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Tiger's Tale #1
Tiger's Tale
From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck, Tiger‘s Tale reimagines the epic fantasy that delighted readers with romance, danger, and magic, leaving them breathless and yearning for more.
The Tiger's Curse takes many forms ...
Anastasia and Verusha Stepanov are the tsar's only children, heirs to the prosperous and sprawling Kievian Empire. Headstrong and fierce, the twins have long scorned their father's opulent palace and the diplomatic obligations that come with it, preferring to train with the Royal Guard and dream of a soldier's life beyond the palace walls.
But with their father lost in the recent war and their once indomitable mother succumbing to illness, the young women know that one of them must soon ascend the throne, make a politically advantageous marriage, and begin producing heirs. Yet, the succession is far from clear as both would prefer the path of the second born: head the Royal Guard, travel the far reaches of the empire, and seek out a destiny of her own making.
As their beloved mother's condition worsens, the sisters grow more desperate, seeking any healer who might give her more time. But when a stranger arrives offering another option, the sisters refuse his proposal and banish the strange man. As he departs, the stranger unleashes a devastating curse that sends Veru and Stacia fleeing their home on an adventure beyond anything they ever imagined ...
The Tiger's Curse takes many forms ...
Anastasia and Verusha Stepanov are the tsar's only children, heirs to the prosperous and sprawling Kievian Empire. Headstrong and fierce, the twins have long scorned their father's opulent palace and the diplomatic obligations that come with it, preferring to train with the Royal Guard and dream of a soldier's life beyond the palace walls.
But with their father lost in the recent war and their once indomitable mother succumbing to illness, the young women know that one of them must soon ascend the throne, make a politically advantageous marriage, and begin producing heirs. Yet, the succession is far from clear as both would prefer the path of the second born: head the Royal Guard, travel the far reaches of the empire, and seek out a destiny of her own making.
As their beloved mother's condition worsens, the sisters grow more desperate, seeking any healer who might give her more time. But when a stranger arrives offering another option, the sisters refuse his proposal and banish the strange man. As he departs, the stranger unleashes a devastating curse that sends Veru and Stacia fleeing their home on an adventure beyond anything they ever imagined ...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
57 people are currently reading
6536 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Houck
27 books9,221 followersNew York Times Bestselling Author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Formerly a student at the University of Arizona, she worked as a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter for seventeen years before switching careers to become an author. Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers. Follow her by signing up for her e-newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Want to read
May 15, 2024The atrocity has a cover:
The synopsis is up and wow. It sounds like a complete train wreck. Which means that ofc I will buy it right away.
Did I mention that while I got rid of most of my teenage sins including Twilight, I have the Tiger Saga in shiny, shimmery hardbacks on my shelf of honor*?
*the shelf of honor is not for quality reads, it's for the trash I LOVE
BOOK 6??????????????
No one told me about this!!
In fact, no one told me about book 5, either. I just casually stalk Colleen Houck's author page every few months.
In an age where I read everything on my ereader (I just don't have the space at home!!), I own the Tiger Series in Hardback.
I would never call them Masterpieces of Literature or anything like that. They are a binge-worthy comfort read for no better reason than it makes me remember the time when I first read the books.
I never get sick of the characters, dialogues, or the cheese.
It's like eating a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Sure I could have a better burger or better fries or a better atmosphere. But this is the taste I know and that is worth something.
Hell yes I will read this.
The synopsis is up and wow. It sounds like a complete train wreck. Which means that ofc I will buy it right away.
Did I mention that while I got rid of most of my teenage sins including Twilight, I have the Tiger Saga in shiny, shimmery hardbacks on my shelf of honor*?
*the shelf of honor is not for quality reads, it's for the trash I LOVE
BOOK 6??????????????
No one told me about this!!
In fact, no one told me about book 5, either. I just casually stalk Colleen Houck's author page every few months.
In an age where I read everything on my ereader (I just don't have the space at home!!), I own the Tiger Series in Hardback.
I would never call them Masterpieces of Literature or anything like that. They are a binge-worthy comfort read for no better reason than it makes me remember the time when I first read the books.
I never get sick of the characters, dialogues, or the cheese.
It's like eating a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Sure I could have a better burger or better fries or a better atmosphere. But this is the taste I know and that is worth something.
Hell yes I will read this.
January 5, 2025
1/5/2025: Tiger's Curse lore still has a chokehold on me.
6/11/2024: There's another one?!!?! I love this series but the last book (installment #5) was so bad. 😭
6/11/2024: There's another one?!!?! I love this series but the last book (installment #5) was so bad. 😭
December 4, 2024
I somehow deleted my review from this book - which makes me quite sad because I spent a lot of time writing about this particular book. Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be.
Basically...the writing is poor quality, with chapters that feel unnecessary - namely the backstories for people who aren't even main characters or play an influence on the story - the Empress literally dies within the first 5% of the book and yet it felt like it was necessary to include two whole chapters about how she and the Emporer met.
The characters are flat and caught in one-dimensional traps that make them detestable and unlikable. The sisters are indistinguishable besides the fact that one is smart and one is pretty and they express their dissatisfaction over those qualities more than anything else about themselves. There are specific characters that I find to be problematic and their actions are justified by 'trauma', which I think is a poor excuse to be obsessive and creepy.
The pacing is wack and is only more disruptive when a chapter switches multiple povs without any indication of changing. At times it felt like you would be reading the same scene more than once because you'd read it from multiple people's perspectives.
And overall there felt like such huge potential to include Russian folklore and creatures...but they were really only present in a backstory and were completely absent the rest of the story. It was such a shame when they were about the only good part of the book.
In summary, it's disappointing, but I'm not surprised by the result of this reading. It's a shame when I've been a fan of Houck's works for a very long time, but it's also a sign that we all grow and evolve. Ain't that just the way.
Basically...the writing is poor quality, with chapters that feel unnecessary - namely the backstories for people who aren't even main characters or play an influence on the story - the Empress literally dies within the first 5% of the book and yet it felt like it was necessary to include two whole chapters about how she and the Emporer met.
The characters are flat and caught in one-dimensional traps that make them detestable and unlikable. The sisters are indistinguishable besides the fact that one is smart and one is pretty and they express their dissatisfaction over those qualities more than anything else about themselves. There are specific characters that I find to be problematic and their actions are justified by 'trauma', which I think is a poor excuse to be obsessive and creepy.
The pacing is wack and is only more disruptive when a chapter switches multiple povs without any indication of changing. At times it felt like you would be reading the same scene more than once because you'd read it from multiple people's perspectives.
And overall there felt like such huge potential to include Russian folklore and creatures...but they were really only present in a backstory and were completely absent the rest of the story. It was such a shame when they were about the only good part of the book.
In summary, it's disappointing, but I'm not surprised by the result of this reading. It's a shame when I've been a fan of Houck's works for a very long time, but it's also a sign that we all grow and evolve. Ain't that just the way.
July 4, 2024
When the twin princesses Veru and Stacia lose their parents it becomes clear that neither of them are ready, nor do they particularly want to rule the empire left to them. When an accident with a sorcerer leaves them trapped in the bodies of tigers, they must find a way to break the curse before their empire dwindles or the evil sorcerer can steal their magical amulets for himself.
As a big fan of the original Tiger Curse series when I was in high school I was glad to see another one added to the series. This one strayed quite far from what I was expecting: adopting Russian and Tribal folklore rather than the Indian mythos I was prepared for. While that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—I find it interesting to learn about the traditions and mythology of different cultures—I did find that I was unfamiliar with a lot of the terminology and vocabulary used. A glossary would go a long way in helping the reader (because even if the context of the paragraph/dialogue lets you understand most of words you don’t actually know what they mean and the average person doesn’t want to stop and google translations every couple of sentences).
Unlike the previous books this one doesn’t allow the tigers to return to their human forms so after the first half of the book we get very little of them and more of the men they collect along the way to help them, which wasn’t that interesting to me—especially when they were mostly fighting over the girls’ attention (which in itself is also a little weird). It wasn’t until we met the third tiger, Iriko, that my interest was peaked again. Honestly he was the most interesting character in the entire book as the others (even the girls) kind of just fell flat.
This was a slow progressing plot with multiple pov changes within the same chapters that honestly got a bit confusing at times (one minute we would be hearing Nik’s thoughts and it would switch to Dannik or Veru). We didn’t get much of Stacia at all either, as both of the love interests were focused on Veru the entire book. I probably identified the most with Zakhar, who seemed to be the one that actually wanted to learn what happened and why rather than just breaking the curse. His intelligence and compassion made him very likeable.
