Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Release date: January 11, 2011
Publisher: Sterling
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 402
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Ebook available from: Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?
 
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger's Curse scared me quite badly at the beginning. When I started it, I didn't find the writing to be very tight or good at all, really. I didn't think I was going to get into the story and was so afraid it was going to become a book I just couldn't finish. Luckily, the story swept me into it's folds and I was whisked along on a great ride with Kelsey and Ren. I don't know if the writing got better, or if I was just able to ignore it, but it just kind of melted away to me.


Easily the most fascinating aspect of Tiger's Curse is the mythology behind it all. It is obvious how much thought and time was put into Ren and Kishan's curse. The details of the journey Kelsey must take in order for it to be broken are interesting and very in depth. I found myself just as fascinated as Kelsey in learning all that I could about Indian culture, especially when it's told from the eyes of someone who experienced it, as from Mr. Kadam.


But, oh, Kelsey. For most of the book, I was really quite happy with her. She was an easily sympathetic character, and one I was happy to learn more about and follow on a journey. I loved that she was so willing to help Ren and believed that spoke a lot about what kind of person she was. She didn't disappoint me in that, but I couldn't help wanting to grab her by the shoulders and give her a good shake. I mean, the doubts she expresses (which are why I want to attack her a little bit) are completely unfounded. She had seemed like such a confident character, one that went for what she wanted despite things holding her back, that it was sad to see. I think she'll get over it in the next book (at least she better, or I really might find a way to defy natural law and jump into the book and slap some sense into her).


As for all of the other characters, I loved them. Mr. Kadam and Ren had a relationship that I loved, one that is hard to find in real life and in fiction and was a treat to read. I hope that as Ren gains more time as a human we'll see more of their history and of their dynamic. Ren all in all was a treat to read, honestly. I got a little annoyed hearing how beautiful he was all of the time, but I could overlook that since we really got a good taste of his personality past his good looks. I especially found that his traditional manners and values were so refreshing to read about.


Tiger's Curse is a vividly imagined, though maybe a little bit too wordy, adventure. The romance is nicely done and not rushed. The characters are mostly a treat to read about, despite their infuriating tendencies at times.


Risk a paper cut? Yes, there are flaws, but altogether reading Tiger's Curse was anything but a curse.