For What It's Worth


Monday, February 16, 2015

Review: The Winner’s Crime (The Winner’s Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski


20443207Book 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.

Goodreads | Source: ARC provided by Farrar Straus Giroux

*Release date: March 3, 2015

Review:
I’ve said this before. There is nothing harder for me than reviewing a book I LOVE. Add to that a book that is full of so many twists, turns and betrayals that I couldn’t possibly say anything without spoiling the whole damn book and…yeah. How to talk about the awsomeness that is The Winner’s Crime without babbling or spoiling is a mystery to me.

I want to discuss how wonderful Rutkoski is at world building, about her writing nuanced characters that walk a morally grey line of impossible choices and the way she throws out old, tired traditional gender roles. I’m sure there are bloggers who are capable of such feats but alas, I am not one of them. So I’ll just say this book is incredible! By the end you will be curled into the fetal position wondering what the hell just happened and OMG how do I survive the year long wait until the conclusion?? 

You will LOVE characters. You will HATE characters. You will scream at your book – contemplate throwing it across the room. You just might vomit. This book goes places that most YA’s just dance around. When reading books like this, there’s always a sense of danger of what might happen to the main characters, but no real fear. In The Winner’s Curse, there’s a sense of dread and pure terror for what might happen to characters you love. Almost ANYTHING can happen and it’s scary as hell and thrilling to read.

This book was painful and frustrating to read at times (in a good way!) but amazing and I highly recommend this series. No sophomore slump here.

I do however recommend gathering a few supplies before starting:

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1. The Winner’s Crime (obviously)

2. Teddy bear. No bear provides comfort better then Winnie the Pooh but of course any soft object that you can hug/smother will work. A blanket to hide under would make a nice alternative.

3. Tissues. Still *wipes tears* months after reading.

4. Not pictured – If reading on a electronic device please add padding in case you throw it across the room.

*** Check out my friend Jen's incredible review for The Winner's Crime here. She was able to do accomplish everything I couldn't in mine. She explains the plot - why I loved it so much and all without spoiling.

31 comments:

  1. It's really different from the first (IMO). I'm curious to see what you think.

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  2. Oh wow! I have book one collecting dust on my shelf...I better get to it!

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    1. It's a really great series. One of the few I'm sticking with.

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  3. Aw, yay :D Gorgeous review Karen. <3 I'm so glad you loved this book. Sigh. I did too :) And hah, yes! It was so perfect and so evil at the same time :) Yet I loved it so much. <3 Thank you for sharing your thoughts about it :)

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  4. I got the first one for review but was so bummed I didn't get this one. So needing to read it now. I do have my big ol' puppy to hug. Hm... I think he will do. :)

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    1. Yeah - you'll need to a do a lot of puppy hugging :-))

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  5. I don't know why I thought this was coming out in May. I feel a lot better now.

    I'm sure I'll need a teddy bear or cat for warm hugs after this one. Gotta prepare myself for the pain now!

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  6. This book broke my heart. But it was so beautiful!

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  7. I haven't read this one yet, but I've been meaning to soon.. I'm glad you loved it though, Lovely review :)

    Benish | Feminist Reflections

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  8. This sounds like a not-to-be-missed title to me! It's awesome that Marie Rutkoski's writing was the star of The Winner's Crime followed closely by the world-building, and of course the feels. The author couldn't possibly pour on the pain for two installments in a row, now could she!?

    Carmel @ Rabid Reads

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    1. Her writing is really gorgeous and lush.

      The books are really different from each other yet tie together beautifully.

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  9. Aw, thanks for linking to my review. I think that yours was great. I'm kind of glad that I put off reading this until now because the wait for the third book is going to be excruciating!

    Jen@YARomantics

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    1. Your review was perfect.

      After I finished this I just sat there for a few weeks thinking about it constantly. That happens so rarely to me these days.

      The wait is going to be awful!

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  10. Yeah I get where you are coming from. I read both books back to back two weeks ago and it was one heck of a ride. The end of this one was definitely a punch to the gut. I am most impressed with this author.

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    1. I haven't gotten that emotional reading a book in a long time. I wanted to throw it - hug it - magically make 10 more pages appear lol

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  11. I tiptoe around YA so this is good feedback to me: This book goes places that most YA’s just dance around. I say give them something to think about esp the actual young adults!

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    1. This is kind of YA only because of the ages of the H/h. The content is pretty intense.

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  12. I am super excited to read this one, I loved the first, the romance and world

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    1. This one is just as good but even MORE intense if that's possible.

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  13. I am excited to read this book and I am not peeking at Jen's review :)

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  14. I am excited to read this book and I am not peeking at Jen's review :)

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    1. Her review is brilliant but spoilery if you haven't read the first book yet.

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  15. Painful and frustrating to read in a good way, eh? Heh, some of my favourite books could be described that way :) I actually haven't read the first of this trilogy yet, but I will have to get to it a bit closer to the release date of the third so I don't have to wait in between books. I just KNOW I am going to appreciate Marie Rutkoski's writing!

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    1. Sounds like a good plan. The first two books end on really big cliffies

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  16. I'm almost ready to say that I'm not going to read this until the last book comes out. The ending to The Winner's Curse was bad enough, but this sounds WAY worse. I do not cliffhangers. I especially do not like cliffhangers that require tissues, teddy bears, and padding for electronic devices . . .

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  17. LOL! You sound like me when it comes to reviewing books that really affect me in some way or another. I want to babble but I really try to rein it in...I didn't get this one for review (sniffles) but I'm definitely pre-ordering it because I loved the first book in this series. Woot!

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