The thing about one's dreams is that they're almost never interesting to other people. It's possible to take an image or idea from a dream and spin it into a great story or artwork, sure, and I can think of plenty of examples. It's even possible to take the structure of dreams -- or the lack of structure, I guess -- and use that as a framework for larger concepts, assuming there is an existing context, such as a standing love of the characters. TV shows sometimes do this with great success.

The problem with this book is that it's basically like trying to follow along with someone else's dream, without any of the hard work that must be done by the dreamer (that is, the author/artist/filmmaker) to make that dream into a compelling, coherent story for anyone other than the him or herself. The main characters Vikram and Gauri (who don't especially resemble the Vikram and Gauri readers first met in The Star-Touched Queen, the "companion" novel set in the same world) are a little annoying and are headed quite clearly for the hate-turns-to-love trope, just because ROMANCE! Once they meet, events seem to just happen one after the next, like a series of random dreamy bits strung together, with hardly any narrative drive and even less context (again, even for those of us who read the "companion" novel"). Everything just floats around in a kind of soupy atmosphere, infused with South Asian mythology -- which could have been super interesting if it weren't so disconnected from any semblance of narrative thrust.

In my review of the companion novel, I said, "Good writing and interesting characters, but gets rather too bogged down in overly-lush atmosphere and confusing mythology." For this second book, I'd say rather the same thing, minus the good writing and interesting characters. I also wrote that "Chokshi's human-world stuff is a lot more compelling than her other-world ramblings," and that that first book was "largely saved by the fact that it has plenty of both." A Crown of Wishes seemed promising because it would focus more on the human character and human world. Unfortunately, that promise went unfulfilled; Chokshi skips right over into the dreamy ramblings as if she can't get there fast enough. And as with most other people's dreams, I remain entirely uninterested.

This was a such a pleasant surprise as to how much I enjoyed this book! I had to go out and buy the first book in the series before getting around to this one.
The magic system was extraordinary, the plot kept me intrigued the whole time, and the prose....holy moly. I highlighted so many passages in this ebook it is ridiculous.
I loved Gauri and Vikram, and I'm hoping this series continues?
Highly recommend-will be buying a copy for my teenage daughter to read now.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley for an honest opinion. I would like to thank Roshani Chokshi and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful book, inside and out.

If you follow my blog, then you probably remember when I raved about The Star-Touched Queen sometime last summer. I was so excited for this book to come out but then when it did come out it took me until now to find it and read it. I am so glad that I read it when I did though because I got to fully focus on it and enjoy it. This duology has become one of my favorites of all time and I am going to be recommending it to people all the time.

COVER

The cover of this book is so beautiful and simple. I love how Gauri is on a horse which shows her adventurous side. Her dress is also gorgeous and I love how magical the whole cover is.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building is as usual beautifully done. All the descriptions are so vivid and lyrical that you feel like you are there.

Then there are the characters.

GAURI

Gauri is a queen who has had her throne taken away from her but she still acts like the queen that she really is. She shows lots of strength and independence throughout the book which shows how bada*s she is. She is also very handy with a weapon and intimidates Vikram a lot [my ship]. She is very serious and knows what she wants and how to get it, without letting She is also a very smart heroine and she shows how beauty doesn't define her.

VIKRAM

Vikram was the best male character for this book. He is hilarious and is called the "fox prince" because he is sly and smart. Unlike Gauri, he is not good with a weapon and has to use his smarts in order to get himself out of unfortunate situations. He is handsome which is mentioned a couple of times. I really enjoyed his character because he was different from a lot of male characters/love interests.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Gauri has a very interesting relationship with her family. One of her brothers tried to intimidate her, poison her and eliminate her because he saw her as a threat to his throne even though he was not helping the kingdom at all by being in power. He saw her as a threat because she was obviously a better ruler.

PLOT

I really enjoyed the whole plot which reminded me a lot of Caraval by Stephanie Garber with the whole magical game thing. I liked the whole magical game concept and even though that is used a lot lately, it was shown in a new way. I liked how there were a lot of characters that were used in order to make the story a lot more interesting and move forward.

ROMANCE

This was hate-to-love at it's best. Gauri wants to kill/use Vikram for half the time and she is constantly intimidating him. Vikram is also using her in order to get what he wants but somehow they come together. And the tension is very visible.

