This is the first book I have read by Roshani Chokski. It was magical. There are three stories where.each one leads you into a land of love and poetry. I loved all the images that the author described. They were beautiful. Even a lonely King needs a Queen no matter if there is a curse. Love is like that. I loved this book and will look up more of her work. I received this book from Net Galley for a honest review and no other compensation otherwise.

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi was gorgeous. Written in the same lyrical prose as the author's other books, these stories returned to the world of The Star-Touched Queen. There was happiness and new adventures; lost and found love; and bittersweet beginnings and endings. This is probably one of my top favorite collections of stories. In Death and Night, there’s the love story that tells a clearer history between the characters of The Star-Touched Queen. In Poison and Gold, Aasha got her own adventure and it was great. And in the Rose and Sword, the story is a little bittersweet but still as good as the other two in the collection. What worked for me is that this collection visited a lot of familiar character, places, and stories. The overall world building was excellent and rife with vivid detail that made for an immersive read. So, if you’ve read and enjoyed The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes, then Star-Touched Stories need to be on your TBR list....

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press via netgalley for this review, thank you!

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi is a companion book to The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes universe. It comprises of three short stories: Death and Night, Poison and Gold, and Rose and Sword. Each of those stories has its unique form of prose, given the completely different characters they deal with – in turn, they take us on a completely thrilling but different roller coaster ride.

If you are already a fan of Chokshi’s work, then there is no doubt that you will love Star-Touched Stories as much as you have loved the preceding novels. They each have a taste of romance, suspense, plot, and character building that will not only have you holding your breath but also positively drowning in the rich tapestry – no pun intended – that Chokshi has woven for this universe.

Death and Night:

There is no other way to describe this first story other than breathtaking. The tale of the Dharma Raja and Night is one we fell deeply in love with when we first started this series, so to read about them again is like coming home. As far as suspense goes, there is perhaps not much – in many ways, we already know exactly how their story pans out. But that doesn’t take away from the way in which Chokshi spins their story to still keep us extremely curious, and successfully being surprised with some of the characters’ actions.

One of the strongest tools in Chokshi’s writing arsenal has been her refreshing use of purple prose – while some don’t find it suitable to their palette, I’m a firm believer of using purple prose to its full extent in a fantasy setting. This is especially true for mythical retellings – as opposed to epic fantasies with complex world buildings. Chokshi does a superb job of using this narrative tool to give us a beautiful story of love and inevitability, which is both true to and entirely different from The Star-Touched Queen.

Poison and Gold:

This was easily the story I was looking most forward to, and it did not disappoint in the least. Aasha quickly became a well-loved character – not just in the series, but for YA literature, in general – and her story was one I was desperate to get my hands on. I didn’t know if there was romance to be expected, since Aasha is still so new to our world. I wanted her to first find herself, figure out who she is, and find her place in the world before she found another person. That being said, a part of me was also hoping for her to find a romance, something different from the superficial desires that she had grown used to.

Of course, Chokshi gifted me with both. Aasha’s perspective offers a lot of opportunity for creative writing, and I’m glad that it was used to its full potential. Her perceptive nature makes her a good eye to look at characters from, just as her curious eyes allow for an author to easily construct some very beautiful story-settings. Moreover, the kind of journey she’s pushed on gives us equal parts adventure and self-reflection. This is the perfect kind of story for someone like Aasha, who is both very old and very young in this world.

I’d also like to add how happy it makes me that her romance is a sapphic one, and one that actually had me sitting on the edge of my seat looking for an outcome. I suspected that whenever she would get a romance storyline, it would be sapphic, but to see it on paper just had my heart bursting with joy.

Rose and Sword:

This story struck such a deep chord inside me. I was completely blindsided by it because it was not narrated in the manner in which I expected it to be – but it still was an experience I don’t regret. Vikram and Gauri are some of my favourite MCs and I was awfully bittersweet about ending this series with them.

Their short story is one that is equal parts joy and grief, and it left me feeling so emotional when I finally closed it. I think this one is the one with most potential for spoilers, and since we’re keeping this spoiler-free, I’ll stop talking about it here. All I have to say for this is that it did a great job of showcasing what this entire universe means to me.

At the end of the day, these are myths I have grown up hearing from my own grandmothers, every night for as many nights as my childhood stretched. That is one of the many reasons why this series means so much to me. Chokshi’s decision to end it in a similar storytelling format, especially with my favourite characters, had me choking up. This final story is everything this universe means to me – thrilling, yet comforting; loving, yet lonely; welcoming, yet painful. Absolutely perfect.

