Perhaps this belongs in my young adult list, but this book is amazing and I don’t want to see it overlooked because of the juvenile label! For many many years I’ve been listening to convention panels wanting more minority authors and more multi-cultural sources in fantasy. Here you go! ( )

Kid's fantasy, 11 year old girl and 2 supporting princes make their way across a magical world, filled with mythic themes from West Bengal.

I am so not the audience for this -- I applaud Sayantani Gupta for writing it, because we need diverse books, and it's refreshing to see a Percy-Jackson-esque book set in this culture. Despite my love of fantasy and paranormal adult works, I don't really care for the kids' versions. At least I am consistent in this, in that I did not like the Rick Riordan books I read either. I feel pretty confident saying that I think if you like Riordan books, you will likely enjoy this as well. ( )

Children's middlegrade adventure fiction (12-y.o. Indian-American female protagonist).
I intended to pick up Aru Shah (from the new Rick Riordan presents imprint) but couldn't remember the title and thought I'd give this a try anyway--I read to chapter 10 (page 90).

I think this is a worthy first novel and I think kids will like it--lots of funny bits, monsters to fight/run from, and short chapters. Adults might be pickier--the writing could use a little more polish and if you're expecting Rick Riordan, it won't be the same. To be fair (in answer to other reviews here), I think Kiran's school and home experiences will ring true with other kids (regardless of their backgrounds) because who hasn't struggled with fitting in? And she definitely grows to appreciate her (adoptive/foster) parents as the plot moves forward--her main objective in this adventure is to find them and bring them back, after all.

I may need to check out further installments in this series (please continue the series!) to see how Kiran and her friends' characters develop. The cover art is beautiful, too--showcasing Kiran's background and personality with definite kid appeal (cobras, flashy gold foil). ( )

Fast paced and tons of fun! ( )

This enjoyable adventure features characters from the folklore of West Bengal, India, placed into a modern setting. The protagonist, Kiranmala, has been raised in Parsippany, New Jersey, by parents who told her stories that she believed to merely be fanciful, about princesses and demons. And truth be told, at the beginning of the story, Kiranmala is embarrassed by her parents. But on her 12th birthday, she comes home to discover her home in disarray and her parents disappeared. And then two colorfully-clad princes show up, warning of dire peril. The trio confront a ravenous demon and thus in spite of her disbelief and skepticism, Kiranmala finds herself on a quest in a magical dimension where the creatures from her parents' stories are real. This story was a lot of fun to read, and is sure to appeal to fans of mythology-based fantasy. ( )