I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

What an imagination. Roshani Chokshi is an amazing world builder and storyteller. I loved this novel and am completely excited about jumping into the third installment of this series.

Highly Recommended.

Enjoy and happy reading.

After reading both the first book and this sequel, I've come to the realization that this series is unfortunately just not for me. This book had many of the same issues for me as the first one did. I still wasn't able to emotionally connect to the characters, the puzzles felt clinical/quickly solved with little fear/excitement, and I found some of the main plot arcs of this book frustrating rather than intriguing. While I like that this book is clearly driven by grief and how we got to see how different characters handled it differently, it led to many tropes that I never quite like, even when they can be explained away by grief (like miscommunication). I also felt like this book also suffered from being a middle book as well, where it feels like we're largely just building up to the big finale, instead of the book standing strongly on its own. While I'll read more books from this author, I don't plan on continuing this series further.

Added to the Trigger Warning Database here: https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/2022/09/01/the-silvered-serpents-by-roshani-chokshi/

➸ Trigger warnings for ableism, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, classism, colonialism discussed, sex work-shaming, sexual assault (attempted rape by coercion), child abuse recounted, self-harm (for magic), suicide mentioned, alcohol consumption, stillbirth & infertility mentioned, blood depiction, physical injury, terminal illness (mc & mc's sister), grief & loss depiction, death of a brother & friend recounted, murder, poisoning, kidnapping, psychological torture, explosion, vivisepulture (being buried alive) mentioned, kidnapping recounted, and animal death mentioned.

This copy was kindly gifted to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (submitted on Instagram)

This was SUCH a good book! I devoured it and couldn't wait for the next one. I love everyone soooo much! I also love the writing.

The Gilded Wolves was a book that felt like it was lightning in a bottle, so I was worried about Silvered Serpents being able to keep that pace up. I shouldn't have worried. Roshani Chokshi nails it and if you loved Gilded Wolves, you'll love Silvered Serpents as well.

Please note, this review will contain The Gilded Wolves spoilers. I was so eager to pick up The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi after completely enjoying The Gilded Wolves. I love a good heist. Plus, I wanted to see what happened next with such an interesting cast of characters. As it turns out, I obtained an ARC of The Silvered Serpents at one of the first summer 2021 library book sales I attended. So, I was thrilled to dive right into this sequel via a hard copy and my Kindle (my favorite way to read — alternating media forms).

The Silvered Serpents picks up somewhat where The Gilded Wolves leaves off. Severin is morning the death of Tristan. The group doesn’t feel quite as cohesive as it was. However, they hear rumors of The Divine Lyrics being essentially in Moscow and so, depart from France to obtain the priceless artifact. Enrique finds he wants people to listen to him as he’s got some interesting theories about politics and history to share — no one shows up to his lectures though. Zofia remains herself — a little awkward but such a genuine person.

Hypnos is kind of at the edge, not really an important character I felt. Then there’s Laila who is at odds with Severin. Oh, she’s also about to die in about twenty days or so, as her body clock winds down. Severin doesn’t know this, however. And so, the hunt for the Divine Lyrics is on, but with the caveat that the whole group is not as close or bonded as they were in The Gilded Wolves. We also do not get a real clear resolution in this book.

Overall, I found that I enjoyed The Silvered Serpents. The thing I notice about Chokshi’s books is that for me they aren’t the kind of books I can read in a single sitting or tear through the pages. That’s fine. These are more the sink your teeth right in and let the prose carry you along type of books. I found that I am so invested in what happens to Laila and Severin and Enrique and Zofia. I don’t really care about Hypnos. The setting and cast of characters are very interesting to me. The pacing is really slow, but that didn’t matter because I was really into unraveling this story as I read along. This was a four star read for me.

I made the error or waiting much too long between reading the first book of the series and this one. There was enough about the characters themselves that I remembered who did what generally, but I never did entirely remember the plotline, which did leave me somewhat confused throughout the story. But once I'd made it about a quarter or a third through, it was fine. And it did get exciting and drama-filled! Because I made that original error, I can't speak as far as development between books, but I did enjoy it enough that it would probably be just fine read my way, or even without reading the first one. There would be some general confusion, but I think there's sufficient explanation and the world building is amazing enough that it works out. I am going to need to immediately grab the third one before I forget again.

