Star Daughter audiobook

OwlCrate's August 2020 Box : My Rep Code: MEL10 ❤️Fairyloot's August 2020 Box: My Rep Code: MELANIE5 ❤️Reviews you should check out: Fanna's, Anandi's, Sara's "She was nothing but the words of a story, one tale weaving imperceptibly into the next. She was the loom that wove the tapestry. She was the tapestry that joined all things." Star Daughter is a beautiful story about a girl who is half human and half star, and she must go to the celestial court to try to save her father after he has fallen ill. And before she knows it, she is taking part in a magical competition that she must win! This is also a story about art and all the different forms, and how sometimes music can be healing. Yet also about how much is taken from other cultures under the disguise of the word “muse”. This is such a beautiful story that is ownvoices for the Indian representation and the Hindu mythology, and I truly think it’s a bright and shining star *wink* in 2020 debuts!If you’re looking for a story with some magic, some romance, some identity discovery, connections through our ancestors, beautiful and lush settings, mouthwatering food descriptions, and a whole lot of love on every page, I’d really recommend Star Daughter! Trigger and Content Warnings: abandonment, lots of blood depiction, violence (cuts & stabs), captivity, hospitalization of a loved one, illness of a loved one, panic attacks, talk of kidnapping, and talk of loss of a loved on in the past. Blog | Instagram | Youtube | Ko-fi | Spotify | Twitch Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤

This cover makes me want to activate my (tbh terrible) flirting skills. Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.—Siberian proverbEmotional book playlist filled with Hindi songs for this adventurous, cute, and gorgeous YA debut of stars and Hindu mythology → Spotify LINK ✨Review to come but, in the meantime, read the author’s heartfelt note because it fully paints what to expect of Star Daughter:Dear reader,My whole life, I’ve yearned for magic. I grew up steeped in Western fairy tales, in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, in books about witches and Narnia and faeries, and I’ve always nurtured lush fantasy realms in my imagination.Even so, it took me until my mid-twenties to wonder why the important characters in books were always white and why readers were expected to be familiar with pixies and brownies, but not with apsaras or yakshas. Why, especially, if someone did write about my desi heritage or Hindu faith, it was inevitably serious and unhappy—and often wrong. I wanted adventures and magic, too! I wanted to see brown girls having fun.So I decided to write the stories I never had.Star Daughter is partly my response to Neil Gaiman’s and Charles Vess’s gorgeous illustrated novel Stardust. When I found it back in 2002, I fell in love. The journey of a human boy to find a star who’d been knocked out of the sky even inspired me to write a short story about a half-human, half-star girl. Except, as in Stardust, that story called for a quest—and quests fit much better into novels, so...I wove Hindu mythology together with other concepts I adore, like enchanted Night Markets and fey balls. I explored Sheetal’s misunderstandings with her boyfriend, her relationships with the women in her life, and her being caught between worlds. And I dreamed up so much starry brown girl magic.I hope the result is just as fun to read, too.A court-full of stars to my superhero for sending me an eARC from Edelweiss 💛

