The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Kiss
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Release Date: March 29th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it, with the East as his ally and the empire as his enemy. He’s finally managed to dismiss the memory of Kestrel, even if he can’t quite forget her. Kestrel turned into someone he could no longer recognize: someone who cared more for the empire than for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she cared for him. At least, that’s what he thinks.

But far north lies a work camp where Kestrel is a prisoner. Can she manage to escape before she loses herself? As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover unexpected roles in battle, terrible secrets, and a fragile hope. The world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and Kestrel and Arin are caught between. In a game like this, can anybody really win?

Review

The Winner’s Kiss was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016 and it did not disappoint. The Winner’s Kiss picks up right where the Winner’s Crime ends, in the mist of war. This book is a very action and war heavy, especially compared to book one.

While I did enjoy all the war strategy and war scenes there were times where I did wish for a bit more romance. Kestrel is a fighter, she conquers her fears and is very clever and smart. Her strengths shine in this last book, she is faced with terrible circumstances and must overcome them. Arin is one of my favorite male leads. His love for Kestrel is a driving force that pushes the plot forward. As far as pacing goes, The Winner’s Kiss is a steady fast-paced plot. The story never lulled and the stakes remained high all the way up to the very last pages.

The only thing that I was not the biggest fan of was something pertaining to Kestrel (trying to avoid spoilers). Because of this thing, certain events did not transpire the way I was hoping. I will say it was unexpected and ultimately kept me on my toe; so it was not a deal breaker but it was a bit of a bummer at first. The Winner’s Kiss was an action heavy war driven romantic end to this wonderful trilogy. I highly recommend the entire series, it is one of my favorites! 

Stacking the Shelves (159) Jan 23th

Stacking the Shelves - hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews - features books that you bought, borrowed, rented from the library, received for review, etc.

Upcoming Reads

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The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski
A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Rule (Marked Men #1) by Jay Crownover
Lumberjanes #2 by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke A. Allen

 

What books are stacking your shelves??

The Winning Kiss: A Blog Tour for Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3)

We are beyond THRILLED to be participating in the blog tour for The Winner's Kiss, the final book in The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski. We both LOVE this series SO MUCH and cannot sing it's praises enough. And Ashley is already reading The Winner's Kiss and can attest to the fact that it is AH-MAZING. So trust us, you want to read this series! Our review for The Winner's Curse can be found here and our review for The Winner's Crime can be found here.

Nicole's Winning Kiss

What book is your favorite literary kiss in? 
Winter by Marissa Meyer

Who is kissing?
Cress and Thorne

Why is it your favorite?
1. This is one of my favorite series and two of my favorite characters so their happiness means everything to me.

2. Because I have been waiting SO LONG for this kiss to happen. YEARS dammit!

3. Because it was SO HOT. *fans thyself* I mean, see for yourself...

       "'All right,' he said, finally. 'I don't want to talk about it, either.'
       She started to not, but was surprised when Thorne pushed away from the door. Cress blinked and stumbled back, started by the sudden movement. Three, four steps. The back of her thighs hit one of the desks.
       'What -?'
       In one movement, Thorne lifted her onto the desk and pressed her back against an enourmous potted fern and - oh.
       Cress had built a thousand fantasies around their rooftop kiss, but this kiss was something new.
       Where before, the kiss had been gentle and protective, now there was something passionate. Determined. Cress's body dissolved into nothing but sensation. His hands burned her waist through the skirt's thin fabric. Her knees pressed against his hips, and he pulled her closer, closer, like he couldn't get her close enough. A whimper escaped her mouth, only to be swallowed by his. She heard a moan, but it could have come from either of them.
      And where, on the rooftop, the kiss had been cut too short by the battle raging on around them, this kiss went on, and on, and on..."

BONUS: What kiss do you hope will occur in Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Kiss?
Well Kestrel and Arin obviously! I'm desperately waiting for that "Let's stop being stupid and just be together already" kiss. It has to happen.

Ashley's Winning Kiss

What book is your favorite literary kiss in?
Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi (Under The Never Sky Novella)

Who is kissing?
Roar and Liv

Why is it your favorite?
Under the Never Sky is one of my favorite series with Roar being one of my favorite secondary character so for him to get a moment full of love makes it one of my favorites.  Roar also kisses Liv on her forehead a gesture that I find to be full of love, care, and romance.

       "'She wraps her arms around me and kisses me.  It's a long kiss, and more than a little desperate.  We're both still scared, but my hands grow sure on her body.  It's not long before we're both breathing fast again.

'Liv,' I say.  'I wanted you to be able to choose on your own.  I didn't want to force you.  I haven't asked because I never want to put pressure on you--' 'Shh...' she says. 'I know, Roar.' I rest my forehead against hers. 'I thought I was going to lose you,' Her  breath when she whispers, 'I love you, Roar. I always will.'  

