The Star-Touched Queen

I love a good mythology story, and The Star-Touched Queen reads so well as a mythology/folklore story. I saw that another reader asked the author on GoodReads what stories this is based on, and she pulled out a ton of different Hindu Myth stories that I have never heard of but now I want to widen my reading experiences and read at some point.

I feel that what really made this story come alive for me was the narration. I was super excited to hear a women of color narrating the story for another woman of color. I really enjoyed Priya Ayyar's narration, and I felt like all the different accents she does for the other characters felt so authentic. It really made me understand the culture of the world Maya lived it, and get a feel for a world unlike my own. I think I might have gotten some of this if I just read the text, but Ayyar's narration just really opened up this world to me. I also like that I could hear the proper pronunciation of everything in this book by doing the audio, where if I read it myself I think I would constantly be second-guessing everything.

Maya's story is an interesting one, she is pretty much shunned in her culture just because of a horoscope saying she would be entangled with death. The people in her life are incredibly cruel and essentially use her as a scapegoat for everything. Woman die in childbirth? It's Maya's fault. Wives get the sweating sickness? It's Maya's fault. The beginning of the novel was really hard to read because of how she was treated. It was just really heartbreaking to read, but I knew that something was going to happen for her to escape this life, so I pressed on. So if you are reading this book and are feeling the same way, I say you try to move forward before giving up on this one.

I will say that towards the middle of the book, is when the story lost me a little bit. Maya comes off a little too naive. As I was listening to events unraveling, I couldn't believe who she was listening to. It was so obvious that this person was tricking her! I couldn't stand it! I do think that's kind of the point, because although a lot of time has passed in the human world, Maya is still a young girl, and young girls make mistakes. Her journey to redeem herself and find herself back to Amar was one of the more interesting things about this book. It's also at this point, where Maya meet Kamala, who ended up being one of my favorite characters.

I also wasn't completely sold on the romance between Amar and Maya. I kept thinking that I missed something or fell asleep while listening to this audio, but I don't think I did. I was just very lukewarm on them, and it didn't feel like there was a strong feeling between them until they are separated. Maybe that was the point?

One thing I do love about this one is that it's one of the few fantasy standalones in YA! I have been on the search for standalone genre fiction, and it's really hard to find, especially in fantasy. There is a second book, but it's more a companion book about Maya's sister which I think doesn't matter if you read this one first. I love books like that.

This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.

Synopsis:

Maya’s horoscope promises a marriage of death and destruction. This earns her scorn and fear in her father’s kingdom. With marriage seeming an unlikely prospect, Maya opts for more scholarly pursuits. Then, her father offers her hand for a wedding of political convenience to quell a rebellion. However, she is the bait in a trap. To spring it, she must kill herself. However, a man steals into her bedchamber to claim her. Amar makes her the queen of Akaran. Saved from the political necessity of suicide, she finds her voice and power.

But, Akaran has its own secrets. There are many locked doors, and her life is soon in danger. She begins to wonder if her husband can be trusted. The human and otherworld are in peril. She must sort through ancient mysteries and past reincarnation to save those she loves.

Review:

The Star-Touched Queen is a fantasy based on ancient Indian mythology. It has a slow start but becomes interesting as Maya begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding her. Amar could be called the king of the dead. I would say his realm is the crossroads between life, death, and reincarnation. Maya is being tutored in the use of her powers. Unfortunately, circumstances compel Amar to keep secrets from her. This, in turn, causes her to doubt him. This is especially true when voices through the halls of Akaran tell her not to trust him. Who can she believe?

The book involves a political intrigue and betrayal. Maya must recover from an error in judgment and misplaced trust. The element of reincarnation adds a bit of confusion, similar to various time travel novels. This sets up the ending to an extent, making it seem a little less deus ex machina. The resolution seems a bit rushed, but it is still an engaging novel.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

Inspired by Indian mythology.

What I Liked:

The Star-Touched Queen is one of my most anticipated debuts of 2016 - and novels of 2016 in general. It's one of those books that seem brilliant and a must-have, given a gorgeous synopsis, genre, and cover. Everything about this book appealed to me since I heard about it, so you best be sure I was both excited and nervous to start reading it. But I'm really happy that this book did not disappoint!

The stars have cursed Mayavati her whole life. With a dark horoscope hanging over her head, she knows that she is destined to have a marriage of death. Maya is comfortable with not marrying anyone, but a sudden turn of events changes everything, and Maya finds herself married to the Raja of Akaran, Amar. Akaran is part of the Otherworld, and Amar is no mere mortal. Maya will soon understand what it means to be the Rani of Akaran - for better and for worse.

First thing I'd like to gush about - the Indian influence! I'm Indian so I'm very excited about the Indian mythology and culture so heavily infused into this book. FINALLY, we have a female protagonist who isn't some "golden-skinned" beauty - Maya captures a somewhat typical Indian girl of dark skin. And while the concept of an arranged marriage is somewhat present in the book, I love that it is not the cliche that we usually see in India-based books. So often authors will pick and choose certain aspects of Indian culture to write about - or exaggerate - and often it's arranged marriages. There is so much more to Indian history and culture! I think the author did an excellent job with the diversity.

Usually I'm not interested in stories that deal with reincarnation, whether in a major way, or tangentially. However, I love the aspect in this story. At one point in the story, Maya gets to see all of her past reincarnations, and it's a beautiful thing.

I really liked Maya, though not necessarily at first. At first, I was wary of her; she put too much stock into her horoscope, and she let all of the harem wives get under her skin, even after so many years of the snide comments. But I like how Maya embraced her horoscope, and how she took charge of her destiny when she meets Amar. Everything changes when she meets Amar.

Amar is somewhat of a static character in the book. He's kind of one-dimensional and not entirely there. It's obvious that he does not share the story with Maya, in that it is not his story to tell or his character that is developing. This story is solely about Maya and her journey, and Amar plays a role. I wish we got to know a deeper, more personal side to Amar. I liked Amar a lot and would have loved to understand better, and get to know more personal details about him. Amar is sweet and protective, yet secretive and mysterious.

This story had a Hades and Persephone feel to it (hence why I'm tagging it as a retelling). Amar did not kidnap Maya to the Otherworld, but by her going with him, she agrees to rule the Otherworld with him. And what she finds in the Otherworld, and the Night Bazaar, isn't what she expected. Learning about Akaran is difficult, as is staying away from temptation.

I liked the romance! It's a linear one (no love triangle), and the story takes place over many years (Amar and Maya don't age in the Otherworld), so while we may not see *all* of the development of the relationship, we know that they spend a long time getting to know each other. Parts of their story are so heartbreaking, and other parts are so happy and sweet. I lived for the sweet moments!

I love the cadence of the story. I was never bored, and the author always had me turning pages and eagerly awaiting the next scene. I picked up this book in the height of midterms, and yet, I could not put it down (and that's saying something - usually I'm very disciplined when it comes to midterms and studying).

Overall, I was swept away by this beautiful story. It's a standalone, and certainly wraps up like one. I was satisfied with the ending, though I can see why the author is writing/wrote a companion novel to follow (in a different character's perspective). I can't wait to read her story!

What I Did Not Like:

I already talked about this a little above, but I wish Amar was less static and one-dimensional. Maybe it was just me that saw him that way. We don't get a ton of backstory about him, besides some of his interactions with Maya. And he never quite felt *real* to me, just a man filling a certain role. He literally could be anyone, any face, any male.

I also wish there were more Amar/Maya moments! Trust me, they spend years together (they don't age in the Otherworld), so we know that all these swoony and cute moments exist theoretically, but we only get to see... a bare minimum. Like, less than five, I think. Not enough! More swoon and fire would have been great!

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this novel! It's a beautiful and heartbreaking and lovely story with a very satisfying ending. Chokshi hit all of my feels with this book, and took my emotions on a roller-coaster. I certainly wasn't expecting that! I liked this book a lot and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA fantasy and/or mythology!

Rating:

4 stars. This novel did not disappoint me at all. I look forward to reading the companion novel (that character's story is going to be fantastic, I can feel it!), as well as more books by the author in the future!

So I was really excited about this book-- the set up explained on the website sounded great and as I began to read, I couldn't deny that the writing itself was really enchanting and beautiful. I generally am quite a fan of immersive writing styles (where you're just dropped into a plot without lengthy or awkward descriptions of common knowledge of the land/circumstances), so when I saw that Chokshi was using this tactic, I was even more excited.

However, there were several *major* issues I had with the plot of this book. It didn't seem like Maya was reacting naturally to many situations, especially after she absconds with her husband (trying not to give away spoilers). She became suspicious of strange things that never bothered her before at the drop of a pin, when it was convenient for furthering the story. The characterization, in general, was *alllll* over the place, which was something I had a hard time with. The motivations of other characters (the villain especially) seemed so slight and then were massively warped out of proportion, which made it feel like a bit of a cheap reason to do something. The relationships weren't very developed at all (with the exception of the relationship between Maya and her sister, which was one of the book's redeeming factors).

Also, I felt that at a certain point, when descriptions of mythical creatures that were relevant popped up, they relied on a reader's knowledge of of these things. As they were based in folklore I wasn't incredibly familiar with, I spent a lot of time looking stuff up independently on Wikipedia more generally. (Once I turned to the very end of the book, it turns out there was a comprehensive references section, but it may have been good to note that somewhere in the beginning, as the definitions she provided were much more helpful and concise than the loads of information I waded through online.)

Overall, it was very strange and hard to get through, with plot holes and inconsistent characterization and specialized knowledge that undercut what was some truly beautiful and image-centered writing.

In The Star-Touched Queen, lush descriptions and exotic details are paired with an epic and mythical feel to create a beautiful book with a really cool story nestled inside. This book has both content and style, and yet I would hesitate to hand it to just anyone because the style will overwhelm some readers. It felt like a fever dream. Things would inexplicably shift and I wasn't always sure what had happened or why. Neither was the narrator, and yet she kept forging ahead while I was left a beat behind, still trying to explain what she just accepted. It reads like a lot of the world literature works I teach, and if you are not willing to just accept some strange elements popping up and go with the flow, it may leave you frustrated. I think the biggest hurdle appears shortly before the main character faces a monumental decision, and as the story got murkier and more mystical, I felt that a lot of my high school students would close the book and move on. That would be a shame because the resolution is satisfying, but I know my students well enough to say it would be the breaking point. There is an audience for this book, and I certainly see it garnering awards. I think it would be a great book to push readers to a new level. However, I can't see it being a book that gets more attention from YA readers than from adult readers of YA. It is appropriate for high school readers. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I did not finish this book simply because..I just couldn't. So take that into account with this review (also why I gave it 3 stars - I can only review what I read and not the overall plot, so it could've been lower if the plot maintained the nothingness I experienced).
However, I'll be touching on certain aspects that I read throughout the first 1/3 of this book (I read to chapter 14).

In all honesty, this book just had too much "pretty" language. Don't get me wrong, I'm one for some gorgeous visuals and personification but not in every single paragraph. There was some amazing writing, but I found that it took away from the story. It was too much. I'd end up focusing on trying to decipher the metaphors and end up forgetting or having a hard time figuring out what was actually going on in the moment. That made it difficult to get invested.

CHARACTERS - I really didn't care about them. I know I was only a third of the way through the book, but even when danger presented itself, I just didn't care. I didn't know enough about them and wasn't pulled into caring about them as much as I should have been at that point in the book.

PLOT - From what I read, nothing really happened. I mean, I know there was a big event that led her away from her home kingdom and all but after that, it was SO DAMN SLOW. Maybe I'm someone who likes a faster-paced book, but this just dragged. I put it down because nothing was happening and I just couldn't justify wasting the time to keep going when I didn't care about the characters or the supposed romance or the world.

DIALOGUE - It was okay. I didn't find anything wrong with it. It was always very to-the-point. It served a purpose and that's fine. I do like some banter or some more involved dialogue that shows us more of each person's personality, but that might just be a personal preference.

ROMANCE - I didn't get far enough for this to really be a romance. I know there's supposed to be this connection between the MC and the love interest for whatever reason (probably explained later) but there wasn't much to it. At this point in a book, I want to be drawn into the romance more - especially if nothing else is going on to hold my attention.

OVERALL - Again, I only read until chapter 14, so this review is obviously not a full one. I just couldn't finish it. I do love reading and when I get into a book, I binge it. This was one I just couldn't justify wasting time to read. I'm all for a book that makes me think, but this one was just too hard to stay focused on what was going on with all the flowery language. I was pulled out of the moment at every turn with so much complex purple prose. Maybe the plot gets better shortly after I read, I don't know. I don't want to spend the time to find out because I just don't care about the story or the characters.

This book might be great for you if you love over-the-top flowery language and a slower pace, but it just wasn't for me. So I couldn't finish.

