Tiger's Destiny (Book 4 in the Tiger's Curse Series)

So, I finally decided it was time to read Tiger’s Destiny by Colleen Houck. I had tried to start it a couple of times previously, but I guess the timing wasn't right as I never got more than a chapter into the book. The final book starts in a less than an ideal situation that made me profoundly unhappy, so I chose to deal with it as best I could, by just turning away. It was unfortunate then, but I think now I was finally in a place where I could lend my full attention to the story and allow it to take me where it wanted me to go. Oh yes, I railed. I was in a book-flinging mood for most of the story. I despaired of ever getting to my desired outcome for all the characters, my friends and family, for that’s what they had become after four books. I believe in just desserts. I also believe that those that are unworthy do not always receive their comeuppance. Sometimes the bad guys win and the good guys get the shaft. I didn't want to see that happen to the characters I had come to love so much. The entire series was fraught with so much tension. So much misery befell our friends and sometimes it was hard to read on. I believed, though. No matter what our heroes encountered, of what fate had destined for them, no matter the hardship or heartbreak, and there was a lot, I never stopped believing that good would triumph in the end and everyone, both good and bad, would get what they deserved. I will not tell you the outcome. Spoilers! And I will not give a scene by scene recitation. What I will tell you is why I am so passionate about this series. Warning: This is not my normal format for a review!! First, I loved the world the author created. The majority of the story takes place in India now, but there are a lot of flashback sequences to fill in the back story on our Tiger princes and how they came to be cursed. It was a rich and vibrant canvas woven, every weft and weave clearly illuminated in the minutest detail. It is a beautiful world, one that I have enjoyed being in every minute of the journey. Second, I loved the characters. They were open and honest to the reader. I felt I could understand them, I could feel their full range of emotions. I became absorbed in their lives. I took joy in their triumphs and despaired in their setbacks and I could feel their pain. I found I was talking to them, well, I say talking, I really mean yelling. Well, when I say characters, I mean only one. Specifically, Kelsey. She made me so angry most of the time, I found that I was yelling at her, for her stupidity, her stubbornness, her blindness, any number of things. I was so invested in their lives that I found it hard to step back. The story itself was also so well constructed. There were ups and downs, victories and setbacks, love and hatred. It’s a mystery and a quest. How did the princes become cursed and how could the curse be broken? And how to succeed when the embodiment of all that is unholy is hot on your tail? Literally. I found I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen next. And once things started happening that were not according to my desires, I had to keep reading to see if the book would get back on track, if I could somehow affect the series unfolding on the page by the passion and strength of my will. The emotions the story drew forth were very real and palpable. I felt angry at the misfortune beset upon our heroes and the acts of evil perpetrated upon them by the villain of the story. My heart raced at the danger my friends faced and I felt elated when they triumphed. I felt their heartbreak from love gone wrong. I was truly invested in their story and the outcome of their quest. The story was so wonderfully written from beginning to end and I knew I would be despondent upon finishing the tale. As it turns out, after I started reading this final chapter, I saw that Ms. Houck is going to be adding another chapter to the story, Tiger’s Dream. And I cannot wait for that one to come out!

