Loved reading this book! I loved the first book, and I was so excited to read this book! This book isn't as sweeping as the first one-she's not the reincarnation of a goddess, basically. But there's this tournament-the last one, and after that, the Otherworld will be closed off. So this was pretty important!

I'm glad that I read bits and pieces of The Star-Touched Queen while reading this. Because it's been so long since I read it, I forgotten Vikram's part, and how he and his mother's future was a learning lesson for Maya! So yeah, that, along with Maya with Gauri, made reading this book so much better!

The writing was just a little too flowery for me, that there were parts that were just nonsense, basically. For me, personally, this book would've been a lot better with less of the random, beautiful words. They hampered the story, just a bit!

I loved that Maya and Gauri met again in this book, however briefly, and however much Gauri didn't remember it! And this story of the tournament, and these people who have their broken bits. Of what immortality is, and how stories can be so much more than what one person sees them as, and how things were connected in this book!

I really loved this book, it was a fantastic sequel even with its flaws, and I really enjoyed reading it!

Even though it took me a little while to like Gauri, I liked Vikram immediately, and loved how it played with the story and characters from the last book. Overall this was a great read!

Author Roshani Chokshi described this novel as more a sister or companion novel to her The Star-Touched Queen, and it definitely is. You can start with this story and follow every bit of it just fine. If you read The Star-Touched Queen, you may remember Vikram as the boy from the tapestry Maya asks about. Gauri, of course, is Maya’s sister.

A Crown of Wishes contains the same mythical feel and style as her debut. I forgot how much I loved that until. If you liked Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, you absolutely need to check out this series. I loved the characters and felt like they make a balanced team. Gauri is a warrior—both in her talent for battle and the fierceness of her heart. She will fight for those she loves any way she can. I liked that Vikram doesn’t challenge her head-to-head. He listens, analyzes, and then acts, often outwitting his opponent. As the two face challenges, both those strengths become necessary. I loved the balance they brought to one another.

Also, I can’t forget Aasha, whose courage totally stole the show. At first, I wasn’t sure I really cared enough about her story to follow it with much interest. Soon enough, though, I felt just as much for her as Gauri and Vikram. I loved that she had this dream so far outside what her desires were supposed to be. She became this sort of glaring exception to the rules, and I couldn’t help rooting for someone whose greatest desire was, at its heart, to have her humanity again. Her point-of-view and part of the story were another unexpected gem. I’m starting to think Roshani Chokshi’s superpower is to create characters who seem like they should be unlikeable and make you adore them.

If you’re a fan of fairytales or mythology, you definitely want to add this book to your shelves along with The Star-touched Queen.

This book is the story of Gaury and Vikram, if you read The Star-Touched queen you already know that Gauri is Maya’s sister and you also see Vikram in the first book. A Crown of Wishes took place a little after Gauri’s last meeting with Maya.

Gauri is princess of Bharat and she was a captive in the Ujijain Empire, at least she was until the prince of the Ujijain Empire sees her and asks her to help him to win the Tournament of Wishes. They will travel and fight together to win a wish.

Gauri is a strong woman, she lived in the Harem, she learns to fight, and she helps women of the Harem to learn how to fight. She tries to stand up to her brother, the king but she realizes that she is obliged to play the game, or else he takes on the people she loves. She doesn’t trust anyone and even if I find it sad, I understand the reasons for her choice. She was betrayed by the people who were close to her and now she is alone. One thing I like in Gauri is that she is strong and independent; she doesn’t need a man to take decisions. She is also stubborn but that saved her life in the past.

Vikram was an orphan, the Emperor adopted him and now he is bound to be the next Emperor but he doesn’t want to be the council’s puppet. Vikram likes words and he is very intelligent, in fact Gauri is the brute force and Vikram is the brain. It’s interesting to see a situation reversed and frankly I loved these two characters. They are moving, funny and tender, I find that A Crown of Wishes is even better than The Star-Touched Queen.

Roshani Chokshi once again made a masterpiece with this story, where we find action, romance, friendship and respect. We also discover a character who promises to be interesting and whose story I hope to discover in a future book.

The words are poetic and well chosen, the style of the author is truly magnificent and the characters are endearing.

