When magic is unleashed up pages of a book something truly special happens! That is exactly what Roshani does every time she wields her magic wand- I mean pen! The prose, the details, the entire feel of these stories, and the character development are entirely on other levels! I was completely honored to read this novella and greedily devoured every page! I highly recommend putting Roshani on your insta buy list!

I loved this story and strongly recommend it to any readers looking to get glued to the pages!!! Was so into the characters as I got to know them.

Wow wow wow !!!!! I always am impressed with Roshani Chokshi's stories. Beautiful as always! I will always want more of this world!

This was a wonderful addition to the already fantastic duopoly by Roshani. For fans of the first two installments I would definitely recommend reading these!

As with the full length books, these are beautiful written and engaging. Roshani Chokshi is a beautiful and brilliant writer, and I look forward to reading everything she releases.

Roshani Chokshi has a talent to write beautiful stories with elements that almost seem magical. Lyrical in prose, and romantic in language, Star-Touched Stories gave us 3 different stories that ties into her other Star-Touched series. Even though you really don't need to read the rest of the books in the series to follow along, but it will give you a lot more back story and understanding.

Death and Night may be my favorite of the three. It's romance will touch all readers' hearts for sure.
"Whatever form she took, I would recognize her. Because it was not me that knew her, it was my soul. And it could never forget her."

All the imagery in Star-Touched Stories of the setting, the characters and emotions are impressive and compelling, a must-read for young adult fantasy fans.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

I thought each of the stories were beautifully woven together. It was great to see the different characters have their own tales and the trials they had to face. The back story for Death and Night really put into perspective on how they met and what lead to Night leaving Death. Chokshi does great world building in each story that really takes the reader inside the stories.

I loved being able to be back with Chokshi and the Star Touched world. It reminded me why I loved these books before and it's a wonderful addition to the world building!

Many thanks go to Chokshi, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I had a difficult time rating this book. I adored the story of the Shadow Wife's Curse. It brought the Dharma Raja and Gupta back and explained a backstory from Book One. But I'm not a big fan of Aasha, Gauri, and Vikram, and the last two stories basically dealt with them. So I couldn't rate it higher than a three. I was disappointed.

Roshani Chokshi never disappoints with her writing and she totally nailed these. I love short stories and got so excited when I got approved to read it. Its definitely a must read!

Roshani Chokshi is a beautiful writer. She has a way of making you forget the world around you. She sees the world so beautifully. There is no exception when it comes to these three short stories in the Star-Touched universe.



This collection of short stories is not needed to understand A Star-Touched Queen or A Crown of Wishes. You don't need to read those two books in order to understand the short stories. BUT. It helps. If you know the stories and backgrounds then you feel like you are getting insider information. Who doesn't love insider information?



Definitely read these beautiful stories. I absolutely adored them and I think you will too. Check them out!

I really liked The Star Touched Queen, so to read more stories set in that world was amazing. Fans of her will love it, and it may make a good intro to someone this holiday season.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Death and Night

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

Poison and Gold

Now that her wish for a choice has come true, Aasha struggles to control her powers. But when an opportunity to help Queen Gauri and King Vikram's new reign presents itself, she is thrown into the path of the fearsome yet enchanting Spy Mistress. To help her friends, Aasha will have to battle her insecurities and perhaps, along the way, find love.

Rose and Sword

There is a tale whispered in the dark of the Empire of Bharat-Jain. A tale of a bride who loses her bridegroom on the eve of her wedding. But is it a tale or a truth?

What I Liked:

I'll be the first to admit that I don't typically like short stories or novellas, and so I avoid them most of the time. I hate feeling like a story was cut short or could have been longer. Usually that's the feeling that most short stories and novellas leave. However, I will say that the three star-touched stories in this book are 100% worth the print bind-up that the publisher is publishing.

Roshani Chokshi's storytelling and masterful prose are on full display in these stories. If you've read any of her books, you know how creative and colorful her writing is. She likes comparisons and imagery and a good amount of detail, and she ties everything together so neatly and with a flourish. I really enjoy her prose, and I know some won't, but majority will.

And per her usual, her storytelling was wonderful. I did NOT feel like any of the stories were too short or ended with a sense of lacking. Perhaps it was because she had the room/page space to write freely? Regardless, each story felt full and complete. This is what short stories and novellas should feel like. No reader should feel like what they read wasn't enough, from that story.

There are three stories in this novella bind-up, and while I won't talk about each of them (that would take too long and this review would be entirely too boring), I will state that each story is unique and engaging in its own way. Each story has a lovely tale, a sweeping romance, and a wonderful, complete ending.

I love the Indian rep! These stories are written with so many dashes and dips of Indian culture. From the food to the lore, Chokshi has woven Indian culture into her stories seamlessly. These stories are great #ownvoices rep and just plain great.

Can I talk about the amount of food references? Each story had multiple mention of some sort of Indian food and well, yum. I'm Indian and am familiar with most of the dishes and it was gratifying to see Indian food in the stories. I couldn't help but feel a little hungry!

Definitely pick up this book if you want to experience more from Roshani Chokshi. The stories are so wonderful and engrossing. You won't regret it!

What I Did Not Like:

I have no complaints! This book is gorgeous, inside and out.

