Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1: The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani Dasgupta

My name is Kiran, and I was rescued by two princes after a rakkhosh destroyed my home. My parents always called me a princess, but Lal and Neel have taken me to a kingdom in another dimension. I'm slowly realizing my life in New Jersey wasn't real, as my twelfth birthday broke a protective spell. I've learned that my mother is actually a moon maiden and my father is the Serpent King. He wants to change me into a snake like my seven older brothers, but Lal and Neel are tasked with my protection. Neel has a right to be angry with me, but I’m getting tired of being reminded about it. Lal’s kinda dead now because of things I mistakenly said, so Neel and I must venture into the Serpent Kingdom, where my father will probably want to kill me.

The rakkhosh is a Hindu demon, and the kingdom in this book definitely has an old Indian feel to it. The princes wore turbans with shoes that curl up at the toes, and there were many references to Indian folklore. Kiran seemed to be an ordinary girl, although she sensed her own uniqueness. The true impact of her parentage wasn’t revealed until the climax. A highlight to the story was her relationship with Neel. While her first attraction was to the kind and handsome Lal, she developed a shakier realationship with Neel. She found him arrogant and annoying but slowly came to a mutual understanding. Neel was angered by his father but fully understood why Lal was the crown prince, even though it left Neel feeling invisible in his father’s eyes. The book included some humor, as one character liked to share silly bird riddles throughout the whole plot. It also shared several life lessons including the message to not judge people based on social status. Overall, this was an entertaining book to read, and I think you should give it a shot.