WRITING

I love her writing because it is so beautiful and lyrical. The quotes are also really pretty and you can easily find quotes that are meaningful and read well.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I love Roshani Chokshi's writing and plots. Her characters are three dimensional and everything neatly ties up. I love this series and A Crown of Wishes is the perfect second installment because it follows different characters but is in the same world.

Beautifully Beautifully written with a wonderful plot. I enjoyed <i> The Star-Touched Queen </i> but fell in love with this book and it's characters.

The characters are engaging, not to mention there is smart, capable and witty heroine. I found myself barreling through this book as I could not put it down but instantly regretted not savouringit when I reached the end.
written

I went into A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi thinking that the book was a sequel to The Star-Touched Queen, which I read last year and really enjoyed. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was actually a companion novel instead. Either way, I was super excited to finally read the book, as I had my eye on it for quite a while, and I was curious to see what it was about. This book is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2017 so far!

As I mentioned above, A Crown of Wishes is a companion novel to The Star Touched Queen. This is the story about a story about Gauri, the princess of Bharata, who is also the sister of Maya in the first book. To be honest, I didn't remember much about Gauri at first, and unfortunately I didn't have time to reread the first book before starting this one. Luckily there were plenty of reminders in the book to refresh my memory, and I quickly fell right into Gauri's story.
One of the things I love most about this book is our two main characters; Guari, the princess of Bharata, and Vikram, a prince from the neighboring land. These characters really made the book for me. I loved their snarky sense of humors, and the fact that they made me laugh so much throughout the story. I found myself totally rooting them on as they played the game, and I enjoyed that the story is told from their alternative perspectives. I also really loved Aasha, a secondary character in the story, whom is probably my most favorite character in the story. *grin*

I'm always a little nervous when starting the second book in a series, as it could either be really great, or totally not great at all, so I was curious to see where this book would stand. I was not disappointed at all! The storyline for the book was definitely entertaining, and I loved the 'game' part, which reminded me a little of Caraval by Stephanie Garber. The game was very interesting, as I never knew what to expect, and was always wondering what was going to happen next. I would totally not have survived these games if I were participating. Just saying.

Overall; I really enjoyed A Crown of Wishes a lot more than I expected to. The characters were great, and the storyline was entertaining and captivating. I'm not sure if there are going to be more books in this series, but I'd really love to see these characters again. Do check out The Star-Touched Queen AND A Crown of Wishes!!

Happy Reading!!

I loved Crown of Wishes. The description and world building are exquisite. Vikram and Gauri were well written and flawed characters as well as the side characters who all had intriguing backstories. Beautifully written unique story.

Before reading this book I read TSTQ, and I liked it…it was okay, but it took me a while to get into and to really get invested in the book and I didn’t feel like it boded well for this book. But then I started it and couldn’t put it down, I read this book in one sitting. This book was so enthralling and I loved the characters of Gauri and Vikram way more than Maya and Amar but still appreciated the fact that we got to see a little bit of them in this book. The world that Roshani built was amazing and I loved the connections that all the different places had to each other. I liked the concept of the tournament they were taking a part in. Overall I just loved this book. I had to go out and buy a copy of it so I could put it on my shelves.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I loved loved The Star Touched Queen and Guari so of course i would love this book. I want to live in this book forever. A MUST READ

I didn't care for this book. It was difficult for me to wade through because of overly decadent writing and word choice that felt inappropriate for both the age category and genre. I could see how passionate the author was about the story, which was nice, but ultimately felt turned off by how much was put into the book.

The second installment in the Star-Touched Queen series, A Crown of Wishes was a joy to read. It takes place in the same universe as the first novel in the series, but it's plot is almost completely independent and could totally be read all on its own. It's a story of romance and magic, staring a hardened warrior princess and a witty and sly enemy prince. They are both thrown into a magic competition together to wish a single wish. Those wishes are something they both desperately want and will do anything to get, including work together. As tension rises and danger grows, they will learn to depend on each other to win, or die trying to go at it alone.

Magical in a different way then most other stories, A Crown of Wishes takes more of an Arabic air to it then anything else. With creatures that were all new to me and a mythos I was completely unfamiliar with, it was truly quite a treat. It was also quite great to read a novel that could be in a series yet stand completely on it's own. It was not reliant on any past plot building to be a good story and experience all on it's own. The main characters were a blast to read about and were very well developed with their unique strengths and flaws. All in all, I really enjoyed the book and give it the rating of FIVE OUT OT FIVE STARS!

