really interesting themes and ideas in this book. Like the religious themes with the Houses of Babel, and the magical forging affinities. But because there were so many different ideas introduced, at times I felt a little lost due to lack of detail.

For example, Séverin’s family life was very confusing. He had 7 fathers, each named after one of the seven deadly sins. And sometimes also had a mom or another sibling, but always had his brother Tristan? As intriguing as the writing was in these descriptions of Séverin’s home life, I don’t feel like the detail added much to his character, and instead left me feeling confused.

I was a little let down after reading The Gilded Wolves because the story and layout reminded me of a watered-down version of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. But The Silvered Serpents caught my interest much earlier on, and the character development kept me reading all the way through. The characters are diverse and endearing, and I loved getting to read from each person’s point of view! It is not easy to write 6 unique voices in one story, and Chokshi did this very well.

Overall I would give this book 4/5 stars. I feel like this was a good idea, in a great setting, but not executed as clearly as I would prefer. It is definitely worth a read for fans of YA and New Adult action-adventure, heists, and romance!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This sequel was full of action and adventure. Choksi's writing is beautiful and appreciated the diverse cast of characters. Their unique personalities helped bring the story together. I enjoyed how raw they were in feeling the loss from book one.

This is another YA verging on Young Adult group heist story with fantastical elements. Read this series if you're looking for some escapism.

4/5 stars

Content warnings: death, gore, violence, dismemberment, grief, talks of death of a loved one, (fade to black) sexual activity, talks of physical and emotional abuse, sacrificial death, non-consensual drugging.

An interesting sequel in an exciting world with characters you'll love more than you did in The Gilded Wolves.

I really enjoyed The Silvered Serpents, I think a little bit more than I did The Gilded Wolves. While the action and mystery solving felt more subdued, the writing, pacing, and character work were all mitre cohesive and you could tell Chokshi's craft has improved from the first book.

Despite the book being technically better than The Gilded Wolves, I did miss some of the excitement in seeing the clues and mysteries being solved more on page. However, I do think the way Chokshi approached it in this book made it a little easier to follow the story and the lore that we were being given.

I really enjoyed the different ways in which grief was explored. The dangers in isolation and guilt in lieu of providing safety and care ultimately resulting in the danger of loved ones. The comfort in giving in to vulnerability with those you love and trust. I definitely enjoyed the different journeys each character went on, even though a lot of those journeys threatened the dynamic of the found family established in Book 1.

There were a few twists that I predicted ahead of time but I enjoyed most of the execution. The one I did not predict felt rushed in its reveal. However, I think the way the ending was setup for the next book was well done and definitely has me begging for the next installment to arrive ASAP.

I love so many of these characters and would enjoy reading about them doing the most banal activities. I do hope Severin and Hypnos choke though 🖤.

I am excited to see how the story concludes in the next book, and what the overall story arc will be because for now I can't really predict the final outcome, which is thrilling.

The Silvered Serpents follows on from the Gilded Wolves in the heist style of its predecessor but with a much darker tone as the group deals with the fallout of the first instalment. Side note: ensure you have the events of book one firmly in your mind before picking this one up because I certainly did not and I struggled for it.

The good: there's lots of banter, romantic tension, and development of relationships between the main characters. I particularly enjoy the friendships between Laila, Zofia, and Enrique as well as the ways in which Zofia's experience of the world (especially in the case of her sensory overload) is approached by the people around her. The effects of grief and guilt are also explored through several characters and though that made for some deeply frustrating moments, it was overall an interesting exploration.

The not quite so good: as with book one, I often found myself lost in the details of everything from the setting to the magic system of this world. There's a lot of information and something about the way it's delivered just doesn't click for me and tends to leave me feeling bored and disengaged in what is otherwise a fairly fast moving story,

All that said, I flew through that finale. Things definitely pick up towards the end of the book and I'll absolutely be picking up the next instalment of the series.

TW: death, violence, stillbirth/miscarriage, colonialism, child abuse, mutilation, antisemitism

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this e-arc

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me access.

I have been waiting for this for what seems like FOREVER!

This was an excellent follow up to The Gilded Wolves. My heart is still broken over Tristan and I was low key hoping he wasn't really gone.

So much happens and there is a lot of character growth. Definitely faster than the first book and left no room for disappointment. Now to wait for the third installment.

Beauty Mixed with Horror

#Coverlove Five Stars: this series knows how to make us drool when it comes to the beauty of a cover.

#Review Five Stars: I think 2nd books in a series are so tough because we are usually dealing with the fallout of the first book. Soooo, it starts off a bit slow as we catch up with all the characters but once we get to the sleeping palace, hang on. I adore these mechanical creatures. I love a good crew story with varying personalities and this has it in spades. A bit of creepiness (I’m not going to forget that anytime soon)…a bit of romance…and a lot of adventures and mystery which I thought was well done (I loved the twist on the Divine Lyrics).

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eArc for an honest review. #TheSilveredSerpents #NetGalley

This story picks up right where we left off in The Gilded Wolves, and I honestly liked that the story line of this book was a lot darker. I thought the characters were better developed and more intriguing. I also liked that the romance grew a lot more in this because I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. The plot line of this book I also found to be a bit more enjoyable. And I thought the world building was well done in this book and I think it was better in this book than the first.

I hate when you read a book and need the next immediately! I have loved everything that Roshani Chokshi has written and this was no different! The pacing was on fire as we jumped in to see where the mission would take all of our favorite characters. So beautifully written and engaging- I didn’t want to put it down! I can not recommend this highly enough- check it out!