**4.5 stars**

" I loved the feeling of discovery, of not knowing how much I wanted something until I had discovered its absence."

This quote describes how I feel right now perfectly. I had no idea how much I wanted--and needed--Roshani Chokshi's beautifully thought provoking prose. I was hooked--hook line and sinker--after the very first sentence. Chokshi's writing is nothing short of pure elegance and sophistication. Every sentence is rich in meaning along with detail. Her prose flows like a stream from page to page. I've never come across a book quite like this before.

Plot
This is loosely based off of the mythology surrounding Hades and Persephone, but it is told in a world full of Indian culture and mythology. Princess Maya is feared by nearly every single person she meets due to her grim horoscope. Her horoscope proclaims that she will marry death. As you can guess, this also scares away potential suitors...Until her father decides that she must marry in order to protect their country from a horrible war. That is all I'm going to say because I don't want to ruin anything. You honestly should go in to this book with as little knowledge of it beforehand.

World Building
Chokshi deserves an award for how seamlessly she weaves the world building into the story. The readers are just as enraptured with this new world as Maya. The imagery in this story is extremely vivid and detailed. I can picture every single thing she mentions and describes in this story. Akaron is simply spellbinding. It's truly a magical world just as it is unpredictable. There is never a dull moment in Akaron which is great for us readers.

Only Complaint
I wish we saw had more scenes of Amar and Maya. I'm desperately in need of scenes that showcase their relationship and them falling in love with each other. I don't feel as connected to them as I would like, BUT, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this story immensely. I just want a tad bit more of the romance.

Notable Quotes
Honestly, I have tons of quotes that I adore from this book. I thought I would share a few of my favorites.

"What I wanted was a connection, a shared heartbeat that kept rhythm across oceans and worlds."

"I wanted a love thick with time, as inscrutable as if a lathe had carved it from night and as familiar as the marrow in my bones. I wanted the impossible, which made it that much easier to push out of my mind."

"It is only those that deserve nothing that want everything."

While I hadn't heard anything about this book before I came across it, its cover promised great things -- an enchanting story about a misfit but determined young woman, and a culture not based on the usual "European-medieval-type" fantasy world but one based heavily on Indian culture and folklore appealed to me. And I do think that the author is capable of great things. But her first novel, while sumptuously written, falls a little flat for me. The writing is gorgeous, but the characters are flat, the story meandering and full of plot holes, and the worlds never fully realized to their complete potential.

"The Star-Touched Queen" follows Maya, a lesser princess in the court of her father, the Raja, who is despised and shunned for having a horoscope that prophesies death and destruction. When war threatens the kingdom, Maya is called upon to be a sacrifice to bring peace... but her fate is decided by a mysterious stranger, the bewildering but handsome king of Akaran. Maya finds herself a queen in an otherworldly kingdom, a kingdom of fantastic creatures, gardens of living glass, trees that bear memories instead of fruit... and a palace full of doors, some of which hide devastating secrets. And when betrayal rips Maya and her king apart and threatens to destroy both worlds, it's up to an outcast princess turned forgotten queen to set things right.

Roshani's writing is absolutely stunning. She has a gift with words that paints lavish, stunning pictures, and her wordplay can be a joy to read. Occasionally the prose gets so ornate it makes the story stumble, but I'm a sucker for beautiful writing, and so this was a minor inconvenience for me. And it was a treat to see a fantasy set in a land modeled after India, instead of another bog-standard medieval-European fantasy world.

Sadly, lovely description seems to take precedence over the plot, which seems to wander from place to place without much direction for much of the book. Mysteries are hinted at, but they seldom pay off in a satisfying way, and it takes almost three-quarters of the book before we get a conflict that drives the plot... and by then I'm sure many readers would have stopped caring. There are also elements that are introduced but seem not to amount to much -- I'd hoped to see them built upon as the book progressed, but evidently the author had other things in mind.

Most of the characters are pretty flat. Amar, the mysterious king, is pretty much every brooding male love interest from every YA fantasy ever, and Maya is pretty much every feisty and independent female protagonist who still needs a man to complete her ever. The villain is so thinly characterized that it's hard to even fear or hate her, and her motivation for what she does is never quite clear until the final pages, by which point it's almost too late to care. Gauri, Maya's half-sister, is adorable, and I loved the snarky attitude of Kamala, a devouring spirit that Maya befriends late in the book, but those are the only truly memorable characters.

I didn't hate this book -- I actually quite enjoyed it. I just didn't find it memorable or good enough to bother with the sequel, or to care much about its protagonists. Gorgeous writing is all well and good, but a story needs a well-constructed plot and good characters as well, and sadly "The Star-Touched Queen" falls short on those counts. It's still a decent read, however, especially if you're a fan of Indian mythology.

2.75 / 5 stars

Ahhh, this book frustrated me so much. I absolutely adored the first third of STQ. The language was lush and vivid, the Indian-inspired world a breath of fantasy fresh air, the plot mysterious and intriguing.

At about the 1/3 mark, the plot began to lull. Still, I forged ahead.

Then the midpoint came, and everything changed. Suddenly, the protagonist made an incredibly stupid decision for #reasons (a.k.a. no reason at all), leading to a second half that felt almost completely disjointed from the first. I'm still not even sure what happened at the story's climax.

It all felt so...forced. And with the first 100 pages being as lovely as they were, I was pretty crushed.

On a slightly more positive note, next the to lush world-building, my favorite part of this book was definitely Kamala, the bloodthirsty, talking demon horse that wanted to eat everyone. She was great. #TeamKamala

The words that spilled from the pages was breathtaking. The story that took place was beautifully enchanting. Yet every time I put the book down, I never felt the urge to pick it back up again. And I never once caught myself thinking about the story or the characters outside of reading. Which isn't normal for me, at all. So I was left feeling torn towards The Star-Touched Queen. Since I’m stuck in the middle, here are some of my scattered thoughts about this uniquely, beautiful book -

✮ Fabulous world building -
The world building was fascinating, and I loved learning everything I could about Indian folklore. They were both richly described, and I felt as though I couldn't get enough. I wanted to learn more. Those two elements were my favorite things about this book!

✮ I loved how fate and choices was a strong theme -
In the beginning, we learn that one's fate and love revolves around horoscopes. And it's taken as the literal truth. Which was awful for Maya, our main character, because her horoscope was viewed as horrific and tragic. It caused prejudice towards her, and others who had a less than desirable horoscope. But as the story progressed, we saw how not only fate but choices too played an integral part in the story and Maya's life. It was fun watching everything unfold.

✮ Ambiguous scenes -
There were moments where not everything was explained. And while those moments were filled with beautiful words, I was left with nothing to grip onto. I'd end the scene confused and left wondering what in the world just transpired?! Each time I tried to shrug it off and keep going. Which is a littler harder than it sounds, because I'm one who would prefer to have a solid understanding with what's taking place in a scene. So I did struggle with this aspect.

✮ Not connected to the romance -
I never connected to the romance. I liked Maya and Amar separately, but when they were together I never felt much emotion. I would get a small smile from time to time, but I definitely didn't get that butterfly inducing, wishing they would just get together already feelings. I think part of the reason I didn't connect with them was that I was always left wishing that I had more of a backstory. Yet that never happened.

So I’ve decided that I do need to try another book by this author. I have a feeling that will push me into the love or pass category for her future releases. But if you're thinking about picking this one up, I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something unique and beautifully crafted!

An enchanting debut! With passion, romance, fate, a rich mythology, and a vividly detailed world, Chokshi takes her readers on an unforgettable journey. With a beautiful mix of folklore, fairytale and fantasy, this is a book I enjoyed reading.

Chokshi wastes no time thrusting her characters right into Maya's world. It's one full of action, desire, romance, and self discovery. Roshani's writing is simply mesmerizing. From her character and world development, down to the way she tells his story, everything she wrote was richly detailed, written with prose, and had a purpose for being in the story. I really enjoyed that this story was told in two parts. The first part is the romance between Maya and Amar, and the second is Maya's self discovery of who she is, and all she's truly capable of doing.

Maya is a character I liked from the get go. She's grown up in a brutal world where she was thought little of. In fact, thanks to her horoscope, she's really more of an outcast among her family. Maybe it's because she was shunned, and is a loner, or maybe it's because I saw the fire within her, I couldn't help but root for her from the moment I met her. She poses an inner strength I really admired. She become so much more than what others viewed her as, and said about her. I loved watching her grow into this fierce, strong women.

It wasn't surprising that she'd connect with Amar, the demon boy, and outcast in his own right. I really enjoyed the way Chokshi wrote his character, and introduced him into the story. Like Maya, there's so much more to his character than I thought, and I loved how I slowly got to know him. I liked the way he and Maya connected, and how he helped her see that there's so much more to the world around them both with the seen and the unseen. I loved their passion, and romance. I wasn't the biggest fan of their insta-love, though somehow everything made sense in the way their relationship developed.

While there were some similarities to the romance in this story to a previous book I read, the world building, and the crafting of this story were fascinating, and unlike anything I've recently read. I loved the story's Indian folklore and mythology. It was so fascinating and enchanting. It tied into the this story's brutal, yet beautiful world perfectly. Usually a story needs it's characters to tell the story, and capture a readers attention, but that's not the case with this book. Chokshi's blend of folklore, and mythology are what captured my attention, and told this story beautifully.

Overall this is a fascinating debut. I really enjoyed being swept away with Chokshi's beautiful storytelling. I may not have been the biggest fan of the romance, which is a huge part of this story, but there are a lot of other elements that told this story, that I did enjoy. I am really looking forward to reading more of Roshani Chokshi's books.

Review Originally Posted At Goldilox and the Three Weres.

The Star-Touched Queen was a wonderful read! The writing is straightforward and for once, we have a strong YA heroine who does not turn into a twitterpated mess around the love interest. I adored that the story was heavily influenced by Indian mythology. It was a breath of fresh air in comparison to the typical retellings we see in YA. I also loved that the story is quite lovely and without the drama and logic issues that are prevalent in a lot of YA books recently. Even though it's based upon Indian mythology, there seems to be a bit of influence from the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, in it. The thing that made this book for me is that it wasn't a normal YA tale of love and loss. It was unapologetic in its telling and it had enough detail that it wasn't overly simplistic or info dumpy.

Maya was very down-to-earth heroine and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold through her eyes. She is very brave and uses her intelligence to follow the dictates of her conscience. I loved the demonic horse that acted as a sounding board for Maya and their scenes were probably my favorite part of the book. The love interest wasn't bad either. :) The Indian culture felt authentic in the story from the harems of the Raja to the political squabbling to the reliance on horoscopes. The culture was treated reverently and lovingly and I really enjoyed exploring it through Maya's story.

The writing is smooth and straightforward but has the occasional clunky analogy after a particularly beautiful worded line. The world building was excellent and it was easy to become carried away in the story. This book itself is a stand-alone with a complete story arc but it has a companion novel set to come out next year sometime. I would highly recommend picking it up if you're looking for a out-of-the-norm retelling.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Oh, beautiful book covers, why do you betray me so?

You guys don’t understand how much I wanted to love this one. I’ve heard so many great things about it, that I thought I would love it. As it stands, I liked it, I enjoyed most of it, but it fell flat for me. This review might get kind of spoilery.

The story was what killed it for me, and Amar. Amar always read off as creepy to me, I legit thought he was going to be evil or something. Even when it was obvious that they were star-crossed lovers (*snort*…guys I made a pun), I felt like there was something off about him.

I think the elements of the story were interesting, but if I wanted to read about fantastical creatures, I could have read Daughter of Smoke and Bone. There was never a moment when I was hooked entirely in the story.

I liked Maya in the beginning, I was interested in the way her family treated her, but once she was in Akaran, she kind of fell flat for me. Especially when the big reveal came at the end, I just kind of rolled my eyes and hoped I would finish soon. This book kind-of, sort-of reminded me of Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Mist and Fury, and that is not a good thing. (I really, really, really disliked ACOMAF).

My interest kind of fizzled out as the story progressed. I mean, my favorite part of the whole book was the dang horse.

Again, I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it. It was just kind of…there.

Originally posted on Katie's Book Blog.

The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi’s debut novel, will have you shaking your head in disbelief that it is, in fact, a debut novel. The Star-Touched Queen reads like Roshani Chokshi has been writing her whole life and I’m sure this will not be the only wonderful, heartbreaking book we get from her.

