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The Tiger Saga #0.5
Tiger's Promise
Before the curse, there was a promise. A prequel to the bestselling Tiger’s Curse series, this much anticipated novella recalls the beginning of Ren and Kishan’s story. Before Kelsey there was a girl, raised by a villain, whose love for a hero changed the course of history.
Trapped under the thumb of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, Yesubai struggles to keep her own magical abilities secret while evading his dark powers. When Lokesh promises Yesubai to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, she becomes the central pawn in his plot to destroy the ruling family and take power for himself. Yesubai is trapped by her father's threats and desperate to protect the man she comes to love, but she knows that any decision she makes will have dire consequences. As dark forces gather around her, Yesubai must decide if she's willing to reveal that somewhere deep within her she has the power to change everything.
About the New York Times Bestselling Author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Her first four novels, Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, and Tiger’s Destiny were New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers. 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.
Trapped under the thumb of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, Yesubai struggles to keep her own magical abilities secret while evading his dark powers. When Lokesh promises Yesubai to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, she becomes the central pawn in his plot to destroy the ruling family and take power for himself. Yesubai is trapped by her father's threats and desperate to protect the man she comes to love, but she knows that any decision she makes will have dire consequences. As dark forces gather around her, Yesubai must decide if she's willing to reveal that somewhere deep within her she has the power to change everything.
About the New York Times Bestselling Author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Her first four novels, Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, and Tiger’s Destiny were New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers. 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.
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2014
118 people are currently reading
8321 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Houck
27 books9,217 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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August 20, 2014Colleen Houck just released her secret project: a prequel novella about Yesubai! How awesome is that?
Love her stories and I'm especially excited for this.
Update on Monday, April 14, 2014:
GASP! And that cover! Look at that cover!
I love it.
Second update on Thursday, April 17, 2014:
It has just been announced that Tiger's Promise will now be available in print!! Good job, Tigers fans, for reaching out with your (hopefully polite) requests to make Tiger's Promise a physical book! Let's celebrate together!
Love her stories and I'm especially excited for this.
Update on Monday, April 14, 2014:
GASP! And that cover! Look at that cover!
I love it.
Second update on Thursday, April 17, 2014:
It has just been announced that Tiger's Promise will now be available in print!! Good job, Tigers fans, for reaching out with your (hopefully polite) requests to make Tiger's Promise a physical book! Let's celebrate together!
August 10, 2018
This review can also be found on my blog: A Match Made in Heaven
This book destroyed me! It was just the right combination of factors to rip my heart out.
First, it heavily featured Kishan, the book boyfriend love of my life. Secondly, it was from the POV of a woman who loved him. When she met Ren and compared him to Kishan, she actually found him wanting. When she looked in Kishan's eyes she saw the warm sun and kindness, not a man who always fell short, like Kelsey did. And thirdly, the real clincher to my broken heart, is the fact that I knew what would happen to them in the end. I knew that once again, or for the first time, chronologically, Kishan's love would be ripped from him. Every time Yesubai thought of Kishan it would break my heart again, knowing that they would never be together. It was constant pain and suffering for me to finish this book. I can't remember the last time a book made me cry so hard.
I need to see Kishan find happiness one day. I know that he eventually marries Annamika, but the little we have seen of them together does not give me great hope for their happiness. I used to always feel like Kishan marrying Annamika was like a betrayal of Kelsey. Even if Kishan had lost her forever, she had treated him badly, and she had gone on to marry his brother, I didn't want his great love for her to die. And I guess a part of it never did, as he said in his letter. But I still didnt really want to acknowledge the fact that he married Annamika.
I have now had time to come to terms with the truth, and after seeing the tragedy that was his relationship with Yesubai, I must see him find happiness with a woman who loves him eventually. Does Annamika love Kishan fully, as fully as he loved Kelsey? Or is it just convenient, a result of their circumstances? I can tell in the sneak peak that he is attracted to her, even if he is not acknowledging it yet, so they better be featured heavily in Tiger's Dream. If Colleen can show me their relationship become what Kishan has been without for centuries, what he so badly deserves, what I have been wanting for him for so long that I am at this very moment in tears, I will hunt her down and give her the hugest hug!
This book destroyed me! It was just the right combination of factors to rip my heart out.
First, it heavily featured Kishan, the book boyfriend love of my life. Secondly, it was from the POV of a woman who loved him. When she met Ren and compared him to Kishan, she actually found him wanting. When she looked in Kishan's eyes she saw the warm sun and kindness, not a man who always fell short, like Kelsey did. And thirdly, the real clincher to my broken heart, is the fact that I knew what would happen to them in the end. I knew that once again, or for the first time, chronologically, Kishan's love would be ripped from him. Every time Yesubai thought of Kishan it would break my heart again, knowing that they would never be together. It was constant pain and suffering for me to finish this book. I can't remember the last time a book made me cry so hard.
I need to see Kishan find happiness one day. I know that he eventually marries Annamika, but the little we have seen of them together does not give me great hope for their happiness. I used to always feel like Kishan marrying Annamika was like a betrayal of Kelsey. Even if Kishan had lost her forever, she had treated him badly, and she had gone on to marry his brother, I didn't want his great love for her to die. And I guess a part of it never did, as he said in his letter. But I still didnt really want to acknowledge the fact that he married Annamika.
I have now had time to come to terms with the truth, and after seeing the tragedy that was his relationship with Yesubai, I must see him find happiness with a woman who loves him eventually. Does Annamika love Kishan fully, as fully as he loved Kelsey? Or is it just convenient, a result of their circumstances? I can tell in the sneak peak that he is attracted to her, even if he is not acknowledging it yet, so they better be featured heavily in Tiger's Dream. If Colleen can show me their relationship become what Kishan has been without for centuries, what he so badly deserves, what I have been wanting for him for so long that I am at this very moment in tears, I will hunt her down and give her the hugest hug!
April 23, 2014
After reading: I had been contacted by Emily Ross to get a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars.
As you should already know from the blurb, this is the story of Yesubai. Though I did know this, I don't know why my genius mind didn't figure that this would be in her POV. I got kind of startled at that since Yesubai, before this book, had always been a background character, the girl whose sacrifice started it all.
Do not get me wrong though, I still am mad at Kishan and her for betraying Ren, but...you're bound to feel sorry for Yesubai and her tragic love story with Kishan once you get to know about her story.
Yesubai is brought up by her governess Isha, whose sole responsibility lies on taking care of Yesubai and keeping her safe from her evil father, Lokesh. Lokesh uses her love for Isha to blackmail Yesubai in doing things she doesn't want to. I loved the portray of Yesubai's life struggle and her mindset to be free of her evil father's grasp because it felt so real.
The world building was, as usual, fascinating. There's not much Ren in this book but I loved Ren and Kishan's mom Deschen because you get to know how headstrong she is even in her small presence.
Thought you hated Lokesh before? Wait till you read this.
Thinking of reading this series? Read this one, I'm sure you'll get hooked.
The ending would brake your heart.
"...the thing that I lamented the most as I lay dying was that when Kishan finally pressed his lips against mine, something I'd been yearning for since I stood next to him in the king's garden, I couldn't feel it."
Before reading:I have been a bad, bad girl.
I claim myself to be a fan of this series and I came to know about this now?
Okay now
3.5 stars.
As you should already know from the blurb, this is the story of Yesubai. Though I did know this, I don't know why my genius mind didn't figure that this would be in her POV. I got kind of startled at that since Yesubai, before this book, had always been a background character, the girl whose sacrifice started it all.
Do not get me wrong though, I still am mad at Kishan and her for betraying Ren, but...you're bound to feel sorry for Yesubai and her tragic love story with Kishan once you get to know about her story.
