Thursday, May 5, 2016

The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3)
by Marie Rutkoski






Some kisses come at a price.

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?
 









If I could give a general summary for The Winner's Kiss, it would be this:


BUT DO NOT WORRY. YOU WILL NOT SUFFER THE ENTIRE TIME. THERE WILL BE MANY MOMENTS OF PURE HAPPINESS.

This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it did not let me down. This is a perfect ending to one of my all time favorite series. Rutkoski did not hold anything back in this book, and it definitely paid off. There were a lot of intense and heart pounding scenes that left me breathless. Rutkoski showcased her wonderful storytelling and exquisite writing style in this book. She managed to seamlessly weave action, romance, politics, and more into one book. Everything flowed so well from the dialogue to the fight scenes. It all felt smooth and natural. Each chapter left me dying to know what would happen next. I inhaled this book, which means I read this book in one sitting. I initially wanted to take my time with this book, but that simply wasn't an option. 

There is no possible way that I could write this review without talking about the romance. THE FREAKING ROMANCE. I don't think I have ever shipped a couple as much as I ship Arin and Kestrel. Their moments in this book were nothing short of perfection. It is hard for me to put into words how much I love them without sobbing. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. 

Arin and Kestrel grew so much throughout this series, and it was very obvious in this book. They complimented each other so well and I now know for sure that they are soul mates. Their relationship was so mature, realistic, heart warming, romantic, trusting, respectful, and so much more. Basically, they are relationship goals (except for all of the horrible things that happened to them).

“Arin pulled her onto his lap. He held her shaking form, tucked his face into the crook of her cold neck as she sobbed against him. He murmured that he loved her more than he could say. He promised that he would always choose her first.” 

I loved the fact that Rutkoski didn't forget about the secondary characters and their relationships with the main characters. Each character felt like they had a purpose and it was wonderful to see every relationship fleshed out. There are some complex relationships, hilarious relationships, and adorable relationships. Each one was enjoyable and special in it's own way. 

This book was the perfect ending to a wonderful series. I am so glad that I went on this journey with Arin and Kestrel. Every time I think about this book, my heart burns in the best way. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK/SERIES. PLEASE.

5 / 5 Fangs

No comments:

Post a Comment