Friday Favorites is a weekly meme hosted here, that spotlights a favorite author, book, series, publisher, cover, blog, etc. Basically whatever bookish thing that you love, recommend, and want to tell others about. Just pick one and link up to my post each Friday to share. You can use the graphic I used above, the other one here, or your own.
I have been eagerly anticipating the release of The Winner's Curse after seeing that gorgeous cover, reading the blurb, and finding that so many bloggers I follow recommended it. If you can't tell by the fact that it is what I am talking about for my Friday Favorite this week, I absolutely LOVED it!!!
The Winner's Curse
(The Winner's Trilogy #1)
by Marie Rutkoski
by Marie Rutkoski
YA Fantasy
March 4th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
March 4th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Summary
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.
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.
My Review
Before I really get into reviewing The Winner's Curse I just want to say that I love the cover! I also love the way the hardcover book was made. It has those uneven edges like collector edition books do (such as my Sribner's Illustrated). I just absolutely loved opening it up, smelling that new-book smell, and feeling it's pages!! The book is pretty much a work of art itself. Yes, so I'm definitely a book geek. I claim it! Lol! It does bring back memories of growing up reading with my family and reading on my own when I first fell in love with books. Okay. On to my review...
Going in I was expecting a decent read because so many others, who were lucky enough to receive an ARC, recommended it. I was not expecting to be pulled in from the first page, not be able to put the book down, and love it so completely. This is my kind of book!!!
The writing style and pacing of this story were fabulous! I was immediately engaged and even though the story slowly builds towards the end, my interest never waned. I knew almost from the beginning what Arin was about. I knew that Kestrel would struggle with her relationship with him. I knew that things would change and that there would be dire circumstances. I just didn't know how it would all happen and what choices would be made.
I really loved the setting. It was an amazing storybook world with all of the society's gaiety and expectations. The servants, formal clothing, and social gatherings. It reminded me a little of Austen, especially some of the dialogue that was so well done. I loved that you see how the aristocrats live, but also get a small picture into the servants and slaves lives. It was a well developed world.
I LOVED the characters! Kestrel and Arin are both very intelligent, musically talented, and at the mercy of their stations. They both are vulnerable in different and similar ways. I loved Kestrel's friends. I loved that she wasn't perfect. Even though she is the general's daughter, she isn't the best fighter. She doesn't always make the best choices or see all that she should. Arin is also flawed. He tries to hide so much from those around him, but sometimes his anger flairs when it shouldn't. I loved Kestrel's father because he was a force in Kestrel's life and taught her so much. He has high expectations of her, but also loves her deeply.
The romance was absolutely perfect!! This was probably one of the things I loved the most! It isn't instant love. It builds slowly and against the two main characters' wills. They are friends first before anything. I loved that you could feel the tension and that the author let that tension grow. The romance wasn't ruined with too much and didn't take over the story even though it is a driving force for both of the main characters' choices. Then there is that ending. I can't say anything more, but I am dying to read the next book!!
This story had it all: strong characters, exciting plot, dangerous circumstances, difficult choices, grief, friendship, war, love, with a bittersweet ending that left me wanting so much more! This would be a book I would love to rate higher than five stars. I loved it that much!! I just wish I didn't have to wait for the next book!
Content: Clean (there is some innuendo and violence, one instance of intended rape, but I would still consider this clean)
Source: Purchased
Going in I was expecting a decent read because so many others, who were lucky enough to receive an ARC, recommended it. I was not expecting to be pulled in from the first page, not be able to put the book down, and love it so completely. This is my kind of book!!!
The writing style and pacing of this story were fabulous! I was immediately engaged and even though the story slowly builds towards the end, my interest never waned. I knew almost from the beginning what Arin was about. I knew that Kestrel would struggle with her relationship with him. I knew that things would change and that there would be dire circumstances. I just didn't know how it would all happen and what choices would be made.
I really loved the setting. It was an amazing storybook world with all of the society's gaiety and expectations. The servants, formal clothing, and social gatherings. It reminded me a little of Austen, especially some of the dialogue that was so well done. I loved that you see how the aristocrats live, but also get a small picture into the servants and slaves lives. It was a well developed world.
I LOVED the characters! Kestrel and Arin are both very intelligent, musically talented, and at the mercy of their stations. They both are vulnerable in different and similar ways. I loved Kestrel's friends. I loved that she wasn't perfect. Even though she is the general's daughter, she isn't the best fighter. She doesn't always make the best choices or see all that she should. Arin is also flawed. He tries to hide so much from those around him, but sometimes his anger flairs when it shouldn't. I loved Kestrel's father because he was a force in Kestrel's life and taught her so much. He has high expectations of her, but also loves her deeply.
The romance was absolutely perfect!! This was probably one of the things I loved the most! It isn't instant love. It builds slowly and against the two main characters' wills. They are friends first before anything. I loved that you could feel the tension and that the author let that tension grow. The romance wasn't ruined with too much and didn't take over the story even though it is a driving force for both of the main characters' choices. Then there is that ending. I can't say anything more, but I am dying to read the next book!!
This story had it all: strong characters, exciting plot, dangerous circumstances, difficult choices, grief, friendship, war, love, with a bittersweet ending that left me wanting so much more! This would be a book I would love to rate higher than five stars. I loved it that much!! I just wish I didn't have to wait for the next book!
Content: Clean (there is some innuendo and violence, one instance of intended rape, but I would still consider this clean)
Source: Purchased
About the Author
Marie Rutkoski is the author of the YA novel The Shadow Society and the children's fantasy series The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders, The Celestial Globe and The Jewel of the Kalderash. Her next project is a YA trilogy that begins with The Winner's Curse, which is scheduled to be published in March 2014. Marie grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She holds a BA from the University of Iowa and a PhD from Harvard University. Marie is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children's literature and fiction writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.
You can find Marie here:
You can download and read the first five chapters of The Winner's Curse for Kindle or Nook. Do you have a favorite to share this week?
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