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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I forgot this book suffers from major second-book syndrome. A few plot points that are relevant but mostly a lot of pining and being angry at each other. And could’ve been a chapter or two in the last one.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
This was a really good sequel. It took me a few days to read and was a bit slow at the beginning but it was actually really good.
Love Arin.
Love Arin.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review in any way.
Oh holy holiness. What just happened?
Marie Rutkoski just took a dagger and plunged it through my heart, that's what happened. I thought the ending to The Winner's Curse was bad, but boy it got nothing on the ending to The Winner's Crime.
I've taken a reading break while I try and wrap my head around the feels and events of The Winner's Crime. It's a serious task, The Winner's Crime has, as we said in school, knocked my socks off.
Let's start at the beginning, Kestrel is going through the motions of being engaged to the Prince while battling heartbreak, and what I can only surmise as depression. Arin is no better, but he's got the luxury of doing it at home. There was so much longing and heartbreak going on, and it actually didn't irritate me, a very pleasant surprise.
Kestrel loves Arin, and I mean true-let's-get-married-and-make-babies-love. And Arin loves Kestrel in exactly the same way, plus some I'm-going-to-kiss-you-untill-I-can't-breathe and I-need-to-touch-you-all-the-time love. I loved it, especially because it didn't rule the book and wasn't droned on and on about. It was there though, lurking in the background as a backdrop to everything that both characters did. Because of that the whole thing felt very genuine, it didn't feel like I was reading a piece of fiction. So props to Marie Rutkoski.
I remember finishing The Winner's Curse and sitting with my jaw basically on the floor, I wanted (and still do) Kestrel and Arin to get together and live happily ever after, but that clearly wasn't going to be happening any time soon. I couldn't fathom how Marie Rutkoski was going to get the characters out of the situations they were in, and once again I'm in that same position.
Kestrel sets herself up as a spy for Herran, adding even more secrecy and deception to the novel. Obviously making it a very interesting read. But then what happened happened, and there were tears and an outraged exclamation or two. So basically I now really strongly dislike one of the characters (because how could they do that?!) and want Arin to get his sh*t together ASAP.
It sounds like such a cliche but I genuinely cannot express how I felt about The Winner's Crime. It was everything I wanted it to be and more, so much more. I have nothing negative to say about The Winner's Crime, I would and will recommend it to everyone.
When is the next one out? I need it now!
'The Winner's Crime' by Marie Rutkoski
5 Stars
Oh holy holiness. What just happened?
Marie Rutkoski just took a dagger and plunged it through my heart, that's what happened. I thought the ending to The Winner's Curse was bad, but boy it got nothing on the ending to The Winner's Crime.
I've taken a reading break while I try and wrap my head around the feels and events of The Winner's Crime. It's a serious task, The Winner's Crime has, as we said in school, knocked my socks off.
Let's start at the beginning, Kestrel is going through the motions of being engaged to the Prince while battling heartbreak, and what I can only surmise as depression. Arin is no better, but he's got the luxury of doing it at home. There was so much longing and heartbreak going on, and it actually didn't irritate me, a very pleasant surprise.
Kestrel loves Arin, and I mean true-let's-get-married-and-make-babies-love. And Arin loves Kestrel in exactly the same way, plus some I'm-going-to-kiss-you-untill-I-can't-breathe and I-need-to-touch-you-all-the-time love. I loved it, especially because it didn't rule the book and wasn't droned on and on about. It was there though, lurking in the background as a backdrop to everything that both characters did. Because of that the whole thing felt very genuine, it didn't feel like I was reading a piece of fiction. So props to Marie Rutkoski.
I remember finishing The Winner's Curse and sitting with my jaw basically on the floor, I wanted (and still do) Kestrel and Arin to get together and live happily ever after, but that clearly wasn't going to be happening any time soon. I couldn't fathom how Marie Rutkoski was going to get the characters out of the situations they were in, and once again I'm in that same position.
Kestrel sets herself up as a spy for Herran, adding even more secrecy and deception to the novel. Obviously making it a very interesting read. But then what happened happened, and there were tears and an outraged exclamation or two. So basically I now really strongly dislike one of the characters (because how could they do that?!) and want Arin to get his sh*t together ASAP.
It sounds like such a cliche but I genuinely cannot express how I felt about The Winner's Crime. It was everything I wanted it to be and more, so much more. I have nothing negative to say about The Winner's Crime, I would and will recommend it to everyone.
When is the next one out? I need it now!
'The Winner's Crime' by Marie Rutkoski
5 Stars
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know I'm suppose to love these books but I just don't. I like them and they're entertaining but I just don't love them.
