A fantastic book that is an incredible edition to the Star-Touched Queen. Beautiful writing with engaging characters and a fascinating world that I want to continue to read more in.

i loved this beautiful sequel to THE STAR TOUCHED QUEEN. it' was haunting at points, and completely immersive.

2.5 stars.

Well, looks like I'm one of the few dissenting opinions on this one, but this just didn't work for me. I slogged through it. I think my biggest issue was the writing. It was was sumptuous, lush and full, but it was also overwrought with description and created tension and drama while at the same time somehow lacking real tension or the idea that high stakes were involved with these characters. (view spoiler) Purple prose indeed. Cut the fluff and it would have been happily over within 50 pages. It was delicately spun lines of text lacking substance (view spoiler)

Because of the lavish writing, I never connected with the characters. Sure, Vikram and Gauri have a lot of ambition, sure Guari is fierce with her armor (news flash: it's make-up) and Vikram is super clever and smart (but apparently life-adverse from all the dumb things he says/gets into), but I got mixed signals throughout and no real understanding of why they wanted what they wanted (oh sure, they said it over and over and over, but it never really felt real).

Plus, body parts did things that body parts are not supposed to do. Cheeks became scimitars. And the eyes. Oh my. The eyes were never normal eyes. They softened. They darkened. They have their own gravity wells. They. . . well, here's an example:

"Twice, he had pulled her so close that her gaze threatened to eclipse his thoughts. When she danced, her eyes softened. No longer harsh and winter black, but cast and . . . not breathtaking, but breath-guzzling. Breath-devouring. This close, her eyes shone like fragments of night sky. If he looked closer, he wondered whether he'd see stars burst into life behind her lashes." And on.

Yup folks, Gauri's eyes are simultaneously a nebula and a black hole. Potential suitors beware.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Much, much better than the first book in my opinion. The writing is much more beautiful and soft, the plot didn't get boring or predictable and the ending was absolutely spectacular. 5 out of 5 stars, for sure!

Being a huge fan of A star Touched Queen, I simply could not wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. Often times sequels do not live up to their predecessor, but that’s not even remotely the case with this book. A Crown of Wishes was mesmerizing. Beautiful, fluid writing, amazing characters and intense world-building brought this story to life, and now I truly cannot say which book is my favorite.
Gauri and Vikram are stunning characters. They are young and bold, Gauri a warrior and Vikram a prince, both having experienced betrayal, death and loss. With that being said, there is still an innocence to them that I truly adore.
There is no trust between the two characters - Gauri has been held captive by her brother and Vikram has been played by his father, trust is not something either hand over willingly. But, together they enter a contest for one wish. Having never heard of the tournament of wishes, they enter the contest blindly, and quickly learn that they can’t compete alone. Not only are they entered into a contest of unknowns, they are also paired with a known enemy.
I cannot end this review without focusing a little bit more on the writing. It is exquisite! Roshani Chokshi’s use of rich descriptions and perfect word choice casts a magic spell on the reader. Her writing is vibrant and fluid and walks you through a magical realm made up of fantasy and lore. It grips you by the hand as it slowly reveals the depth of the characters, the stunning world and the stories of the people who dare to enter it.
It has to be very obvious that I loved this book!
5/5 stars

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley for a fair review.

When I requested it, I did not realize that it was the second book in the series, so if I had read the other first (which I will go back and read it) my opinion might differ. Reading the other book, A Star-Touched Queen, would have given me a better beginning perspective. As it was, the book moved a quick pace and was very inthralling. I found the characters both mysterious at times and like-able.

After adoring The Star Touched Queen I was sure I was going to equally love A Crown of Wishes, and when my "wish for it" was granted on Netgalley I was squealing and more than ready to dive into it straight away!

I knew I was going to love it, but I didn't expect it to love it even more than I did TSTQ! Right after finishing ACOW, I was ready to re-read it right away, and that's always the mark of an amazing book for me, because I don't want it to end and I don't want to leave its world!

A Crown of Wishes is a companion/sort of sequel to TSTQ and it shares the same amazing brilliant and lyrical writing, the same immersing descriptions and narrative and the same magical and threatening vibe throughout! It's a wondrous world you'd want to visit but once there you might not be entirely sure if it was such a good idea after all!

Roshani Chokshi always manages to ensorcell me with her words, makes me crave desi food like there's no tomorrow and makes me want to read more Indian/Hindu mythology books! I feel like rushing through the book to find out what comes next but slowing down at the same time to savour every word and description!

I was very happy when I heard that ACOW would be about Gauri because I adored her as Maya's spirited little sister in TSTQ and I simply loved who she had become in this book, strong and full of thorns and I loved her path to realize who she could be and how to became the person she really wanted to be. And I simply adored her interactions with Vikram, the Fox Prince, charming, cunning and entirely too irresistible if irritating at times!

