DIVINING THE LEAVES is a beautiful contemporary fantasy YA with inspiration in Hindu and Buddhist folklore. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy!

I give it a 3.4!

I loved the flowery language of this book, it made for a really rich world and helped create a sense of immersion in this magical landscape the protagonists found themselves in. However, I was taken out of it a few times by the need to look things up. I don't mean the cultural folklore or references, as I feel they were clear, but other words used. I was happy to learn, but having to pull out my dictionary meant having to pull myself out of the story.

I will say Nilesh, the male protagonist, really didn't do much for me. In simple terms, I get it: he's just found out his whole family has been lying to him, he's been displaced with an estranged family friend, sure. But because we never got to see him before this happened, we just saw him at his absolute worst, and it made it hard to defend him or even want to. The instalove was already a lot, but even then, he didn't even care about her personality, and he mentioned her being hot over and over again. Sure, they hung out, but it didn't feel substantial or like the tension made sense, which is why I think I was shocked when I realized it wasn't some sort of love spell and was meant to be genuine.

While talking about romance, I also have to bring up Ridhi. Her dynamic with her love interest ends up making more sense as the book progresses, but her attraction does not. I wish there had been a scene between when they first meet and when their first lesson starts, because the crush just felt like it came out of nowhere.

I do find myself wanting more from a few of the relationships in this book, especially between Ridhi and Nilesh. Even though they were supposedly friends at one point, it never feels like that. It feels like they don't know each other at all, and maybe it's because they've just grown up, but I see no world where they could have ever been as close as Ridhi described. Even though they're going through some of the same things (discovering this magical world, engaging with the people in it, trying to escape their current lives), they just feel so separated from each other, which at times works for their estrangement, but then just makes me think: why even pick these characters? Also, Nilesh just accepting the acceptance of the magical world after picking on Ridhi for years really tickled me.

Like I said though, I love the rich landscape of this book, and I did enjoy that it was high stakes, unique, and stunning--both the writing and the cover. I'd read another book by this author.

I found this very very very difficult to get into. I would stop after a few sentences about wouldn't be able to get back into. I unfortunately had to DNF and probably won't be reading this again.

I thought this book would be great but it fell woefully short. I did not enjoy reading it and will not be recommending it to anyone ever.

DNF @ 38%. Is the plot in the room with us? It doesn't appear to be. Being in Nilesh's head is an exercise in agony, as he spends a good chunk of his time just thinking about how hot a yakshini girl is. He is also not freaked out AT ALL by ending up in a fantasy realm even though he has never believed in such things. Maybe this would have all evolved into a nuanced exploration of his pain (and healing?) over the dissolution of his parents' relationship, but more than a third of the way in and we weren't exploring ANYTHING.

As for Ridhi...she read like a ten year old more than an older teen. She goes around announcing how she believes in magic and it's going to come for her and wonders why everyone thinks she's weird. (The fact that she is correct is besides the point; OF COURSE this type of behavior is going to get you ostracized in a typical American high school.) I liked that she had her own perfume business but nothing seemed to really be happening with that, and again, at 38% of the way through the book, NONE of the stuff that was being set up in the synopsis of the book was actually happening.

I also can't figure out why this book is set in Atlanta...but also the realm of the yaksha? It's established pretty early on that the realm of the yaksha is in the Himalayas, but then it's also in the freezer section of a supermarket in Atlanta and in Ridhi's backyard. I don't mind the "magical world along the real world" setup at all, generally speaking (Tithe by Holly Black does this well, for example) but it doesn't work when you have already established said magical world as being somewhere else.

It's too bad, because the absolutely GORGEOUS cover here does not at all match up with the innards of this book.

i realized very early on that despite this beautiful cover, this book was aggressively not vibing with me. more specifically, its characters were not vibing with me. i couldn’t sit through some of their decision makings and though the world-building was nice — it alone wasn’t enough to keep me. thanks to netgalley and the publisher fot this earc!

sad to report that this was kind of disappointing...
the plot seemed so intriguing, and I though it was going to be a nice cozy fantasy, but all it was was kind of slow and boring...
there were so many questionable things that happened and I think the characters could have been a lot more developed
because of my lack of connection to the characters, I couldn't ever get super into this book. I would be willing to try more books by Shveta Thakrar though as this had a lot of potential. it just wasn't executed the best...

Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar is a lush, lyrical collection of poetry that beautifully blends the mystical with the personal. Thakrar’s evocative language and imagery transport readers to a world where nature, magic, and emotions intertwine. Each poem feels like a journey of self-discovery and enchantment, making this a deeply resonant read for those who appreciate delicate yet powerful verse.

Forest worshipper Ridhi worships the plants and trees around her and one day hopes to be allowed into the enchanted forest kingdom of the yakshas. One day, her old best friend, Nilesh, comes to her home needing respite from his parents' failing marriage. But Ridhi and Nilesh haven't been able to get along in a while, ever since Nilesh admitted he didn't believe in Ridhi's magical beliefs. When Ridhi's actions accidentally land Nilesh in the land of yakshas, Ridhi must challenge what she thinks she knows about her magic and risk it all to save Nilesh.

This sounded like a cute middle-grade book, but without a background in Indian mythology, the storyline was difficult to grasp, causing me to struggle with the world-building in the beginning of the book. The story also had a pretty slow pace and neither of the main characters was very likeable in my opinion.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

The cover of Divining the Leaves is breathtakingly beautiful, which is what drew me to this book and the description seemed interesting as well. Thakrar did a good job building this really beautiful world, which was the high point of the book for me. For all of these reasons I was really expecting to love this book but was disappointed that I didn't. The characters were okay but lacked depth and it felt like they never truly developed. Also, the pacing was very slow. Initially, I assumed it was solely because the author was trying to build this magical world and assumed that the pacing would pick up after a few chapters, but that never happened. I experienced the same thing previously when I read Star Daughter by Thakrar, so I'm starting to think that this is just her writing style. Overall, it was an okay book.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an overall let down! While the writing style itself was good and i liked the overall premise the building and plot itself was kinda boring and the characters were fine, but I didn't connect with anyone or anything and I will promptly forget about the book the second I am finished writing this review

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this! I hate to say it, but this one was not for me. The characters felt all over the place, which is fair, they are teenagers. The word, "Mummy", is now permanently engraved in my skull which is not a word I wanted engraved. The premise for the book is something I really liked. A kind of fantasy escape from the real world, but it felt disorienting. I might just not have been the right audience for this.

Divining the Leaves is a magical, whimsical journey into a world where seasons shift and friendships bloom in unexpected ways. The combination of beautiful prose and rich cultural elements will have you enchanted from start to finish. If you're ready to step into a lush, vibrant world that feels alive on every page, then this book is for you!


Let me start by saying, I LOVE the cover! It’s as magical and enchanting as the world inside the pages. This book is an explosion of color and wonder.

The incorporation of Hindu culture and Buddhist folklore weaves an extra layer of richness into the story. Admittedly, as someone outside of that cultural background, I found myself pausing to research certain terms and concepts—though it wasn’t necessary, it made me feel even more immersed in the story’s enchanting world.

The world-building is truly breathtaking—I could almost smell the blossoms and feel the magic with every turn of the page! This book felt like being invited into a world painted with gorgeous, vivid detail—every leaf, every breeze seemed alive with magic.


"Ridhi drew her curtains to find that an unseen artist had painted spring into existence, shading in foliage here, stippling flower pistils there. The last sleepy breaths of winter had subsided overnight, yielding to a palette of chlorophyll and pastels, and the drowsy land, having yawned and stretched, then shook off its hibernation, rejuvenated for another year."


"The taste of crisp autumn air, of distant woodsmoke and apples, and of a forest dressed up in its fiery finery for a last, defiant celebration before its wintry sleep spread over her tongue."
"Fall was the sunset of seasons, and it smoldered in her veins."


Reading Divining the Leaves felt like stepping into a dream. The slow build-up in the first few chapters may seem like a crawl, but the world is so mesmerizing, you won’t mind getting lost in it! By Chapter 9, the plot truly starts to soar, but with 29 chapters in total, the pacing feels kinda slow with moments of action that balance the lush descriptions.


