Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi

STAR-TOUCHED STORIES

By Roshani Chokshi

Published by Wednesday Books

**On Sale August 7, 2018**

Trade Paperback | $10.99

Goodreads

ISBN: 9781250180797| Ebook ISBN: 9781250180803

Roshani Chokshi proved herself an author to watch with her young adult fantasy debut, The Star-Touched Queen and companion novel A Crown of Wishes. Debuting at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, her novels received rave reviews from fans and critics alike and appeared on the most buzzed about lists for young adult novels. 

With STAR- TOUCHED STORIES (Wednesday Books; August 7, 2018), Chokshi adds to the Star-Touched world in three short stories, re-visiting some fan favorite characters. Exploring what happens after the happily ever after in Chokshi’s Star-Touched novels, her short stories are the perfect read for a taste of beautiful writing with delicious plots.

Death and Night

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

Poison and Gold

Now that her wish for a choice has come true, Aasha struggles to control her powers. But when an opportunity to help Gauri and Vikram's new reign presents itself, she will have to battle her insecurities and maybe, along the way, find love.

Rose and Sword

There is a tale whispered in the dark of the Empire of Bharat-Jain. A tale of a bride who loses her bridegroom on the eve of her wedding. But is it a tale or a truth?

As the excitement builds for Chokshi’s next series THE GILDED WOLVES (February 2019), this collection will satisfy the cravings for her gorgeous prose and fans can catch up with their favorite characters. Even if dipping into the Star- Touched universe for the first time, STAR-TOUCHED STORIES will draw you in and leaving for more.

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Reading these short stories reminded me why I love Roshani's writing so freaking much. All of the short stories were enchanting, mesmerizing, lush, and romantic. I could read a full novel about each of the short stories in this book! I loved going back into the world of The Star-Touched Queen series and learning more about the world, history, and favorite characters. I made me love the The Star-Touched Queen series even more, which I did think was possible.

I am a HUGE romance fan, and Roshani knows how to write romances that make me swoon like there is no tomorrow. I feel like romances are hard to pull off in short stories, but Roshani did it masterfully. I WANT MORE!!!!

I also really enjoyed the plot of each short story. Each story had an interesting and well-developed plot that kept me hooked from the first page. 

If you are a fan of the series and are still craving more form the world, then I 100% recommend picking up this collection of short stories! This book will suck you back into the magical world and remind you just how wonderful the series is.

5 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. * 

ROSHANI CHOKSHI is the New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen, A Crown of Wishes, and Aru Shah and the End of Time. Her work has appeared in Strange Horizons, Shimmer, and Book Smugglers. Her short story, "The Star Maiden," was longlisted for the British Fantasy Science Award.

General Q&A:

1. What inspired you to create this fictional world? Were there anyRomo mythologies that particularly inspired you? I was really inspired by the childhood stories that my grandmother told me. To me, they were so rich with details and texture that it really shocked me how these worlds and mythologies were never explored in mainstream literature. I was particularly inspired by Greek and Hindu mythology.
2. Why did you feel it was important to add Star-Touched Stories to this world you've created?  What do you want readers to gain from the stories? Do you think there are any more stories to tell from the Star-Touched world, and if so, who you most like to write about next? For me, this collection of stories is my farewell to the world that I created. It was extremely cathartic to write these three stories. I want readers to gain a sense of closure. I want readers to feel as much as I did when I with the stories. Who can say whether or not there are more stories left to tell in this world? ;)
3. Will you miss writing this world and characters? Absolutely! They lived in my head for so long that I feel strangely weightless to be without them.
4. What was your favorite scene to write from Star-Touched Stories, and what was your favorite scene to write from the whole series? Honestly, my favorite scene that I wrote was the last scene the last story. I think you'll see why. As for my favorite scene that I wrote from the whole series, I think it would have to be the moment when Maya first enters the Night Bazaar.
5. Is there a scene or character from one of your stories that you've had to cut which you really wish you could share with readers? There once was a speaking monkey character… But I had to let go of him. Maybe he'll reappear some other time.
6. How is writing short stories different than writing a full-length book? How different is it to write YA and MG? How has your writing evolved? Writing short stories is really different from writing a full-length book because you're ultimately writing to a punchline in a shorter amount of space. There is less space to explore so the language must be very deliberate. I think my writing has evolved to become a lot more character focused than I once was. I still love gorgeous, decadent prose, but I believe that the best kind of language is that which is emotionally filtered through the feelings of a character.
7. What is the best advice you would give to inspiring writers? Read often. I realize that sounds trite, but so many people retread the same path with stories out of comfort or nostalgia. I totally understand this and I'm one of those people who loves to reread my favorite books but I never found a sense of my own writing voice or writing style without reading a wide variety of works.
8. What sort of music do you listen to when you write? I mostly listen to music to get me in the mood for writing rather than listening to music to get me through a scene. I think the only times I listen to music when I'm writing is if I'm in a third or fourth round of revisions. Otherwise I get distracted.
9. If any of your books were given an adaptation, would you rather it be a movie, TV show, web series, or stage musical? For The Gilded Wolves, I would rather see that as a miniseries. For both books in the Star-Touched universe, I'd rather see those as movies.

