Review ~ The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Curse
Author: Marie Rutkoski

Copyright: 2014
Type:  YA, fantasty
Pages: 355
Series: yes

1. The Winner's Curse 

2. The Winner's Crime

3. The Winner's Kiss

Reason for Reading: 

First and foremost the cover is beautiful secondly it just sounded interesting and I couldn't pass it up. 

Summary:

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.  .

Thoughts:

This was one of those books that I didn't anticipate to be so good. I sat down and started reading it. I have to say I even rolled my eyes a few times at Kestrel and her typical story plot. Then the next thing I realized it was 11 pm and I had finished the book and was ordering the 2nd in the trilogy. I was completely blown away with not only the story but also how much I had come to care for the characters. I liked that Kestrel was strategically smart but not physically a warrior. I liked that she knew this and overcame her obstacle by using her mind and not bronze. I came to appreciate Arin and how he was, who he was, and how he came to be the person that Kestrel will eventually fall in love with. I love the fact that while it was a Romeo and Juliet it wasn't they both live in a world of choices and Kestrel and Arin are going to have to get past this and their past in order to make it in the future. I have to admit the ending and cliff hanger-ish kind of upset me but it did make me want to read the 2nd book and after all isn't that the point of an ending?

Goodreads: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? It took me by complete surprise I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I ended up reading it in one night. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy.