A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi
Summary
From the author of The Star-Touched Queen comes a beautiful lush fantasy, Roshani Chokshi's A Crown of Wishes.
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. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, 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.
Book Details
A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
The Star-Touched Queen Series #2
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
Published March 28th 2017 by St. Martin's Griffin
Hardcover, 369 pages
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Review
A CROWN OF WISHES is the companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen, a novel that is on my favorites shelf, and one that I am so glad I finally took the time to read.
I did not think it possible, but I may have enjoyed this story even more than its predecessor.
Get ready to be transported to a realm of wonder.
Its pages are filled with such beautiful writing which easily transports its readers to a lush fantasy-world filled with magic, capricious gods, daring quests and some very swoon-worthy romance.
In this story, Roshani Chokshi spins an adventuress tale of danger and magic, staring two unlikely allies.
Gauri, the princess of Bharata and Vikram, the cunning prince of neighboring land, team up to win the Tournament of Wishes which promises one wish to its victor. Something both desperately want and need in order to help their kingdoms.
“Stories are boundless and infinite, ever-changing and elusive,” said Kubera. “They are the truest treasure and therefore my dearest possessions.”
I love reading stories that feature quests and A CROWN OF WISHES is all that and more.
What makes this such a great read is the fantastical world created — one filled with odd magic, mythical creatures and mercurial gods all set in an enchanted city where the competition takes place. The Lord of Wealth is a bit of a trickster and, as a reader, you never quite know what he has in store for our heroes.
“Enchantment abraded the dusk until there was only magic left to draw into our lungs. Not air. The music moved us to dance, and sent us spinning around one another as if our gazes were hooks and hinges, and our very dreams hung off of them.”
Besides the richly imagined and vivid world, A CROWN OF WISHES features the kind of characters you come to care about.
Both Gauri and Vikram have fun quirks and personal obstacles the need to overcome, making them feel real and relatable to.
If you’re a fan like I am of the enemies-to-more trope, then you’ll love seeing how these two characters overcome their differences and team up on an epic adventure.
“He smiled. A true smile. I knew his smirks. His half-grins. Even halfhearted and lopsided upturns of his mouth. This smile was different. It was soft and unguarded. And it softened me in return. I had put that smile on his face and I felt strangely territorial about it. I wanted to keep it.”
In the End
I loved everything about this book. This is a story about a journey — a personal and physical one that both Gauri and Viram experience together and the growth and change they both go through really made the story a wonderful read. A CROWN OF WISHES weaves magic and wonder into each word while making readers fall head-over-heels for its characters. Highly recommend — a must for fans and readers of young-adult fantasy.
