Tiger's Curse (Book 1) [Hardcover]

Colleen Houck (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2011 | Series: Tiger's Curse (Book 1)

Would you risk it all to change your destiny? The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that's exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and  mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Product Description

The last thing teenager Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing over the summer was meeting Ren, a mysterious white tiger and cursed Indian prince! When she learns she alone can break the Tiger's curse, Kelsey's life is turned upside-down. The unlikely duo journeys halfway around the world to piece together an Indian prophecy, find a way to free the man trapped by a centuries-old spell, and discover the path to their true destiny.

Q&A with Colleen Houck

Q: Who are your favorite writers?

Houck: J.K Rowling (Harry Potter Series), Chris Paolini (Eragon Series), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga), John Steinbeck, Walter Farley, Jules Verne, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Orson Scott Card, and many more!

I was fascinated with Chris Paolini’s story and when I found out he was such a young author and carried around his manuscript for four years before getting it published on his own, I was even more impressed with his grit and determination. The science fiction of Orson Scott Card and Jules Verne carries me away to places I never imagined. When I was young, I wanted to be Laura Ingalls and ride horses like Alec and have great adventures like they did.

Q: Who inspired you to become a published author?

Houck: The personal stories of Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling really touched me. Both women just decided one day to give writing a try and the course of their lives changed. One day I woke up and decided I was going to give it a shot, too. I always loved creative writing in middle school and high school, sci-fi and fantasy being my favorite, and have been an avid reader all my life, but I never considered it as a career. Seeing Rowling and Meyer--two self-trained writers--have the courage to give writing a try inspired me to channel my creative energy into imagining and writing the Tiger’s Curse series.

Q: In what environment do you get your best writing?

Houck: I write at my desk near a window with a great view of Oregon pine and beautiful houses. I always light a candle when I write as a reminder to include the senses of smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound in my writing. It has to be quiet and, until recently, my dog always slept at my feet. That's my comfort zone when writing. I really love writing in the afternoons because that’s when things get quiet. In the mornings I like to write personal correspondence to people who write to me about my books and do the research on the exotic locations I write about. I walk everyday and listen to music that inspires me to keep writing, but I can't listen to music and write at the same time because I get too distracted.

Q: When you’re not writing and reading your own books, what are you reading?

Houck: I’m reading everything YA right now. My favorite books are fantasy with a touch of romance but I love Sci-Fi, children's chapter books, and mainstream fiction as well. I recently finished the Percy Jackson/Lightning Thief series which I loved and currently I’m reading The Life of Pi which I originally purchased because of the tiger on the cover, but I also have shelves full of books waiting for my attention. The next books on my list include Scott Westerfield’s Uglies trilogy, Alyson Noel’s Immortals series, and The Guardians of Gahoole by Kathryn Lasky.

Q: Anything else you want to share with Amazon shoppers?

Houck: Writing my own book was a chance to channel my inner hero. I’m a lot like my character, Kelsey. We both have a special blanket given to us by our grandmothers, we both love chocolate, and we both sat in the back of class. But where Kelsey took a leap into the unknown as a teenager, I took a lot longer to come out of my shell. In writing this series, I’ve been able to leap along with Kelsey.

I also wanted to say how grateful I am to all of the Amazon readers who have left such kind and supportive customer reviews of my books. I originally self-published my first two books through Amazon and the reader comments created enough buzz to attract a film producer and interest from foreign publishers before I even had an agent, which I’ve learned is kind of unheard of! Amazon was really the key to launching the Tiger’s Curse saga and, because of that, I now have a career as a full-time writer.