4.5 stars

Whoa. I wanted magic, I want adventure, I wanted romance, and Chokshi delivered.
Plot: To be honest, I thought A Crown of Wishes was a sequel to The Star-Touched Queen and I was unsure if I wanted a continuation of Maya's story. I then learned how to read a synposis, and was pleasantly surprised that A Crown of Wishes followed a whole new set of characters but remained in Chokshi's magical realm filled with Indian folklore. A Crown of Wishes read very differently from The Star-Touched Queen. It was filled with laugh-out-loud humor, daring escapes, riddles, a swoon-worthy romance, and I'm convinced that it was sprinkled with pixie dust.

The novel opened with Vikram, a young man who wanted to lead a country and not just act as a puppet for his father's council. His complete opposite was Gauri, Maya's younger sister from The Star-Touched Queen who grew up in hostile conditions. The two together set off to a magical realm to participate in the Tournament of Wishes to have their dreams come true. One of my major concerns for A Crown of Wishes was the pacing because it was what stopped me from fully falling in love with The Star-Touched Queen, but A Crown of Wishes flowed wondrously. Much like a fairytale, Chokshi was able to subtly give clues about what was yet to come and always keep the reader wanting more.

You may be asking yourself, "so Amber, do I need to read The Star-Touched Queen before jumping into this book"? Technically, no you do not; however, I highly recommend it. A Crown of Wishes features characters from The Star-Touched Queen and it takes place in the same world. I think it would help you enjoy this novel more once you have that backstory.

Characters: Oh Vikram and Gauri, where do I start? These two are hot and cold; oil and water; night and day. Vikram was more of our dreamer, he was eager to believe in magic and wishes. Because of his easy belief, people tended to underestimate him, but Vikram had an equally sharp tongue. That's probably the only thing he and Gauri had in common. Gauri lived her life sleeping with one eye open and attempting to better life for her people. She was ruthless, but knew how to apply her makeup flawlessly. When put together, they were absolutely charming. Nothing but sass and witty banter to help you fall in love with them over and over. And their love story was swoon-worthy I can tell you that. All you slow-burn lovers, this book is for you!

@NotRashKnee this feels right pic.twitter.com/tSbEeLIqEu
— Amber Elise (@dulivre) March 8, 2017

Worldbuilding: The Star-Touched Queen's writing was something to drool over and A Crown is Wishes is no different. Thanks to Chokshi's beautiful prose, I was able to vividly picture the world. It was filled with fun magical creatures that reminded me of the Iron Fey series.

Short N Sweet: A Crown of Wishes is perfect in every way. I hope Chokshi blesses us with a Gauri/Vikram novella one of these days.

As creative and imaginative as The Star-Touched Queen was before it, Roshani Chokshi returns to her lush fantasy world to tell the intertwined stories of Gauri, the left-behind sister of Maya and also exiled princess of Bharata, and Vikram, a sly and intelligent would-be king of a neighboring country. A Crown of Wishes is a showcase in finely-tuned language and crafting an expansive, otherwordly fantasy. Though this is only the second novel from Roshani Chokshi, her style is a breath of fresh air and her ability to create vivid worlds and people is impressive. The resulting story is unique and her characters, though new, feel familiar and complex throughout their evolving competitive give-and-take. With a high-stakes plot and liberal use of some familiar favorite tropes, Chokshi builds an elaborate, complete story in just a few hundred pages.

A Crown of Wishes is rather loosely connected to Chokshi's debut novel from a year ego; however, the plot is independent of The Star-Touched Queen and its characters, and can even be read without venturing into Maya's story first. However, I cannot recommend that approach because experiencing the world and writing of this author is descriptive privilege -- as a fan of fantasy I appreciate the ingenuity, skill, and imagination Roshani Chokshi repeatedly demonstrates in her writing. To best feel the effect of her storytelling, start with The Star-Touched Queen and then dive into the wonder of her second.