3.5 stars
I liked the first half of this book much more than the second half. We learn more about the world the emperor lives in and get to meet the prince and there's a lot of political intrigue and drama and internal battles and bigger pictures. It was fast reading and really interesting. But then I just felt like not a lot happened in the second half. Except, of course, the crazy ending and cliffhanger we're left with. It almost just felt like a lot of filler. I just found myself getting more and more impatient with Kestrel and Arin and being angry with both of them for the way they behave with each other then turn around and mope with their feelings. There were other, more specific things that annoyed me with each of them but I won't name specifics because I don't want to give anything away. At least not before the book even comes out. But I just wanted more to actually be happening. Also, how many times are we going to hear about Bite and Sting?
I did enjoy getting to see more of the world they live in. I'm interested to see where the story goes from here. Especially with some of the new characters we've met in this installment (several that I wanted to learn more about) and where the main characters are left at the end. I really have no idea what's going to happen from here. So I'll definitely be reading the third book in the series because I do enjoy the story and I want to know what happens with these characters. And I also think that my minor annoyances with the book would be easily overlooked if these were books that I loved. If that makes sense.
I hope those of you that loved the first book will also love this one. It seems from most every one else's reviews that you will.
3.5 stars
I liked the first half of this book much more than the second half. We learn more about the world the emperor lives in and get to meet the prince and there's a lot of political intrigue and drama and internal battles and bigger pictures. It was fast reading and really interesting. But then I just felt like not a lot happened in the second half. Except, of course, the crazy ending and cliffhanger we're left with. It almost just felt like a lot of filler. I just found myself getting more and more impatient with Kestrel and Arin and being angry with both of them for the way they behave with each other then turn around and mope with their feelings. There were other, more specific things that annoyed me with each of them but I won't name specifics because I don't want to give anything away. At least not before the book even comes out. But I just wanted more to actually be happening. Also, how many times are we going to hear about Bite and Sting?
I did enjoy getting to see more of the world they live in. I'm interested to see where the story goes from here. Especially with some of the new characters we've met in this installment (several that I wanted to learn more about) and where the main characters are left at the end. I really have no idea what's going to happen from here. So I'll definitely be reading the third book in the series because I do enjoy the story and I want to know what happens with these characters. And I also think that my minor annoyances with the book would be easily overlooked if these were books that I loved. If that makes sense.
I hope those of you that loved the first book will also love this one. It seems from most every one else's reviews that you will.
‘If you won’t be my friend, you’ll regret being my enemy.’
OMG!! This book!
I’m so glad I went with my instincts and continued with this series coz Book 2 is an entire league better than Book 1.
This book definitely did not have the unnecessary middle book vibe; it’s raised the bar high for TWK and I cannot wait to complete the series.
One of the first things I noticed about this book is that MR has upped her writing style several notches. It’s beautifully descriptive and its dramatic improvement had me wide-eyed with wonder.
The action began on page one: Kestrel preparing herself warily for life as an empress, in a gilded cage of her own making, under the watchful gaze of the crooked emperor. Her fiancé, Verex seems like a petulant weakling (Thank the heavens for the lack of a love triangle!); the laughing stock of the court. Arin, the newly appointed governor of Herren accompanied by Tensen, Herren’s Minister of Agriculture arrives at the court, where intrigue, secrets and lies are already in full swing.
And Kestrel, seemingly lost in parties, balls and pretty dresses is at the centre of it all.
The plot is so fast paced and action packed; there’s not a single moment of respite. I loved and hated all the horrible things that were happening to Kestrel and Arin; they were caught in a web of deception and death, dressmakers and dangerous allies, spies and supporters. Friends turned enemies. Trust was broken. Loved ones lied. Traitors were killed. Our MCs were faced with the worst kind of choices: love or the greater good. No-one could have both. I was yearning for Kestrel and Arin to just sort aside their lies and miscommunication already and get back together, but… to no avail.
‘She’d felt it before, she felt it now: the pull to fall in with him, to fall into him, to lose her sense of self.
There would be scandal, and then there’d be war.’
The world building is significantly better thought out than Book 1 and the secondary characters (the emperor, Verex, Tensen, Roshar and even the minor ones, Risha, Jess and Ronan
Spoiler
You idiot! You poor, tragic, heart-breaking fool, you!Spoiler
I don’t want to hate General Trajan, but I think I do.And THAT ENDING! If this couple doesn’t get a HEA, I’m a goner.
Lots of action. And tension. So much better than the first book. Need to read the third book ASAP!!!
*rips heart from chest* ah that's better....... now I won't need to feel anything :-)