A Crown of Wishes

Anyone who read "The Star-Touched Queen" by Roshani Chokshi, whether they liked it or not, must read the sequel before they can truly judge the series. "A Crown of Wishes" completes the tale of a world in juxtaposition to the surreal Otherworld. While "The Star-Touched Queen" may have left some readers wanting more, others may have been confused by the entire Otherworld storyline. Unlike Maya, Gauri doesn't belong in the Otherworld but both are driven by the same desire to attain their "better" lives (because everything is better than what we have, right?). When Gauri is offered the opportunity to pursue a wish by her enemy, Vikram, she views it as she does everything else in her life: something to confront or run from. Vikram, however, views the opportunity as something that will give him all he desires. Both soon discover what immortality truly is and the risks they are both willing to take to be granted a wish. Unlike "The Star-Touched Queen", "A Crown of Wishes" returns to the "real world" and explains the actions of the Otherworld in both books as each discovers their true person and desires. I love this book and devoured it quickly in constant hope Gauri would be granted her wish since her dear sister Maya had been taken from her when she was young, just as everything else seemed to be. Chokshi helps the reader understand the journey of a true wish granted which many nowadays regard simply as "anything I want" but truly lack the imagination to explain the immortality of a true wish. My opinion is solely my own, but I do want to thank Goodreads, St. Martin's Press and Roshani Chokshi for an Advance copy of such an amazing book. Thank you Roshani for stating in the acknowledgements the uniqueness of writing a sequel. While I may not have experience in writing, I do have experience in "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" mixed in with "cesspits of despair." Thank you for sharing your story.