As the book ended in the middle of the quest, I am positive there will be more in this spin off but unfortunately I will not be continuing with it.
As a big fan of the original Tiger Curse series when I was in high school I was glad to see another one added to the series. This one strayed quite far from what I was expecting: adopting Russian and Tribal folklore rather than the Indian mythos I was prepared for. While that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—I find it interesting to learn about the traditions and mythology of different cultures—I did find that I was unfamiliar with a lot of the terminology and vocabulary used. A glossary would go a long way in helping the reader (because even if the context of the paragraph/dialogue lets you understand most of words you don’t actually know what they mean and the average person doesn’t want to stop and google translations every couple of sentences).
Unlike the previous books this one doesn’t allow the tigers to return to their human forms so after the first half of the book we get very little of them and more of the men they collect along the way to help them, which wasn’t that interesting to me—especially when they were mostly fighting over the girls’ attention (which in itself is also a little weird). It wasn’t until we met the third tiger, Iriko, that my interest was peaked again. Honestly he was the most interesting character in the entire book as the others (even the girls) kind of just fell flat.
This was a slow progressing plot with multiple pov changes within the same chapters that honestly got a bit confusing at times (one minute we would be hearing Nik’s thoughts and it would switch to Dannik or Veru). We didn’t get much of Stacia at all either, as both of the love interests were focused on Veru the entire book. I probably identified the most with Zakhar, who seemed to be the one that actually wanted to learn what happened and why rather than just breaking the curse. His intelligence and compassion made him very likeable.
As the book ended in the middle of the quest, I am positive there will be more in this spin off but unfortunately I will not be continuing with it.
September 25, 2024
It seems forever ago since I was last in this literary universe. I loved the original, with Ren and Kelsey, and Kishan. And, I did love this one as well, it just took a lot of buildup to get to the actual story. And it looks as though the story will continue, like the others, with sequels, so that's good. Because it didn't really take off until well-into the second half. Good all around, just prepare to be in for the long-haul. When will the next one be out???
November 30, 2024
DNF at page 222
Stacia and Veru are twin princesses, neither of whom want to inherit the throne. They long for freedom and they train with the soldiers, hoping to someday get a military command that will allow them to travel the empire while their sister has to take the throne and make a good political marriage.
When their mother is on her deathbed, the twins send for any healer, priest, or doctor who can cure her, and an old wizard claims to have the power to heal. However, he unleashes a curse that transforms the twins into tigers, and now they must travel to the furthest mountains to find magic that will turn them back into humans again.
Nik is the faithful soldier who guides them into the mountains and finds food for the tigers, but he is hiding dark secrets of his own and a terrible past that he can never outrun.
I ended up DNFing this book for several reasons. I guess I was expecting this book to be just like the first series, Tiger's Curse, and it just wasn't, so I felt disappointed. There were so many flashbacks that the plot dragged very slowly. Flashbacks are not a good story structure. I did not care about the main characters, and I really hated Nik.
Most of the flashbacks have to do with Nik's dark past, and we learn about how he was abused as a child, and he killed his entire family. Parents, young siblings - murdered them all in their beds. It was just really really dark and gruesome, and after the sixth flashback of Nik being abused, I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't know if he is going to get a redemption later on in the series, but the dude is a murderer. That is some serious mental illness there, and I don't know how the author could possibly turn that around in a believable way. I hated his story so much.
The only part I liked was the musician hunter character who meets the tiger princesses, befriends them, and joins their quest. I guess he is like the Kelsey character in this new story, so I liked him. And I'm a musician, so I loved the descriptions of music!
The writing is good, but the plot structure suffered from all those flashbacks slowing it down. Usually, I love this author's writing, but I just couldn't stomach all the dark themes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
Stacia and Veru are twin princesses, neither of whom want to inherit the throne. They long for freedom and they train with the soldiers, hoping to someday get a military command that will allow them to travel the empire while their sister has to take the throne and make a good political marriage.
When their mother is on her deathbed, the twins send for any healer, priest, or doctor who can cure her, and an old wizard claims to have the power to heal. However, he unleashes a curse that transforms the twins into tigers, and now they must travel to the furthest mountains to find magic that will turn them back into humans again.
Nik is the faithful soldier who guides them into the mountains and finds food for the tigers, but he is hiding dark secrets of his own and a terrible past that he can never outrun.
I ended up DNFing this book for several reasons. I guess I was expecting this book to be just like the first series, Tiger's Curse, and it just wasn't, so I felt disappointed. There were so many flashbacks that the plot dragged very slowly. Flashbacks are not a good story structure. I did not care about the main characters, and I really hated Nik.
Most of the flashbacks have to do with Nik's dark past, and we learn about how he was abused as a child, and he killed his entire family. Parents, young siblings - murdered them all in their beds. It was just really really dark and gruesome, and after the sixth flashback of Nik being abused, I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't know if he is going to get a redemption later on in the series, but the dude is a murderer. That is some serious mental illness there, and I don't know how the author could possibly turn that around in a believable way. I hated his story so much.
The only part I liked was the musician hunter character who meets the tiger princesses, befriends them, and joins their quest. I guess he is like the Kelsey character in this new story, so I liked him. And I'm a musician, so I loved the descriptions of music!
The writing is good, but the plot structure suffered from all those flashbacks slowing it down. Usually, I love this author's writing, but I just couldn't stomach all the dark themes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
Want to read
February 11, 20256.17.24
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERES GOING TO BE A SIXTH BOOK?!?! 🫡 I didn’t reread this series and write four in depth reviews for nothing. I will SO be reading this when it comes out and am prepared to hate it just as much I hated my reread. This is basically gender bent Kishan and Ren 🫠 I cannot actually believe this exists and this isn’t a fever dream that came on from me rereading my reviews late at night. This is wild 👁️👄👁️
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERES GOING TO BE A SIXTH BOOK?!?! 🫡 I didn’t reread this series and write four in depth reviews for nothing. I will SO be reading this when it comes out and am prepared to hate it just as much I hated my reread. This is basically gender bent Kishan and Ren 🫠 I cannot actually believe this exists and this isn’t a fever dream that came on from me rereading my reviews late at night. This is wild 👁️👄👁️
Read
October 10, 2024Can Colleen Houck please stop butchering foreign cultures already 😭
The Russian nickname for Anastasia is not "Stacia". She'd be called something like Ana or Anushka.
"Verusha" is already a nickname, for Vera.
Having read the previous 5 books in the series, I can't imagine these are the last, or even the worst, of her bizarre choices.
The Russian nickname for Anastasia is not "Stacia". She'd be called something like Ana or Anushka.
"Verusha" is already a nickname, for Vera.
Having read the previous 5 books in the series, I can't imagine these are the last, or even the worst, of her bizarre choices.
September 26, 2024
It was worth it just to get the two chapters of Kishan! I wish he was in it more (it could have been like the narration of The Princess Bride or something). I really liked Danik. However, this book was about everyone but the supposed main characters, Stasia and Veru. Also, it felt really drawn out with nothing happening. (I think it's going to be a series, but it could have just been one book). The original series had multiple plots running perfectly together (this book did not read that way). But, I really enjoyed the positive depictions of Christianity (I have only read a handful of books like this in YA)!
I suggest:
The Tiger's Curse series
The Six Crimson Cranes series
The Age of the Seventh Sun series
The Warriors series
Face the Night
I suggest:
The Tiger's Curse series
The Six Crimson Cranes series
The Age of the Seventh Sun series
The Warriors series
Face the Night
September 27, 2023
I’m just casually looking at authors I love. Seeing what books they have I have not read and I come here… smiling at the memories of reading Tiger’s Curse… AND SEE THERE’S A BOOK SIX COMING?! Is this real life? Is this true?! Words can’t express how much I loved this series… the emotions I went through on the last book were unreal. Now seeing another book is coming… I can’t wait!!
November 29, 2024
Better storytelling since tigers curse, BUT will I read whatever Colleen writes out of a sense of nostalgia… ABSOLUTELY
September 10, 2024
I have been reading Colleen Houck's books for years now and she is a wonderful writer! The Tiger Saga has been a wonderful series! Following the twins on their journey to see who will take the throne, save their mother and more was entertaining and interesting! This book ended in a cliffhanger so hopefully we won't have to wait too long for book seven! Each book can be read as a standalone but there are facts in each book that connect them all! I'm looking forward to returning to this world and learning more and meeting the new characters to come! Bibliolifestyle, Colleen Houck and Black Stone Publishing for sharing this book with me!