First, I have to point out this cover. It is absolutely stunning!! I got lucky and happened to see that Wednesday Books tweeted out about “read now” ARC’s for the day. I saw this one and instantly downloaded it! Thank you so much, Wednesday Books! More publishers should do this.. just saying..

I remember liking The Gilded Wolves but found a lot of issues with it. One of my biggest problems was that it was just info overload and I found a lot of things really confusing. Luckily, I did not have that problem at all with this one. I felt she did an amazing job expanding on book two. In addition, I loved her details. I found myself being able to picture what they were describing and it sounded so beautiful, just like the cover.

I found myself a lot more attached to all the characters in this book too. I love how they all have their own insecurities and own reasons for being on this mission. I didn’t like all the secrets though! I do know it has it’s reasons but ahh, if they would just communicate! I do think that they all really grew as a group and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

This book has taken a bit of a dark path. I don’t want to talk about anything spoiler-y but keep in mind that it’s dark. Some of the things that happen can be triggering.

The tension is so intense in this book. We have it coming from all places! I mentioned secrets, they all have them. There’s tension in relationships, love, and mission. I found myself having to calm my heart rate a few times because I was so tense. I don’t bite my nails but if I did, this would be a nail biter! I found that because of this, the story just flew. I couldn’t put this down and really found it fast-paced. It was a huge difference from book one, in my opinion.

I did figure out some of the twists early on but that ending was a complete surprise! I loved it and I cannot wait for the next book. I’m so sad that I have to wait so long because this book has really made me fall in love with this series. There are some high stakes and I expect the next one to be just as intense!

Overall, this book is just leaps and bounds better than book 1. It’s fast paced, exciting, intense, and a crazy ride. It’s so well done and I highly recommend it. If you were on the fence after book 1, give this one a shot because it’s on a different level.

Thank you, Netgalley & Wednesday Books, for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. It has in no way influenced my opinions!

great way to teach third person multiple pov. it was interesting how the narrative felt different in this book. I felt like i knew the characters and i was seeing them after a couple of months. which makes sense...

great book. beautifully written. can't wait for the next book.

I'm delighted to be reunited with the amazing characters that Roshani Chokshi introduced in The Gilded Wolves! The Silvered Serpents takes on a more somber tone and explores the characters more individually as they each face their own struggles and cope with the events that occurred in The Gilded Wolves. Séverin is consumed by guilt, Laila is running out of time, Hypnos longs to be part of the team, Enrique craves acceptance from the members of the Ilustrados, and Zofia worries about her sister as well as feelings she can't ignore. I love all these characters so much, and Chokshi gives them so much depth and emotion.

Once the hunt for the Divine Lyrics begins, the plot moves quickly, although at times I felt overwhelmed from all the details to keep track of. While a slow read for me, it was absolutely worth it for the dramatic last chapters. I'm eagerly awaiting the final book of the trilogy!

In this book, we have the thief buddies™ coming together for their "one last mission." And let me tell you, Chokshi really took everything that she established in the first book and built on it spectacularly. There were so many more things at stake in this book and you can feel it in the characters' behavior. Everyone is just having a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day in this book. But, that's what made it so good. The high stakes and the tension between the characters, particularly between Séverin and the rest of his team. Séverin has really evolved into this almost morally grey character. He's willing to do anything he can to reach the ending that he wants. Quite frankly, I think this made him an even more compelling character than he was before. Chokshi also took the time in this book to let us get to know the characters a little better. We find out things we didn't know (particularly about Madame Kore and somewhat Tristan) and we get a look into the evolution of their relationships with other people in the group. This is, once again, especially true of Séverin. The person that he has turned into in this book is almost unrecognizable, but at the same time it makes sense.

I said it the last time in my review of the Gilded Wolves, but Chokshi has such a mind for vivid storytelling. The way that she is able to put you in a time and place just using words is dazzling. It felt like I was in the frigid palace in Siberia, or at the Russian ballet with Séverin and Laila. She is also fantastic at imparting the emotion of the characters so that you completely understand what they are going through. It is because of this, that the characters felt human. Gone are overpowered protagonists who seem to experience the world shallowly. It was all just very well done, and I really do applaud Chokshi for her knack for description.

In short, if you read the Gilded Wolves and you weren't sure if you wanted to read the Silvered Serpents, don't hesitate! This book is everything the last book was and more. The changes we see taking place in the relationships of the characters, coupled with everything that is at stake make the story incredible. Authors need to take note, this is how you write a sequel that isn't boring. I don't think that this book ever dragged like the first one did at times. I enjoyed the first book, but I loved the sequel. I'm so excited to see where she takes the premise of the next book! I can promise you that I will be reading it, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Absolutely amazing follow up to the Gilded Wolves. I adored the characters even more the second time around. I'm thrilled I pre-ordered a personalized copy.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the world in Gilded Wolves, with the houses and the Babel Fragments that everyone wants and Severin and gang being the treasure hunters for these fragments. The Silvered Serpents kind of continues in this way but the gang is fracturing, with Laila counting down the days to her birthday, Zofia taking care of her sick sister, Enrique trying to join the Ilustrado, and Severin blaming himself for Tristan's death. They come back together though when Severin discovers a chance to find the Sleeping Palace of the Fallen house.

I found it a bit hard to read about Severin, who was very harsh in this book, trying to distance himself from everyone, but the other characters were good, especially Laila and Zofia. There are many dangers to get through in this book and much treasure but it does end on as big a cliffhanger as the first book. It was still a fun read though.