A Crown of Wishes

A Crown of Wishes is Roshani Chokshi's follow up to The Star-Touched Queen.

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

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

The Breakdown:
1.  I simply adore the world that Chokshi has created in these books.  In this book, she follows Gauri, Maya's sister, and Vikram, who was introduced peripherally in The Star-Touched Queen.  This book is beautifully written and expands more on the mythologies that she created in the first book.

2. I loved the characters of Gauri and Vikram.  Both wanting to be help their people as their ruler but having obstacles in their way. Each taking a very different approach to gaining the throne.  Gauri is warrior and wins things in the physical realm.  Vikram is a scholar, and wins by using his mind. They make for an great team.

3.  I liked the different trails they went through for the Tournament of Wishes.  It really interesting to see how they learn to deal with their desires and fears.  I liked that what they wanted most changed as they grew as characters, and learned more about themselves.

4.  Aasha is another character that shows up about half through the book.  She aids Gauri and Vikram severeal times.  I found her fascinating.  Her story and her desire were definitely good, and added so much to the story.

To Read or Not to Read:
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