A vigilante fights for justice at any cost. Wallis Stoneman isn’t like other teenage girls. She’s beautiful, fearless, and deadly.
Wally lives alone in her Brooklyn loft. She’d be a regular teenager, except that she’s the daughter of a Russian assassin. Crime is in Wally’s blood, but she uses her legacy for good: she solves missing persons cases for the Ursula Society, an under-the-radar organization that uses oft-illegal tactics to find people the police have given up on.
The person Wally most wants to find? Tiger, her own fugitive brother. But the closer Wally gets to finding Tiger, the more dangerous her search becomes. And Klesko, Wally and Tiger’s sadistic father, is again at large. With two highly-skilled con men against them, Wally and Tiger band together to destroy a conspiracy in which they—and their hearts—are mere pawns.
William Harlan Richter is a Hollywood screenwriter. He was nominated for an Emmy Award as Producer of “We Stand Alone Together”, the documentary episode of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. William was born and raised in California.
It's no secret that I loved Dark Eyes. I put it into the hand of every teen--and adult!--that I can. I thought it was fresh, original, and the best thing of all--it isn't in any way patronizing to teen readers. I was THRILLED when I heard there was going to be a sequel. I almost flipped when it finally appeared on netgalley.
Tiger is easily just as good as Dark Eyes. Wally finds herself in very adult situations in this book: she is emancipated, living on her own, working, searching for her long-lost brother who has been involved in the Russian mafia. So, you know, not normal teen stuff.
The thing that makes Wally both endearing and infuriating is that she simply can't help herself. She can't NOT help Kyle. She can't NOT use her work connections to look for Tiger. She is compelled to action almost constantly. Luckily, she's relatively good at taking care of herself, but it's so interesting to watch her work out these mysteries and also to sort through the reasons for her compulsion to act. For an action book, Wally is by herself a lot of the time, and her thoughts and reasoning are just as interesting as the various chases, shootouts, gang encounters, and intrigue.
Both of these books could easily have been adult books, but they work well for teens. Wally may not be your typical teen, but that's what makes her so interesting to read. I don't know how I'll wait for the next book. Librarians: give this one to teens and adults!
"Tiger" by William Richter is book 2 in the "Dark Eyes" trilogy (?). This is an action packed story that not only supplies fast paced action, but it is also a marvelous story about loss and redemption. The story revolves around Wallis Stoneman who helps bring together family members who have lost each others for one reason or another. She also is looking for her brother Tiger whom she lost track of 5 months before. One day she comes across Kyle a young man looking for his birth mother and running from a dangerous father. The characters are not only well written, but come alive and jump at you with belie-ability. Having depth and real emotions the reader can't help but become invested in their outcome. From the start the story is propelled forward by their stories and the consequences of their actions. The story is loaded with twist and turns that continually caught me off guard and that in turn kept me turning pages. From one moment to the next the surprises keep coming revealing as much about the story as it does about the characters. Having been raised and living a great deal of my life in NYC (Manhattan) it was a familiar world that kept me interested in it's accuracy of detail. I haven't read the first book "Dark Eyes" (the titles meaning is now very clear to me) but that in no way was an obstacle to my fully enjoying the story. The series is suppose to be a trilogy, but this book having been written in 2013 it's been 8 years and I can find nothing about a book 3. Which is sad considering that this books ended with the promise of an even better story to come. This is a great story and I'm very happy I picked it up on a whim at my local discount store. A must read that should be on the shelf of readers looking for a great action packed, story driven book.
This book was the best!!...It was definitely a page-turner and I loved how everything finally linked but the ending was not satisfying..at least not for me because I wanted more of the 'happy-ending' feeling...But overall, I enjoyed reading this book and is one of my favourites! Hopefully..A third part will come...
While this isn't quite the same constant tension and heart-poundingly exciting story as "Dark Eyes", "Tiger" takes us to a quieter, softer place within the head and heart of Wally and her brother Tiger, and also sets us up with a merciless and shameless cliffhanger for book three. And while Wally is still the same badass we saw in book one, she's also grown quite a bit, and continues to grow all throughout "Tiger". If you've started your journey with "Dark Eyes", you simply must continue with book two in the series, "Tiger".
In this book, we get more introduced to Wally's brother, Tiger, who we meet in the denouement of book one with the shootout at Shelter Island. While we don't get a whole lot of character development on him (compared to Wally - though to be fair, Tiger is just joining the main cast), I'm hoping that will happen more in book three. However, Richter sets up Tiger very well - a simple character, with simple objectives but with a lot to build on. His want for a sister, a mother figure, a real life without working as a death dealer like he has for so many years alongside his father - all of this makes Tiger a very good, malleable character. Just watching his development in this book alone was incredibly fun, as were his scenes with Wally. It took awhile for him and Wally to get together, but it happened, and by that point, I was pretty much cheering in my seat.
