A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen Series 2)

A Crown of Wishes

By Roshani Chokshi

 

Find the one who glows, with blood on the lips and fangs in the heart.

    What can a girl ask for more? A beautiful cover, a luring magical story, a handsome fox, and a fearsome heroine. The book? Is definitely magical and worth a thousand time reading…my eyes are so tired now because I read it all night to finish this book…and without a good sleep.

Why? Because now my mind is full of those extremely special setting and I love it. This is a novel I’d love to create and write for a thousand years…Roshani Chokshi has outdone herself this time. This book is even better than my beloved The Star-Touched Queen. OMG…it’s so good. So unexpected, twisted and lovely. There are danger mixes with beauty, fantasy mixes with death. It’s just incredible.

 

An ancient mystery. An unlikely union. For one young princess in a state of peril, a dangerous wish could be the only answer…

She is the princess of Bharata—captured by her kingdom’s enemies, a prisoner of war. Now that she faces a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. But should she trust Vikram, the notoriously cunning prince of a neighboring land? He promises her freedom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together they can team up and win the Tournament of Wishes, a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor. It seems like a foolproof plan—until Gauri and Vikram arrive at the tournament and find that danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans, mischievous story birds, a feast of fears, and twisted fairy revels. New trials will test their devotion, strength, and wits. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

 

Surviving isn’t just about cutting out your heart and burning every feeling into ash. Sometimes it means taking whatever is thrown at you, beautiful or grotesque, poisonous or blissful, and carving out your life with the pieces you’re given.

    Ah…I don’t even know where to start. The words are so polished in this book. They are so beautiful and wise. I love it…especially spoken out by Vikram, the prince of Ujijian. Oh…there is only one think I like yet dislike this book. The names…there are so many strange names!!!!

 Not only the character’s name, but also other objects and places…however, considered the special setting…I’ll forgive you. Now back to Vikram.

In that moment, he looked like mischief and midnight,

like a temptation that always slipped away too fast and left you at once relieved and disappointed.

He is such an unique character!!!!! He wasn’t the usual type of warrior in YA novels—strong, brave, cunning and sometime chivalry. He is extremely cunning, but as for his battle skill…umm…let’s just say, no one is perfect. But, from the beginning through the end, you can see how smart and optimistic he is. He hasn’t the blood son of Raja, only a palace singer’s son. Yet, after the Raja adopted him, he had managed to outwit the council and earned some of his respect. Some, he was still a puppet. That’s why he set out for the tournament of wishes. I really love how he appeared to be a natural ruler and all he had done during the competition. His optimistic had saved then countless of time, and through the process, his darkest secret was revealed and…well…who don’t like a character with a dark background?

 

“What do I call you? ” he asked, turning to me. “The ‘Jewel

of Bharata’ just seems too modest, don’t you think? ”

“Call me Gauri.”

“How intimate.”

I glared. “Enjoy it, because that’s as intimate as this will ever get, Fox Prince.”

    My dear Gauri, princess of Bharata. Sound familiar? Yes!!!! She is the sister of Maya, our beloved star-touched queen. I love how the second book is connected with the first one. They’re a separated story, so you don’t necessary need to read the first book, though I highly recommend it. Yet, in some way, both of their stories are connected, and there is a little piece of reunion. I love that, so much love for it. I really love those story with sequels but not so strongly tied together, this create a lot more possibilities and at the same time, we’ll know what happened to the old characters. (But…that doesn’t include Cassandra Clare’s, who intended to kill her old characters and I’m not okay with that.

I donned my armor, lining my eyes with kohl until they were dark as death and patting crushed rose petals on my lips until they were scarlet as blood.”

Like Vikram, Gauri isn’t the typical type of princess as well. She is a soldier, a born ruler, care deeply for her countries. Sound all alike? Wait, what is the first one? SHE IS A SOLDIER???

 Yes she is, and she kills merciless in the army. Unusual, right? Unlike the traditional Beauty and the Beast…this book seems to be a bit more…Beastie and the Prince…although the prince was regarded as a donkey sometime. Pretty funny huh? Compared to Vikram’s changes, Guari has learned so much from him. To be honest, they learned from each other, but I must say I see the great difference on Guari more. But who cares? I like them no matter how they changes and…uh! Definitely ship them!!!!!

 

Love is like Death without the guarantee of its arrival. Love may not come for you, but when it does it will be just as swift and ruthless as Death and just as blind to your protestations. And just as Death will end one life and leave you with another, so will Love.

    It takes them so long to be together, especially when Guari even tried to kill him at her first sight. No, not love at first sight. But there is no faster way to build a relationship in war, don’t you think? I especially love their journey down to the kingdom of The Serpent King. Which happens to be a twisted of the tournament. I can really see the shock to them and the danger they’re going through. Let alone what happens when they escape and had a great argument. Well…mostly Vikram’s anger. But nonetheless, it’s a heart sobbing scene. For both of them and The Serpent King.

Vicious and sweet

That is how you summon up the entire book. OH, and the ending…please, my heart can’t hold that kind of ending…it isn’t strong enough. I love how the author change the different ending, unlike the first book while Maya stayed in the Otherworld. Guari and Vikram are separated back to their kingdom and started to rule, proved to be a wise and just leader. Bring prosperity to their homeland…yet…yet…the ending twist…I love it, I hate it, I cry for it…damn. Stop playing with the readers!!!

 Fine…but I’ll still go for it.

 

A story had no owner ship. A story could break its bones, grow wings, soar out of reach and dive out of sight in the time it took just to draw breath. It meant we weren’t walking a cut path. We carved it into existence with every step.

    With the journey of a spicy prince and a beasty princess…you can’ t expect the journey to be boring, can you? There are so many funny scenes that you’ll laugh to the death and so many scenes that will grab your heart and thrill you. Needless to say, after two of the book…Roshani Chokshi has definitely becomes one of my must-read author, and so shall you. Don’t miss a masterpiece. It’s so unique that highly doubt you’ll find the similar setting out there.

 

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