Yesubai is brought up by her governess Isha, whose sole responsibility lies on taking care of Yesubai and keeping her safe from her evil father, Lokesh. Lokesh uses her love for Isha to blackmail Yesubai in doing things she doesn't want to. I loved the portray of Yesubai's life struggle and her mindset to be free of her evil father's grasp because it felt so real.
The world building was, as usual, fascinating. There's not much Ren in this book but I loved Ren and Kishan's mom Deschen because you get to know how headstrong she is even in her small presence.
Thought you hated Lokesh before? Wait till you read this.
Thinking of reading this series? Read this one, I'm sure you'll get hooked.
The ending would brake your heart.
"...the thing that I lamented the most as I lay dying was that when Kishan finally pressed his lips against mine, something I'd been yearning for since I stood next to him in the king's garden, I couldn't feel it."
Before reading:I have been a bad, bad girl.
I claim myself to be a fan of this series and I came to know about this now?
Okay now
August 24, 2016
Revised Review:
Tiger’s Promise is thrilling, enchanting, beautiful and emotional. Before Kelsey Hayes there was another girl who played an important role that changed the lives of two princes. Yesubai, trapped under the rule of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, she struggles to keep her own magical powers hidden while avoiding his wrath. When Lokesh plans to use Yesubai in plot against a neighboring kingdom to destroy the royal family and power for himself, she is unable to disobey him. As Yesubai struggles between the fear of her father and to protect the prince she loves, she knows any decision will have dire consequences. Tiger’s Promise is filled with emotion, magical and insight.
Yesubai is the daughter of the evil powerful lord Lokesh, who never loved her and is often abusive towards her. However, Yesubai is the care of her kind handmaiden, Isha who is both her friend and caregiver. Unaware of her father, Yesubai has magic of her own and tries to hide her abilities out of fear of what he would do. Due to her beauty, Lokesh keeps her hidden away until news of Yesubai reaches other lands and thus Lokesh plots to use her to further his quest for power. Soon Yesubai learns that Lokesh plans for her to marry Prince Dhiren in order to obtain the Damon Amulet pieces that the family protect and take the kingdom for himself. Unable to refuse Lokesh all to protect Isha from harm, Yesubai agrees to become a pawn in her father’s plans.
Over time and with Ren away, Yesubai spends time with Ren’s younger brother, Kishan and his family and grows closer to Kishan. The more she spends with Kishan, the more she feels guilty about the lies and the plot she is a part of to destroy his family and kingdom. However, Lokesh learns of Kishan’s feelings for Yesubai and uses them to his advantage to get everything he wants. As Yesubai struggles between the fear of her father’s wrath if she should fail and to protect Kishan, any decision she makes could mean dire consequences for everyone. As darkness gathers around her, Yesubai must decide if she’s willing to risk everything to dare and hope.
We all know of Yesubai from the stories told by Ren, Kishan and Lokesh as well as her role that began the series. In Tiger’s Promise, we get to see more of her story and of who Yesubai was. She’s a great character. She has her own strength about her. She’s kind and sweet. Her relationship with Ren and Kishan and even with their parents was great to see. With this short insight into Yesubai, I really like her. In the end she was just another victim of Lokesh’s web of evil.
It really is a sad story; Yesubai was never loved by Lokesh and only saw her as a pawn in his quest for power. Lokesh uses Yesubai to get what he wants and is not afraid to show what happens if you cross or fail him. He even threatened Yesubai’s friend and handmaiden Isha, if she failed to do what he asks. Really, really hate this guy.
Overall, Tiger’s Promise is great. It is a perfect prequel to an amazing series. I loved it. Even though I knew Yesubai’s fate from the beginning it was still heartbreaking. I love Colleen Houck’s writing and her attention to detail was great in the novella just as it is in the Tiger’s Curse series. I also loved how different it was with the difference in period era. It’s a great read and a must.
June 1, 2014:
Tiger’s Promise is a thrilling novella to an amazing series. We all know of Yesubai from the stories told by Ren, Kishan and Lokesh as well as her role that began the series. In Tiger’s Promise, we get to see more of her story and more of who Yesubai was.
It really is a sad story; Yesubai is the daughter of the evil Lokesh who never loved her and saw her as a pawn in his quest for power. Lokesh uses Yesubai to get what he wants and is not afraid to show what happens if you cross him. He even threatened Yesubai’s friend and handmaiden Isha, if she failed to do what he asks. Really, really hate this guy.
We also knew Yesubai’s fate from the beginning, but it was still heartbreaking. With this short insight to Yesubai, I really like her. She’s strong in her way and she really did love Kishan. In the end she was just another victim of Lokesh’s web of evil.
Overall, Tiger’s Promise is great and a perfect prequel to an amazing series. I love Colleen Houck’s writing and her attention to detail was great in the novella just as she does in the Tiger’s Curse series.
Tiger’s Promise is thrilling, enchanting, beautiful and emotional. Before Kelsey Hayes there was another girl who played an important role that changed the lives of two princes. Yesubai, trapped under the rule of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, she struggles to keep her own magical powers hidden while avoiding his wrath. When Lokesh plans to use Yesubai in plot against a neighboring kingdom to destroy the royal family and power for himself, she is unable to disobey him. As Yesubai struggles between the fear of her father and to protect the prince she loves, she knows any decision will have dire consequences. Tiger’s Promise is filled with emotion, magical and insight.
Yesubai is the daughter of the evil powerful lord Lokesh, who never loved her and is often abusive towards her. However, Yesubai is the care of her kind handmaiden, Isha who is both her friend and caregiver. Unaware of her father, Yesubai has magic of her own and tries to hide her abilities out of fear of what he would do. Due to her beauty, Lokesh keeps her hidden away until news of Yesubai reaches other lands and thus Lokesh plots to use her to further his quest for power. Soon Yesubai learns that Lokesh plans for her to marry Prince Dhiren in order to obtain the Damon Amulet pieces that the family protect and take the kingdom for himself. Unable to refuse Lokesh all to protect Isha from harm, Yesubai agrees to become a pawn in her father’s plans.
Over time and with Ren away, Yesubai spends time with Ren’s younger brother, Kishan and his family and grows closer to Kishan. The more she spends with Kishan, the more she feels guilty about the lies and the plot she is a part of to destroy his family and kingdom. However, Lokesh learns of Kishan’s feelings for Yesubai and uses them to his advantage to get everything he wants. As Yesubai struggles between the fear of her father’s wrath if she should fail and to protect Kishan, any decision she makes could mean dire consequences for everyone. As darkness gathers around her, Yesubai must decide if she’s willing to risk everything to dare and hope.
We all know of Yesubai from the stories told by Ren, Kishan and Lokesh as well as her role that began the series. In Tiger’s Promise, we get to see more of her story and of who Yesubai was. She’s a great character. She has her own strength about her. She’s kind and sweet. Her relationship with Ren and Kishan and even with their parents was great to see. With this short insight into Yesubai, I really like her. In the end she was just another victim of Lokesh’s web of evil.
It really is a sad story; Yesubai was never loved by Lokesh and only saw her as a pawn in his quest for power. Lokesh uses Yesubai to get what he wants and is not afraid to show what happens if you cross or fail him. He even threatened Yesubai’s friend and handmaiden Isha, if she failed to do what he asks. Really, really hate this guy.
Overall, Tiger’s Promise is great. It is a perfect prequel to an amazing series. I loved it. Even though I knew Yesubai’s fate from the beginning it was still heartbreaking. I love Colleen Houck’s writing and her attention to detail was great in the novella just as it is in the Tiger’s Curse series. I also loved how different it was with the difference in period era. It’s a great read and a must.