As for Wally, she was a little more complicated this time around in terms of her development - especially with a certain (pseudo)romantic entanglement that comes up early on in the book (but I won't spoil anything more on that point). I feel like she's still very emotionally fragile after Shelter Island, and Richter does everything in his power to really emphasize that in everything Wally says, thinks, and does in this book throughout the entire arc. Some of her actions are definitely going to raise readers' eyebrows (I know mine went up to my hairline at some points), but Richter does a lot of bait and switch, so that when you're at the end of the book, everything will make sense.
However, all of this emotional development with Wally does make for some uneven pacing, which is what kind of threw me off and why I feel this book isn't quite as strong as book one. While the non-stop tension and action that kicks in at the start of the second third of the book does make up a bit for that uneven pacing, it wasn't quite enough. While I loved the emotional highs and lows (as well as the awesome chase scenes and fight scenes), I feel like it could have been a bit smoother and still manage to keep hearts pounding at the same time in terms of Wally's development and how that guided her actions.
But it's not all feels, guys. There's a lot of violence, and fun violence, at that. There's a ton of action, and even though it's not quite as much as what we saw in book one, there's still more than enough to excite thriller fans reading this series. I think you'll find yourself standing and cheering Wally and Tiger on toward their sneaky cliffhangery end. And we see the return of two beloved friends from book one, so it's definitely a must-read if just to see how all of this chaos comes together.
Final verdict? While not as galvanizing as book one, "Tiger" brings it hard and heavy and full of character and world development that will make any fan of book one very happy. I know it did for me. "Tiger" is out March 21, 2013 from Penguin in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance. Also look forward to an interview with the author on the blog soon!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Warning: This is the second book in a series and this review may contain slight spoilers of the first book.
After the tragic events at the end of Dark Eyes, Wally is now emancipated, living on her own and working for the Ursula Society — an organization that helps people find missing loved ones. Though Wally is only allowed to work on updating the files, she can’t help herself when Kyle, a troubled and obviously abused young man, comes into the center. She is drawn to him, and since her search for her brother, Tiger, has turned up no new leads, she needs a distraction.
But there are people after Kyle — dangerous people — and by agreeing to help him, Wally’s opened herself up to even more danger, and this time, she may not get out alive.
I loved Wally in the first book. She’s strong, determined, and even though her curiosity leads her into danger, I loved her impulsiveness. That Wally is still here, but there were things that happened in this book that left me scratching my head a bit. Red flags popped up early in the book, and she seemed oblivious to them. I couldn’t help but wonder why, after everything she went through in the first book, these dangers weren’t blatantly obvious to her.
I also wanted more Tiger. It was nice to learn more about him, but I felt like he wasn’t in the book as much as I would have liked. I mean the book is named Tiger after all. I thought it would primarily be his story.
The action is just as fast-paced as in the first book, and despite my character expectations, the story was great. I read this in a day — I couldn’t put it down. My only complaint was the abrupt cliffhanger ending. The first book ended so nicely with a hint of hope, but this one is like a hit and run.
Despite a few minor flaws, I really enjoyed this book. This series is a nice change of pace for someone looking for an action-packed story that will leave you breathless.
If you read Dark Eyes, you know that Wally's story didn't end with the disappearance of a brother she just found out about and her father being used as target practice for the FBI. Tiger has the same somewhat detached narrative voice as book one, but I found that this installment went deeper into the story of Wally and the past she is still trying to uncover. Wally was still sad about the death of her mom and there was something a little more mature about her because of it, I think. I liked the development of her character into someone who wants to help others reunite with lost loved ones and that caring exposes a vulnerability that causes some trouble for our heroine. We also get to see her brother, Tiger, and learn about his life. He did not have the privileges that Wally did and that contrast in their upbringing brings an interesting dynamic to their quest to learn more about each other. That aspect of the story was probably my favorite thing about this book.
I definitely felt more drawn into this story. Perhaps because I felt like I knew Wally better, but whatever it was, I had a hard time putting this book down. Tiger was just as action-packed as Dark Eyes, with a lot of ass kicking and movie worthy stunts. A bit unrealistic? Well, yes, but really fun to read. It's like watching an action movie. There is a certain suspension of belief necessary, but it is still a well structured story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged in the book. There were old friends, narrow escapes, death and betrayals which, for me, is an excellent recipe for a quick and intense read. The ending was very suspenseful and it is going to be very hard to wait for book three!
(READ TO THE END- I found information on possibly a third book?)this book is a fast-pace thriller that will keep you turning the pages. you will constantly want to know what's happening next. I honestly liked Tiger even more than Dark Eyes. plus, the ending of dark eyes really bothered me even though I loved the book. speaking of endings, after finishing Tiger, I'm dying to know if there will be a third book! the ending definitely suggests it! however, it is 2016 and it's been 3 years since he wrote Tiger so it makes me wonder. I did find this one interview that happened after Dark Eyes and Tiger were both completed that gives me hope.
"What is a story you want to tell next?"
WR (William Richter) : "I have another installment for DARK EYES in the works (the redemption of Alexei Klesko!?!?), plus an adult crime novel and a screen project–none of which I’m ready to talk specifics about… but thanks for asking!
