Hiya there guys!
While I'm sleeping the day away after working a double shift yesterday and working night shift again tonight, I'm gonna leave you with a pair of mini reviews for this week's Friday Reads!
Both books are 2016 releases, both highly awaited for me, and one of them even more because it was one of my top 3 MOST awaited debuts of the year! I'll be counting it towards my 2016 Debut Author Challenge!
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
With a most wondrous & gorgeous prose and a wonderful story full of Hindu mythology and with a few winks to both Hades & Persephone (and maybe it's just me, but also a lil bit of Eros & Pysche myth), this one is the perfect debut to leave us wanting more! The story does end like a standalone, even if it also makes you want a lil bit more.
I could go on and on about the amazing writing and how it reminded me of the traditional myths and how they resonate very much in this story, but without the dryness that sometimes the more traditional storytelling they might have. You simply cannot stop turning pages to see what else will be coming, what else we'll find out about the past and the previous history of the characters.
The world was both wondrous and utterly dangerous and the secondary characters really added so much to the story, particularly a certain non-vegetarian horse! I couldn't get enough of her thoughts stream and her sense of humour!
I was quite surprised about the progression of the book, because I wasn't sure where the story was going or what turns it'd take, given the various myths that I feel woven into the story! Which made it even more fun to read, meeting new characters, seeing Maya discover who she was and who she is and who she wants to be, and what she wants her future to be!
Now, I will read whatever Roshani will write next, grocery list and all! Very much deserved 5 stars to this most highly awaited debut that didn't disappoint!
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh how I loved this retelling of the Aladdin story!! Aladdin has always been one of my fave Disney movies and I've always been a big fan of the tales from the 1001 Arabian Nights, so when I heard about a retelling with a gender swapped genie, I was all over it!
This was my first Jessica Khoury book and I'm very much in love with her writing and storytelling style! The story is told in first person POV and we are in Zahra's mind, which makes it easier to understand her doubts, her torn feelings and loyalties and made me really root for her!
Aladdin both the lovely rogue we know and also so much more! We are given some background about his family and the rebellion he is avoiding and we understand him so much better, even if we're never inside his head. I feel like multiple POV chapters between Zahra and Aladdin would have been a lot of fun to read too!
Between the personal relationships between characters, human politics and power plays and the threat and power plays between the Jinn too, the book was never boring! There's so much scheming and plotting and finding alliances! Zahra finds herself having to make some very tough choices! And to make everything even more interesting, we get Zahra's remembrances about the past and her human friend and sister like, her guilt about what happened and the fact that time has changed the history and the story of Zahra and her friend.
Wrapped so well but I feel like I still want more!! I'm not keen on saying goodbye to Zahra and Aladdin or Cas and her Watchmaidens...
Very much deserved 4 to 4.5 stars! I'm very much hoping Jessica Khoury will feel like writing a companion novel or two, because I so loved the world and the characters!
While I'm sleeping the day away after working a double shift yesterday and working night shift again tonight, I'm gonna leave you with a pair of mini reviews for this week's Friday Reads!
Both books are 2016 releases, both highly awaited for me, and one of them even more because it was one of my top 3 MOST awaited debuts of the year! I'll be counting it towards my 2016 Debut Author Challenge!
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani ChokshiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
With a most wondrous & gorgeous prose and a wonderful story full of Hindu mythology and with a few winks to both Hades & Persephone (and maybe it's just me, but also a lil bit of Eros & Pysche myth), this one is the perfect debut to leave us wanting more! The story does end like a standalone, even if it also makes you want a lil bit more.
I could go on and on about the amazing writing and how it reminded me of the traditional myths and how they resonate very much in this story, but without the dryness that sometimes the more traditional storytelling they might have. You simply cannot stop turning pages to see what else will be coming, what else we'll find out about the past and the previous history of the characters.
The world was both wondrous and utterly dangerous and the secondary characters really added so much to the story, particularly a certain non-vegetarian horse! I couldn't get enough of her thoughts stream and her sense of humour!