June 1, 2014:
Tiger’s Promise is a thrilling novella to an amazing series. We all know of Yesubai from the stories told by Ren, Kishan and Lokesh as well as her role that began the series. In Tiger’s Promise, we get to see more of her story and more of who Yesubai was.
It really is a sad story; Yesubai is the daughter of the evil Lokesh who never loved her and saw her as a pawn in his quest for power. Lokesh uses Yesubai to get what he wants and is not afraid to show what happens if you cross him. He even threatened Yesubai’s friend and handmaiden Isha, if she failed to do what he asks. Really, really hate this guy.
We also knew Yesubai’s fate from the beginning, but it was still heartbreaking. With this short insight to Yesubai, I really like her. She’s strong in her way and she really did love Kishan. In the end she was just another victim of Lokesh’s web of evil.
Overall, Tiger’s Promise is great and a perfect prequel to an amazing series. I love Colleen Houck’s writing and her attention to detail was great in the novella just as she does in the Tiger’s Curse series.
April 4, 2017
3,5
Δεν είχα σκεφτεί ποτέ την πλευρά της Yesubai, αν και μέσα από τα προηγούμενα βιβλία βλέπουμε κάποια στοιχεία γα την ιστορία της. Ακόμα και τώρα που διάβασα την πλευρά της και την αρχή της ιστορίας δεν νιώθω κοντά της. Μου λείπουν οι υπόλοιποι ήρωες μου, αν και πήρα μια μικρή δόση από τον Ren και τον Kishan. Πάντως η ιστορία ήταν καλή και δεν έρχεται σε αντίφασή με ότι γνωρίζουμε μέχρι τώρα. Το καλύτερο κομμάτι ήταν η πρώτη γεύση από το Tiger's Dream. Κατάφερε να με συγκινήσει και να με εξιτάρει.
Δεν είχα σκεφτεί ποτέ την πλευρά της Yesubai, αν και μέσα από τα προηγούμενα βιβλία βλέπουμε κάποια στοιχεία γα την ιστορία της. Ακόμα και τώρα που διάβασα την πλευρά της και την αρχή της ιστορίας δεν νιώθω κοντά της. Μου λείπουν οι υπόλοιποι ήρωες μου, αν και πήρα μια μικρή δόση από τον Ren και τον Kishan. Πάντως η ιστορία ήταν καλή και δεν έρχεται σε αντίφασή με ότι γνωρίζουμε μέχρι τώρα. Το καλύτερο κομμάτι ήταν η πρώτη γεύση από το Tiger's Dream. Κατάφερε να με συγκινήσει και να με εξιτάρει.
January 4, 2016
Urgh *eyeroll*
Rtc.
1/4/2016
Where do I even begin with this? I mean, I guess it was slightly better than Tiger's Curse, but still...
Well, I guess I'll start with the good.
First of all, Yesubai was slightly less useless than Kelsey. She was very much under her father's thumb, but she at least tried to rebel in any small way.
Next...there is no next. That was all that was good about this. On to the bad!
1. The Characters
I know I said earlier that Yesubai was slightly less useless than Kelsey, but she was still pretty useless. Also, she was a very flat character and had basically no personality. She spoke pretentiously and very robotically. She was a cardboard cutout of a weak, Mary Sue princess.
As for Kishan and Ren, they were barely there, so there's not really much that I can say about them. They were about the same as in Tiger's Destiny, though.
Lokesh was entirely forgettable and was a typical, "mua-ha-ha fear me i'm so powerful" villain. Not much to say about him.
The other characters weren't really there enough for them to have much characterization, but from what I did see, I could tell that they were very flat. Like, flatter than Flat Stanley.
2. Plot
I was so bored through this whole thing, it took me way too long to finish it. I think it should have been interesting (Princess infiltrates another kingdom to spy on the royal family for her evil father andhas magic powers? Awesome!) but it wasn't. Too much time was spent on romance and not enough on plot and character development, and that's why I was so bored.
3. Historical Inaccuracies
There were too many to count, but I pointed one major one out in my reading progress.
4. The Romance
Yesubai should be worrying more about her father killing her beloved nanny (babysitter? keeper? I don't know) than about the fact that she and Kishan can't be together.
That's about it. One last thing though- Yesubai's nickname, Bai, constantly made me think other characters were calling her 'woman'. Seriously, the author should have checked for meanings in other languagesMarathicoughHindicough before giving her that nickname. It made the book ten times as funny as it should have been.
So, 0.005/5 stars.
Rtc.
1/4/2016
Where do I even begin with this? I mean, I guess it was slightly better than Tiger's Curse, but still...
Well, I guess I'll start with the good.
First of all, Yesubai was slightly less useless than Kelsey. She was very much under her father's thumb, but she at least tried to rebel in any small way.
Next...there is no next. That was all that was good about this. On to the bad!
1. The Characters
I know I said earlier that Yesubai was slightly less useless than Kelsey, but she was still pretty useless. Also, she was a very flat character and had basically no personality. She spoke pretentiously and very robotically. She was a cardboard cutout of a weak, Mary Sue princess.
As for Kishan and Ren, they were barely there, so there's not really much that I can say about them. They were about the same as in Tiger's Destiny, though.
Lokesh was entirely forgettable and was a typical, "mua-ha-ha fear me i'm so powerful" villain. Not much to say about him.
The other characters weren't really there enough for them to have much characterization, but from what I did see, I could tell that they were very flat. Like, flatter than Flat Stanley.
2. Plot
I was so bored through this whole thing, it took me way too long to finish it. I think it should have been interesting (Princess infiltrates another kingdom to spy on the royal family for her evil father andhas magic powers? Awesome!) but it wasn't. Too much time was spent on romance and not enough on plot and character development, and that's why I was so bored.
3. Historical Inaccuracies
There were too many to count, but I pointed one major one out in my reading progress.
4. The Romance
Yesubai should be worrying more about her father killing her beloved nanny (babysitter? keeper? I don't know) than about the fact that she and Kishan can't be together.
That's about it. One last thing though- Yesubai's nickname, Bai, constantly made me think other characters were calling her 'woman'. Seriously, the author should have checked for meanings in other languages
So, 0.005/5 stars.
May 23, 2014
Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips
I'm bummed that Tiger's Promise was only a novella; I could have read a whole book about Yesubai! I adored Yesubai's story. It was inspiring, but tragic. There was a constant feeling of dread as I was reading the book (like "I think something bad is going to happen") and that really kept me hooked! It also made me sad though because I loved Yesubai and Kishan together and I so desperately wanted things to work out for them.
I will admit, Yesubai and Kishan's relationship was a bit insta-lovey. I guess that comes with the territory of a novella though. It's a short book and there's not a whole lot of time to develop a romance. But despite the insta-love nature, Yesubai and Kishan were adorable together. I like how Yesubai could have chosen anyone—she could have been a queen! But she actually felt a strong connection to Kishan and she was prepared to give up everything to be with him.
This novella also gave me a whole new perspective on Lokesh. Seeing him mistreat Yesubai was heartbreaking! But it was interesting to get a lot more backstory on him as a person and his motivations.
Also, I have to say, this book really made me feel bad for Ren. :P
If you enjoy The Tiger Saga, I definitely recommend this novella. And fear not: there's no love triangle! Yes there are two guys in the picture, but there's no love triangle in the sense that Yesubai is not sitting around trying to decide which guy she likes more. She decides basically immediately that she wants Kishan. Thank heavens!
I'm bummed that Tiger's Promise was only a novella; I could have read a whole book about Yesubai! I adored Yesubai's story. It was inspiring, but tragic. There was a constant feeling of dread as I was reading the book (like "I think something bad is going to happen") and that really kept me hooked! It also made me sad though because I loved Yesubai and Kishan together and I so desperately wanted things to work out for them.