From Booklist

When 18-year-old Kelsey takes a job with a circus, she finds herself oddly attracted to the white tiger she has been hired to feed. Little does she know the animal is really a 300-year-old Indian prince who has been cursed and transformed by an evil wizard. She soon discovers the truth and, to her amazement, learns she may be the only one who can help. The next thing she knows, she is on her way, with the tiger, to India, where they embark on a dangerous quest to break the curse. The tiger can change into a man for 24 minutes during each 24-hour period. And what a man! “He’s like James Bond, Antonio Banderas, and Brad Pitt all rolled into one,” Kelsey thinks. Originally self-published as an e-book, Houck’s first novel is part Twilight, part Indiana Jones, and part fairy tale. Although her book—the first in a proposed series—is sometimes derivative, she tells a good story filled with chaste romance that will keep readers turning pages to the inconclusive ending. Grades 7-12. --Michael Cart

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Splinter (January 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402784031
• ISBN-13: 978-1402784033
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (335 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Colleen is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Formerly a student at the University of Arizona, she has worked as a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter for seventeen years. Tiger's Curse is her first book, which has already received literary praise and digital success. Her self-published eBook claimed the #1 spot on Kindle's children's best-seller list for seven weeks. Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a white stuffed tiger.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, November 24, 2009

By 

Bookfan (Oregon) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tiger's Curse (Paperback)

I've noticed that these reviews are filled with females all caught up in a "Twilight"-like mad-craze over the new Tiger series, and, being a guy, I can say it is female-attention that is well deserved. There's enough in this series that even a guy like me can appreciate. I must admit I've read all four Twilight novels--don't ask me why--and I never read romances--and even these novels were mildly interesting to me. Although I noted some similarities in both series, this book, however, has MUCH more action and adventure and I've always been drawn to tigers, so this (especially the cover) grabbed my interest, despite the slow "girly" beginning of the first couple chapters.

The characters are well-developed. None of the characters at the end of the book are the same as they were in the beginning. They are quite real and believeable, though I did roll my eyes at times--I mean, there's no way a guy would say some of the things that Ren did (I guess girls like to hear them...). My favorite character was definitely Mr. Kadam. He reminded me of Data or Mr. Spock in Star Trek, someone who is the voice of knowledge and wisdom without a hint of bravado or arrogance. I appreciated that this book was well-researched and very educational, as Houck blended a entertaining balance of realism, history, mythology, and fantasy. The romance aspect wasn't overdone and it didn't go too far either--which made it a comfortable read. I would recommend it to all guys and gals over 12 years of age!

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Premise, but Poorly Executed, January 14, 2011

By 

The Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiger's Curse (Book 1) (Hardcover)

When I first heard the premise of this book, I was excited. Instead of werewolves, there were tiger "shapeshifters". I thought this would be refreshing. Unfortunately, the writing of this book ruined what could have been a fantastic idea. Like another reviewer said, it sounded like the author telling the story instead of the character telling her story. Almost none of what the character thought or said sounded like anything close to what a seventeen year old girl would say, instead it was what a grown woman seemed to think a seventeen year old would say/think. Even if you get past the main character's dialogue issues, the characters themselves were horribly cliche. The girl had self-esteem issues and the boy was perfect, it was even said over and over again in the book. Although sometimes the book can be redeemed from poor characterization by an excellent writing style, unfortunately the book lacked this as well. Even the writing style itself was horribly cliche. So all in all the book gets two stars for what was a good idea, but very poorly executed.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give me MORE!!!, October 25, 2009

By 

K. Scott "Kathy Scott" (Mesa, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tiger's Curse (Paperback)

I read Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck in less than one day...yes, I took time out to do a couple of things, but I really had a hard time putting it down. I couldn't wait to see what happened to Kelsey and Ren...The adventures that they faced were amazing. The writting is so descriptive, I felt as if I was there with them. I was very impressed with the oveall presentation. I learned a great deal about India. Now I have to wait for the second book in the series to arrive so I can see what happens next. I realize this was written for "young" readers, but those of us "50 something" readers will also enjoy the series.

Colleen Houck has created a masterpiece in her first literary venture. I will recommend this book to all of my family and friends, and they all like to read!