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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
keertea's review
5.0
I loved the way this book was written.
Roshani Chokshi's writing is like poetry
Roshani Chokshi's writing is like poetry
barriojm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
3.75
deb_is_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Will Roshani Chokshi be the author to get me to read more pretty/whimsy books? ..maybe so..
perilous1's review against another edition
5.0
Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/20977-a-crown-of-wishes-the-star-touched-queen-2
4.5 Stars
An enthralling, beautifully crafted YA fantasy—laced with Indian lore and memorable characterization.
Gauri is a betrayed and deposed princess, determined to reclaim her kingdom from the clutches of her corrupt brother. Vikram is the adopted son of an eccentric king, determined to prove his worthiness before he assumes the throne. And The Lord of Wealth just might be willing to grant them favor… if they don’t kill each other, first.
Chokshi’s prose is something akin to literary painting. Delivering both broad and fine strokes, working a keen depth and vibrancy into every description and character. With steady pacing, distinct character voices, and lingering profundity, it trends more toward the lilting than the verbose. Such lovely and thoroughly quotable writing is a rarity.
The romance is as exceptional as it is enjoyable. Beginning from a place of assassination-at-first-sight (on Gauri’s overtly aggressive part), readers are treated to a slow-burn attraction that is gradually built through companionable shared goals. The catalyst of magical insight into each other’s painful pasts lends their relationship a vulnerability and intimacy that neither chose, and yet both must choose how to utilize. This reader is, admittedly, a sucker for seeing a strong alpha female offset and complemented by a witty, cunning beta male. And that is essentially what we have here. The Fox Prince and the warrior princess ‘Jewel of Bharata’—a chemistry that begs to be remembered.
I may have swooned a little. >.>
Note: I am NOT, generally speaking, a swooner.
Really, it’s the banter between them that got me. I don’t think I’ve ever so looked forward to two people bickering.
"You're welcome, by the way, for dragging you back here. I had a couple offers to sell you and almost considered it."
"Intriguing. For how much?"
"A bag of gold, the ability to make thunderstorms go to sleep. Something else. Five goats?"
"Just five goats? I'm worth at least ten. Plus a cow."
-------------
"They say morning light reveals a woman's true nature. My condolences to your future consort."
"It's too early in the morning for bloodshed," I groaned.
While I could understand and somewhat relate to Gauri, her myopic tendencies and quick temper sometimes made it a frustrating chore to be in her head.
"My intentions might have been rooted in good, but they always grew thorns in the end."
Vikram, on the other hand, was a joy. Philosophical, whimsical, and borderline lackadaisical—he has a delightfully unique temperament for a hero. The way he uses humor to deflect and process his real emotions both rings true and resonates tellingly with everyone around him.
“The truth was that he was not afraid of being seen for what he was. He was afraid of being seen as someone who could never be more."
My only qualm would have to be the worldbuilding. Not that it wasn’t intricate and fascinating—particularly with all the interwoven bits of Hindu mythology. No, the issue was more one of uncertainty regarding the magical elements. Once our hero and heroine leave their natural world and enter the fantastical realm of Alaka, the rules of engagement turn decidedly murky. It often felt as though anything could happen for almost any reason, and our protagonists—never mind the readers—couldn’t hope to guess at the rules and limitations of the unhuman inhabitants of this haphazardly wonderous place. (i.e. think ancient Indian version of Alice in Wonderland.) Readers may sometimes be confused over how to gauge possible danger, and just how permeant consequences may be, while the setting remains in Alaka—which does constitute roughly 2/3rds of the book. I’d recommend going into this story aware you may have to just go with the flow.
This book stands alone perfectly well. I have yet to read The Star-Touched Queen, and at no point did I suspect I was missing anything from it. I am, however, intrigued enough that I’d be willing to go back and give it a try.
Favorite Quote:
*"Maybe that's why the best laughs tend to break free on the edge of lightless horror. Only then can they give wings to a drooping spirit."
4.5 Stars
An enthralling, beautifully crafted YA fantasy—laced with Indian lore and memorable characterization.