I will admit, Yesubai and Kishan's relationship was a bit insta-lovey. I guess that comes with the territory of a novella though. It's a short book and there's not a whole lot of time to develop a romance. But despite the insta-love nature, Yesubai and Kishan were adorable together. I like how Yesubai could have chosen anyone—she could have been a queen! But she actually felt a strong connection to Kishan and she was prepared to give up everything to be with him.
This novella also gave me a whole new perspective on Lokesh. Seeing him mistreat Yesubai was heartbreaking! But it was interesting to get a lot more backstory on him as a person and his motivations.
Also, I have to say, this book really made me feel bad for Ren. :P
If you enjoy The Tiger Saga, I definitely recommend this novella. And fear not: there's no love triangle! Yes there are two guys in the picture, but there's no love triangle in the sense that Yesubai is not sitting around trying to decide which guy she likes more. She decides basically immediately that she wants Kishan. Thank heavens!
July 28, 2017
I finally, FINALLY read this novella! I adored Colleen's original series The Tiger Saga, so why the heck did it take me so dang long to read this prequel novella? I honestly really enjoyed this novella, and although it is short it definitely felt whole as a story.
Yesubai was interesting heroine that was briefly mentioned in The Tiger Saga, who finally got her origin story in this novella. So, nothing was a surprise with how this novella ended.
I definitely thought she grew as a character and became a great and selfless heroine in the end of this novella. I completely shipped Yesubai with Kishan... I'm sorry Dhiren but they belong together.
Yesubai was interesting heroine that was briefly mentioned in The Tiger Saga, who finally got her origin story in this novella. So, nothing was a surprise with how this novella ended.
I definitely thought she grew as a character and became a great and selfless heroine in the end of this novella. I completely shipped Yesubai with Kishan... I'm sorry Dhiren but they belong together.
February 26, 2020
Yesubai jsem v původní sérii nemusela, ale OMG. Její PoV je snad to nejlepší, co v Tygrech bylo. Neskutečně smutný prequel o tom, jak vyrůstala ve strachu z Lokeše (spousta násilí). A setkání s Kishanem? Ach... Bylo to boží.
5/5*
5/5*
December 2, 2022
[REVIEW]
I’ve always had mixed experiences with novellas. Some of them I’ve liked (like Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi and The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan) and others I didn’t feel like I gained anything from (like Winter’s Passage by Julie Kagawa).
Tiger’s Promise was the latter. These weren’t the worst novellas I’ve read, but I didn’t feel like they added much. Somehow, though, I liked this better than Tiger’s Voyage and Tiger’s Destiny. Maybe because they were short? IDK.
MY THOUGHTS ON…
REN’S NOVELLA:
I honestly don’t have much to say about this novella. It didn’t add any new information that either shocked me or explained something about Ren’s backstory. I actually would’ve preferred reading Kishan’s perspective of his first meeting Yesubai. It still probably wouldn’t have added much, but at least we would’ve gotten to see his thoughts and feelings towards Yesubai (which were much stronger than Ren’s).
YUVAKSHI’S NOVELLA:
*Trigger/content warnings in this novella for death and spousal abuse*
While I didn’t really LOVE any of these novellas, I was the most emotionally invested in Yuvakshi’s story. Maybe because this DID bring some new information. None that was relevant and/or explanatory about something in the other books—but still new information. Yuvakshi was briefly mentioned in The Tiger Saga, but Lokesh murdering her was really the only thing we learned about her. Throughout this novella, we see Lokesh and Yuvakshi’s marriage through her eyes, as well her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Yesubai.
I did feel terrible for Yuvakshi for everything she went through. She didn’t deserve to be treated like garbage. She didn’t deserve to be killed by her husband just because she bore a daughter instead of a son. The ending did leave me heartbroken for her, even though I knew how it was going to end. Lokesh was one of the most boring villains I’ve ever read, BUT I did find myself hating him more in Yuvakshi and Yesubai’s novella.
YESUBAI’S STORY:
*Trigger/content warnings in this novella for death and parental abuse*
This was the longest of the three, so I have some more to say of what I liked and what I disliked.
WHAT I LIKED:
•Yesubai thankfully didn’t annoy me as much Kelsey did. Like Yuvakshi, I felt angry for her for having to deal with her father. I did feel bad for her as she was dying, and when she mentioned that she would never get to kiss Kishan.
•My favorite parts of the story probably had to be when Yesubai was bonding with Ren and Kishan’s mother. Watching Yesubai open up and be vulnerable with Ren and Kishan’s mother was nice to read about. She was so sweet and kind to Yesubai, acting like the mother Yesubai never had. I wish there’d been more scenes between them.
CRITIQUES:
•Yesubai was mentioned to have some kind of dark power that she constantly struggled and had to remind herself to hide. I was very curious to learn more about this power. I wanted to see her use it, whether intentionally or without her control.
Only…Yesubai didn’t really struggle to hide her power. She just reminded herself that she HAD to hide her power, and she did until the end, when she HAD TO use it to save Ren and Kishan. I feel like if she HAD struggled beforehand, if she’d had a few scenes where she almost got caught, I might’ve felt Yesubai’s fear. Instead, I was left feeling underwhelmed.
•There wasn’t enough development for Yesubai and Kishan’s relationship. Instead, we got her first impression of Kishan, and then had Yesubai TELL US that she and Kishan bonded, instead of showing it. I know that this is a novella, and that we get Kishan’s memories of Yesubai in the other books. But I still wanted to see their love story as it was happening. I wanted to see Yesubai’s love for Kishan grow, and watch her struggle on whether to follow her heart or her father’s orders. I wanted to see WHY she was falling in love with Kishan, and why Kishan was falling in love with her. I wanted to see how they challenged each other to be better people. While the last scene of them together was sad, it didn’t feel as heartbreaking as it could’ve been if we’d gotten more scenes of Kishan and Yesubai bonding beforehand.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Like I said before, this didn’t add a lot of new information or explanations to the series. These weren’t the worst novellas I’ve read, though. If you like The Tiger’s Saga, you might like this.
I’ve always had mixed experiences with novellas. Some of them I’ve liked (like Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi and The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan) and others I didn’t feel like I gained anything from (like Winter’s Passage by Julie Kagawa).
Tiger’s Promise was the latter. These weren’t the worst novellas I’ve read, but I didn’t feel like they added much. Somehow, though, I liked this better than Tiger’s Voyage and Tiger’s Destiny. Maybe because they were short? IDK.
MY THOUGHTS ON…
REN’S NOVELLA:
I honestly don’t have much to say about this novella. It didn’t add any new information that either shocked me or explained something about Ren’s backstory. I actually would’ve preferred reading Kishan’s perspective of his first meeting Yesubai. It still probably wouldn’t have added much, but at least we would’ve gotten to see his thoughts and feelings towards Yesubai (which were much stronger than Ren’s).
YUVAKSHI’S NOVELLA:
*Trigger/content warnings in this novella for death and spousal abuse*
While I didn’t really LOVE any of these novellas, I was the most emotionally invested in Yuvakshi’s story. Maybe because this DID bring some new information. None that was relevant and/or explanatory about something in the other books—but still new information. Yuvakshi was briefly mentioned in The Tiger Saga, but Lokesh murdering her was really the only thing we learned about her. Throughout this novella, we see Lokesh and Yuvakshi’s marriage through her eyes, as well her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Yesubai.
