Title: A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2)
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Rating: ★★★★★

ARC received through NetGalley.

First of all, that cover is stunning. I enjoyed reading The Star-Touched Queen but I wasn’t as blown away by it as everyone else seemed to be. And so, I was looking forward A Crown of Wishes, but I absolutely was not expecting to love it as much as I did. From the very beginning, I found it infinitely better than the first book and was completely hooked. 

There is no denying that Roshani Chokshi is an immensely talented writer and a marvelous storyteller. The characters, the world-building, the descriptions, the plot were so well-crafted and mesmerizing that I got lost in the story numerous times while reading. Vikram and Gauri were wonderful characters to read and I was happy with both their POVs. Vikram, who is full of sass and charm, never failed to make me laugh, and Gauri was an admirable heroine-brave and intelligent. The dynamics between them was honestly one of the best written love/hate relationships I’ve ever read. It felt real and convincing. The banter between those two was on a whole other level. I couldn’t stop highlighting gems like these:

“I have my mind,” he said. “You should thank me.”
I raised my chained hands. “I am bursting with gratitude.”

“I could marry you, if you’d like. That seems to be a popular reward back home.”
“I prefer the poisoned food.”

I’m very thankful I was approved for this ARC, because it definitely did not disappoint. A Crown of Wishes has been one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I’m so excited for everyone else to read this and I can’t wait for whatever else Roshani Chokshi decides to write!