Pros:

Romance: While it might come across a bit like insta-love at first, that really isn’t what is going on. Amar and Maya didn’t really have much of a choice when it came to starting up a really quick relationship. They got married the first time they met. That’s just how it was. However, their attraction made their marriage not quite as tough as it could have been. Amar and Maya’s personalities fit together and they each brought different things to their relationship and their roles as leaders. While Amar was quite closed off and a bit hard to read, Maya was the opposite. She had a bit of a temper and she wasn’t afraid to say what she wanted and to go after it. It also didn’t hurt that once they got to know each other, their chemistry was even better. Roshani Chokshi managed to make all of their scenes together both steamy and sweet.

Characters: It’s not often that I like all the characters and find them to be well-developed but that was the case with The Star-Touched Queen. Maya was dealt a poor hand in life due to her horoscope and the kingdom she lived in. It was predicted that she would bring death and destruction to whoever she married. It made many people scared of her and needless to say, made marriage kind of out of the picture for her. Not that she minded that. She smart and witty and fierce. Amar, like I said, was kind of mysterious, in a tall, dark, and handsome way. His personality was hard to gauge at first but once in his kingdom, he started to come out of his shell more. He was sweet but also smart and cunning. The harem wives were all very superstitious women who were pretty terrible. Gauri, Maya’s half-sister, was adorable at first and fierce later on. She was strong and smart and willing to do whatever it took for her kingdom and the people she loved. Gupta was funny and a little odd. Kamala had to be my favorite though. I can’t even begin to describe her but she was funny in a morbid and quirky way. She was fiercely protective of Maya and yet managed to keep a sense of humor even when defending her. I wasn’t sure it was possible that even demon animals could be well-developed characters but Roshani Chokshi proved me wrong.

Setting: The Star-Touched Queen is set in both the kingdoms of Bharata and the kingdom of Akaran. Both settings were extremely vividly detailed. Bharata was both a gorgeous kingdom and a kingdom torn apart by war. The Night Bazaar seemed like an awesomely creepy place but maybe could have used a little more development. Akaran was, by far, my favorite though. There were mirrors showing everything but your reflection, gardens made out of glass, and a tapestry full of mystery and fate.

Plot: At first, I really wasn’t sure what I was going to get with The Star-Touched Queen. The synopsis on the back of the book doesn’t really say much and I actually really like that about it. I went in not knowing what to expect and I felt like I got more mystery out of it. There were a few things that I guessed along the way but I think if I had actually read the full synopsis, I would have guessed them a lot sooner. However, I think I only guessed those things because of my knowledge of some Indian folklore. If you don’t know any Indian folklore, you are in for a lot of twists and turns and I was still shocked by a lot of things. Things are a little slow to start but not very. Maya’s story really starts to take off early in the book and since it is a standalone, everything has to happen pretty quickly. That’s not to say that anything is rushed though because it’s not. And since it is a standalone, everything was wrapped up quite nicely and while I would never say no to more stories set in this world, I was happy with how things ended.

Overall, The Star-Touched Queen has a spot on my favorites shelf, that’s for sure. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. While the stories are each uniquely different, I couldn’t help getting the same type of vibe from this one and that is high praise. I look forward to more from Roshani Chokshi.

The writing style in this book is absolutely wonderful! I don’t remember the last time that I have encountered such a beautiful writing style. It basically made me want to read EVERYTHING that Roshani Chokshi has EVER written (or rather will write). She is definitely an author that I’ll be on the lookout for in the future.

The world building was vivid and the magical elements very interesting. The mythology (or folklore or whatever, I’m not sure from where the inspiration for the world came from) that it’s based was not something I was familiar with, so I had even more fun exploring it and learning more about it as I continued reading this book. I don’t want to go into the plot, at all – I just think it’s best to go in this book not knowing much about it. (At least it was that way for me and it really pleasantly surprised me.)

The characters were wonderful as well. I loved both main characters, Maya and Amar. I don’t really want to go into detail, as to why – knowing myself I would spoil stuff without meaning to. XD I didn’t really care about the side characters, as they weren’t developed much. I liked the fact that we got to see more of them (well, some of them) later in the novel, which I didn’t expect at all. The one character that I’m most interested in (aside from the two main ones) is Gauri, the little sister of Maya, and that makes me even more exited about the companion novel, as it is going to be her story.

This story has also Hades and Persephone elements and I absolutely LOVED that fact. If you know me, you know that I adore Greek mythology (and mythology in general) and that the story of Hades and Persephone is one of my all time favourites. And I love it when books have elements of their story in them.

The romance in this book can be seen as insta-love…a bit that it? It depends on how you interpret it. I’m not usually a fan of it, but with Hades and Persephone retellings (inspired stories) I don’t mind it AT ALL. I just wanted to point it out, as I know that many people are put out by that.

Would I recommend this book? DEFINITELY! I absolutely adored everything about this book and there is no way that I wouldn’t recommend it!

***Full review on ChandaReads dot Com***

Review:
First of all, can we just appreciate this cover? ?????
The Star-Touched Queen is about a girl who is cursed with a horoscope of death and destruction. This makes her a social outcast and expendable within her kingdom. The story starts out pretty quickly with not an overabundance of world building, which is helpful if you are like me and don’t want to wait 3-5 chapters to get hooked on the book. I think one of the reasons the book begins so well is because of the protagonist Maya. She struck me as immediately likable, as she is strong, independent, an quick-witted. She makes some pretty stupid decisions in the book, but they aren’t out of character and I think readers can empathize with her logic during these decisive moments.

Although the story starts out interesting, I found most of the first half of the book went pretty slow for me, but the last half definitely made up for it. The last half was more action based and starts to wind in the plot of the next book. The action scenes were well done and the climax didn’t seem rushed, which is a huge pet peeve of mine.

I find that I’m torn on Chokshi’s descriptive style throughout the book. Some of the metaphors used just didn’t really make a lot of sense, but there were other times that I found myself completely enthralled with the tale Chokshi was spinning. Obviously this is subjective to who is reading, but overall her writing was beautiful.

There were two reasons this book was only 3/5 stars for me. The first was what I had already mentioned about the book moving slowly in the first half. The second is the connection between Maya and Amar. I didn’t feel the passion or love between them and would have liked to have seen their relationship grow through more interactions in the book, rather than just a few kisses here or there.

Final Thoughts:
– I have the next book A Crown of Wishes (Star-Touched)I will be moving onto that book next.Although I gave this book 3 stars (which is still NOT a bad review) I am excited to move onto the next because I love the character the story will be surrounding.

Originally posted on Katie's Book Blog.

The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi’s debut novel, will have you shaking your head in disbelief that it is, in fact, a debut novel. The Star-Touched Queen reads like Roshani Chokshi has been writing her whole life and I’m sure this will not be the only wonderful, heartbreaking book we get from her.

Pros:

Romance: While it might come across a bit like insta-love at first, that really isn’t what is going on. Amar and Maya didn’t really have much of a choice when it came to starting up a really quick relationship. They got married the first time they met. That’s just how it was. However, their attraction made their marriage not quite as tough as it could have been. Amar and Maya’s personalities fit together and they each brought different things to their relationship and their roles as leaders. While Amar was quite closed off and a bit hard to read, Maya was the opposite. She had a bit of a temper and she wasn’t afraid to say what she wanted and to go after it. It also didn’t hurt that once they got to know each other, their chemistry was even better. Roshani Chokshi managed to make all of their scenes together both steamy and sweet.

Characters: It’s not often that I like all the characters and find them to be well-developed but that was the case with The Star-Touched Queen. Maya was dealt a poor hand in life due to her horoscope and the kingdom she lived in. It was predicted that she would bring death and destruction to whoever she married. It made many people scared of her and needless to say, made marriage kind of out of the picture for her. Not that she minded that. She smart and witty and fierce. Amar, like I said, was kind of mysterious, in a tall, dark, and handsome way. His personality was hard to gauge at first but once in his kingdom, he started to come out of his shell more. He was sweet but also smart and cunning. The harem wives were all very superstitious women who were pretty terrible. Gauri, Maya’s half-sister, was adorable at first and fierce later on. She was strong and smart and willing to do whatever it took for her kingdom and the people she loved. Gupta was funny and a little odd. Kamala had to be my favorite though. I can’t even begin to describe her but she was funny in a morbid and quirky way. She was fiercely protective of Maya and yet managed to keep a sense of humor even when defending her. I wasn’t sure it was possible that even demon animals could be well-developed characters but Roshani Chokshi proved me wrong.

Setting: The Star-Touched Queen is set in both the kingdoms of Bharata and the kingdom of Akaran. Both settings were extremely vividly detailed. Bharata was both a gorgeous kingdom and a kingdom torn apart by war. The Night Bazaar seemed like an awesomely creepy place but maybe could have used a little more development. Akaran was, by far, my favorite though. There were mirrors showing everything but your reflection, gardens made out of glass, and a tapestry full of mystery and fate.

Plot: At first, I really wasn’t sure what I was going to get with The Star-Touched Queen. The synopsis on the back of the book doesn’t really say much and I actually really like that about it. I went in not knowing what to expect and I felt like I got more mystery out of it. There were a few things that I guessed along the way but I think if I had actually read the full synopsis, I would have guessed them a lot sooner. However, I think I only guessed those things because of my knowledge of some Indian folklore. If you don’t know any Indian folklore, you are in for a lot of twists and turns and I was still shocked by a lot of things. Things are a little slow to start but not very. Maya’s story really starts to take off early in the book and since it is a standalone, everything has to happen pretty quickly. That’s not to say that anything is rushed though because it’s not. And since it is a standalone, everything was wrapped up quite nicely and while I would never say no to more stories set in this world, I was happy with how things ended.

Overall, The Star-Touched Queen has a spot on my favorites shelf, that’s for sure. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. While the stories are each uniquely different, I couldn’t help getting the same type of vibe from this one and that is high praise. I look forward to more from Roshani Chokshi.

The writing style in this book is absolutely wonderful! I don’t remember the last time that I have encountered such a beautiful writing style. It basically made me want to read EVERYTHING that Roshani Chokshi has EVER written (or rather will write). She is definitely an author that I’ll be on the lookout for in the future.

The world building was vivid and the magical elements very interesting. The mythology (or folklore or whatever, I’m not sure from where the inspiration for the world came from) that it’s based was not something I was familiar with, so I had even more fun exploring it and learning more about it as I continued reading this book. I don’t want to go into the plot, at all – I just think it’s best to go in this book not knowing much about it. (At least it was that way for me and it really pleasantly surprised me.)

The characters were wonderful as well. I loved both main characters, Maya and Amar. I don’t really want to go into detail, as to why – knowing myself I would spoil stuff without meaning to. XD I didn’t really care about the side characters, as they weren’t developed much. I liked the fact that we got to see more of them (well, some of them) later in the novel, which I didn’t expect at all. The one character that I’m most interested in (aside from the two main ones) is Gauri, the little sister of Maya, and that makes me even more exited about the companion novel, as it is going to be her story.

This story has also Hades and Persephone elements and I absolutely LOVED that fact. If you know me, you know that I adore Greek mythology (and mythology in general) and that the story of Hades and Persephone is one of my all time favourites. And I love it when books have elements of their story in them.

The romance in this book can be seen as insta-love…a bit that it? It depends on how you interpret it. I’m not usually a fan of it, but with Hades and Persephone retellings (inspired stories) I don’t mind it AT ALL. I just wanted to point it out, as I know that many people are put out by that.

Would I recommend this book? DEFINITELY! I absolutely adored everything about this book and there is no way that I wouldn’t recommend it!

***Full review on ChandaReads dot Com***

Review:
First of all, can we just appreciate this cover? ?????
The Star-Touched Queen is about a girl who is cursed with a horoscope of death and destruction. This makes her a social outcast and expendable within her kingdom. The story starts out pretty quickly with not an overabundance of world building, which is helpful if you are like me and don’t want to wait 3-5 chapters to get hooked on the book. I think one of the reasons the book begins so well is because of the protagonist Maya. She struck me as immediately likable, as she is strong, independent, an quick-witted. She makes some pretty stupid decisions in the book, but they aren’t out of character and I think readers can empathize with her logic during these decisive moments.

Although the story starts out interesting, I found most of the first half of the book went pretty slow for me, but the last half definitely made up for it. The last half was more action based and starts to wind in the plot of the next book. The action scenes were well done and the climax didn’t seem rushed, which is a huge pet peeve of mine.

I find that I’m torn on Chokshi’s descriptive style throughout the book. Some of the metaphors used just didn’t really make a lot of sense, but there were other times that I found myself completely enthralled with the tale Chokshi was spinning. Obviously this is subjective to who is reading, but overall her writing was beautiful.

There were two reasons this book was only 3/5 stars for me. The first was what I had already mentioned about the book moving slowly in the first half. The second is the connection between Maya and Amar. I didn’t feel the passion or love between them and would have liked to have seen their relationship grow through more interactions in the book, rather than just a few kisses here or there.

