Book Review: Star-Touched Stories

Title: Star-Touched Stories (The Star-Touched Queen #2.5)
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Young Adult | Short Stories | Romance | Fantasy | Magic
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC

Three lush and adventurous stories in the Star-Touched world.
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 (goodreads)? 

 

I could live in this series. 

Book Review: Death and Night

Title: Death and the Night (The Star-Touched Queen #0.5)
Author: Roshani Chokshi 
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC

Before The Star-Touched Queen there was only 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 (goodreads). 

Death and Night was full of romance and magic, I hope Chokshi returns to this world. 

Book Review: A Crown of Wishes

Title: A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2)
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Magic | Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: March 28, 2017
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC

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.
Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.
Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire (goodreads).

Whoa. I wanted magic, I want adventure, I wanted romance, and Chokshi delivered. 

Book Review: The Star-Touched Queen

Title: The Star-Touched Queen
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Young Adult | Mythology | Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Format: e-ARC
Source:  Publisher

Cursed with a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, sixteen-year-old Maya has only earned the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her world is upheaved when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. But when her wedding takes a fatal turn, Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Yet neither roles are what she expected. As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds friendship and warmth.
But Akaran has its own secrets - thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Beneath Akaran's magic, Maya begins to suspect her life is in danger. When she ignores Amar's plea for patience, her discoveries put more than new love at risk - it threatens the balance of all realms, human and Otherworldly.
Now, Maya must confront a secret that spans reincarnated lives and fight her way through the dangerous underbelly of the Otherworld if she wants to protect the people she loves (GoodReads).

One of my most-anticipated reads of 2016 had fascinating mythology, gripping prose, but a lackluster romance. 

First Thoughts [#32]

First Thoughts is a feature where I give my initial impression of my current read.