- Authors: Sarena & Sasha Nanua
- Debut
- Genre: YA Fantasy
- Background: Indian (born & residing in Canada)
- IG-@sarenasashananua; Twitter-@sarenaandsasha; https://www.sarenasashabooks.com/
- Release Date: 6/15/2021 (out NAOW in the US!), 7/8/2021 (UK)
- Publisher: HarperTeen (Imprint of HarperCollins)/EpicReads
- Favorite Character-Shima! She’s so flipping funny and she always told it like it was…and sometimes spared feelings but not always.
- Favorite Quote(s)– “You think they have mangoes in Kaama? Wait–stupid question. Of course they do. What about pomegranates? I’ve dreamed about those, lemme tell you.”-Amir. First of all, #Mood because Mangoes are life and I do love pomegranates too. Second of all, Amir spoke to my spirit with this! Another fav was “Yeah, and I wasn’t expecting to meet a look-alike with weird snake powers, but here we are.”-Ria This just feels like something I would say! The way I cackled…I really love Ria, I’m letting my bias show early here!
First, I’m going to say that when I saw the cover reveal for Sisters Of The Snake, I was like “yea, I have to read that” then I got accepted to the street team (shout out to the #SnakeSquad) and got my hands on an E-ARC. I was stoked about this but then the Book Gods smiled down on my eyes and a printed copy was sent to me which made me even more happy! If you want to check out the reels I did for street team tingz, first was a book look of if I was at a SOTS function and the second was making the Ria & Rani Mango Shake but vegan which came out delicious & I highly recommend you all try!
I have to say that My Bookish Spidey senses definitely tingled at the announcement of this book and didn’t let me down (Spidey Senses for the win y’all)! It seriously worked out that I got a printed copy because I COULD.NOT.PUT.IT.DOWN (turning off and on a tablet to read really isn’t the life for me)! SOTS is almost 500 pages and I finished it in 3 days (it’s in the hall of fame of reads like Legendborn now)! From the opening sentence to the epilogue, I just couldn’t stop thinking about it & clearly I’m still thinking about it as there are so many moments that now live rent free in my mind. I hated having to adult and sleep because it got in the way of my reading.
When I started reading this book, I was getting some serious Prince And The Pauper vibes but gender bent & with magic… but it is so distinctly its own story that that thought fell away from my mind as I was reading. This story is so engrossing that I was like “okay, a few more pages…” “okay, one more chapter cause it’s not that long then I’ll go to bed or do whatever adulting needs to be done” and next thing I knew, it was like 30 pages & an hour or so later and it was past the time I wanted to go to sleep or adult. And honestly, I regret NOTHING! I’d do it all over again because it was so good (and I’m ready for book 2 to bring it on)! Sarena & Sasha really know how to capture your attention & I’m willing to fight anyone else who says otherwise!
The world and character building was simply superb…like quadruple *chef’s kiss* because each twin (writer & literary) deserves one. Both Ria and Rani have very different voices & personalities but there is really no way to know who wrote who which, is the way things ought to be! I loved their differing perspectives and how they told their stories… throughout, I was like “okayyyyy, tell me more?” “anddddd thennnnn?” “what this *bleep* say?!” I was fully engaged in the dialogue and I felt like I was IN the story since it played out like a movie in my mind! If this book does NOT get a movie or a tv series, I’mma be hella mad! I’ll also be peeved if it isn’t done justice as this is too good of a story to jack up. So whoever buys the film rights BET have their minds right when they adapt it… *throws hands up* I’m jussayin’.
In talking about character, I’m going to start with my favorite twin, Ria (I made my bias clear from jump)! Yes, I’m on #TeamRia for the street team but I fell in love with her from her opening sentence which was “I despise the heat.“… Is she me because I feel the exact same way! I felt every thing she felt about the heat to the point of having physiological responses (It didn’t help that it was hellish hot in NY too). Her straight to the point, cut between the eyes, no nonsense and heavily sarcastic nature was all I could’ve dreamed of in a beloved character and more! She just spoke to my Spirit y’all! Of course, she needed to have such traits being on the streets, fending for herself, which I’m sure is no joke when your very survival is on the line. There is no time to be a victim and Ria just isn’t the type to passively sit & panhandle… she’s *clap* about *clap* that *clap* action. Ria is also hysterical and I couldn’t help cracking up most times she was on the page… I honestly don’t see how ANYONE wouldn’t be a fan of hers! She is the princess of my heart and she could be the princess of yours too when you get to reading this book *wink* *wink*.
If I talk about Ria then I have to talk about Rani…right? *rolls eyes* Just kidding, Rani takes a hot second to warm up to but once you get to know her and see her evolution, she really isn’t so bad! I know so very little about being a princess who has everything handed to them and really couldn’t say whether or not I would want out of that life… I mean, I would not say no to someone cooking food for me every day, to be honest (what can I say, I’m lazy at times). I do understand feeling trapped to the point of feeling like my back is against the wall and wanting to see what more the world has to offer (so many of us do after such a long time in quarantine, amirite?). This was my connecting point to Rani until she found a little more humility and courage. I could tell that there was a bit of growth that needed to take place in Rani before I could feel closer to her but who doesn’t like to see a character glow up in the personality arena? Rani also could be sarcastic, funny and profound at times which drew me in & made my head nod in agreement. I think you should read though so you could figure out your feels around Rani *smirk*.
There were a few side characters that I loved like Saeed (I don’t care how Rani felt about him), Amir and the G.O.A.T Shima! I honestly feel like the side characters are also another reason to pick up this book because they felt just as fleshed out as Ria & Rani…. Did I want to see more of them in the story? Of course I did! Was it enough for my taste? It never is when it comes to characters I have grown attached to… So this just means that I have to hold on to hope that we’ll see even more of them in book 2 (I wouldn’t be mad at added perspectives from any of them or even their own books in the future *hint* *hint* Sarena & Sasha)! I would love to talk more about them but I also don’t want to ruin your introductions to them… so let’s just leave it as they are they are the All-Stars of side characters who always come through in the clutch… you don’t have tooooo much to worry about when they are on the page…..well, maybe a little but you have to read to see about that!
Well y’all, I’mma end it here because ya girl has a book she is dying to finish and I want you to be able to get out there & pick up a copy of Sisters Of The Snake from your local library or favorite bookstore… I assure you that you will NOT regret your decision to do so! As usual, you are always welcome to come find me on these e-streets on the social medias: Instagram @bookishgirlmagic, Twitter @bookishgrlmagic and Clubhouse @bookishgrlmagic where you can typically find me in book centered clubs/rooms! I’m sending you all tons of bookish love and wishing you the happiest of reading days!
Bookish Girl Magic 