Divining the Leaves

by Shveta Thakrar

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 named Sulochana. In return for helping restore her reputation, 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.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Mythology, Romantasy, Audiobook, Fiction

Hardcover

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

(Hi! I can't accept friend requests here, so if you'd like to get in touch, please find me on social media or contact me via my website.

Also: I am unable to provide review copies of any of my books. All that is handled by my publisher. Thank you!)

Shveta Thakrar is a part-time nagini and full-time believer in magic. Her work has appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Enchanted Living, Uncanny Magazine, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, and Toil & Trouble. Her debut young adult fantasy novel, Star Daughter, was a finalist for the 2021 Andre Norton Nebula Award, and her second and third novels, The Dream Runners and the forthcoming Divining the Leaves, take place in the same universe. Her adult fantasy novella, Into the Moon Garden, is available as an original audiobook from Audible. When not spinning stories about spider silk and shadows, magic and marauders, and courageous girls illuminated by dancing rainbow flames, Shveta crafts, devours books, daydreams, travels, bakes, and occasionally even plays her harp.

Reviews

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Love the setting but the MMC was an idiot (this has a strong desi vibe)

Ridhi Kapadia loves plants, trees, and forests. She’d do anything to meet the yakshas and become one of them. After all, she can already listen to the plants talk. Moreover, the forest understands and accepts her, unlike her classmates who bully her. Wearing flower crowns and making natural perfumes, she just wants to be accepted into the magical forest kingdom she belongs to.

The rich and famous Nilesh Batra had everything handed to him on a platter and drifted through life skimming the surface. Until he finds out that his parents’ perfect marriage was a sham all along. Angry and lashing out at everyone, he wants nothing to do with anyone. Then, he meets Kamini, a yakshini from the enchanted forests his annoying once-childhood friend Ridhi loves. Smitten beyond his senses, Nilesh enters the land of yakshas unbothered by the dangers or consequences of his actions.

However, there’s more than what meets the eye. Ridhi and Nilesh might learn a few lessons as the much anticipated Holi celebrations begin in the yaksha kingdom.

The story comes in Ridhi and Nilesh’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:

Firstly, the blurb makes it sound like it could be an enemies-to-lovers romance. It is NOT and I’m glad for it. By the way, just look at that cover! Oh, my!
Secondly, I should no longer be surprised by the low rating
s. Books with inherent Hindu framework don't appeal to the western audience. When readers say they like Hindu mythology, they mean they like how THEY want it to be and not the actual one. So books with exotic terms and stories distorted beyond recognition get more praise than the ones that have strong Hindu roots.

Anyhoo, rant over!

I’ll talk about what could have been better before I discuss what I liked. So,

The MMC, Nilesh. Yeah, he is a spoiled brat who needs a redemption arc. Yes, he is hurting and I tried to be sympathetic. But boy, if the yakshas were performing a human sacrifice, I’d immediately volunteer him and stand guard to supervise the ritual. The arc could have been great but the author lost control of it at some point. Maybe her focus was on the FMC and the setting and she realized a bit too late to salvage the situation.

The hints of a queer angle almost went over my head until they were confirmed at the end. Subtle is good but you can’t be that subtle. Most of the readers can’t even see it. Heck, I missed it too but had a faint sense of ‘maybe’ which got confirmed on the last page. Why wait so long? Gosh, too little too late to blend into the plotline. A short paragraph when we get details of the past would have done the job.

The pacing is not slow but the story is. That’s to say, not much happened until we reached the halfway mark and this is a big book, so that’s already 200 pages. As much as I loved the setting and wanted to join them in Alkapuri, not everyone feels the same. They need something else to keep them going, especially when the writing and setting are so desi.

However, I cannot help but gush about the rest!

The beginning is so lush and descriptive. The writing is evocative and pure poetry, especially the snippets at the start of each part. Yeah, the author relied on the thesaurus but I didn’t find it distracting (for a change).

I’m so surprised that the blurb doesn’t talk about Holi given how significant it is for the plot. Instead of focusing on popular tropes, the blurb should have stayed true to the storyline. The book is set during spring when the colorful Hindu festival Holi is celebrated. There are quite a few descriptions of the preparations. The scenes of the actual event are vibrant and delightful. The festival has been seamlessly woven into the central plot and becomes the D-day where many things are revealed.

Though it has American Indian families, the vibe is very desi. Think of saris, dupattas, chappals, kaju barfi, shirkand, dholka, kichidi, aloo sabzi, etc. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of this. The cultural heritage takes on a new shape by blending with donuts and burgers instead of being replaced. The Indian communities come in all shapes, sizes, and types in foreign lands and are a unique blend of desi and videsi. That aspect comes out very well.

Ridhi is a darling. Yeah, she could do with a dose of self-confidence and thick skin but that’s supposed to be her arc. Every single mention of her dressing up and wearing bangles, anklets, and bindi made my heart soar. You go, girl! Be unapologetic about who you are. Who cares what others say? Here, the others are also Indians, so this isn’t about external racism with idiots being idiots no matter who they are or where they live.