I'm truly thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read the book pre-release.

The book presents an intriguing premise, blending elements of fantasy, magic, and the natural world, but unfortunately, the execution is sluggish and falls short of creating compelling character dynamics. The plot takes too long to build momentum, with long stretches of introspection and mystical musings that detract from the overall tension. Including the yakshas folklore is promising, and if you’re drawn to slow-paced stories steeped in nature and fantasy, you will appreciate the themes.

I struggled to get into this book in the beginning. At first I had a hard time connecting with the mythology and back story. BUT once I did connect I found it to be a gripping read.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. If you enjoyed Star Daughter & The Dream Runners, you'll love this one too. The mythology was fun, the story was intriguing & I loved the characters. The pacing was a little slow at times, but I still enjoyed it. 3.75 stars.

Similarly to how I enjoyed Star Daughter, I liked this alright but it wasn't outstanding. The writing is a bit juvenile for my taste and the plot drags quite a bit. I enjoyed the characters and pacing throughout the book though. It's an perfectly okay young adult fantasy.

I really enjoy the writing of this book. The way the author describes scenery and characters was great for visuals and world building. My issue came with the tempo of the beginning of the book. While I enjoyed the writing and was excited for a book based on Indian mythology I found the pace slow which made it hard to get into. I wanted to love this more but overall a different and enjoyable read.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley!

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

This story had a lot of potential and I think overall it was executed really well. It is YA so there is some corny aspects but in the end it was very cute.

The FMC felt really juvenile for 17 but I think a lot of authors have the bad habit of maturing their MCs wayyyy too much so I think I'm just not used to realistic depictions of teenagers. I really enjoyed learning about Indian history and folklore, so if you're interested in that you'll enjoy the overall story.

I think some parts of the story could be expanded on including the magic system and what exactly the FMC was learning in terms of her magic. I would have enjoyed learning more about that.

Overall it was fun and I enjoyed it, I just think there is room for improvement in some storytelling aspects.

"Divining the Leaves" promises a journey into a world of Indian folklore, blending ancient myths with modern day realities, but unfortunately, it feels more like a missed opportunity than a magical adventure.

The novel introduces us to Ridhi and Nilesh, cousins drawn into a mystical realm of Yakshas and Yakshinis. Initially, the blend of contemporary and mythical elements is intriguing, and the inclusion of Indian folklore through charming folktales at the beginning of each chapter offers a unique touch. Ridhi's passion for nature and perfume adds a refreshing dimension to her character, providing a hint of enchantment. The book's dedication to exploring Indian cultural elements and integrating perfumery into the narrative is commendable, bringing a bit of novelty to the YA fantasy genre.

However, the book’s promise is undermined by several issues. The pacing is sluggish, with the story dragging at multiple points and struggling to captivate. The modern setting of the story, as opposed to a more traditional or purely fantastical backdrop, feels incongruous with the mythological elements and detracts from the overall immersion.

Character development is notably lacking. Ridhi’s growth is somewhat engaging, but Nilesh's journey is disappointing. His character arc is primarily driven by superficial romantic interests rather than meaningful development, making him come across as more annoying than endearing. The instalove dynamics and Nilesh’s self-centered behavior create a frustrating reading experience, and his lack of growth only exacerbates this issue.

The representation of disability and LGBTQ+ identities, while appreciated, feels tokenized rather than integrated into the narrative in a meaningful way. The disability of a side character is mentioned but does not influence the plot or character interactions in any significant manner. Similarly, a brief mention of LGBTQ+ identity at the very end of the book feels abrupt and out of place, failing to contribute to the story’s depth.

Additionally, the story’s structure and language choices contribute to a sense of disorientation. The constant shifts between the real world and the mystical realm are jarring, and the overuse of complex vocabulary can be alienating. The plot lacks clarity, with various elements feeling underdeveloped or glossed over.

In summary, "Divining the Leaves" has potential with its unique cultural integration and magical elements, but it falls short due to sluggish pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a disjointed narrative. It may appeal to younger readers looking for a whimsical escape, but adult readers might find it less compelling. Overall, it’s a book that had the seeds of something great but failed to fully flourish.