March 23, 2025
Oh Tigers Curse. This series will forever be a part of my teenage lore, and no matter what the story is or how skeptical I am, I will read every word, multiple times.
I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected to considering how it started. I’m a little unsure still about the whole time travel slash world jumping going on honestly, but I loved the story and found myself enjoying getting lost again in Colleen’s Tiger world. Excuse me while I go reread the other books 😄
I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected to considering how it started. I’m a little unsure still about the whole time travel slash world jumping going on honestly, but I loved the story and found myself enjoying getting lost again in Colleen’s Tiger world. Excuse me while I go reread the other books 😄
September 10, 2024
I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. TLDR included at the bottom!
**New content warnings abound in this novel. This book deals with incredibly mature situations: child abuse, child torture, and child rape are mentioned in varying detail. Tread lightly!**
First of all, I’d like to say that I’ve been reading Colleen Houck’s books for the better part of about 12 years. From Tiger’s Curse to now, I can confidently say that Colleen’s writing has improved in leaps and bounds. And it has improved so exponentially from her more recent releases: Tiger’s Dream and Terraformer. This novel feels like a new Colleen, especially one who is confident in her novel and world, and unafraid to take potentially controversial risks.
This novel is dark. This novel is incredibly dark, and I’m confused that most reviews aren’t mentioning the material that this book deals with. The original Tiger Saga is undoubtedly YA, and while this one shares elements with all the other books that make up the older world, it doesn’t shy away from more grimdark elements that would separate it from that genre. It’s not YA and it’s not NA, but it does straddle a liminal space between both. I do think it’s a wise choice for its setting: old Russia, along with all its grim fairy tales and fables.
There are moments where these fairy tales are spun elegantly and fascinatingly within the story, but the surreal fabric of these fables is quickly abandoned about a third of the way in. When you read it, it feels like 2 different stories, divided very abruptly- like an ax cut- partway through. In this way, I do think the story suffers a bit. There is a ton of exposition to get through in the beginning. Colleen takes on the difficult task of setting up a new world, instituting parent backstories, creating motivations for our main characters, setting up points of view for 5 different characters, establishing a darker and grittier tone, and providing an avenue for a villain to cut through and raise the stakes. While I liked these initial chapters for their newness, I think I only got through them because they were setting up a world so different from the one in earlier books. I think if a newer reader were to pick this up, the grueling pace might make them drop early.
And then this slow exposition is quickly shattered. Suddenly, the pace becomes a bit too fast. Sections of Nik, for example, and his quasi, magical, monstrous grandparents fly by us, like pressing the fast forward button on the remote too many times and skipping ahead in time. These sections were all “tell” and no “show.” It was obvious that Colleen was moving us through the action sequences, tugging us along so that she could get to the real story she wanted to tell. It’s why I bring up Russian fairy tales and fables. While that Russian magic exists in this world, it only exists in half, and then it’s never really brought up again. I’m sure it will in other installments, but there is a very obvious and very jarring shift in this book between a world that I think is justifiably grimdark and one that is lofty and almost halcyon, in the way the previous tiger books were told.
Because of that, I think there are some things that aren’t given enough attention, or perhaps they will be unpacked more in the future (although I’m not sure if they will be handled in the way they might deserve). Trigger warnings abound in this book!!
I was absolutely shocked at how dark this story goes, and I think it’s very easy to skip over these moments or take them for granted. Major content warnings for this story include scenes of torture (graphic and against a child) and rape (not graphic), also against a child. I appreciate Colleen for having enough confidence in herself and her publisher to tell a story including a character who has suffered enormous trauma and abuse in his early life. This isn’t an easy addition to a book, and it’s definitely a polarizing one in this day and age, and nevertheless it’s been given a place here. With that being said, I can only hope that this character is given a very detailed and satisfying arc of growth. The abuse suffered does not excuse the actions this character often takes in the novel. Colleen has struck a very fine balance between past trauma and current character, and I’m afraid that if the scales teeter too quickly toward either side, the outcome will be infuriating at best and harmful at worst.
Some minor content warnings include graphic violence. A kind of violence that smacks you in the face with its abrupt and cutting imagery. I don’t say this as a critique personally, because I find that it works in this story and it works to communicate to us that Colleen is back and better than ever and she knows she’s back, better than ever, and unafraid to rock the boat. If this, however, isn’t a reader’s style or they prefer something with a bit more forewarning, I don’t think this book or any future ones will really cater to that preference.
I do wish that a bit more of the beginning had been cut and perhaps turned into bonus chapters for physical releases or short novellas in the future. The mother’s and father’s backstories, while quite sweet and interesting, could probably have been moved elsewhere or given another medium. In it’s place, perhaps Nik’s adventures in the forest could’ve been fleshed out more.
For all this book’s advertising and the image on the cover, I don’t think our two main heroines are really given much room to be actual characters in this story. We get some motivation in earlier chapters, but not a lot of it is enough to generate a ton of sympathy from the reader. They are women with a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, but I’m not sure I believe their motivations or the circumstances that really prevent the two of them from making the smartest decision possible for a kingdom in strife: ruling together.
I’ll admit, I was a bit frustrated by their relationship. I’m sure this will evolve and grow and become something strong and tangible as the series goes on, but I still was so frustrated at the stubbornness of sister characters who don’t really like each other. And I’m so shocked and confused at the cold way they think about and treat each other. To me, it doesn’t match the upbringing they had. Not quite a critique, since most readers probably won’t mind.
Another issue I had was with all the random name dropping. It’s obvious Colleen did a ton of research-- from Russian food, to culture, to idioms, to sayings, to stories and tales, etc. But the random Russian words interspersed among the English were a bit too much. Most of them could be understood through context clues, but I think the book would be less alienating if it included a glossary of Russian terms and short notes in the back to shore up all these mentions of things that an English speaking audience would not have the tools to understand. It’s done with the intention of being “historically accurate,” but a lot of the time, it comes off as a bit heavy handed.
I want to end with things I like, because I did really enjoy the read, I think we’re heading in exciting and new directions, and I really do appreciate the darker elements of this story. It feels like Colleen sees us and hears us. Her fans are adults now with adult conceptions of the world and the wrongness in it. It feels dishonest not to push back on that wrongness and unpack it in a story that certainly does feel like the tiger books.
The tone is dark in the beginning, but it begins to meld into familiar territory once that tiger “curse” (or gift) is established. And Colleen really shines here . This novel feels like a love letter to nature and the animal kingdom and the gifts of a natural world. Colleen is a tiger expert, and the facts she knows about them meld so seamlessly in this story. It doesn’t feel National Geographic-y. It feels like two main characters adjusting to new bodies with new evolutionary-minded features carefully plucked out and designed through time to produce the mighty beast that is a Siberian Tiger.
I loved the nods to the original series. This is definitely a book 6 in a series and requires reading the other 5 in order to make sense of things. But I appreciated seeing Kishan’s and Kadam’s names in this story, I love the roles that they play, and I’m excited for what is in store. Other nods that I particularly enjoyed: the return of tiger riding. And also the magic that repels the “wrong suitor” from mounting the steed he obviously wants but doesn’t need. It’s so dramatic and I love it. I love that it’s here and takes on a new form with just enough differences to be set apart.
And that’s what I’d like to emphasize most about this story. Colleen Houck has done amazing work making this book both similar enough to and different enough from the original 5 books. This is a new world with new characters and an entirely new conception of the tiger magic. I really don’t agree with other reviews saying this one was disappointing or that they wouldn’t continue the series because the original characters aren’t the main features of it. Colleen’s decision is good and points us forward in such satisfyingly interesting ways. I trust her to give us the tiger flair and also surprise us. She’s done so already with this book, and I’m absolutely hooked.
Rating: 4/5
TLDR: there’s room for improvement, but not all of the issues I had with this book were enough to make me DNF; I heartily enjoyed the changes made to separate this from the original, but it definitely still feels enough like a tiger book to stand next to the OG series
**Warning: new content warnings abound. This book deals with incredibly mature situations: child abuse, child torture, and child rape are mentioned in varying detail. Tread lightly!**
**New content warnings abound in this novel. This book deals with incredibly mature situations: child abuse, child torture, and child rape are mentioned in varying detail. Tread lightly!**
First of all, I’d like to say that I’ve been reading Colleen Houck’s books for the better part of about 12 years. From Tiger’s Curse to now, I can confidently say that Colleen’s writing has improved in leaps and bounds. And it has improved so exponentially from her more recent releases: Tiger’s Dream and Terraformer. This novel feels like a new Colleen, especially one who is confident in her novel and world, and unafraid to take potentially controversial risks.
