The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy book#3) by Marie Rutkoski

 Title: The Winner's Kiss

                                                                                          Author: Marie Rutkoski

                                                                                      Published: March 29th 2016 by, Farrar, Straus and Giroux

                                                                                          Series: The Winner's Trilogy book #3 

                                                                                          Genre: YA

                                                                                          Stars: 3.5/5

Some kisses come at a price.

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win? 

The Winner’s Kiss is a great conclusion to the series. Click here to read my reviews for book 1 and 2.

From the last time we left our protagonists, Kestrel and Arin, in this book we see them grow a lot, especially Kestrel, forcing her to learn and grow both physically and mentally.

The book contains very pressed romantic tension, causing utter desperation from the readers for Kestrel and Arin to just reveal their true feelings for each other.  Their relationship struggle was so real. Their differences in life just kept getting in the way and it was sad to see them tread around each because of this.

The plot line was really good. There was a lot of detailed battle scenes, which I did not expect whilst also containing the usual political manoeuvres.

In a roundabout way, everyone did get what their deserved. 

The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy book #2) by Marie Rutkoski

Titles: The Winner's Crime

                                                     Author: Marie Rutkoski 

                                                     Published: March 5th 2013 by, Farrar Straus Giroux

                                                     Series: The Winner's Trilogy book #2

                                                     Genre: YA

                                                     Stars: 4/5

                                                     

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 author had written yet another brilliant book and more so on the topic of impossible choices and broken hearts. And the lies! So many lies!!!  Click here for my review on book 1

My opinion on Kestrel is the same as book 1. She is brilliant, smart, cunning and strong. The sacrificed she has made and has to make is enough for any person who root for her. The innocence of her from the first book is gone and she has now understood what world she’s living. If you want to make a change, things have to be kept secret.

I still love Arin and I love it that he’s the emotional one (not in the soppy, sad, crying kind of way) in the relationship. Poor guy is always receiving mixed messages. But he wants Kestrel so badly, it hurts! He’s been fed one lie after the other and whilst he is trying to keep the freedom of his country and make new alliances, he is still trying to understand Kestrel and her reasons. He can’t seem to keep away, even when he thinks she hates him.

The romance is definitely still there but the story does begin to focus more on the political dialogue and the treason. Compared to the first book, where the world was just centred on the two of them, book 2 opens up to involve wider factors that have played a part or will play a part on the entire world.

I also like Prince Verex and it’s nice to see a slow friendship develop between the two. They both love someone else who they just cannot have and they both share those feelings of loss.

The story is full of twists and takes one’s breath away, especially the ending where the lies have created a tragic event. It’s both heart breaking and not just between Kestrel and Arin but between someone who is even closer to her.

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy book #1) by Marie Rutkoski

  Title: The Winner's Curse

                                                             Author: Marie Rutkoski

                                                                    Published: March 4th 2014 by, Farrar Straus Giroux

                                                                    Series: The Winner's Trilogy book #1

                                                                     Genre: YA

                                                                     Stars: 4/5

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.

This book was kind of like a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet but with a lot of in between events that occurred within the book.  The main girl Kestrel is the daughter of a powerful General of the Valorian Empire, who has conquered the lands of the Herrani.  Whilst she has been brought up to train in basic military arts and self defence, her true passion lies in music.

Whilst in a market place, she bids for a slave called Arin.  However, Arin is a Herrani loyalist and plans to free his own people by infiltrating Kestrel’s home and obtaining knowledge that others would not know of.

Nevertheless, surprise, surprise, they fall in love. They’re both enemies and they both have individual goals and ambitions. The fate of Kestrel’s kingdom lies on her shoulders and the fate of Arin’s people and their freedom lie on his.  

Both characters were exceptionally written and created. Kestrel has a brilliant mind and Arin is a strong hero who stands for what he believes to be right, despite the obstacles that came his way.

Moreover, the writing itself is brilliant. Marie does the book justice for its storytelling. Her prose is beautifully written, capturing the war and battles, the secret love between the lovers and the family and friendships in between.

However, a criticism that I would say about the book is the character development for Kestrel half way through the book when she has found out Arin’s true identity and is held hostage. Her sudden turn of behaviour and what seems like a careless thought to her people was very quick. Her thought process only seemed to be thinking about Arin and how he betrayed her whilst it seemed like she did not even bat an eyelid to what was happening to her own people.