Thank you Roshani Chokshi, not only for giving us this delightful set of stories but also for creating this universe that we so easily fell head over hells for. It will always hold a special place in my heart. I cannot wait to get my hands on the end product!

Star-Touched Stories takes us back to the world of the Night Bazaar and the heavenly courts, introducing us to new characters and revisiting old friends as we once more enter the enchanted realms of the Star-Touched series.

Death and Night
Grade: A                    Sensuality: N/A

In Death and Night, the veil is pulled back from the realm of gods and we witness a rare, mythical mating. When the Dharma Raja (Lord of Death)  goes to take the soul of an elderly man, the man’s wife asks for only one thing: that the man’s soul might wait for her, that they be reborn together. The Dharma Raja contemplates this on his return to Naraka and realizes something: he’s lonely and wishes for the sort of relationship that couple had. But who will marry Death?

Night is a woman of the Otherworld. At the end of each day, she brings darkness and rest to a weary world. Her beauty reflects that; she glitters like stars across the dark skies and the dreams and bedtime stories of the mortal and immortal realms scroll across her skin. When the Dharma Raja steps into her ashram and proposes, she is taken aback. His is a completely practical offer and he takes pains to tell her that there will be no love. She refuses, of course, for who would accept a proposal that doesn’t even hint of affection? But she doesn’t send him away without some hope. And ‘some hope’ is all a god needs to pursue his dreams.

I loved both characters from the moment they were introduced and when they met and interacted, a smile planted itself on my face and didn’t leave till the end of the story. The tale is witty, and charming, and magical and romantic. I absolutely loved it.

Poison and Gold
Grade: B-                    Sensuality: Kisses

Set in the world of A Crown of Wishes

Poison and Gold is a companion novella to A Crown of Wishes, starring one of the secondary characters from that tale. Aasha is a vishakanya who just wants to experience a mortal life. To that end, she has joined the court of her friends Queen Gauri and King Vikram, working as an advisor. What most don’t realize is that this ‘advisor’ can read the desires of a human heart and can kill with a touch. Since her powers aren’t advertised, however, many on the royal council consider her presence at meetings unnecessary and Gauri and Vikram are being urged to let her go. Their solution to the problem is to train Aasha as a Spy Mistress thus giving her a formal title so that the court can feel comfortable about her presence. So off she goes to learn the art of intelligence gathering.

Aasha had initially been unsure as to whether or not she wanted the official designation of spy, but she quickly warms up to the idea, realizing that it’s a job that suits her personality perfectly. She also warms up to Zahril, the enigmatic woman training her.  When asked for a truth she would not want another to know, she confesses her desire to kiss Zahril. She is surprised that when next she sees the powerful, mysterious lady, she grants Aasha’s wish.

In this tale, love comes slowly and softly. The characters are cautious, careful and cunning and so their romance is one that is sedate, subtle, and sweet. It’s about being vulnerable before a lover and about overcoming deeply held prejudices. I was intrigued by the concept of the tale, but the short length of the story kept the author from fully exploring her characters or their romance.

Rose and Sword
Grade: A-                 Sensuality: Kisses

Sequel to A Crown of Wishes

In Rose and Sword, the heroine of A Crown of Wishes has one more adventure before entering marital bliss. It is the evening before her wedding and Gauri is working off her pre-ceremony jitters by running through her sword drills. When Vikram joins her for a few stolen kisses and a bit of verbal sparring, she makes a startling discovery - he’s sick and feverish. By the end of the night the doctors aren’t sure he will live to see the morning.

Calling upon her Otherworld councilor Aasha, Gauri learns that she can make a bargain with the yamaduta (messengers of death). When the yamaduta comes for Vikram’s soul, Gauri demands a deal and is given one: If she can steal back Vikram’s last breath from the final gate before Death and bring it back to him, he will live. The trick? She will see the sorrow awaiting her in the future if she makes that choice and will have to bring back the breath knowing the pain Vikram will cause her in coming years.

Vikram makes this story shine. Every moment with him is pure, joyous pleasure and his wit and charm make him a delight to spend time with. While Gauri is a far less likable character, she has the grit and determination to make this supernatural adventure believable. The supporting cast is well drawn, and the plot is riveting. Rose and Sword is a perfect sequel to A Crown of Wishes.

I would strongly recommend Star-Touched Stories to fans of the Star-Touched series. This charming compilation of tales from that universe allows us to spend more time with beloved characters and introduces us to some very delightful new folks as well.   I would, however, advise those who haven’t had the pleasure of reading the previous books to begin with The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes since those books introduce us to this universe and the characters in it.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

These were fantastic stories. I love Roshani Chokshi's lyrical and dreamy writing. The pacing was a little slow but not enough to make the book drag. It just felt like a languid stroll through magical stories that deserved to take their time. The last story was heart wrenching. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to get myself a physical copy to reread!