A Crown of Wishes is a strong novel across the board; both characters and story can more than stand alone on their own merits, but as a novel, it also directly benefits from Chokshi's growth as a writer. Before, in The Star-Touched Queen, her writing was stronger than the plot or the development of the individual characters. Here, those issues have changed for the better and it's hard to find a problem in any aspect of the exectuion. In A Crown of Wishes you'll find more intricate plotting, and a larger scope to both story and the world. The writing remains lushly distinct but incorporates new ideas, themes, iconography seamlessly into the texture of Gauri and Vikram's world. It's a world that feels both atmospheric and expansive -- and definitely also not pseudo-Europe.

Book two of the Star-Touched Queen series. This book was incredible I must admit. It is an amazing blend of imagination and creativity as she tells the story of the Jewel of Bharata and the Fox Prince as they finds themselves involved in the Tournament of Wishes hoping all of their dreams will come true if they win. Things never work they way people plan though. There is constant action and so many twists that I found myself unable to put the book down until I was done. A must read for all young adult fantasy lovers. I give it 4/5 stars.

In this follow up to The Star Touched Queen, Roshani keeps up with her excellent work as she writes such wonderfully diverse characters. She does such an intricate job of building a beautiful and lush world. I was afraid book 2 wouldn't hold up as well as book 1 but it fully surpassed that and Roshani is quickly rising to be one of my top 10 favorite authors. She writes such well developed characters and gave great attention to the supporting cast, making you care about them as well. I'm so glad that St. Martins Press sent me this in exchange for my honest review. Roshani is a talented author and even her sentences are strung together lie poetry! 5 stars from me.

A companion to The Star-Touched Queen, this not-exactly-a-sequel is perfectly enjoyable without its gorgeously written predecessor.

I found this novel to be better balanced than TSTQ. It included far less starry-eyed whimsey and much more deadly questing. I adore the Indian mythology peppered throughout the story--it's captivating and fresh for me.

I rooted for Gauri and Vikram, flaws and all, from the first. Both of them are so likable and their banter was perfect--witty & funny. Even better? The romance was just right. Not too hot and not too cold!

The story is a bit of Percy Jackson melted into The Tiger's Curse series.

I hope there's a third installment! I could happily read more about this world. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

A princess and an emperor’s son become a reluctant team in a tournament of magic, each of them hoping to pursue their options to fulfill their destinies. Along the way they will have to battle unusual beasts and beings as well as their greatest fears and desires if they want to come out alive. Author Roshani Chokshi takes readers through a sumptuous story in the description-rich novel A Crown of Wishes.

Gauri has spent several months in less-than-ideal conditions for a princess: the dank prison of the neighboring kingdom, Ujijain. It doesn’t help that Ujijain and her own kingdom, Bharata, don’t get along. What’s even worse is that her brother, the king of Bharata, arranged for her kidnapping and imprisonment, and it’s supposed to lead to her execution. All under the guise of animosity between the two kingdoms, of course.

All her life, Gauri has been a fighter. She trained as a soldier and knows her weapons better than most men on the battlefield. She never let her gender get in the way, but occasionally her ego has tripped her. There’s no other way to face the truth of how she ended up in Ujijain’s darkest, deepest jail.

Her intentions were good: she wanted to upend her brother’s cruel, relentless rule and take his place to restore resources and order to Bharata. But she let her paranoia trump her ability to trust those closest to her, and her brother took advantage of that blind spot. Instead of fighting her brother for the right to the crown, she ended up fighting for scraps of food and information from Ujijain’s prison guards.

Vikram, the son of Ujijain’s emperor, has no illusions about his own future. Despite the simpering council members under his father, Vikram knows they’re setting him up to be their puppet, and they have the tactical advantage to do so. They’re the only ones in the kingdom, other than the emperor, who know that his mother was a courtesan.

His father treats him with love and affection, but as an aging monarch his opinion has begun mattering less. The council keeps encouraging Vikram to visit ashrams to “improve” himself, which essentially means Vikram stays out of the way while the council members make the real decisions. During one of his visits, Vikram meets a sage who presents him with a unique opportunity: enter the Tournament of Wishes and change his fate.

The prospect sounds tailor-made for Vikram, but he can only participate with a partner. As he ponders his options, he hears about Gauri’s impending execution. Suddenly he gets an idea that seems ridiculous at best: why not invite Gauri along? Her reputation as a warrior precedes her, and that could be an advantage in a tournament that starts, ends, and runs by magic.

