the winner’s trilogy | Paperback Heart

Title/Author: The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Publication Date/Publisher: March 3, 2015/Farrar Straus Giroux

Series: The Winner’s Trilogy #2

Source and Format: I received this book as part of a tour with Gals On the Same Page

Rating: 5 stars

From Goodreads:

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.

Wow.

There is so much plotting and deception – and finally the end result is worth it! THAT ENDING!

The Winner’s Crime is amazing, and even better than The Winner’s Curse in a lot of ways – which is pretty rare for the second book in a series/trilogy.

Kestrel and Arin are torn apart by circumstances they can’t control – save for the pieces controlled by the emperor (Kestrel’s father-in-law-to-be). War, political intrigue. lies – Kestrel and Arin (mostly Kestrel, tbh) do what they have to to save each other.

I don’t want to give ANYTHING away, obviously, but The Winner’s Crime is not to be set aside in favor of another read. You need to read it as soon as you can get your hands on it – and then join me in the wait for the soul-crushing wait for The Winner’s Kiss.

Title/Author: The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Publication Date/Publisher: March 4, 2014/Farrar Straus Giroux
Series: Yes, The Winner’s Trilogy #1
Source and Format: Received e-ARC from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4.5 stars

From Goodreads:

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.

I frequently rail against Netgalley’s “first x amount of people to click can read now” campaigns – but for once it worked for me! Actually, I check Netgalley almost immediately upon waking up, and I happened to see The Winner’s Curse as “Read Now”, promptly lost my shit, and started reading. I got the email later, since I almost exclusively check email from my phone and it takes forevvvvver to load new emails (another reason I always miss those READ NOW promotions).

Enough about that. We need to talk about the gorgeous The Winner’s Curse and how I was dying of jealousy over the beautiful promo packaging that was being sent out. I die of jealousy approximately 5 times a day, so it’s not like it’s actually fatal or anything.

The Winner’s Curse, in 10 words or less: period politics with great dresses, slavery, and love. And backstabbing!

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

Oh, the backstabbing! I almost couldn’t keep the truth straight from the lies! The dresses – um, take a look at that cover! The women wear daggers tied to sashes at their waste! THE WOMEN CAN JOIN THE ARMY! Okay, they have to join the army OR marry by a certain age, but they can still join the army!

The slavery story unfolds in heartbreaking detail. Kestrel and Arin come from two different cultures. Ten years ago, the Valorians swooped in, took over the Harrani land and enslaved the people. The Valorians moved in the Harrani’s houses and made them be slaves in their homes.

Arin is Herrani, the indigenous people, I guess you would call them. Kestrel is the Valorian General’s daughter, who finds herself accidentally in the slave market one afternoon and buys Arin in a misguided-ish attempt to save him. Arin becomes the General’s blacksmith and is the second in command of the Harrani rebel forces, waiting for their chance to take back what is theirs.

The Winner’s Curse is when you come out on top of the bid, but only by paying a steep price.

The romance is literally the sloooowest burn ever, but the little moments Kestrel and Arin share (when they’re not trying to double cross each other) are pretty swoony. I didn’t get THE FEELS, but I did start to tear up a time or two towards the end.

I feel like The Winner’s Curse could have pulled together a bit and been a standalone – obviously I don’t know everything that’s yet to come, so I’m trusting that it’s worth it – but I’m definitely staying on board for more Kestrel and Arin and to find out if the winner’s curse can be broken. Either way, The Winner’s Curse makes me as giddy as watching Vin Diesel dancing to Beyonce.