Roshani Chokshi is a magical storyteller, and that continues to be evident in every story she writes. This series of stories are novellas that tell you of mini adventures that people have in the world she has created for her characters, and while you may not enjoy all of them, you should still be dazzled by the level of artistry in her writing. I certainly am.

I will be focusing on just one of the three stories, which impressed me the most - Death and Night. This combined a lot of great elements that I enjoy seeing in romance books, including tests of love, outcast characters, and mythology. In this novella, the two main characters are beings of the Otherworld, one of whom rules over death and the other heralds night. One day Death realizes that he is lonely and needs a queen, and he decides upon a being who lives largely in the human world and is reviled by many in the Otherworld. But there is one problem - he refuses to love his queen and Night won't accept anything less than love in her marriage. Thus ensues a test of sorts, and as Death fulfills each request, he discovers that love will not be silenced, no matter how much you try to ignore it.

The beauty of this story was really in the description of the world and its beings, as each character is colorful and reflective of a world that only appears in our dreams. I enjoyed reading about how the human world interacted with the Otherworld as well, especially where Night was concerned. She creates dreams for people, which sometimes become nightmares, and her existence is solitary by nature. Her few friends love her, but they can do little about the superstition surrounding her. Death was a refreshing change for Night, who expected him to feel disgust for her and instead he was intrigued by her. When she put to him the three requests and he slowly fulfilled each one, I could practically see Night's smiling face in front of me. For each gift was a show of love, even if Death didn't realize it.

I can't wait to continue reading Roshani's stories in the series! They are a joy to read for all ages, and I highly recommend each one.

Star-Touched Stories is three magical stories set in the world of The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes. You don't need to have read either book to enjoy this one, but it would help in order to understand some of the characters. Roshani Chokshi's writing is pure magic. I don't think I've ever read any books quite as magical as hers (and I read a lot of fantasy).

All three stories are special in their own way, but my favourite was the first one: Death and Night. The Lord of Death and the Goddess of Night meet by chance and, contrary to their natures, fall in love. As their romance blossoms, both begin to question if they could be made for more than they've believed. Death and Night are both completely brilliant characters, and the setting of this story is just the best (especially the Night Bazaar). I loved the romance between these two, and all of the supporting characters were great as well.

Poison and Gold was my least favourite of the three (although, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it). In this one, Aasha is sent to train to become the kingdom's new Spy Mistress. However, she has lost control over her power to kill and can't understand why. That particular aspect of the story really got on my nerves, because it was SO OBVIOUS why she'd lost her control. She's not a stupid character, so why dumb her down so much in this story? I also didn't really like the romance between Aasha and the Spy Mistress (whose name I can't even remember). It just came across as too forced and unnecessary.

Rose and Sword was a nice addition to the book. Vikram falls ill and is on the brink of death, so Guari travels to the land of the dead to retrieve his last breath and save his life. I was so happy to read more about Guari and Vikram (mainly Guari) that almost anything could have happened in this story and I would have enjoyed it. Just to make things even better, Kamala - the lovable demon horse - is back and as brilliant as ever. It was a lovely ending to Guari and Vikram's story.

Roshani Chokshi does it again. She is incredible and all her books stun. I am so excited to see what comes next from this powerhouse author. The way she forms words together into sentences is just impeccable, and that combined with her plots and characters make for fantastically well crafted stories.

The stories touched my heart. I absolutely loved all of these. All three.

I am ashamed to say that I hadn't read the book that comes prior to this one. So there were some references I didn't understand but overall, the stories gripped me and would not let go. The author was so descriptive I felt like I was in the Night Bazaar and in the tower of the Spy Mistress. Roshani Chokshi definitely has a way with words. I could practically see the glass garden. I was, in other words, in love.

The representation was astonishing too. Now, mind you, the stories aren't very long. They are in every sense of the moniker: short stories. But the LGBT representation was fulfilled from the first story and then the second story was all about the L.... *wink wink*. The first story was about Death, her version of Hades, and Night, which was kind of like her version of Persephone. Except in this version, no one was manhandled nor were they kidnapped nor was their mother tricked. Nothing "bad" happened. Death was simply courting a woman and the story speaks of their dates and the curse upon him, because there always has to be a misunderstood curse, and the way in which Night circumvents his stubbornness. Night has friends that serve as foils and mirrors against this backdrop of not-so-easy love and it is the cutest thing I have ever seen. It wasn't insta-love either. Obviously there was attraction there. But Death didn't get down on bended knee to propose to her because she was the love of his immortal life. And neither did Night accept a proposal because Death was lauding poetic about her. They both worked at it and it was the sweetest sight to see. Night conferring with her friends and deciding what to do was just like my friends and I, it was scary.