I did feel terrible for Yuvakshi for everything she went through. She didn’t deserve to be treated like garbage. She didn’t deserve to be killed by her husband just because she bore a daughter instead of a son. The ending did leave me heartbroken for her, even though I knew how it was going to end. Lokesh was one of the most boring villains I’ve ever read, BUT I did find myself hating him more in Yuvakshi and Yesubai’s novella.
YESUBAI’S STORY:
*Trigger/content warnings in this novella for death and parental abuse*
This was the longest of the three, so I have some more to say of what I liked and what I disliked.
WHAT I LIKED:
•Yesubai thankfully didn’t annoy me as much Kelsey did. Like Yuvakshi, I felt angry for her for having to deal with her father. I did feel bad for her as she was dying, and when she mentioned that she would never get to kiss Kishan.
•My favorite parts of the story probably had to be when Yesubai was bonding with Ren and Kishan’s mother. Watching Yesubai open up and be vulnerable with Ren and Kishan’s mother was nice to read about. She was so sweet and kind to Yesubai, acting like the mother Yesubai never had. I wish there’d been more scenes between them.
CRITIQUES:
•Yesubai was mentioned to have some kind of dark power that she constantly struggled and had to remind herself to hide. I was very curious to learn more about this power. I wanted to see her use it, whether intentionally or without her control.
Only…Yesubai didn’t really struggle to hide her power. She just reminded herself that she HAD to hide her power, and she did until the end, when she HAD TO use it to save Ren and Kishan. I feel like if she HAD struggled beforehand, if she’d had a few scenes where she almost got caught, I might’ve felt Yesubai’s fear. Instead, I was left feeling underwhelmed.
•There wasn’t enough development for Yesubai and Kishan’s relationship. Instead, we got her first impression of Kishan, and then had Yesubai TELL US that she and Kishan bonded, instead of showing it. I know that this is a novella, and that we get Kishan’s memories of Yesubai in the other books. But I still wanted to see their love story as it was happening. I wanted to see Yesubai’s love for Kishan grow, and watch her struggle on whether to follow her heart or her father’s orders. I wanted to see WHY she was falling in love with Kishan, and why Kishan was falling in love with her. I wanted to see how they challenged each other to be better people. While the last scene of them together was sad, it didn’t feel as heartbreaking as it could’ve been if we’d gotten more scenes of Kishan and Yesubai bonding beforehand.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Like I said before, this didn’t add a lot of new information or explanations to the series. These weren’t the worst novellas I’ve read, though. If you like The Tiger’s Saga, you might like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2024
Tiger’s Promise gives us a glimpse of Kishan and Ren before the curse and shows how everything began. I really enjoyed Colleen Houck's writing style. It’s my first time reading this book in its original language, and although I found it a bit difficult to find my reading pace at the start, I still enjoyed it. The way Colleen describes the settings is amazing. However, the book is a very short novella, so there isn’t much going on, just a quick look into Yesubai’s life.
Tiger’s Promise tells the story of Yesubai, the daughter of Lokesh and the first love interest of the brothers. However, it’s very clear that Yesubai’s only interest was Kishan, which makes it so unfair that they didn’t get to spend much time together. Her story is incredibly sad and ends tragically.
In the version I read, there were three bonus chapters: one about Yesubai’s mother, another from Ren’s perspective, and the last one, the prologue of Tiger’s Dream. I had already read all the books in the Tiger’s Curse series years ago, so I skipped the last bonus chapter. However, I really enjoyed learning what happened to Yesubai’s mother and seeing Ren’s point of view when he met Yesubai for the first time.
I have such a deep affection for this saga. I’ve never reread any of the books, but now that Tiger’s Tale has been released, I think it’s time to revisit the series I loved 8/9 years ago. Not much happens in Tiger’s Promise beyond what was already described in Tiger’s Curse, but it was still a good read, and I highly recommend this saga!
Rating:
1st read(2015/16): 4★
2nd read(2024): 2.5★
Tiger’s Promise tells the story of Yesubai, the daughter of Lokesh and the first love interest of the brothers. However, it’s very clear that Yesubai’s only interest was Kishan, which makes it so unfair that they didn’t get to spend much time together. Her story is incredibly sad and ends tragically.
In the version I read, there were three bonus chapters: one about Yesubai’s mother, another from Ren’s perspective, and the last one, the prologue of Tiger’s Dream. I had already read all the books in the Tiger’s Curse series years ago, so I skipped the last bonus chapter. However, I really enjoyed learning what happened to Yesubai’s mother and seeing Ren’s point of view when he met Yesubai for the first time.
I have such a deep affection for this saga. I’ve never reread any of the books, but now that Tiger’s Tale has been released, I think it’s time to revisit the series I loved 8/9 years ago. Not much happens in Tiger’s Promise beyond what was already described in Tiger’s Curse, but it was still a good read, and I highly recommend this saga!
❝Reliance soon became trust. Trust led to admiration. And then, before I was even aware it happened, admiration transformed into a longing that was at once terrific and terrible, and I realized I was in love.❞
Rating:
1st read(2015/16): 4★
2nd read(2024): 2.5★
May 17, 2016
This was a nice short story that gave readers insight into Yesubai's character. I also enjoyed reading about Ren and Kishan again as well about learning more about their mother. The readers also get to see just how evil Lokesh is with regards to his own daughter. In the version that I have readers also get a bonus chapter in the POV of Yesubai's mother, Yuvakshi. There is also a bonus chapter in Ren's POV of when he met Yesubai. There is ALSO a sneak peek chapter from Tiger's Dream which I am (im)patiently waiting for.
When I first read Tiger's Curse, all I really knew about Yesubai was that she was the cause of Kishan betraying Ren and one of the reasons for their curse. There were also mentions of her in the other books but nothing really substantial. Needless to say I really didn't care for her (especially since I'm team Ren and she betrayed him). But reading this book changed my view of her and I actually like her as well as feel sorry for her. The girl has the devil for a father and all she wants is to survive and get away from him. She really is a good person and didn't want anything bad to happen to Ren, Kishan or their parents. She realized her mistakes in dealing with her father and the whole betrothed situation and tried to make it right in the end. She truly did love Kishan and liked Ren, so she betrayed her father to try to save them. All her life she was abused by Lokesh and she found happiness in Ren and Kishan's home with their parents. She was happy and felt safe, so I couldn't really blame her for wanting to keep feeling that way. Also in essence she was trying to keep the man she loved alive.
Lokesh really is a son of a b***h and I loathe him. He is true evil and has not a speck of goodness or empathy in him. He is a psychopath. All this book did, in terms of his character was made me want to go into the book and kill him slowly and painfully.
I really liked Ren and Kishan's mother, Deschen. She was very kind and caring to Yesubai. She wanted to protect her from her father. She knew about Kishan and Yesubai's love for each other and tried to help them become betrothed by speaking to Lokesh. She was a very good listener and tired to help solve Yesubai's problems.
As for Yesubai's mother, Yuvakshi, that poor girl had no chance of surviving. That poor girl was thrown to the wolves and sooner or later was going to die. It was just sooner.
This review is also posted on The Book Owl Extraordinaire
When I first read Tiger's Curse, all I really knew about Yesubai was that she was the cause of Kishan betraying Ren and one of the reasons for their curse. There were also mentions of her in the other books but nothing really substantial. Needless to say I really didn't care for her (especially since I'm team Ren and she betrayed him). But reading this book changed my view of her and I actually like her as well as feel sorry for her. The girl has the devil for a father and all she wants is to survive and get away from him. She really is a good person and didn't want anything bad to happen to Ren, Kishan or their parents. She realized her mistakes in dealing with her father and the whole betrothed situation and tried to make it right in the end. She truly did love Kishan and liked Ren, so she betrayed her father to try to save them. All her life she was abused by Lokesh and she found happiness in Ren and Kishan's home with their parents. She was happy and felt safe, so I couldn't really blame her for wanting to keep feeling that way. Also in essence she was trying to keep the man she loved alive.
