I highly recommend A Crown of Wishes for fantasy lovers and stories with surprising twists. The author's writing is lyrical g. She created such a lush and magical world with vivid scenery.

The romance in this is slow burn and so addictive. Gauri and Vikram have a palpable chemistry right away and their banter had me flying through the pages. Gabri was a wonderful and feisty princess and Vikram was a characters with such a sweet soul. With not a single dull moment, the beautiful writing and sparkling humor in A Crown of Wishes left me breathless!

After having mixed feelings for the previous book in the series I was cautious about reading this book. And honestly, it felt like more of the same. While I really enjoy the author's vision and the tone her story invokes, something in the flowery writing leaves me alienated and slightly irritated. The best thing about this book was definitely the characters and relationships. I enjoyed the plot and the story overall, I just wish I didn't have to see it through the lens of such poetic prose.

A beastly princess and a fox-like prince, their kingdoms on the edge of war, become the most unexpected of teams when offered the opportunity to compete in the Tournament of Wishes. Together they enter the Otherworld to compete against humans and immortals, for the opportunity to win one wish. If they win, they each win a wish, but only one will return home, while the other is bound to the Otherworld for the remainder of their life.

If I’m being completely honest, I think I would have liked this better if I hadn’t read The Star-Touched Queen first, and so recently. Because it was freakin’ amazing. Like, definitely the best YA I’ve read this year. Maybe the best YA I’ve read ever. EVER. And when the first thing you’ve written is one of the best things in the whole entire world, how do you best that? Sometimes, you don’t. Sometimes, your second shot is second best. But that’s still pretty damn great.

The thing I loved about The Star-Touched Queen was the sense of magic and whimsy, the gorgeous purple prose. The words were magic and so was the story. A Crown of Wishes simply didn’t have that same Alice in Wonderland feel to me. There was magic, but it was darker and more shadowy than whimsical. And I missed the purple prose. It was kind of like switching from cotton candy to coffee. I love cotton candy and I love coffee. But if you’re expecting cotton candy and you’re handed coffee instead? Yeah.

From the first page, I loved Vikram. Gauri I knew a little bit from The Star-Touched Queen, but I expected to like her more than I did initially. She grew on me. And Aasha…I know this is supposed to be the last book in this world, but I feel like she could have had more of her own story. Crossing my fingers and hoping Miss Chokshi one day finds herself compelled to write a story for Aasha. There is so much more I want to know about her, and I want so much for her.

So, probably unfairly, the hangover from The Star-Touched Queen has rubbed a little of the shine off a book I would normally find perfectly wonderful. Because it really and truly is. Roshani Chokshi knows how to write, there is no doubt about that. I would and will buy anything and everything she writes. Her characters are everything, her world-building is phenomenal, and her imagination for story-telling is just…dare I say…incomparable? So hangover or no, A Crown of Wishes is worth your time. You need not read The Star-Touched Queen first, but I highly, highly recommend you read both. Just be prepared for a markedly different tone.

P.S. OMG that cover thought, right?!?!?

Arc Provided by St. Martin's Griffin through Netgalley

Release Date: March 28 th

Warning alert: this pseudo review will be filled with an over abundance of exclamation marks.
And you know what? I don't care! :)

The Star Touched Queen, the first book in this duology, was without a doubt my favourite book of 2016!(in case you missed it, read my insane review here!),

As for 2017, can you guess what will be my favourite?!*.*
Oh yes, author Roshani Chokshi definitely has done it again!
I am in awe of her writing, her characters, basically with the whole richness of the mythology that she gives to us!

Reading her stories is like open a chest full of treasures. Yes, there may be the occasional snake to spice things up, (metaphorical snakes or literal ones, I guess you'll have to read it to see for yourself ;), but the author stories truly do shine as all the gems in the world.