Final Thoughts:
– I have the next book A Crown of Wishes (Star-Touched)I will be moving onto that book next.Although I gave this book 3 stars (which is still NOT a bad review) I am excited to move onto the next because I love the character the story will be surrounding.

Minor spoilers alert!!!

‘I loved Amar. I loved him enough that it catapulted my fear into frenzy, my hurt into hope.’
♥☆☽☆♥☆☽☆♥

‘I gathered Amar in my arms. For the first time, there was no nagging absence in the seams of my soul. I was whole. All the frayed patches of my spirit mended. The tapestry’s glittering threads had climbed through the fissures of memory and half-dreams and filled them with color. I looked at him and love filled me. I loved him with the force of a thousand lifetimes, made greater by the fact that my love was returned.’ ~Maya
Writing style: Maya’s POV

Cover love: I got to pet a paperback edition of this one last week at the YALLWest book festival, and that edition has the matte textured finish that my hardcover edition does not, boo! The exotic looking setting is appropriately intriguing as is the pose of the cover model.

Dual format – Yes or No?:
Kind of – I zipped through this one via audiobook several weeks ago. Later, I flipped through my autographed hardcover copy, and then I indulged in a mini e-book reread today before posting this review.

•*¨*•
Lead Characters:
Maya, our plucky heroine aka Night incarnate
Amar, our mysterious hero aka Death incarnate

•*¨*•
One of My Favorite Scenes – Maya & Amar:
“You once said your soul could never forget mine,” I said, sliding the mended bracelet around his wrist. “Do you remember now?”

He inhaled sharply, like something had rent through him. Around his wrist, the bracelet glowed like a caught star.

“Janni,” he breathed, staring at me.
He clutched his chest, an amazed smile turning his face incandescent. I grinned so widely that I thought the air would bend around us, pushing us together. His fingers entwined in my hair and he titled my face up. ♥

•*¨*•
Favorite Supporting Character:
Kamala the horse. She was delightfully clever and irresistible.

•*¨*•
One of Many Favorite Scenes – Maya & Kamala:
“What is the matter?” asked Kamala.

I pulled the stone from the makeshift pocket in my robes. “I feel like I’m losing a piece of myself.”

“Oh, nonsense.”

I glared at her. “You don’t know what happened back there. You don’t know what it’s like to feel like for a moment you were entirely whole. Like you finally knew yourself and then to have that ripped from you.”

Kamala regarded me for a moment. “Yes, actually, I do. That is the whole purpose of a curse. To remind you that you are lacking, but never know what that hollow is.”

I stepped away from her, chastened. “I’m sorry.”

“Do not be. Do not be anything. Do not mourn a life you do not know. It is done, it has happened. It is riven bone, without meat or memory.”

“But it was me, Kamala.”

“You have more than one self.”

•*¨*•
Least Favorite Character:
“I won’t let you languish alone. Let me put you out of your mortal misery and finish my efforts,” said Nritti. “It’s an honor, truly. You will be the last person to die. After that, death is nothing.”
☆☽☆
The duplicitous Nritti, ugh! I was suspicious of her initially because I didn’t remember if I was supposed to know this character or not. I have a bad habit of not paying much attention to character names, and at first I wondered if this was Gauri, Maya’s younger half-sister.

•*¨*•
This was a phenomenal debut YA fantasy novel, and I look forward to diving back into this exotic world again with both Death and Night: A Star-Touched Novella and A Crown of Wishes. The latter novel is a companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen, following Maya’s half-sister Gauri, and it can be read as a standalone according to the email I received back from Roshani Chokshi’s publisher Macmillan when I asked for clarification about this.

I was recommended this book by a friend on Twitter since I have been in a reading slump. I definitely did appreciate the recommendation because it was better than all of the books I've read lately. However, this book didn't really help my slump.

In the beginning, I thought the plot it was great. The author had a great beginning that entranced me. It started going downhill when Maya, the main character,  went to Amar's kingdom. It slowed down for me and became all about the romance between Maya and Amar. The fact that the plot was romance heavy wasn't the problem for me. It was the fact that there wasn't chemistry between these two characters and that's why the plot didn't fulfill the potential it had. I did find myself liking the last part of the book.

There's really only three characters of this book that are important. Maya, is a character that I didn't mind for the first part of the book but when she was with Amar, I hated her. She kept talking about how she was attracted to him and it was understandable because he attractive to me too. But I felt like she lost everything about herself when she was with him except for her beautiful appearance. Amar is attractive to me, like I said earlier, but he seemed to only be there for Maya. I guess in the plot it made sense but to me his character seemed to only be there to make Maya go on an adventure. That's part of the reason the romance wasn't good. They didn't seem like real people together. There's also the fact that they fell in love instantly. The other character is a spoiler so I won't talk about them. I just felt like their motivation was too cliche and that they weren't anything new.

The setting of this book is beautiful and that's probably because this author writes beautifully. Her descriptions were so beautiful to me which is why I love the world. I have to say they were a little strange to me but I think that's only because I'm not used to Indian culture. 

Overall, I think some people will enjoy this book but for the most part, it's not a book for the masses. I most likely will read the next book in this series because it's from the point of view of a side character that I enjoyed when she was actually in the story. If you read this book, what did you think of it?

Diversity: 1 ⭐

Plot: .5 ⭐

Setting: 1  ⭐

Characters: .5 ⭐

Writing: 1 ⭐

Overall: 4 ⭐

This book, y’all. THIS BOOK! Talk about a gorgeously lushly written book with details that just burst out of the page and into my head like you wouldn’t believe. I loved all the folklore and characters and creatures intertwined with Maya’s tale, and good lord Kamala is the crotchety demon horse of my heart, I swear. I totally did not expect that particular character to have me tearing up, but sure enough she did LOL. And the romance was so spectacular too – loved the familiar feel of the story that simultaneously felt so new in the gorgeous setting Chokshi wrote for us.

Also, I actually listened to the audiobook for this one, and man was the narrator ever amazing! We got such a wonderful rhythm to the words and phrases with that. Definitely one of those books that may have been made even better by the narration (though honestly I’d think it hard to make the book better LOL).

So excited to see that there’s already a companion novel out – can’t wait for Gauri and Vikram’s tale!

“The Star Touched Queen” is beautifully written and woven with imagery that will dazzle readers as they follow Maya on a fascinating adventure.

Maya is cursed with a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction. This horoscope keeps her from being a prospect for a marriage, but that doesn’t stop her father, the Raja. He arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellion and this causes Maya to find herself as the new wife of Amar and the queen of Akaran.

In Akaran, Maya finds love, passion, power and secrets. Secrets that threaten the human and Otherworldly realms and it is up to Maya to uncover them.

This novel was fascinating because of the mythology and culture of its settings. Most of the creatures, stories and gods represented in this novel were new and unique and I couldn’t help but love learning about them. It also helped that Chokshi’s words constructed such beautifully imagery that I could see the words folding into structures and wonders easily and vividly in my mind.

I wish this novel was longer to allow me more time to dwell in its setting and get more from the romance. The only part of this novel that didn’t sweep me off my feet was the romance, which is unfortunate considering this novel is built around a tale of love. Saying this doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the romance that sparked between Maya and Amar. In fact, it is the opposite. I wished to see more of it. I wanted to see and feel Maya fall in love. I wanted to feel her passion for Amar. I wanted to see what made them a perfect match. I didn’t feel the love between them because there wasn’t enough of it on the page. At least not enough of it for me to believe that Maya would cross realms and go to war for this love.

At the helm of this novel is an epic romance and yet I was left unsatisfied because I know that Chokshi’s beautiful writing could have woven a love so blinding and full of passion that it would curl the pages from the heat it pooled.

I still found this novel to be a wonderful read because of its unique setting, creatures and imagery and that is why I would recommend it. I hope with “Crown of Wishes” the companion novel that Chokshi offers us a book filled with a burning love to dwell inside her glorious settings. If she does I know it will be an amazing and epic read.

*Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary copy! This in no way affects my review; all opinions are my own.*

The Star-Touched Queen is an unfamiliar memory.

I began The Star-Touched Queen knowing practically nothing about it, except that is has a gorgeous cover, it's fantasy, and it has rave reviews. You get all of that, and you can add me to the list of rave reviews.

Based on Indian folklore, The Star-Touched Queen also reminded me of Like Water for Chocolate because of its use of love and how strong it is. I also see parallels between the sister in LWFC and the younger sister in TSTQ. In addition, the Night Bazaar in TSTQ is similar to Tartarus, with its dangerously fantastical creatures. One of the characters in TSTQ, Nritti, also reminded me of a siren in Greek mythology.

I love the use of horoscopes and death in The Star-Touched Queen! I'm always on the lookout for books that have an amazing perception on death and this really hit the spot. The use of horoscopes is also quite interesting because I see parallels of it in my life: we all need someone or something to blame or praise, even if that means making something out of nothing. Chokshi also introduces the concept of past lives and I love it so much! She bends modern religions into her own and takes it a step further.

Screen Shot 2016-04-15 at 6.59.23 PM.pngThe Star-Touched Queen is not only unique in regards to it being an Indian retelling, but also because it is a genre-bender. With most fantasies, romance is usually a subplot. However, this is a romance and fantasy. I applaud Chokshi for her balance and intertwining of the two genres. The romance is a bit insta-lovey, at first glance, but by the end of it, you'll realize how it isn't. Like, at all. Despite it being a fantasy, I actually don't mind this one as a standalone!

In regards to the writing style, it's pretty clever! There are a few riddles here-and-there and I love how Maya uses her wits to get her out of predicaments. The imagery is a bit vague sometimes, and that is mainly why it lost that half star. Especially since it's fantasy, world-building and accurate depictions are very important. I found myself a little lost while I'm reading it in the moment, but it would later be connected and it would all become clear to me.

I can't really comment on the accuracy of the retelling, nor the use of the foreign words since I'm not familiar with Indian culture or language. However, I kind of wish there was a glossary because there are a few words that are hard to pronounce and, therefore, harder to remember. Despite that, it did not take away my enjoyment.

In other words,

The Star-Touched Queen is a happy surprise! I think fans of Greek mythology and retellings in general would love this one. It's very unique and the concept of death is also amazing. This genre-bender is well-balanced and the plot is intricately woven. Though I wish the imagery was a bit clearer, Chokshi's world is beautiful and all its own.

Final Rating: ✮✮✮✮½ (4.5)/5 stars
How much do I recommend it? I think I would preorder it!

This review and more can be found at wovenwithwords.com

The Star-Touched Queen follows Maya, a girl whose horoscope partners her with death and destruction thus making everyone blame her for any misfortune that befalls them. When her father decides she must choose a husband, she picks the mysterious man that promises to treat her as an equal and gets brought to his lands “between” the worlds.

First off, I want to say that this book is beautifully written. The imagery drew me into the book and I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to cover it in sticky notes because it just had so many beautiful lines I wanted to remember. I also loved the fact that it drew on Indian mythology because it’s definitely a subject I don’t know that well, and this book definitely made me more interested in learning more about the folklore and mythology behind it so I could gleam all the little details I’m sure would just enhance the book more.

I love a good romance, and I definitely loved the one between Maya and Amar. There wasn’t insta romance, and it was obvious that Maya’s love only grew because Amar took her as she was without wanting to change her, but nurtured her voice and helped her become the strongest person she could be. Romance isn’t the only thing the book excels at, and the relationship between Maya and her younger sister warmed my heart.

With a flesh-eating demon horse that steals the show, beautiful prose that enchanted me with each phrase, I am eagerly awaiting the next story that Chokshi will pen.

I definitely recommend this book to people that like:

- Fantasy
-The Wrath and the Dawn
-Hades & Persephone/ Mythology

Thing I loved:

*The Star-Touched Queen is an Indian inspired fantasy, AND Hades&Persephone retelling. Couldn't get any better.
*The main character and her love interest (all the characters really) are people of color. It's so beautiful to see a diverse fantasy world. Look authors, it is not that hard to do.
*Maya is a great character. She wants to shape her own destiny, to be consider an equal, to have someone who supports her. And she makes mistakes and takes terrible choices. I loved that she has room to grow and be better. Also, I loved to see her angry and tired. I'm so here for angry teen girls.

Things I wasn't a fan of:

*I didn't like Amar, at all. He is sometimes a jerk, and that it is not good for a love interest. And also,
*I don't like age gap, especially between teenagers and centuries old adults. Nope nope nope. It makes me really uncomfortable to hear Amar saying that he has been "watching her". This is very personal, I know. Aged gap is not a trope I like or enjoy very much. So, yeah, it was hard to care for the couple.

If you're looking for romance, powerful girls and fantasy worlds, The Star-Touched Queen is your book.

Roshani Chokshi's writing is spellbinding!