A young half-star half-mortal woman, a gorgeous setting among the clouds, music that plays on one's heartstrings, emotionally complex familial relationships, inspiration from the nakshatras of Hindu cosmology, and lush narration through a lyrical writing.↣ consider reading this review over on my blog. A young woman is struck to live the part of her she has kept hidden as a secret for so long. Sheetal, the daughter of a a human dad and a star mother, has always pushed down the heavenly part of her by either dying the silver hair strands or attempting to ignore the starsong that flows to and through her. But when the dye and the ignorance can't keep her away from the truth of being a star's daughter, from letting her sparks flow, she unintentionally harms her father and the solution is among the clouds. As someone caught between the two possibilities of existing—in the heavens or on the Earth—Sheetal makes decisions out of desperation and love. Her flawed personality makes her realistic, relatable, and easy to understand. She's new to the family high above this world and new to being so open, so true, so herself as a star. Consequently, the discoveries she make, the secrets that are unravelled, and the ancestry she had no knowledge of are surprising and highly influence her portrayal as someone filled with uncertainty. The celestial court is sparkling and the shimmer of svarglok is hypnotic. The setting is one of beauty, charm, and magic. Especially with immortals roaming around in fashionable pieces & flawless skin. Whether it's the hallways lined with intricate designs on the walls or a hall full of mirrors that can help you see anything or anyone on Earth, the svarglok—a heavenly world in Hindu cosmology—is a place you want to roam in all day. A supporting cast that shine individually and relationships that are complex. From the best friend, Minal, who always has Sheetal's back and sprinkles humour everywhere to the love interest, Dev, who is a soft boy, the side characters have distinct personalities you simply cannot not love. The friendship is proven right at the gates of heaven and the romantic attachment is build on an already existing bloom of feelings. The rest of the side characters, including those who are competing against Sheetal in the high-stakes celestial competition, have enough to contribute and are worth remembering at the end of it all. The new-found familial relationships have an understandable dual effect—the pure happiness of connecting with those who share your bloodline as well as the undeniable insecurity & constant questioning of what family really is. The mother-daughter connection is very well explored through Sheetal's broken heart after being abandoned getting fixed again. Similarly, the father-daughter love is excellent too—and personally, my absolute favourite. The Indian culture, the Hindu mythology & the ownvoices brilliance: food, music, and world. Right off the bat, Sheetal's starsong—an astral melody that travels across the sky and through a star's heart—and Dev singing a Kishore Kumar song in a party, the music is beautifully integrated in the story. Along the same lines, seeing words like dilruba, bansuri, bhajan, and gandharva can impress the ownvoices readers very much. The culture is perfectly depicted through food references like samosa, naan, bhajia, aloo mattar, dal and rasmalai or through literal translations like dikri, bhai, nani, nana, and chhokri—my personal favourite since this was the first time I ever saw a word my mom uses to angrily acknowledge me. *heart explodes with love* The inspiration from Hindu mythology is also seamlessly incorporated through the essence of nakshatras and mention of deities as well as customs like pressing vermilion and a grain of raw rice on the forehead in blessing. Overall, a definite recommendation for those who enjoy standalone with fast-paced mythology-inspired fantasy plot and lush writing that makes you want to be lost in the shine of a star.➵ finally finished reading this and it gave me so much in terms of cultural representation and mythological inspiration that I'm filled with happiness. also, dev is that soft boy you can easily love and minal is ball of sunshine, and sheetal really is a ~star~ rtc. ↣ digital copy received via hov for a blog tour! ➵ starting this! i'm here for the inspiration from hindu mythology, cheering this gorgeous beauty on the cover during the celestial competition, some romantic drama, and shine+shimmer because half-star half-mortal.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book for review. This in no way influences my opinion of the book. This is such a delight of a book! Inspired by Hindu mythology, this is a fantasy centred around a wondrous celestial court full of lavish light and star fire. It's bright, colourful, and full of art, quite literally inspiring the world through its beauty. I loved seeing the appreciation for art in this, and not just your usual types either - puppeteering and embroidery were just a couple of the art forms featured in this book. It really was a dazzling world to delve into, a talent competition at its very core. Because of the competition element, I did find myself quite literally swooped into the book. It all moved pretty quickly, and I have to admit I wanted a moment or two to appreciate the world building before being launched into competition territory. Sheetal arrives at the celestial court and is immediately ushered into training for a competition - though we don't see much of this either, instead opting to remain inside her head as she roiled through conflicting emotions. I think a finer balance could've benefited the book, but I can't say it was a detriment to it. The fast paced only meant I was quite literally swept off my feet.I adore how strong both familial ties and friendship were. While there is a romantic element to the story, this by no means overshadows any of the other established relationships in the book, as is often the case. Instead, the importance of such bonds is emphasised and so inarguable that it really made Sheetal's hyperawareness of her "in-between" status evident. And, gladly, none of the relationship types had to be given up for another. Family and romance and friendship all stayed strong. Though I can't say I was on board with the romance - I feel like the tension between them could've been more thoroughly explored as the reconciliation scene was brief after pages of brooding - it was nice to see an already semi-established romance for once, made especially interesting with the backstory it came with.I really do think this book adds something amazing to the YA fantasy genre. It's bright, unique, and wonderful to read. As a fan of mythology inspired fantasy and all the celestial goodness, I'd highly recommend this one to many!

