The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkosi

"I leap without feet to land, my cloth head is filled with sand. I have no wings, yet try to fly... what am I?"...

The second and dramatic second book two of The Winner's Curse series perhaps mmmmm.....

I was very, very lucky to get an Arc of The Winner's Crime. This book is set to come out March, 2015. With the approach of this books release date coming up fast I figured I would re-post this review since 1) I got this ARC forever ago and 2) because I originally posted it right when our blog started.

I know that when it comes to reading books I only care about one true thing, and that is how the book ends. I REPEAT: IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT ENDING! Doesn't matter if it's the first book or last book in a series. If you don't bring a strong ending then don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya... The thing Marie Rutkoski doesn't disappoint on is book endings. The Winner's Crime is no different.

TWC starts off where the first book left off. Krestle is still set to marry the Valoria's crown prince in an ever so awk marriage arrangement. She's still struggling between what is right and what is wrong; who to trust and where her true alliance lies. (Even I still don't know whose side I'm on). Marie Rutkoski isn't just skilled at book ending she's amazing at dropping oh so subtle hints that are usually closely followed by "WTF" moments. This book is sprinkled like a cupcake with surprises that I can't wait for you all to get a taste of.

This book is however very much a second book in a trilogy. It has moments that are a little slower. As usual you know that they are there to lay so much ground work for what will be coming in the next book. The thing I love about this story is Krestle isn't at all your usual suspect as far as ya fem heroines go. She isn't a dagger slinging, muscle having, archery shooting wild women. What she has though is something I think we often overlook in stories, and that is brains. Krestle is oozing with smarts. She has a silver tongue and a quick wit that often lets her see things other over look. This make her even more like-able, believable, and more dangerous than most would think. Arin is still a strong, smart, and very like-able leading male in this novel. And yeah he is still as mysterious and grey eyed as in book one (swoon! grey eyes <3333). He also may or may not have several sneaky tricks up his borrowed shirt sleeves.

Something I absolutely loved about this whole novel is the brief and amazing moment Rutkoski has between Krestle and the father she fears she will never be able to impress. The moment is beautiful and is written to perfection. The thing I really craved was more Arin and Krestle moments. This one didn't have as many as I hope for BUT I'm hoping it's because book three will be overflowing with steamy star-crossed lover-ness and I can be super giddy and heart eyed  that whole book. I just want to shake them both and scream "come on and get together already and make beautiful piano playing babies!". Still the main thing I have to say about this book is THE ENDING THE ENDING THE ENDING!!! IT IS PERFECT, and is worth some of the more book building moments, and slower paced scenes. I have NO doubt that the ending of this series will knock my socks off. Add this series to you TBR list.

8.5/10 Stars
-Angela

(The Winner's Crime BookDepo)

Agree to Disagree

For the most part we have very similar book tastes. We like the same genres of books, we like the same kinds of characters, and we especially like the same kinds of endings. Every so often we will come across a book where we just have to agree to disagree. Usually one of us ends up LOVING it while the other ends up HATING it (because we have no emotions between OMG ALL OR OMG NOTHING). Here are a few of the books that we had this issue with... 

Vampire Academy (book one) by Richelle Mead
What Leah Loved: EVERYTHING! Oh my gosh, I love this series. Vampires are to me what aliens are to Angela, so a school full of hot angsty vampires is right up my alley. I love Rose and how feisty she is. She's a smart Alec and often gets herself into trouble because of her big mouth. Dmitri is HOT HOT HOT (btw I refuse to watch the movie because I have Ian Somerholder in my head as Dmitrti and I don't want to let bad casting ruin my view). I also really love the plot and how much drama there is. It's basically like reality tv meets vampires.

What Angela Hated: BORING!!!! I didn't like either of the main characters, Rose or Lissa. I hated the Dmitri. I will admit that I probably hated him more that I might have if I hadn't had seen the movie first... But sadly I did and I hate who they chose to play him... Which made me hate him in the book. Did I say I hated Rose?.. Because I really did. I hated the stroganoffs... The plot was predictable. I know everyone says that you have to get to like book three before it gets better but I just can't. I know that I'm in the minority with hating this, and that my sister would hate me for saying I didn't like it but IDC. I was hoping this book would make me fall for vampires, but I think it just made my hate-seed for them grow.

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

What Leah Loved: I think this book is basically the stereotypical dystopian YA book where girl has some sort of issue, government sucks, huge problem happens, falls for the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and world domination is the goal to solving all the problems. I think this is why I liked it. The plot is simple, but there are a few plot twists (most you see coming, but whatevs) and the storyline is sort of unique. While the book isn't my favorite by any means, it is sort of a throwback to when YA really started getting popular and dystopian was a HUGE theme. I like the writing style, and I think it is a good starter book for people who are just getting into YA. I am excited for the second book to come out because I think the series has a lot of potential to get better as the story grows.

