Review: Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 401 pages

January 11, 2011, Splinter

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing 17-year old 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 is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Source: Borrowed from Kai (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Tiger’s Curse went beyond my expectations. The unique sweet and mysterious vibe that it gave off was something that I truly enjoyed. It started with Kelsey looking for a job. She got one at a circus that will be having shows for two weeks. At first, it all seemed so ordinary. Kelsey was having fun at the circus. Her job description involved taking care of the white tiger, Dhiren. Then it all changed into something more exciting.

Kelsey was a very likable character, although sometimes she’s shy and stubborn, those traits made her seem more realistic. Like other orphans in YA, she had built a wall around her heart to keep her from getting hurt. She struggled to open the door of her heart. She was one of the heroines that I was really able to connect to.

Bravo to Houck for well-written characters and well-thought out plot. Her fascinating mythology and her distinct India were two of the factors that made me love this book. It was a breath of fresh air to encounter Indian gods and sacred, mysterious caves and temples. It had a tomb-raider-and-Indiana-Jones-feel to it that a lot of people would like. The risks and dangers that Kelsey and Ren encountered were enough to make my heart pound and stay at the edge of my seat. But that was nothing compared to when they were plunged into a bizarre, magic-filled world that was just as deadly as it was beautiful. I liked her attention to detail. It made the whole book buzz with life.

The romance sizzling between Kelsey and Ren was unlike anything I have ever encountered before. I’ve read animal/human relationships before but everything I’ve encountered was not as strong, as sigh-inducing, as cheek-warming and as perfectly done as this one. Ren was even more adorable in human form. He outshined all main YA guys out there, hands down. His charm was unsurpassable. His gentlemanly ways, his charm, his sexual appeal, his sweetness and his determination has made him irresistible.

Tiger’s Curse is the most romantic fantasy I have read this year! Hot, exciting, unpredictable and fast-paced, this will keep readers thirsty for more. I highly recommend this to readers of paranormal, fantasy and romance. Want a unique read? Take this and I’m sure you won’t regret it!

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