(To say we, as fans, are pissed would be an understatement. I will say it now: this is one of the worst changes they could have done to the cover art of a series that is still unfinished.)
The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski | Rating: ★★★★★
“Sometimes you think you want something,” Arin told him, “when in reality you need to let it go.”
Marie Rutkoski is a force to be reckoned with in the realm of action packed fantasy in young adult literature. She captures this fantastical and dangerous world of her so vividly, her characters so crystal clear and romantic. It’s easy to see the hype beyond this world and all the sparks that come with it–Marie has a talent of drawing you in within the first few pages and her characters refuse to let you go.
The Winner’s Crime has been on my most anticipated reads since finishing the first installment in the trilogy, The Winner’s Curse, and I’ve been taking my sweet time reading it. And because the previous book was such a massively captivating read, The Winner’s Crime had a great deal to live up to.
Because let’s face it, when you have such a solid start to a promising series, there’s a certain level of difficulty in capturing the magic of the previous book and expanded onto it. Sequels can be very hit-or-miss.
After such a delightful introduction, I wasn’t so sure that it could get any better–but Marie knocked me right off my game multiple times and proved that yes, it can get better, and yes–she was only just getting started.
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Rating: ★★★★★
“Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.”
From 2014. The Winner's Curse is the first book in a planned trilogy by the wonderful Marie Rutkoski and all I can say, right now, is WOW. If there's only one word I can use to review this story it's, seriously, wow. Marie's imagination, the world and its history she crafted, is one that cannot be described coherently. I literally can't explain it without babbling in a tone that is the scariest form of fangirl.
But I can say this: it is one of the best young adult fantasy novels I've ever read and keeps its readers thoroughly engaged until its final pages. I promise you, you will be so invested in this story that you simply will not be able to bring yourself to put it down. Beautifully crafted and warm, it gives you all the feelings a good book should and is a stellar start to what is shaping up to be one of the best young adult trilogies in present time.
The Winner's Curse is a vivid, thrilling, fantasy ride that tells us a tale of war, forbidden love, loss and tragedy. Not only is the world fascinating and well crafted, the characters are intriguing and larger that life -- they are sexy, they are strong and they are among the most fascinating I've ever read. They come to life right before your eyes and make it so it's impossible to not love them, regardless of flaws and obstacles. And, by series end, betrayal.
