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books4susie's review against another edition
4.0
I literally started this book last year while on vacation and then laid it down once at home. I only got just over 100 pages in. One year later and another few vacation days, I decided to try and finish this book. Boy, am I glad that I did. I thoroughly enjoyed Gauri and Vikram’s journey in their attempts to win the Tournament of Wishes and be accepted by their kingdoms.
This is a companion book to The Star-Touched Queen where readers are briefly introduced to Gauri. Queen’s storyline is about her older sister Maya. It’s not necessary to read one book before the other but Maya does make a cryptic appearance to Gauri that previous readers will fully understand.
This is a companion book to The Star-Touched Queen where readers are briefly introduced to Gauri. Queen’s storyline is about her older sister Maya. It’s not necessary to read one book before the other but Maya does make a cryptic appearance to Gauri that previous readers will fully understand.
innodavid's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 STARS
I feel so horrible rating Roshani Chokshi's books so darn low. I want to support her cause she's a fellow Filipino and I'm proud of what she's achieved in her writing career. Hence, I don't want to come off as bias if I just gave all her books 4 to 5 stars even if I don't find them deserving of such high ratings.
The other thing is, A Crown of Wishes is Roshani's most beloved book. Everyone who seems to be a fan of her writing considered this their favorite of hers. But I just don't feel the same.
A Crown of Wishes' strength comes from its writing. The beautiful, lyrical and whimsical metaphors make you feel like you're reading a classic fairytale with adventure, magic and romance. I have problems with her writing in The Star-Touched Queen. Even though they're beautiful, sometimes they made no sense. But since reading her other works, I noticed her improvement. She starts using evocative prose rather than adding a bunch of words from thesaurus just to make it flowery.
Other than that, I pretty much don't care for the rest of its content. The plot felt meandering at times and the side characters seem like plot devices to further the story. I was bored the whole time. The synopsis promised a magical game (similar to Caraval) and a slow-burn romance to root for, but what I got were surface level characters with one distinct personality and a romance with no chemistry. Everyone swoons for Vikram (the main male protagonist and love interest), but he feels like any generic snarky and sarcastic character in every YA novel.
I keep rolling my eyes everytime they flirt or showcase any interest with one another. They're so dull! This is the first time that I desired a love triangle to happen just to add to the angst and drama, cause neither the characters nor the game made the stakes higher for me to root for them and be invested to continue reading.
Even though I'm consecutively being disappointed by her books, I still look forward to reading her future works. I think that's the only way I can support her now.
I feel so horrible rating Roshani Chokshi's books so darn low. I want to support her cause she's a fellow Filipino and I'm proud of what she's achieved in her writing career. Hence, I don't want to come off as bias if I just gave all her books 4 to 5 stars even if I don't find them deserving of such high ratings.
The other thing is, A Crown of Wishes is Roshani's most beloved book. Everyone who seems to be a fan of her writing considered this their favorite of hers. But I just don't feel the same.
A Crown of Wishes' strength comes from its writing. The beautiful, lyrical and whimsical metaphors make you feel like you're reading a classic fairytale with adventure, magic and romance. I have problems with her writing in The Star-Touched Queen. Even though they're beautiful, sometimes they made no sense. But since reading her other works, I noticed her improvement. She starts using evocative prose rather than adding a bunch of words from thesaurus just to make it flowery.
Other than that, I pretty much don't care for the rest of its content. The plot felt meandering at times and the side characters seem like plot devices to further the story. I was bored the whole time. The synopsis promised a magical game (similar to Caraval) and a slow-burn romance to root for, but what I got were surface level characters with one distinct personality and a romance with no chemistry. Everyone swoons for Vikram (the main male protagonist and love interest), but he feels like any generic snarky and sarcastic character in every YA novel.
I keep rolling my eyes everytime they flirt or showcase any interest with one another. They're so dull! This is the first time that I desired a love triangle to happen just to add to the angst and drama, cause neither the characters nor the game made the stakes higher for me to root for them and be invested to continue reading.
Even though I'm consecutively being disappointed by her books, I still look forward to reading her future works. I think that's the only way I can support her now.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I put off reading this book because I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of the first one. I enjoyed the writing and the gorgeous worldbuilding, but the story itself didn’t really go anywhere. I was pretty disappointed because I had this book for review, and after reading the first, I couldn’t really bring myself to read it.