Ever since I first saw the Star-Touched Queen I made it a mental note to have a copy of it because: (1) OMG LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL COVER!!, (2) Indian Folklore!, and (3) early reviews be like: OMG THIS IS SO AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL!, MUST READ, blahblahblah. (you know how easy I am).

When I read the first chapters of the Star-Touched Queen, I was immediately captivated by Roshani's writing. Seriously people. I tabbed so many pages just because of the words! GAH!

Honestly though, I was not immediately caught up in the world. But this is basically my fault. I'm not the biggest fantasy reader and have ZERO sense of imagination. I suck at visualizing worlds and remember terms. Why I still read fantasy is beyond me. lol. After a few more chapters, I was able to get into the story. What I mean by a few chapters is when Amar took Maya away and brought her to a kingdom far beyond Bharata.

Setting aside my zero sense of imagination, the Star-Touched Queen still intrigued me. There were voices that speak to Maya. She got married and moved with Amar to Akaran. But the walls give her an unusual feeling and I'm like: ummm dark powers lurking in the kingdom? Then half way through we meet this girl who claims to be a close friend of Maya in another life. And things just started getting confusing for Maya when this girl tells her all sorts of things about Akaran and Amar.

Because you know, we need some conflict here right? I mean the blurb made it sound so grand like there'll be a huge war happening right about now. But then the root of the problem really comes from the romance side of the story. And now you can all complain: ugh, seriously? But then I'll tell you: seriously. BUT DON'T LEAVE ME JUST YET!! The romance is too sweet and swoon-y to pass. really.

I honestly did not expect myself to actually like and ship Maya and Amar. Romance isn't my strong side and many times I hate it when the romance swallows up the story. But as I read the Star-Touched Queen, I find Amar completely swoon-worthy! and surely we can blame Roshani for that! I like how slowly Maya and Amar's relationship developed. There was doubt in Maya in the beginning but she accepted Amar because there's nothing else she could do -- there's following and marrying Amar and there's dying in her kingdom.

Maya is a heroine I immediately liked -- she's strong, she doesn't push herself to people, the world is against her, she's brave. Yet, of course, when faced with great decisions Maya makes mistakes. (don't we all? not all the time, of course. DUH!) She faces everything with bravery despite their difficultly. Her adventure at the second part of the book really shows how she faced the world when she has nothing.

Also, there's Kamala, the sassy horse!! I mean she likes eating people or souls or something... eh.. but she's so nice and funny and full of wisdom (?). I LOVE HER! And there's Gauri who'll have her tale on the next book, A Crown of Wishes!! -- eeeppp!! I'm super excited for that!!

OVERALL, the Star-Touched Queen is a beautiful novel of love and trusting the strength within you. It has a swoon-worthy romance, a strong heroine, a sassy horse, a great adventure, and, of course, beautiful enthralling writing!!

The first thing I noticed about The Star-Touched Queen is the gorgeous cover. The blurb looked really good and came recommended by Aentee at Read At Midnight, so I read it for the Lumos prompt in the #DAReadAThon. It also fulfills the January prompt of Diverse Reads 2017, which is to read a book based on or inspired by a diverse folktale, culture, or mythology.

Immediately after opening this book, I noticed something different about it: the Acknowledgements are at the beginning where usually I find them at the end. I decided to mention this in the review because it surprised me and struck me as more sincere to have them at the beginning. With what wasn’t said, it told me, “Before you read what I’ve poured myself into, let me acknowledge those who helped me get it from me and into your hands.” I really loved that and appreciate that it was done this way.

The world building is exquisite. An amazing amount of detail is given through Maya’s experiences but it doesn’t tak away from the flow of the story at all, but actually adds to it and pushes it along. The details are unique and creative while still staying true to the source material.

The characters are continually developed through the story, which makes it feel natural and gives everything a nice flow. The characters also build upon each other in beautiful ways that further the story. My favorite character is probably Kamala because the dialogue is just brilliant. In fact, the dialogue throughout the story is brilliant, but Kamala brings an extra unashamedly wicked element to it.

The Star-Touched Queen is an absolutely stunning novel. I’m honestly already planning to reread it later this year. I can’t wait to read more from Roshani Chokshi and I’m especially excited for the publication of her upcoming sequel to this book, A Crown of Wishes, on 28 March 2017.

For this review and more, please visit my blog, Vicarious Bookworm.

I loved this book and am currently trying to find more based on Hindu gods and monsters.

Before you let some of the other reviews deter you(no spoilers, I promise):

Everything crucial to the plot is either defined a few sentences later or in the glossary in the back. Everything else can be googled. But I like that she didn't give us definitions for everything. Do western fantasy writers define goblins and fairies and nymphs in every one of their books? No.

If you're the type of person who takes poetic language much too literally (instead of letting it do it's job of creating an atmosphere) Or if you're the type of person who NEEDS EVERYTHING to have a logical explanation, this book isn't for you. You can go back to reading microwave instruction manuals or science textbooks (okay I'm a science nerd too) because I'm not sure how you ended up in the fantasy genre but you aren't going to like what you find. Nothing has to make perfect sense here as long as there is a story and atmosphere and characters with spirit. And the language is supposed to be unapologetically beautiful.

But if you love poetry, faerie tales and a little bit of romance with just a pinch discovering the unknown, you'll love this book.

” ‘My star-touched queen,’ he said softly, as if her were remembering something from long ago. ‘I would break the world to give you what you want’ ” Page 160

First, I have to say that this is one of the most stunning covers I have seen all year. It is absolutely beautiful! As far as the story goes, it was equally beautiful. A combination of fairy-tales, mythology and Indian culture, The Star-Touched Queen is a lovely, heart-wrenching story about love, fate and redemption.

Mayavati, Maya for short, is a princess of Bharata and she is cursed. Her horoscope only predicts darkness and death and all of the wives in the harem shun her because of it. Maya isn’t sure if she believes in her horoscope. Strange things have happened around her, but was she truly meant to cause death around her? When her father, the Raja, decides a marriage is the best decision for peace between other kingdoms Maya consider running away. She doesn’t want to be trapped. When an unexpected turn of events brings Maya to Amar, the Raja of Akaran, she travels with him to his kingdom with the promise of indescribably power. Amar wants Maya to be his equal, not just his wife. The more Maya learns about Akaran, the more secrets she discovers. Where is this strange kingdom that she has never heard of? What secrets is Amar keeping from her?

This was such a magical story. I felt like I was reading a fairy-tale and the writing was descriptive and beautiful. I was trying to think of the right word to describe the writing and imagery, and the only thing that came to mind is colorful. From the Night Bazaar to the strange portals and distant lands, everything is so colorful. One of the aspects I enjoyed most from this story was just following Maya to different realms and kingdoms.

I loved getting a glimpse of Indian culture and the Hindu myths that inspired this story. Storytelling was a huge theme throughout the story. First, it is Maya telling her younger sister Gauri stories before going to sleep. Throughout the story Maya tells and listens to stories to learn about her past, present and future. Sorry, I know that sounds extremely vague but the entire book had this light, magical quality to it that made it such a beautiful read. On Goodreads, Roshai Chokshi names a few Hindu myths that inspired this story and now I want to read more about them! Maya deals with some interesting topics throughout the story including fate, reincarnation and redemption.

The romance was also lovely. Its one of those ‘love transcends all’ relationships and it was pretty amazing to read! I wish we got more time with Amar, I loved his scenes with Maya and I would really like to know more about his history. Maya is also such a strong, independent character. Growing up she was often lonely, but she never lets that bother her. She continued to search for ways to better herself. When offered the chance to rule a kingdom, Maya accepts. She wants to learn and be strong and I had a lot of respect for her throughout the story.

While I really enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it to other readers, I couldn’t give it five stars for a few reasons. I wish the villain was better developed. She was definitely one of the more twisted, creepy villains I’ve read about in a while so I wish I knew more about her backstory. Another reason is the writing. Above, I mentioned that it is beautiful, and it is, but sometimes it was too much. Its a lot of flowery prose and metaphors with long sentences, and this often took away from the action of the story.

“The hollow inside me shifted, humming a reply in melted song. I could have been verse made flesh or compressed moonlight. Anything other than who I was now.” Page 59

See what I mean? Beautiful but at the same time, what does that mean. This made the story confusing at times and as I got further in the story I found myself skimming passages like that rather than enjoying them. Finally, the last thing that bothered me was the action that inspired all of the events of the story. I won’t go into too much detail, but to me it seemed like a pretty foolish decision to create such a catastrophic event.

Okay, rant over! While I did have a few issues with the story, I really really enjoyed it and it absolutely deserves the four stars. If you like mythology, fairy-tale like fantasies, you will enjoy this story.

Review copy

Plot: The Star-Touched Queen had my attention from the very beginning because Chokshi's writing is absolutely gorgeous. On her GoodReads page, she says that she is influenced by Laini Taylor and it is evident from her prose. Chokshi doesn't waste any time getting to the action, but it's not disorienting. The Star-Touched Queen is told from two parts; the first part focuses on Amar and Maya's romance while the second explores Maya's strength and self-discovery. I definitely preferred the second part of the novel over the first. The first half reminded me A Court of Thorns and Roses. Amar has an instant interest in Maya without much explanation, much like Tamlin in A Court of Thorns and Roses. I was frustrated by the "instalove" on Amar's half without much backstory. I think it's important to note that The Star-Touched Queen relies heavily on its romance. Think A Court of Thorns and Roses or Cruel Beauty.

Characters: I fell in love with Maya immediately. She was the loner in her father's palace - sent to isolation because of what her horoscope foretold. She's both fierce and vulnerable and I loved seeing her grow and become more confident in her abilities. A lot of secondary characters don't get much "screen time," but I still got a complete understanding of their personality and motivations.

And then there is Amar. Who doesn't love a troubled demon boy? I was especially impressed by how Chokshi wrote his character. She could have easily made him stony and unfeeling, but he is more than an archetype.

Worldbuilding: If anything, read The Star-Touched Queen for its mythology and setting. Chokshi beautifully blends fantasy in her realm of ancient India, so we get old stories from the elder generations and mystical creatures that would never exist in our realm. My google translate got a lot of love while reading this book because there was no dictionary in the e-ARC version, and there are a lot of terms from ancient Sanskrit littered throughout.

Short N Sweet: The world of The Star-Touched Queen is unlike anything you've read before; however, the romance did not meet my expectations.

The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen #1)
by Roshani Chokshi

‘‘My star-touched queen,’’ he said softly, as if he was remembering something long ago. ‘‘I would break the world to give you what you want.’’

I loved this story, it was magical, mythology in an Indian setting, it was kind of like Aladdin *sigh* ahhh I haven’t any other way to describe it. It was so romantic, I loved it so much.

I think if you picked this up you would not be disappointed by the way it is told, a beautiful story fabulous writing. I loved being transported into this world it really did just feel magical.
I loved the twist and turns. OH.MY. GOD. Didn’t we get some of them, I was speechless!

Seventeen-year-old Princess of Mayavati lives in the royal court, she is not the princess you would normally think of, she is kind of shunned if you will, the belief in horoscopes, and when she was born she was predicted to have a cursed life. We go on her journey, and it is that a magical tale told wonderfully.

‘‘You know nothing about me.’’
‘‘I know your soul. Everything else is an ornament.’’

She does find a happiness in a partner you did not see coming, and that book lovers is where it all happens, the story picks up even more and we with Maya discover locked doors, hidden rooms and a Groom that I really really loved.

I just loved the world building, its seriously is amazing.

"What do you want from me?

He stopped, the smile was gone from his lips.

"I want your perspective and honesty," he said, before adding in a softer voice, "I want to be humbled by you. My kingdom needs a queen. It needs someone with fury in her heart and shadows in her smile. It needs someone restless and clever. It needs you."

review found at: [...]

This is a stunning captivation of an Indian folklore. Indian as in South Asia India. Throw in a bit of Greek mythology and you have an absolutely stunning novel. This book beautiful imagery with captivating storytelling that will keep you hooked to the book. I will admit that I first it took me about 60 pages to completely grab me but that I think was due to outside distraction not because of the book itself.

This is a story about a princess desirous to be something more than just another girl child in the harem of where she lives. Shunned and disliked for her horoscope, Princess Maya takes pleasure in disobeying her Raja father with her lessons, listening in or political discussions dealing with the kingdom and finding small ways of mischief. When her father announces that she is to pick her husband in a matter of days and marry him that day in order to save the kingdom she reluctantly agree only to find a way to escape before that event ever takes place. When the option never presents itself she is then given her only option out. To drink poison and die or die by the hand of her chosen husband. Then on the moment she is to take her poison another suitor presents himself as a way to free and save her. Promising all the glories that were never within reach for Maya.

I really liked Maya, she is strong, faulty, fierce, compassionate and you were able to connect with her as a character.

