The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - ARC Review

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski Series: The Winner's Curse Trilogy #1 Published by: Farrar Straus Giroux on March 3, 2014 Pages: 355 Format: ARC Genre: Fantasy Source: Gifted Rating: 5/5 Buy the Book    or     Add it to Goodreads!
FROM GOODREADS: 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.
MY THOUGHTS:
Guyssssss. The Winner's Curse. Let's see if I can sum up my feelings for this book...
ASDFJKL;
Nope. Couldn't do it. Not even a sentence. Just a garbled mess of random letters. Why? Because this book is just...perfection. I was lucky enough to meet Nancy from Tales of a Ravenous Reader at the beginning of my blogging career, and being the AMAZING friend that she is, she surprised me with my very own ARC of The Winner's Curse back in January. I dropped everything and screamed at the top of my lungs when I found this book in my package. Everyone had been showing off their beautiful ARCs of The Winner's Curse, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly jealous of each and every one of them at the time. I immediately sat down, and started reading, and could not force myself to stop. 
Seriously. Kestrel is my home girl. I would honestly rank her badassery up there with Katniss, and that's some serious praise, because Katniss is my female soulmate, to be honest. And then there is the super swoony Arin filled with so many secrets that I have no idea how he was able to keep mum on all of them. Talk about pressure much? Star crossed love is the best love in the world, and when it's forbidden? EVEN. BETTER. Let me just go fan myself for a moment.
Okay, I think I'm good for now. Anyways, the world the Rutkoski built is phenomenal. I seriously felt like I was right by Kestrel's side as she walked through the sprawling market and battled her frenemies. Rutkoski can not only world build like a genius, she also knows how to throw in plenty of plot twists. WHAT IS WITH THAT ENDING, MARIE?! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT AFTER THAT?
As you can see, my feelings at the moment are pretty clear- even after over a month since I read it has passed. While ya'll are all pining for Tuesday to read the first installment of The Winner's Curse. I would actually give my left hand for them to actually be releasing the second installment instead, because phew! What a cliffhanger! But a brilliant one, I'll give you that. I never in a million years saw that coming. Kudos to you, Rutkoski. You wow'd me on every single level of available wow-ness, and earned yourself a spot on the very coveted list of auto-buy authors of Becca's. That's right, ladies and gents. This book is a MUST READ. If you buy any book this year, make sure it's The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. You'll thank me. ;) Overall, The Winner's Curse is simply fabulous, and definitely a book I will be picking up to reread, which is something I never do. Five GIANT hearts to The Winner's Curse!

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