This novel is dark. This novel is incredibly dark, and I’m confused that most reviews aren’t mentioning the material that this book deals with. The original Tiger Saga is undoubtedly YA, and while this one shares elements with all the other books that make up the older world, it doesn’t shy away from more grimdark elements that would separate it from that genre. It’s not YA and it’s not NA, but it does straddle a liminal space between both. I do think it’s a wise choice for its setting: old Russia, along with all its grim fairy tales and fables.
There are moments where these fairy tales are spun elegantly and fascinatingly within the story, but the surreal fabric of these fables is quickly abandoned about a third of the way in. When you read it, it feels like 2 different stories, divided very abruptly- like an ax cut- partway through. In this way, I do think the story suffers a bit. There is a ton of exposition to get through in the beginning. Colleen takes on the difficult task of setting up a new world, instituting parent backstories, creating motivations for our main characters, setting up points of view for 5 different characters, establishing a darker and grittier tone, and providing an avenue for a villain to cut through and raise the stakes. While I liked these initial chapters for their newness, I think I only got through them because they were setting up a world so different from the one in earlier books. I think if a newer reader were to pick this up, the grueling pace might make them drop early.
And then this slow exposition is quickly shattered. Suddenly, the pace becomes a bit too fast. Sections of Nik, for example, and his quasi, magical, monstrous grandparents fly by us, like pressing the fast forward button on the remote too many times and skipping ahead in time. These sections were all “tell” and no “show.” It was obvious that Colleen was moving us through the action sequences, tugging us along so that she could get to the real story she wanted to tell. It’s why I bring up Russian fairy tales and fables. While that Russian magic exists in this world, it only exists in half, and then it’s never really brought up again. I’m sure it will in other installments, but there is a very obvious and very jarring shift in this book between a world that I think is justifiably grimdark and one that is lofty and almost halcyon, in the way the previous tiger books were told.
Because of that, I think there are some things that aren’t given enough attention, or perhaps they will be unpacked more in the future (although I’m not sure if they will be handled in the way they might deserve). Trigger warnings abound in this book!!
I was absolutely shocked at how dark this story goes, and I think it’s very easy to skip over these moments or take them for granted. Major content warnings for this story include scenes of torture (graphic and against a child) and rape (not graphic), also against a child. I appreciate Colleen for having enough confidence in herself and her publisher to tell a story including a character who has suffered enormous trauma and abuse in his early life. This isn’t an easy addition to a book, and it’s definitely a polarizing one in this day and age, and nevertheless it’s been given a place here. With that being said, I can only hope that this character is given a very detailed and satisfying arc of growth. The abuse suffered does not excuse the actions this character often takes in the novel. Colleen has struck a very fine balance between past trauma and current character, and I’m afraid that if the scales teeter too quickly toward either side, the outcome will be infuriating at best and harmful at worst.
Some minor content warnings include graphic violence. A kind of violence that smacks you in the face with its abrupt and cutting imagery. I don’t say this as a critique personally, because I find that it works in this story and it works to communicate to us that Colleen is back and better than ever and she knows she’s back, better than ever, and unafraid to rock the boat. If this, however, isn’t a reader’s style or they prefer something with a bit more forewarning, I don’t think this book or any future ones will really cater to that preference.
I do wish that a bit more of the beginning had been cut and perhaps turned into bonus chapters for physical releases or short novellas in the future. The mother’s and father’s backstories, while quite sweet and interesting, could probably have been moved elsewhere or given another medium. In it’s place, perhaps Nik’s adventures in the forest could’ve been fleshed out more.
For all this book’s advertising and the image on the cover, I don’t think our two main heroines are really given much room to be actual characters in this story. We get some motivation in earlier chapters, but not a lot of it is enough to generate a ton of sympathy from the reader. They are women with a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, but I’m not sure I believe their motivations or the circumstances that really prevent the two of them from making the smartest decision possible for a kingdom in strife: ruling together.
I’ll admit, I was a bit frustrated by their relationship. I’m sure this will evolve and grow and become something strong and tangible as the series goes on, but I still was so frustrated at the stubbornness of sister characters who don’t really like each other. And I’m so shocked and confused at the cold way they think about and treat each other. To me, it doesn’t match the upbringing they had. Not quite a critique, since most readers probably won’t mind.
Another issue I had was with all the random name dropping. It’s obvious Colleen did a ton of research-- from Russian food, to culture, to idioms, to sayings, to stories and tales, etc. But the random Russian words interspersed among the English were a bit too much. Most of them could be understood through context clues, but I think the book would be less alienating if it included a glossary of Russian terms and short notes in the back to shore up all these mentions of things that an English speaking audience would not have the tools to understand. It’s done with the intention of being “historically accurate,” but a lot of the time, it comes off as a bit heavy handed.
I want to end with things I like, because I did really enjoy the read, I think we’re heading in exciting and new directions, and I really do appreciate the darker elements of this story. It feels like Colleen sees us and hears us. Her fans are adults now with adult conceptions of the world and the wrongness in it. It feels dishonest not to push back on that wrongness and unpack it in a story that certainly does feel like the tiger books.
The tone is dark in the beginning, but it begins to meld into familiar territory once that tiger “curse” (or gift) is established. And Colleen really shines here . This novel feels like a love letter to nature and the animal kingdom and the gifts of a natural world. Colleen is a tiger expert, and the facts she knows about them meld so seamlessly in this story. It doesn’t feel National Geographic-y. It feels like two main characters adjusting to new bodies with new evolutionary-minded features carefully plucked out and designed through time to produce the mighty beast that is a Siberian Tiger.
I loved the nods to the original series. This is definitely a book 6 in a series and requires reading the other 5 in order to make sense of things. But I appreciated seeing Kishan’s and Kadam’s names in this story, I love the roles that they play, and I’m excited for what is in store. Other nods that I particularly enjoyed: the return of tiger riding. And also the magic that repels the “wrong suitor” from mounting the steed he obviously wants but doesn’t need. It’s so dramatic and I love it. I love that it’s here and takes on a new form with just enough differences to be set apart.
And that’s what I’d like to emphasize most about this story. Colleen Houck has done amazing work making this book both similar enough to and different enough from the original 5 books. This is a new world with new characters and an entirely new conception of the tiger magic. I really don’t agree with other reviews saying this one was disappointing or that they wouldn’t continue the series because the original characters aren’t the main features of it. Colleen’s decision is good and points us forward in such satisfyingly interesting ways. I trust her to give us the tiger flair and also surprise us. She’s done so already with this book, and I’m absolutely hooked.
Rating: 4/5
TLDR: there’s room for improvement, but not all of the issues I had with this book were enough to make me DNF; I heartily enjoyed the changes made to separate this from the original, but it definitely still feels enough like a tiger book to stand next to the OG series
**Warning: new content warnings abound. This book deals with incredibly mature situations: child abuse, child torture, and child rape are mentioned in varying detail. Tread lightly!**
September 26, 2024
Probably more like 2.5 stars?
My expectations weren’t super high—especially after Tiger’s Dream.
The prologue and Epilogue were arguably my favorite parts. Kishan 💔💛
I just feel confused 😅 the sisters seemed like side characters in their own story?? I get they are stuck as tigers and can’t communicate… but why didn’t we spend more time in their heads and thoughts at least?
I think it’s weird their initial tiger transformation happened “off screen” because it was during Nic’s POV and he was unconscious 😐
The girls just seem way too chill about the fact that they are tigers? I guess they didn’t have time to process at first since they were running for their lives but still.
I don’t get why they now have FOUR male companions on this quest. Seems a little overkill 😅
I like Danik a lot and his connection to Veru.
Can’t wait for Nic to flip his lid when Veru can transform/communicate better and chooses Danik over him.
I have a lot of issues with Nic’s character 😅 I get the vibe he’s supposed to be this traumatized, troubled dude who’s stuck in the friend zone but just the way his story is unpacked gives me the ick.
He seems super toxic and sketchy. All the trauma seems a little much and unnecessary.
I will probably read whatever other books follow this one just because I live for the dregs of Kishan and Kadam—but sigh 🥲 miss the magic of the first four original books.
My expectations weren’t super high—especially after Tiger’s Dream.
The prologue and Epilogue were arguably my favorite parts. Kishan 💔💛
I just feel confused 😅 the sisters seemed like side characters in their own story?? I get they are stuck as tigers and can’t communicate… but why didn’t we spend more time in their heads and thoughts at least?
I think it’s weird their initial tiger transformation happened “off screen” because it was during Nic’s POV and he was unconscious 😐
The girls just seem way too chill about the fact that they are tigers? I guess they didn’t have time to process at first since they were running for their lives but still.
I don’t get why they now have FOUR male companions on this quest. Seems a little overkill 😅
I like Danik a lot and his connection to Veru.
Can’t wait for Nic to flip his lid when Veru can transform/communicate better and chooses Danik over him.
I have a lot of issues with Nic’s character 😅 I get the vibe he’s supposed to be this traumatized, troubled dude who’s stuck in the friend zone but just the way his story is unpacked gives me the ick.
He seems super toxic and sketchy. All the trauma seems a little much and unnecessary.
I will probably read whatever other books follow this one just because I live for the dregs of Kishan and Kadam—but sigh 🥲 miss the magic of the first four original books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2024
Before I say anything else, I have been a long-time fan of the Tiger's Curse series for YEARS! I have reread the original series (#1-#4) over and over. (I have my own opinion about Tiger's Dream, but that is for another time.) I love the world of the tigers! Even though it has never been the *best* writing, I have enjoyed it. And that is what matters.
This book, I'll be honest, wasn't my favorite. Not as "bad" as Tiger's Dream, but definitely not to the level of the original series.
A couple of things bothered me... SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
1) The involvement of Kadam/Kishan. It just felt like they were "name dropped" purely to pique interest for the book. I know eventually Kadam does become part of the story, but it wasn't my favorite. I loved the original four where Kadam was simply a loving, father-figure/mentor. After Tiger's Dream and Tiger's Tale, it feels like he is a god. I lost all respect/love for his character in Tiger's Dream and this book doesn't help either.
To me, he feels like the wizard from Wizard of Oz, all the magic and wonder are ruined when the curtain came down in Tiger's Dream. Tiger's Tale is a continuation of that.
2) The POV's are ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! I was getting headaches trying to keep track of WHO was talking and WHEN they were talking! I didn't like that AT ALL!! Ugh.
3) This story wasn't about the sisters.... it was mostly about NIK! (Who I didn't even care for.) Most of the story is about Nik, his HORRIBLE childhood, and his borderline creepy obsession with Veru.
4) The sisters have very little dialogue/POV throughout the story. The tigers are unable to communicate with each other/others until the third tiger arrives. They are trapped in their minds with their thoughts.
All Veru does talk about is her looks/insecurities over and over was very repetitive. We get it, you're gorgeous. You want to be seen as you. It could've been said once, maybe twice. It got super annoying. I only liked it because of Danik's storyline.
Stacia is barely in this book at all! (Maybe the next one will be about her...?) I hope so...
5) It was soooo hard for me to get through. I expected to blaze through it. Nope. It dragged on and on. It picked up quite a bit when Danik was introduced. Then it really got going when the third tiger arrived (but that happened in the last few chapters of the book.)
What I did enjoy....
1) I liked the new setting of Russia. I loved exploring India, but I am looking forward to a new culture/world to explore. I do wish that there was more Russian traditions, culture, "lore", etc. They do (but don't) have Mr. Kadam to be the expert that explains their world. I loved in the original series that we learned so much about the gods, holidays, traditions, culture, food, clothing, etc. of India. I want more of that in this new series.
2) I thought the discussions of morality, faith, and religion were cool. In this book we have a priest, an atheist/agnostic, shamans, etc. I liked reading about their perspectives of life. They all had unique experiences/opinions. I want more of that.
3) I thought that the cloak/boots were awesome! I was wondering if there would be "gifts" in this world and thought about how they would obtain them. I am glad that it wasn't copy/paste from the original series. The powers of the cloak/boots are awesome! I hope that we can discover more about them. (Like how in this book, Nik found out about moving faster, moving with the others, and the transformation of the boots into a sleigh)
Overall, I felt a little underwhelmed with this book. It was hard to get through and quite confusing at times. I believe that it does have "good bones" but I think that some things need to change/happen for me to truly connect with it. To me, it cannot and will not live up to the first four of the saga.
This book, I'll be honest, wasn't my favorite. Not as "bad" as Tiger's Dream, but definitely not to the level of the original series.
A couple of things bothered me... SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
1) The involvement of Kadam/Kishan. It just felt like they were "name dropped" purely to pique interest for the book. I know eventually Kadam does become part of the story, but it wasn't my favorite. I loved the original four where Kadam was simply a loving, father-figure/mentor. After Tiger's Dream and Tiger's Tale, it feels like he is a god. I lost all respect/love for his character in Tiger's Dream and this book doesn't help either.
To me, he feels like the wizard from Wizard of Oz, all the magic and wonder are ruined when the curtain came down in Tiger's Dream. Tiger's Tale is a continuation of that.
2) The POV's are ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! I was getting headaches trying to keep track of WHO was talking and WHEN they were talking! I didn't like that AT ALL!! Ugh.
3) This story wasn't about the sisters.... it was mostly about NIK! (Who I didn't even care for.) Most of the story is about Nik, his HORRIBLE childhood, and his borderline creepy obsession with Veru.
4) The sisters have very little dialogue/POV throughout the story. The tigers are unable to communicate with each other/others until the third tiger arrives. They are trapped in their minds with their thoughts.
All Veru does talk about is her looks/insecurities over and over was very repetitive. We get it, you're gorgeous. You want to be seen as you. It could've been said once, maybe twice. It got super annoying. I only liked it because of Danik's storyline.
Stacia is barely in this book at all! (Maybe the next one will be about her...?) I hope so...
5) It was soooo hard for me to get through. I expected to blaze through it. Nope. It dragged on and on. It picked up quite a bit when Danik was introduced. Then it really got going when the third tiger arrived (but that happened in the last few chapters of the book.)
What I did enjoy....
1) I liked the new setting of Russia. I loved exploring India, but I am looking forward to a new culture/world to explore. I do wish that there was more Russian traditions, culture, "lore", etc. They do (but don't) have Mr. Kadam to be the expert that explains their world. I loved in the original series that we learned so much about the gods, holidays, traditions, culture, food, clothing, etc. of India. I want more of that in this new series.
2) I thought the discussions of morality, faith, and religion were cool. In this book we have a priest, an atheist/agnostic, shamans, etc. I liked reading about their perspectives of life. They all had unique experiences/opinions. I want more of that.
3) I thought that the cloak/boots were awesome! I was wondering if there would be "gifts" in this world and thought about how they would obtain them. I am glad that it wasn't copy/paste from the original series. The powers of the cloak/boots are awesome! I hope that we can discover more about them. (Like how in this book, Nik found out about moving faster, moving with the others, and the transformation of the boots into a sleigh)
Overall, I felt a little underwhelmed with this book. It was hard to get through and quite confusing at times. I believe that it does have "good bones" but I think that some things need to change/happen for me to truly connect with it. To me, it cannot and will not live up to the first four of the saga.
September 13, 2024
“What home meant to each of them was different in that moment, but they found comfort in being together, knowing that they all had suffered loss and hardship. It united them in a way and kept driving them toward the same goal.”
Anastasia and Verusha Stepanov, twin sisters and heirs to the throne of the Kievian Empire, are in constant conflict with one another over who will take the throne when the time comes, with each wanting the other to accept the responsibility. However, this fight takes a backseat when the sisters are thrown into turmoil after their mother passes and a malicious stranger enters the empire hoping to take something of great value from them. This encounter results in the sisters getting stuck in the bodies of tigers, and with their lives suddenly upturned, the sisters embark on a quest they never could have anticipated. The tsarevnas encounter a variety of compelling characters and confounding circumstances as they try to save their kingdom and themselves.