The seamless blend of real and magical. The setting easily shifts between the regular world and Alkapuri, the kingdom of yakshas. However, this may be confusing for some readers. I like that there’s no clear separator as the worlds also exist together, but it’s a risky decision. Readers unfamiliar with the concepts will be confused.

The range of scents, trees, flowers, flavors, etc. is mesmerizing. On the negative side, it can be overwhelming for some readers. I loved it because it aligns with the yakshas. Everything is extrasensory and doubly clear, so the whole vibe is not only atmospheric but also heady and hypnotic.

The mentions of Uravashi, Savitri, or Damayanti and using their stories to create perfumes. Since I know who they are and what their stories are, I can breathe in the scents mentioned on the screen. There’s a difference between liking something, knowing about it, and being an integral part of it. You will have full experience when you are a part of the story and its intricacies. Otherwise, it’s just pretty writing with exotic-sounding descriptions.

Quite a lot happens in the last quarter. It can give readers a whiplash if they’ve struggled so far. Of course, no way to avoid it since the whole thing had to happen in the same series. Worked well for me but it might be confusing for others.

To summarize, Divining the Leaves is a proper desi fantasy. It is atmospheric, inviting, and delicious (all that food). However, the MMC and a slow plot don’t do it any favors. Anyway, I enjoyed the book. Thank you for using the word mandir.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Children, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #DiviningTheLeaves

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Insta Book Tours.

3.5 stars roundd to 4 stars.
Divining the Leaves is a YA contemporary romantasy that centres around the Hindu festival Holi.
We follow two POV; Ridhi and Nilesh.
Ridhi is a sensitive and vulnerable and very likeable teenage girl who is very drawn to plants, trees, and nature and makes her own perfumes.
Nilesh is an arrogant, shallow, and at first very unlikeable character who did grown in me a little by the end of the book.
The book centres more on Ridhi which I enjoyed as she was a breath of fresh air.
Ridhi has always believed in magic and when the pair are included in a magical celebration with magical beings she is rather put out with Nilesh being included, especially since he has mocked her about it for years. Ridhi makes a bargain with a noblewoman who want to have her reputation restored in exchange for teaching Ridhi about how to divine the trees murders. But Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas' realm and 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 before them.
I loved the descriptive settings and learning more about Hindu mythology that was woven into this story but did feel the first half of the book was very drawn out.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The book wasn't bad, just too slow and boring for me. The book starts off incredibly slow and I struggled to get hooked into this world or these characters. Overall if just felt more surface level than fully fleshed out.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Divining the Leaves" is an Indian inspired, YA fantasy/magical realism novel, that blends rich Indian folklore with the modern day world. We follow Ridhi and Nilesh as they get brought into the world of Yakshas and Yakshini's. While at first everything seems magical, not all is as it seems, and Nilesh and Ridhi will have to learn to work as a team to uncover the mysteries of this mystical realm.

Unfortunately this book was a miss for me. The synopsis led me to believe this would take place in a fantasy world or in India during a different time period, but it took place in modern day USA, with modern technology. That being said, I think I could have gotten past the fact that the synopsis didn't really equate to what was in the actual novel. But alas! The further I read, the more I found myself forcing my way through.

I'll start with the things I liked:
-This novel incorporates Indian folklore, which is really unique, and something I've not seen done often. There was a folktale at the beginning of each section of the novel, that presumably related to what was going on in the book. I found these hard to decipher, as the writing was very flowery compared to everything else, but ultimately enjoyed reading the folktales. I especially liked the last one. (I'm not sure if these folktales are actually real Indian folktales or just made up for the novel)
-I thought the incorporation of perfumes based on folktalkes was really cool! I've not read any other books where perfumery was involved, and it helped develop Ridhi as a character.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of things that were not done well in this book:

