Middle Grade Madness! discussion

A huge thanks to everyone who voted!!

Now I’m glad to announce that our very first Book of the Month is...
Aru Shah and the End of Time!!!

There is no need to sign up to get involved. Read the book at your own pace and comment down below on your thoughts during any part of the book. Please don’t forget to use spoiler tags!

It’s official! It has begun!!
I’ll be voicing my opinion on the book below every chapter or so. Feel free to reply and to do the same. I want to know what you all think of the book!

Yes!!! I’m so excited! I’m a huge Roshani Chokshi fan!

Ilsen wrote: "Yes!!! I’m so excited! I’m a huge Roshani Chokshi fan!"

I have never read any of her books but everyone raves about this one - even Rick Riordan! I mean it won the poll by a mile so it was the definite favourite and I’m really interested to see if I’ll like it.

I’ve read the blurb and it seems really good. The whole stopping time thing kind of reminds of The Pocket and the Pendant which was a great book so that bodes well.

I've had Aru Shah on my shelf for such a long time! I found it at a book store 3 days before it came out and I was so excited, but I just never got around to reading it.

Wow lucky! I can’t believe it but I haven’t even added it to my tbr shelf!! I think I subconsciously avoided the book because everyone else loved it. That makes this the perfect opportunity to read it otherwise I don’t think I ever would’ve

Kadi wrote: "Ilsen wrote: "Yes!!! I’m so excited! I’m a huge Roshani Chokshi fan!"

I have never read any of her books but everyone raves about this one - even Rick Riordan! I mean it won the poll by a mile so ..."

I have read her Star-Touched Queen series (which is amazing) I won A Crown of Wishes through a giveaway and that’s what introduced me to her! I also won a giveaway of Aru Shah and the End of Time so I also have the little sleeping mask that goes with it! I’m so excited to finally read it.

I do hope it’s good though. My first Rick Riordan presents was a disappointment so I hope this one is much better.

Ordering the book! We are super excited to get started reading!

I've already enlisted my son for this one. Our first Roshani Chokshi book, hopefully it's great.

Satrina wrote: "I've already enlisted my son for this one. Our first Roshani Chokshi book, hopefully it's great."

I hope it's great too! And I can't wait to start reading it. I love that a lot of people are getting their children involved!

Hey Kadi , I just started reading '' Aru Sha and the end of time ''. It's really funny and enjoyable so far. 😍😍Anyway if anyone have doubts on Hindu mythology , just ask me. I am a Hindu too .🤗😂

Ooh thanks Chapter Chat! I’m interested in how the book will tie in with the Hindu mythology and trust me I’ll come to you or the nearest Wiki page to answer any of my qs😂

Ok so I just finished Chapter 2 and here are my thoughts:
(view spoiler)[
I... don’t really like Aru. She lies a lot but fine whatever kids lie. Buuut she’s not proud of her culture either. Ok fine excusable. All kids want to be the same I did too. But even then she doesn’t want to be like every other kid she wants to be spoilt like them! She goes to a rich kid school and she feels bad that she doesn’t have all the rich things they have... but she goes on holidays still. She lives in a small apartment yeah but she has this awesome museum and it seems like they actually own it. I don’t know it’s something about all that combined that kind of annoys me. Still, I’m telling myself not to judge and maybe she’ll grow on me. It just doesn’t seem like a hero’s personality, does that make sense? But maybe that’s the point. Stop judging stop judging Kadi😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Also, I hate those other kids. Uuuugh. Stuck up, rude and disrespectful people!!
(hide spoiler)]

Awwww, the beginning is so sweet with Aru being a small museum guide! I loooove this idea. :) So far I'm quite intrigued by this forbidden "lamp". I can't wait to see how Chokshi deals with Hindu mythology. :)

I haven’t started yet, but I have it next on my tbr! Heard it was amazing and just recently bought my paperback copy 😁

Hunter wrote: "I haven’t started yet, but I have it next on my tbr! Heard it was amazing and just recently bought my paperback copy 😁"

Whoop whoop! Hopefully you’ll enjoy it more than I am :(

Catherine wrote: "Awwww, the beginning is so sweet with Aru being a small museum guide! I loooove this idea. :) So far I'm quite intrigued by this forbidden "lamp". I can't wait to see how Chokshi deals with Hindu m..."

I love how Chokshi is really consistent in weaving in the mythology. It’s one of the only aspects of the book I’m enjoying right now

I did not know Rick Riordan was a publisher. And I think it's a bit odd that he got a bio.