Lokesh really is a son of a b***h and I loathe him. He is true evil and has not a speck of goodness or empathy in him. He is a psychopath. All this book did, in terms of his character was made me want to go into the book and kill him slowly and painfully.
I really liked Ren and Kishan's mother, Deschen. She was very kind and caring to Yesubai. She wanted to protect her from her father. She knew about Kishan and Yesubai's love for each other and tried to help them become betrothed by speaking to Lokesh. She was a very good listener and tired to help solve Yesubai's problems.
As for Yesubai's mother, Yuvakshi, that poor girl had no chance of surviving. That poor girl was thrown to the wolves and sooner or later was going to die. It was just sooner.
This review is also posted on The Book Owl Extraordinaire
July 6, 2014
Tiger's Promise is a short novella told in the viewpoint of Yesubai (daughter of Lokesh). If you are a fan of the Tiger's series, you are going to absolutely love this novella. There is something so engaging about the way that Coleen Houck writes. She manages to do exactly what I want with a book- to escape every day life and go on a fantastical adventure. Even within the short range of this novella, I found myself transported to Yesubai's home.
I loved getting the back story about Yesubai and Kishan... I just wish that she would have given us MORE. This whole novella could have been stretched into an entire novel for me and I would have loved it- Did you hear me Ms Houck? It isn't too late! Make ME ... erm... I mean everyone another novel in this world!
Anyway- all that to say, I loved it and it is totally worth a read!
I loved getting the back story about Yesubai and Kishan... I just wish that she would have given us MORE. This whole novella could have been stretched into an entire novel for me and I would have loved it- Did you hear me Ms Houck? It isn't too late! Make ME ... erm... I mean everyone another novel in this world!
Anyway- all that to say, I loved it and it is totally worth a read!
October 17, 2014
I am not happy with myself that I read this...I just couldn't resist it sitting in my TBR pile. Now....I want to keep reading the series again for the 4th time...and it makes me want Book 5 REALLY bad.
So good, and got to like Kishan even more...poor Ren, love him of course, but you really love Kishan in here. And of course, hate Lokesh even more if that is at all possible. And hear Yesuabi's side of it.
WHERE IS BOOK 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So good, and got to like Kishan even more...poor Ren, love him of course, but you really love Kishan in here. And of course, hate Lokesh even more if that is at all possible. And hear Yesuabi's side of it.
WHERE IS BOOK 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 13, 2016
Really like every characters in this book!
October 26, 2017
Tiger’s Promise by Colleen Houck
Personal Response: I was really excited to have found out more about Yesubai. In The Tiger’s Curse series, the reason Ren and Kishan didn’t get along was because of their past love interest, Yesubai. The author didn’t go into much more detail about her, until now. It explained further in detail about the relationships Yesubai and the princes developed. In this novella, I related well to Yesubai because she too had a quiet demeanor and was a young woman.
Plot Summary: While Yesubai attended a royal gathering, she found out that she was to be married to whichever suitor who offered the most pleasing bargain to the king. All of the suitors argued over who should take her hand in marriage. Only one young man had her attention, emperor Rajaram’s youngest son, Kishan. She had never been introduced to him before, but was instantly attracted to him. How could she not be attracted to him? He was around her age and was extremely handsome. He made all the other suitors look like disgusting old men. Just her luck, she was set up to court Kishan’s older brother, Dhiren. He was very attractive like his brother but Yesubai didn’t feel the same connection to Dhiren as she did Kishan. Lokesh, Yesubai’s father, used this courtship to his advantage. He was an evil man who was always greedy for more power. His plan was to use Yesubai and Dhiren’s courtship as a cover to slither into a role as a ruler in Rajaram’s kingdom. His plan started to backfire when Kishan and Yesubai started to develop feelings for one another. Not only did he have to deal with one prince, he now had to deal with both of the Rajaram brothers.
Characterization:
Yesubai had unusual-colored lavender eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes, set in a heart-shaped face, that glowed with beauty. Her looks could have made stone-cold hearts melt. Yesubai had a special healing power that only she and Isha knew about. With this power, she could heal wounds, bruises, and many more. Yesubai was always serious and had calmness written on her face. She could be panicking or full of sorrow, but no-one would know from the outside. Her soul was of a wise, old woman who was trapped inside a petite Indian girl.
Isha was Yesubai’s caretaker. Isha was a strong, older Indian women who had taken care of Yesubai since Yesubai was an infant. Like Yesubai, Isha was a quiet lady who always obeyed orders and traditions. She always stood up for Yesubai and protected her from Yesubai’s evil father.
Lokesh was a heartless, evil man. He was a greedy war hero, who would have done anything to get money and power. Not only did he have power over people, he also had a sorcery power. He used lightning and extra physical strength as a weapon. He was a middle aged Indian man who was admired as well as feared for this power. He was so greedy for power, that he killed his own wife because she gave him a daughter instead of a son. Lokesh would abuse his daughter, Yesubai, and her caretaker, Isha, whenever he got back from traveling.
Impact of Setting: This novella took place three-hundred years ago in an Indian kingdom. Back then, rulers and men of importance always wanted a male heir. Men were the superior gender. When Lokesh received a daughter instead, he made her life miserable and killed her mother. Yesubai was also put into an arranged marriage, which was common back then as well as now.
Recommendations: I would recommend this to any girl or boy ages 15 and up. This novella was great for anyone who loved adventure. The reading level was great for high school but may be more tricky for middle school students due to higher level vocabulary and other languages incorporated. There was violence in this book but not very graphic. I rated this novella 5 out of 5 stars.
November 16, 2017
This was such an easy and quick read as well as entertaining.
This book is so sweet and wonderful. I wouldn't say that it adds any depth to the Tiger's Curse series mostly because the main event in this book has been covered in the series. However, I still found it to be entertaining and sweet. Mostly because it has been so long since I read this series and it is wonderful to be back to the original story that got me to be a reader. After reading this I just want to re-read the entire series which I might do after Tome Topple. But this book is really sweet and I think that if you read the Tiger's Curse series and just want some nostalgic feelings, read this! It brought so many feelings and emotions. It was so good! 5/5 for sure.
This book is so sweet and wonderful. I wouldn't say that it adds any depth to the Tiger's Curse series mostly because the main event in this book has been covered in the series. However, I still found it to be entertaining and sweet. Mostly because it has been so long since I read this series and it is wonderful to be back to the original story that got me to be a reader. After reading this I just want to re-read the entire series which I might do after Tome Topple. But this book is really sweet and I think that if you read the Tiger's Curse series and just want some nostalgic feelings, read this! It brought so many feelings and emotions. It was so good! 5/5 for sure.
November 5, 2017
Adorei conhecer melhor a história de Kishan... espero que algo de muito bom lhe esteja reservado
January 25, 2024
Loved this backstory!!!
February 25, 2024
Fiquei no "quero mais" lendo este livro. A vida da protagonista é tão curta. =/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2024
Je ne pensais pas l'aimer. Ça fait longtemps que ce petit préquel traîne dans ma bibliothèque. J'ai tellement adorée les autres livres de la malédiction du tigre que j'étais intéressé à en apprendre plus sur Yesubaï.
Étonnement je l'ai aimé! Et ça m'a permis d'apprécier le passé des personnages.
Étonnement je l'ai aimé! Et ça m'a permis d'apprécier le passé des personnages.
May 11, 2017
This was quite good. I like that you didn't need to know about the characters from the first book to really appreciate this novella.
I felt bad for poor Yesubai. She was tormented by a horrible evil since the day she was born.
