{Blog Tour} The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: March 24th, 2016
Finished Date: March 13th, 2016

Publishers: Bloomsbury Childrens
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 484
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Book Depo 

 

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 Review: The Winner’s Kiss is the fabulous end to the The Winner's Trilogy where we have seen a Romeo and Juliet-esque story about two young adults from two sides of a war come together to unite the realms for good.
The ending of book two was a shocker in which we saw Arin turn his back on Kestrel, not knowing the sacrifices she had been making for him and his people which led to her being imprisoned in a harsh work camp that could undo her. Rumours were then spread that Kestrel had died and she lost all hope whilst at the same time, Arin mourned her……
Kestrel is broken, after a failed escape attempt leaves her scarred, she is living to work and for the blessed medicine her captors give her but then someone rescues her, someone who thinks they have failed her but Kestrel is lost and doesn’t remember. When she is taken to safety, she finds her battle is just beginning; she must battle for her sanity, to remember what happened, who her rescuer is and just what side of the fence she sits. Can they ever really live free? It all ends here!
So, this series got off to a bumpy start for me and I wasn’t a fan of the first book but I’m glad I stuck with it because it built up into something amazing and something that will definitely stay with me. This book had a very metamorphosis feel to it, especially for the characters of Kestrel and Arin who have gone through so many changes. In this Kestrel is broken, it was really sad to see her like this considering she was so ‘together’ throughout the first book and forever the strategist. It was like Kestrel had to be remade after her stay in prison, she learned many a lesson after the betrayal that sent her there and with what she endured. Reading of her going through withdrawal was awful, she was so weak and pathetic whilst not knowing who had rescued her. I always routed for Kestrel and Arin but I didn’t totally get the love until he did what he did for her, his loyalty when he realised what had happened, his determination to get her back above all else – even a war! – was so admirable. He had his work cut out for him but he was steadfast in everything, including his love and understanding for Kestrel. They both had to get to know each other again, even though the bond was there, they were different because of the things they had each endured and the burden that was on them, plus they had to fall in love again with that knowledge. For all the story was all Kestrel and Arin, I have to say that I loved the secondary characters too especially the Prince Roshar, he brought some great comedic moments to a very harsh plot.
Speaking of the plot, the storyline was fab! The first part of the book was focussed on the realisation that Kestrel needed saving and I loved that it was Arin who did it, it spoke of their connection that he knew something was wrong. Then we had Kestrel’s recovery which was very sad but I sat reading with the hope that she would realise who Arin was to her and that she would find her fight again. The change to all of the characters was very satisfying, it was like watching someone grow up and become exactly who you thought they would be. Whilst that was happening, Arin popped in and out of the war giving us an insight into what was happening on that front and injecting quite a bit of action into the story. I love a story where the underdog triumphs over the oppressor and the series had definitely been heading toward a final countdown but what surprised me was the way it was done with not one big battle but a series of battles. I love seeing things come to fruition so the battles were great and I thought it was believable what they had to do and the amount of effort it took to get their foothold. Kestrel really came into her own, her war strategy was amazing – that girl could outthink anyone and could have practically ended that war alone! The battles were awesome, lots of action and the planning in them was great when put into action and some times, very brutal.

I really liked how Arin was tied to his god, it gave a little bit of mysticism to him and also that his people already saw him as a leader of worth. I also liked that even though Kestrel didn’t believe in his gods she was willing to believe in him and was willing to do whatever it took and in turn how Arin had complete faith in her. The betrayal by her father had hit deep and although she thought she wanted his demise her feelings were conflicted, that to me showed how far she has come from the girl we knew in the beginning. The ending was quite understated considering the battles they had waged but very fitting with the mood of the book and I was left very satisfied. I couldn’t recommend this series enough, it was definitely a grower for me and ended up being awesome. Give it a go – you know you want to ;)

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children's for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Excerpt from The Winner's Kiss.