In the back of my mind, I’ve been working forever on a Hawaiian history story. One day it will come together and I’ll be ready to go with it, but that hasn’t happened yet."
it sounds like he's really busy, which could explain the delay. hopefully there will be a 3rd book! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
William Richter’s TIGER is an action-packed thriller that will make even rom-com junkies keep turning the pages.
Wallis Stoneman is a 16 year old girl who has a lot on her plate. After her mother was killed in the Shelter Island shoot out, Wally’s only family left – aside from her father, who Wally doesn’t count – is her brother, Tiger, who she is determined to find.
Wally works as an intern for the Ursula Society, a company who reunites people who have been separated at whatever the cost. Enter Kyle Townsend, a 17-year-old with an abusive father and a nonexistent mother he wants to track down. Wally and Kyle drive out to a lodge in the middle of nowhere to chase down a lead, where they begin to develop feelings for each other.
Their trip is interrupted when a henchmen of Kyle’s father find them at the cabin. Wally and Kyle escape, but not before setting the lodge on fire in a struggle to get free. Then at a gas station, where they stop for some food, Kyle takes off.
Following the events in Dark Eyes, Wally Stoneman is now an emancipated minor living alone in a Brooklyn loft, working for the Ursula Society to help find missing persons. Of course the missing person she wants to find most is her brother Tiger, currently on the lam. Soon Kyle, a guy about Wally's age walks in to the Ursula office seeking help in finding his mother. Wally soon finds herself involved perhaps to the point of crossing the line; as well as finding out somehow her search for Tiger is interconnected.
Good title for those who like intense action, which is not in short supply, as is the violence and profanity. Feels like you're watching a Hollywood action film; after all, the author has worked as a screenwriter. I was glad I read Dark Eyes first; I definitely got more out of it as far as the background. Teens will like Wally's tough-as-nails demeanor as well as cliffhanger ending, which has me thinking another sequel is coming soon!
This was a pretty good book. It was a good read but it wasn't as exciting as I anticipated it would be. The plot was nice but it wasn't as strong as the first book "Dark Eyes" so it just seemed a little less exciting too me. What I really like is how Wally is a very head strong girl and has determination in reaching her goal, which was to find her brother's whereabouts. She is a strong female character who can stand her own and is not afraid to be violent. Although the plot wasn't as exciting as the first book it was still a good read.
2.5 stars. Not great at all--I ended up skimming quite a bit. Wally was stone-cold in the first book and turns all emotional and teeny-bopper "does he like me?" in this one. Plot was a wild and twisty ride, with wildly improbably violent encounters interspersed with Wally losing any semblance to confidence she may have had. I know it's YA, but I wouldn't hand it to my middle-schooler as the stuff he reads is generally better than this. Finally, half the point of the book seems to be to set up for a third. One I will definitely not pick up.
Just stayed up late reading an advance copy on Tiger...I didn't realize it was a series. Not having read the first was awkward but I thought the past was just being mysterious not that I had missed a book. Somewhat of a cliffhanger ending which is going to do nothing for helping me fall asleep now. Page- turner action and adventure with smart but human teen characters I wouldn't want to meet but would be glad if they had my back.
Book #2 in series about Russian mobster siblings Wally & Tiger. Wally tries desperately to track down her missing brother Tiger, while he tries to hide among a band of nasty criminals. Something about this series reminds me of the Alex Rider books - could have to do with the screenwriting backgrounds of both authors. The action is particularly well thought-out and described in just the right amount of detail. Totally looking forward to more!
Overall, TIGER was good but it just didn't live up to my high expectations. So whether you have read the first book or not, I would still recommend this series, especially if you're looking for a book to pass the time with or to continue the series for the sake of finding out what happens to all of our characters.
I actually enjoyed this a little bit better than the first one! I typically do not like female teenage protagonists, but Wally is kickass. Most female protagonists are whiney and annoying, so having Wally strong, independent and smart made this book even more enjoyable. Her character development is actually very well written and is pretty realistic. Not digging the cliffhanger-with-no-news-on-the-next-book thing going on, but I guess it'll probably be worth the wait.
When I requested this title from NetGalley, I didn't realize it was a sequel. However, I was still able to appreciate Tiger without having read the first book in the series. This book had some great action sequences and a witty, smart heroine. In some instances, the dialogue felt a little off, like in one scene with gang members, but otherwise this was a fun, fast read.
Wally is an emancipated teen who witnessed the murder of her mother. Her father is a Russian mafia hitman. When she finds out she has a brother named Tiger she tries to find a way to reunite with him. This is the second book in a series about the two siblings. The book provides entertainment and action for the reader.
A very good follow up to it's predecessor Dark Eyes. I was wondering how both Wally's and Tiger's stories would intertwine and Richter came up with a great twist for it to happen.
Really enjoyed the action of this book. It would have been a more believable fiction had the lead character not been so extremely young for all the knowledge she possessed.