Book Review: The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkowski

Title: The Winner’s Kiss
Author: Marie Rutkowski
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
ISBN: 9781250104434

Synopsis:
War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people―and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks. In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing. As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

———————-

This beautiful conclusion to The Winner’s trilogy had me on the edge of my seat for the entire duration of my audiobook. It’s a stunning read and it perfectly wraps up what’s been a completely wild ride of a series.

If there’s anyone who can write tensions and leave you guessing until the end about what kind of a conclusion a story is going to have, it’s Rutkowski. There were so many times that this book was stressful enough that I nearly had to walk away to return a bit calmer later. It honestly felt like I’d never be satisfied with the outcome. Rutkowski knows how to keep readers on the hook.

It’s one of the best YA series that I’ve had the pleasure to read in a long while. Teenage me would have obsessed about this story and its characters. Though I had my reservations in the begging, the more this book grew and went on, the more I liked it. As the world expands and more and more characters are developed and introduced, it gains more momentum and builds in its intensity.

It’s a joy of a series to read and if you have any younger readers in your life, this is the series to get them hooked on. Kestrel is bad ass, strong, and independent minded. Arin is a brutal political player who is driven by his god and his desire to see his people freed, and is willing to do anything to succeed. There are a whole host of other characters that are unique and engaging along the way.

Happy reading!