That means that when I do get to read a story like this one, I feel like shouting out to all of my friends to go and read it asap!
YOU GUYS, THIS IS THE REAL THING!
A Crown of Wishes is this beautiful story full of Indian mythology, adventure, romance, and courage, that will blow your socks away. Or any other type of garment that you might prefer... so do go and read it because you won't regret it.

As for this being a second book in a duology, in case you're wondering if you can skip the first one, and dive straight into this one... well, yes you can, but are you dumb?! Why would you do that?
Don't like too many good things all in a row?

Do hurry however, because the Tournament of Wishes is about to start, and the jewel of Bharata isn't known for her patience... isn't that right, Fox Prince? ;)

This book was a whole lotta words and not a lot of intrigue. However I am also going to say that there must be something wrong with me because this book had so many things going for it. It has monsters. It has a cute little ending, and it has some awesome mythology. But there were just so many words and weird names (granted I get why) but when they were combined I found my interest really lagging instead of focusing on the really cool world-building that was going on. Like I said, it must be me.

I will say though, I absolutely detested the protagonist. What a snob! Her brattiness made me wish I could reach through my kindle and strangle her. I just couldn't deal with it. And then of course for some reason she happens to save the day and get the guy. It gets old. The same story is being told over and over again any more.

Fans of Indian mythology, fantasy, magic, and awesome world building would like this one. However understand that there are so many words in order to get through to any of that. Its a long journey, and I'm not sure its really worth it.

a really great story and I liked it even more than the first book in the series. Partially because it's more up my alley and partially because it's a thrilling and interesting YA fantasy with great characters and an exciting plot. You definitely need to pick up a copy of this book. If you like The Star-Touched Queen you will be excited to return to the world and even if you didn't you will probably still enjoy Gauri and Vikram's story. I know I did.

Oh how I loved this story! Such a beautiful companion to The Star-Touched Queen.

Guari is princess of Bharata, but lacks any power due to her evil brother, Skanda.  Much like her, Vikram is a prince only in name due to a corrupt council.  When the two of them meet, they are offered a chance to play in the tournament of wishes, hopefully winning and gaining their wishes.  But wishes aren’t everything they appear to be and magic often has a way of twisting reality.  Will they both leave the tournament unscathed or will they lose everything?

This story focusses on Maya’s sister, Guari.  I loved Guari in the last book and loved her even more in this one. Vikram was a fantastic match for her.  In fact, I think he was my favorite character.  He was so smart, yet witty and charming.  I loved their interactions–both with each other and the other magical inhabitants of Alara.  I loved Aasha.  What a great addition to this story.  I’m almost hoping we get a follow-up with her for the next book!

The prose and writing was lush and vivid as only Roshani is capable of doing.  The complex characters kept me turning the pages while the plot moved a long nicely.  The ending was thoroughly enjoyable and completely appropriate to each character.  Loved it!

Honestly, if you’ve already read The Star-Touched Queen and loved it, this is already sold to you.  If you haven’t, go read both right now.  They’ll take you on a wonderful, magical adventure with fleshed out characters and new worlds yet to be explored.  Isn’t that what every reader longs for in a book?

An interesting book. Its a quiet adventure. I enjoyed the references to Indian myths and it made me read more about those. Recommend to anyone who likes a good fairytale.

Truly breathtaking.

This book might just be my favorite read of 2017. I know it’s still early in the year for such a declaration, but I am dead serious – I devoured A Crown of Wishes and I think it is just about as close to perfect fantasy as a story can get. Now, you don’t have to have read The Star-Touched Queen to love this book, though I do think you’ll get more out of A Crown of Wishes having read the first book (there are quite a few references to Star-Touched throughout). But seriously, even if you didn’t read or didn’t love her first book, trust me when I say Roshani has taken her writing game to a whole new level with this one. I really really really enjoyed her debut, but this companion novel is in a league all its own.

Reading this book was like stepping into another world… One I seriously did not want to leave. I would move to Bharata or Alaka or Ujijain in a heartbeat and never leave. I wanted to melt into the pages of this book, burn the words into the back of my eyelids, anything to keep a piece of it with me always.