-My biggest pet peeve of all time is when an author throws representation into a book just to be like "THERE"S REPRESENTATION IN MY BOOK" without meaningful context. I LOVE seeing disability, minority, and LGBT representation in books, but I had a huge problem with how this author handled it. There is a character that has limited mobility of her limbs, and that's basically all we know about her. The author hints that at some point this character had no mobility issues, but none of this was every incorporated into the story. We don't know what happened, why this character is like this, and they go through no hardships because of it. If you took away the references to their limited mobility, the story would be the EXACT same and therefore I don't think it added anything to the overall story and was only inserted to say "LOOK I INCLUDED A DISABLED CHARACTER"! My other issue is that on the literal LAST PAGE OF THE BOOK, the author says "OH BTW the main character is bi". Well that's great, but not at all incorporated into the story-classic case of a token LGBT character (when it's just thrown in so the author can say they included one). I wish this was developed in the plot of the story and not just thrown in willy-nilly.
-Starting at part 2 of the story, everything just seemed like a mess. There was little character development, and there was so much going on that instead of developing the plot and focusing on important aspects(such as how Ridhi learns to divine the leaves and how that works**ahem**which is the title of the book), everything just seems mishmashed together until we get to the conclusion. A lot of conversations between characters seemed really disjoined, and a lot of important things seemed brushed over and underdeveloped. I was really disappointed in how the story seemed to pull at strings to make the plot work at the end.
-I had a hard time liking most of the characters. Nilesh is just too rash, and also really arrogant and self centered. At one point a character helps him out by allowing him to use his magical bath, then clothing and feeding him, and when Nilesh is told he has to help with something minor in return, he complains until he's told he'll get to see the girl he likes. How ungrateful. I don't really feel like Nilesh went through any growth throughout the book, and also feel like he very suddenly went from "ok being stuck in the spirit realm forever and never seeing his family again", to "I miss my whole family" to "Well guess I'll just be a tree" without any development.
-Instalove between multiple couples. I hate how Nilesh basically falls instantly in love with Kamini and decides everything will be ok as long as he has her, and very much did not feel any kind of connection between Ridhi and her love interest.
-The HECK kind of family doesn't immediately call the cops when their kid goes missing????
-There is a lot of Indian terminology thrown into this novel, which generally would be amazing to me! However, I couldn't parse what many of the words meant because they were lacking context, so I brought up google and wikipedia and the dictionary for EVERY WORD I didn't know, hoping to learn more about this rich Indian culture that is incorporated into this novel. About 50% of the time, I could not find any information on the word, and couldn't figure out if the word was made up for the book, or just a really obscure Indian festival. I wanted to know more about the festivals, clothing, food, etc mentioned
-Many times I found myself looking up some of the English words that I did not recognize, and felt like the author used a thesaurus to pick the most elaborate word choice, instead of one that is commonly used in English vernacular


I wanted to love this so much, but this book was just not for me from the start and continued to go downhill until the very last page. It's certainly not the worst thing I've ever read, but I just did not enjoy it. I would not recommend this to an adult audience, however, maybe the target audience (YA/teens) might relate better to the themes in this novel. 3/5 stars


Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[destiny :) ( inactive bc of school ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so much potential, and yet it fell flat for me. I won’t lie and say I can tell you what happened throughout this book or what was going on after 20% of it because I CANT. The pacing for one was tremendously slow and the book could’ve been cut down shorter to at least 300 pages. The characters started off interesting in the beginning but after that I couldn’t care less. They seemed somewhat flat. The plot seemed almost nonexistent. However, I will say the writing managed to capture the setting beautifully but without the plot there to anchor it, the story seemed pointless.

[Mae B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Ayushi (bookwormbullet) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[snazzy pen ✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰✰✰.25

I enjoyed the incorporation of Hindu & Buddhist folklore and the way the fantasy world was hidden beneath(?) the mortal world. The writing style was also quite pretty and I liked the slight whimsical feel.
I did quite like Ridhi's character and her passion for nature and perfumes, but I didn't like Nilesh because he was so arrogant and kind of annoying (typical privileged teenage boy). Unfortunately, he did not grow as much as a character, and his motivations were mostly centered around the pretty yakshini (Kamini) who he wanted to be with. In general, I would have loved more character + relationship development all around for all the characters. I also wanted to see more of Ridhi 'divining the leaves'.

In terms of representation, I did like that there was a disabled side character who got to exist without the narrative treating her disability as her only character trait. Her disability was also not just mentioned once and forgotten about. In this case, there are mentions of how she has bad days and good days with her disability, and her mobility aids are mentioned and used, but her role was primarily to be the caring older sister caught in a family conflict. Of course, more depth to her character (and the others) would always be good.
With the queer rep, I wish that it hadn't been introduced right at the end of the book as a throwaway line or two. Maybe Malav could have been a yakshini too?

Overall, this was a quick read that was a little disappointing, although I did like a few aspects of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My absolute favourite thing about this book is the setting. As soon as you start reading this you are transported into what seems like a magical, whimsical fairytale. I loved the way everything is described.

The beginning of the book is slow as it sets the scene and lets us get to know our main characters Ridhi and Nilesh. Ridhi is a girl after my own heart - seemingly in her own little world. She loves magic, nature and wants nothing more than to learn the secrets of the forest.

Nilesh however, does not believe in magic. He is reeling from the discovery of his father's infidelity and is hurt that he was the last to know. He gets himself expelled from school and shipped off to live elsewhere whilst his family figures out how to continue.

This book is definitely very character focused which I did enjoy. I felt sorry for Ridhi that Nilesh came along and stole the life she wanted and seemed to be very blasé and ungrateful about his discovery. I'm glad both characters grow throughout the book.

My only gribe was that Nilesh didn't get as much backstory as Ridhi did. I warmed up to him by the end but I definitely loved Ridhi more.

Thank you to Harper360YA and Instabooktours for the review copy as part of the book tour!

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has such a beautiful cover. And I love reading books with mythology from cultures I don’t know a lot about. There was a lot of mythology and characters from those myths spread throughout the story. The descriptions of the alternate world, the yaksha’s realm, were beautiful and created such vivid and colorful scenes in my head as I read. Unfortunately, I was actually a bit bored and had to push myself through the story. There were a lot of twists and turns, but not in a good way. In a way that I didn’t quite understand exactly what was happening or why something was happening. It was hard to believe that Nilesh would go so willingly into this other world with the way his character had been described, even with the horrible things he was dealing with as his family imploded. And then how Ridhi’s brother was so upset because she forgot to make cookies for his team? Once? Wow. I think it was a younger brother, but still, that was a little over the top for me.

