Tiger's Trek

by Colleen Houck, Neil Shah (Read by), Zura Johnson (Read by)

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes Tiger’s Trek, the electrifying new installment in the Tiger’s Tale series, set in the captivating universe of the beloved Tiger’s Curse saga.

Five unlikely companions are thrust into the dreamworld, a realm teeming with shadowy monsters and dangerous mysteries. To save their empire from the ruthless Death Draughtsman—a centuries-old collector of magic—they must confront their deepest fears, gather their strength, and unlock the secrets hidden in their hearts.

The stakes have never been higher. The Draughtsman’s growing power threatens not only the citizens of the empire but also the untamed Siberian plain ruled by the Nomadic Alliance. Hope lies with the reappearance of the ancient protectors—the tigers. If the tigers and their human allies can unite in time, they might stand a chance at breaking the curse and restoring balance.

But courage comes at a cost. Twin tsarevnas and their companions—a meticulous hunter, a defiant priest, a restless outcast, and a guarded soldier—must decide if they’ll risk everything to fight for their people, or turn their backs in order to save themselves.

Their intentions are noble.

But heroes aren’t remembered for their intentions—they’re remembered for their sacrifices.

Dive into an epic tale of bravery, loyalty, and the power of dreams in Tiger’s Trek, a story that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798212220385
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Series:	Tiger's Tale Series (Part of the Tiger's Curse Universe) , #2
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Colleen Houck is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tiger’s Curse series and the Reawakened series. Her books have appeared on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Walmart bestseller lists, among many others. She has been a Parents’ Choice Award winner and has been reviewed and featured on MTV.com and in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Girls’ Life magazine, and Romantic Times, which called Tiger’s Curse “one of the best books I have ever read.” Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.

Zura Johnson is a classically trained stage actor. She has performed in stages from her childhood home in California to the East coast, and all the way to Singapore. She has now worked in theater and as a voice actor for more than twenty years. She holds an MFA from the Old Globe Theatre and the University of San Diego.

Neil Shah is an Audie-nominated and multi AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator who has recorded over 250 audiobooks spanning across almost every genre, as well as numerous long-form journalism articles. AudioFile magazine has commended him for “an absolutely mesmerizing listening experience” and as “an outstanding narrator who adds a healthy dose of personality to each of the characters.” As a classically trained actor, he has appeared off Broadway and on regional stages, as well as in film and television. He records from his home studio in Oregon’s beautiful Wine Country.

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE - What Falls off a Cart Is as Good as Gone CHAPTER 1 - There Is Plenty of Sound in an Empty Barrel CHAPTER 2 - When Leading a Tiger About by the Nose, One Must Be Careful CHAPTER 3 - When Leaving for a Day, Take a Week’s Supply of Bread CHAPTER 4 - The Horse of Hope May Gallop, But the Ass of Experience Walks Cautiously CHAPTER 5 - A Silver-Tongued Speaker Is Pleasing, But a Pinched-Lipped Listener Is Priceless CHAPTER 6 - Brotherhood Is the Best Treasure CHAPTER 7 - Every Bolotnitsa Praises Her Own Swamp CHAPTER 8 - A Bitter Truth Is Better Than Sweet Lies CHAPTER 9 - The One Who Crosses Wisely Will Master the Bridge CHAPTER 10 - A Wooden Bed Is Better than a Golden Coffin CHAPTER 11 - All Who Possess a Knife Are Not Cooks CHAPTER 12 - A Child with Seven Nannies Has No Guardian CHAPTER 13 - Don’t Go Praising the Chimney When the House CHAPTER 14 - Cast No Dirt into the Well That Provides You Water CHAPTER 15 - God Prefers a Trinity or Maybe a Troika CHAPTER 16 - If You Want to Sweep the Steps Clean, Start at the Top CHAPTER 17 - A Silk Dress Does Not Mean Clean Undergarments CHAPTER 18 - You Can Get Used to Anything—Even Hell CHAPTER 19 - A Clear Conscience Makes a Soft Pillow CHAPTER - 20 Keep Your Ears Wide and Your Mouth Narrow CHAPTER 21 - A Clean Fast Is Better Than a Dirty Breakfast CHAPTER 22 - Don’t Offer Advice to Those with More Experience CHAPTER 23 - One Cannot Shear a Naked Sheep CHAPTER 24 - The Tiger May Leap But the Tamer Collects CHAPTER 25 - The One with the Most Toys Still Dies CHAPTER 26 - You Can’t Live All Your Life in One Set of Feathers CHAPTER 27 - One Who Sees the Future Will Still Make the Same CHAPTER 28 - Don’t Throw a Punch When the Fight Is Over CHAPTER 29 - Don’t Boast When You Begin But When You Finish the Journey CHAPTER 30 - Befriend the Wolf but Keep the Axe Sharp EPILOGUE - It’s Better to Turn Back Than to Lose Your Way

Editorial Reviews

Whether readers prefer their folkloric adventures to be melodramatic, romantic, comical, or mystical in tone, Houck endeavors [to] satisfy.”

Kirkus Reviews

If you loved the magic of the original Tiger’s Curse series, [this] new endeavor is worth a read…A love letter to the original series while also being built for older readers, [full of] adventure, magic, puzzles, love, friendship, curses, and good versus evil.”

YA Books Central

2025-07-19
In this second series entry, shape-shifting tiger sisters and their escorts undertake tests and quests in a magic land infused with Russian folklore.

Because the six principal characters are scattered at the beginning—and proceed in several directions in changing combinations—this sequel toTiger’s Tale (2024) tends to sprawl. But whether readers prefer their folkloric adventures to be melodramatic, romantic, comical, or mystical in tone, Houck endeavors to provide something to satisfy them. She also assiduously mines her Slavic sources of inspiration, stirring tricksy bargains and helpful gifts (like magic boots) into encounters with powerful figures from Morozko (Father Frost) and Baba Yaga (here called “Baba Yuga”) to a mischievous likho, or spirit of misfortune. The young travelers are exposed to generous doses of life wisdom, opportunities to heal old wounds or learn from experiences, and (for some, at least) steamy romantic awakenings. Houck imparts many lessons, but she laces the narrative with Russian words, often slang (“Gaw! Boy’s near froze off his yaytsa!”), and modern-sounding expressions (“That’s just weird,” “Well, cry me a river, son”) that both enrich and lighten the atmosphere. Contests with foes, like the troll-like vodnik and a child-murdering ghost, provide thrills. Aside from an Indian mage from Houck’s Tiger’s Curse series putting in a guest appearance, the cast reads white.

A mare’s nest plot-wise, but the intriguing setting and characters make it worth untangling.(Fantasy. 13-16)

Kirkus Reviews