Perhaps I'm cheating by including reviews in this post along with my WoW, but I can't help myself. I think you'll understand why.
WoW:
Tiger's Destiny (The Tiger Saga #4) by Collen Houck
Scheduled to be released:
September 4, 2012
My initial comments: One. Ms. Houck if you would like to publish sooner than September, you won't hear any complaints from me. I'm sure many of your fans agree. Two. If you want to publish 2 books in one year, I'm sure you'll find many eager and agreeable fans out there as well. Three. Hopefully Goodreads has it wrong when they list book four as having only 250 pages. That just won't do. Four. Cover art please?!?
Why I'm waiting:
Here is where the mini reviews come into play.
My friend recommended this book to me by saying, "You must read this! It will blow Twilight out of the water. It is so good." Okay. . . well here's the thing Twilight is not that hard to blow out of the water, especially when you don't find it well written to begin with. However, I'm a good friend (I think) and decided to read this book based on her ravings.
Yikes! I hate to be mean, but it is painfully obvious this is the author's first book. Lots of plot holes and character development is extremely lacking, not to mention what there is of it is too quick to be considered normal. Kelsey is so naive and trusting that I just have to wonder, do people read this and think this would be someone's true reaction? I can't imagine any foster parents (Kelsey's real parents are deceased) not caring as much as these people don't seem to care that she just met this old guy, suddenly is an "expert" when it comes to Tigers, and is leaving for India. I'm not being kind, I realize. I didn't like reading it and feeling as though I was hitting myself in the head constantly thinking "Duh!" or "That would never happen!" The book is fantasy, yes, but even the most far-fetching fantasy story out there has a level of believability to it.
Tiger's Quest (book 2):
Intentionally reminiscent of New Moon or just a coincidence?
Kelsey and Ren (sigh) find themselves separated at the end of the last book. (spoiler sorry) COMMUNICATION folks it works wonders! However, the reason I like this is because reactions seem truer to nature (unlike another teenage girl whose life seems about to end when sparkle boy leaves her). This also gave Kelsey and Ren the chance to develop a relationship on more than physical attraction.
I'm a big fan of poetry and quotes and enjoyed how the author sprinkled these throughout; especially when she uses them as a bantering competition between Kelsey and Ren. I do not like Kishan and he needs to leave. Love triangles have these maddening affects on me; I tend to want to bash a character on the head over and over until they wake up. Typically it is the girl, because she throws around this nonsense "I love you both." Although that comes into play more in the third book than in this book.
Perhaps it is the place I'm at in my life, relationship wise, that brings many of the themes to the forefront and connect me so strongly, but I couldn't get enough of this book. I will admit (DON'T JUDGE ME) that I did cry at the end of this book. I saw it coming and my heart kept teetering on the edge begging that it wouldn't be so, but it was. I will not tell you what happened; you will have to read it yourself!
While this book kept me reading, it was solely because I had to know what was going to happen. Otherwise this book drug on a bit and didn't keep me occupied as well as book 2. My library didn't have book 3 yet, so I was "forced" (a little too willingly) to purchase the book in order to read it.
I think it is extremely evident that the author has done her homework. There is so much culture and history and research thrown in, that I can imagine she worked hard to write these books. I mean they learn how to deep sea dive and she describes it in great detail. I've never been, but I can assume she knows what she is talking about. If not, she is good at pretending.
Favorite parts are the moments of jealousy. I don't know about you, but a hot guy + obvious signs of jealousy = HOTTIE. . . for me anyway.
You might at this point, be asking yourself than A. Why is another book in the serious your WoW? and B. Why did you finish and read the other books?
Surprise! I've got an answer!
Hot Indian guys aside (sigh), Ms. Houck has a knack for entertaining her readers, regardless of the other downfalls I found in the books. I appreciated how clean the books are compared to the majority of YA fantasy out there, but there was just enough to keep the "ole" romantics at heart satisfied. I kept turning the pages because I had to figure how these poorly written characters were going to finagle their way out in a manner that seemed half plausible. These books suck you in! At least if you are a sucker for love triangles (which seem to be in every other novel written these days) and for shape-shifting hot guys!
I find it encouraging (wanting to be a published author myself someday) that Ms. Houck was able to get her books published, mostly, due to a huge fan following that supported her by crying out for MORE. It is amazing she was able to publish 3 books in 1 year! I hope she continues to write and that by writing more, she may hone her skills and encourage other up and coming authors that, it is possible.
A side note, according to her website her books have been optioned for the big screen by Paramount. Now Paramount, do you think you can do a better job than Summit has done with Twilight?