So, I ended up finally deciding to listen to the audiobook of the sequel instead of reading it. For some reason, I’ve found that I have a higher tolerance for slower stories when I’m listening than when I’m reading. Turns out, that I didn’t have to worry at all because I actually really enjoyed A Crown of Wishes. You see, this book has all of the wonderful qualities of the first, but without its one major flaw. Just like the first book, this installment features beautiful storytelling, richly-drawn mythology, and elaborate magic. But this book also has a strong plot, something that I found severely lacking in Star-Touched. And because of that, I was much more engaged with the characters. I cared far more about what happened to Gauri and Vikram than I ever did for Maya and Amar. The Tournament of Wishes was a wonderfully fantastical backdrop that gave Gauri and Vikram plenty to do—and the stakes felt much higher in this book. Sure, the story still occasionally got bogged down in the elaborate details, but I found myself engaged most of the time, which I couldn’t say with book one.
So, if you’re like me and you loved Chokshi’s gorgeous writing but found yourself a bit bored with the story in Star-Touched, I highly encourage you to give this second book a try. I’m very glad I did.
Oh, And you might want to pick up the audiobook because Priya Ayyar’s narration certainly does the book justice!
Overall, I give this 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I put off reading this book because I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of the first one. I enjoyed the writing and the gorgeous worldbuilding, but the story itself didn’t really go anywhere. I was pretty disappointed because I had this book for review, and after reading the first, I couldn’t really bring myself to read it.
So, I ended up finally deciding to listen to the audiobook of the sequel instead of reading it. For some reason, I’ve found that I have a higher tolerance for slower stories when I’m listening than when I’m reading. Turns out, that I didn’t have to worry at all because I actually really enjoyed A Crown of Wishes. You see, this book has all of the wonderful qualities of the first, but without its one major flaw. Just like the first book, this installment features beautiful storytelling, richly-drawn mythology, and elaborate magic. But this book also has a strong plot, something that I found severely lacking in Star-Touched. And because of that, I was much more engaged with the characters. I cared far more about what happened to Gauri and Vikram than I ever did for Maya and Amar. The Tournament of Wishes was a wonderfully fantastical backdrop that gave Gauri and Vikram plenty to do—and the stakes felt much higher in this book. Sure, the story still occasionally got bogged down in the elaborate details, but I found myself engaged most of the time, which I couldn’t say with book one.
So, if you’re like me and you loved Chokshi’s gorgeous writing but found yourself a bit bored with the story in Star-Touched, I highly encourage you to give this second book a try. I’m very glad I did.
Oh, And you might want to pick up the audiobook because Priya Ayyar’s narration certainly does the book justice!
Overall, I give this 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
thebookishunicorn's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating 4.5 stars
"Stories are boundless and infinite, ever-changing and elusive," said Kubera. "They are the truest treasure and therefore my dearest possessions."
Review to come!!
"Stories are boundless and infinite, ever-changing and elusive," said Kubera. "They are the truest treasure and therefore my dearest possessions."
Review to come!!
leafeaj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
nicholeb84's review against another edition
2.0
I wish I liked it more than I did. Like the last novel by the author, I loved the prose. However, I really couldn't stand the overall writing. I found many things confusing and I just could not get into the story. The main characters had a fun relationship. Sadly, that didn't save the novel for me. I didn't find myself interested in the plot and I felt the novel really dragged.
theowlerybooks's review against another edition
3.0
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!
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!
littleyarngoblin's review against another edition
5.0
A Crown of Wishes is an absolutely beautiful sophomore novel. Though it shares a few characters with TSTQ, it's very much its own book with its own story. Gauri and Vikram are beautiful characters, and their growth is enchanting. The plot had me hooked on every page; I felt like Kamala, hungry for more pages. A Crown of Wishes is a luxuriant, insightful book about pain, motivation, the consequences of our actions, and the importance of perseverance. Definitely don't miss this book. Also, Gauri and Vikram are cute as heck. Everything about this book is a punch to the feels.
jujuvansunshine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mackbserious's review against another edition
3.0
There were many good ideas in this book and it was nice to expand my fantasy horizons with another country’s mythology. I certainly wanted to know more about the world and what would happen.
My only real issue was that the descriptions were lacking. Granted, I am someone who likes overboard Tolkien-esque descriptions than less, but I just couldnt see in my mind what the author wanted. There were some really creative ideas but I just couldnt visualize them due to the lack of descriptions.
In conclusion, a rough writing style to visualize but engaging characters and an interesting world.
My only real issue was that the descriptions were lacking. Granted, I am someone who likes overboard Tolkien-esque descriptions than less, but I just couldnt see in my mind what the author wanted. There were some really creative ideas but I just couldnt visualize them due to the lack of descriptions.
In conclusion, a rough writing style to visualize but engaging characters and an interesting world.