I wonder if the Goddess will keep her promise and save the princes and her nursemaid. I really hope she will.
I was sad that Yesubai had to die and die knowing that her father is not yet dead. :(
I felt bad for poor Yesubai. She was tormented by a horrible evil since the day she was born.
I wonder if the Goddess will keep her promise and save the princes and her nursemaid. I really hope she will.
I was sad that Yesubai had to die and die knowing that her father is not yet dead. :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2018
Initial Thoughts Upon Finishing
Boy oh boy does Houck know how to write a good story. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get around to reading this considering Tiger’s Curse is my favourite series - but it sure lived up to expectations! I really enjoyed the back stories and different perspectives!
Tiger's Promise
This novella gives us (finally!) the back story to what really happened when the curse was placed upon the two brothers. Whilst we got something of an idea from the prologue that happens in Tiger's Curse and all the mentions in between throughout the rest of the series, this is such a solid back story and 100% worth reading.
What It Brings to the Series
It's so satisfying to finally have a thoroughly coherent understanding of what exactly went down, resulting in the curse. We get a deeper look at all the characters and I was most surprised at the look we get at Ren. Having gone through so many books, lapping up the attention and affections he shows to Kelsey, to see him doting on another woman - THE other woman - was both weird and satisfying. It really showcased his loving nature and let us see how heart-broken and betrayed he really felt.
Yesubai was a highly likeable character and she was a fascinating viewpoint to read from. I also appreciated the time we spend getting to know the true evil side of Lokesh's character, to understand where his madness over this curse began in earnest. In this sense, one of the greatest things this novel does for the series is give a damn good backstory for the plot and characters alike - this is no fluffy, superfluous addition to the series - this is the material we've been after.
Summary
A quick review but I think that's everything I want to say about this. I really enjoyed it, it was a quick, delightful and truly emotional read and I'm glad Houck filled us in on the drama-filled episode of Ren and Kishan's lives. Not to mention, this proves to me that I do want to read more on what Houck has written about this world, clearly she has a talent for adding to her world and I want MORE.
Happy reading!
Boy oh boy does Houck know how to write a good story. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get around to reading this considering Tiger’s Curse is my favourite series - but it sure lived up to expectations! I really enjoyed the back stories and different perspectives!
Tiger's Promise
This novella gives us (finally!) the back story to what really happened when the curse was placed upon the two brothers. Whilst we got something of an idea from the prologue that happens in Tiger's Curse and all the mentions in between throughout the rest of the series, this is such a solid back story and 100% worth reading.
What It Brings to the Series
It's so satisfying to finally have a thoroughly coherent understanding of what exactly went down, resulting in the curse. We get a deeper look at all the characters and I was most surprised at the look we get at Ren. Having gone through so many books, lapping up the attention and affections he shows to Kelsey, to see him doting on another woman - THE other woman - was both weird and satisfying. It really showcased his loving nature and let us see how heart-broken and betrayed he really felt.
Yesubai was a highly likeable character and she was a fascinating viewpoint to read from. I also appreciated the time we spend getting to know the true evil side of Lokesh's character, to understand where his madness over this curse began in earnest. In this sense, one of the greatest things this novel does for the series is give a damn good backstory for the plot and characters alike - this is no fluffy, superfluous addition to the series - this is the material we've been after.
Summary
A quick review but I think that's everything I want to say about this. I really enjoyed it, it was a quick, delightful and truly emotional read and I'm glad Houck filled us in on the drama-filled episode of Ren and Kishan's lives. Not to mention, this proves to me that I do want to read more on what Houck has written about this world, clearly she has a talent for adding to her world and I want MORE.
Happy reading!
January 2, 2018
Hey guys, so I finished Tigers Promise, a prequel novella to the tiger Saga by Colleen Houck. And well....it was okay. It was about Yesubai, the daughter of Lokesh and the girl Ren and Kishan first fought over. Though honestly, I dunno why. She might have been beautiful, but internally...*winces* I mean...she had her moments and seemed to want to be a good person, but the fact remains, she was just a tool for her father to use. Through and through. I get that her father was horrid and blah blah blah, and that she did care deeply enough to hopefully save one person, rather than strangers at the time....but...isn't that what a hero is suppose to do? Save the strangers(aka the world) rather than think of their love first. Then in the end that end up saving both because they made the hard choices. Yeah....not sure if that worked for her...but...eh. Still, the things people do for love. And honestly, it didn't even seem like love...on either Ren's, Bai's and Kishan's part. Ren just seemed like he was settling for her. Like "eh, I suppose I can make her into my dream girl. With time". Yesubai just wanted her freaking freedom (despite everything) and Kishan....I think he just wanted to best his brother. Though he might have had a crush on her. Though... In my opinion. I don't see what the hype was. Though, I might be biased cause I have read the Tiger Saga and know how Kelsey affected both of their lived, compared to Bai. So...whatever. Gosh...i hope I don't sound bitter...umm..let's see. The writing was nice. Gave insights into the characters thoughts and feelings. Was a bit much on some of the scenery details at time. But other than that, it was alright. Though, if I must confess, I was most looking forward to the sneak peek of Tigers Dream at the end of the novel (the last of the tiger saga novel). But...it wasn't that much...and it didn't really give me anything that I didn't already know. Oh well....i don't really have anything else to say. So...till next time..bye.
December 23, 2016
Personal Response:
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good addition to the Tiger's Curse series. I liked that it directly tied to the prologue in the first book of the series. The parts about Yesubai make a lot more sense now.
Characterization:
At the beginning of the novel Yesubai was a timid young girl. She was afraid of her father and was always quiet because of the fear that she would upset him. She loved Isha, the only person who cared for her. Yesubai was a beautiful girl, so to her father her only use was to marry her off. By the end of the novel, Yesubai had grown into women hood and fell in love with a prince that her father did not like. She became brave and courageous, and stood up to her father.
Plot summary:
Yesubai was born to a horrible man. He was a general and would do anything to become king. His wife died during childbirth, and he was angry that she birthed a girl and not a son. Yesubai, his daughter, was only loved by her maidservant, Isha. Isha was like a mother to Yesubai. They protected each other from the beatings they got from Lokesh, Yesubai's father. Lokesh was a feared man. One day the king offered Yesubai to eligible bachelors. Lokesh was to choose who her betrothed would be. He chose a prince from a lot of power. He wanted Yesubai to get close to him so she could get his powers from him. At the time the price was away, and she fell in love with the prince's brother, Kishan, and Kishan fell in with her. Kishan would do anything to marry Yesubai; even make a deal with Lokesh. Yesubai will learn much more about herself and her father's true character and intentions.
Recommendations:
I would recommend this to anyone who has read the Tiger's Curse series. I think any middle to high school aged girl would enjoy reading this book.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good addition to the Tiger's Curse series. I liked that it directly tied to the prologue in the first book of the series. The parts about Yesubai make a lot more sense now.
Characterization:
At the beginning of the novel Yesubai was a timid young girl. She was afraid of her father and was always quiet because of the fear that she would upset him. She loved Isha, the only person who cared for her. Yesubai was a beautiful girl, so to her father her only use was to marry her off. By the end of the novel, Yesubai had grown into women hood and fell in love with a prince that her father did not like. She became brave and courageous, and stood up to her father.