With a little convincing, Gauri agrees to Vikram’s proposal. They don’t get along at all and Gauri hates anything to do with magic, but she doesn’t see any other way out of her own predicament. If she wants to save Bharata from her evil brother, she will have to make use of any weapon in her arsenal—even if it’s not made of metal or comes with a blade.

Author Roshani Chokshi gives readers a novel so lavish that every paragraph feels gilded. As a result, readers will definitely want to resist the urge to skim. Despite its official billing as a novel for young adult readers, adults will also enjoy Chokshi’s rich prose. Also, one of the book’s greatest assets comes in the fact that although it is technically the second book in a series, Chokshi creates an independent story that doesn’t require prior knowledge of any of the characters or their history.

Her descriptions push the boundaries of whimsy at times, and readers might have a tough time in a few spots knowing whether Chokshi uses her words in a metaphorical way or a literal one. Also, she slips out of her story world once or twice by using modern-day Western phrases like “having skin the game.” Because Chokshi’s spent so many pages building this fantastical world of magic, the slip-ups feel particularly jarring. Nonetheless, for the most part Chokshi’s story will charm readers in only the way magic can.

I recommend readers Bookmark A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi.

I have tried twice to pick this up and I just can't. I absolutely loved The Star-Touched Queen but I just can't connect with the characters in the books. I am disappointed because I love the way Roshani Chokshi paints pictures with her words. It just doesn't draw me in the same way.

The Good
I enjoyed the first book in this duology, The Star-Touched Queen well enough–I liked the mythological aspects and all of the fantasy. This book maintains the fantastical world building but doesn’t fall into the trap of re-telling the same plot over again. This plot is wholly new, which is good. I also enjoyed the romance better than in The Star-Touched Queen.

Where Roshani Chokshi shines is her descriptions. She creates a fantastical world and fills it with beautiful and dangerous things, all of which she describes in poetical terms. It’s lovely to read.

The Bad
I guess the main problem I had with this book, similar to the first one, was that there wasn’t a whole lot of tension. I was never really concerned for Gauri, which made the conclusion a little anticlimactic. However, as with the first book, I think part of the reason for this is that the story is told like a fairy tale and fairy tales tend to lack a huge sense of danger because they are following such familiar beats.

The Verdict
This was a lovely story and I think I liked it better than The Star-Touched Queen, if only because the romance was more up my alley. If you liked the first book in this duology, you’ll like this one too.

A Crown of Wishes is the spellbinding sequel to the enchanting debut A Star-Touched Queen. Vikram is a young prince trying to prove himself to an unfriendly council, and Gauri is an enemy princess who trusts nothing and no one except her own fighting skills. When they are given a chance to compete in a magical tournament to win a wish, they must work together to survive and succeed. A Crown of Wishes is full of the same vivid description and imaginative characters that brought A Star-Touched Queen to life, and it continues the immersion in Indian culture. Fans of Stephanie Garber's Caraval and Sarah J. Maas' Court of Thorns and Roses series will enjoy this book.

A Crown of Wishes is just as incredible as I had anticipated. This companion to The Star-Touched Queen tells the story of a tournament to win a wish and focuses on the sister of the protagonist in the first book. As expected, the writing is stunning and filled with sass. Fans of Caraval will undoubtedly love A Crown of Wishes.

When I first heard of this book, I thought it was a sequel to The Star-Touched Queen, but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that it is actually a companion novel. This story is about Maya’s sister and works as a stand-alone. A Crown of Wishes is all about a magical tournament to win, you guessed it, a wish. It reminded me a bit of Caraval, and I loved that, since this concept is so entertaining to read. The bits of Indian mythology woven throughout the book are also extremely interesting and original. If you loved The Star-Touched Queen, I would definitely suggest giving Gauri’s story a try.

Gauri is such a fierce main character. Right off the bat, she is prepared to outsmart her captors and defend herself. Gauri is so clever and able to solve the riddles in the Tournament of Wishes with ease. I absolutely adored her connection with Vikram as well, since the two have such an adorable love/hate relationship that is hilarious to read.