☆ 4 / 5 ☆The content of this book is even more beautiful than its cover.Star Daughter follows Sheetal, a half-star half-human teenager, as she has to drop her act of normalcy to save her father. All her life she’s had to hide her identity as a half-star but she now has to embrace that side of her. When she arrives at the Celestial Court, she is thrown into a competition as a representative for her family and she learns more than she ever has before about the stars, about their powers but also the shadows in their history. Throughout this book Sheetal can feel her body change and becoming more and more of a star. This reflects her inner struggle with her identity, feeling like too much to only be a “normal” human and feeling stifled in a life of pretending she is lesser, but also feeling insecure when pitted against the beauty and magical standards of other stars, feeling like she is not enough. Sheetal doesn’t only grapple with her identity but also with her relationship with her family. She still resents her mother for leaving her, she is slowly getting to know her grandparents and their place, her place, in the world of the stars while being pushed into doing something she doesn’t think she really wants. Ultimately it is her loyalty and love for her father that drives her forward and keeps her going and it is an interesting contrast between the two sides of her family. She also has a complicated relationship with her paternal aunt who has been raising her by her father’s side since her mother left. Seeing Sheetal harbouring contradicting feelings for her family was so interesting to see and felt realistic and important.Through it all, what connects her the most to her family and that part of herself is music. Stars can hear astral music, being able to express their emotions and connect through it. Families can be in tune to present a united front, or express their concerns. It brought such a beautiful background to the story with sweeping descriptions. Sheetal has always expressed herself and her emotions through music and this only takes it to the next level for her, basking in the glow of stars, despite the stress of the competition.The competition aspect of the book is actually pretty minimal and the actual event itself happens pretty late in the story. There is a lot of preparation time and Sheetal just exploring and discovering this new world for herself and the people that live in it. I also do feel like there were new things thrown in there where my mind was wandering and I wasn’t paying as much attention so they threw me off a little. It does all wrap up pretty straightforwardly and in a satisfying manner.The competition also brought talks about how stars inspire humans with their art, be it writing, acting or singing, but also with their scientific discoveries. It was an interesting discussion of the arts and their importance, on the eternal recognition people seek, on how we can find inspiration but also on the entitlement some can feel, taking without permission, mutilating other people and cultures for their own benefit. Another aspect is that star blood itself can provide inspiration and we get to see a character actually becoming addicted to the blood and I think that was powerfully done.In a sea of morally dubious characters we have Minal, Sheetal’s best friend. She accompanies her on her quest and their friendship was really sweet and it felt realistic. I really enjoyed the scenes between the two of them and the dynamic that they shared. I do have to say I wasn’t invested in the main romantic plot of the story. I do feel that it was used thoughtfully and with cleverness to highlight the themes of this book and propel the narrative forward but the relationship itself didn’t do much on the romance side of things.The writing of this book is beautiful and all the descriptions, of music, of the setting, of food, were stunning. It all felt very immersive and I was awed by all the details of this world building and the decadence of the Celestial Court. Everything about this book was wonderful and it brought on so many important and heartfelt discussions, be it on art and family and identity, really thoughtfully, and weaved it all in pretty seamlessly in the world of the stars. The plot itself wasn’t perfect but it didn’t really matter to me when this story was so beautiful.Youtube ☆ TwitterBuddy read with Melanie ♡

EDIT:I have read this multiple times now and it gets more gorgeous each time. How is that possible? Each time I read it, I find new moments and lines to love. Honestly, it's a gorgeous story about what it means to be human, the brilliance and pain of it, with magic and music and heart, so much heart, and how destinies do not define you, you define your destiny. I JUST REALLY LOVE IT, OKAY? I can't wait to have my physical copy when it comes out next year.I was lucky enough to read an early draft of this and I have to say it's one of the most magical things I've ever read. The prose is lyrical and mesmerizing. The characters rendered with heart and a strange, vulnerable honesty that makes it really easy to relate to and understand them on an all too human level. AND THE STAR COURT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND INTERESTING AND MUSICAL. I love love love it. I can't wait for everyone to get to experience this brilliant, thrumming, song of a book. You're all in for such a treat.

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.