“I’d almost forgotten the true power of a story… how it lulled you outside your thoughts, let you process the world in a way that was palatable. Not poisonous.”

This story reminded me of the true power of a great novel. The way you will it not to end so that you won’t have to leave. The way that the words and images you find within its pages burn themselves into your mind, your dreams, your every waking moment. The bittersweet taste it leaves on your tongue afterwards that makes you long for just. one. more. chapter. The heaviness that prevents you from even thinking about starting another book while you’re still so invested in the one in front of you. It’s a beautiful, wondrous, magical feeling, and I would not trade it away for all the books in the world. A book like this… well, it’s the entire reason I love to read. Finding A Crown of Wishes reminded me of everything I love about books, about reading, about discovering new worlds and leaping into fresh stories. It was a completely rejuvenating experience.

Roshani somehow manages to rip open the very heart of humanity and paint it across the pages of this stunning tale. Vikram and Gauri will grip you from the first, fill you with their fire, their burning desire to change their own fates, and their sheer determination to carry on in the face of all adversity. Aasha will tug your heartstrings until you cry out for her predicament, desperate to free her from a life she never got to choose. It's a book that will show you your deepest desires and desperate hopes and use them to remind you of all that living truly is.

“Existence is the gift. Life is a choice.”

There is so much more to life than simply existing, and often, what we think is impossible to reach is actually just begging us to try and grab it while we can. This book is for dreamers, for lovers, for fighters, for schemers. It’s for fans of such beautiful literature as The Night Circus, readers who long to escape into world bursting with possibilities, magic, and myth. It’s for those brave enough to gather their willpower and leap into the unknown, and it is worth every single penny you might spend on it, every second you might disappear into its depths, every emotion you might cry out with as you travel through a truly remarkable journey.

Oh, and my favorite talking horse makes an appearance, which just made me burst with happiness.

If you are looking for a diverse fantasy read, sure to enthrall and entice all of your sense, A Crown of Wishes is definitely the book for you. Don’t waste your time on anything else. This is as good as it gets, and I know that I, for one, will be going back for many, many more read-throughs. I cannot wait to see what Roshani writes next… She is definitely on my permanent auto-buy author list, and I dare you to read this book and not feel the same.

Rating: 5+/5 stars

A Crown of Wishes
Roshani Chokshi


Buy This Book
Roshani Chokshi weaves a narrative of legend and magic based on Indian folklore in her latest novel A Crown of Wishes. This rich look at an ancient culture is full of lush, vivid imagery that will pull you into a story that is truly one from a long time ago in a place far, far away.

This is the second book in this series but you do not need to read the first to enjoy this one.

The legends will tell that there was once a fox prince and a beast princess that had to do all kinds of awful things. Like talk to each other. And fight through memories that tried to lure them away, poisonous beauties and . . . fear.

Vikram is known as the fox prince. He’s clever and cunning and can see a solution to every problem but one – how to get his throne. He is not the Emperor’s natural son and the council knows this and schemes and plots to keep him from the power that his father has bequeathed him. He is a prince who will never truly be king unless something changes the equation in his favor.

Gauri is a princess with a problem. Her brother the king is a murderous, scheming psychopath. She wanted to take over the kingdom and save her people but her rebellion was betrayed. She is now a prisoner in the neighboring –and hostile- land of Ujijain. When she is called into Prince Vikram’s presence to hear her sentence (certain death) she makes plans to kill him and escape – but fate has something else in store for her.

The two are offered a once in eternity opportunity. They must travel to Alaka- past the place where memories devour and the held-breath place to put an end to cowards – and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes. This magical competition is where the Lord of Wealth and Treasures bestows a wish upon the victors. But contestants are warned that what they want can also be what destroys them because desire is a poisonous thing.

