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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.
ameserole's review
5.0
Chokshi will never disappoint me with her books, ever.
A Crown of Wishes has great characters and a wonderful story. You know how sometimes the second book either sinks or swim? This book fucking sailed people. It was so fucking good. I honestly couldn't put this book down - not even when I had to eat. I didn't put it down at all.
Guari and Vikram, which are the characters within this book, and I loved everything about them. They didn't just fight for their own freedom - no, they fought for the freedom of others as well. I was rooting for them from the very start. It was also super interesting to see Gauri and Vikram solving riddles and winning. I was never bored of the book or the characters - I was thoroughly invested.
Honestly, if you loved the first book, The Star-Touched Queen you'll absolutely love A Crown of Wishes! Both books are amazing and they will definitely take you along the journey!
A Crown of Wishes has great characters and a wonderful story. You know how sometimes the second book either sinks or swim? This book fucking sailed people. It was so fucking good. I honestly couldn't put this book down - not even when I had to eat. I didn't put it down at all.
Guari and Vikram, which are the characters within this book, and I loved everything about them. They didn't just fight for their own freedom - no, they fought for the freedom of others as well. I was rooting for them from the very start. It was also super interesting to see Gauri and Vikram solving riddles and winning. I was never bored of the book or the characters - I was thoroughly invested.
Honestly, if you loved the first book, The Star-Touched Queen you'll absolutely love A Crown of Wishes! Both books are amazing and they will definitely take you along the journey!
indecisivesailorscout's review
4.0
I liked this book despite myself. After feeling disappointingly ambivalent about the first book, I wasn't expecting much from this addition. I think having a lower set of expectations was a benefit in this case, as even though I failed to adore this novel as so many of my fellow bloggers have, it surprised me when I found I didn't want to put it down and actually cared about what happened to the Jewel of Bharata and the Fox Prince. The Tournament itself was also captivating in unexpected and thoughtful ways. You don't have to read the first book in order to understand this novel or fall in love with our two main heroes - and it is a gem in its own right. While I'm rarely enticed by jewels and sparkling prose, I'm glad I decided to give this a chance. 3.5 stars overall.
daniela807's review
4.0
Please note, I received this book through the Goodreads Giveaway.
That being said, while it took me awhile to get to this book ("Mists of Avalon" took longer than expected), I devoured it in five days... only because I had to sleep and go to work. This had most of the magic of "Star-Touched Queen" with a little extra sass... and swords. There definitely were parts where I wished Chokshi would develop and add more details, but that is probably just a YA thing. The dialog between the characters seemed realistic and just real. I could see having these kinds of back and forth between my love as well.
One major hurtle with this book that I had constantly was the limited glossary. There were may references and cultural stories that I just did not know or understand. In the first book, I read it on the Kindle app, so I was able to do extra definition digging, but could not while reading the actual book. Yes, I could have stopped every time to look things up, but I decided to just keep pushing forward. I do feel I lost some of the magic because of this, but that is mostly do to my ignorance of the culture these novels bring forward. On the flip side, this is why I loved it so much, as it is something I do not already know.
All in all, I loved it, but hate that it is over. I would have loved to have seen how the characters grew a little more after the ending. Trying not to go into detail, as that would spoil so much. The four-star is mostly due to details and also the errors the editors missed. Pet peeve. Any book that Chokshi writes, I would love to read.
That being said, while it took me awhile to get to this book ("Mists of Avalon" took longer than expected), I devoured it in five days... only because I had to sleep and go to work. This had most of the magic of "Star-Touched Queen" with a little extra sass... and swords. There definitely were parts where I wished Chokshi would develop and add more details, but that is probably just a YA thing. The dialog between the characters seemed realistic and just real. I could see having these kinds of back and forth between my love as well.
One major hurtle with this book that I had constantly was the limited glossary. There were may references and cultural stories that I just did not know or understand. In the first book, I read it on the Kindle app, so I was able to do extra definition digging, but could not while reading the actual book. Yes, I could have stopped every time to look things up, but I decided to just keep pushing forward. I do feel I lost some of the magic because of this, but that is mostly do to my ignorance of the culture these novels bring forward. On the flip side, this is why I loved it so much, as it is something I do not already know.
All in all, I loved it, but hate that it is over. I would have loved to have seen how the characters grew a little more after the ending. Trying not to go into detail, as that would spoil so much. The four-star is mostly due to details and also the errors the editors missed. Pet peeve. Any book that Chokshi writes, I would love to read.
norabee's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
whalien_reads's review
5.0
You can check out this review and more at The Wanderlust Reader!
4.5/5 STARS
A Crown of Wishes was just as, if not more, magical and enchanting as The Star-Touched Queen! Roshani just has this beautiful way with words that will make you fall in love with the story, as well as the characters, the second you lay your eyes upon it.