An intriguing tale of royalty, magic, romance and family, I had high expectations for this novel. Houck built a fascinating world rich with history, tradition, and culture to frame the plot of this story. However, while the premise of the book immediately drew me in, the narrative failed to deliver on its promised thematic elements in many cases. The novel lacked an overall cohesiveness, making it difficult to follow certain plotlines and character arcs as they progressed; there were times when an abrupt perspective or scenic shift disrupted my reading and pulled me out of the story entirely as I worked to catch up. Additionally, I grew incredibly frustrated with the lack of attention paid to Veru and Stasia. After the sisters transformed into their tiger forms, the novel focused primarily on the male characters and their romantic interests in Veru. With such an initially compelling and diverse cast of characters, I was sad to see a lot of their potential go to waste as certain plotlines or tropes were either overemphasized or abandoned. Additionally, while I appreciate that Houck did research into Russian folklore and history, the lack of certain deeper explanations and translations made segments of the story challenging to understand, and I think the inclusion of a glossary could have enhanced the readability of the text. Overall, while the novel is at times a confusing and frustrating read, Houck constructs a vibrant world and fascinating narrative that make for an engaging story.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Blackstone Publishing for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
Anastasia and Verusha Stepanov, twin sisters and heirs to the throne of the Kievian Empire, are in constant conflict with one another over who will take the throne when the time comes, with each wanting the other to accept the responsibility. However, this fight takes a backseat when the sisters are thrown into turmoil after their mother passes and a malicious stranger enters the empire hoping to take something of great value from them. This encounter results in the sisters getting stuck in the bodies of tigers, and with their lives suddenly upturned, the sisters embark on a quest they never could have anticipated. The tsarevnas encounter a variety of compelling characters and confounding circumstances as they try to save their kingdom and themselves.
An intriguing tale of royalty, magic, romance and family, I had high expectations for this novel. Houck built a fascinating world rich with history, tradition, and culture to frame the plot of this story. However, while the premise of the book immediately drew me in, the narrative failed to deliver on its promised thematic elements in many cases. The novel lacked an overall cohesiveness, making it difficult to follow certain plotlines and character arcs as they progressed; there were times when an abrupt perspective or scenic shift disrupted my reading and pulled me out of the story entirely as I worked to catch up. Additionally, I grew incredibly frustrated with the lack of attention paid to Veru and Stasia. After the sisters transformed into their tiger forms, the novel focused primarily on the male characters and their romantic interests in Veru. With such an initially compelling and diverse cast of characters, I was sad to see a lot of their potential go to waste as certain plotlines or tropes were either overemphasized or abandoned. Additionally, while I appreciate that Houck did research into Russian folklore and history, the lack of certain deeper explanations and translations made segments of the story challenging to understand, and I think the inclusion of a glossary could have enhanced the readability of the text. Overall, while the novel is at times a confusing and frustrating read, Houck constructs a vibrant world and fascinating narrative that make for an engaging story.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Blackstone Publishing for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
September 18, 2024
3.5 stars
Okay, going into this book I had no idea what to expect, other than its about twin sisters who become tigers and neither of them want the throne.
I was utterly shocked when I read Kishan’s name on the first page because I thought it was a completely separate series, since the description on Goodreads didn’t say anything about the previous books. I literally shed tears when I first read Kadam’s name as well. His death all those years ago hit me so hard and it all came rushing back, but this time with fearful hope that I get to see more of Mr. Kadam alive and well.
When the real story started as Kadam telling sick Kishan a story, I feared it would be one of those where it keeps tanking you out of the story just so the sick kid can ask a question, but thankfully there were no interruptions.
The overall structure of this book was interesting, and I can’t decide if I like it. The first half was a ton of exposition, but somehow written in a way so I didn’t get bored. And they introduced so many characters along with their backstories, I thought I would lose interest and get bored, but each introduction flowed so naturally, I didn’t mind it.
I understand now, the whole book is basically just setup with minimal payoff because its going to be a series, but around halfway I started to worry they wouldn’t even turn into tigers in this book. I thought it was a standalone, but because its mimicking the structure of the first story, I think I like this better.
I wish we’d had more intimate scenes of the characters interacting to get a better feel for who they are, but the pacing worked well enough to serve the story. Though, I feel like the tigers lost their voices completely once the whole team was assembled with the priest. They no longer objected to anything, didn’t vote in favor of anything unless directly prompted, and only kinda got it back when the third tiger entered the scene. Veru still had a voice when she was alone with the hunter, but it didn’t last long. As for Stacia, I hardly know her at all. I could never even guess at what she was thinking because we didn’t get enough time in her thoughts.
Regardless of my minor gripes, I’m looking forward to the next books now that I have a base knowledge of the world and characters to work with when we start the actual story. It kinda felt like this was the field guide to understanding the next books rather than a story itself, but I don’t mind. I feel like Tiger’s Curse also had a similar problem, though the pace was slower than Tiger’s Tale which gave more room for character development, so there’s potential for the next few books to thrive off what Tiger’s Tale set up.
Okay, going into this book I had no idea what to expect, other than its about twin sisters who become tigers and neither of them want the throne.
I was utterly shocked when I read Kishan’s name on the first page because I thought it was a completely separate series, since the description on Goodreads didn’t say anything about the previous books. I literally shed tears when I first read Kadam’s name as well. His death all those years ago hit me so hard and it all came rushing back, but this time with fearful hope that I get to see more of Mr. Kadam alive and well.
When the real story started as Kadam telling sick Kishan a story, I feared it would be one of those where it keeps tanking you out of the story just so the sick kid can ask a question, but thankfully there were no interruptions.
The overall structure of this book was interesting, and I can’t decide if I like it. The first half was a ton of exposition, but somehow written in a way so I didn’t get bored. And they introduced so many characters along with their backstories, I thought I would lose interest and get bored, but each introduction flowed so naturally, I didn’t mind it.
I understand now, the whole book is basically just setup with minimal payoff because its going to be a series, but around halfway I started to worry they wouldn’t even turn into tigers in this book. I thought it was a standalone, but because its mimicking the structure of the first story, I think I like this better.
I wish we’d had more intimate scenes of the characters interacting to get a better feel for who they are, but the pacing worked well enough to serve the story. Though, I feel like the tigers lost their voices completely once the whole team was assembled with the priest. They no longer objected to anything, didn’t vote in favor of anything unless directly prompted, and only kinda got it back when the third tiger entered the scene. Veru still had a voice when she was alone with the hunter, but it didn’t last long. As for Stacia, I hardly know her at all. I could never even guess at what she was thinking because we didn’t get enough time in her thoughts.
Regardless of my minor gripes, I’m looking forward to the next books now that I have a base knowledge of the world and characters to work with when we start the actual story. It kinda felt like this was the field guide to understanding the next books rather than a story itself, but I don’t mind. I feel like Tiger’s Curse also had a similar problem, though the pace was slower than Tiger’s Tale which gave more room for character development, so there’s potential for the next few books to thrive off what Tiger’s Tale set up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2024
Thank you to Collen Houck and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!
I cannot tell you the rush of nostalgia I felt when i saw this title pop up for ARC review on NetGalley. I was an OG Tiger's Curse apologist, and the 23-year-old teenager in my head who sobbed over this series know I had to request it. I also re-read the entire Tiger's Curse series just so I could review this book properly, and my body is ready.
Tiger's Tale brings the reader into an alternate timeline, where the course of history diverts to allow a different version of historic Russia to arise. Following a fateful mistake, twin princesses are cursed to walk as tigers, just as brothers in another time and place once were, and must set out on a journey to free themselves and step into their birthright lest the tides of fate twist towards evil ends.
It was such a delight to step back into this world as a now-adult reader who loved this series (while also maybe having a harder time with the original books as a "grown up"). While the premise of the story is the same as our story so far (as this is officially "Tiger's Curse #6, not a standalone work), it is not a mere retelling with new characters and a Russian twist. Readers are introduced to the story through many different perspectives, and while there is a return of some familiar faces and the promise of resolution of loose ends from things which have come to pass, this is also itws own unique and engaging story thus far.
In short, if you loved the magic of the original Tiger's Curse series, I definitely think this new endeavor is worth a read. In some ways (at least for me), this new installment has so far felt like a love letter to the original series of my youth while also being built older readers, and reflects the growth of an author who has been writing in (and out of, pun intended) this universe for well over a decade. I am thrilled to jump right back into tiger antics, and the potential for adventure, intrigue, folklore, and relationships (it wouldn't be a good tiger book without a little back-and-forth, right?) in this new saga will definitely keep me reading! Welcome back Colleen and can't wait for the next installment already!
