The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2) in The Reader's Lounge

Jun 27, 2014 Jasprit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, read-in-2015, out-2015, ya, fantasy

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Winner’s Crime a few months back, I had adored The Winner’s Curse and Kestrel and Arin and I couldn’t wait to dive back into their gorgeous but crazy world once again, but the early reviews I read had me super worried that my heart would be in for a tough time, I’d had my fair share of heart breaking reads as of late, so I just kept on pushing back picking up the book, until I finally succumbed. And I did end up loving it, but I wasn’t really affected I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Winner’s Crime a few months back, I had adored The Winner’s Curse and Kestrel and Arin and I couldn’t wait to dive back into their gorgeous but crazy world once again, but the early reviews I read had me super worried that my heart would be in for a tough time, I’d had my fair share of heart breaking reads as of late, so I just kept on pushing back picking up the book, until I finally succumbed. And I did end up loving it, but I wasn’t really affected by it as much as I thought I would be.

With the decision that Kestrel made in The Winner’s Curse, she knew there would be consequences, but did she think that she would never see Arin again? That her feelings would just disappear? I for one couldn’t wait for Arin to make an appearance just so that Kestrel could realise what she had given up. Yes what she did was for the greater good for a lot of people, but oh Kestrel look at what you lost in the process too? Once again I absolutely adored Arin, he was super sweet and really did take everything to heart, I felt super sorry for him at times, as all he wanted was the truth, but so many people wouldn’t give it to him. It was clear as day who he was meant to be, but all the lies that he was fed (which I know some were necessary), made him doubt what he believed to be true. The rejections he had to deal with honestly broke my heart. Then there was Kestrel, I did admire everything she had done, and I know her back was against the wall especially with the emperor making constant threats (this guy just made me so mad, I honestly wanted to just punch him a few times). But I hated how she treated Arin, she was so close to telling him the truth on so many occasions, but held back instead. She did however go on to prove where her real loyalties lied, and I’m glad that she did risk a lot to do this. But ugh I just want Arin and Kestrel to be together!

Rutkoski once again did a wonderful job with The Winner’s Crime; her writing weaved such a beautiful story, despite so much deceitfulness and violence going on, there was a tender poignant story going on beneath it all. And also despite my heart being in my throat a couple of times and the constant dread in the pit of my stomach, I always held the hope that things will end okay (I still will count this meagre amount of hope I have left to the next book). Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Crime is a book that readers can gobble up in one sitting, its cunning characters will have readers constantly guessing where people’s real loyalties lie, but the love and despair that comes through this story will leave you hoping for more.

This review can be found on: The Readers Den ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Emma rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Sadly, I hate to say this but I did DNF this book at 50%, so your probably wondering why would I review a DNF when I never have before. I loved the first book and the girls, Tanja and Glass and I were going to do a joint review and I wanted to add my opinion to the mix. I don't know what it was about this book that so many people just loved, but I had some major issues and I think my lack of time to read, my slowness didn't help either. I guess you could say that it suffered the middle book synd Sadly, I hate to say this but I did DNF this book at 50%, so your probably wondering why would I review a DNF when I never have before. I loved the first book and the girls, Tanja and Glass and I were going to do a joint review and I wanted to add my opinion to the mix. I don't know what it was about this book that so many people just loved, but I had some major issues and I think my lack of time to read, my slowness didn't help either. I guess you could say that it suffered the middle book syndrome. Would it be weird if I said I still sort of need to know what happens in the third and final book...

1. Did you like the darker side of this story?
When I first began The Winner's Crime I wasn't all the keen on how the story turned around. Wouldn't she had been safer with Arin?! I know it's against all her ideals but to marry in order to save the war and then now she's the Emperor's lap dog, her father, the general fighting for him and marrying the Prince for the Emperor's ideals. So if I'm honest it was the darker to the plotline and characters that lead me to DNF it at 50%.

2. Was the change in style of narration/writing a good choice?
No, not really. I found that it didn't quite have that balance I was talking about in my previous review of The Winner's Curse. I felt it didn't flow properly and I think that it what let it down I think. The pace of the book slowed down dramatically which impacted me with my reading as I wasn't engrossed in comparison to the previous book.

3. Our feelings about lack of romance.
There was nothing there that really continued my interest. Even when that tragic part happen to Arin, which I'm saying anything, because of spoilers, I thought, they might have let bygones be bygones. Kestrel is certainly one to play hard to get. But why won't she give into her passions, her feelings. That was what was frustrating especially after what Arin said at the very end of The Winner's Curse.

4. What do you think of Kestral's character in this book in comparison to The Winner's Curse?
She has only become a shell of what she used to be and that is what I enjoyed about her The Winner's Curse. She had everything a strong, feral protagonist should have. In the sequel, she just lacked that passion in everything, her romance with Arin or the Prince, her ideals and beliefs changed, she had no drive towards them. I think everything in her character was slow, it didn't match the character I loved.

5. Which book is your favourite cover?
The Winner's Curse

6. The Winner's Curse or The Winner's Crime?
The Winner's Curse

Rating - 2

This review can also be found my blog ...more

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Mar 30, 2014 Pili rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Winner's Curse was one of my favourite books of 2014 and getting approved for the eARC of The Winner's Crime on NG by Bloomsbury UK was the highlight of the end of 2014 for sure!