Plot summary:
Yesubai was born to a horrible man. He was a general and would do anything to become king. His wife died during childbirth, and he was angry that she birthed a girl and not a son. Yesubai, his daughter, was only loved by her maidservant, Isha. Isha was like a mother to Yesubai. They protected each other from the beatings they got from Lokesh, Yesubai's father. Lokesh was a feared man. One day the king offered Yesubai to eligible bachelors. Lokesh was to choose who her betrothed would be. He chose a prince from a lot of power. He wanted Yesubai to get close to him so she could get his powers from him. At the time the price was away, and she fell in love with the prince's brother, Kishan, and Kishan fell in with her. Kishan would do anything to marry Yesubai; even make a deal with Lokesh. Yesubai will learn much more about herself and her father's true character and intentions.
Recommendations:
I would recommend this to anyone who has read the Tiger's Curse series. I think any middle to high school aged girl would enjoy reading this book.
August 27, 2014
Finished this morning and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I don't usually like prequels. To me - they seem like fillers for the fans, something to wet our appetites because we're going crazy for the next book in the series. I usually don't get anything out of them, they're not as exciting as the actual series..
But Tiger's Promise actually surprised me. I knew it was about Yesubai and before I read it, I was hoping it would be like 3 pages about her and the rest would be about the boys or Kelsey before they met. It wasn't. This was her story and she told it very well. When you read the series, you don't actually know anything about Yesubai other than she's beautiful, both boys wanted her, she somehow set them up and then her father killed her.
This prequel is a reminder that there's more than one side to a story.
It definitely answered some questions I had about Yesubai. I was always curious about whether or not she truly loved Kishan or Ren, if she possessed the same powers as her father, what made her set the boys up, etc. Now I get it. And although I don't agree with the way she handled things, I can empathize with her reasoning.
The only thing that disappointed me was the sneak peek of Tiger's Dream. I just wish it was a bit longer, but it definitely got me excited about what's to come.
And can we please talk about the cover art? It's stunning! I'm not surprised at all, the past 4 books have gorgeous covers too.
But Tiger's Promise actually surprised me. I knew it was about Yesubai and before I read it, I was hoping it would be like 3 pages about her and the rest would be about the boys or Kelsey before they met. It wasn't. This was her story and she told it very well. When you read the series, you don't actually know anything about Yesubai other than she's beautiful, both boys wanted her, she somehow set them up and then her father killed her.
This prequel is a reminder that there's more than one side to a story.
It definitely answered some questions I had about Yesubai. I was always curious about whether or not she truly loved Kishan or Ren, if she possessed the same powers as her father, what made her set the boys up, etc. Now I get it. And although I don't agree with the way she handled things, I can empathize with her reasoning.
The only thing that disappointed me was the sneak peek of Tiger's Dream. I just wish it was a bit longer, but it definitely got me excited about what's to come.
And can we please talk about the cover art? It's stunning! I'm not surprised at all, the past 4 books have gorgeous covers too.
May 22, 2014
A fantastic addition to one of my favorite series. This is a novella that fans who have read the series will enjoy, and one that fans who are just getting into the series should read. I loved being back in this series. I forgot about the excitement, and heartbreak that takes place within this enchanting world. Houck gives fans an exciting look into the history of Yesbuai and the begin of Tiger's Curse. And WOW! What a beginning to the curse. I swear while I was reading about it I sat with my mouth slightly ajar. I can not believe that is how it began. Now everything makes sense in regards to why and how Kishan and Ren treat each other the way they do in the series.
Just like the rest of her series, Houck does a beautiful job at crafting her story, her world, and her characters together. I enjoyed the history and seeing how things were back before everything happened. I loved seeing the brothers together, and their mother, and the relationship they had. It's drastically different than the abusive relationship beautiful Yesbuai has with her evil father, Lokesh. It was refreshing to see everything in this story from Yesbuai's perspective, and the turn of events that set the series up.
Read my full review here: http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2014/0...
Just like the rest of her series, Houck does a beautiful job at crafting her story, her world, and her characters together. I enjoyed the history and seeing how things were back before everything happened. I loved seeing the brothers together, and their mother, and the relationship they had. It's drastically different than the abusive relationship beautiful Yesbuai has with her evil father, Lokesh. It was refreshing to see everything in this story from Yesbuai's perspective, and the turn of events that set the series up.
Read my full review here: http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2014/0...
April 7, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.
Before the curse every began, there was a promise. This is the novella for the Tiger Saga. I remember reading the first book in the Tiger Saga so very long ago, and loving how everything was written. Colleen writes with such incredible detail and finesse that you feel like you’re plopped right into the character’s world.
You’re in Yesubai’s mind and heart and her life. And what a life it is. She’s the beautiful girl that has the most evil father I have ever read in YA characters. He is abusive and a megalomaniac. He will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. I admire Yesubai for her courage to keep going for her one and only friend, but I really wanted her to fight back and to get rid of her father’s tyranny over her life. I also happened to roll my eyes when she became lustful in a second of seeing him and I can truly understand why, but when it’s laid out in the open and the character falls in love, I just so happen to roll my eyes. Not everything is about looks, and I did like how Yesubai ended up liking him for his traits instead of his looks.
Overall, a great start to the Tiger’s Saga and I can’t wait to finish this series when the last book comes out soon!
Before the curse every began, there was a promise. This is the novella for the Tiger Saga. I remember reading the first book in the Tiger Saga so very long ago, and loving how everything was written. Colleen writes with such incredible detail and finesse that you feel like you’re plopped right into the character’s world.
You’re in Yesubai’s mind and heart and her life. And what a life it is. She’s the beautiful girl that has the most evil father I have ever read in YA characters. He is abusive and a megalomaniac. He will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. I admire Yesubai for her courage to keep going for her one and only friend, but I really wanted her to fight back and to get rid of her father’s tyranny over her life. I also happened to roll my eyes when she became lustful in a second of seeing him and I can truly understand why, but when it’s laid out in the open and the character falls in love, I just so happen to roll my eyes. Not everything is about looks, and I did like how Yesubai ended up liking him for his traits instead of his looks.
Overall, a great start to the Tiger’s Saga and I can’t wait to finish this series when the last book comes out soon!
May 25, 2014
YES...YES...YES!!!! I have truly missed this series!! After reading the first 4 books awhile ago, I've been eagerly awaiting the fifth and final instalment. When I got news of this tour, I jumped straight on board.
During the series we've gotten the gist of how this story went by retellings, but to actually read it from Yesubai's POV and get her story really sheds a whole new light on the picture. To know the true extent of what they all went through and how everything came to be was just amazing!
(I really need a reread this series lol.)
We meet Yesubai, an unwanted child to a cruel, evil man. Lokesh, was a monster! He cared for no one but himself and craved nothing but complete power. Having a daughter instead of a son was nothing but an abomination. As the years pass Yesubai grows into a beautiful young woman, and it doesn't go unnoticed. Lokesh tends to use this beauty to his advantage. As the story progresses we're introduced to the two gorgeous brothers, Kishan & Ren (yay!).
As always Colleen Houck had me glued from the very start, I was drawn right back into this incredible world. I highly recommend this series, if you're looking for a new adventure than look no further, you've found it! :-)
During the series we've gotten the gist of how this story went by retellings, but to actually read it from Yesubai's POV and get her story really sheds a whole new light on the picture. To know the true extent of what they all went through and how everything came to be was just amazing!
(I really need a reread this series lol.)
We meet Yesubai, an unwanted child to a cruel, evil man. Lokesh, was a monster! He cared for no one but himself and craved nothing but complete power. Having a daughter instead of a son was nothing but an abomination. As the years pass Yesubai grows into a beautiful young woman, and it doesn't go unnoticed. Lokesh tends to use this beauty to his advantage. As the story progresses we're introduced to the two gorgeous brothers, Kishan & Ren (yay!).
As always Colleen Houck had me glued from the very start, I was drawn right back into this incredible world. I highly recommend this series, if you're looking for a new adventure than look no further, you've found it! :-)
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