Even though this is the second book in the series, it’s more of a companion novel so you don’t necessarily need to read The Star-Touched Queen but it does help if you do. The book does follow a new set of characters, one of which is Maya’s sister. The story centers around Gauri, the Jewel of Bharata, who has been captured and imprisoned by her kingdom’s enemies. She knows what awaits her if she does not escape so when Vikram, the Fox Prince of Ujijain offers her a way out, she takes it. They join up to partake in the Tournament of Wishes, where the winner(s) get a wish. But first, they must complete two trials and a sacrifice. They may have different reasons for competing but they do have one thing in common: they both want freedom.
“In that moment, he looked like mischief and midnight, like a temptation that always slipped away too fast and left you at once relieved and disappointed.”
GAAAAHHHH. The characters were just so fantastic *cries*. We have Gauri who is fierce and strong and loyal and a total badass. She will move mountains to make sure that those she cares about are safe. While I love her for that, she does put herself in harm’s way on several occasions for the sake of others. And then we have the Fox Prince, Vikram. He wants people to see him for who he is and for them to acknowledge that he’s capable of so much more than just being a puppet that someone can manipulate. He’s so soft and caring and intelligent and hilarious. But what I loved most was the banter between the these two cinnamon rolls. Their constant sarcasm and deadpan humor was simply amazing and had me laughing out loud every single time.
It should go without saying that I teared up while reading, as per usual haha, but it wasn’t out of sadness or anger as it tends to be but rather, happiness. And it was the simplest and most minimalist sentences that had me bursting out in tears *cough look at the quote below cough*.
“I think I lived and died a hundred times in the time it took to walk to the private garden path”
I’ve said this a million times and I will continue to do so until it is no longer true, which will be never, but Roshani Chokshi’s writing is simply WHIMSICAL. Her story-telling is out of this world and her prose never fail to take my breath away.
“What was magic anyway, but the world beheld by someone who chose to see it differently?”
As you can probably gather from my mess of a review, I absolutely loved this book and I urge you to read this series because I don’t think my reviews do it justice. You really need to experience the magic for yourself.
4.5/5 STARS
A Crown of Wishes was just as, if not more, magical and enchanting as The Star-Touched Queen! Roshani just has this beautiful way with words that will make you fall in love with the story, as well as the characters, the second you lay your eyes upon it.
Even though this is the second book in the series, it’s more of a companion novel so you don’t necessarily need to read The Star-Touched Queen but it does help if you do. The book does follow a new set of characters, one of which is Maya’s sister. The story centers around Gauri, the Jewel of Bharata, who has been captured and imprisoned by her kingdom’s enemies. She knows what awaits her if she does not escape so when Vikram, the Fox Prince of Ujijain offers her a way out, she takes it. They join up to partake in the Tournament of Wishes, where the winner(s) get a wish. But first, they must complete two trials and a sacrifice. They may have different reasons for competing but they do have one thing in common: they both want freedom.
“In that moment, he looked like mischief and midnight, like a temptation that always slipped away too fast and left you at once relieved and disappointed.”
GAAAAHHHH. The characters were just so fantastic *cries*. We have Gauri who is fierce and strong and loyal and a total badass. She will move mountains to make sure that those she cares about are safe. While I love her for that, she does put herself in harm’s way on several occasions for the sake of others. And then we have the Fox Prince, Vikram. He wants people to see him for who he is and for them to acknowledge that he’s capable of so much more than just being a puppet that someone can manipulate. He’s so soft and caring and intelligent and hilarious. But what I loved most was the banter between the these two cinnamon rolls. Their constant sarcasm and deadpan humor was simply amazing and had me laughing out loud every single time.
It should go without saying that I teared up while reading, as per usual haha, but it wasn’t out of sadness or anger as it tends to be but rather, happiness. And it was the simplest and most minimalist sentences that had me bursting out in tears *cough look at the quote below cough*.
“I think I lived and died a hundred times in the time it took to walk to the private garden path”
I’ve said this a million times and I will continue to do so until it is no longer true, which will be never, but Roshani Chokshi’s writing is simply WHIMSICAL. Her story-telling is out of this world and her prose never fail to take my breath away.
“What was magic anyway, but the world beheld by someone who chose to see it differently?”
As you can probably gather from my mess of a review, I absolutely loved this book and I urge you to read this series because I don’t think my reviews do it justice. You really need to experience the magic for yourself.
mochipooja's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Absolutely LOVED this book and the way it incorporates so much of Hindu mythology to craft such an intricate story of desire and intrigue with characters that have enough flaws to grow out of while also allowing the reader to dive deep into this magical and dangerous world with the characters. Highlight recommend especially since there are plans to turn this into a movie!
liavis's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75