I cannot tell you the rush of nostalgia I felt when i saw this title pop up for ARC review on NetGalley. I was an OG Tiger's Curse apologist, and the 23-year-old teenager in my head who sobbed over this series know I had to request it. I also re-read the entire Tiger's Curse series just so I could review this book properly, and my body is ready.
Tiger's Tale brings the reader into an alternate timeline, where the course of history diverts to allow a different version of historic Russia to arise. Following a fateful mistake, twin princesses are cursed to walk as tigers, just as brothers in another time and place once were, and must set out on a journey to free themselves and step into their birthright lest the tides of fate twist towards evil ends.
It was such a delight to step back into this world as a now-adult reader who loved this series (while also maybe having a harder time with the original books as a "grown up"). While the premise of the story is the same as our story so far (as this is officially "Tiger's Curse #6, not a standalone work), it is not a mere retelling with new characters and a Russian twist. Readers are introduced to the story through many different perspectives, and while there is a return of some familiar faces and the promise of resolution of loose ends from things which have come to pass, this is also itws own unique and engaging story thus far.
In short, if you loved the magic of the original Tiger's Curse series, I definitely think this new endeavor is worth a read. In some ways (at least for me), this new installment has so far felt like a love letter to the original series of my youth while also being built older readers, and reflects the growth of an author who has been writing in (and out of, pun intended) this universe for well over a decade. I am thrilled to jump right back into tiger antics, and the potential for adventure, intrigue, folklore, and relationships (it wouldn't be a good tiger book without a little back-and-forth, right?) in this new saga will definitely keep me reading! Welcome back Colleen and can't wait for the next installment already!
September 29, 2024
I absolutely loved the original series, which I found only because my husband picked the second book up at a thrift store. I got the first book read them both, then binged the rest. I was excited to see another book coming out and was interested to see how it connected. Unfortunately, I was a bit let down. Nothing really happens in this book. The premise is basically Kadam telling Kashan about an alternate world with the tiger's curse. In this world, you have two sisters who have the curse. The writing isn't very cohesive. Everything is connected, but it doesn't really feel like it. You flow through many different viewpoints and even timelines, but the transitions aren't smooth, and it just feels disjointed. The beginning is repetative in establishing that neither sister wants to rule, and while it may come into play later on as the series continues, it becomes a moot point in this one. We also don't get a lot of the sisters. It is really the Nikolai show initially and then about the other boys as well. The sisters are the main plot point but feel like side characters. The most we get is when Veru is with Danik. Then, some conversation once Iriko gets involved. The dark sorcerer is also present very briefly, again feels like we are setting up for something, but then quickly has no role in the rest of this book besides being hinted at later on. The ending was anticlimactic and had nothing to do with the beginning of the book and just left me feeling very disappointed. I do love the characters and the Russian influence. There were moments when we got folklore elements, which I loved, and I did like the darker elements of the book with Nokolai's backstory (Trigger Warning for that). I do think that as the series continues from here (as the ending set up for), the plot and story should get more interesting. I just wish the author had jumped right into it instead of giving us this.
December 4, 2024
I received an advanced copy of Tiger's Tale from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I read the original Tiger's Curse series when I was younger. In fact, I still have copies of the first four books, even though I haven't touched them in years. They were definitely a favorite, though I fear going back and rereading them now as I think I'll enjoy them less than I once did, if only because I did not particularly enjoy Tiger's Tale and had to put it down. There isn't a specific thing I can pinpoint that I didn't like, so this review will probably be shorter than most I write.
The biggest factor was that I was bored. I know that exposition isn't always the most exciting part of the story, but I didn't care about the characters, nor did their story intrigue me. Whenever I pulled it up on my phone, my eyes would dance across the screen. Nothing pulled me in; nothing kept my attention. I expected this to be a grand, new tiger adventure, but it fell flat in those first couple of chapters, with nothing to keep me reading.
The boldest part of our main characters' personalities was that neither of them wanted to sit on the throne, which is fine, but when both characters have the same defining trait, I need something else just as big to set them apart, and I didn't feel like I got that. They were different enough from each other, but not in a way that I thought truly mattered. Does that make sense?
I didn't get particularly far before I put it down, so it's possible that these problems only exist in the first few chapters I read. However, if the story isn't working for me, I won't continue. Will I pick it up again at a later date? Perhaps. But for now, Tiger's Tale wasn't the book for me.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I read the original Tiger's Curse series when I was younger. In fact, I still have copies of the first four books, even though I haven't touched them in years. They were definitely a favorite, though I fear going back and rereading them now as I think I'll enjoy them less than I once did, if only because I did not particularly enjoy Tiger's Tale and had to put it down. There isn't a specific thing I can pinpoint that I didn't like, so this review will probably be shorter than most I write.
The biggest factor was that I was bored. I know that exposition isn't always the most exciting part of the story, but I didn't care about the characters, nor did their story intrigue me. Whenever I pulled it up on my phone, my eyes would dance across the screen. Nothing pulled me in; nothing kept my attention. I expected this to be a grand, new tiger adventure, but it fell flat in those first couple of chapters, with nothing to keep me reading.
The boldest part of our main characters' personalities was that neither of them wanted to sit on the throne, which is fine, but when both characters have the same defining trait, I need something else just as big to set them apart, and I didn't feel like I got that. They were different enough from each other, but not in a way that I thought truly mattered. Does that make sense?
I didn't get particularly far before I put it down, so it's possible that these problems only exist in the first few chapters I read. However, if the story isn't working for me, I won't continue. Will I pick it up again at a later date? Perhaps. But for now, Tiger's Tale wasn't the book for me.
September 18, 2024
Being a HUGE fan of Houck’s Tiger Curse series I jumped at the opportunity to read this early. Because of that excitement I believe I set my expectations too high. I cannot honestly say this story has the same draw as the original. It is a similar story told in the pov of the narrator Kadam about an experience he had in a parallel world. While the story is interesting, it is not as easy to follow as her other works are. It’s disjointed and jumps all over at times, it doesn’t just flow. I was very much looking forward to a Russian style version of the tigers curse with action, adventure and maybe a little love interest, or love triangle as we had with the last series. The parts of the story that follow in line with the current events of the twins and their traveling companions has been almost exactly as I expected and enjoyable. But there have also been several portions that are confusing for the reader. It is still a great story and I will always continue to read anything she writes as she’s one of my favorite authors. There was also no trigger warning for content. Maybe it was overlooked in the arc copy.
Trigger warnings: SA of a minor by a family member, dv, abuse, alcoholism & arson that resulted in murder.(all of this being connected to only 1 mmc)
Trigger warnings: SA of a minor by a family member, dv, abuse, alcoholism & arson that resulted in murder.(all of this being connected to only 1 mmc)
September 14, 2024
This book felt different from the others. I had read the original four books when I was young and loved them, but this one was told in 3rd person with multiple perspectives which made it a different experience than the others had been.
I would argue you don't need to have prior knowledge of the series to read this book; it would certainly help in areas with understanding what is going on but is not necessary. This is a whole different story, set in a different timeline with different characters and a different mission.
It did take me a bit to get into the story because 1) I was not expecting the 3rd person perspective, 2) the multiple perspectives changing rapidly took time to grasp, and 3) there were words used that were not necessarily defined, so I had to rely on context clues to decipher what they might mean.
This story does not deal with light, happy topics. One of the characters in particular hints at some major abuse, so be aware of that when diving into this tale. It is an interesting chapter of this particular series, and I am interested to see how the narrative continues to change as it goes on.
I would argue you don't need to have prior knowledge of the series to read this book; it would certainly help in areas with understanding what is going on but is not necessary. This is a whole different story, set in a different timeline with different characters and a different mission.
It did take me a bit to get into the story because 1) I was not expecting the 3rd person perspective, 2) the multiple perspectives changing rapidly took time to grasp, and 3) there were words used that were not necessarily defined, so I had to rely on context clues to decipher what they might mean.
This story does not deal with light, happy topics. One of the characters in particular hints at some major abuse, so be aware of that when diving into this tale. It is an interesting chapter of this particular series, and I am interested to see how the narrative continues to change as it goes on.
October 19, 2024
I don't know enough about Russian folk tales to tell if this is a retelling or a completely original story but it did feel like a retelling, maintaining that old magic vibe with the current world.
It ended in a place and therefore immediately lost points - but I didn't want to rate it at three stars because I did enjoy the story although not enough to rate it 5 stars. In short, it would have rated a 4.5, and I knocked it down to a 3.5 because of the nonending. Rounded up to 4
It felt YA, except for the reference to SA. I think it was unnecessary to add that element to the story. While it was not explicit, it still did not feel earned in the story and I wish it had been excluded.