Mentioned throughout the book, "men and women looking at her hungrily...". It drove the LGBT representation like nothing I had ever seen. The second story was all about LGBT. But not in a way that the story *only* about that. It was in the story. It wasn't the story. The main character in this one had a slightly harsher challenge to overcome: the death of a former lover by the main character's own kind. Mind you, it wasn't her. And she hadn't even been alive but the love interest in this story had becomed consumed with hate for the main character's kind. So much so that the main character hid it for as long as possible. Only, finally, bringing it out to save her true love's life. (Being so super vague because this character played a major role in the first book...) But instead of never speaking to her again, the true love got over it. And not too quickly either. Honestly, this story may be my favorite out of the three.

The third story made me cry. It involved life, death, and family. I can't even review all that much because I'm afraid I'll spoil it. There was so much to love about this story. Told as a spoken story to the main character's granddaughter, this story encompassed the fear of the unknown while also acknowledging that that fear, the adventure of it all, is what makes life worth living. The visions shown in this story touched my heartstrings because of the way they spoke of the fact that while couples and love and everything may have its fights and may have its downs, there is always something to look forward to. Things will always get better. In one way or another.

The ending killed me. I'm still tearing up over it.

All in all, an amazing book and one that I recommend to absolutely everyone.

Roshani can do no wrong!

Her writing is exceptional. Always. And though these stories are sweet and flowery, they 100% worked for me. Which is rare.

It definitely helps to have read the other two stories from this world. Not 100% necessary, but I think it'd be weird not to.

All three are great, but oddly enough, Death and Night is my fave. You may wonder why that's so weird, but it's because TSTQ was enjoyable but not as lovable as ACOW...but man. I loved, loved the history of Maya and Amar.

I would read all the tales sent in this world!

Star-Touched Stories is insanely lyrical and immensely beautiful. Chokshi writes with an enchanting rhythm and voice, which really makes you want to read the stories out loud. 100% performance pieces. As it is, I want to read them over and over again, but I can't because my TBR is too long. But since this is book #2.5 it means I need to go and find books #1 and #2 (The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes).

My favourite of the three stories was Death andNight which tells of the courtship between the Dharma Raja, Lord of Death, who was cursed never to love and Night, who refuses to marry without love.

Poison and Gold was also enchanting--though it may set off some reader's squick metres as it touches on a f/f relationship. There's background to this which is possibly from A Crown of Wishes, but it's still easy enough to follow.

The last story, Rose and Sword , jumps between the present and the past. Gauri tells her granddaughter about her past, but it's shrouded in myth. There are allusions to both The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes I figure, which made me think I probably don't appreciate this one as much as the other two due to lack of knowledge.

But I'd say read it for Death andNight . If that's all you have time for.

Review scheduled for https://blog.annatsp.com/2018/07/bookreview-star-touched-stories-roshani.html on 7/18

Roshani Chokshi dazzles once again with her elegant prose and tale-spinning prowess. In this exciting collection of stories set within the elegant world crafted in The Star-Touched Queen series we receive more thrill, more danger, more romance, and more fantasy-filled delight. Written with a voice that will easily ensnare the senses, each tale is but a taste of this stunning world that will have you yearning for more. Short though a novella may be, these stories will satisfy any fantasy-lover’s needs.
-pooled ink

If you enjoyed the Star Touched Queen and/or A Crown of Wishes, then you will LOVE these short stories. Chokshi's lyrical writing comes through once again, transporting the reader to these magical worlds. These three short stories are not short by any means and are fabulous additions to the world the author created. The compilation is marked as 2.5 but the stories are more like 0.5, 2.5 and a mini 3.

Do I Recommend this book? I recommend the whole series!

Notes and Opinions: I remember buy the first book, without even reading what it was about, just because it came out on my birthday. And honestly, I'm glad I did. I love this series so much. Now to start gushing about this book. What I liked most about it was the fact that it gave you a more in depth look into the world (not that the other books lacked detail or anything). You'll fall more in love with characters and get heartbroken by others. Goodness, Roshani is such a wonderful storyteller and her world is just so beautiful. Everyone needs their life to be blessed by her series!!

I’m going to read everything Roshani writes, but I’m 10000% on board for anything set in the Star Touched Queen world.