*May contain spoilers from previous books In the last book, Kelsey was kidnapped by Lokesh. Kelsey scrambles and tries to distract Lokesh and convince him that she has power, but the power really comes from Durga’s gifts. She doesn’t know how long she can keep up the ruse so Ren and Kishan can save her. Eventually, she is reunited with Nilima and Mr. Kadam. Mr. Kadam and Nilima disappeared suddenly during Lokesh’s attack in the last book, and Mr. Kadam seems somber and changed by something he has seen and acts as if he is hiding something from them all. Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan will have many perilous adventures in front of them and have to face even more sacrifices as they obtain the Rope of Fire and complete the prophecy. All of them will face more things than they have bargained for. To defeat Lokesh, the trio will have to face him in another time. Will Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan get the endings that the dream for? Kelsey is still in a relationship with Kishan but that definitely doesn’t stop Ren from making it know he cares about Kelsey and will always be there for her. She wants Kishan to have a happy ending, but still wants Ren in her life because she can’t see herself living without either one. I have been rooting for Ren ever since I found out who he was. I have always felt the chemistry in Kelsey’s and Ren’s banter, blow-ups, make-ups. I feel like Kishan just needed someone to build him back up and Kelsey took on that role. I still really like Kishan because he is so patient and is in Kelsey’s words, “safe.” Kelsey has been a lot through her quest to help the brother’s and Kishan provides her the stability she needs while Ren makes her feel unsteady and her life unpredictable. This logic follows most of Kelsey’s turmoil when choosing one brother over the other. Like Kelsey, I want Kishan to be happy. Both of the brothers have been trapped for too long and need someone to complete them. As other reviews have mentioned, there have been moments of foreshadowing sprinkled not only in this book but throughout the series. I’m the type of reader that feels in the moment and doesn’t really put too much though in what will happen. The ending definitely made sense, but I am torn how I feel about. At times, I feel like a storm has raced through my emotions leaving me raw, but other times I find some peace. The Tiger series has made my heart soar and crash so many times. The action, the adventure, the romance, the struggle, just everything about this book was moving in some way. This series made a huge impression on me and am sad that I finished. Not many books impact in this way and I felt sad knowing I was finished and that I was no longer a part of the world that Colleen has cleverly crafted. It’s made me want to get back into my writing. I can’t wait until Reawakened, her Egyptian book, will be out next year. I also need to get my hands on a physical copy of Tiger’s Promise, the prequel to the series, because it has a chapter on Tiger’s Dream, the fifth book in the series. I have no clue what Colleen has in store for that book and I’m anxious to find out.

Tiger's Curse is without a doubt my current favorite book series, and Tiger's Destiny does not disappoint. Definitely Colleen's best book to date. The action flows more smoothly this time around. Of course, I adored the first two books as well, but I felt like some of the action scenes were slightly forced. Voyage was better in that aspect, but Destiny is the perfect blend of romance, action, and adventure. My only complaint is that I actually wanted MORE filler (don't say that very often!). Destiny is more plot-driven, as opposed to its predecessors. That sounds like a good thing, but I actually missed the casual filler. I believe Colleen's publisher made her cut down the book, which is a shame. Nevertheless, Destiny is amazing. And I gotta say, I thought I had the whole thing figured out but the bittersweet ending really surprised me! Speaking of the ending, you'll definitely feel like you've finished the entire series after reading this book. All the loose ends seem to be tied. In fact, I believe I started panicking when I finished it because I thought I was wrong about there being five books in the series. But rest assured, there will be a book 5. As a fan from the beginning, I'm so excited to see how Colleen has grown as a writer. The action scenes and clever plotting are finally catching up to the romance, which has always been great. I can't wait to read whatever she writes next! And of course, if you haven't read Tiger's Curse yet ... I recommend you do so.