HE TOLD HIMSELF A STORY.
Not at first.
At first, there wasn’t time for thoughts that came in the shape of words. His head was blessedly empty of stories then. War was coming. It was upon him. Arin had been born in the year of the god of death, and he was finally glad of it. He surrendered himself to his god, who smiled and came close. Stories will get you killed, he murmured in Arin’s ear. Now, you just listen. Listen to me.
Arin did.
His ship had sped across the sea from the capital. Now it nosed in among the fleet of eastern ships docked in his city’s bay, nimble sloops of war, flying their queen’s colors of blue and green. The sloops were Arin’s, at least for now. The Dacran queen’s gift to her new allies. The ships were not as many as Arin would have liked. Not as heavy with cannon as he would have liked.
But:
Listen.

Arin told his ship’s captain to sidle up along the largest of the Dacran sloops. After giving his captain orders to dock and find Arin’s cousin in the city, Arin boarded the sloop. He approached the commander of the eastern fleet: Xash,a lean man with an unusually high-bridged nose and brown skin gleaming in the late spring sun.
Arin looked into Xash’s eyes—black, always narrowed, and lined with the yellow paint that indicated his status as naval commander. It was as if Xash already knew what Arin would say. The easterner smiled slightly.
“They’re coming,” Arin said.

{Review} The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: March 12th, 2015
Finished Date: March 9th, 2015

Publishers: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: eARC

Pages: 368

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Lady Kestrel's engagement to Valoria's crown prince calls for great celebration: balls and performances, fireworks and revelry. But to Kestrel it means a cage of her own making. Embedded in the imperial court as a spy, she lives and breathes deceit and cannot confide in the one person she really longs to trust ...

While Arin fights to keep his country's freedom from the hands of his enemy, he suspects that Kestrel knows more than she shows. As Kestrel comes closer to uncovering a shocking secret, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth.

Lies will come undone, and Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them in this second book in the breathtaking Winner's trilogy.

The Review: I think I was in the minority who wasn’t blown away by book one but because of the ending, which I greatly enjoyed – I decided to give book two a chance and I’m so glad I did because I simply could not put it down.
As the synopsis tells us – Kestrel is now living in the Capital and engaged to the crown prince, a price she must pay for the treaty that saved Herran and its people. The city is abuzz with the wedding preparations and Kestrel must adjust to life at court with endless parties and gatherings but longing for her life back in Herran. Things were left up in the air between Kestrel and Arin and she really wants to explain to him why she made her decisions and there’s no better opportunity than her engagement party, which must be attended by all high powered people – which Arin now is as leader of Herran. Kestrel learns that there are spies everywhere and maybe her relationship with Arin should be hidden forever but it isn’t that easy when she is shown things that will hurt the Herrani and her loyalties are tested. Kestrel becomes what she must in order to gain valuable information for the Herrani people but she also has to keep up appearances with the Emperor who is more watchful than she realises.
As Arin struggles with his feelings for Kestrel and his suspicions about her, he realises that Herran is no match for Valoria, their might is vast and no one is safe from them….. so, what if the casualties of the Emperor’s quest for power banded together to keep what little freedom they have gained? One thing is for sure, both Kestrel and Arin are walking a fine line between life and death because we all know the price for treason.
So, I actually really, really liked this book and that was a surprise because I wasn’t keen on the first book. I thought Kestrel became a more likable character here, we saw what she did for Arin in the conclusion of book one and that definitely started to show her in a different light because she sacrificed herself for their safety. Even though she will have a privileged life, it will not be the life she would have chosen for herself but she will do her duty and be an Empress one day. We see her struggle with what she has done on more than one occasion and I liked how she tried to work out the best option for both sides, to avoid casualties. She had her foot in both worlds and was very torn between them and you could really feel the turmoil in her but her stoic outside kept people at a distance.
I can’t deny that I was waiting with baited breath for Arin to arrive on the scene, I was waiting for their meeting and what was going to happen and I wasn’t disappointed. The meeting was filled with electricity and you can feel the tension between the two, Arin really put his heart on his sleeve throughout this and I was disappointed by Kestrel’s need to push him away because of who he was. He pays a pretty harsh price for holding Kestrel’s attention and I was really shocked that happened but it definitely endeared him even more to the reader. I loved the stolen moments throughout the book, I was desperate for something to happen between them and my pulse raced each time they were around each other.
The progression of the storyline was great, most of the book was set in the capital and we see how Valorian royalty go about their lives and I really liked that the story was told from both Kestrel and Arin’s point of views. There is a lot of spying going on and it seemed to get to Kestrel a bit, she had to be so careful and it subdued her in a way. There are a lot of political agendas going on, plans and plots and some misdirection – it’s really a precarious time for both Kestrel and Arin as they both try to stay one step ahead. Kestrel uncovers some unnerving secrets that will have far reaching consequences and whilst she will do what she thinks is right… it’s dangerous for her. There is a lot of emotional turmoil between Kestrel and Arin where they each see the other in a different light. Kestrel cannot have a life with him and has to handle him in a way that only a person who truly knows someone will, knowing what is at risk and his reaction if she was to confess all to him and when he leaves, he takes a piece of her with him. Arin is looking for allies and the story begins to alternate between Kestrel in the capital and Arin on his journeys, both are in constant danger which keeps you on the edge of your seat and things start to look bleak for them. The pacing was great, a lot smoother than book one and it did hold my interest all of the way through and the ending of this book will leave you astonished but desperate for more. I can’t wait for the next book. 