Vikram, The Fox Prince, is a prince in name but not in power. Adopted by the Emperor of Ujijain when he was a small boy, the counsel does not see him as worthy of the throne. He wishes to rule Ujijain. Vikram receives a magical invitation to the Tournament of Wishes, a contest that promises to grant the winner their heart’s desire. But in order to play, he needs a partner.
Princess Gauri, Jewel of Bharata, wishes to overthrow her tyrant of a brother and lay claim to the throne. She has been exiled and imprisoned, forced to betray her best friend. Her brother sends her to Ujijain to be executed by Prince Vikram as a show of loyalty to Gauri’s brother, Skanda of Bharata. But her escape comes unexpectedly when Prince Vikram invites her to be his partner in the Other Realm’s Tournament of Wishes.
Will they find what their hearts desire within Alaka’s gates?
Vikram is a clever thinker, he is good at coming up with fair solutions, and his wits are his weapon. He is cool and collected in the face of danger, and a patient scholar. I really admired his inquisitive mind, wisdom, and sense of adventure.
Gauri is calculated, yet anxious, she has been raised as a warrior to trust no one. Her heart hurts for the pain that her brother Skanda has caused his subjects, but she wonders if her patience is another form of cowardice. She is quick thinking and always ready to fight. On the outside she appears hard and seamless, but I like how her friendship with Nalini showed her softer side as well as her growing friendship with Vikram.
Aasha is an other-worldly creature, she and her Vishakanya sisters feed on the desires of others but their touch is toxic. Aasha longs for the world beyond the Other Realm, she has questions about taste, touch, and the human world. She befriends Vikram and Guari, helping them navigate Alaka in return for information about the human world. Though a century old, she is youthful and brimming with questions and longing, she is a faithful friend, honest and true.
I was initially drawn to this book because I have read very little about Indian folklore and was intrigued by how their culture was expressed in their stories. It was interesting to see how different themes were played up compared to our western fairy tales, and I was completely enchanted by this spellbinding adventure of love, courage, desire, hope, vengeance, and forgiveness.
Vikram and Gauri are opposites, yet unknowingly the perfect complement to each other. Sparks fly, and there is great chemistry between them. I like how their grudging partnership warms to friendship as they face the trials of fear and love. Full of twists, humor, adventure, all with an Indian flare, it is an enchanting tale of desire and destiny. Highly recommend for fans of folklore and fantasy.

Crown of Wishes has everything you could want in a story. Suspense, action, romance, and absolutely gorgeous storytelling. I am in awe of Roshani Chokshi. Her writing is like poetry and you can't help but think what an amazing writer she is! I loved the story, loved the characters, and just pretty much loved everything about this book. It is actually book 2, in the Star-Touched series. You do not have to read them in order. Each book is it's own story. I loved the gradual romance between Guari and Vikram. Both are strong characters with a lot of depth to them. You can't help but love Guari's resilience and Vikram's charm. Clean Y.A. Romance/Fantasy and recommended for ages 14 and up!

I absolutely loved The Star-Touched Queen. Very thankful for having the opportunity to read A Crown of Wishes in advance and as soon as it was released I got my physical copy. Already one of my favorite reads of 2017. Something about Roshani's writing style gives her books that magical touch. Her writing transports you to the world in question immediately, to go along with the character in their journey. A magical journey, a lot of action and incredible character. Cant wait for more books to come. Totally recommend it.

A fantastic book that is an incredible edition to the Star-Touched Queen. Beautiful writing with engaging characters and a fascinating world that I want to continue to read more in.

i loved this beautiful sequel to THE STAR TOUCHED QUEEN. it' was haunting at points, and completely immersive.

2.5 stars.

Well, looks like I'm one of the few dissenting opinions on this one, but this just didn't work for me. I slogged through it. I think my biggest issue was the writing. It was was sumptuous, lush and full, but it was also overwrought with description and created tension and drama while at the same time somehow lacking real tension or the idea that high stakes were involved with these characters. (view spoiler) Purple prose indeed. Cut the fluff and it would have been happily over within 50 pages. It was delicately spun lines of text lacking substance (view spoiler)

Because of the lavish writing, I never connected with the characters. Sure, Vikram and Gauri have a lot of ambition, sure Guari is fierce with her armor (news flash: it's make-up) and Vikram is super clever and smart (but apparently life-adverse from all the dumb things he says/gets into), but I got mixed signals throughout and no real understanding of why they wanted what they wanted (oh sure, they said it over and over and over, but it never really felt real).