Forced to be reluctant allies in a world of dangerous adversaries Vikram and Gauri quickly learn that fear can be both friend and enemy, courage can mean missing the mark rather than hitting it and hard questions can often have easy answers. They also learn that the heart wants what the heart wants – and that want can be the very last thing you should ever wish for.

Like any B-grade read, A Crown of Wishes is a story with strong positives but has just enough narrative problems to keep it from DIK status. In the positive column I have to start with the prose. Gorgeous. Delectable. Luxurious. Succulent. Words can barely describe the glory of the author’s composition. She uses her language to paint exquisite word pictures that capture the colorful, magical beauty of her world. You feel immersed in a decadent, glamorous, vibrant experience when you enter the pages of this book.

Another strength is the premise. I loved the idea of A Tournament of Wishes and a game of wits which pitted clever mortals against almost insurmountable odds. The fantastical nature of the contest added a terrific sense of fun and sorcery to the whole affair.

The strong cultural immersion is a positive as well. This story has a substantial flavor of the history, folklore and civilization in which it occurs, which is something I absolutely love in the novels I read.

Unfortunately, however, in this particular instance, that provided a tiny negative as well. Unless you are familiar with the Hindu scriptures, many of the characters – like the god Kubera, Lord of Wealth and Treasure and his consort, the Lady Kauveri, their attendants – the often dangerous yakshas and yakshani, the vanara and the poisonous vishakanya – will be unfamiliar to you. It will be very much like reading a story about faeries but not knowing who Tatiana and Oberon are or even the difference between faeries, brownies and elves. The text helps somewhat with placing the characters in proper context and a glossary is included but in the end, after much internal debate, I have to say this is a bit of a weakness in the book. The reader will have to mentally scrabble to figure out friend from foe and who is what, which pulls one out of the story. It wasn’t at all a major irritant but it was certainly a minor one.

Another small fumble is with the characters, neither of whom feel fully fleshed out. Perhaps a part of that is due to their youth; I closed the book feeling much lay ahead of these two which would impact who they were. And unfortunately, this story is far more about Gauri than Vikram. While Vikram was a character I did find interesting and wanted to get to know better, what little I knew of Gauri left me cold. She seems ill suited for the role of ruler, which is what she most wants, and she has a tendency towards violence and insults that I found off-putting. This fact more than any other really disconnected me from the tale and left me unable to give the book a higher grade. It also kept me from completely buying their HEA. I imagined Vikram, at some point in the future, taking a sweet natured mistress and telling her all his problems while Gauri schemed ineptly to wrest all control from him.

A Crown of Wishes is a lyrical feast for the senses that only partially delivers on the promise of an intriguing premise. The tale is well worth reading but I don’t think it will make many keeper shelves. It’s definitely a well written story but small weaknesses keep the book from achieving the excellence of which I am sure this author is capable.

