The April Book Club – Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar

We are thrilled to announce that our April book club pick will be our dear friend Shveta Thakrar’s new book, Divining the Leaves, AND that Shveta herself will be joining us! We’ll be meeting on April 10th at 7PM ET.

Here’s the description:

“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.”

And here are just a few of the beautiful reviews this book has received:

“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

“Thakrar’s writing is rich and detailed without being dragged under by its own weight, depicting her story like a fine tapestry… This is a complex, deeper dive than usual, but Thakrar leavens her satisfying story with humor and populates it with realistic and appealing characters.”― Booklist [Starred Review]

“Thakrar’s Hindu- and Buddhist-inspired story with a primarily Indian cast is overflowing with lush, sensual imagery… [an] undeniably beautiful fantasy.”— Kirkus Reviews

If you haven’t come to a book club where an author joins us before, you’re in for a real treat! you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of April!