4.5 flowers!

Thank you to Bloomsbury for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: July 3rd, 2014
Finished Date: September 4th, 2014

Publishers: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA Fantasty
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 368

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

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 Review: I’m probably in the minority of people who didn’t love this book because it has a lot of high ratings but for me – it didn’t blow me away. I liked it for the most part but the first 60% or so was not fun for me, it dragged and it was boring – yeah, I get the whole world building part and the setting up of the relationships etc but it moved so slowly and like an historical book instead of a fantasy and the last 40% is the only reason I’m giving this 3.5*s and not 2.5.
I liked the premise of the book, I like the idea that a whole nation of people were conquered and forced into slavery because you know that you are going to get an uprising and that is what kept me reading. I found that for all Kestrel was seen to have a privileged life, she too was sort of oppressed with her choices of who or what she could be – military career or marriage aren’t very good choices. She came across as very aloof and spoiled but we could also see that she had a sympathetic side too. I liked the way she and Arin connected, it wasn’t a love at first sight thing but she felt some sort of pull to him which spurred her on to buy him and as the story progresses they draw ever closer but neither will admit what they feel because they are enemies. When Arin’s secret is revealed I would have thought that Kestrel could have seen his intentions for what they were and what he tries to do for her but again, she is indoctrinated to think and behave in a certain way.
As I said, I liked the premise and that it was screaming that an uprising was on the cards but it was a long time coming. Saying that, I didn’t mind the getting there, I just wish it had been more exciting and less of a slow build. The way they lived was very militant and was all about how they had conquered and enslaved these people, it was sad to read about the people enslaved in their own former homes and made to obey the people who took everything from them – of course you are going to get rebellion, I’m surprised they waited so long. Once that rebellion kicks off then the story became a lot more interesting to me, I liked how it came about, I liked the battles, the strategy that was used and ultimately what conclusion it came to. I loved that Kestrel finally came through for the greater good and I could feel that change in her and I’m curious as to what will happen next. I only wished the pacing and action had been more consistent throughout the book to keep me interested from the start, I understand the build up but it has to grip me and at times this felt like a chore to read but hopefully now all that ‘getting to know you and your world’ is out of the way we will get more of the good stuff in the sequel.

3.5 flowers! 

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.