Sarena Nanua

Sasha Nanua

Sisters of the Snake

Suzanne

A lost princess. A mysterious puppet master. And a race against time—before all is lost. Princess Rani longs for a chance to escape her gilded cage and prove herself. Ria is a street urchin, stealing just to keep herself alive. When these two lives collide, everything turns on its head: because Ria and Rani, orphan and royal, are unmistakably identical. A deal is struck to switch places—but danger lurks in both worlds, and to save their home, thief and princess must work together. Or watch it all fall into ruin. Deadly magic, hidden temples, and dark prophecies: Sisters of the Snake is an action-packed, immersive fantasy that will thrill fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and The Tiger at Midnight.

Gillian Rose

4.25 stars

While it skews a little young at times, I really enjoyed this book! It was very cute and I'm a huge sucker for identical strangers switching places. The world and magic was cool, and I felt like it was going to be a standalone for a huge chunk. I'm glad there's going to be a sequel after some events. A well-done debut.

Jantien 

** spoiler alert **
           3,5 stars.
The idea behind this book is very similar to the one I read just before, Mirage. Both are about a princess and her double/lookalike , in this case, actual twin sister. 
I really liked how the story progressed and loved that it wasn’t clear from the beginning which path the book would follow.
It was written really well and I couldn’t wait to continue, hence why I finished it in two days time.
BUT, and this is a big one, there are too many holes in the story. Too many to simply overlook them and give a better score.

Tatiana Alvarez 

I am actually so surprised I liked this as much as I did! I have recently been put off by YA high fantasy, especially ones involving royalty, because I don't like the same formulaic ways they read. However, this one kept me entertained the entire time, the author did such an amazing job!

This book is like a cross between Aladdin and the Parent Trap. Lol, I know those things are vastly different, but it works! Oh, and add snakes to the mix. Trust me, it's such a fun read that will leave you ready for book 2!

Sahi K

It’s always so much fun to discover desi debut authors and get to read and talk about their books in advance. And that’s exactly my feeling tonight after finishing this book - delight. 

The author-sister duo really managed to create a very entertaining and engaging story here, which got its hook in me very quickly. Once I started, there was no way I could stop because there’s almost a breakneck pace, and with so much happening in every chapter and with revelation after revelation; all I wanted to do was read the next chapter and find out what more was gonna happen. The writing is very easy to follow along and not overly descriptive - the kind of writing style I usually prefer - and I found myself totally immersed. 

But it is also not without some flaws. We get some history about the magic wielding masters and how the kingdoms came to be in the current state, but other than that there isn’t much world building. However, there is scope for a lot more expansive world as well as different kinds of magic and I’m excited to see how the authors will achieve this in the sequel. While the quick pacing makes for a thrilling read, it also means that sometimes things happen too quickly and without any explanation, leaving us a tad bit dissatisfied. I also thought there were many conflicts in the story that were resolved too conveniently, which might really annoy a more discerning and critical reader than me. 

But the heart of this book are it’s characters. Rani is a sheltered princess and all she wants is the freedom to live on her terms and also prove to the king that she is capable of ruling. Ria is a thief on the streets whose every day is filled with the struggle for survival. These two sisters couldn’t be more different on surface, but I loved how the authors ensured that we could understand their deeper feelings and realize that they aren’t so different underneath. After they both swap places, they both realize what is it that they actually want to do with their life, how they can contribute towards the welfare of their people, and how it is possible to subvert one’s destiny. I really loved how much they came to trust each other and their bond felt special, but I won’t deny that it was a bit too quick in execution. 

The side characters also play major roles here, especially in furthering along the characters of the sisters. Through the reserved but sweet Saeed and the absolutely delightful and strong Aditi, Ria learns to see the faults in the palace and also how to trust them enough to form a team and uncover some truths. On the other hand, Amir is a streetsmart thief who gives Rani the feeling of true friendship and more; Sanya, Jas and Irfan all together making her realize the bitter truth about her father’s brutal rule and understand what her next steps should be for the sake of her people. 

The villain also cut an intriguing figure, not just a caricature but a power hungry person who has only learnt the importance of pain and power through their upbringing and use those too as tools to achieve their deranged dreams. 

In the end, I was left quite surprised by the ending. It’s not exactly a cliffhanger but it’s a cool twist and I’m sure the next book will be interesting. And if you are someone who loves YA fantasies with good friendships, budding romances, a strong sisterly bond, and a world where magic may be the doom or liberation - then I think you should give this debut a try. It’s not a complicated story and might even feel too simplistic at times, but it is nevertheless very captivating, and you will enjoy your journey through these pages.

Jennifer

Sisters of the Snake is quite a refreshing retelling set in a lush South Asian-inspired world. This is a dual narrative novel told from Rani and Ria's perspectives. It's a magical story about opposites attract, familial sacrifice, and fate. I thought the cultural elements are beautifully done: creative magic systems, I love the way the authors described the worldbuilding details, as well as the atmosphere.