As I said the mythology was interesting and led to some unique scenes, but overall I was unfortunately bored and had to push myself to finish, basically skimming towards the end almost just to get finished.

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique story with portal magic and meddling gods. I love that the story is a dual POV but it's two serparate lives that overlap but they aren't love interests. It's very refreshing. It shows the FMC and her love the earth and the magic that comes from that and the MMC who's just trying to find a way to escape his current life situation. I love that this is very "teenager" and it's nothing to explicit in romance or violence. The side characters are wonderful. The differences between the 2 family situations is very real to many people. Overall a pretty good story would definitely recommend for tweens or younger teenagers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this book.

[ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

sad to report that this was kind of disappointing...
the plot seemed so intriguing, and I thought it was going to be a nice cozy fantasy, but all it was was kind of slow and boring...
there were so many questionable things that happened and I think the characters could have been a lot more developed
because of my lack of connection to the characters, I couldn't ever get super into this book. I would be willing to try more books by Shveta Thakrar though as this had a lot of potential. it just wasn't executed the best...

[zai · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
this didn't work for me, im sorry

[Rio · Rating 3 out of 5]

took me too long to finish frankly, but i loved the mythology and the story and the magic so much

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen year old plant-loving, flower crown wearing, perfume making Ridhi Kapadia can’t believe it when her once friend, now estranged popular cousin Nilesh Batra has to come stay with her and her family. Nilesh who is still reeling from discovering his perfect family isn’t so perfect when he finds out his Father is having an affair, is now also suspended from school. But when a pretty Yakshini named Kamini introduces herself to Nilesh and Rhidi makes a bargain with Sulochana, a courtly yakshini who offers Ridhi a chance to get everything she’s ever wanted… to be a Yakshini herself, Nilesh and Ridhi quickly learn everything is not what it seems. Thrust into a world of Hindu and Buddhist folklore come to life the two cousins must work together and find a way to save themselves and then forest they’ve both come to love.


The flowery, whimsical language in this book sets the atmosphere and setting so well for our characters. The way Thakrar writes about the trees and flowers, down to the beautiful clothes and world the Yakshini’s live in is so beautiful. I enjoyed how nature feels like it’s its own character in this story. This story is split into two perspectives: that of Ridhi and that of Nilesh. Personally, I loved getting to follow Ridhi around. She is a nature loving, perfume making girl after my own heart. I loved watching her grow from this shy girl who finds it hard to fit in: to this unafraid, confident character who finds her place in the world through her connection with nature. The relationship Ridhi has with nature is admirable and I wish more than anything I could talk to the trees like Ridhi. I also loved the relationship she has with her family. It was so wholesome and warm. I really enjoyed seeing that in the story. The LGBTQ+ and disability representation in this story was a really nice addition as well. It never felt like the author was just throwing it in there to say “Oh I include representation of marginalized groups in my books.” It felt natural and flowed nicely in the writing and story overall.


While I did enjoy this story overall I do have some things that missed the mark for me. For starters, While I loved reading Ridhi’s perspective, I did not feel the same about Nilesh’s. All he did was create unnecessary problems because all he could think about was how “hot” Kamini was. And if he wasn’t thinking about Kamini he was being exceptionally rude to Ridhi for no reason other than he just thought picking on her was funny. Bouncing off the interactions between Ridhi and Nilesh…I thought their relationship could have used more page time. While it was mentioned that they used to be friends I never got that feeling. Even when they were swept away in the world full of Yakshini and Yaksha’s they were so separated from one another that I think the story would have benefited better if we only followed one POV and the other would be a side character. Lastly, I think the jumping around between our chapters living in “real” world Atlanta and then this magic Forest full of folklore creatures was too jarring, I think he story would of benefited more if we spent all our time in the magical forest full of the Yakshini and Yaksha’s.


Overall, I really enjoyed how flowery and magical this story felt. I would recommend this to young adult/middle grade audiences. I think a younger audience would relate to the themes and characters in this book more than an adult reader. But generally, I would recommend to anyone who enjoys flowery writing, nature and who enjoys a bit of hope in their books.


Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining blend of YA contemporary romance and fantasy by a new to me author. I really like the main female protagonist and her entrepreneurial spirit, working hard on making nature based perfumes. When she and another boy get whisked away to this alternate fantasy world things get really interesting as they make friends there and then one of them gets trapped forcing the other to find a way to save them both. Good on audio narrated by Soneela Nankani (one of my favs). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! 10/10 for the gorgeous cover!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I loved the focus on nature and folklore and the evolution of a once discarded friendship, turned enemies, turned friends again. Sometimes, a platonic journey is just refreshing to me. I also find that Ridhi as a character feels like a genuine teenager and her arc of getting comfortable with herself and finding confidence and her place in the world struck a lot of chords with a younger me. She's a softer, messier character than usual. Her emotions get the best of her and she feels things so intensely that I think a lot of teenagers will resonate with her. The prose is just gorgeous, full of lush descriptions and magic and the writing overall is just genuinely so beautiful that I had to stop and re-read some sentences just to get the chance to enjoy them again. There was a lot going on from complex family dynamics to courtly intrigue, old Hindu mythology, fantastical creatures, some good old fashioned romance, and just a good story about finding your place in the world and making a stand with compassion and heart. I just really loved hanging out in this world with these characters while they had adventures, got into trouble, and found their way home. Highly recommend.

[rachel x]

"A contemporary fantasy about two teens, 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."

shveta thakrar destroyed the cover lottery with this one

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welcome back to another episode of Fantasies I Thought Were Standalones. Today we’re featuring a book that probably should be a standalone 😭

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ridhi Kapadia knows magic is real. Which is why it's all the more frustrating that the forest next to her family's home in Atlanta still fails to deem her worthy of knowing all of its secrets. An outcast at school and in her community, she knows that things would be different if only the yakshas would listen to her pleas to accept her into their magical world. Until then, Ridhi has to make do with the less magical parts of the forest and her growing natural perfume business.

Nilesh Batra knows now that the world is decidedly not magical. The last in his family to find out about his father's extra-marital affair, Nilesh is hurting and angry. But even he knows getting himself expelled from school was a step too far. So while Nilesh is not thrilled about it, he isn't surprised when his mother sends Nilesh to stay with family friends while she tries to figure out the logistics of their imminent divorce.

Ridhi and Nilesh used to have a lot in common when they were childhood friends. Now they are only united in hating that they have to exist under the same roof.

Things get worse when Nilesh makes his way to the magic Ridhi has been chasing her entire life. Drawn into a web of intrigue, Nilesh finds the escape he's been craving while Ridhi thinks she might finally have a chance to become the yaksha she has always been meant to be. Except not everything is as it seems in the magical forest. The leaves whisper a tragic tale but both Nilesh and Ridhi might be too focused on their own transformations to heed the dire warning in Divining the Leaves (2025) by Shveta Thakrar.

Divining the Leaves is a standalone fantasy. The narration alternates between Nilesh and Ridhi--both of whom are Indian and, based on names, cued as Gujarati.

Nilesh's narrative is almost unbearably angry and aggressively uninterested in nature even as he finds himself in the middle of a magical forest. His hurt from discovering the lies of his parents' marriage is very fresh and, regrettably, he directs most of it at Ridhi being needlessly cruel to her without provocation. While this kind of anger makes sense for his character arc, it was unpleasant to read and ultimately so severe that his eventual redemption arc (and reclaiming of Ridhi's friendship) felt unearned.

Ridhi's narration is imbued with her love for nature and the magic she's chased all her life. Ridhi moves through the novel with naivete and a steadfast drive to live on her own terms--things that serve her well once the story shifts into the magical realm.

Lush descriptions bring both the natural world and the magical forest to life as Thakrar weaves a story of modern environmentalism with traditional Buddhist and Hindu folklore and mythology. Magical bargains, dangerous spells, and supernatural creatures add to the mystique of the story as both Ridhi and Nilesh try to make sense of this new world and how they can make places for themselves in it. Despite their shared history, the characters fail to mesh well as co-narrators leading to an unnecessary tension throughout the book. While there is romance, it is not between the two main characters (despite what the cover art might suggest).

Divining the Leaves is a vibrant story perfect for fans of traditional fairytale retellings--especially those excited to see the redemptive power of true friendship rather than true love.

Popular Pairings: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard, Road of the Lost by Nafiza Azad, Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee, A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli, Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*

[Maddie Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really should have looked into the author before requesting this arc. I read Star Child, and it was not my vibe. But, if you liked Star Child, you may like this book, too.

For reference, I am not super familiar with Indian mythology. Every creature and mythology aspect is presented as if you already know it, and, for sure, some people will. But, I didn't, and I didn't always have access to internet to look things up. I knew enough to get a vague understanding of what was happening (thank you Aru Shah books – great middle-grade fantasy with Indian mythology, if you're looking for that), but it was still very confusing.

Then, we get to the plot. Was there a plot? Kinda, maybe, who knows? It definitely wasn't a normal plot structure, and that made me feel like nothing was happening. I didn't feel much tension or suspense, and the stakes felt nonexistent. Since nothing was explained that well, it was really hard to get invested in this book.

Ridhi was a fine character. She wasn't super unique, but she did have a perfume business, which was a really cool idea. Nilish annoyed me to no end. He wasn't a consistent character, for instance, he mocked Ridhi for her love of plants but got a crush on a different character who loved plants simply because she was hot. Go character depth! I felt no sympathy for Nilesh, and his character growth felt forced.

I also didn't notice much difference between the two characters' perspectives despite them being very different people. I had a really hard time knowing who we were focusing on at the moment, and they may have confused me at some pivotal moments in the book, or as pivotal as it could be without a clear plot.