Gauri is a betrayed and deposed princess, determined to reclaim her kingdom from the clutches of her corrupt brother. Vikram is the adopted son of an eccentric king, determined to prove his worthiness before he assumes the throne. And The Lord of Wealth just might be willing to grant them favor… if they don’t kill each other, first.
Chokshi’s prose is something akin to literary painting. Delivering both broad and fine strokes, working a keen depth and vibrancy into every description and character. With steady pacing, distinct character voices, and lingering profundity, it trends more toward the lilting than the verbose. Such lovely and thoroughly quotable writing is a rarity.
The romance is as exceptional as it is enjoyable. Beginning from a place of assassination-at-first-sight (on Gauri’s overtly aggressive part), readers are treated to a slow-burn attraction that is gradually built through companionable shared goals. The catalyst of magical insight into each other’s painful pasts lends their relationship a vulnerability and intimacy that neither chose, and yet both must choose how to utilize. This reader is, admittedly, a sucker for seeing a strong alpha female offset and complemented by a witty, cunning beta male. And that is essentially what we have here. The Fox Prince and the warrior princess ‘Jewel of Bharata’—a chemistry that begs to be remembered.
I may have swooned a little. >.>
Note: I am NOT, generally speaking, a swooner.
Really, it’s the banter between them that got me. I don’t think I’ve ever so looked forward to two people bickering.
"You're welcome, by the way, for dragging you back here. I had a couple offers to sell you and almost considered it."
"Intriguing. For how much?"
"A bag of gold, the ability to make thunderstorms go to sleep. Something else. Five goats?"
"Just five goats? I'm worth at least ten. Plus a cow."
-------------
"They say morning light reveals a woman's true nature. My condolences to your future consort."
"It's too early in the morning for bloodshed," I groaned.
While I could understand and somewhat relate to Gauri, her myopic tendencies and quick temper sometimes made it a frustrating chore to be in her head.
"My intentions might have been rooted in good, but they always grew thorns in the end."
Vikram, on the other hand, was a joy. Philosophical, whimsical, and borderline lackadaisical—he has a delightfully unique temperament for a hero. The way he uses humor to deflect and process his real emotions both rings true and resonates tellingly with everyone around him.
“The truth was that he was not afraid of being seen for what he was. He was afraid of being seen as someone who could never be more."
My only qualm would have to be the worldbuilding. Not that it wasn’t intricate and fascinating—particularly with all the interwoven bits of Hindu mythology. No, the issue was more one of uncertainty regarding the magical elements. Once our hero and heroine leave their natural world and enter the fantastical realm of Alaka, the rules of engagement turn decidedly murky. It often felt as though anything could happen for almost any reason, and our protagonists—never mind the readers—couldn’t hope to guess at the rules and limitations of the unhuman inhabitants of this haphazardly wonderous place. (i.e. think ancient Indian version of Alice in Wonderland.) Readers may sometimes be confused over how to gauge possible danger, and just how permeant consequences may be, while the setting remains in Alaka—which does constitute roughly 2/3rds of the book. I’d recommend going into this story aware you may have to just go with the flow.
This book stands alone perfectly well. I have yet to read The Star-Touched Queen, and at no point did I suspect I was missing anything from it. I am, however, intrigued enough that I’d be willing to go back and give it a try.
Favorite Quote:
*"Maybe that's why the best laughs tend to break free on the edge of lightless horror. Only then can they give wings to a drooping spirit."
e_funk44's review against another edition
5.0
"Death might be waiting, but I was going to be a queen. I would have my throne if I had to carve a path of blood and bone to get it back.
Death could wait."
A Crown of Wishes gets AAALL the stars. It was so freaking fantastic and magical.
I’m not going to lie, I was a little hesitant to start reading this because while I liked A Star-Touched Queen, I didn’t love it. Don’t get me wrong, ASTQ was beautifully written but it lost me in all the extra details and bored me at points. But if you couldn’t tell from the above statement then let me say it again, this book is pure magic and is definitely one of my all-time favorite reads. ** Side note, you don't need to read ASTQ before ACOW but I recommend it
I loved the concept/plot of the whole book. A magical tournament filled with life or death trials and the prize for passing these trials is a wish?! And then add in two strangers, one a fox prince the other a jewel, fated to work together or risk losing what they want most, their kingdoms? Yes please!