They are to be allies to win the Tournament of Wishes and they don't entirely trust each other too much, although most of the resistance comes from Gauri. They do make quite a fantastic team and their banter is simply perfect! I love how they goad each other, how Vikram challenges Gauri and tries to get to know the fascinating and utterly dangerous girl better without getting himself killed in the process. Just thinking about these two I'm itching for a re-read already!

I just loved the beauty and danger of the tournament and their unexpected allies and enemies and how the different tasks of the Tournament challenge them to work together and to discover things about themselves and about each other.

Brilliantly written, full of magic, wonder and dread! Highly recommended!

Roshani Chokshi hits it out of the park once again in this companion to STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN. The lush, beautiful language and the stunning portrayal of diversity and Indian mythology took my breath away. I will continue to follow Chokshi throughout her career.

When Gauri, the princess of Bharata, meets Prince Vikram while being held captive by his people in Ujijain, her life takes a magical turn. Invited by the Lord of Wealth to participate in his Tournament of Wishes, the two flee Ujijain and make their way into a land of magic to compete for the opportunity to win a wish.

I believe this book is based around Indian mythology, which was a fresh and interesting genre for me. I love the world the book is set in, with unusual magical beings and fantastic world-building. The game-style story was very reminiscent of books like Caraval, so it was really nice to see this one done in an entirely different setting – it made the story a bit different from others like it.

I liked the characters – Vikram and Gauri are both sweet and relatable – and I loved Roshani’s writing style. For a while, I felt Aasha’s storyline was a bit irrelevant, but she did start to fit into the book better towards the end. For me, the book could have been longer: the story felt a little rushed. Gauri and Vikram had barely arrived in Alaka before they’d completed their tasks and the tournament was over. It could have contained a lot more detail and slower pacing without becoming too long or too descriptive.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was expecting. It’s creative, well written, and the romance between Gauri and Vikram is lovely (not too angsty or forced like so many YA romances are). I would definitely read more from Roshani Chokshi.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a companion novel to Chokshi’s Star-Touched Queen. Princess Gauri has lost her crown to her ambitious brother. He has gone so far as to tell the neighboring kingdom, now holding her prisoner, that they should kill his sister. Vikram is the Prince of that kingdom and he admires Gauri’s strength and determination. Instead of murdering her, he invites her to be his partner in the Tournament of Wishes. Gauri does not like him and it is with reluctance that she pairs with him for the contest. Vikram and Gauri throw verbal barbs at each other, making their tenuous relationship very entertaining. Vikram is particularly witty and likable while Gauri is more surly. The magical tournament is filled with Indian mythological creatures and legends. Somewhat like Caraval, the rules are mysterious and contestants must figure out what they are looking for and how to accomplish each phase of the contest. The mystical elements are exotic and fascinating, adding to the book’s allure. While the book isn’t as intriguing as Caraval, it has great merit. 3.5*

I had no idea going in that this book did not follow the main characters from the first book and that had me a little disappointed; although the idea of having a competition to gain a wish intrigued me.

While this book had so many amazing aspects I could not shake the disconnect I had with the writing style. The mystical type of writing is not my favorite it lets the reader interpret the meaning and themes of the books a bit too much and for some, that is great, it just isn't for me.

The characters and world building, however, a amazing! The Indian mythology is so interesting to read about even though it is hard to pick out and relate to since I did not grow up learning about it. I loved the romance between Vikram and Gauri they are a powerful and magical match and I love them!

DNF at 35%.

I really enjoyed "The Star-Touched Queen" but this one just isn't grabbing me. The characters of Gauri and Vikram aren't gelling, and I'm uninterested in their obviously-impending romance.

It isn't the author's fault, but the plot is extremely similar to Stephanie Garber's 'Caraval,' which I read recently and wasn't enthralled by: two attractive young people must gain entry to a magical 'game' in order to win a wish; the girl's main goal being to save another young woman, although she might be distracted by the attractiveness of the young man...

Maybe it's my mood, but I have lots more to read!

I can never say enough times how much I love this author. She spins such tales so effortlessly I am amazed every time I turn the page. The stories she writes and the characters she gives life to are so unlike anything I've read before and every time it leaves me wanting more. I am stupefied and left speechless time and time again.

“He’d built his life on wanting the impossible – true power, recognition, a future – and now magic had found him when he’d stopped looking.”

I bought myself a copy of Roshani Chokshi’s The Star Touched Queen last year, and immediately dove in. While the book started off absolutely brilliantly, in the middle, the writing and the magic fused to become a very vague thing which had me not loving it as much as I hoped I would.