The writing style was also just hard to understand. The author used a lot of complex words to describe nothing. While I appreciate books with interesting language, I needed a dictionary way more often than I would have liked. There were lots of instances where a more recognizable word would have sufficed, which definitely annoyed me.

TLDR; The mythology was confusing, the big words every two sentences were confusing, the plot was confusing, and the characters were confusing. If you have ever wondered how much a book can truly confuse you, make sure to try this out!

In all seriousness, this book felt like it needed more fleshing out. The plot, the characters, and the romances all felt like they were missing something. Just because a book is YA doesn't mean it has to be any less impactful than other books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Pine Reads Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Magic, at long last, was coming.”

Divining the Leaves is a contemporary fantasy that shares the story of two teenagers who only want something to go their way. Ridhi is an outcast to everyone but her family because she still believes in magic. She is positive that she belongs among the forest kingdom, and spends her time waiting for the woodland spirits to whisk her away. Nilesh has all the friends he could need, but then he discovers his father’s infidelity, and his family falls apart. After getting suspended, his mother sends him to live with Ridhi—who he doesn’t get along with—and her family. As they both tumble into the world of magic, one with the hope of becoming a part of it and the other looking for a distraction, they learn that spirits aren’t always what they seem, and that they must trust each other.

Shveta Thakrar’s novel is an interesting mix of magic, Hindu and Buddhist folklore, and dual perspectives, but I found myself dissatisfied with other aspects of the book. The magical system is definitely unique, and having a mortal girl, Ridhi, learning how to turn her perfume business into something more was a great idea. I also really liked how opposed the two characters were to each other, which was established with a dynamic change in the writing style. Ridhi’s perspective has lively descriptions of the world, while Nilesh’s is sharp and lacks the vibrancy that Ridhi sees. I was genuinely relieved that this is not a love story between the two characters, and I think it did appeal to me more than I expected it to. But my difficulty with the story lies with the pacing. The first half is almost entirely exposition, and I found myself struggling to continue. I was rather confused about where the plot was going, as the description of the book says that Nilesh ends up trapped and I was expecting Ridhi to spend much of the story trying to rescue him, but this doesn’t happen until closer to the end of the story. I was presented with many different things happening at the end, and it felt hectic compared to the slower plot present throughout the rest of the story. I genuinely liked many moments throughout the novel, but the misleading synopsis and drawn out plot were not things that I enjoyed.

Pine Reads Review would like to thank SparkPoint Studio and HarperCollins for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.

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[Kelly Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shveta Thakrar returns readers to the Night Market in her luscious new Young Adult release Divining the Leaves. The novel follows Ridhi Kapadia, a young girl struggling to fit into the contemporary world around her. Ridhi would rather spend time hugging trees and wandering the forests than auditioning for the dance team her mother hopes her to join. She has always yearned to become a Yakshini, and she delights in crafting perfumes based on Indian folklore and the natural world. Ridhi is blessed with the ability to tell stories with her scents, but her teenage peers find her behaviors strange. When her family agrees to give shelter to a popular boy struggling with the recent revelation that his father has been having an affair, Ridhi’s own home becomes yet another place of isolation, driving her further into the magical forest realm.

The boy, Nilesh, finds his way into the forest as well, following a beautiful but potentially deadly being through the portal that divides the worlds. He becomes fascinated with the Night Market, the haunting fair where Ridhi hopes to sell her perfumes. Ridhi and Nilesh are at odds with one another throughout most of the book, but when Nilesh winds up trapped in the realm of the Yakshini, Ridhi must learn how to divine the leaves and devise safe passage back to the human world.
Divining the Leaves is full of cultural stories and enchantment, and readers interested in learning about Indian fairy tale and folklore will find much to love. The plot oscillates between real-world teen troubles and the dangers posed by magical places. Young love, family fractures, and the struggle to fit in all sit side by side with enchanted transformations and the political turmoil of a faerie world. Each section of the novel is prefaced by a story from The Tales that Trees Tell, and readers will enjoy the skill with which Thakrar weaves Indian mythology into contemporary teen life.

Divining the Leaves lifts the veil between our world and the world of magic, inviting readers to taste spring, smell stories, and listen to the meaningful rustle of forest trees. Like phyllomancy, the divining skill that Ridhi tries to perfect, Thakrar’s haunting prose and heartwarming story must be experienced firsthand, and readers will come away from the book transformed. Like Thakrar’s first two installments of The Night Market Triptych, Star Daughter and The Dream Runners, Divining the Leaves is a beautifully written stand-alone novel that will leave you searching the tree line for the mystical world beyond our own. I loved it!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recommended: for specific things
For lush descriptions of nature and magic, not for complex plot or characters

Thoughts:
This is a book that is mostly here for the vibes, and they are gorgeous. The story, the characters... those are a bit flatter. But boy, is it a pretty world to be in! The descriptions of the forest and creatures and magic is so incredibly engaging. It was so easy to imagine the scenes and items described, and I was completely immersed. And honestly, a bit longing, because they all sounded wonderful.