While the plot was fantastic, the characters were what really made the book. They were so fleshed out and REAL. Gauri was such a wonderful heroine. She is strong, determined, intelligent, doesn’t trust easily, and she guards her heart with both her daggers. But what made her so fantastic was when she allowed herself to open up bit by bit and be vulnerable. The person to bring this vulnerable side out in Gauri was Vikram. The cunning, charming, brilliant, hilarious, fun-loving, sassy, fox prince. Oh and did I mention he is handsome? Vikram and Gauri are magnetically pulled together and their chemistry jumps off the page. Their sassy banter were some of my favorite moments. They both had me swooning and I had to put down the book just so I could completely fangirl over them! They’re one of my favorite bookish couples.
“The Prince was staring at me strangely. No man had looked at me that way. Men had looked at me in admiration, in fear, in lust. They’d looked at me with disbelief at who I was. He looked at me with disbelief at who I could be.”
When talking about ACOW you can’t NOT talk about Roshani Chokshi’s writing. It is elegant, captivating, gorgeous, and enchanting. And even though this entire story was around magic and Otherworlds, Roshani gave a sense of realism to the story. I think this goes back to how realistic the characters were and I felt that maybe this wasn’t just a story, maybe in this did happen. After reading this book, there is no doubt that Roshani Chokshi is one of the best writers of this generation.
“But for the first time, I wanted to believe in the things that outlasted us: the stories that came to life in a child’s head, the fear of the dark, the hunger to live. Those were the footsteps that not even Time could discover and erase, because they lived far out of reach, in the song of blood coursing through veins and in the quiet threads that made up dreams. I wanted to hold the hope of those tales within me and follow it like a lure all the way back to myself.”
Death could wait."
A Crown of Wishes gets AAALL the stars. It was so freaking fantastic and magical.
I’m not going to lie, I was a little hesitant to start reading this because while I liked A Star-Touched Queen, I didn’t love it. Don’t get me wrong, ASTQ was beautifully written but it lost me in all the extra details and bored me at points. But if you couldn’t tell from the above statement then let me say it again, this book is pure magic and is definitely one of my all-time favorite reads. ** Side note, you don't need to read ASTQ before ACOW but I recommend it
I loved the concept/plot of the whole book. A magical tournament filled with life or death trials and the prize for passing these trials is a wish?! And then add in two strangers, one a fox prince the other a jewel, fated to work together or risk losing what they want most, their kingdoms? Yes please!
While the plot was fantastic, the characters were what really made the book. They were so fleshed out and REAL. Gauri was such a wonderful heroine. She is strong, determined, intelligent, doesn’t trust easily, and she guards her heart with both her daggers. But what made her so fantastic was when she allowed herself to open up bit by bit and be vulnerable. The person to bring this vulnerable side out in Gauri was Vikram. The cunning, charming, brilliant, hilarious, fun-loving, sassy, fox prince. Oh and did I mention he is handsome? Vikram and Gauri are magnetically pulled together and their chemistry jumps off the page. Their sassy banter were some of my favorite moments. They both had me swooning and I had to put down the book just so I could completely fangirl over them! They’re one of my favorite bookish couples.
“The Prince was staring at me strangely. No man had looked at me that way. Men had looked at me in admiration, in fear, in lust. They’d looked at me with disbelief at who I was. He looked at me with disbelief at who I could be.”
When talking about ACOW you can’t NOT talk about Roshani Chokshi’s writing. It is elegant, captivating, gorgeous, and enchanting. And even though this entire story was around magic and Otherworlds, Roshani gave a sense of realism to the story. I think this goes back to how realistic the characters were and I felt that maybe this wasn’t just a story, maybe in this did happen. After reading this book, there is no doubt that Roshani Chokshi is one of the best writers of this generation.
