Read Along: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 35-48 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Crime
The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

CHAPTERS 35-48

Remember when I was all "I think reading the first book in the series right before the second one comes out is a smart idea. I hate waiting, so much." Yeah well now I have to wait for The Winner's Kiss and that's going to be pure torture. 

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"Sometimes you think you want something, when what you need is to let it go."

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"Stop it. Stop pretending that I don't matter."

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So basically that was me getting to the end of this book.

&& then it ended..

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Then I had to remember...

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SO overall this book was AMAZING. I'm going to truly suffer waiting for the last book. I loved this book so much, I loved watching Kestrel truly using her smarts, being sneaky, outsmarting some of the smartest people around her and being damn good at it.

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Read Along: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 21 - 34 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Crime
The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

CHAPTERS 21-34

Alright, these chapters had me scared, had my heart break, and definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I'm so ready to finally see where everything is going to turn. 

• Arin makes a huge decision 
• Kestrel makes a huge decision, actually a bunch of them.
• Secrets are best kept if one is dead (hasn't Pretty Little Liars taught us anything)
• Kestrel really brings her A game in this book

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"I'm glad to see you go," Risha said. "You don't belong here. People who don't belong pay for it."

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"I don't mind being a moth. I would probably start eating silk if that meant I could fly."

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And then we uncover secrets about a certain bet on a certain person's wedding dress.

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Dear Emperor...

Seriously, I hate you. I hate you so much.
"He doesn't like weaklings. But he loves to discover a weakness."

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Alright, Shannon out! Gotta finish this and I gotta finish this NOW!

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Read Along: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 11-20 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Crime
The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

CHAPTERS 11-20

You know what was great about this section, Arin and Kestrel. Now it’s extremely tough for me to put a pause on this book and come and do the read along. But I must, and I shall put all my feelings and thoughts in gifs and quotes. 

“Pressing where you’re not invited seems to be a habit with you.”
“And yours is to put people in their place. But people aren’t gaming pieces. You can’t arrange them to suit yourself.”

And Kestrel, that girl, I can’t wait to see where all her scheming takes her, but man does it completely freak me out. This book just keeps pulling, and pulling, and pulling me in, I’m at the point where I’ll just call in sick to work to finish (I won't though, that wouldn't be responsible). 

AND KESTREL'S MOTHS

 Then that knife scene...

"Let's make you pretty."

That had me all like...

"If you win."

"I warn you, I'm pretty good."

Kestrel smiled. "I'm better." 

"I trust you."

You shouldn't."

"I know," he muttered. 

My post-its keep on growing, and you guys I am LOVING this book.

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Read Along: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 1-10

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The Winner's Crime
The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

CHAPTERS 1-10 

Alright, so who’s ready to talk about this? Me. But who doesn’t know what to say without giving too much away? Me. But really all of you should have read the first one and are now ready to eat their way through this sequel. I have no idea how I’m even going to put this one down once I get even further in.

•  One thing I want to talk about is that sugar fork, um hello, where can I get myself one of those? Yum. 

• Then the General gave Kestrel the a coin, a coin with the sign of Jardis; Jardis being the warrior from an ancient Valorian legend, who’s story gave some mirroring of her own life.

• Kestrel is a warrior, Kestrel is strong, and Krestel can definitely be intimidating... 

“If you won’t be my friend,” She told Verex, “you’ll regret being my enemy.”

• And let’s not forget about Arin, who is now the governor of Herran, after Kestrel’s deal. Arin is making me swoon hardcore now with his constant inner battles over Kestrel. 

“She’d felt it before, she felt it now: the pull to fall in with him, to fall into him, to lose her sense of self.”

• And then this is my book just after the first 100 pages. All tagged with things I wish I could talk about, things I did talk about, and things I know will unravel into one big mess later on. 

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Read-Along: Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 31 -42 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Curse
The Winner's Trilogy #1
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

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.

CHAPTERS 31-42 

You know what? I think reading the first book in the series right before the second one comes out is a smart idea. I hate waiting, so much. Luckily I don’t have to wait long to read the next book. And I am SO glad I joined this read-along, sometimes getting to the books I’ve bought myself becomes few and far between, then this comes along and I get to review and read a book I purchased myself. Two birds one stone.

So anyways Kestrel has proven herself to be very smart, and very very smart. I couldn’t be more excited to see where she takes us in The Winner’s Crime. But urghhhh Cheat you are an A Hole, pardon my French, but there’s no other word to use when it comes to you, Cheat.

And Arin! You are killlling me. You remind me of a Sour Patch Kid, sour and then sweet, oh so sweet. Watching Kestrel become stronger, and evolve throughout this story has been amazing, but watching Arin slowly crack has been just as amazing to watch. My favorite part of reading a series is that our characters don’t evolve over night, there isn’t just one chapter where they have an epiphany and everything changes, I appreciate them more. I can’t wait to watch Arin and Kestrel grow more in The Winner’s Crime.

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Read-Along : The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 21-30 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Curse
The Winner's Trilogy #1
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

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.

CHAPTERS 21-30 

Well holy cow a lot has happened in those last ten chapters. I feel like this one will be hard to talk about without giving away too many spoilers. So if this seems vague, that is why.

First off we have the dual between Irex and Kestrel, and in which we learn a little bit of a scandal, gasp. Then the perfect opportunity to execute Arin and Cheat’s plan came forth, what they’ve been together devising over the past few months, it was finally able to happen. Chaos is definitely going to erupt. Then we got Arin over here trying to change my mind about how I feel about him and I won’t let that happen, not that easily, but I am definitely getting more intrigued by his story and life before Kestrel bought him, life before the Valorian’s overtook their land.

And our poor Jess…The people at the ball… But when you boil it down to history though, which is to really to blame for the recent chaos and whatever may happen after this?

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Read-Along: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Chapters 11-20 | Giveaway

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The Winner's Curse
The Winner's Trilogy #1
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

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.

CHAPTER 11-20

You know the worst part of a read along? Having to stop reading and talk about it. I’m sitting there like “wait... no I’m not ready to put it down yet, one more chapter!” With that being said, I am totally loving this book right now! My mind is running wild with anticipation with what’s going to happen.

This week we’re reading chapters 11-20, and that’s taking us almost halfway through the book. We’re getting deeper into the story line and events are getting set up for something big. So far some suspicious acts have ensued, and Kestrel is not too keen on believing that they’re getting the full truth. She sees something beyond the hard evidence. Which drives her to strike a deal with her father, she is to learn more of the behind the scenes of war and battles, make her own choice about becoming a warrior or get married, the decision to be made by spring.

Then we have Arin, who I enjoy seeing more of, but I definitely do not trust him still, with obvious reasons (meetings with Cheat). I do enjoy his newly formed friendship with Kestrel, their Bite and Sting games, and betting truths. I am intrigued to get more information on what’s going on inside his head, where he’s going to be taking this story.

And now there’s a dual about to happen and my butt needs to get back to this book. Who knew taking breaks to reflect was going to be so hard?

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