The downside is that the story was pretty lackluster. It took a long time for anything to happen, and by 50% of the way through I still didn't have any idea what the main conflict was meant to be. If you're coming to this for enemies to lovers romance, or for any romance, you are in the wrong place my friend. This was okay by me because I'm pretty tired of that trope, but there is no romance. There are scenes that are intended to be, they did not succeed, which is part of the eventual thin plot as well. As the story went on, things felt poorly explained at some times and awkwardly obvious at others. Things that I think were meant to be a surprise... were not. At all.

There are two main characters whose points of view we get, and I didn't really like either of them. It didn't feel like either of them grew very much in the story and the resolution felt abrupt and weirdly placed. There were two lines that collided at the end, which felt like it took away from both by making them compete for attention. Ultimately I didn't care, which isn't great for the big dramatic resolution.

There are themes of belonging at the heart of this, with Ridhi always feeling like an outside with other kids and desperately wanting to be part of the magical forest folk, and with Nilesh struggling to find a new normal after his parents split up. Interactions between those two are pretty limited though, which was a surprise as the blurb set it up like that would be a central element.

Overall this is an AMAZING book if you want something that will whisk you away to a magical location and fill your head with rich visuals of fields of flowers, fantastic night market goods, and delicious foods both real and imagines. But if you're here for any kind of compelling story or romance, well, re-calibrate those expectations.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free advanced copy. This is my honest review.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
A literal feast for the senses! Shveta Thakrar’s lush new YA fantasy blends the coming of age experiences of two Atlanta teens (Ridhi and Nilesh), with a rich depiction of Indian (Yaksha) mythology —that I found utterly immersive.

The evocative prose captured the layered, emotional complexity of our characters (and their teen based dilemmas) soo well. And brought a depth and vulnerability that had me fully invested in their respective emotional journeys.

Though, of the two I’d have to say Ridhi (our nature loving introvert m,looking for a place to finally feel understood and accepted) was the character I felt the most emotionally connected to.

Sensitive yet soo fiercely human— her vulnerable, desperate need to belong and to matter (to even just a single person) is something that everyone can relate to. And when paired with her genuine, kind hearted nature, readers will be hard pressed not to root for her as she grows in confidence and realises it’s her differences that make her soo special.

Nilesh, however was a little more complicated, and took a bit more time to warm up to. At first glance he’s a stereotypical (and shallow) popular kid whose interests and social circle seem superficial. But as we delve past the masks he hides behind, we find a scared boy grappling with loneliness, his sense of identity and the break-up of his family (who have always been his anchor and grounding force.)

Unfortunately, his journey isn’t nearly as in depth as Ridhi’s, but I loved that we delve into the theme of masculinity, challenging the toxic attitudes surrounding emotional expression and vulnerability.

And of course, the mythology based lore and world-building was utterly enchanting! I’m not as familiar with Indian mythology, so this gentle blend of nature magic with the contemporary world was the perfect introduction and has me really eager to check out more.

If you love slow-burn, character driven (and gorgeously lush) YA fantasy— I highly recommend checking this out!

Also, a huge thank you to Instabooktours and Harper360YA for the finished copy.

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF @ 38%. Is the plot in the room with us? It doesn't appear to be. Being in Nilesh's head is an exercise in agony, as he spends a good chunk of his time just thinking about how hot a yakshini girl is. He is also not freaked out AT ALL by ending up in a fantasy realm even though he has never believed in such things. Maybe this would have all evolved into a nuanced exploration of his pain (and healing?) over the dissolution of his parents' relationship, but more than a third of the way in and we weren't exploring ANYTHING.

As for Ridhi...she read like a ten year old more than an older teen. She goes around announcing how she believes in magic and it's going to come for her and wonders why everyone thinks she's weird. (The fact that she is correct is besides the point; OF COURSE this type of behavior is going to get you ostracized in a typical American high school.) I liked that she had her own perfume business but nothing seemed to really be happening with that, and again, at 38% of the way through the book, NONE of the stuff that was being set up in the synopsis of the book was actually happening.

I also can't figure out why this book is set in Atlanta...but also the realm of the yaksha? It's established pretty early on that the realm of the yaksha is in the Himalayas, but then it's also in the freezer section of a supermarket in Atlanta and in Ridhi's backyard. I don't mind the "magical world along the real world" setup at all, generally speaking (Tithe by Holly Black does this well, for example) but it doesn't work when you have already established said magical world as being somewhere else.

It's too bad, because the absolutely GORGEOUS cover here does not at all match up with the innards of this book.

[Deamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cue this, you have felt lost being around people due to being the odd one out, even possibly bullied, like don't we all introverts feel this at moments, and what if you have a true calling for something, which is worth more than any other thing in your life, what if you get an opportunity to leave all else for this calling, will you grab it with all your might then ?

