Thursday, March 19, 2015

Time to Talkback: Review on The Winnner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Authors had their time to talk now it's Time to Talkback. This gives me the chance to review the book or books I have been reading. Now I'm all for a honest review and at times I can be a bit harsh with some of the judgements I voice, as far as book go. But it has nothing to do with the author(s) for without them what would my imagination be (goodness help us all). It is just my own opinion, constructive criticism (I say) and I just want to state it as so many of us sometimes do. Good or Bad, I am always thankful for the books I read and the author(s) who wrote them. So, welcome to Talkback and here to a honest review.

Title: The Winner's Crime
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre Type: Fantasy
Publication date:  March 3rd 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Format: Hardcover
Pages:  402 pages
Source: Barnes and Noble, Bought
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Through daring escapes, devious plotting, and stolen kisses, Rutkoski bring a wonder sequel into The Winner’s Trilogy. The Winner’s Crime is a perfect addition, evolving from the first book in the trilogy, The Winner’s Curse, it continues the story effortlessly, without missing a beat. Much like in The Winner’s Curse, Rutkoski made the theme intertwine with plot conforming and molding it in to something a bit different but all together gives it that same easy flow as before. The whole book has a much darker atmosphere to it and the slow pace of the first book is nowhere to be seen. Here, it is action from page one and so many twist and turns that will keep you wanting to turn the pages. Fast. The romance is placed in the background to give room for intrigues and conspiracy.

Kestrel now finds herself in a unique position, engaged to the Valorian crown prince. As the wedding approaches, she longs to let Arin know the truth about her engagement but only if… Becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit Kestrel soon becomes an anonymous spy passing information to the Herrani nation and coming close to uncovering a shocking secret she did not even know that existed. As Arin struggles to keep his country’s freedom enlisting dangerous allies, he can’t stop fighting the suspicion that Kestrel knows more that she claims to. In the end, it might not be a dagger that wounds him but yet the truth and how much it will cost him and Kestrel.

Kestrel and Arin, our protagonists, are once again a delight as we expose their lives in this story. Kestrel is forever the complex heroine that she sometimes was in the first book but is more pronounced in this one. She still has that same air of intelligent, cunning, and quick-wittedness to her but throughout the book, she soon grows into a more of an awareness as she faces many more difficult decisions. In a world of backstabbing and conspiracy she can trust no one but herself and while faced with these, she proves to be both fierce and witty, as she’s plotting to outwit the power.

Arin is still complex and secretive, though not with his feels toward Kestrel in his own mind. Arin know that Kestrel is keep back a lie and though he should be more worried about his people he finds that he must know what Kestrel is hiding. Arin is more investigating in this book while trying to continue his duty toward is people as their leader. Arin’s leadership take on a whole new qualities, he become much more determine to help his people even if it means going about it the wrong ways.

As mentioned in the beginning The Winner’s Crime is a lot darker than the first book and much more of an emotional roller coaster. There are so much pain and guilt and sadness, caused by all the secrecy, lies and betrayals. Rutkoski really did break my heart with this one, over and over, but maybe that’s why I like it so much. For me, a book has to make you feel something. What that something is doesn’t really matter; it could be happiness, sadness or excitement. It just has to make you feel, and this book surely does that. Times a hundred.

The Winner’s Crime is a strong sequel and I’d recommend it to everyone who’s read the first book. And if you haven’t read the first, I’d recommend you to do that and then pick up this thrilling, heart wrenching page-turner.


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