Last year I was blown away by The Star-Touched Queen, a YA fantasy with a strong eastern flavour that swept me away to another place and time. Indeed, it made my top twenty reads of the year – see here. So I was delighted when Netgalley approved my request to read and review the sequel.
Second books are often tricky to write – particularly if the first book is a runaway success. But if Chokshi was feeling the pressure, there is no hint of it in her confident prose. Perhaps there is not quite so much lush description of the fantastical magic landscapes she takes us to in her story of thwarted kings, slighted and angry princesses and tricky magical beings who enjoy playing with human desires.
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. However – he is a very cunning prince of a sworn enemy kingdom…
Once more, I have given a potted version of the chatty blurb, but I will just mention that Gauri and Vikram end up taking part in The Tournament of Wishes together. This book is structured as mainly a dual narrative, with Gauri’s story told in first person (I) and Vikram’s narrative written in third person (he). Inevitably, this gives us a more intimate and immediate experience of Gauri’s character. She is a warrior princess, skilled in warfare and emotionally wounded by her abusive, tyrannical brother who has constantly managed to outwit her. As a result she finds herself at odds with those she cares most about – and when she tries to help or ameliorate her brother’s sadistic impulses, her interventions are frequently used against her. Small wonder she is a bundle of fury with absolutely no tolerance for Vikram’s wordplay.
While Vikram’s kindly, animal-loving father has been comprehensively outwitted by the ruling council who have essentially grabbed all the power and as Vikram attempts to impose some brakes on their corruption, he finds himself continually thwarted. He retreats into an academic persona, not remotely interested in the violence and warrior mentality that gives Gauri such comfort. They are truly an oil and water mix.
And that isn’t taking into account the fact that politically they have no business exchanging anything other than blows – their respective countries are long-time enemies. So they make an unlikely team. But teamwork is what they need as they are confronted with a series of tricky magical feats they have to overcome. Essentially this is a classic quest story.
What makes it such a rich, enjoyable feast is Chokshi’s engaging prose and vivid worldbuilding. She writes with such sensual conviction, we can taste and smell her magical landscapes and once more I was enchanted and beguiled. But there is no use spinning us a wonderful feast of delights unless the ending is equally satisfying – and there is no problem with that, either. Chokshi manages to bring this story to a triumphant conclusion that had me sighing with pleasure. If you haven’t encountered her writing, then give yourself a treat. Very highly recommended.
10/10

I have been waiting for this novel to be released for ages. Ever since I read the outstanding novel The Star Touched Queen, last year, I was enamored with the amazingly magical universe Roshani Chokshi creates. The style, the imagery, everything was so evocative I was drawn in from the start. And A Crown of Wishes carries that magic as well, and definitely did not disappoint.

Like The Star Touched Queen before it, this novel reads like a vivid dream. Your mind is filled with rich colors and deep smells, and you are tugged from one magical place to another, yet never stopped by thick exposition: the author walks the fine line of 'telling too much' and 'showing too little', making it the perfect amount needed for master world building. She honestly could have had her characters wander without a plot through these worlds and I would still have read it - it's like staring at a painting.

But it has a plot, and an exciting one at that! While it is the sequel of The Star Touched Queen, it's more like a spin off. The events that take place in A Crown of Wishes follow Gauri, the adorable little sister of Maya who grew up to be a badass warrior. But when Gauri gets banished from Bharata, she knows she needs to go back, overthrow her brother and save her friends. But to do that, she has to win the Tournament of Wishes, a magical competition in which victory grants you a wish. At her side is the handsome and cunning Vikram, the not-exactly-prince of a neighboring (enemy) kingdom, whose smarts perfectly match Gauri's skill in battle. Together, they make an impressive pair.

I love, love, love Gauri. She's someone I wish I could be - bold, strong, but smart. A little stubborn, maybe, but she seems to make more rational decisions than her older sister. Vikram, I took a little while to warm up to, but I think that was purposeful from the author: Gauri doesn't trust him from the start, and neither do we, even if he is a POV character and we know he's honest with her. The romance between them was slow and worked, though I'm never a fan of romances in this kind of novel - I always wish for them to just remain badass partners in crime.

This book is, in a word, magical. If you loved The Star Touched Queen as much as I did, you're going to love its somewhat-sequel. Follow Gauri through realms of magic where the laws of the mortal world do not apply, and where a story may be worth more than a life. Sign me up for everything Roshani Chokshi writes!

A Crown of Wishes is the second installment in author Roshani Chokski's The Star-Touched Queen series. The story is actually being sold as a companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen. Let's call it the sequel. This is story features two entirely different characters from Maya and Amar. This time out readers are introduced to Vikram, the Fox Prince, and Gauri, Princess and Jewel of Bharata who just happens to be Maya's younger sister. In the beginning of this story, Vikram receives an invitation from the Lord of Wealth & Treasures to participate in The Tournament of Wishes

It is a game that will happen when the century comes to a close. The winner of the game will be granted a wish of their hearts desire. But, there is a catch. Vikram is expected to show up with a second person. "Find the one who grows with blood on the lips and fangs in the heart." That person is Gauri who has spent the past 6 months in a dungeon after being betrayed and sent away by her brother to die. The second catch is that they have only a few days to get there before the gates close and that means entering the Crossroads and the Night Bizarre where Maya also traveled to in the previous installment.

