The Winner's Crime Review

*this is a review of a sequel, so there can be spoilers for the first book in the synopsis/review- if you want to know more about this series, check out my review of the first book, The Winner's Curse, here!*

Goodreads Synopsis:

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them. 

The Winner's Crime on Goodreads

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Last week, I reviewed The Winner's Curse, and talked about what a fast paced, amazing book that was. Today, I'm back to talk about the epic sequel, The Winner's Crime. The Winner's Crime continues with the situation Kestrel and Arin finds themselves in. It's interesting, pretty fast paced, and a great continuation. I will say that I think this book was my favorite of the two for a few reasons I'll talk about later on in the review, but it was still a really good book and a great sequel. I gave The Winner's Crime 4 out of 5 stars.

Kestrel had a lot to deal with in this novel. She's definitely not perfect, but she's trying to navigate the treachery and intrigue of the court life. I wasn't the biggest fan of the emperor and the court aspect of this novel, but it added some really unique elements to the story. I think it also gave more insight into the Valorian life. I really enjoyed meeting the new characters and I'm curious to know more about a lot of them as well. The story was really interesting and well written, and throughout a lot of the novel I just wanted to read on and know more and find out what happened next.

I think some of the things that sort of bothered me about the novel were also things I enjoyed originally. The writing is really great at building suspense and anticipation, and there were times when I was reading as fast as I could because I had to know what happened next. But as the story progressed towards the very end, I kind of got tired of the plot pacing a little. By the end, I had definitely really enjoyed the novel, but just wanted more of a resolution to some elements of the book.

In general, The Winner's Crime is an awesome sequel. There were some things that bothered me about the novel, but there's a lot of amazing writing and story development. I'm so excited for The Winner's Kiss, even though we have quite a wait until it's published in 2016. This series is really unique- it's a fantasy with a lot of intrigue and plot twists that really make the story interesting. I think that The Winner's Crime is a great continuation to The Winner's Curse, and I am already looking forward to the third novel!

Because this is a sequel, I added my little "If you liked these books then you might like this book" to my review of the first book in the series, so you can check that out (the link's mentioned earlier) if you want to know my recommendations!

Have you read this sequel? What were your thoughts? I'm loving reading this series, so I would love to discuss it!

From the paper world,

V

The Winner's Curse Review

Goodreads Synopsis:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love... 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

The Winner's Curse on Goodreads

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Today, I'm here to talk about The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. I heard a lot of people talking about this book when it first came out, and then again later on a lot of people were saying it was one of their favorite reads of 2014. After hearing so many incredible things about the novel, I was excited to pick it up and read it. The Winner's Curse is definitely an adventure- fast paced, unpredictable, and filled with plenty of plot twists. I'm pretty sure I said aloud "I can't believe that happened!" at least once while reading this novel. It's definitely a unique fantasy novel unlike any I've read so far. I gave The Winner's Curse 4.5 Stars.

As you may have heard, The Winner's Curse is a fantasy but without the more fantastical, magical elements. As we read, we learn more about the Valorians and the nation of Herran and the Herrani people, and Kestrel and Arin. Kestrel is a great protagonist. She's smart, resourceful, and cunning, which is a quality that she displays through her observing and analyzing events. Arin is a character that's endured incredible hardships and has a strength and resolve to him. The two take turns being the center of the story's perspective, and I thought this juxtaposition really added to the novel. We learn much more about the world and its goings on through this, as well as get to know more about the characters.

In terms of the story, The Winner's Curse is fast paced and intriguing, with a lot of plot twists. I found it very difficult to put the book down, and I was engrossed in the events of the novel. There's a lot of different things going on, and while sometimes I felt like the story was a little abrupt in shifting, overall I thought it was really unique and dynamic.

The Winner's Curse is a fantastic novel. It's a fantasy novel that trades magic for mystery, and it immerses you into the world of Kestrel and Arin. The book is fast paced, interesting, and exciting. I think this is a great book!

If you liked Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, then you might like The Winner's Curse!

Have you read this novel? If so, what did you think? I would love to discuss this book some more! And stay tuned for my review of the sequel, coming up next week!

From the paper world,
V