I have a super love / hate relationship with this installment of this series. I loved so much of it. The slow burn between Laila and Severin, the found family vibes. Hypnos. Just Hypnos. I HATED the ending. How DARE that be the ending!

Ok, but let me back track a little. I hated it because I was BETRAYED! It was so well done and I never saw it coming! I am upset because my heart hurts for these characters. I'm not upset because it wasn't well written. It was gloriously written and well crafted and hiding in plain sight but also completely blind-sighting.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series and I would also like to formally requests infinite epilogues of all fo these amazing characters just sitting around and chatting because I love them all so much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would have loved to read this as the cover art is beautiful. But, upon realizing this book is a second installment in a series, I was not interested in reading it. I'm sure it's a great book, but I can't give a review on it at this time.

This book was better than the first one. It took me a long time to finish it but I didn't mind because it was pack with a lot of action and intrigue.
Highly recommend this series
4 stars

I’m not sure I have any words for this one, guys. My poor, sweet darlings. Why is book three so far away?! In the aftermath of the first book, this squad is definitely struggling. They’re trying to stay together, even as so many things are pulling them apart, but they agree on one last heist, because of course they do. It was filled with every bit of adventure and cunning as the first book, but with the added fun of fretting over these characters you’ve grown to love. This is a buddy read, and my buddy reader hasn’t quite finished yet, so I won’t say too much more than that until she does and we get a chance to discuss the whole thing, because I need a moment to process this all.

This sequel. builds so effortlessly upon the first book and in a way that feels more developed, better paced, and has me falling in love with the characters all over again.

I really enjoyed the first book. This book as in most second books of series was a little bit tougher to get through. By the second half it started to pick up and now I can’t wait for the third!!! Loved being with all the characters again!

I failed to send the netgalley feedback back when I read this--oops! I didn't like The Silvered Serpents quite as much as the first book, Gilded Wolves, but I think it will satisfy most readers. The lore of the fantasy world is expanded, but the focus stays on the characters.

My thanks to the publisher for accepting my request at NetGalley for the eARC, my apologies for a very belated review.

The loss of Tristan and the revelations of his dangerous mental state have twisted apart his family, Zofia goes to her sick sisters side, Enrique seeks out a voice in scholarship, only Laila stays by Séverin's side counting down her last days leading up to her birthday.

Séverin who has become cold, withdrawn and calculating. He remembers the gold blood, the feel of wings and horns. If he would become a god, he could bring back Tristan, if he could become a god, he could save them all, protect them all, forever, if, if...

First he must gather all of them, unite them, broken as they all are, they must still seek out the Divine Lyrics. It's a quest Hypnos joins them in and they're not alone in this adventure as trust is brittle between them and love wears many faces, as many as the enemies hidden among the Houses.

My heart hurt reading this, heavy as the writing was.

Outside the mysteries of the novel I found curious the names of Séverin's mother Kahina and the matriarch Delphine oddly linked elsewhere in Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi for Delphine is linked to Apollo of Delphi too.

While this book took me longer to get into than the first book, I still really enjoyed getting to be reunited with these characters and am looking forward to the next book.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, "The Gilded Wolves", and was really looking forward to this one. It picks up right where the last book left off. The book had a slow start for me but left time for the characters to explore the aftermath of the events of the first book. Once the plot started to pick up, this became a page turner for me. Be forewarned, "The Silvered Serpents" ends on a major cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the third book in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good heist story with a diverse cast of characters and a touch of magic.

First half was a bit slow, but the second half really picked up! This was a decent second book in this trilogy. It had a few slow parts but overall had me engaged and wanting to see what happens. I will say some of the plot still confused me and the world building didn't quite do what I'd hoped in this sequel, but I found myself forgiving all of that because these characters are just so good. So glad I kept reading instead of going with my first instinct to DNF.