Similar Books: None that I can think of - this series is something very different than what else is out there in the market.

Real Rating: 3 1/2 stars

This is a hard review for me to write, y'all. I LOVED the first two books in this series. They were like nothing else I'd read, and I couldn't get enough. I loved that Colleen Houck was writing about something you don't see much in YA - Eastern mythology - but even the wicked mythology couldn't save this one for me, unfortunately.

First, let's talk about the awesome things in this book:

1. The pacing of this novel was so much better than the other 3. I remember buying Tiger's Voyage and gaping at the size of it. I mean, it could kill someone if you threw it at them. And the pacing of the first 3 books was laborious at times (although I'll be honest and say that it didn't bug me to read about all their meals and Kelsey's clothes - wasn't so good for my diet, though), but this one starts with a bang, keeps up the intensity, and ends with one too. I think people who found the first 3 slow will prefer this book's pacing.

2. THE COVER!!!



It's so pretty that it almost hurts my eyes. Splinter design team, I am very impressed.

3. I thought Houck handled the "chosen one" plot very well. Usually, I'm not into that kinda thing. (It's actually what kept me from loving Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.) But I think the fact that Ren, Kishan, and Kelsey all have a specific destiny was what made me prefer that plot device - the destiny, chosen one-ness was sort of shared all around, and that felt more natural.

4. To everyone that thought Kelsey was TSTL in book(s) 1 (and maybe 2), I give you kickbutt Kelsey who most certainly can take care of herself. I mean...wow. She turned into Zena, Warrior Princess in this book. This is another thing that sorta irks me - average girls turning into these Amazon warriors, but I actually totally bought it in this book...probably because of the supernatural assistance she got.

5. A lot of times in paranormal books, we get frustrated with characters who are in mortal danger but they talk about their feelings and get all romantic instead of worrying about how they're going to defend themselves. But this book wasn't like that AT ALL! There's not talking about feelings or any smooshiness when battle approaches. I liked that a lot!

Okay...nos for what I didn't care for as much.

OMG THE ROMANCE!!!



I like love triangles. I do. No, really. Edward/Jacob? Loved it. Peeta/Gale? Loved it. But Ren/Kishan? At first, I was really into it. But at this point, I'm over it.

Because there was so much quick pacing in this book, I felt like the character development really suffered. Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan really stay the same throughout this book - nothing changes in any of their relationships, no growth, no nothing. I wanted Ren and Kishan to FINALLY just come to the point where they can't stand each other anymore or they realize that Kelsey isn't worth fighting over. I wanted Kelsey to MAKE UP HER MIND. I wanted Kishan to see Kelsey mooning over Ren and be like, "Eff this. I'm done with you."

Unfortunately, none of this happened. It was just lots of angst and stolen glances between Kelsey and Ren...even after (view spoiler)[Kishan PROPOSES and Kelsey SAYS YES!!!!

(hide spoiler)]

I get it now - the Kelsey/Ren thing. In Voyage I fought it because I just didn't understand why she would ever want to be with Ren while Kishan was around. But after reading Destiny, I can see that for whatever reason, she's into him and it's better for her to be with him instead of Kishan. I still don't get why any sane person would want to be with a guy that's so dramatic and angsty that he literally throws himself at your feet and begs you not to do something dangerous when THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF YOUR JOURNEY...but I digress.

The end. OMG the end.



We all know what's going to happen. (view spoiler)[Durga needs a tiger, and Kishan will volunteer to be said tiger. Because Houck has been hinting at it from the beginning, with the way Durga shamelessly flirts with him. Because Kishan has proved himself throughout the entire series to be the most noble out of the three main characters. Because Kelsey is an idiot who doesn't realize a good thing when she has it. (hide spoiler)]

But all I have to say is...



So many FEELS, guys. So many.


But at the end of the day, I'm just impressed with an author who can make me have that many feels. Colleen Houck has really done an incredible job of creating these characters that are really well-rounded and actualized, that readers fall in love with.

I love this story that she's crafted. It's pretty epic. Like in the literal sense. I applaud her for the amount of research that she's done, for writing something that nobody else is really doing, and for being basically awesome incarnate.

...but I just can't give your book 5 stars when you screw over my favorite character.

In defense of Kishan, I knock off 1 1/2 stars.