I wasn’t sure if I would read A Crown of Wishes but Roshani with her One Line Wednesdays, all the bloggers saying it was amazing and also, THE COVER THAT IS TOO GORGEOUS FOR WORDS convinced me to put it on my Wish list, and then the LOVELY folks at Macmillan sent me a review copy! *sends happy hugs*

Truth be told, I’M SO SO SAD that this book is over because I LOVED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF IT, and now I’m going to miss Gauri and Vikram SO much.

This book was BRILLIANT. I loved everything in it and everything it offered me. Let me break it down for you:

1. ROSHANI’S WRITING: If NOTHING else will make you believe in Magic, Roshani Chokshi’s writing style will. The way she crafts her words together, her descriptions about things both ordinary and extraordinary and just her general ability to bring everything alive on a page is unparalleled. I had at least four moments where I just sat back after a particularly well done scene and just MARVELLED AT THIS LADY’S SHEER TALENT.

2. GAURI AND VIKRAM: I loved these two characters together, but even more than that, I LOVED THEM INDIVUDIALLY TOO. The fact that this story was told from both their points of view, and showed us how they thought, their dreams, hopes and desires separately and then slowly, how they wanted the other was EVERYTHING I was looking for.

I loved that there was no real distinction between general male and female roles. At no point was Gauri the weaker one or vice versa, and that the two of them needed each other equally. Their power, their wit and their courage was equally matched, which is just what all fantasies, contemporaries and real relationships need to be.

3. THE BANTER: Honestly, BEST. BANTER. EVER. I LOVED it. They were these two firecrackers being set off by and it was hilarious and filled with chemistry and made their relationship so much better. My heart exploded into feels in the last chapter of the book in the Ujjain gardens because AWWWWW. Seriously, best relationship development I’ve seen in a while.

4. THE PLOT: The plot is only second-best to the magical writing and perfect characters in this book, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t GREAT anyway. I can’t describe it without spoiling the magical journey that Roshani’s journey will take you on, but suffice it to say that IT IS A VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED BOOK.

Undeniably magical and witty, A Crown of Wishes is a book shaped masterpiece.

So good. I don't know what else I can say about it. This series is just so good.

A well-written and enjoyable book, I am glad I requested this title and will be more than happy to pass the title along to my fellow library purchasers.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the advanced reading copy of A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi. I can't wait to start this book.

As this is the second book to a series I don't want to give to much detail, as not to spoil anyone. I will say I love the magical world that Chokshi creates. Her ability for storytelling is a true gift and her gift has definitely grown in this last novel. Roshani Chokshi is now 100% on my auto buy author list.

So great. I love the settings, the characters, and the way that I could never tell what was going to happen. I like that the two are unlikely allies at the beginning, and the idea that the prince is adopted.

A Crown of Wishes was everything I hoped it would be. Roshani Chokshi once again is able to transport me to the lovely landscape of her tale with her lush writing and vivid descriptions. I became an instant fan of Roshani after reading and falling in love with The Star-Touched Queen. My hope for A Crown of Wishes is that the same beautiful and imaginative storytelling would also be found within it. Luckily, it did not disappoint and provided even more whimsical wonders to dream about.

Following the journey of Princess Gauri of Bharata (Maya’s younger sister) we are transported through various magical locations, including the return of the Night Bazaar (one of my favorite places from TSTQ). Gauri has become a fearless, strong and fierce young woman. Captured and now a prisoner of war, Gauri joins forces with Vikram in order to secure her freedom. Together they enter the Tournament of Wishes, a game filled with riddles and potential dangers. Winning the game, will grant them one powerful wish, but first they must survive until the very end.

Gauri and Vikram’s pairing is one of my favorite things about the story. Their chemistry, and love/hate banter is perfectly executed and often made me laugh. They make a great team, and are completely swoon-worthy. The world building is impeccably done, filled with strange and lovely creatures and enchanting locations that take your breath away. Of course, there is the writing itself, lyrical and poetic and full of gorgeous quotes throughout the story.

A Crown of Wishes is stunning and full of wonders at every turn. It is the perfect book for a fantasy reader, and is sure to be a favorite for fans of The Star-Touched Queen.

I didn't go into ACOW with high expectations after only moderately enjoying The Star-Touched Queen, but Chokshi blew me away with this one. The world-building, the characters, the writing, it was all FANTASTIC. I adored Guari and Vikram, the way their relationship progressed felt natural to them and the story. The tension and banter between them was AH-MAZING. Then the tournament was so intriguing, everything kept me on my toes and guessing what would happen next. And the descriptions of it all was beautiful and enchanting. ACOW has showed me the talent of Roshani Chokshi and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next!