A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Title: A Crown of Wishes
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication date: March 28, 2017
Pages: 352
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆1/2

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Roshani Choksi does it again! With her storytelling prose, she takes readers back to the wonderful world of the Night Bazaar while introducing to new lands. Although A Crown of Wishes is about Maya's sister, Gauri, this companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen is equally as beautifully written with its evocative description as the first. Again, Hindi and Indian folklore is woven into A Crown of Wishes, making this novel unique and diverse. Choski's descriptions evoke enchanting and vivid imagery. However, A Crown of Wishes shows more character development and the plot is more complex with new worlds to encounter.

Gauri, the Jewel of Bharata, is a strong warrior woman trying to help out her country during a war even though her brother betrays her. Two royalty rivals intertwine their lives together to win a wish by beating tournament hosted by Kubera, The Lord of Wealth and Treasures. Through a game of wits and riddles, readers are invited to lavish tournament where those who possess the invitational ruby are allowed entries to the tournament, however, the ruby never promises exits.

Vikram, the Fox Prince, is Gauri's Yang to her Yin. The banter between Gauri and Vikram is perfect! Choksi differentiates the worlds of Bharata, Ujijain and Alaka well. New characters, a tournament and new adventure are introduced in this plot driven novel. Seeing the novel unfold with Gauri and Vikram is exhilarating!

A Crown of Wishes is a breathtaking and adventurous novel for all the fantasy fans out there. If you've read The Star-Touched Queen, Caraval and/or The Night Circus, you will love A Crown of Wishes.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Title: The Star-Touched Queen
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication date: April 26, 2016
Pages: 352
Source/format: e-ARC from Publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Cursed with a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, sixteen-year-old Maya has only earned the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her world is upheaved when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. But when her wedding takes a fatal turn, Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Yet neither roles are what she expected. As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds friendship and warmth.

But Akaran has its own secrets - thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Beneath Akaran's magic, Maya begins to suspect her life is in danger. When she ignores Amar's plea for patience, her discoveries put more than new love at risk - it threatens the balance of all realms, human and Otherworldly.

Now, Maya must confront a secret that spans reincarnated lives and fight her way through the dangerous underbelly of the Otherworld if she wants to protect the people she loves.

The Star-Touched Queen is a lush, beautifully written and vividly imagined fantasy inspired by Indian mythology.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Ever since I heard about The Star-Touched Queen, I knew I wanted to read it. With it's gorgeous cover art and intriguing synopsis, it is definitely a must read on my TBR list. My friend Rachel kept telling everyone she knew to read this book! Although she is not a huge fantasy lover, she gave it 5 stars and kept pressing me to read The Star-Touched Queen. And boy, was she not wrong at all. The Star-Touched Queen blew me away! All the stars for The Star-Touched Queen! 

Princess Mayavati lives in Bharata. The people of Bharata do not believe in ghosts but they believe in horoscopes because the kingdom is choreographed based on the horoscopes. People talk about Mayavati and how she brings death and destruction. Everyone seeks out to get rid of her before she plagues the village. Many want her to leave Bharata in one way or another. And Mayavati eventually escapes her horoscope or so she believes. 

Indian folktales and Greek Mythology collide in The Star-Touched Queen, creating a unique story. Roshani Chokshi writes beautifully. Her words are lyrical and poetic; her descriptions are opulent. Chokshi writes with passion. Her prose is intricate and wonderfully well-executed. The imagery is vivid and atmospheric while the plot and characterization work well seamlessly. Although many compare Chokshi's writing to Laini Taylor, I wouldn't know since I haven't read Taylor's full works. 

Mayavati is a strong female. She knows what she wants and is resilient! Amar of Akaran is an interesting character. He is complex and multi-faceted. Chokshi incorporates reincarnation, the realm of the dead and an interesting mix of folklore in novel. I appreciate the chapter titles she has included in the book. Chokshi's description of how the threads of life in the tapestry are interconnected is fascinating. The fact that Dharma Raja needs to decide what is best for the people and for the greater good requires a lot of decision making. And Nritti! Oh my Nritti! 

The Star-Touched Queen is hard to put down and you definitely want to take your time reading it. With it's exquisite descriptions, take your time immersing yourself in this world. Savor it. Chokshi's writing is impeccable and you don't want the story to end. There is no book like The Star-Touched Queen. I would highly recommend this book to my students and to those who love beautifully written novels.