Plus, body parts did things that body parts are not supposed to do. Cheeks became scimitars. And the eyes. Oh my. The eyes were never normal eyes. They softened. They darkened. They have their own gravity wells. They. . . well, here's an example:

"Twice, he had pulled her so close that her gaze threatened to eclipse his thoughts. When she danced, her eyes softened. No longer harsh and winter black, but cast and . . . not breathtaking, but breath-guzzling. Breath-devouring. This close, her eyes shone like fragments of night sky. If he looked closer, he wondered whether he'd see stars burst into life behind her lashes." And on.

Yup folks, Gauri's eyes are simultaneously a nebula and a black hole. Potential suitors beware.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Much, much better than the first book in my opinion. The writing is much more beautiful and soft, the plot didn't get boring or predictable and the ending was absolutely spectacular. 5 out of 5 stars, for sure!

Being a huge fan of A star Touched Queen, I simply could not wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. Often times sequels do not live up to their predecessor, but that’s not even remotely the case with this book. A Crown of Wishes was mesmerizing. Beautiful, fluid writing, amazing characters and intense world-building brought this story to life, and now I truly cannot say which book is my favorite.
Gauri and Vikram are stunning characters. They are young and bold, Gauri a warrior and Vikram a prince, both having experienced betrayal, death and loss. With that being said, there is still an innocence to them that I truly adore.
There is no trust between the two characters - Gauri has been held captive by her brother and Vikram has been played by his father, trust is not something either hand over willingly. But, together they enter a contest for one wish. Having never heard of the tournament of wishes, they enter the contest blindly, and quickly learn that they can’t compete alone. Not only are they entered into a contest of unknowns, they are also paired with a known enemy.
I cannot end this review without focusing a little bit more on the writing. It is exquisite! Roshani Chokshi’s use of rich descriptions and perfect word choice casts a magic spell on the reader. Her writing is vibrant and fluid and walks you through a magical realm made up of fantasy and lore. It grips you by the hand as it slowly reveals the depth of the characters, the stunning world and the stories of the people who dare to enter it.
It has to be very obvious that I loved this book!
5/5 stars

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley for a fair review.

When I requested it, I did not realize that it was the second book in the series, so if I had read the other first (which I will go back and read it) my opinion might differ. Reading the other book, A Star-Touched Queen, would have given me a better beginning perspective. As it was, the book moved a quick pace and was very inthralling. I found the characters both mysterious at times and like-able.

After adoring The Star Touched Queen I was sure I was going to equally love A Crown of Wishes, and when my "wish for it" was granted on Netgalley I was squealing and more than ready to dive into it straight away!

I knew I was going to love it, but I didn't expect it to love it even more than I did TSTQ! Right after finishing ACOW, I was ready to re-read it right away, and that's always the mark of an amazing book for me, because I don't want it to end and I don't want to leave its world!

A Crown of Wishes is a companion/sort of sequel to TSTQ and it shares the same amazing brilliant and lyrical writing, the same immersing descriptions and narrative and the same magical and threatening vibe throughout! It's a wondrous world you'd want to visit but once there you might not be entirely sure if it was such a good idea after all!

Roshani Chokshi always manages to ensorcell me with her words, makes me crave desi food like there's no tomorrow and makes me want to read more Indian/Hindu mythology books! I feel like rushing through the book to find out what comes next but slowing down at the same time to savour every word and description!

I was very happy when I heard that ACOW would be about Gauri because I adored her as Maya's spirited little sister in TSTQ and I simply loved who she had become in this book, strong and full of thorns and I loved her path to realize who she could be and how to became the person she really wanted to be. And I simply adored her interactions with Vikram, the Fox Prince, charming, cunning and entirely too irresistible if irritating at times!

They are to be allies to win the Tournament of Wishes and they don't entirely trust each other too much, although most of the resistance comes from Gauri. They do make quite a fantastic team and their banter is simply perfect! I love how they goad each other, how Vikram challenges Gauri and tries to get to know the fascinating and utterly dangerous girl better without getting himself killed in the process. Just thinking about these two I'm itching for a re-read already!

I just loved the beauty and danger of the tournament and their unexpected allies and enemies and how the different tasks of the Tournament challenge them to work together and to discover things about themselves and about each other.

Brilliantly written, full of magic, wonder and dread! Highly recommended!