“But for the first time, I wanted to believe in the things that outlasted us: the stories that came to life in a child’s head, the fear of the dark, the hunger to live. Those were the footsteps that not even Time could discover and erase, because they lived far out of reach, in the song of blood coursing through veins and in the quiet threads that made up dreams. I wanted to hold the hope of those tales within me and follow it like a lure all the way back to myself.”
sleepgoblin's review against another edition
3.0
This was a different set of main characters from the first book, but it was still good. I'm a sucker for love stories about seemingly at odds characters, and I liked that the love story was only secondary here. Lots of excitement.
rachelwrites007's review
5.0
Roshani Chokshi's [b:The Star-Touched Queen|25203675|The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen, #1)|Roshani Chokshi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446058438s/25203675.jpg|44916095] was my favorite book of 2016 and so I was a little nervous (but also super excited) to read the companion novel from Maya's sister Gauri's point of view. To my delight, though, [b:A Crown of Wishes|29939047|A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen, #2)|Roshani Chokshi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1478804846s/29939047.jpg|50329705] is a delicious and fun follow-up that managed to make me grin like a fool over Gauri and her love interest's banter.
Those looking for Chokshi's lush writing will find it here, and to my surprise A Crown of Wishes is a faster read, due to it being more plot driven than character. This isn't a bad thing as I was in for the ride and had such a good time.
Gauri's journey takes us through the Underworld and many other locations (yay for the return of the Night Bazaar!) and new characters as well as beloved returning ones. Her story is one of riddles and war, of being a woman to be reckoned with, and a fox prince who accompanies her (fox as in "sly"; Vikram isn't a creature). Their pairing often reminded me a little of Julian and Scarlett in [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623s/27883214.jpg|45697227] by Stephanie Garber (out in 2017 as well) with easy banter. Gauri and Vikram join together as a team through a game of riddles, wit, and greatest fear to win one single, powerful wish that they can claim as theirs. Those looking for game-type stories will find it here. I enjoyed Gauri and Vikram's story, and wish there were more to it. Let me just say: garden of swords = Rachel having heart eyes!!!!
I'm still rooting for sequels of Maya's children and Gauri's children and ROSHANI CHOKSHI I NEED MORE OF THIS WORLD!!!!!!
Unsurprisingly I've already pre-ordered this one. You should, too.
Those looking for Chokshi's lush writing will find it here, and to my surprise A Crown of Wishes is a faster read, due to it being more plot driven than character. This isn't a bad thing as I was in for the ride and had such a good time.
Gauri's journey takes us through the Underworld and many other locations (yay for the return of the Night Bazaar!) and new characters as well as beloved returning ones. Her story is one of riddles and war, of being a woman to be reckoned with, and a fox prince who accompanies her (fox as in "sly"; Vikram isn't a creature). Their pairing often reminded me a little of Julian and Scarlett in [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623s/27883214.jpg|45697227] by Stephanie Garber (out in 2017 as well) with easy banter. Gauri and Vikram join together as a team through a game of riddles, wit, and greatest fear to win one single, powerful wish that they can claim as theirs. Those looking for game-type stories will find it here. I enjoyed Gauri and Vikram's story, and wish there were more to it. Let me just say: garden of swords = Rachel having heart eyes!!!!
I'm still rooting for sequels of Maya's children and Gauri's children and ROSHANI CHOKSHI I NEED MORE OF THIS WORLD!!!!!!
Unsurprisingly I've already pre-ordered this one. You should, too.
bookgirl4ever's review
3.0
Story of Guari, sister of Maya from The Star-Touched Queen, and Vikram, crown-prince of the kingdom that holds her as a prisoner. Guari's brother has handed her over to Vikram's land with the expectation that they will kill her, getting the Jewel of Bharata out of his hair. Little does he know that Vikram plans to accept an invitation to a magical tournament in the otherworld, and Guari is to be his partner. I thought this was a sequel to The Star-Touched Queen and was very confused when I started the book. Turns out A Crown of Wishes is a companion novel and a quick reading of a recap is more than enough to get into this story. Magical and romantic.
HS
HS