What Angela Hated: CAN MY ANSWER BE EVERYTHING??? Sadly Uninvented was SO predictable. I knew what was coming WAY before it would happen. I also felt a lack of "bonding" with any of the characters. I just really got tired of hearing Davy complain about how shes nothing now and has nothing and blah blah blah... WE GET IT... and with that attitude you're probably right about sucking so much.. like come on girly you're surrounded by buff dangerous boys stop crying and start living. Grab Sean by his face and kiss him... do something!!! YOU'RE ALREADY BRANDED BAD! DOESN'T MEAN YOU NEED TO BE BRANDED BORING TOO!!! UGH I think if the books romance would have played out better then I would have liked this book more. It's what really brought this book down. The other thing that bothered me was that EVERY single dude had rape eyes for Davy... like come on there are six other girls. Like everyone even her boo keep talking about how she's bound to be raped... All the boys see Davy and automatically must rape her! It was just a little much. I don't know; this book wasn't the worst book I've read but it wont be making the top of my list either. I just wanted more.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowski 

What Angela Loved:  I loved Kestrel! LOVED HER... She's quick witted and for once wasn't a girl who was all about being able to physically harm someone (most the time I like tough fighter girls but this was a wonderful change in pace). She actually used her brain! I loved Arin (The leading male). He sounded super hot. And I couldn't get over how much he was constantly surprising me. I liked the idea of buying something and then paying the ultimate price for it (hints the title of the book). I loved how the narrator was kind of all knowing and that you were just waiting for all the information and lies to come out. The twist and turns in this book had me gasping for air. AND THAT ENDING OMG!!!! THAT ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A-freaking-mazing!!!!!!!!! One of my favorites.
 
What Leah Hated: THE MAIN GIRL IS SO DUMB. She just is la la la la la la I'm in love and yolos all over the place and falls for everything everyone is telling her. The main dude is a D and lies all over the place. Seriously, he spits more lies than truth. BUT THE KICKER OF THIS BOOK IS THE ENDING. SERIOUSLY THE ENDING ALMOST ENDED OUR FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE WE INTERRUPTED IT DIFFERENTLY AND ALMOST GOT INTO A MORTAL COMBACT STYLE BATTLE OVER WHO WAS RIGHT. Luckily we actually got to meet the author and asked her WTF she meant at the end. I'll go ahead and admit that I was wrong. I WAS WRONG. I GET IT. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT EVEN AFTER THE AUTHOR BROKE DOWN THE ENDING FOR ME IN WITTLE SMALL WORDS I STILL HATED IT.
 
RAW by Belle Aurora 

What Angela Loved: OK yes yes yes I get this story is FAR, FAR from anything that

would ever happen to anyone EVER... BUT I DON'T CARE!!!! I loved it!!! I've never thought stalking was so hot in my entire life!!!! BUT ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS STEPHEN JAMES AS TWITCH UGH!!!!! LOVE!!! and his candy eating habit whoooosh swoon. I can agree that the leading lady, Lexi, wasn't my favorite, but AGAIN DON'T CARE I JUST LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK. The banter between the two is amazing, and manipulative. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing he has going on was oddly super hot. He owns his evil and doesn't really care who sees it or when it happens. It was the right place right time read for me.  There's a big secret from the start that has you guessing left and right until she has tortured you enough and finally does the big reveal. Raw had so many twist and turns I didn't breathe the whole time I was reading it! One of my all time favorite books.

What Leah Hated: OMG don't even get me started on this book. I love a good scandy read and I love a good hottie who likes to get weird, but this book was JUST.TOO.MUCH. I mean, the scandy parts of it aren't even what bothers me. I just hated the characters. HATED. The main chick is supposedly this social worker who loves her job and is super dedicated to her kids, but as soon as she meets the main dude she loses her doggone mind. Doing blow and putting her kids in really really bad situations... I just... OMG. AH. The dude sounds hot, I'll give him that, but the way he acts goes beyond everything and goes straight into the abusive catogory. Do what you want in the bedroom. Get weird. I don't care, seriously.. but when you admit that you have an anger problem and start bringing your punching and strangling outside the bedroom. Seriously, dude, you need to take your crazy damaged self and do not pass go and head straight to therapy. I was SO mad reading this book that I literally almost ripped it in half and threw it against the wall. This is probably one of my all time most hated reads, if not THE most hated read. GROSS. AHHAGAREGASDFSDf

(Vampire Academy BookDepo)

(Uninvited BookDepo)

(The Winner's Curse BookDepo)

(Raw BookDepo)