For context, Ridhi (FMC) feels at home with nature, is a master perfumer at a young age, and believes in the magic of nature - tales of yakshinis and yakshas from folklore from her Mom, really hopes to become a yakshini herself and, in turn of surprising events, finds her way into the world. And there is Nilesh (MMC), usual playboy, ex friend of Riddhi, but is heartbroken and angry due to some family stuff. Nilesh comes across a yakshini, Kamini mysteriously triggering his entry into the same world of nature.

The story follows their journey into the world albeit with a lot of twists and turns. The writing was beautiful just like the subject of the author, flowery and earthy. As a fellow Indian, I could really connect with a lot of folklore parts which really brought fantasy to life, especially the beautiful descriptions of nature elements like flowers, trees, and fruits, setting up the background of the story.

The book had a lot of heart and layers which kept me hooked till the end, despite a few confusing twists and turns, because Nilesh could be easily misunderstood in the earlier chapters as he was just plain angry, but then as the story kept going, I could get him, his growth arc made the reading experience edgy but satisfying. Ridhi's character was a bit flawed too, which added even more depth to the story.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this one, got a good fantasy fix out of it.

Thanks to @coloredpagesbt @epicreads @shvetathakrar for gifting me a free copy for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divining the Leaves follows the adventure of Ridhi and Nilesh as they find their way into the world of Hindu folklore. Ridhi grew up believing in gods and other magical folk and desperately wanted to be there more than that of the mortal world. Nilesh was offered the chance to be in this mythical place after discovering everyone in his family but him knew about the struggle his parents were having with their marriage.

The world building and heavy descriptions of the cultural and ethnic items from food to dance to mythology is jam packed in this book. And man, I got hungry reading about the food! 😂 I admit, I had to look up a lot of the terms because I’m not that familiar with the names of things but I know what some of them are. Minor detail that didn’t stop me from reading this book. The emotional struggle Ridhi and Nilesh go through in their personal lives hit hard. The want to be their own person, to live without knowing they’re left out is pretty much what any young person goes through today.

I love the blending of the mortal world and the mythical. In my mind, I can see all of the vibrant colors and imagine the smells of the spices of the food, the smells of flowers and nature. And while it seems lengthy to go into all of that, I believe the author is trying to convey her heritage into this book. I can appreciate that so it becomes an Owned Voice and representation of the Indian culture. With Ridhi’s beliefs and Nilesh’s skepticism, it was a great read to follow them down this brightly colored rabbit hole.

Thank you to  @shvetathakrar @epicreads and @coloredpagesbt for having me on the tour and for the #giftedbook I featured before the tour began.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to The Dream Runners, I'd prefer the former then the latter (aka this book). Not to say that it's bad, but the YA characteristics really drive home in this one (in terms of the uh, vibes in a yippie single minded goals with no in depth searching or complexities). Seriously, I wanted to reach between the pages and throttle Nilesh multiple times through out until his "redemption arc" at the end of the book after his brash mistake costs a major plot in the story (still, easily one of the most meh ML I've seen because there really isn't much then "I'm running from my problems repeatedly over and over" until he gets to the whole one with the universe and even then it isn't satisfying enough.)

Personally I feel like Ridhi's mum's backstory could've been a better side plot if done properly besides the quick glimpses. It would've set the scene better. And Ridhi? Look I get the girl is dense and dead set of fitting into the mythical world BUT COME ON! She's a glorified Lorax (please give this girl a backbone, it doesn't even have to be badass, just any other characteristics then nature lover slight hippie with only a slight fight in her being regained at the end and even then it's just the tree conveying their message through her)

It's not a bad book, but it's really really targeted to YA and leans to the more nature side with a big dose of family (issues). The plot is there, kind of. Even the plot twist left me stumped with an "oh" because I forgot that was even the plot in the first place, the main characters distracted me with the whimsy I kinda got lost too.

Final thoughts? It's.. ok. Not the worse and the world building descriptions were amazing with the little cameo from the Dream Runners. Could just live off the book settings alone no plot needed. Eventually I wouldn't reread it but I would recommend both books prior to those who love tradition storytelling with mythology in it!

Xoxo Ari

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Divining the leaves follows Ridhi and Nilesh, who become involved in an enchanted forest kingdom where the trees speak, and the residents hide a disturbing secret.

I think there was a lot of interesting stuff going on in this book. It blends Indian folklore with the modern world and with an interesting magic system, and for me the whole thing read pretty quickly. Nilesh and Ridhi felt like fully realized characters, though the remainder of the supporting cast didn't really leave a lasting impression on me. The enchanted world of the yaksha that they entered was also spectacular to read about, and something I'd like to see more of.

Despite reading quickly for me, though, the book does take awhile to get where it's going. A slow pace is never the end of the world, but frequently it felt like we were still standing in the same spot when we should have been going somewhere ten pages ago. The atmosphere didn't entirely make up for an arguably thin plot, and though the characters at the start of the book are rounded and interesting, their arcs were something of a letdown for me.

I think this book is great for readers who are looking for good vibes and to sink into a magical world. It also makes me want to pick up more of Thakrar's work, especially for the way Indian mythology and folklore were woven into this story. I just think there were some elements that could have been stronger overall.