As with the first installment, A Crown of Wishes is once again steeped with Indian mythology. By Indian, I mean originating from India just so we are clear. To be perfectly honest, I had my smart phone by my side the entire time I was reading this book so that when terms popped up that I had no clue what they meant, I googled them. There are a whole lot of Indian driven names for almost everything including gods of the Wind, Waters, Fire, and Chaos. In a way, this book is very similar to another I have recently read, Caraval.

Gauri and Vikram couldn't be any more different. Gauri is fearless as they come, and battle hardened, and yes, perhaps a bit blood thirsty for revenge on those who betrayed her. Gauri has fought for her country only to see her brother become more and more evil to the point where she had no future. So, given the chance for revenge, she joins Vikram in his journey to the land of treasures. Vikram is a prince who has had to prove himself over and over again. He is a dreamer which makes his life a bit more intriguing than just showing up at boring council members only to be completely ignored.

He is supposed to be the heir to his kingdom, but there are those who would force him to do their bidding. Gauri would risk life and limb to get her kingdom back, and take her rightful place as Queen. While Gauri and Vikram are the "main" characters of this story. There is a third. Her name is Aasha and I have to say that I really loved her view of the world she has been living in for the past 100 years. I loved her connection and her choices she made in helping Gauri and Vikram. She even has her own goals, and desires, and when given the opportunity to participate in her own game, she does her best.

This is a story filled with twists, riddles, gamesmanship, life or death challenges, and yes, of course, romance. The romance in this case is one that is slow burn, and not quick to the trigger. We also get a brief appearance by Maya. Just a enough to whet your whistle, but not enough to over take Gauri's choices. Chokski is a clever writer. Her pacing is pretty steady and isn't filled with nonsensical silliness that can overwhelm a story. Chokski creates intriguing characters, and badass heroines. She writes about a world that is magical at its foundation, and dark and deadly at the same time.

Favorite Lines/Quote(s):

“Vicious and sweet,” said Vikram, shaking his head. “Beastly girl.”
“You like me, don’t lie,” I teased.
“I couldn’t lie if I tried,” he said quietly.”

“Vikram’s eyes widened. “What’s this? Praise from Her Beastliness in the morning? Are you under a curse that makes you friendly before noon? If so, how do we make it permanent?”

“Love is like Death without the guarantee of its arrival. Love may not come for you, but when it does it will be just as swift and ruthless as Death and just as blind to your protestations. And just as Death will end one life and leave you with another, so will Love.”

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi is one of the books I was eagerly waiting to read! I was a bit worried about reading this book without having read it's predecessor but I quickly found out that this book can easily be read as a stand alone novel. There's been so much about this book all over the blog world that I've decided to just highlight the reasons why I truly enjoyed this book:

The Characters

Gauri, a noteworthy heroine who is powerful, strong, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Humanly fallible but her hearts in the right place.

Vikram, a dreamy Hero who is dashing, bumbling at times, intelligent, humanly flawed and noteworthy in his own right.

The Hate to Love relationship between Gauri and Vikram had me captivated.


The Plot

Oh, such a wonderful plot full of action and intrigue! Full of magic, mayhem, quests, romance, prizes and so much more. It was wonderful to read this book and feel mythology come to life!


The Writing

I found Ms. Chokshi's prose for this book to be magical, luscious and even lyrical! At times {for me} it tended to get a bit overwhelming but I still truly enjoyed reading this book!

There were more than a handful of quotes from the book that are deeply moving and full of beauty, power and grace. I found it quite impressive to observe, read and contemplate the unique way Ms. Choksi writes blending thoughts and fantasy into words and imbuing them with such meaning, emotion and power.


