Jenny Reviews Tiger's Curse

Tiger's Curse
By Colleen Houck
Release Date: 2011
Publisher: Splinter
Hardback, 403 pages (purchased)

What the inside flap has to say...

Passion. Fate. Loyalty. 

Would you risk is 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, spell-binding 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. 

First off, isn't that cover pretty? Really that picture up above doesn't do it justice. it's even better up close and in person. Between the colors, intricate designs and the pink nose and brilliant blue eyes of the tiger it's not hard to see why this book has a permanent place on my shelf for the cover alone. But we all know it's the story that really matters here and just like the cover, its wonderful.

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. I kept passing it up telling myself I would get to it eventually. Pft. I should have picked it up sooner. After reading the first couple pages of chapter one and seeing that our girl Kelsey here gets to work at a circus I was sold though. A circus, you guys! How fun is that?

Colleen Houck does such a wonderful job in describing the setting from the jungles and temples in India to the roadside stops that I had no trouble getting immersed in the every time I picked up the book. I very much enjoyed the Indiana Jones moments. The characters are so well developed that I had no problem connecting with them. I absolutely adore Kelsey's relationship with Ren, the tiger and the man. They have banter! I love banter. And Ren has that cute old school charm going for him, the ask first before kissing kind.
Though, I did have a slight issue in the beginning with dear Kelsey. She had a habit of getting on my nerves. She was a little too .... responsible? No... thoughtful? Ugh, my brain is failing me and I can't think of the right word. Let me put it this way, if a guy offers you a round-trip to India with ALL expenses paid plus a large chunk of change as payment when you return home, do you calmly reply "wow, that's a great offer. Let me think about it?" (Not an exact quote).  No! You yell "Heck yes!" *fistpump* and then compose yourself and weigh the pros and cons.
Note: I may or may not have yelled this same complaint while in a car full family members while driving through the Carolina mountains during our camping trip. And they may or may not have simply stared at me like I was crazy and went back to what they were doing. Not one of them sharing my feelings.

All  in all, it's a really good book and I can't wait to jump back into the series. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something just a little different. Don't let the first short chunk of the book fool you, it gets really good.


An extra bit:
Some books have quotes that just stand out while you're reading and stick with you long after you're done. Not every book you read has one and there isn't always a reason why a particular quote stands out. This was one of those books for me. So I shall share . . .

He shifted, lying down again. "Now, turn around and go to sleep. I'm warning you that I plan to sleep with you in my arms all night long. Who knows when, or if, I'll ever get to do it again. So try to relax, and for heaven's sake, don't wiggle!"  (page 309)