Overall and without giving too much away so you can enjoy this amazing story this became a must own for me. I enjoyed everything about it. There is stunning world building, beautiful good romance, fabulous one liners (which I never find in fiction usually), adventure, mystery and everything that would make this worth reading and owning.

Sexual Content: mild
Language: none
Violence: moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: none

Actual Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Inspired by Hindu mythology, Roshani Chokshi's debut novel The Star-Touched Queen explores reincarnation, love, and one girl's journey of self-discovery. Maya has been cursed with a horoscope of death and destruction. Her raja father, in an effort to quell the whispers of war with nearby realms, decides to marry her off. Soon Maya chooses Amar, the young ruler of a kingdom that transcends her wildest imagination. It is there that she's given a voice and equal power by her new husband, and where she suspects secrets are around every corner and locked door. But who can Maya trust in a world so different from the one where she was born? And when she makes a fateful choice that could destroy the balance between humankind and the Otherworldly, how can she set things right and save everyone she loves?

I quickly fell under the trance of The Star-Touched Queen and relished every moment of it. Chokshi's lush, vibrant writing reminded me of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Renee Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn (actually, TSTQ is sort of a hybrid of both books) and highlighted the rich colors, dreamlike imagery, and cerebral dialogue. The world-building blew me away as well, with its armful of legends and mythical creatures. I especially won't forget Kamala the flesh-eating demon horse anytime soon, thanks to her quirky humor and unlikely loyalty to Maya. And, the titular heroine is remarkable in her own right. Her earnest intelligence, bravery, and persistence make her a thoughtful alternative to the kick-ass female protagonist (though Maya does kick ass in her own way).

As much as I loved the writing in The Star-Touched Queen, it does get too flowery at times and slows the story's pace. And while I'm not always keen on fantasy-romances, I quickly realized there was much more to TSTQ. It's about family, finding one's purpose, and becoming the master of one's destiny. It's also patient, deeper, and more inventive than most YA fantasies I've read this year. (Plus, it tugged on my heartstrings a few times, so bonus points for that!) So, in short, The Star-Touched Queen took my breath away and left me spellbound. Fans of the Hades & Persephone myth, Middle Eastern or Hindu / Indian influenced stories, or descriptive writing styles shouldn't let this slip under their radar.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are not altered by that.

I knew The Star Touched Queen was going to be an interesting book from when I read the synopsis. There is just so much from the synopsis that leaves you asking questions about this book and wanting to find out more about it. More about Maya's curse, more about Akaran, and Maya's life in general. The Star Touched Queen delivered such a great story. It had a really interesting plot and a world that I would definitely not mind having a spin off take place in. (Update: Turns out Roshani will be having a spin off of The Star Touched Queen. Whoo!) Roshani had really great writing and I really enjoyed the characters she wrote about. If you're looking for a really suspenseful and mysterious novel with based on a really interesting Indian folktale, I would definitely hand you The Star Touched Queen.

So, you can obviously tell I loved this book. One of the reasons was because of how great and interesting the characters were. From the beginning, we already know Maya is cursed with a horrible horoscope, which is taken really seriously by the people in Maya's life. She really grows within this book, which is one of the highlights. She gets to know herself more and also gets to experience what it is like to not live in her palace walls. I really love how she doesn't take crap from anyone. All her life people have been putting her down because of her horoscope and that leads to her development of relying on herself to get through tough situations. She is so independent and I really love that about her. There are so many other characters introduced in this book and they were all so interesting and all I loved how different from each other they were. No character was every similar to the next one. Interesting characters for an interesting book, am I right? I also really loved reading about how they impacted the plot and Maya's life.

Now, here is my favorite part about this book. The plot. Going into this book, I didn't know much on what was going to happen. I only had so many questions that needed to be answered. As the book progresses, it get's more and more mysterious. That really added more suspense and made the book really hard to put down. That's really all I could say. Some books I could write paragraphs on how good it was but with Star Touched, there isn't much to say because it's very easy to describe. Basically, the more pages you read in, the more questions you have and the more the suspense will build up.

I gave this book 5 stars because I fully enjoyed it. It had awesome characters, a great world, and a really suspenseful plot.

On the day that Maya was born, she was prophesied that her marriage would be of death and destruction. Since then she has been shunned by most of her family members and lives a life of obscurity. One day, her father, the Raja, forces Maya to commit suicide. Right when she is about to kill herself, Amar, the Raja of Akaran, saves her at the last minutes and marries her. With this marriage, she has a second chance of life. However, Amar and Akaran is not what it seems to be. Can Maya and Amar overcome the obstacles to find happiness?

I found Maya to be a likable protagonist. I liked that she has a deep love for her sister. However, there were some moments where I found her to be a bit frustrating. She is a very lonely girl who has low-self confidence. She is willing to do whatever people tell her. She is also very gullible and believes everyone’s lies without questioning why. Therefore, for most of the book, she is a weak protagonist. Gradually, she becomes a strong woman. She realizes her mistakes and tries to correct them. Therefore, Maya is a heroine that readers can relate to because she learns her lesson.

Overall, this book is about family, friendship, and love. The Star-Touched Queen is about a woman’s quest to recover what she has lost. The message of this book is to believe in yourself, and to appreciate each moment you have for your loved one because you do not know when that person may be gone. I did find this book to be predictable and slow in the middle. I also did not like that there was a star-crossed love story. Because of this, I thought that Amar’s character-depth was lacking along with the relationship. I also thought the secondary characters needed a bit more work so that I could truly understand them. Nevertheless, the writing is very evocative and lyrical. I also liked how it is heavily rooted with Indian mythology. I really thought it was a well-developed fantasy with a taste of adventure, and I look forward to reading her companion novel, A Crown of Wishes! I recommend this book to fans of Cruel Beauty, A Thousand Nights, and Ever.
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)

HOROSCOPES PLAY A BIG PART IN THIS STORY, AS MAYA CAN ATTEST TO. THE COURSE OF HER VERY FUTURE WAS PREDICTED BY THE STARS AND INTERPRETED BY MAN. DO YOU BELIEVE THE STARS CAN DETERMINE OUR FUTURES?

Carrie: Sort of, I guess. I think each person decided who they’ll become in their lives. Am I 100% what my astrological sign says I should be? No, but I’m fairly close. I had a detailed birth chart drawn up once, part for fun and part for curiosity. The results were fairly accurate (and specific) as well.

Maybe some things are predetermined and others are the results choices. So I guess you could say I believe in a predetermined fated with the added chaos of free will tossed into the mix.

Stephanie: Hmmm… I’ve always thought star signs, and pretty much any type of personality indicator, are tons of fun. I’ve never had anything detailed or professional done, so I can’t speak to how accurate that would be. Logically speaking, everyone born under the same star sign having very similar personalities seems kind of crazy. That said, I think I fit pretty well into the Virgo box, with a few exceptions. So in practice I have to admit that it seems like they work, at least a little? But how much of that is interpreting facts to suit a certain personality type as opposed to creating my personality type based on unbiased interpretation of facts? Sorry for the awkward paraphrasing of Sherlock Holmes, lol.

I definitely believe in free choice, but I also do think some things are just meant to be. I’ve watched/read enough time travel to go with the idea that while there may be a limited number of destinations, there are an infinite number of roads to get there.

DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS ARE READING THE STAR TOUCHED QUEEN IN 6 WORDS.

Carrie: Not what expected but pretty exciting.

Stephanie: Fresh yet epic fantasy adventure story

THERE WERE SEVERAL VERY QUOTABLE LINES FROM THIS BOOK. WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITES?

Carrie:
"Trust is won in years. Not words."

Stephanie:
“In my experience, big words ornament bad news.”

“He loved her. And she loved him. And in such bliss does devastation grow.”

“I will not let us be beings of regret. I know my past. What I want is my future.”

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO OTHERS?

Carrie: Yes. I was lucky enough to have been able to sign up for an ARC tour to read The Star Touched Queen. Immediately after finishing I went out and preordered it. For a girl that is on a strict budget for everything in her life, the fact that I spent my gas money on this book should tell you how much I loved it. If you are a fan of fantasy books, I highly recommend picking this one up.

Stephanie: I definitely would, especially if they are into fantasy novels or fairy tale retellings. I was lucky enough to win a goodreads giveaway to get this book, but it would still have been worth the price of admission.

Maya’s horoscope is cursed, which has made her a pariah in the harem she was raised. Still, she hopes this will protect her independence. Then her father, the Raja, decides to marry her off for political reasons–or at least that’s what he says he intends. But Maya is soon whisked away to become the wife of the Raja of Akaran, a magical land that controls the balance of life and death. But while Maya is coming into her own, she is still forced to take a lot on faith. She makes a mistake that forces her to come to terms with her past and also claim her future.

This has definite tones of Cupid and Psyche or East of the Sun West of the Moon, both stories I LOVE for a starting point. I wish I had more non-Western comparisons, because I’m sure they are there. I am just sadly not well-read enough to see them. But the tone of this novel feels magical already, before any supernatural elements are added. This feels like a fairy tale. The language in this novel is really lovely. It paints a clear picture and is evocative. It also manages to make some romantic scenes that I wouldn’t have expected to be particularly romantic kind of steamy. That is talent.

I would have liked to see more from the relationship between Maya and Amar. I get it. They’re fated. There’s some unspoken history. There is going to be a little bit of love at first site. And there is also the fairy tale-esque element of the book that makes me willing to go with a lot of this. Still, I would have liked to see that relationship grow and develop rather than relying on miscommunication and fate. Part of what I like about this trope is that it forces two characters together in an intimate space and they have to get to know one another. I don’t know that Maya really knew Amar any better at the end, even after fighting to get him back.

Maya as a character was aces though. I loved that she didn’t just trust Amar outright. That she questioned and fought for herself, even if sometimes she was wrong. She was strong but also compassionate. This is not a story about Maya needing Amar, but about Maya coming into herself and discovering her power.

Maya was born with a terrible horoscope, one that dooms her to marry death, so no man will marry her. So Maya has been focused on her education, since she knows she will never marry. She is detested in the kingdom’s harem and spends much of her time up in the rafters where she can listen in on her father’s throne room. That is how she hears that he plans to have her married off to save the kingdom, despite her horoscope. As Maya becomes a political pawn, her father asks her for the ultimate sacrifice to give her life for peace in her kingdom. Just as Maya is about to sacrifice herself however, war arrives at the kingdom and she is dazzled by a young man she has never met before. Soon her life becomes filled with options she has never considered and magic she never knew was more than tales.

Chokshi makes this book so much more than what it sounds like above. She first creates a world filled with restrictions for women, who are seen only as sexual beings or as collateral to be used for leverage. It is a world where women fight behind the scenes for power, where spite and anger lurk constantly. It is a world of immense wealth and plenty and yet no freedom. Then, and this is what makes this book exceptional, Chokshi turns it all on its head. Readers and the main character move away from those strictures of society and are plopped into a world with its own rules. It is a world of pure power, immense magic and yet rules too.

Against those two diverse worlds, Maya is shown to be a teenager of real distinction. She manages to gain an education where it should not have been a priority. She makes a dire choice and then discovers lust and potentially love. But her path is not straight at all, it moves from princess to queen to something else entirely, something dark and thrilling. It is in that third life where she discovers real power and real love.

This daring and lush novel is filled with excellent world building and one strong teen protagonist who has to save the world. Appropriate for ages 14-17.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I loved the plot. I'm incredibly excited that there is a second book. Also, the covers on both of them are just gorgeous.

The characters in this book were pretty well developed. Maya drove me a little nuts with not being able to trust Amar but that is pretty much my only complaint about the book. Her relationship with Nritti (who is a pretty interesting character) was well explored and developed over time. At the beginning, I couldn't quite see the chemistry between Amar and Maya. Over time, as you find out more about both of them, I found myself really rooting for them. My favorite relationship in the book was probably that between Kamala and Maya. They complimented each other very well and definitely made for an interesting read (plus it reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia a little bit).

Regarding the plot, I was constantly surprised. I was never able to anticipate what would happen next. I did guess at the ultimate endgame but that was pretty obvious. I was able to lose myself in the writing and fully enjoy the characters (that last scene with Gauri was heartbreakingly wonderful). The ending felt slightly rushed and I would have enjoyed seeing it last a little longer, with everything a little bit more explained. The mystery that was left at the end does have me eagerly awaiting the second book though.

The world building. I adore this world and cannot wait for more of it. There was a multitude of characters and all of them were distinct and well-developed. The idea of reincarnation pool and the way death was portrayed were very interesting and added another aspect to the story. I cannot wait to find out more about Gauri in the second book (please let there be some Maya and Amar though!). I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantasy romance with truly wonderful writing.

Maya, the princess of Bharata, has a rather unfortunate horoscope. Avoided by the court and shunned by the women in the castle, Maya braces herself for an unlikely fate, when she finds herself whisked away to Akaran as the queen and wife of the mysterious king, Amar. Life with Amar introduces Maya to a fantasical and magical world and life which Maya never expected to stumble upon, and which finds out she was destined for all along.

If I bring it all down to one word, The Star Touched Queen was absolutely gorgeous! From its cover to its writing, everything is so whimsical, beautiful and absolutely amazing! Roshani will take you on a fantasical ride you've never been on before, and spins an enthralling tale, complete with her vivid descriptions, breathtaking imagery, stellar world building and remarkable characters.

Maya was a lost, unfortunate girl when we first meet her in the book, and her journey of self discovery is rather heartwarming to read. Having grown up in a Tamil neighbourhood, I know how much horoscopes mean to people, especially when it comes to marriage, and I could totally relate to Maya's troubles with her own doomed horoscope. Her transformation from shunned princess to a treasured queen was breathtaking to read!

Amar was just the perfect fantasy hero. Mysterious, handsome and a knack for saying the most perfect and swoon worthy things ever! For some reason he reminded me of Khalid from The Wrath and the Dawn - maybe because both boys knew just the right things to say to a girl - and he was an intriguing and enigmatic mystery which unraveled as the story goes.

But hands down, the aspect which I loved the most would be the authenticity of the story. I was feeling quite emotional when I read the book, because for once in my life, I knew every single italicized word in a fantasy book. For the first time, I read a book where the backstories, the folk tales mentioned and the entire aura of the story was totally relatable. I think it hit the peak point when I read the part where the tale of Narasimha was narrated - it is one story which my grandmother used to tell when I was a small girl, and reading the book totally took me back to my childhood, growing up with Indian mythology and folk tales. The book featured clothing and food I see in my life every day. It was one beautiful feeling, and just reminded me all over again, why diversity is so important in books.

It was also quite authentic! Being a half Indian herself, Roshani was able to capture the essence of these myths and traditions, and for a minute I could totally envision the book as a Bollywood movie with the culture portrayed perfectly! Roshani also skillfully blends a hint of Greek mythology as well, without any clashes, and the end result is nothing short of marvelous.

I think probably the only thing that might be a hindrance to love this book entirely would be that the middle part can be a bit slow. As it often happens to books with beautiful writing - one of the most accurate examples being A Thousand Nights - the pace is slow, and for those who like their books happening, this aspect might be an obstacle.

Overall, The Star Touched Queen is one beautifully written, authentically portrayed, and skilfully developed fantasy which will appeal to all fantasy fans - especially if you loved Cruel Beauty and The Wrath and the Dawn - who love some lyrical writing and vivid imagery. I can't wait to read the next installment in this universe, as well as all the other books, Roshani might write in the future!

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was really, really good. The Star-Touched Queen is inspired by Indian mythology so yup, of course being an Indian I wanted to read this so badly! I'm glad I got to read this book because I enjoyed this hell of a ride!

Maya is cursed with a horoscope that has spread fear in everybody's mind in her kingdom. Everyone tries to keep their distance from her. But her father, the king arranges her marriage despite her reluctance but what he tells her to do is next to unimaginable. Despite everything she agrees but on the day of her marriage when a war break out Amar, the king of Akaran saves her. From there begins a new journey. Maya finds herself slowly falling for him but she understands that he is keeping deep secrets that he's unwilling to share. Despite his warnings, Maya is keen to unravel his secrets which unleashes chaos. Will she be able to save herself or will she destroy everyone in the process?

The plot, the concept, everything was really intriguing. Though the starting is a bit slow, nonetheless it picks up its pace soon enough. I loved the world-building and how everything was so elaborately described. There is not a dull moment in this book. The concept of Akaran was literally awesome. Like Maya, I didn't really think of it first but when it was finally revealed, it was a big OMG moment! Amar was really an interesting as well as a mysterious character. I wanted to know more about him as I read the book. I really liked Maya and Amar together and their chemistry was really great. However, there is a bit of insta-love thingy but it didn't bother me much, especially after we got to know the truth.

I liked Maya's character, she was a curious and a brave person but she made a lot of stupid decisions at the beginning. . But I liked her character development throughout the book. She grew more brave and bold and I liked how she handled things maturely. There are a lot of interesting aspects in this book, there were even references from the Indian epics such as Mahabharata and Ramayana which was really awesome. I liked how all the terminologies were explained as I found most of them were in Hindi, I even found one or two Bengali terms. But I think there were too many references that needed more explanation, I was familiar with the terms and myths but I think a glossary or something like that would have been helpful for those who are totally unfamiliar with the Indian culture of the time during the rule of the kings.

Overall, The Star-Touched Queen was a great and an interesting read. The plot kept me hooked from the very first page and the characters were pretty intriguing. I liked the romance between Amar and Maya. I was really satisfied with how everything was executed. The writing was lyrical and beautiful. I couldn't stop reading it. I look forward to read more from this author.

Recommend it?

Yes.

The description for Roshani Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen immediately drew me in from its promise of examining ideas related to fate to its origins in Indian mythology—an ancient mythology I am pretty much entirely unfamiliar with having had an education that focused primarily on the ancient mythologies of Western cultures. Because of this, I cannot attest to how heavily it draws from or relies on those deities and myths, but I can say that knowing next to nothing did not deter my enjoyment and appreciation for the story being told.

Born to the Raja of Bharata, Mayavati (Maya) is largely ostracized by the women in her father’s harem—his wives and her half-sisters—because of her horoscope and the fact that unfortunate things seem to befall those around her. At seventeen, Maya has long been spying on her father’s court and the diplomacy that takes place there. But war has raged for many years and it seems that peace can only be bartered through Maya’s marriage to a man from one of the other kingdoms—except there appears to be no choice that will not be viewed as a slight to one or more of the other kingdoms. When Maya is left to make her choice, an unexpected option presents itself in the form of Amar, the Raja of Akaran—a kingdom Maya does not recognize. Akaran proves to be a realm between worlds and Amar is not allowed to divulge its secrets to Maya until the next moon cycle. This proves long enough for doubt and suspicion to burrow into Maya and Amar’s relationship and wreaking havoc across many worlds and realms in the process.

For the complete review please visit my blog:
[...]

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was really, really good. The Star-Touched Queen is inspired by Indian mythology so yup, of course being an Indian I wanted to read this so badly! I'm glad I got to read this book because I enjoyed this hell of a ride!

Maya is cursed with a horoscope that has spread fear in everybody's mind in her kingdom. Everyone tries to keep their distance from her. But her father, the king arranges her marriage despite her reluctance but what he tells her to do is next to unimaginable. Despite everything she agrees but on the day of her marriage when a war break out Amar, the king of Akaran saves her. From there begins a new journey. Maya finds herself slowly falling for him but she understands that he is keeping deep secrets that he's unwilling to share. Despite his warnings, Maya is keen to unravel his secrets which unleashes chaos. Will she be able to save herself or will she destroy everyone in the process?

The plot, the concept, everything was really intriguing. Though the starting is a bit slow, nonetheless it picks up its pace soon enough. I loved the world-building and how everything was so elaborately described. There is not a dull moment in this book. The concept of Akaran was literally awesome. Like Maya, I didn't really think of it first but when it was finally revealed, it was a big OMG moment! Amar was really an interesting as well as a mysterious character. I wanted to know more about him as I read the book. I really liked Maya and Amar together and their chemistry was really great. However, there is a bit of insta-love thingy but it didn't bother me much, especially after we got to know the truth.

I liked Maya's character, she was a curious and a brave person but she made a lot of stupid decisions at the beginning. . But I liked her character development throughout the book. She grew more brave and bold and I liked how she handled things maturely. There are a lot of interesting aspects in this book, there were even references from the Indian epics such as Mahabharata and Ramayana which was really awesome. I liked how all the terminologies were explained as I found most of them were in Hindi, I even found one or two Bengali terms. But I think there were too many references that needed more explanation, I was familiar with the terms and myths but I think a glossary or something like that would have been helpful for those who are totally unfamiliar with the Indian culture of the time during the rule of the kings.

Overall, The Star-Touched Queen was a great and an interesting read. The plot kept me hooked from the very first page and the characters were pretty intriguing. I liked the romance between Amar and Maya. I was really satisfied with how everything was executed. The writing was lyrical and beautiful. I couldn't stop reading it. I look forward to read more from this author.

Recommend it?

Yes.

The description for Roshani Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen immediately drew me in from its promise of examining ideas related to fate to its origins in Indian mythology—an ancient mythology I am pretty much entirely unfamiliar with having had an education that focused primarily on the ancient mythologies of Western cultures. Because of this, I cannot attest to how heavily it draws from or relies on those deities and myths, but I can say that knowing next to nothing did not deter my enjoyment and appreciation for the story being told.

Born to the Raja of Bharata, Mayavati (Maya) is largely ostracized by the women in her father’s harem—his wives and her half-sisters—because of her horoscope and the fact that unfortunate things seem to befall those around her. At seventeen, Maya has long been spying on her father’s court and the diplomacy that takes place there. But war has raged for many years and it seems that peace can only be bartered through Maya’s marriage to a man from one of the other kingdoms—except there appears to be no choice that will not be viewed as a slight to one or more of the other kingdoms. When Maya is left to make her choice, an unexpected option presents itself in the form of Amar, the Raja of Akaran—a kingdom Maya does not recognize. Akaran proves to be a realm between worlds and Amar is not allowed to divulge its secrets to Maya until the next moon cycle. This proves long enough for doubt and suspicion to burrow into Maya and Amar’s relationship and wreaking havoc across many worlds and realms in the process.

For the complete review please visit my blog:
[...]

Staring at the sky in Bharata was like exchanging a secret. It felt private, like I had peered through the veil of a hundred worlds. When I looked up, I could imagine—for a moment—what the sky hid from everyone else. I could see where the winds yawned with silver lips and curled themselves to sleep. I could glimpse the moon folding herself into crescents and half-smiles. When I looked up, I could imagine an existence as vast as the sky. Just as infinite. Just as unknown.

###

“I want your perspective and honesty,” he said, before adding in a softer voice, “I want to be humbled by you.”

Heat flared in my cheeks. I paused, the stick in my hand falling a fraction. Perspective and honesty? Humbled by me? Rajas never asked for anything other than sons from their consorts.
“My kingdom needs a queen,” he said. “It needs someone with fury in her heart and shadows in her smile. It needs someone restless and clever. It needs you.”

“You know nothing about me.”

“I know your soul. Everything else is an ornament.”

###

In the kingdom of Bharata, seventeen-year-old Mayavati is known as “the one with the horoscope” – cursed by cold, distant stars that promise a marriage of Death and Destruction. Maya is something of an outcast; though her father the Raj doesn’t place any credence in such superstitions, the Raj’s harem and the larger realm believe that one’s horoscope speaks the truth, if only we mortals deign to listen. And so Maya is scorned, treated like an outcast and a pariah, and blamed for the realm’s misfortunes, large and small.

Yet her morbid horoscope also promises Maya a life of (relative) freedom: unlike her many half-sisters, Maya is not expected to marry. Instead, she delves into academia, burying her nose in the kingdom’s dusty archives and delighting in chasing away a series of stuffy old tutors. She looks forward to becoming a “scholarly old maid” – better than being sold into a marriage of political convenience, just one of many wives left to beg scraps of attention from a near-stranger, no?

But Bharata is a kingdom in the midst of a protracted war, and Maya is currently the only unwed daughter of marriageable age. The Raj does the unthinkable: invites the leaders of the rebel groups to Bharata to court his daughter. But things quickly go from bad to worse as the Raj reveals the real reason for the surprise swayamvara: it’s simply a trap, meant to gather the Raj’s enemies in one place so that he can slay them. But not before Maya commits suicide by poison, thus nullifying the temporary treaty.

With the help of a mesmerizing stranger named Amar, Maya manages to escape – just barely. Her new husband whisks her away to his kingdom, Akaran, a magical place that sits in the space between the Otherworld and the human realm. Maya is understandably enchanted – and suspicious: especially since Amar is prohibited from telling Maya anything of her new kingdom until the moon passes through a cycle. In a palace decorated with mirror portals to other worlds and iron-clad doors that jump from place to place, little is as it seems: least of all the Raj, and Maya’s role in his grand plan.

THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN is simply amazing. First of all, the writing! THE WRITING. In a word, Chokshi’s prose is sumptuous: like a moist, decadent, double-decker chocolate fudge cake smothered in vanilla almond buttercream frosting. Luxurious, richly textured, with layers upon layers of flavors and the occasional unexpected choice of ingredient. So tasty I could almost eat it up (and lick the plate clean).