These three stories are fantastic. I loved seeing the glimpses or characters and I thought the ending of Rose and Sword would kill me. It was absolute perfection and my cold, black heart warmed a bit, but it was also a bit heartbreaking.

Overall, this was an atmospheric and lovely slice of time in a series I absolutely love. I need to reread those books again ASAP.

**Huge thanks to St. Martins Press for providing the arc free of charge**

Loved it!
Death and Night was my personal favourite, but definitely a great read.
Thanks to St Martins Press for the arc of this book!

I'm not going to rate this for three reasons.

1) I only read the first story and a bit of the second. That was enough for me to feel like this book wasn't for me.

2) There's really nothing wrong with Star-Touched Stories if you are looking for exactly what this is: flowery, swoony romance. I wanted to try this book after loving the author's short story in A Thousand Beginnings and Endings - some authors' writing works way better in short stories, IMO. But it unfortunately just wasn't for me. It's full of glittery metaphors and romantic meetings that begin with something that's very close to instalove.

"And in that moment, his smile banished my loneliness. He moved toward me, grasping my hand, his touch hummed in my bones like an aria. A song to my dance. The beginning of a promise. "

I should point out that this first encounter doesn't lead to an instant relationship, but it is obvious the way it's going to go.

And 3) I was lucky enough to meet Roshani Chokski last year and she is a warm glow of loveliness in a human being. You know those rare people who are so nice and genuine that they make the whole room feel instantly comfortable and happy? That's Roshani. So giving this lady a low rating would make me feel like a monster, but rating it higher would feel dishonest. I would never claim to be unbiased and objective - I'm only human - but I feel like my bias here would really affect my honesty. So... no rating.

But if you love romance between beautiful supernatural beings and writing that is flowery and poetic, this collection of three stories is exactly what you need. I'll have to stick with The Cruel Prince series to get my fix of characters who try to best each other while pretending the love/hate sexual tension doesn't exist. Yeah, I have those kind of issues.

Roshani does it again. Her stories are so singular, unlike anything you've read, yet also familiar like an old teddy bear. Her twists and turns are so well thought out and not much, if anything, is predictable. Her writing style has also improved and is used perfectly in her story telling

I was so happy to get a chance to read this as I’ve loved the author’s previous books! And I’m glad to say that these short stories didn’t disappoint!

The collection is comprised of three short stories, focusing on the relationships of Night and Death, Aasha and Zahril, as well as Gauri and Vikram. These stories were pretty engaging in getting into the heads of the protagonist, describing the plight in such exquisite detail! And the romance! Oh, my! The romance between these characters was just amazing! It reminded me of old relationships within the previous books as well while also giving me a burgeoning new relationship that make my heart flutter!

Also, I’ve got to say that I’m a big fan of Roshani Chokshi’s writing style. It’s beautifully descriptive, with imagery that gets you right inside the stories. Even when nothing’s going on at that specific moment, I couldn’t help but enjoy the story because of the writing.

Overall, I really liked reading these short stories, with the only thing I can comment on is the fact that they’re way too short for my liking! But such is the way of a lot of the stories I’ve been reading and loving lately. I just hope to see more stories from this series! If anyone is a fan of this author’s work or would like a taste of her writing, I would definitely recommend reading Star-Touched Stories.

Scheduled to post 7/31/18.

A small part of me wants to say that, at times, Chokshi's writing is just so incredibly overwritten and overly florid to the point of bogginess. But the rest of me thinks her writing is incredibly lyrical and the stories she's telling transcend the words. She's weaving fairy tales and dreams into reality. Had the stories been less than what they are, had they not impacted me so, the flowery writing would bother me more. But as it stands it really doesn't, because what Chokshi is saying is above all of that and I don't think the stories she's telling would be able to be told with anything less than what's on the page.

If that makes any sense at all.

My favorite of the three stories here was 'Rose and Sword.' I finished reading this while by myself at lunch in Santa Cruz and I really had to reign myself in so I wouldn't ugly cry into my crab cakes. I would say eating by yourself is sad enough without book tears, but screw that. There's nothing wrong with eating by yourself, especially when you're reading a book because you're not alone. But whatever. 

All three stories had their gloriousness, with Chokshi's signature writing style and ability to spin stories like gold from nothing. But 'Rose and Sword' hit me particularly hard not just for the love story it told, but for Gauri's story, and her awakening about herself that it tells that hits a little close to home for me.

An excellent addition to the Star-Touched Queen world, these three stories can be read as stand-alone and will give you incredible insight into Chokshi's world that she's created already with THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN and A CROWN OF WISHES. But it'll just pad the already rich world you know if you have read the other two books and give you even more insight into a world rich and deep.

4.5