This book is great, especially because of the hindu mythology, which makes it even better. the mythology -for the longest time, especially when I was younger, I couldn't find a book I could relate to in terms of my religion and my nationality. As a girl who reads in english, the most common language for books to be printed in, I didn't find a lot of books that I could relate to, like hey, this character is just like me. She goes through the same struggles as I do in terms of religion and nationality. It just wasn't there, and the ones that were there I couldn't relate to very much. I was as different as those protagonists as day and night. So, of course, I got used to reading about the white characters who I couldn't relate with at all. Lately, ever since I joined Goodreads, I learned about so many books, including books about girl protagonists similar to me. So I tried them out, and I had mixed reactions. Not a single one, though, was particularly interesting for me.There was the Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi. Yes, the writing was beautiful. Yes, maybe I read it too fast online and didn't properly enjoy it. But I was disappointed by it. After that book, I couldn't find another like it. Until Star Daughter.The Star-Touched Queen's mythology was too complicated and unknown for me. As a Hindu myself, and someone who had parents who told her all about her religion, I knew quite a lot about our mythology. Yet, I had never heard of any of the mythology in that book. I couldn't have fun with the book or relate to it as I hoped I did. But Star Daughter has the element of the mythology I'm looking for. It's beautiful and bold. The stories I heard as a little kid that I still remember were there, but there was also more for me to learn about the lush and rich-in-knowledge world. I knew about certain things, like Indralok and Surya. I didn't know some things, like about the stars. It was so fun to rediscover what I love about Hindu mythology. writing -I don't use this lightly at all because I am VERY picky about writing, but the writing in this book was absolutely stunning. Drop dead gorgeous. The words you'd use to describe a supermodel, honestly. The writing was so descriptive and beautiful, and it seriously gave me serious wanderlust to go somewhere beautiful instead of sitting on the couch :)It should get an award, honestly. I love the writing so much in this book; only if more fantasy books could be written like this lol characters -The characters in this book are amazing, but maybe the only part where I felt the book was normal and not-that-standing-out in was the characters. I liked Sheetal and all, but she could be extremely selfish at times, but I overlook that for a lot of characters, so it's okay. Dev wasn't very interesting of a love interest either, but my favorite characters in the whole book were definitely the stars! They ranged from hilarious to creepy to interesting, and I appreciate how they were shown in the story and beautifully interwoven in it.Also this is kind of off topic but throughout the whole book I felt there was something going on between Sheetal's mom (the star) and her foi (aunt) because they kept mentioning each other when the other wasn't there, so *sips tea even though Aarushi knows this will never happen*. world-building -yes, along with the mythology the world was my favorite part of the book! Indralok was so stunning, and the descriptions gave me serious wanderlust, really. It's masterfully created and left me wanting more and to go visit everywhere Sheetal goes, because it sounds so dreamy and interesting. This book also has contemporary elements mixed in with the fantasy, and it's so easily and smoothly mixed in with the fantasy. Most of the time contemporary and fantasy mixed can end in VERY bad results, but this was quite the opposite, really. Some of the new ideas in the fantasy portion very were creative, in my opinion, and very original in those matters, like the stars and humans backstories. ending -Aarushi's now gonna give y'all an unwanted break and now talk about the ending in a spoiler-free way.Essentially, I loved the ending a bunch. It ended the book on an unexpected note, tying up a lot of ribbons but leaving a lot unanswered as this book is, sadly, a standalone (which you weirdly don't see very much at all in fantasy). Some of the characters got proper endings, some didn't. But I really liked Sheetal's ending, and that's all really matters to me in the end lol :) plotline -I felt the plot was amazing for most of the book, but the one (very small) bone I have to pick with the book is the pacing. One thing I CANNOT stand in books is uneven pacing, because it ruins the effect for me, personally. The pacing wasn't terrible in this book and it wasn't perfect either; it was only okay...but all this aside, but I did like the actual plot a lot. It was exciting and super fun and really kept me on my toes. I finished most of the book within a day, so that says a lot about how I couldn't keep my hands off of it!! representation and relationships -great representation! Of course, all of these people are brown as it wasn't explicitly stated if any of the stars were anything other than brown, because this is Hindu mythology, but I'm not sure. I don't really know how to go about the representation in this book, but the relationships were great! Our MC's best friend is a lesbian and we do see a lot of that relationship in that book, so I do love how the author is including characters of all sexualities! The other relationships (not romantic) were so realistic as well. For example, Sheetal and her parents or Sheetal and her grandparents, or Dev and Jeet, or Sheetal and Mital(I can go on but I will not to spare you). You get the idea. Realistic and relatable. overall review -This book was my stunning debut into Thakrar's writing, and I don't think it could have been any better. It hit all my expectations I had preset for this book, and it was so great. The only request I have of Shveta Thakrar at this point is to write more books like this because this book was so beautiful and amazing to experience. 5 stars! off to read another book so I won't spend the rest of the week pondering about what will happen to the characters after this book because, wow, that ending! In the beginning I thought maybe the book wouldn't live up to the expectations I had for it, but it totally exceeded those!also this is really putting me in the right mindset and festival-ly mood as we're right in the middle of the festival season :)