I will never get tired of Roshani Chokshi’s writing. I already had high hopes considering how beautiful The Star-Touched Queen is, but I can honestly say that her writing has gotten even better. Roshani Chokshi’s style is so descriptive yet so snarky, which can be difficult to pull off. Her use of metaphors also adds to the beauty of the book, making A Crown of Wishes almost impossible to put down. I hope Roshani Chokshi will have more books out in the future, because I would even read her grocery lists.

A Crown of Wishes is the story of a magical tournament that contains such a sarcastic and strong main character. The beautiful writing is the best part, and even better than in The Star-Touched Queen. I absolutely recommend this book, even if you have yet to read the first!

A Crown of Wishes has two extremely interesting and desperate main characters: Gauri and Vikram. Both are heirs to empires that are on the brick of falling into the wrong hands. Somehow, these two get stuck together in a magical game that grants a wish to the winners, if they can manage to leave the game alive.
Together, they make their ways to the world of magic and to the games, only to find the game started long ago...

A Crown of Wishes was a really interesting book and I was instantly hooked by the characters and their surroundings, their harsh living conditions and upbringing. I enjoyed reading about their struggles and the quests they had to fulfill to get their wish. I loved how the world was built, the stories Gauri and Vikram told, the magical mysteries and the dark secrets of long ago, coming to the surface.

Sometimes, I felt that there were too many descritions and over- all, I hate to say it, but I was a little bit bored..
I liked how they got sucked into this new world and how they had to face villians treachery, deathly quests and themselves. The things is, though, I didn't really feel that there was much happening that would lead up to a punch line. So, even though I was interested and wanted to read on, I felt that it got harder and harder to actually do so.

Trigger/content warnings: mentions/discussion of transphobia

My word for The Star-Touched Queen was "gorgeous," and the word for this sequel is "swoon-worthy." Roshani Chokshi further builds upon her world with more breathtaking descriptions and whirlwind adventures in a previously unexplored realm, Alaka. Alaka is a kingdom in the Otherworld and the home of Kubera, the Lord of Treasures and guardian of the North.

As with the first book, we have plenty of riddles, puzzles, and things that are not quite what they appear to be in A Crown of Wishes. Add capricious immortals to the picture, and you never quite know what to expect. The whole story is a mystery gift waiting to be unwrapped and unboxed, brimming with magic and beauty.

A Crown of Wishes is more action-packed than its predecessor, but the narrative doesn't lose sight of the heart of the story, which lies in the emotional and psychological worlds of its main characters, Gauri and Vikram. Beneath the veneer of ambition and confidence lie regrets, doubts, deeply human vulnerabilities.

And of course, we have the romance of the first book but with a different dynamic. Gauri and Vikram make a very entertaining duo. Gauri is very much "fight first, ask questions later" while Vikram is much more of an academic and subtle type who will scope things out and plot accordingly. Gauri is cynical and heavily guarded whereas Vikram is a person of starry-eyed idealism and faith, making them very much an "opposites attract" couple.

If you want slow-burn, this is slow-burn but with endless bickering to fill the space. Their barbed exchanges are full of humor and wit and are in some cases laugh-out-loud hilarious. Of course, it's not all jokes and banter; they have more serious moments of reciprocal disclosure and deeper bonding to give their dynamic substance. But the bickering is definitely a highlight. The alternating narrative viewpoints (first-person for Gauri, third-person for Vikram) help bring the two and their dynamic to life.

This book brings back familiar faces (my favorite included!) and introduces some new characters as well. Chief among these new characters is the curious and earnest Aasha, who is a secondary viewpoint character in addition to Gauri and Vikram. She is the youngest of a group of sister courtesans who feed on desire and whose touch is poison (what a concept). All she wants is to experience being human, something that was denied her when she was turned into a vishakanya from a mortal at a young age. She is the definition of a precious cinnamon roll, and you can't help but love her and wish the best for her. On the plus side, she's most likely bisexual based on a statement she made. I have been starved for bisexual representation in historical fantasy, so Aasha is a welcome addition to the small circle of bi girls in fantasy.