Death and Night (The Star-Touched Queen 0.5) by Roshani Chokshi

ebook, 115 pages

Expected publication: May 2nd 2017 by St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 1250119731

Goodreads

Before The Star-Touched Queen there was only Death and Night.

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

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This novella made me fall in love with The Star-Touched Queen even more than I already did. Death and Night took the characters from The Star-Touched Queen that I already loved and created an even more lush and beautiful backstory for them. It was truly enchanting to read about Death and Night and the trials and tribulations they went through before we met Maya and Amar. 

The romance between Death and Night brought me so much joy. They are SOUL FREAKING MATES. They supported each other, believed in each other, and their personalities just complemented each other perfectly. They would always bring out the best in each other, and they had amazing banter. The romance never felt overbearing or cheesy. This novella made me want to read The Star-Touched Queen again just so I could relive Maya and Amar falling in love. THEY ARE PERFECT. 

Chokshi developed the romance in this novella at a perfect pace that melted my heart. I swooned so many times while reading this novella, and it just proved that Chokshi is one of my favorite authors, especially when it comes to romance. 

I can always expect Chokshi's writing to be magical and breathtaking, and this novella exceeded those expectations. Chokshi's writing style paired with the enchanting world she created made for one incredible combination, as always. I loved learning more about the Night Bazaar and the different creatures within the world she created. This world is one I NEVER want to stop reading about. I also really liked how this novella brought more depth to the stories that were talked about in the other books in this series. Everything just tied together perfectly. 

Overall, I adored this novella. There wasn't a moment in this novella where I felt bored. Fans of this series will not be let down with this novella. ROSHANI, PLEASE WRITE MORE FOR THIS SERIES!!!!

5 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. * 

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Goodreads

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself.

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From the first page of this book, I was hooked. The elegant and magical writing almost took my breath away. Chokishi really has a way with words. It's hard for me to actually put into words how beautiful the writing in this book was, because my writing pales in comparison. 

“The stars, filled with cold light and secrets, held no emotion in their fixed language of fate. Emotion belonged to life, a thing the stars could never experience. I, not the starlight, shaped my decisions.” 

The main character, Maya, was fantastic. Maya was strong, independent, loyal, and thoughtful. Maya was in a world where women got married off and that seemed to be their main purpose. Maya wanted more than a meaningless life and marriage. Maya wanted to be respected and free to make her own choices. If she got married, she wanted it to be for love. I really admired her and respected everything she stood for. I loved her from the first page of this book.

“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.” 

As soon as Amar was introduced, I knew I was going to adore his character. Amar was intense and so swoon worthy. I can see why some people might be turned off by his intensity, but his character worked really well for me. I loved how I didn't know if I could trust him or not. He was dark, mysterious, and I couldn't help but want to know more about him. I think he could have used a little more character development, so hopefully there is a book two! I NEED MORE AMAR. I NEED ANSWERS. ALSO, I AM IN LOVE WITH HIM.

I know that some people would say that this romance is an insta-love type romance. I totally get where that is coming from, because I thought the same thing. However, the romance actually worked for me. I really liked the romance in this book, which surprised me! I thought Maya and Amar made a great couple, and they had a ton of chemistry. I was rooting for them to get together from their first interaction. Some of the things Amar said to Maya literally made my heart stop. *feels*

‘‘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.’’ 

SWOON. 

The world in this book was breathtaking. I haven't read anything quite like this book before. I loved mix of mythology, Indian culture, and fantasy. I would have like there to have been a little more world building because I was left with some questions after finishing this book. I am glad that Chokshi didn't resort to info dumping, but some things did confuse me. I am crossing my fingers that there will be a book two with more explanations. 

Overall, this was a fantastic book. There were so many wonderful elements to this book that created a captivating story. I would recommend this book to everyone!

4.5 / 5 Fangs