Everything that I had loved in The Winner's Curse, the historical fantasy, the politics, the plotting, the mysteries, the forbidden love... everything is in here but magnified! The court intrigues and plotting kept my heart pounding and every turn of the page was a source of anxiety for me!

I think the whole time I The Winner's Curse was one of my favourite books of 2014 and getting approved for the eARC of The Winner's Crime on NG by Bloomsbury UK was the highlight of the end of 2014 for sure!

Everything that I had loved in The Winner's Curse, the historical fantasy, the politics, the plotting, the mysteries, the forbidden love... everything is in here but magnified! The court intrigues and plotting kept my heart pounding and every turn of the page was a source of anxiety for me!

I think the whole time I spent reading this book, my anxiety was flaring, my heart was pounding and breaking for Arin and Krestel! Their relationship is so full of difficulties from withing and from without... Not only theirs is a forbidden love because they're in opposite sides of a conflict and belong to different cultures, but they also are at a point where they can't talk to each other, so they keep second guessing and interpreting each others' actions or lack thereof.

Krestel is very talented at strategizing but she's rather out of her league when it comes to dealing with the Emperor because he's the master manipulator supreme! Whenever he appeared in the book my heart rate increased, because he is one seedy and scary character! Krestel does her best to stay ahead of the game but it's like trying to stay afloat in a tempest with no hope of rescue, you know that sooner or later you're gonna tire and go down.

Arin is bitter and fighting and having the hardest time at dealing with his position, with having to deal with Krestel in the opposite sides that they're now and so ends up going on a journey to find a position of strenght for Herran.

The world gets bigger and we find out more about Herran, about Valoria and about a new place that we get to discover. Everything reminds me of empires of the Classical age, Romans, Greeks and now a new place that reminded me some of Egypt and some of Persia. I simply adore the world building in this book as I did with the one in book 1. It feels familiar enough to cultures familiar to us but at the same time they feel different enough to be part of a new world.

And of course, the writing... oh my goodness, the writing. Marie Rutkoski has the most gorgeous prose ever! With stunning prose, wonderful world building and plenty of heartache and pain, this book is the most excruciating and glorious painful experience ever! Very well deserved 5 stars! I can only hope that the next one will have more happiness or I might not survive reading it! ...more

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Mar 22, 2016 Pili rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Now that I've finished re-reading this one and I'm once again overwhelmed with all the feelings, I'm more than ready to tear through my copy of The Winner's Kiss!! ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Emma rated it it was ok

Sadly, I hate to say this but I did DNF this book at 50%, so your probably wondering why would I review a DNF when I never have before. I loved the first book and the girls, Tanja and Glass and I were going to do a joint review and I wanted to add my opinion to the mix. I don't know what it was about this book that so many people just loved, but I had some major issues and I think my lack of time to read, my slowness didn't help either. I guess you could say that it suffered the middle book synd Sadly, I hate to say this but I did DNF this book at 50%, so your probably wondering why would I review a DNF when I never have before. I loved the first book and the girls, Tanja and Glass and I were going to do a joint review and I wanted to add my opinion to the mix. I don't know what it was about this book that so many people just loved, but I had some major issues and I think my lack of time to read, my slowness didn't help either. I guess you could say that it suffered the middle book syndrome. Would it be weird if I said I still sort of need to know what happens in the third and final book...

1. Did you like the darker side of this story?
When I first began The Winner's Crime I wasn't all the keen on how the story turned around. Wouldn't she had been safer with Arin?! I know it's against all her ideals but to marry in order to save the war and then now she's the Emperor's lap dog, her father, the general fighting for him and marrying the Prince for the Emperor's ideals. So if I'm honest it was the darker to the plotline and characters that lead me to DNF it at 50%.

2. Was the change in style of narration/writing a good choice?
No, not really. I found that it didn't quite have that balance I was talking about in my previous review of The Winner's Curse. I felt it didn't flow properly and I think that it what let it down I think. The pace of the book slowed down dramatically which impacted me with my reading as I wasn't engrossed in comparison to the previous book.

3. Our feelings about lack of romance.
There was nothing there that really continued my interest. Even when that tragic part happen to Arin, which I'm saying anything, because of spoilers, I thought, they might have let bygones be bygones. Kestrel is certainly one to play hard to get. But why won't she give into her passions, her feelings. That was what was frustrating especially after what Arin said at the very end of The Winner's Curse.

4. What do you think of Kestral's character in this book in comparison to The Winner's Curse?
She has only become a shell of what she used to be and that is what I enjoyed about her The Winner's Curse. She had everything a strong, feral protagonist should have. In the sequel, she just lacked that passion in everything, her romance with Arin or the Prince, her ideals and beliefs changed, she had no drive towards them. I think everything in her character was slow, it didn't match the character I loved.

5. Which book is your favourite cover?
The Winner's Curse

6. The Winner's Curse or The Winner's Crime?
The Winner's Curse

Rating - 2

This review can also be found my blog ...more

1 like · Like · see review