Between all of the things I've mentioned, A Crown of Wishes was a jewel of a read. However, there was one thing that bothered me in the story. In one scene, Vikram recalls a time when he was fifteen and tried to sneak into the harem of his father's court by dressing as a courtesan. He managed to pass as a woman and was accosted by a womanizing palace guard as a result, forcing him to reveal his disguise. Although I'm down for guys looking great in drag, I didn't like the way it was played off for humor. The context of his crossdressing is very reminiscent, however unintentionally, of the transphobic rhetoric directed against trans women about them supposedly being "predatory men who dress as women to gain access to women's spaces." There was also a line later on where Vikram says, "I considered wearing your (Gauri's) outfit, but chest hair lacks certain feminine charms." Rather than affirming gender nonconformity, these bits reinforced the stigma against it, and the book would have been better off without them.

Recommendation: Recommended with warnings for incidental transphobia.

OH MY GOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!!! Excuse me while my heart melts into a puddle of happiness. This was an absolutely beautiful story and I honestly can't stop smiling. If you enjoyed the Star-Touched Queen, you NEED to read A Crown of Wishes! And if you haven't read the first book, what are you doing with your life? You're seriously missing out. I'm just so excited for everyone to have the chance to read this beauty when it hits the shelves.

A Crown of Wishes centers around Gauri and Vikram, who must work together to compete in a game put on by the God of Wishes himself. I loved reading about their travels to the tournament and then the games themselves. It was so magical and delightful. Roshani Chokshi does a wonderful job incorporating mythology into the book, creating a dark, but beautiful world that ensnares the imagination. I felt like I was reading a fairy tale and I loved every minute of it.

Gauri is seriously one of my favorite characters ever. I'm so glad we had this book to really get to know her. In The Star-Touched Queen we got a glimpse at her, but in a Crown of Wishes we have the chance to delve deep into her character. And she's so fantastic. But honestly, I loved pretty much ever character in this book, mortal and immortal. They were all so well-developed and real. It was so easy to fall in love with them.

And the writing. Don't even get me started on the writing. The words just flow off the page. I feel like I'm using the word beautiful a lot, but honestly that's the word that comes to mind immediately whenever I think about A Crown of Wishes. The writing is beautiful, the world is beautiful, the story is beautiful...everything is just beautiful.

So basically, you all are going to be in for a treat when this book comes out. If you haven't already guessed, I would highly recommend A Crown of Wishes to everyone. I can't wait to see what Chokshi comes up with next!

Roshani Choksi does it again! With her storytelling prose, she takes readers back to the wonderful world of the Night Bazaar while introducing to new lands. Although A Crown of Wishes is about Maya's sister, Gauri, this companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen is equally as beautifully written with its evocative description as the first. Again, Hindi and Indian folklore is woven into A Crown of Wishes, making this novel unique and diverse. Choski's descriptions evoke enchanting and vivid imagery. However, A Crown of Wishes shows more character development and the plot is more complex with new worlds to encounter.

Gauri, the Jewel of Bharata, is a strong warrior woman trying to help out her country during a war even though her brother betrays her. Two royalty rivals intertwine their lives together to win a wish by beating tournament hosted by Kubera, The Lord of Wealth and Treasures. Through a game of wits and riddles, readers are invited to lavish tournament where those who possess the invitational ruby are allowed entries to the tournament, however, the ruby never promises exits.

Vikram, the Fox Prince, is Gauri's Yang to her Yin. The banter between Gauri and Vikram is perfect! Choksi differentiates the worlds of Bharata, Ujijain and Alaka well. New characters, a tournament and new adventure are introduced in this plot driven novel. Seeing the novel unfold with Gauri and Vikram is exhilarating!

A Crown of Wishes is a breathtaking and adventurous novel for all the fantasy fans out there. If you've read The Star-Touched Queen, Caraval and/or The Night Circus, you will love A Crown of Wishes.

A CROWN OF WISHES... WHERE TO START

God - I devoured this book. Not in the "I read it in a day" sort of way, but I savoured it.

I loved A Star Touched Queen in a quiet way, for I would gush about it to my friends, mildly texting in strictly lowercase letters how "oh my god? I think she's married to death" because it was a cool concept and a cool world and cool characters but - brace yourself for this pun coming up - ROSHANI CHOKSHI LOST ALL OF HER C H I L L IN THIS FABULOUSLYAMAZING SEQUEL.