I also think it may have started in the wrong place. We got a whole lot of backstory for characters before we were shown the thread of the plot and that was disorienting and perhaps a little boring for me.
Still, the world itself was enticing and I did enjoy learning about the characters. I haven't read the previous books in the series but did not feel lost and was easily able to acclimate to the story
It ended in a place and therefore immediately lost points - but I didn't want to rate it at three stars because I did enjoy the story although not enough to rate it 5 stars. In short, it would have rated a 4.5, and I knocked it down to a 3.5 because of the nonending. Rounded up to 4
It felt YA, except for the reference to SA. I think it was unnecessary to add that element to the story. While it was not explicit, it still did not feel earned in the story and I wish it had been excluded.
I also think it may have started in the wrong place. We got a whole lot of backstory for characters before we were shown the thread of the plot and that was disorienting and perhaps a little boring for me.
Still, the world itself was enticing and I did enjoy learning about the characters. I haven't read the previous books in the series but did not feel lost and was easily able to acclimate to the story
March 31, 2025
So honestly if I hadn’t been obsessed with the original Tiger’s Curse series, I probably wouldn’t have made it through this book. I feel like it is setting up bigger things in the books to come but it reads like the author was given a word count to reach when the book could have been a novella or just been combined with book 2. So much filler that seems to have no point. I also didn’t like the way it jumped between different perspectives, it’s written in 3rd person so the reader is observing but at times it was still confusing as to whose thoughts were being read. Also there’s a LOT of abuse in this book. The things Nik endured as a child are horrifying so proceed with caution. There’s also graphic hunting scenes when the tigers have their first kills, among other times. A lot happens in this book considering nothing actually happens. Sadly I feel like this missed the mark & doesn’t have the feel of the OG series. My favorite parts were the prologue & epilogue because of Kishan & Kadam. I will probably pick up the next in the series to see what happens but I doubt I’m in any hurry when it’s released.
August 10, 2024
As someone who was absolutely OBSESSED with the Tiger Saga when it first came out all those years ago (even before the were traditionally published), I was SO excited to hear that Colleen Houck had written a new installment. Even though I knew it wasn't going to be about Ren, Kishan, and Kelsey, I was so eager to read this!
Let me start by saying that one of the things that makes me love Houck as an author is still so prevalent--her knack for writing historical context and descriptions is just on point. I love her writing. It's so immersive. And I will continue to read everything that she pushes out.
Unfortunately, I think I may have been the wrong audience for this one. As it wasn't the same for me as the original, I found myself forcing myself to keep reading. Which I'm so glad I did! Because, as I said, Colleen is an excellent writer. It's just that the magic of the originals wasn't there for me. And that's a me problem. Because I can see a new generation of readers thoroughly enjoying this one.
Full of adventure, intrigue, and some romance this is perfect for readers who are young and will enjoy a new addition to the story.
Let me start by saying that one of the things that makes me love Houck as an author is still so prevalent--her knack for writing historical context and descriptions is just on point. I love her writing. It's so immersive. And I will continue to read everything that she pushes out.
Unfortunately, I think I may have been the wrong audience for this one. As it wasn't the same for me as the original, I found myself forcing myself to keep reading. Which I'm so glad I did! Because, as I said, Colleen is an excellent writer. It's just that the magic of the originals wasn't there for me. And that's a me problem. Because I can see a new generation of readers thoroughly enjoying this one.
Full of adventure, intrigue, and some romance this is perfect for readers who are young and will enjoy a new addition to the story.
September 10, 2024
ARC provided by Netgalley & the publisher for my honest review!
I loved the Tiger’s Curse series so naturally I was thrilled to read this new Colleen Houck novel! This story follows twin sisters Veru & Stacia as they deal with the grief of losing their last remaining parent, navigate who is going to become the next ruler of their empire, and figuring out how to overcome a curse placed on them by an evil sorcerer.
The adventure plot found in this story is slow moving and even when things do begin to pick up — around the 40% mark — the multiple pov’s (mostly jumping between the men accompanying the sisters on their journey) make it a bit hard to follow. I would’ve liked to actually hear more from both sisters instead of just Veru who took every opportunity to exclaim how hard it was to only be appreciated for her beauty.
Considering the book ends with a cliffhanger there is surely more adventure to come from the following books. This could be read as a stand-alone or prior to reading the Tigers Curse series.
I loved the Tiger’s Curse series so naturally I was thrilled to read this new Colleen Houck novel! This story follows twin sisters Veru & Stacia as they deal with the grief of losing their last remaining parent, navigate who is going to become the next ruler of their empire, and figuring out how to overcome a curse placed on them by an evil sorcerer.
The adventure plot found in this story is slow moving and even when things do begin to pick up — around the 40% mark — the multiple pov’s (mostly jumping between the men accompanying the sisters on their journey) make it a bit hard to follow. I would’ve liked to actually hear more from both sisters instead of just Veru who took every opportunity to exclaim how hard it was to only be appreciated for her beauty.
Considering the book ends with a cliffhanger there is surely more adventure to come from the following books. This could be read as a stand-alone or prior to reading the Tigers Curse series.
September 28, 2024
I was hoping for nostalgia purposes that this was similar to the first 5 books and I was proven wrong.
Though an old favourite character had returned, this novel was quite literally the definition of a word salad. The two main characters rarely got a mention at all and their curse wasn't explained properly. It was difficult to follow the plot as it was all over the place. Considering that the last book in the series featured Anamika, neither Varu nor Stacia were even on the same character level. Both fell quite flat. Kelsey and Ren had a solid ending in book four which could have been used as a sort of lever for book 6. This isn't exactly a novel, but more of a novella. I am hoping that if the author does do a spin off of this series then there may be a title with more depth. Lokesh was a well constructed villain with a decent origin story- I couldn't pick out who was the villain in this... only that all the characters where all over the place. If an old favourite was brought back properly, it could have worked well.
Though an old favourite character had returned, this novel was quite literally the definition of a word salad. The two main characters rarely got a mention at all and their curse wasn't explained properly. It was difficult to follow the plot as it was all over the place. Considering that the last book in the series featured Anamika, neither Varu nor Stacia were even on the same character level. Both fell quite flat. Kelsey and Ren had a solid ending in book four which could have been used as a sort of lever for book 6. This isn't exactly a novel, but more of a novella. I am hoping that if the author does do a spin off of this series then there may be a title with more depth. Lokesh was a well constructed villain with a decent origin story- I couldn't pick out who was the villain in this... only that all the characters where all over the place. If an old favourite was brought back properly, it could have worked well.
August 31, 2024
Anastasia and Verusha are the only children of the tsar but prefer their time with the guards instead of state affairs. They know their parents won’t live forever and one of them must take the throne. When their mother’s illness gets worse, the sisters look far and wide for a cure. When they refuse a stranger’s help, he releases a curse that has the sisters fleeing their home. Will they be able to break the curse? Will their country survive without them?
Tiger’s Tale is the sixth book in The Tiger Saga series. This book can be read by itself or out of order since the narrator at the beginning and end are the only references to the original series. With that being said, this story was a wonderful escape and I was happy to explore a new world with tigers in the forefront. I will warn readers that this book is not a one-and-done for this tale. There is a cliffhanger and we must wait to learn more about Anastasia and Verusha.
Tiger’s Tale is the sixth book in The Tiger Saga series. This book can be read by itself or out of order since the narrator at the beginning and end are the only references to the original series. With that being said, this story was a wonderful escape and I was happy to explore a new world with tigers in the forefront. I will warn readers that this book is not a one-and-done for this tale. There is a cliffhanger and we must wait to learn more about Anastasia and Verusha.
August 6, 2024
Colleen Houck takes the idea of a multiverse and brings her tigers to life in a brand new way! Tiger’s Tale is interesting because it’s the 6th book in The Tiger Saga, but it could almost be a standalone too. Knowing what happened in the previous books is important for the beginning and end of this book, but other than that Houck has created a whole new world. We follow twins, Veru and Stacia, as they fight to decide who will take over the empire, a position neither wants. When their mother grows ill and the choice looms ever closer they are willing to go to any lengths to keep her alive, even bring evil to their door. The tiger’s curse awakens just in time to challenge everything they know. Houck has done it again by creating a fantastic fantasy and I can’t wait to read the next book in their journey!
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