The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi - OPTIONAL

Chokshi, Roshani  The Star-Touched Queen, 339 pgs.  St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016.  $18.99  

Content: Language: G.  Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13.   

Maya is treated poorly in her father’s harem.  Her mother has passed away and Maya’s horoscope promises death and destruction on whomever she marries.  Because of her horrible fate, Maya has always believed that her father, the Raja, would not marry her off.  When the Raja decides Maya could help with a political alliance and quash a rebellion, she is surprised at who shows up to claim her hand.   

The premise of this book sounded fantastic, but it fell short.  I was so distracted by all of the details and side story that I had to be patient and wait for the main story line to reappear.  The descriptions were pretty and the idea of this world was interesting, but I don’t know many young readers who would patiently wade through all of the extra to get to the story.    Also, I felt like for all of the world building, there was a lack of character development.  

MS, HS – OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.