Das Cover Die Cover der Reihe sind alle wunderschön, aber das hier gehört mit zu meinem absoluten Favorit. Ich liebe die Gestaltung des Buchumschlags. Sowohl der edle Rahmen mit seiner Verspieltheit und dem Hauch von 1001 Nacht, als auch die Farbexplosionen, die dennoch so harmonisch wirkt. Natürlich ist auch das Bild des Phönix einfach nur schön und zudem sehr passend, wenn man das Buch dann gelesen hat. Ein sehr ansprechendes, magisches Cover, das mir im Kopf geblieben ist und sicher zu den Schönsten in meinem Regal gehört. Kurze Inhaltsbeschreibung Das Buch setzt ganz genau da an, wo der dritte Band der Reihe aufgehört hat. Man erfährt was mit Kelsey passiert ist und wie es ihr in letzter Zeit ergangen ist. Ren und Kishan tauchen auf, um sie aus den Fängen von Lokesh zu befreien. Doch obwohl es ihnen gelingt, steht ihnen dreien noch ein weiteres Abenteuer bevor, das sie bis ans Ende ihrer Kräfte und vielleicht darüber hinaus treibt. Kelsey ist kurz davor alles zu gewinnen, oder alles zu verlieren. Wird es ihr gelingen Lokesh zu besiegen und den Fluch, der auf den Brüdern liegt, zu brechen? Schreibstil und Storyverlauf Der Teil hat mir bisher am allerbesten gefallen. Von Anfang an war Spannung in der Handlung, die diesmal auch zu keiner Zeit einbrach. Das Abenteuer, dass Kelsey, Ren und Kishan erleben, ist sicher nicht nur das Spannendste, sondern auch Emotionalste. Allein von der Art und Weise des Abenteuers, als auch der Zeit und dem ort war ich sofort begeistert. Eine hoch interessante Wendung in der Geschichte gibt dem ganzen noch einen zusätzlichen Reiz und einen Touch Magie, der hervorragend in diese indischen Legenden und Geschichten passte. Ganz toll. Das Ende war zudem so märchenhaft, dass es perfekt zu der etwas kitschigen, sehr märchenhaften – eben – Geschichte gepasst hat. Mich hat es genau deswegen, weil es so hervorragend zur Geschichte passte, restlos überzeugt. Ein gelungener Abschluss, wenngleich ich erfahren habe, dass es doch noch einen fünften Band geben soll. Hier muss ich ehrlich zugeben, dass ich nicht denke, das ich ihn lesen werde. Für mich ist das Ende rund und gut so, wie es ist. Die Charaktere und ihre Entwicklung Kelsey hat mir sonst ja doch immer wieder Kopfzerbrechen bereitet. Auch hier war es zwischenzeitlich wieder der Fall. Sie kam immer wieder in konfuser Art und Weise nicht damit klar, was sie nun für welchen Bruder empfindet. Wobei das vielleicht schon, aber obwohl es ihr eigentlich klar war und sie es auch endlich sich selbst gegenüber eingesteht, weigert sie sich das Richtige zu tun, sondern hält sich an ein Versprechen. Doch dann kommt der Punkt, wo sie endlich mal darüber nachdenkt, wo man mehr Einblicke in ihr Innenleben bekommt und endlich auch ihre Ängste kennenlernt und versteht. Und danach war es tatsächlich so, dass ich emotional ganz nah bei ihr war und richtig, richtig in der Geschichte aufgegangen bin. Umso dramatischer war dann das sehr emotionale Ende. Kishan und Ren sind nach wie vor zwei tolle Protagonisten und Brüder. Natürlich sind beide etwas perfekt und in dem Buch hat man ohnehin das Gefühl es laufend nur mit super hübschen, tollen Menschen zu tun zu haben. Aber gut, das ist dann wohl der Kitschfaktor. Ich hab es einfach mal so hingenommen. Die Dialoge waren spritzig, die beiden Brüder zusammen waren lustig und sehr cool. Und jeder der beiden mit Kelsey auf seine Art und Weise süß. Schon klar, dass sie sich schwer entscheiden kann. Mir ginge es sicher auch so, denn die beiden sind jeder auf seine Art toll und ich mochte sie sehr, sehr gerne. Fazit Obwohl es noch einen Band geben soll, ist die Reihe für mich mit diesem Buch abgeschlossen. Ich empfand diesen vierten Teil als einen würdigen, genialen und wunderschön, märchenhaften, romantischen Abschied von einer Reihe, die mich insgesamt sehr gefesselt, in eine andere Welt entführt und schließlich doch zu einer unglaublichen Geschichte gebracht hat. Die Charaktere lasse ich am Ende tatsächlich nur ungern gehen. Für Magiefans und romantische Leserherzen sicher ein Muss.

Pleasure reading which I really love and recommend! I am an adult and I just love it.

Colleen Houck does it again, another awesome book in her Tiger Sage. Great thing about this series is none of the books feel rushed and the quality doesn't go down after each continuation in the series like sadly, a lot of others do. This is my all time favourite series and this ending was sad and yet perfect at the same time.

This book was a great read and was filled with excitement adventure love and magical creatures. It is based on a culture I knew nothing if and a time where anything can happen.

dernier volume de cette épopée que j'ai beaucoup aimé. Autant pour les lieux que je connais en partie et que je retrouve avec délice que pour les références à toute la mythologie contenue. On n'a pas besoin de tout prendre au premier degré! - J'aime donc malgré une fin triste en partie - mais il fallait s'y attendre!