Though it’s highly entertaining and speeds by rather quickly, THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN isn’t the sort of book you should read while tired or distracted; it’s lovely and just challenging enough that it deserves your full attention. And while it’s true that I needed to whip out ye ole dictionary once or twice (or maybe a dozen times), Chokshi doesn’t beat you about the head and body with her superior wordiness. It’s challenging, yes, but also accessible.

I don’t know if “literary fantasy” is widely accepted as a genre, but this is it.

Also, the plot is wholly unexpected and full of twists and turns and “omg, that escalated quickly!” moments. There’s an especially exciting twist around the 60% mark that cleaves the book in two – much like the life-altering tapestry in Akaran’s throne room. THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN almost feels like two stories, brought together in an omnibus edition. It’s really rather breathtaking, particularly in the timing: just as you wonder how much longer Chokshi will draw out Maya’s self-discovery, she turns heel and changes tack like that (*snapping fingers*).

And the characters! Oh, the characters! Maya and Amar are lovely and fierce and tragically flawed – but not irredeemably so. Their love had me swooning, and as a general rule, I am not the swoony type. It was breathtaking watching them find each other, lose each other, and find each other again.

Maya’s younger half-sister Gauri is adorable … and then fierce in her own right. I adore what Chokshi did with the character, as well as Maya’s reaction to said development. You can see more than a little of Maya in grown-up Gauri, and Maya treats her accordingly, with the respect and admiration she so clearly deserves. With the respect and admiration Maya herself should have received while living in Bharata.

And Kamala? She’s a snarky, sarcastic, soul-eating demon horse. Need I say more?
I could gush about THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN for days, but better if you discover all its shiny bits on your own.

** Full disclosure: I received a free electronic ARC for review through NetGalley. **

The Star-Touched Queen reads very much like a retelling of a classic myth; in this case, elements of Hades and Persephone as seen through Indian-culture allegory. The writing is straightforward and for once, we have a strong heroine who does not turn into a soppy mess around the love interest. The Indian trappings feel authentic and was a very welcome divergence from the typical Western Medieval or Antiquity milieu of the YA fantasy genre. However, stronger character building and a more lyrical style to match the magic and fable aspects would have elevated this above a good read and to more of a classic.

Story: Maya, the daughter of the Raja, is a young woman of quiet strength. Shunned by the harem due to a prophecy at birth of death and destruction, she keeps to herself. But when her father arranges for an arranged marriage for political advantage, she realizes it is time to take her life into her own hands. When an unusual suitor mysteriously appears he promises to treasure and respect her, to give her unparalleled power and control over her life and kingdoms, if she will marry him. In return, she must come with him to his mysterious kingdom and trust him. For he and his world are bound by a promise to the moon that they cannot reveal the truth of their land until a certain time has passed. And Maya is beginning to suspect that her gentle young husband's castle has secrets - secrets that could very well mean her life.

The story is quite lovely and without the melodrama and logic issues which so often strain the credibility of modern YA titles. Although presumably based upon Indian myths, there are elements of Austen's Persuasion and Du Maurier;s Rebecca (sans the gothic). There's even a bit of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. As such, this isn't a rollicking Bollywood tale of love and loss nor is it simplistic or over simplified. The Star-Touched Queen definitely has its own assured voice.

The character of Maya was very well grounded and nicely written. I enjoyed reading the story through her eyes. She had courage and acted upon her conscience but with intelligence. Love interest Amar, her father, and the other harem inhabitants, however, could have used a bit more depth. Especially Amar: he does have to be mysterious by nature in order to set up the mid-book conflict caused by lack of trust and doubt, yet we get to know far too little of him as a person. For that reason, he can feel a bit too over-idealized and a bit too perfect to be realistic or grounded. But the appearance of a demonic horse, providing humor and a sounding board for Maya, was a welcome addition to the second half of the book.

The Indian culture felt authentic: from the harems of the Raja, political squabbling, rich sarees and salwar kameez, to the reliance on horoscopes. Amar's palace of Akaran was reminiscent of the time of the founding of Jaipur, with his palace evoking images of a grandiose Jantar Mantar. Amar himself could have been modeled after the founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Jai Singh. The culture was reverently and lovingly crafted in this book and I greatly enjoyed exploring it through Maya's story.

Perhaps because the writing is smooth and straightforward, I had hoped for a bit more lyricism. The descriptions are adequate but it was the scenery and not the exposition that ended up being lush. The world building was excellent, though, and it was easy to become carried away in the tale. The book is a stand-alone with a complete story arc. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

4.5 Stars - Original review @ 125Pages.com

I kept hearing about The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi but was unsure if it was for me. It sounded like it would either be amazing or awful, and nothing in between as to craft a world as detailed as necessary for the plot is not easy. I finally decided that the hype had to be there for a reason so I set to reading. And I am glad I did, as it tipped the amazing scale. Maya is a not-perfect girl born under a cursed sign. Set apart from others and shunned, she is surprised when she is told she will marry. Then Amar, king of Akaran comes to her and she is transported to a land she believed to be myth. As she waits to find the true reason she was brought to Akaran, a force from the past rises up and threatens everything Maya holds dear.

I loved the plot of The Star-Touched Queen; it was unique and focused on such a strong female lead. The writing of Roshani Chokshi was lyrical. She placed such intricate details throughout it made for a super visual read. The world Chokshi created was extremely nuanced. I could picture the locations and feel the pulse of the residents. The pacing had a few very small issues. A few scenes seemed to drag a bit and a few others went too fast, but the overall experience worked for me. The characters in The Star-Touched Queen were so well crafted. I loved that Maya was not portrayed as a beautiful sheltered princess. She had unique looks, was extremely smart and stood up for what she believed in. Amar was strong as well, but he showed a distinct emotional range not typically found in YA young men. The emotions ran high throughout the The Star-Touched Queen. Extreme highs and lows balanced each other out and created a read that kept me constantly on edge in a great way.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi was such a different kind of YA read. It was so rich and had incredible depth. There were a few things I did not love but I am nit-picky and the things truly were small details. Most of it was in the pacing as some scenes just didn't seem to flow like the majority of the book, but that did not detract from my overall enjoyment. I would recommend The Star-Touched Queen just for the descriptions alone.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN is the stunning YA debut by Roshani Choskni, whose works draw on her Filipino and Indian heritage. This is her first novel, but definitely not her first writing experience, and she has been nominated for numerous awards for her work.

The story of THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN follows Maya, a princess with an undesirable horoscope, riddled with death and destruction. One day Maya’s father, the Raja, arranges a marriage for her for political advancement. Maya marries and becomes queen of another kingdom shrouded in secrets. Maya hunts for the answers she has been looking for throughout the novel. Romance, mystery, magic and politics diverge into an excellent story that is unforgettable, mystical, and yet tangible, in this whirlwind of a novel.

I really loved THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN. The way Roshani wove this story together was brilliant. Everything worked in a way you understood in the end. I absolutely adore the characters Maya, Amar and Gupta. The writing was so poetic, which I am usually not a huge fan of, but it just made the story that much better. The plot moved at a slow-burn for the most part and kept me intrigued the entire time. This book wasn’t very long, but held so much in so very little pages. The only thing I wish we had more of was the ending, which seemed a little bit rushed. This had so much world-building that was surprisingly not boring, and we don’t usually see that with fantasy standalones. I did like the fact that it is a standalone, and I wouldn’t have to wait for the next book.

Roshani did an amazing job writing this novel, and I would highly recommend it. This book is definitely unlike anything I have read, and I have full confidence that it will be a big hit among readers. If you love fantasy, or you just want to try something new, pick up this fantastic debut novel and it will be so much more than you expected.

Reviewed by Grace P., Teen Board Member

Born with a horoscope that predicts a marriage of death and destruction, Maya is an outcast in the kingdom Bharata even though her father is the Raja. When his political machinations go horribly wrong, Maya finds herself married to Amar and queen of Akaran--a mysterious place filled with secrets and magic.

Amar offers Maya the chance to rule at his side and become more than Bharata ever would have allowed. All he asks in return is her patience and trust which soon prove more than she can give.

Maya's search for answers will lead her across worlds and through her own fragmented memories to discover surprising truths about her husband's kingdom and herself in The Star-Touched Queen (2016) by Roshani Chokshi.

Chokshi's debut fantasy is filled with vivid and unexpected imagery as Maya discovers the wonders and dangers found in her new home in the Otherworld. Well-researched figures from Indian folklore and mythology, astonishing creatures, and expressive characters further complement this story.

A setting drawn from ancient India, romance with feminist sensibilities, and a unique magic system make this a novel sure to appeal to fans fantasy both high and urban as well as retellings of myths from other cultures.

Maya's narration is refreshingly unapologetic about her ambitions and her desire for independence. Although her distrust and doubts lead to the main conflict of the story, Maya is quick to own those mistakes and works to correct them even when it might be to her detriment.

The Star-Touched Queen is a stunning debut filled with lush writing, smart characters, and a mysterious plot that provides as many twists as it does swoons. Sure to be the next big thing.

One thing that there is no denying about The Star Touched Queen is the perfection that is Roshani Chokshi writing. I felt like I could picture her weaving the tale into the tapestry that was in the Otherworld Throne room.

I could read a million different versions of the tale of Hades and Persephone and never feel I’ve had too much. This story is even more magical by the other mythology that is pulled in. I’m not as familiar with Indian Folklore and Mythology. So of course that made me intrigued to look up Naraka and other things mentioned.

Maya is a great character and I loved how the book is broken into two parts. At first she is finding her way out of her curse and then she is finding herself. She evolves and changes throughout the story and is a strong and smart heroine.

So many great side characters can be found in the story. From Maya’s closest sister, to Amar’s advisor and of course a flesh eating demon horse.

The Star Touched Queen is an absolutely amazing and beautiful book. I could read it over and over again.

Review:

I got this book through Netgalley, which I've been neglecting like crazy due to life stuff. ><

First, this book is awesome if you like Middle eastern/south Asian settings and like tales of djinn, fairies, etc. I got this book because I crave South Asian Settings and strong female characters like a baby craves milk.

Maya did not disappoint. I read some reviews where readers were put off by Akaran's "lack of world building" but honestly, that was the point of Maya trying to figure out this strange new land that previously was a myth. Keeping the character perspective in mind, not a lot of world building is needed because it's presented, through Maya's eyes, as a land with no rules.

I was SO frustrated with Amar, like, how can you have a successful marriage without communication? The introduction to the action packed ending felt a little sudden as to how we meet the Villain, but it also kind of made sense. Maybe a little more foreshadowing would have worked out instead of everything coming to light at once.

Overall there's action, magic, and some steamy pg-13 descriptions in here, but this is not a relationship to envy. It does make for an intriguing read.

4/5

4 STARS

Before traversing the story, I had heard from several people that the writing was breathtaking and extraordinary and divine. They were not wrong.

This book was M-A-G-I-C. There is no other way I can describe the beauty found within these pages.

“I see only night and smoke, dreams and glass, embers and wings. And I would not have you any other way.”

The story centers around Maya, who has been cursed by the stars. She is destined to bring death and destruction in marriage. She is content living a solitary life but her father, the Raja, has other plans for her. She is to marry into a rebel kingdom but she soon finds herself marrying Amar. He is the Raja of Akaran, a kingdom in-between the human realm and the Otherworldly. Amar promises her the stars yet the kingdom offers her only secrets. Maya must uncover the truth in order to save the realms, and herself, from the evil that is brewing in the kingdom.

I don’t know how Chokshi does it but the story-telling is out of this world. As I previously said, the writing is magical and I was instantly captivated by it. The characters are also some of the best that I’ve ever read.

One thing I love about Maya is that she is so trustworthy, but at the same time, it’s also something I hate because she takes things at face value. She doesn’t really question what she’s told and she goes along with what others tell her to do. I also love her strength and her willingness to do what is right. I will say that the growth that Maya undergoes is tremendous and I’m not referring to stature, though she wishes.

Then there is Amar who is perfect in my eyes but really isn’t. I feel for him the second he was introduced and I don’t regret it one bit. He so caring and respectful and he sees Maya as his equal rather than a plaything. They just melt my heart.

The ONLY reason why this book didn’t get a 5 star rating is because I was very confused during the first half of the book or so. I take full blame for that because I was exhausted when I started reading it so things went in one ear and out the other. But in the end, I did get the gist so it turned out okay for the most part. I bet if I re-read the book, I’d give it it’s well deserved 5 stars but it may be a while before I get around to it.

The Star-Touched Queen sinks its claws in you and while there are moments of pain, you are perfectly okay with it. It’s one hell of an emotional roller coaster but I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn and/or if you want to be enchanted by some whimsical story-telling!