She did everything she did before. BUT BETTER. Oh my god, so much better. I must admit, I wasn't too pleased when I realised that this novel wasn't going to be about Maya and Amar... 'what's the point in a sequel if it's not about THE SAME CHARACTERS???' Me, probably, at some point. But I've come to embrace Maya and Amar's happy ending and am I actually going to admit this? I love Gauri and Vikram (and Aasha) more. Sounds fake, I know. Compared to Gauri, Maya was a coward. Compared to Vikram, Amar was a shell. Chokshi wielded these characters with everything she had, she filled them with soul and bravery and stories and wishes that were bigger than could ever be granted. Gauri is the bravest girl you could hope to be - intellectual in a scary way, fierce to anybody that glances at her from across a fountain or that spends everyday with her in the harem. She is every part Vikram's EQUAL - if not, well probably, a teensy bit more useful when it comes to the trials (MORE ON THAT LATER). VIKRAM was no Amar for me in the beginning, but where Amar was just the love interest for me, Vikram was a person and a very whole person at that. He was relatable, for he was always overshadowed and shunned and believed in better for himself. What I admire the most about Vikram is how, when faced with a challenge, he observed his weaknesses and found a way around them, in a fight where he has no weapons, he says he can "run very fast," and instead of running away - he runs towards the beast and surprises it. The banter between Vikram and Gauri was wonderful and everything I hoped for (Think: CoM Celaena & Chaol but Chaol is much friendlier and flirtier), but I did start to miss the gushing poetry that oozed from Amar's mouth ("You look neither lovely nor demure. You look like edges and thunderstorms. And I would not have you any other way"), and where Vikram perhaps lacks such an age old practiced way with words, his unabashed actions and unapologetic tendency to lay himself bare in front of Gauri at the risk of rejection every day and night far makes up for it. Their love story is slow and powerful, and it broke my heart so many times I stopped snapchatting my friends pictures of tears streaming from my eyes.

But what's the good in having character without a plot? Starting the book, I gotta admit, I didn't know what I was going into. I knew it was the sequel to TSTQ and that it didn't follow Amar and Maya and that was it. But the plot and the world is so unique, it really does make this book. A mixture of the greatest legendary competitions in literature with more mythology (the hunger games where the gamemaker is a Lord looking for a good story to tell, the triwizard tournament where they have to capture their greatest fear instead of a dragons egg, or Feyre's trials under the mountain in ACOTAR, running away from a horrible monster... pretty accurate, actually) where everything is at stake but BETTER because there is only the two of them that are human, everyone else isn't even an "everyone" it's a "something..." if that makes any sense at all. Monsters with agendas: not the most promising of competition, but very interesting to read about indeed. Of course there is one monster, Aasha, who wants more than anything NOT to be a monster and she is so PURE and must! be! protected. I know she still has a story to tell (Hint hint, Miss Chokshi). The riveting thing about this competition is that there were no rules - the founder of the trial merely did it for entertainment, and he decided what happened to who and when and what prize was won. You'd think this would be distracting and intimidating and confusing, but it wasn't! Just go with the flow, know that the end goal is to win a wish, and everything that happens in between is either world building or character development (either in building the characters through back stories for the reader or developing the characters through the teachings of the trials) or beautiful, meek romance.

Before I finish, I just need to talk about the ending for a bit, because whilst I think this was always going to be a 5 star book, the ending just GOT ME. We get about 90% through the book and we still aren't WHOLE, Gauri and Vikram return to the human world with their own agendas (and it BROKE my heart... as you could probably guess). How Chokshi twines together their threads was beautiful and artful and delicate. I finished the book and I honestly felt like everything in the world made sense. Thank you for giving me that moment of peace.

To conclude this very long, probably not much of a review at all review, I just want to say that this is a sequel that took me totally off guard - TSTQ is still a 5 star book and I don't mean to diminish it's wonder and charm by saying this, but if you've been on the fence about reading this duology pick it up, if just to read the amazingness that ACOW.

// Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! //