With all of the stress of school, sometimes you need to run away for a few hours and get lost in another world. What better way to do so then reading a book? Is there a book that will offer me lessons on friendship, love, adventure, and family? The last few years have been swallowed in the essence of Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. Each of those books had something great to offer, but
where do you turn to now? If you want a teen novel that you will love just as much, then you MUST read the Tiger’s Curse Series, by Colleen Houck. If I were to describe it in one word, it would be “amazing”. There are four books in the series and they give you everything that you could possibly want.
The Tiger’s Curse is set in Oregon and India and flashes back and forth from thousands of years ago to the present. Basically, the story is about two Indian princes (Kishan and Dhiren) that were put under a curse that turned them into tigers. They are now immortal and can only turn back into men for a few minutes in a day. Fate connects them to Kelsey, an eighteen-year-old girl that’s trying to put her life back together, and together they go on mystical adventures to try and break the curse. While traveling around the world (and out of this world), Kelsey falls in love with both of the brothers. For those of you who are Vampire Diaries fans, you will see some similarities, but Houck keeps the readers guessing with constant twists and turns.
Kelsey is a strong, independent character, and she consistently grows throughout the series, so if you are a big fan of the Bella-Edward “save me” relationship, this book may not be for you. In fact, Kelsey is on the other end of the spectrum of Bella. There are times that you want to shake your book and tell her to just “kiss him already!” Both of the brothers are simply to die for. If you have never been part of a teen die-hard team, you might fall to the epidemic this time around.Not only are the two men charming and deliciously attractive, they are probably two of the most perfect men in modern teen literature. Within the first few chapters, you cannot help but fall in love with them.
If you are a Harry Potter and Hunger Games fan, the rich history of India and its culture will appeal to you. Houck has really gone above and beyond to give the readers a sense of the Indian culture. She also uses different mythologies ranging from vampires, Hindu references, and her own creations to give depth to the adventures. With that said, you do not need any kind of background to read this book. Each adventure will take you to a place you have never imagined. Just expect to enjoy flipping through pages while learning a few new things.
At the end of reading most of the series mentioned above, most people would agree that there was a longing for so much more, but for the first time, after reading a series, I really felt satisfied after closing this book. But before you can get that satisfaction, you have to start reading. Beware, do not begin this series right before an exam, because once you start reading you cannot stop!
Photo source: http://sellerslibraryteens.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-review-tigers-curse…