4.5, just for that sweet ending!Review(07/08/2020) "She was nothing but the words of a story, one tale weaving imperceptibly into the next. She was the loom that wove the tapestry. She was the tapestry that joined all things." When I think Indian fantasy, my mind often wanders to the sandstone palaces of the Rajputs, the clang of swords on the battlefield, the chime of ghunghuru and the flavour of all things medieval and royal. And don't get me wrong, these are the things that always make me happy. I adore this aspect of my culture. But I NEVER think Indian fantasy can be urban fantasy, because, honestly, I've never read Indian fantasy which is urban fantasy. That changed with Star Daughter. And BOY, was it such an incredibly welcome surprise, to have it be that way! Star Daughter follows the main character Sheetal who is half human and half star. She's nearing her seventeenth birthday- the year that a star reaches adulthood, but she doesn't know this. Her body is changing, and her heart is being pulled to the skies- to the stars, to her mother. She doesn't want to go (or so she tells herself), and she couldn't if she tried (or so she thinks). Circumstances change, a lot of heartbreaking things happen, and Sheetal finds herself in the starry court of the Nakshatras, her best friend by her side and an impossible take ahead. She's entangled in relationships and customs she doesn't quite know or understand, but she must navigate them and emerge victorious- for her father. For her mother. For herself, more than anything. (I know I know..summaries are NOT my thing)The first thing that will strike you when you start reading this book is just how beautiful and lush the prose is. The imagery that the author weaves is surreal and otherworldly — which is apt, considering that the story takes place in a starry court. The writing pulls you in and settles the atmosphere around you in a way that is truly immersive. It's definitely one of the most magical things about this book for me! Just how well it captures the imagination! This book is definitely driven by the characters and their dynamics, even though the plot is interesting in its own right. I think the book does an amazing job of depicting the complicated tangle of love and resentment that can be family sometimes. None of the people (and non-people) in this book are perfect, and that's what's so amazing about them. They betray each other, they lie to each other, but they also love and protect each other. It's confusing and frustrating, but that's what family is. And it's kind of beautiful in its own way, no? I've already spoken about the little things that made this book even more special to me as someone who is desi. So I won't elaborate on that much, but I'd just like to reiterate that this book is SUFFUSED with music. Music is a big part of Sheetal's life and her heritage as a half star. Music is the one thing that connects the stars to each other and to the world. Music is everywhere and everything and IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO READ ABOUT!!! The book references a lot of old, classic bollywood songs and I'd just, like, shove it in your faces just for that okay. My only gripe with this book is that I, personally, felt like the timeline was not clear and the pacing was slightly off in places. So, it kept pulling me out of the book and that hindered my reading experience a bit. But, mind you, I read this book at a very odd time in my life, so this is also probably just a me-thing. I'd suggest you check out some other reviews, just in case! I loved Sheetal for all her flaws and I loved her family and I loved the best friend she had in Minal SO MUCH. There was so much heart and love in this book and it shone through. So yes, definitely pick this book up if you're someone who enjoys lush prose, messy relationships and just a lot of starry, magical atmosphere! Thank you so much, Hear Our Voices Tour for providing me an opportunity to read this book in advance! All the opinions are my own!

buddy read with my love, Ashley! sorry it took me so long to read this babe :(( i've failed you as your speed-read bestie!3.5 (confused) starshonestly, i was confused for a good 60% of this book. maybe i wasn't paying enough attention, maybe i should've known the basics of hindu mythology already, maybe i'm just a little dumb, but either way i was still confused for large sections of this. i didn't understand some of the star mythology or the magical powers etc, and honestly, i just couldn't get that invested in our MC. there were a couple of side characters that i liked, but all up, i just found the MC bland and kinda irritating.but it's not all bad! the prose and writing style of the author was stunning (as was this cover), and i loved the LGBT+ elements woven in. i also found the main romance quite sweet, and the description of the setting, clothes, people etc was really gorgeous! the mythology was also quite cool (or what i understood of it). all up, not bad! it has it's issues but it also had it's pros, and i loved my buddy read partner hehe. glad i read this!