I was quite surprised about the progression of the book, because I wasn't sure where the story was going or what turns it'd take, given the various myths that I feel woven into the story! Which made it even more fun to read, meeting new characters, seeing Maya discover who she was and who she is and who she wants to be, and what she wants her future to be!
Now, I will read whatever Roshani will write next, grocery list and all! Very much deserved 5 stars to this most highly awaited debut that didn't disappoint!
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica KhouryMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh how I loved this retelling of the Aladdin story!! Aladdin has always been one of my fave Disney movies and I've always been a big fan of the tales from the 1001 Arabian Nights, so when I heard about a retelling with a gender swapped genie, I was all over it!
This was my first Jessica Khoury book and I'm very much in love with her writing and storytelling style! The story is told in first person POV and we are in Zahra's mind, which makes it easier to understand her doubts, her torn feelings and loyalties and made me really root for her!
Aladdin both the lovely rogue we know and also so much more! We are given some background about his family and the rebellion he is avoiding and we understand him so much better, even if we're never inside his head. I feel like multiple POV chapters between Zahra and Aladdin would have been a lot of fun to read too!
Between the personal relationships between characters, human politics and power plays and the threat and power plays between the Jinn too, the book was never boring! There's so much scheming and plotting and finding alliances! Zahra finds herself having to make some very tough choices! And to make everything even more interesting, we get Zahra's remembrances about the past and her human friend and sister like, her guilt about what happened and the fact that time has changed the history and the story of Zahra and her friend.
Wrapped so well but I feel like I still want more!! I'm not keen on saying goodbye to Zahra and Aladdin or Cas and her Watchmaidens...
Very much deserved 4 to 4.5 stars! I'm very much hoping Jessica Khoury will feel like writing a companion novel or two, because I so loved the world and the characters!
Glad to hear you enjoyed both of these. I haven't read The Forbidden Wish yet but I hear good things about it. I did really enjoy The Star-Touched Queen. It didn't totally live up to the hype for me but I think it was a case of bad timing. But I did really love the world-building and the secondary characters. Great reviews!
ReplyDeleteCassi @ My Thoughts Literally
I hope you'll read and love The Forbidden Wish eventually, Cassi!
DeleteAnd I'm so excited for the companion novel for TSTQ, since it's all about Gauri!
I am going to be reading The Star-Touched Queen at some point because I don't think I have seen one negative review for it. I am also happy it is basically a standalone because it is kind of difficult to add more series for me. I like the idea some authors have had to write different MCs in the same world. Thanks for the heads up on both of these books. :)
ReplyDeleteI do hope you'll love it as much as I did! And I love companion novels because you get more words on a world you love without cliffhangers! ;)
DeleteYesss :D Lovely reviews sweetie. <3 So glad you liked The Forbidden Wish so much :D I loved it oh so much. It was so awesome. <3 So glad you felt the same. And ahh, The Star-Touched Queen. I must read it soon :D YAY for you loving it. Everyone seems to, haha :) I must read it soonish, hopefully. When I feel like it, lol. Anyway. Aw. I hope work is going good for you sweetie. <3
ReplyDeleteWork's so busy but oh well!
DeleteI do hope you'll love TSTQ when you finally read it, Carina!
Yaaaasss, I loved these two! The Forbidden Wish is definitely going to be a year-end favorite, especially in terms of fantasy. I didn't *love* The Star-Touched Queen as much as everyone else, but I enjoyed it a lot and very much want to read A Crown of Wishes. The Forbidden Wish and The Star-Touched Queen are great representatives of diverse YA fiction, for sure!
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews, Pili. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
YESSS! Diverse fiction for the win!!
DeleteYou've just reminded me that I have to read both of these books! I recently bought TSTQ and it sounds absolutely incredible. The setting sounds beautiful in the forbidden wish as well! Fabulous reviews Pili!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll love both as much as I did, Jeann!!
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