We find a place to burrow together in the shelter of a pine tree, hidden beneath branches that look timeless.  Our nerves are still with us, but there's something more now.  A pull that's always been between us.  That's only gotten stronger with every day that I've known her.  I hold her and tell her about all the days we're leaving behind us, calling up stories, all the memories that are our, until her laughter fades to the quiet rhythm of her breath as she sleep.     

Then I kiss the top of her head, feeling steady.  Feeling full.  That past is behind us now.  Tomorrow, we start our future."  

BONUS: What kiss do you hope will occur in Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Kiss?
 I am going with Nicole on this one.  I magical kiss between Arin and Kestrel!

Tour Schedule

Link to Tour Schedule

About the Book

Title: The Winner's Kiss
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #3
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Release Date: March 29, 2016

Summary:

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?

About the Author

Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alan McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat.

And We Send a Kiss To... Hannah C

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Crime
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2  
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Source:  Borrowed (Thanks Danielle!)

Summary 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.

Review

The Winner's Curse was one of my favorite books of 2014. It had everything I could hope to find in a book - war, politics, romance, rebellion (among other things) - but what I loved the most was the constant strategizing. I love the weighing of the odds, carefully chosen words, hidden intent. The Winner's Curse kept me on my toes, made me think, and I never knew what to expect. And the ending killed me. I was very much looking forward to reading The Winner's Crime.

The Winner's Crime ended up being much more romance-focused than I expected. Kestrel knows that marrying the Prince is best for everyone but she is consumed by thoughts of Arin and struggles to accept her new life.  Yet she keeps Arin at arms length for both their sakes even while helping the Herrani by spying on her own people. Kept in the dark and confused by her mixed signals, Arin can't decide whether he trusts Kestrel or not and a war is raging inside him. The chemistry between these two was palpable and their relationship is one I can easily root for. But it was painful to watch so much miscommunication that was obviously hurting the both of them. And I admit, I wished there was more action.

Although not as plot-driven and action-packed as the first book, there was still a good amount of mystery and intrigue as Kestrel tries to uncover the emperor's true motives towards the Herrani while avoiding his detection. And in the second half of the book, Arin travels to the East to try and form an alliance. But the ending is where this book really shines, when all of the pieces come together. Although I could see Kestrel's story heading in a certain direction, I didn't know quite what to expect and so I was taken by surprise. Whereas, Arin was a wild card - I never knew where he would end up but I think his storyline will be necessary in the 3rd book. I look forward (and am extremely anxious) to see what Rutkoski has in store for us in the last book.

So even though I didn't find The Winner's Crime to be quite as good as the first book, I still think it is a really strong sequel. Kestrel and Arin's forbidden love remains a point of contention and cause for drama. And Rutkoski added quite a few more players and variables to the game. The Winner's Trilogy definitely keeps its spot as one of my new favorite series and I stand by my recommendation that this is a must read!

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

Title: The Winner's Curse
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #1
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 368
Source: ALA Midwinter

Summary from Goodreads:
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 Winner's Curse is when you come out on top of the bid, but only by paying a steep price'"

What I Liked

Kestrel

"'A kestrel is a hunting hawk.'
'Yes. The perfect name for a warrior girl.'"

Kestrel was awe-inspiring. She was strong-willed, passionate, keen. She was a survivor. The perfect protagonist.

Arin

"'You are the god of lies'"

Arin was trouble. He was unforgiving, unsympathetic, deceptive. He was out for revenge. The perfect antagonist.

Kestrel and Arin

"'You might not think of me as your friend,' Kestrel told Arin,
'but I think of you as mine.'"

What an interesting and intense dynamic. They used one another, betrayed one another, protected one another, loved one another. I loved the slow build of their affection for each other. How they resisted it and failed. How it simmered between them. How it was forbidden. How it tore them apart. They were the perfect pair.

The story

"'Do you think I care how you won?'
'You won. Your methods don't matter.'"

What a beautiful, tragic, engrossing story. This one is filled with emotion of all sorts and had everything I could ask for. I loved the fight for freedom. The strategizing. The undermining. I loved the stories of those who were playing the game, and those who were caught in the middle. I loved how I sympathized with both sides. It was unputdownable and nerve-wracking. It was defiant, unexpected and hopeful. I've never read anything like it. I loved it to pieces.

The writing

He knew the law of such things:
people in brightly lit places cannot see into the dark"

This book was magnificently crafted. The words and sentences just flowed together and pulled you under. Everything was that much more impactful. It was so easy to fall in love with this story.

The pace

"'Plot away, Kestrel.'"
"'Survive.'"

This is not a book that makes you wait until the end for the good stuff. The good stuff is constant throughout. The plot is solid and unwavering. I was apprehensive from the beginning, but straight anxious from page 64 onward. And shit hits the fan on page 210.  This book had my undivided attention every step of the way.

Bottom Line

Trust me (and so many others), you need to read this book. Treat yourself. It lives up to its hype in every way and it is the start of something wonderful. I loved every second of it and I am confident other readers will too.

"Happiness depends on being free, 

and freedom depends on being courageous"