…a fantasy drenched in Indian folklore. It's essentially a fairy tale, with a journey, an evil villain, minimal characterization and a happy ending. But lush, ornate ribbons of language are festooned over the bones of story, turning it into something rich and dizzying.

★ 03/28/2016
A princess's destiny may lie among the stars in Chokshi's exquisite debut novel. Princess Mayavati of Bharata is only one among her father's many children, and her horoscope says that death is her constant shadow. Her kingdom is on the brink of war, and when her father announces that she soon must choose her husband, it comes with a horrible catch. When a mysterious stranger, Amar, breaks into Maya's room and offers her the keys to his kingdom, she only hesitates for a moment before being whisked away to Akaran, a haunted place where mirrors offer glimpses of strange lands, and an enchanted tapestry holds the fate of millions in its threads. Chokshi's prose is captivating, and the pages come alive through lush descriptions of Night Bazaar teeming with Otherworldly delights, gardens made of glass, and realms where the lines between life and death are blurred. Maya is a strong heroine, and while there is romance, an emphasis on familial love adds another level of richness to a folkloric fantasy about sacrifice, self-discovery, and making your own destiny. Ages 13–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Praise for The Star-Touched Queen:

New York Times Bestseller

#9 on the Summer 2016 Kids' Indie Next List

A Goodreads Best Book of the Month

“Chokshi's prose is captivating, and the pages come alive …. Maya is a strong heroine, and while there is romance, an emphasis on familial love adds another level of richness to a folkloric fantasy about sacrifice, self-discovery, and making your own destiny.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Richly imagined, deeply mythic, filled with lovely language… this is an author to watch” — Kirkus Reviews

"Magic is woven into every word of the STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN. Vibrantly imaginative and gracefully written, I was spellbound from the first line. A dazzling, sensuous feast of world-building, romance, and mythology." —Sarah J. Maas, New York Times Bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series.

"Roshani Chokshi has crafted a bewitching tale with a setting so vivid and unique, I wished I could step right through the pages." —Amy Ewing, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Jewel

"Chokshi's storytelling glimmers like magic on every page-a novel meant to be savored." —Cindy Pon, author of Serpentine and Silver Phoenix

"A luscious, bloodthirsty fairy tale with all the romance, magic, and gorgeous mythology I could ask for —Tessa Gratton, author of Blood Magic and The United States of Asgard series

"Gorgeously poetic writing gives vibrant, sensuous life to the worlds of THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN." —Kate Elliott, of Court of Fives

07/01/2016
Lush and lyrical, Chokshi's debut melds Hindu folklore and mythology and weaves a story set in ancient India that captures the essence of fantasy. Maya is the daughter of a raja, born under a horoscope that promised only death and destruction. Her father arranges a political marriage intended to end in her suicide, the best thing she could do for the realm. A last-minute reprieve is put forth by an enigmatic man named Amar, who offers to marry her and take her to his kingdom. The Kingdom of Akaran is devoid of people except for the constant whispers that compel Maya to doubt everything she sees and feels, forcing her into a decision that may have fatal consequences for the whole world unless she locates the key to unlock her true past. Priya Ayyar's lilting cadence enhances the well-described imagery and the large and fantastical cast of characters. Her Maya is appropriately young, but as she rediscovers her true self, she grows audibly stronger. Amar is the handsome prince of every girl's fantasy until Maya breaks him. VERDICT This fantasy is accessible to all ages, high school and up. Its themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and repentance are familiar yet made new through Chokshi's stellar storytelling.—Jodi L. Israel, Miami, FL

★ 03/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Born with a horoscope that predicts a marriage of death and destruction, Maya is an outcast in her father's kingdom, Bharata. When her father's political machinations go horribly wrong, Maya finds herself married to Amar and queen of Akaran—a mysterious place filled with secrets and magic. Amar offers Maya the chance to rule at his side and become more than Bharata ever would have allowed. All he asks in return is her patience and trust, which soon prove more than she can give. Her search for answers will lead her across worlds and through her own fragmented memories to discover surprising truths about her husband's kingdom and herself. Maya is refreshingly unapologetic about her ambitions and her desire for independence. Although her distrust and doubts lead to the main conflict of the story, she is quick to own those mistakes and works to correct them even when it might be to her detriment. Chokshi's debut fantasy is filled with vivid and unexpected imagery as Maya discovers the wonders and dangers found in her new home in the Otherworld. Well-researched figures from Hindu folklore and mythology, astonishing creatures, and expressive characters further complement the story. A setting drawn from ancient India, romance with feminist sensibilities, and a unique magic system reminiscent of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Little, Brown, 2011) make this a novel sure to appeal to fans of Renée Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn (Putnam, 2015). VERDICT A stunning debut filled with lush writing, smart characters, and a mysterious plot that provides as many twists as it does swoons.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library

2016-02-17
In a fantasy world influenced by Indian mythology, a young princess lives in scorn because of the horoscope that decrees she will marry "death and destruction." But adversity breeds strength, and "dusky-complexioned" Maya has spent her childhood and adolescence reading mythology and history, spying on her father's councils, and weaving magical stories for her beloved half sister. When her father asks her to sacrifice her life to save their kingdom, Maya has no choice. And then, at the moment she is to drink poison, a mysterious, handsome stranger appears and whisks her away to the Otherworld, the place of demons and magic. What follows is a play on the classic love-betrayal-redemption arc of Cupid and Psyche or Beauty and the Beast. Chokshi's rich, descriptive writing weaves a lush web that almost hides the lack of character development; this is a book exclusively concerned with telling, and style overwhelms substance throughout. But a swoony romance, betrayal, and a journey to power and self-affirmation, with a slightly wicked, slightly funny animal sidekick in the best tradition (think Garth Nix's Mogget as a crimson-eyed horse), work together to create a spell that many readers will willingly succumb to, flaws and all. Richly imagined, deeply mythic, filled with lovely language with violet overtones: this is an author to watch even if she's not there yet. (Fantasy. 12 & up)