Thursday, July 14, 2011

Tiger's Quest: A magical tale of adventure and romance! November has never felt so far away...

Kelsey Hayes is no ordinary college freshman. In fact, the eighteen-year-old girl has just returned from India, where she risked her life—and her heart—to rescue a handsome Indian prince from a terrible curse. Back home in Oregon, Kelsey is determined to move on, despite the lingering feelings she has for the man she left behind. She meets Li, a completely average guy who offers the promise of an ordinary, curse-free life. But just when Kelsey is ready to move on, Ren reenters her life, on a quest to reclaim her heart. Danger threatens their newly rekindled love and to save him, Kelsey must journey with someone else—a man who wants her for himself. The saga begun in Tiger’s Curse continues in Tiger’s Quest, as Kelsey finds herself in an epic battle between good and evil. From the shores of the Pacific Northwest to the jungles of India, the mountains of Nepal and Tibet, and the mystical realm of Shangri-la, this suspenseful tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption is not to be missed.

Book Review

Title: Tiger's Quest
Author: Colleen Houck
Publisher: Splinter
Publication Date: June 7, 2011

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


I liked Tiger's Curse, but I LOVED Tiger's Quest. I initially gave this book four stars, but I'm upping it to five because I cannot stop thinking about it. As soon as I turned the last page, I preordered Tiger's Voyage because I am in desperate need of a resolution for that cliffhanger!

Colleen Houck is a storyteller. The writing is not perfect, but I am willing to overlook the flaws because the characters are so compelling, the romance so sizzling, and the quest so epic. Reading this book evoked so many emotions--from swooning to laughter to heartbreak--that I can forgive the book if it's heavy on descriptions or the dialogue's awkward at times. Reading this book makes you FEEL so much, which attests to the strength of Colleen's storytelling.

I felt smothered with details when I read Tiger's Curse, but maybe I'm just used to the writing now because I could not put Tiger's Quest down. Every writer has her strength, and Colleen knows how to write chemistry between her characters. Aaaah, the romance. These books ooze with swoony moments--little fleeting touches, captivating gazes, and delicious kisses that all leave you breathless. (I think I'm starting to sound like I'm 13.) Let's just say Colleen knows how to write a compelling, clean romance between endearing characters.

Yes, there's a love triangle, but Colleen lets it develop so naturally, so believably that I now find myself rooting for both brothers. I can't remember the last time I loved both sides of a YA love triangle this much. The triangle is actually integral to the plot and serves a purpose instead of an author just throwing in another male character to up the amount of kissing scenes and sell Team Whoever t-shirts.

At the end of Tiger's Curse, I didn't know how Colleen was going to make me cheer for Kishan (I mean, I liked him, but it was obvious Kelsey should be with Ren) but Colleen managed to make Kishan so charming and endearing that I now want both brothers to get their happy ending. (And yes, Cait, I had to read the baby part several times because it was just tugging at my heart.) The dynamic between these brothers is riveting, and I'm eagerly anticipating their interactions in Tiger's Voyage. Kishan, I don't know how this can end well for you--you just know there's heartbreak in store--but you made Tiger's Quest entrancing.

Colleen has woven magic, romance, and adventure into this captivating tale of betrayal, redemption, and love. I am so invested in these characters at this point. And after that amazing sneak peek at Tiger's Voyage, November has never felt so far away.

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