THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski
3 Stars 
Verdict: Slow and flowery. 

Kestrel is clever and tough, with a strategic mind and a sharp affinity for reading others. Arin is a defiant yet skilled slave, and clearly just as intelligent. After paying too much for him in an auction, Kestrel’s name becomes tarnished in society...

The first half of the book is sssssslllllooooowwww. While [...]