Book Review: Tiger's Destiny (Tiger's Curse Series: Book 4)

What is better than The Hunger Games;

better than The Twilight Saga; and

better than The Divergent Trilogy?

THE TIGER'S CURSE SERIES, that's what!

Don't get me wrong!  I still love The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games as much as almost any fan reader (Heck, I am am flying to Boston in November to visit a friend and watch the final Twilight movie!), but there are so many things about The Tiger's Curse Series that make it far and above my favorite series of all time.

For instance:

• the action is bigger, better, and much more imaginative;
• the story is punctuated with ancient Indian mysticism, Chinese folklore, as well as myths from all around the world;
• the characters are nuanced and multi-dimensional (i.e. Kelsey is stronger than - and not as needy as - Bella, less hardened by the world than Katniss, and just as tough - if not more - than Tris); 
• the love triangle is heartbreaking and yet believable (no offense to Twilight, but Edward and Jacob have nothing on Ren and Kishan in this department); and
• finally, the series is infinitely more imaginative than any other series (or book - for that matter) that I have EVER read!

Yesterday afternoon I finished the fourth book in the series (there will be five total).  Since finishing Tiger's Voyage last November, I have been waiting over ten months for Tiger's Destiny to be released.  In fact, I pre-ordered a copy back in July so that I would be one of the first readers to get my hands on a copy!

Funny side-story: I received my pre-ordered copy of Tiger's Destiny last Friday.  Immediately I scanned through the book - you know, just to make sure everything was there - and whaddya know but my copy was missing the last chapter and the epilogue!  Yes.  MISSING.  As in, NOT THERE AT ALL.  I think my jaw dropped.  And then I just stared at the book in total disbelief for a few minutes.  SERIOUSLY?!  All this waiting and I don't have the final chapter?! 

Well, I ended up calling Amazon, reporting my complaint, and having a new copy sent out for free.  The copy finally arrived on Tuesday (which was a good thing, because I had already read the entire book and was patiently impatiently waiting to read the final chapter and epilogue).  Now, I've read the entire book, and the saga behind my pre-ordered book dilemma has been solved.  WHEW!

Now, back to the book review at hand:

Synopsis:

With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse.  But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.  

It's a race against time - and the evil sorcerer Lokesh - in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, test the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tiger's true destinies once and for all.

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Review:

Seriously, I don't know how author Colleen Houck does it, but every. single. book. in this series just gets better and better!  Her creativity is endless, the plot thickens in ways that I couldn't ever imagine, and the twists and turns result in an emotional roller-coaster that leaves you feeling a bit of "reader whiplash" (in a really good way!).  Houck makes you want to never stop reading!

In addition to the amazing creativity behind the story itself, the saga's main characters of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan have increasingly matured and evolved.  Unlike the series' beginning, each character has become less selfish, more independent, and stronger both in body and spirit.  In Tiger's Destiny, I also really enjoyed gaining a better understanding of Lokesh as a boy...it helped me to understand is villainy (even if I still find him to be one of the creepiest villains of all time!).

At several points in this book I got teary eyed - and yes, a tear or two might made its way onto the pages of the book.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to by the incredibly happy ending to this book, and am interested to see how Houck shakes things up for the series finale in book five!  I can hardly imagine what crazy amazingness she will come up with!

So, if you have not read this series you are missing out on a brilliant, original masterpiece that is unlike anything you have read before.  

What are you waiting for?!  

Go pick up The Tiger's Curse series N.O.W.! 

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Now - as my friend Emily would say - I need to go nurse my "book hangover."  What's a book hangover, you might ask?!  Well, it is:

"The inability to start a new book because you're still living in the last book's world!"  

On that note, maybe I will just re-read Tiger's Destiny.  After all, there might be some foreshadowing for book five that I missed!

Question of the Day:

What is the best book series YOU have ever read?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo