Game of Stars (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #2), written by Sayantani DasGupta, reviewed by Amanda Davies

Summary: Kiranmala has almost recovered from her time in the Kingdom Beyond. Almost. And then the Demon Queen shows up and Kiran is drawn back into the Kingdom Beyond and its dangers. She quickly discovers that a terrifying realilty television game show has the potential to destroy society and she's the only one who can do anything to stop it. She knows she's going to have to battle her father the Serpent King (again) to try to save the Kingdom. But she also needs to figure out who her friends are and how to reconcile this new Kiran with the one who existed before her first visit to the the Kingdom Beyond.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  As with the first book in this series, Serpent's Secret, DasGupta's second installment is action-packed with an inspiring and strong female main character. This series is like a perfect mix of Jennifer Mathieu's Moxie and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson. While not part of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series fits nicely with those books, which intertwine realistic and modern elements with authentically retold mythology from around the world. Students looking for more to read after finishing everything Riordan wrote, those interested in South Asian mythology, or those looking for a great adventure with compelling characters will all love this book and the rest of the series.