Review: 4 StarsYou can also read my review here: https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....When I first heard about Star Daughter I knew I had to read it. I love books based on religious myths and other cultures and I was excited to learn a bit about Hindu myths and gods. This book was so richly magical and so incredibly unique. I had no idea what a half star girl would be like, but the idea sounded fascinating and it was so much more magical than I could have dreamed. Star Daughter was a beautiful fantasy novel full of culture and music.The world built in this book was wild. Star Daughter was so different from anything I have ever read. Parts of the story were so vividly described, but other parts were a little abstract and I had a hard time picturing what was going on. There is a lot of Indian culture and Hindu myths woven into this story and I really with that the book had a glossary so I could understand it all better. I did wind up doing a lot of research and Googling to help myself understand Indian culture better. While you can read this book without understanding all of the references I felt like I had a richer experience with it after Googling the things that I didn’t know.The characters were so incredible. Sheetal was easy to relate to and I was rooting for her all the way through the book. I loved her friendship with Minal, it was so genuine and they were truly there for each other. I feel like healthy female friendships are so rare in YA, and Sheetal and Minal’s friendship was such a fun aspect of this story. The banter between Sheetal and Minal about Radhikafoi, Sheetal’s aunt, never failed to make me smile. I didn’t love the romance in this book though. For a large part of the plot it takes a back seat, but it came together in the end and I felt like it was a bit glossed over. Plus I was just never a big fan of Dev in the first place.Every part of this book was so magical that I found myself so absorbed in it. The plot was pretty great. It was a bit slower paced and definitely more of a character driven story, but I was still very invested in the plot as well. There was one point in the middle where I was getting bored, but for the most part I didn’t want to set the book down. I pick up nearly every book that I see compared to Laini Taylor, but this is probably the first book that was as magical and unique as Laini Taylor’s writing really is, so if you enjoy her books, you might love Star Daughter too!Star Daughter was such a rich and cultural fantasy. It was so unique and magical that I don’t think I will ever forget this story. If you enjoy fantasies inspired by other cultures or just enjoy rich and lush magical books, I would highly recommend checking this one out!

3.5/5Star Daughter is a beautiful story filled with the essence of Hindu mythology and Shveta Thakrar's lyrical prose.Stars walked quietly among mortals, their long manes sparkling and their dark eyes agleam as they sloughed off inspiration like snowflakes. And this-Blue lights turned everything in the court proper into a fever dream, from the crystal chandelier to the gem lanterns to the multitude of guests all in peacock and cobalt and lapis. Some wore saris that fell in perfect pleats, others sherwanis and kurtas just as crisp and delicately embroidered, and still others something entirely unfamiliar and fine, their ebony and mercury fabrics stained azure. Candles in mosaic glasses sat sprinkled here and there, burning with flames silver as starlight. Thakrar's writing is beautiful as the moonlight lotuses she describes and brilliant as the constellations from which the deity stars belong to. Her sentences are like intricately made sweets that I could pop into my mouth, where they would burst into delightful flavors that I never knew existed. Sheetal Mistry is the daughter of Princess Charumati (a star), and Gautam Mistry (a mortal man), hence the title Star Daughter. Sheetal has an amazing voice because she's half star. However, she is pretty perfect except for her stage fright. I'm glad this book wasn't one where the MC has to refuse the god/goddess's gift of immortality/living with them. This quote captures Sheetal's spirit:What did she want? Adventures. Cupcakes and kulfi. To be star bright and mortal dark and make her own choices, too. To not be bound by other people's expectations. More than anything, to be seen. Side characters:Minal is Sheetal's best friend (funny how their names rhyme). I was sad that we didn't really get to see what happened to her relationship with the girl she liked.Dev- Not a fan and pretty bland. Basically Perfect Hot Dude. Moving on.Thakrar's prose is beautiful, but her pacing is not so much. The book is divided into three parts, with part 2 being the longest and parts 1 and 3 super short. It would have been better to divide them into more even parts, I think. There's a big performance that's pretty much the climax of the story, but it happens at 90% of the book. Very late. And Sheetal performs at 95%. Pacing=not too good.Star Daughter is an enjoyable YA fantasy debut written by an own voices author. It blends Indian mythology with the real world and is a delightful read.