Book Blog: THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

I’ll be honest, I rarely pay attention to book blurbs but I’m a sucker for a gorgeous dress (although, as a student of costume history, a period dress used for the wrong period makes me cringe). When I picked up a copy of THE WINNER’S CURSE it was the dress that drew me in. And then I noticed the dagger. 

I was definitely intrigued. But when I saw the following blurb from GRACELING author Kristin Cashore, I was sold:

“Every line in The Winner’s Curse is beautifully written. The story is masterfully plotted. The characters’ dilemmas fascinated me and tore at my heart. This book gave me a rare and special reading experience: I never knew what was going to happen next. I loved it. I want more.” —Kristin Cashore, New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling Realm books

Trust me when I say that THE WINNER’S CURSE totally lived up to that blurb. I love the world Marie Rutkoski has created and the seemingly impossible odds she’s given her star-crossed lovers, Kestrel and Arin. And I love that Kestrel doesn’t have to be a total badass with a sword to be a heroine worthy of admiration.

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

THE WINNER’S CURSE is the first book in THE WINNER’S TRILOGY and the ending leaves you with the perfect mix of hope and desperate longing.
If, like me, you finish Book #1 and can’t wait to read Book #2, you can catch a sneak peek here. But you’ll have to earn it by winning Kestrel’s favorite game- Bite and Sting. 

If you're still having withdrawal symptoms (I was), you can read "Bridge of Snow," a short story set in the world of THE WINNER'S CURSE.