Divining the Leaves - by Shveta Thakrar (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Filled with beautiful and dangerous magic, this book swirls around you like irresistible perfume." --Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

From critically acclaimed author Shveta Thakrar comes a beautifully imagined contemporary fantasy about two teens, one a believer of magic who yearns to belong, the other a skeptic searching for an escape, who find themselves embroiled in a twisty world of court intrigue when they venture into a forest ruled by yakshas, mysterious woodland spirits drawn from Hindu and Buddhist folklore.

Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.

Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and wanders her local woods, listening for the leafy whispers of her beloved trees. Pleading for the yakshas to admit her into their enchanted forest kingdom, where she knows she truly belongs.

After learning his parents' perfect marriage is a sham and getting suspended from school, a heartsick Nilesh lands at Ridhi's doorstep--the last thing either of them wants. So when a pretty yakshini offers him the distraction of magic, the same magic he mocked Ridhi for believing in, he jumps at it.

Furious, Ridhi strikes a bargain with a noblewoman of the yaksha court. In exchange for helping restore her reputation, Lady Sulochana will turn Ridhi into the yakshini she yearns to be--and teach her to divine the trees' murmurs.

But when Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas' realm, Ridhi realizes the leaves might be telling a disturbing story about the forest her heart is rooted in--one that, even if the two of them band together, threatens to shred the future like so many thorns.

Review Quotes

"Shveta Thakrar expertly fuses glorious folklore with modern-day teenage pain in this coming-of-age story. Filled with beautiful and dangerous magic, this book swirls around you like irresistible perfume!" -- Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

"Thakrar has crafted a charming book that feels like discovering an enchanted garden. Indian folklore and legends are expertly woven into the modern troubles of her two lovingly-rendered protagonists. This is a story to cuddle up with and follow along as Ridhi and Nilesh venture through a lush and verdant world to find a place where they truly belong." -- Sunya Mara, author of The Darkening

"A coming of age story blends seamlessly with Indian mythology in this beautifully written novel. Shveta Thakrar is skilled at conjuring tastes and aromas with her words, bringing the dual worlds of the story to vivid life." -- Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim series

"Shveta Thakrar's Divining the Leaves is an escape into a lush, magical world as beautiful as it is dangerous. Suffused with Hindu-inspired folklore and Thakrar's sumptuous prose, I adored this book." -- Mara Rutherford, author of The Poison Season

Praise for Star Daughter: "Take a journey to the heavenly courts in this luscious, shimmering fantasy, so dripping with beauty and imagination you'll want to eat it with a spoon." -- New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor

"A lush fantasy." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Multifaceted characters, a splash of romance, and complex, intriguing worldbuilding deliver an engaging fantasy read." -- Publishers Weekly

"Nothing short of dazzling." -- Booklist

"Full of wonder and enchantment. Thakrar has crafted an excellent story about the power of the younger generations to carve their own path amidst the traditions and expectations of their elders." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Shveta Thakrar spirits you away to a richly imagined dream of a fantasy!" -- Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow

"Utterly unique, The Dream Runners uses magnificent world-building to explore how much of our own stories we can change." -- Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

"My favorite tales are the ones that sneakily draw you out of one world and slip you into the next. This is one of those. I emerged from Star Daughter dusted with constellations and wonder. Thakrar's imagination is a feast for the senses." -- Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen and The Gilded Wolves

"Absolutely magical and captivatingly lyrical." -- Sandhya Menon, New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi

"Shveta Thakrar's prose is as beautiful as starlight." -- Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author

"An enchanting story about love, family, finding your voice, and searching for home. Thakrar's sparkling command of language weaves magic on every page. This book is a joy, and will speak to anyone who yearns to belong." -- Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn and Kingsbane

"A magical debut full of wonder, wit, myths, and adventure. Reading Thakrar's words is like swimming through the most beautiful imagination--every page is a delight." -- Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire

"A gorgeously written tale of magic and family, of finding and fighting for your place, Star Daughter has a heart that shines as brilliantly as its celestial court." -- S. A. Chakraborty, author of the bestselling Daevabad Trilogy

"Shveta Thakrar's writing shines as bright as any star." -- Laura Sebastian, New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Princess series

"Luminously beautiful, with a mythic heart." -- Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

"Absolutely magical. Thakrar weaves her words so tightly around you that you are completely immersed in her world, a victim of its lyrical starsong." -- Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy series and editor of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

"Radiant. Readers will be enchanted by Sheetal and the starry court." -- Kristen Ciccarelli, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara

"The Dream Runners is a novel greater than the sum of its (already vast and sparkling) parts--an emotionally resonant and supremely satisfying read." -- Camille DeAngelis, Alex Award-winning author of Bones & All

"A stunning tale of self-acceptance, family, and liminal spaces." -- Jacqueline Koyanagi

"A luminous debut. Star Daughter's sparkling coming-of-age tale of transformation and love is among the best kinds of fantasy: one that reminds us to reach for the stars while keeping our feet firmly on the ground." -- Fran Wilde, Nebula Award-winning author of The Bone Universe series and Riverland

"A dreamy, diasporic, diverse fantasy. A story about stars, yes--and about family, friends, falling in love, and finding your voice, your place. Places. A shimmering debut." -- Tanuja Desai Hidier, author of Born Confused and sequel Bombay Blues

"Star Daughter is a love letter to every desi girl wanting to believe in her own magic." -- Tanaz Bhathena, author of A Girl Like That and Hunted by the Sky

"A wondrous delight, Shveta Thakrar's debut is a feast for the senses." -- Cindy Pon, author of Want and Serpentine