While the diversity truly shines in Sisters of the Snake, I can't help to notice a few things that didn't entirely deliver in the writing: I had wished there's more contextualisation with the worldbuilding & the magic system and I personally wasn't very invested in the romance. I do think the notion of Rani and Ria's fates beting intertwined is on the right track but I think the romance scenes slightly distracted this central theme.

Concerns aside, Sisters of the Snake is nevertheless a decent #ownvoices novel with a lush atmosphere. It's an interesting story about fate and sacrifice. If you're looking for a diverse YA fantasy retelling, this title is worth checking out!

N.B. The content warnings of this novel could be found under this page

Alli King

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
Sisters of the Snake is a fast paced adventure featuring long lost twins, Rani and Ria. While neither knew the other existed prior to one fateful Diwali night, their magical twin connection prompts them to switch places in order to solve the mystery of their separation and prevent what seems to be an inevitable war. 

Sisters of the Snake doesn’t seem like the first of the series- for the first 9/10. None of the exposition seemed tedious, and I quickly connected to the characters and their plights. The romance was predictable, but sweet. The plot was well paced, and I had a hard time putting it down for a while there! My biggest issue was with the resolution. After being separated for the majority of the book, it almost felt awkward to have Rani and Ria reunited. The dialogue felt forced where it previously hadn’t. That said, it definitely has an ending that leaves me wanting a second book!

Sam Pulliam

This Prince and the Pauper-inspired story was really a lot of fun. Reading YA as an adult, some things are predictable but I still had a fun time getting to know all of the characters. The sisters and the side characters were all really compelling and there is so much character growth! The audio book was fun to put on between grading sprints.

Megan Lapides

I loved the magic system! Snake magic?!?! Are you kidding me?! So cool. Maybe skip this if you don't like snakes.

This was my second read, but first time listening to Soneela Nankani narrating. She really added another layer to the book for me with her intonation, tone and proper pronunciation of all the delicious foods.

Princess Rani longs to escape her gilded cage and doesn’t want to marry her fiancee Said. Ria is a former orphan and now a thief with Amir.

They meet and decide to swap living as each other.

I prefer Ria as Rani’s story line. She is feisty and opinionated and has a good sense of justice.

Rani as Ria is a little whiney and naive.

I enjoyed this book more the second time around to prep for reading the second book.

The imagery is incredibly vivid and the worldbuilding great. It’s cool there are different kinds of magic.

This was my second read, but first time listening to Soneela Nankani narrating. She really added another layer to the book for me with her intonation, tone and proper pronunciation of all the delicious foods.

Princess Rani longs to escape her gilded cage and doesn’t want to marry her fiancee Said. Ria is a former orphan and now a thief with Amir.

They meet and decide to swap living as each other.

I prefer Ria as Rani’s story line. She is feisty and opinionated and has a good sense of justice.

Rani as Ria is a little whiney and naive.

I enjoyed this book more the second time around to prep for reading the second book.

The imagery is incredibly vivid and the worldbuilding great. It’s cool there are different kinds of magic.

Cathrina Martinez

"Sisters of the Snake" is a debut novel written by twin sisters, Sasha & Sarena Nanua and is an epic high fantasy retelling of "The Prince and the Pauper." Filled with magic, adventure, and a sister-switch, what more could one ask for? 

In the book we meet Ria, a street urchin with a harsh past and what seems like a bleak future, and Rani, daughter of the Snake King of Abai, who is wilting within the walls of the palace which seems much more like a cage. The two meet on Diwali night and from there, the swap and adventure begins! 

While I highly enjoyed this retelling of the story, there were definite moments where the plot seemed a little loose, the pacing was a bit chaotic, and the writing style was inconsistent. Regardless, I had so much fun reading this adaptation of a much loved novel and I am excited to read the sequel!

*I was provided an e-arc through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

Kate

3.5* A quick and easy read that definitely gave me some throwback, mid 2010's, YA fantasy vibes (which was so much fun!) I found the story itself enjoyable, the magic interesting and the characters likeable and the world enticing. However, I definitely preferred one POV and storyline over the other and there were a few plot holes that bothered me. That being said, this was an overall enjoyable read and one I definitely had fun with. I have a feeling this would be a great introduction for new fantasy readers or anyone looking for an entertaining, light magical read.

Megan During

Gabriela Gorgoni

Sepia

A lost princess. A mysterious puppet master. And a race against time--before all is lost. Princess Rani longs for a chance to escape her gilded cage and prove herself. Ria is a street urchin, stealing just to keep herself alive. When these two lives collide, everything turns on its head: because Ria and Rani, orphan and royal, are unmistakably identical. A deal is struck to switch places--but danger lurks in both worlds, and to save their home, thief and princess must work together. Or watch it all fall into ruin. Deadly magic, hidden temples, and dark prophecies: Sisters of the Snake is an action-packed, immersive fantasy that will thrill fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and The Tiger at Midnight.

Sisters of the Snake

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