This was really close to Riordan's writing style for me. It was as if Percy was a girl. Mind you, I haven't read them in a while.

Zaiyah wrote: "I did not know Rick Riordan was a publisher. And I think it's a bit odd that he got a bio.

This was really close to Riordan's writing style for me. It was as if Percy was a girl. Mind you, I have..."

Yeah I did think it was weird he had a bio too. I think it might be so more people read it since he's a well-known author.

Elizabeth wrote: "Zaiyah wrote: "I did not know Rick Riordan was a publisher. And I think it's a bit odd that he got a bio.

This was really close to Riordan's writing style for me. It was as if Percy was a girl. M..."

Hmm. That checks out.

Zaiyah wrote: "I did not know Rick Riordan was a publisher. And I think it's a bit odd that he got a bio.

This was really close to Riordan's writing style for me. It was as if Percy was a girl. Mind you, I have..."

Personally I feel as though this book is written in a slightly younger way than Percy Jackson. Similar humour, similar structure of chapter titles, etc. But I feel like Aru acts so much like a little kid. I know, it’s middle grade. I read a lot of MG novels but Aru seems way more childish than Percy or any other MG protagonist I have read.

Elizabeth wrote: "Zaiyah wrote: "I did not know Rick Riordan was a publisher. And I think it's a bit odd that he got a bio.

This was really close to Riordan's writing style for me. It was as if Percy was a girl. M..."

It’s actually really smart he’s gone into publishing. Rick Riordan is so famous for Percy Jackson he is literally titled the Myth Master.

You’ll notice that all books published by Rick Riordan Presents are actually also published by Disney or Disney Hyperion (a Disney imprint).
Hence, all Rick Riordan Presents books are actually published by Disney, Riordan just slaps his name on the book and writes a foreword because he’s popular and well known.

You’ll also notice that all Rick Riordan Presents books are all based on mythology because that’s what Rick Riordan is well known for. Either way, it’s good for the authors because Riordan already has a very well established fanbase that would be willing to try any book that he says is good.

It's official! I've dnf'ed this book :( It's a shame but necessary at this stage. Check out my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm hoping next month's Book of the Month is less disappointing...

Omg what?? What happened?

I just found it so boring. It wasn’t enticing. The mc was too childish, I’m saying that and I read a lot of MG so if I think they were childish then they really really were. I couldn’t connect with the mc and that was a huge turn off. It’s hard to read something when you don’t like the character that the narrative is centred around.

The more I forced myself to read it the less I actually read. And whilst I was trying to get through it I wasn’t reading anything else because I usually read one book at a time. So it created a pretty long book slump for me. After almost 20 days I haven’t even got to 50% so this is book is just not for me. I finally decided to give up. I gave this way more time than I normally would have. If I wasn’t enjoying a book then within a day or 2 I would dnf but because this was our first Book of the Month I stuck with it. Didn’t end up liking it after all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Kadi wrote: "I just found it so boring. It wasn’t enticing. The mc was too childish, I’m saying that and I read a lot of MG so if I think they were childish then they really really were. I couldn’t connect with..."

Same. I just got through with the first chapter and I don't like the MC. Even when I was a child I didn't like characters who were this childish (and I especially hate a character who lies to be popular, accepted, etc) But I'm going to try and power through though.!

I haven’t started yet but this makes me sad. I have heard some mixed reviews but Roshani Chokshi really is a good author for me. But I completely understand.

♛Primadonna♛ wrote: "Kadi wrote: "I just found it so boring. It wasn’t enticing. The mc was too childish, I’m saying that and I read a lot of MG so if I think they were childish then they really really were. I couldn’t..."

I’m sad that you’re not enjoying it but I’m really glad that you feel the same as me because everyone’s loved it so much it makes me feel like maybe I read it wrong or something. So it’s nice to see I’m not the only one.

Ilsen wrote: "I haven’t started yet but this makes me sad. I have heard some mixed reviews but Roshani Chokshi really is a good author for me. But I completely understand."

Yeah all the reviews are very mixed. People either love it or don’t think it hits the mark. You never know maybe you’ll be one of the former :)

I hope so. Roshani Chokshi hasn’t failed me before and I don’t want her to start now. But I still respect your opinion.

You’re awesome Ilsen❤️ Let me know what you think of the book when you’ve finished it!

I've finished and here's my review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also just finished this book and reviewed it! Here's my review! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...