The Winner's Curse (Winner's Trilogy, #1)

by Marie Rutkoski

[Kelly]

Phenomenal.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/05/the-winners-curse-by-marie-rutkoski.html

The Winner's Curse is incredible. I loved it. Loved. It. It's not often a book comes around where every single aspect, the storyline, world building, characters and writing are immaculate, but Marie Rutkoski is pretty darn close. Never have I devoured a book where the storyline flowed so effortlessly, telling the tale of a society which was destroyed through invasion, the citizens bought and sold into slavery and where women are either deemed wives or soldiers. Kestrel is neither. Her father is a general and sees the potential in his daughter's quick wit and intellect, making for a perfect strategist for his brutal army. But Kestrel is content to immerse herself in music, a trait shared with her late mother. Her love of music being the deciding factor in purchasing Arin from the slave auction. I adored Kestrel. She isn't the typical heroine, but has a quiet resolve against what her fellow Valorian's believe and societies rules of how a young woman of her stature should behave. Her intellect surpasses that of her male counterparts, often landing her in trouble.

Arin, formally known as Smith, is reserved, a schemer and detests what his society has become. He holds his cards close to his chest and never imagined being sold to the General's daughter would leave him wanting nothing more than to touch her. He's strong willed and incredibly resilient, but Arin isn't who he seems and is torn between what he believes and the girl who has instilled hope in his life again.

The romance? Perfect. There was no instant love, but a mature relationship slowly building from what seemed to have begun as a strong distaste. The two incredibly diverse characters bond over a shared truth stemming from a simple card game and their forbidden relationship grows. I loved the quiet moments between the two, when the world around them began to crumble. Neither cared what society thought, those around them seemingly believing that Kestrel had taken a lover. But when war explodes across the territory, it's Kestrel who finds herself torn.

The Winner's Curse is absolutely bloody brilliant. This not only lives up to the hype, but far surpasses it. I was blown away and can't even begin to imagine how I'll cope before book two is released. I need it. NOW.