Would I Recommend It:

If you've read Chokshi's debut and sophomore novels, you'll want to pick up this one. Regardless of your feelings on short stories/novellas - remember, I don't usually read them. (I find that they are a waste of time.) I do recommend you read this book after you read The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes. You'll appreciate the short stories so much more. Especially Poison & Gold! So many Vikram and Gauri appearances.

Rating:

4 stars. This is a masterpiece! The world, the writing, the storytelling, the romances. Roshani Chokshi is talented and deserves the success she has received and will receive. I can't wait to read more from her. Might I also recommend A Thousand Beginnings and Endings? Chokshi wrote an #ownvoices Filipino-inspired tale in that anthology. I loved it!

I feel like the only person in the world who did not enjoy this book, and it makes me feel like I've missed something. Overall the writing style is beautiful and whimsical, but I just didn't enjoy the pacing and voice of the characters.

I adored Star-Touched Queen, and enjoyed Crown of Wishes, so I was eager for more stories from this world. And these did well. Chokshi brings her delicious writing, full of beautifully penned lines that tug at the heart. I will say the second story didn't connect with me as much as the other two, but it was still very well written. A lovely collection of short stories that just add depth and wonder to this universe.

A compilation of mid-sized short stories about the characters in The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes, either continuing their stories or going back in time and telling stories from before the events of the novel. My favourite story is the first one, Death and Night. It gives much wanted context from what happened before the events of The Star-Touched Queen. It was a sweet and incredibly magical romance that warmed my heart and re-invigorated my love for the characters. This book in a final toe dip in this incredibly magical world for all of the fans who miss it.
I loved this short story compilation. Before this point, I hadn't had a very good experience with short story compilations, finding them unpleasant, boring and disrespectful to the original series; but Star-Touched Stories felt really well done and honouring to the stories it is based off of. I found I sincerely enjoyed the short stories and felt refreshed by reading it. I was left wanting to go back to the original series and re-experience it. Anyway, I really enjoyed Star-Touched Stories and I give it the star rating of FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!

STAR-TOUCHED STORIES brings you back into the world of STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN. For those who love the world Roshani Chokshi created, this book is for you. The best part? You get three short stories in one book!

My favorite is without a doubt DEATH AND NIGHT. It is perfectly written, especially Dharma Raja's character. The romance in these stories made me swoon and my heart race. I love that I was also able to read one story at a time and feel satisfied at the end.

I'm so thankful to Roshani Chokshi for bringing us these stories to satisfy a craving for the Star-Touched world. I devoured these three romantic short stories and they stuck with me even once I finished. I love Roshani Chokshi's enchanting and alluring style of writing that will always keep me hooked. It's unique and magical.


Final Verdict: I recommend this to fans of romance, short stories, fantasy, and the Star-Touched world.

Gorgeous and enchanting, these stories were a delightful addition to the Star-Touched universe Chokshi writes in. There is something effortlessly beautiful about the prose and the magical details, and I'm so glad I had a chance to pick this up from one of my favorite writers.

Roshani Chokshi has already earned herself a place on my auto-read list so it is unsurprising that even though I am a shit head who hasn’t read A Crown of Wishes, I still needed to read Star-Touched Stories. Chokshi has a distinguished writing style that just calls out to me, I guess.

Short stories set in a favorite world are always fun and I love how Chokshi really does somehow manage to bring the Star-Touched queen world to life even through this short snippets into the lives of beloved characters. WHICH. I know I’ve read Star-Touched Queen so I have some context but its been two years so I really didn’t remember much and yet, THE STORIES WERE SO WELL WRITTEN that I didn’t really need to remember much.

Of course, two of the three stories are about characters from A Crown of Wishes so… I wouldn’t have context even if I had amazing memory but it did make me want to read the book EVEN MORE. I just have a very long tbr so I keep putting off reading all the sequels I’ve wanted to read for ages. (excuses, I know. I am a terrible person)

SO. Here is the low-down on the shorts themselves.

‘Death and Night’ follows the first meeting on our main characters from The Star-Touched Queen: their playful flirtations, romance and courtship. It is so easy to immediately root for these two because they are both so deserving of that happiness.

‘Poison and Gold’ follows the the story of Aasha, a Vishakanya who is, in oversimplified terms, having an identity-crisis. She no longer feels quite like a vishakanya or a human being and hasn’t really found an inbetween that works for her. When Gauri and Vikram recommend her to be the next poison-master she finds her calling and a potential mate (who also just happens to hate vishakanyas.)

‘Rose and Sword’ shows a grown up Gauri telling the story of how Vikram died and was brought back to life to her granddaughter. We get to see the world that Maya now calls home and also just see what has become of some beloved characters.

Yes. I have a favorite story and yes it is ‘Poison and Gold’ but also, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE stories is absolutely lovely because Chokshi is an amazing writer and I will be shocked the day I read something she writes and don’t immediately fall head-over-heels in love. Anyway, so yeah, if you’re a fan of the books, read the stories. THEY ARE WORTH IT.

What a gorgeous collection of novellas! Incredible, lush writing, as always. They are all lovely, but I think the first one, Death & Night, was my favorite. If you haven't yet read A CROWN OF WISHES, you might be spoiled by this collection!