Final Impressions

A Crown of Wishes is a fantastical tale that is superbly written, emotionally moving and a jewel of a book! I can't wait to read more of Ms. Chokshi's books!

Click https://renee1-blog.blogspot.com/2017/03/a-crown-of-wishes-by-roshani-chokshi_28.html to ready my full review.

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin Publishing, Ms. Chokshi and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

*Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review*

A Crown of Wishes is the stunning sequel to 2016's Star Touched Queen. Gauri, Princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom's enemies and has little hope for her future.

Enter Vikram, the cunning prince of this enemy land. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet emperor, 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.

Merely reaching the Tournament is just the beginning with a slew of challenges including dangerous courtesans, songbirds, feasts and fears that will have to keep Gauri and Vikram's senses sharp if they have a chance to win.

Truthfully, I think I enjoyed this novel more than Chokshi's debut. I found it easier to engage with Gauri and Vikram in their adventure. Readers are in for a treat with the lush, exotic imagery and adventure steeped in Indian mythology and lore. Honestly, I loved everything about the writing and characters. The descriptions held me transfixed to the adventure as did the fantastic romanticism and passion built between protagonists.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Follow the author on Twitter: @NotRashKnee

Wow. It should be no surprise to anyone who also picked up Chokshi's THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN that A CROWN OF WISHES is full of the kind of style and story-telling that throws you deep into a world with the promise of adventure. To call her writing lush almost feels an understatement (and all the descriptions of food will leave you hungry). I loved Gauri from her opening scene, when it was clear she is as passionate about her weapons as she is about her make-up. Vikram, too, (a.k.a. "The Fox Prince") is charming, flawed, and well-developed. I cannot wait to eagerly recommend this book to every bookstore I visit this weekend and to every teen in search of a story full of wonder.

Roshani Chokshi has done it again. She brought me into her gorgeous world, mad me laugh, hurt, and love. A Crown of Wishes was one of my highly anticipated reads, and this does not disappoint!

A CROWN OF WISHES is the epic, action-packed, magical, and completely captivating second book in Roshani Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen series. With writing that is gorgeous and poetic, a setting that is enchanting and dreamlike, characters who are dynamic and whose personalities balance one another, and a journey that offers the promise of a wish, this sequel is certain to keep the pages turning.

Vikram wanted to be seen as more than just a figurehead for the Council of Ujijain to control. But not having royal blood running through his veins meant that they would always deem him unworthy and never give him the power to rule.

Gauri cared deeply for the people of Bharata. She couldn’t stand idly by while her brother’s callousness, selfishness, and indifference destroyed her home. But when her attempt to overthrow him and take the throne failed, she was banished, imprisoned, and sentenced to death.

Being a champion in the Tournament of Wishes is their only hope of becoming more than their empty titles - the Fox Prince and the Jewel of Bharata. It is the only way they believe they can achieve their dreams. They just need to find a way to trust each other, to pass whatever tests they’re given, and to figure out how to circumvent the rule that says only one of them can leave when the contest is over - that is if they both survive that long.

Roshani Chokshi brought to life a story that is myth and adventure and romance and magic. She imagined a world of injustice and cruelty and one of hopes and dreams and desires and vengeance. She introduced beings of terrifying beauty, those with a deadly touch, those who are cursed, those who long for something they don’t have - fantastical and interesting and bizarre creatures who make this tale fascinating and exciting and absolutely wonderful.

A CROWN OF WISHES will transport readers, with its beautifully written passages and stunning imagery, into both its human and mythical worlds. It will keep them transfixed as Gauri and Vikram confront their fears and put their lives on the line in their attempt to become champions and earn their wishes. And it will make them hope for each character’s happy ending and for the possibility that their happy endings will entwine.

A quick pace, intriguing Hindu mythology, and a riveting storyline make this sophomore novel a must.

[Note: A reading of the first book in the series is not required to enjoy this sequel, but it is strongly recommended.]