Hey friends! Today, we kick off the Read-along for The Winner's Curse! YAY! (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out this post for all the deets and a super epic giveaway, which is also posted at the bottom of this post too!) I'll be discussing the ONLY the first 10 chapters of The Winner's Curse, and my thoughts. If you haven't started reading with us yet, don't worry! There's still plenty of time to catch up, so pick up your copy of The Winner's Curse and start devouring Kestrel and Arin's story!
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 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.
**
Favorite quote from Chapters 1-10: "Isn't that what stories do? Make real things fake and fake things real?" -Kestrel
Dearest The Winner's Curse (Part one),
I read an ARC of you way back forever ago, and instantly loved you, but as time goes by, my mind has started to slip. (Geez I'm going to be horrible at memory when I'm seventy.) This read-along was the perfect excuse to jump back into the world that your author, Marie Rutkoski, created and remind myself why I loved it oh so much.
Right off the bat, I was hooked. That first chapter of yours is the perfect hook. I needed to know more about who Kestrel was, why she was the way she was, what The Winner's Curse was, who the slave was, and so, so many more thing. My interest was instantly piqued, and all I wanted was to read more and more of you. I instantly loved Kestrel, because of her stubborn attitude, which reminds me a lot of myself. She is just a badass girl, and I want her to be my best friend, okay? (Mostly because she would bring her hottie slave, Arin, with her when she came to visit and I could make googly eyes at him 24/7. Not even kidding.) Still haven't read much from Arin's POV, but his broodiness is interesting. I love the suspense surrounding what he's actually up to/ who he is.
I'm usually not a fan of alternating chapters, but in your case, I adored it! It's not every other chapter, which is pretty common among books that are told from two different characters, and I think that helped me like you more than I do others.
The world-building is beautiful. It's simply described, but I could tell that immense thought and detail went into creating you, The Winner's Curse. I mean, hello, Bite & Sting? That was such an amazing and intricately creative idea! I'm anxious to read the next ten chapters of you to discuss for next week! I'm sure a ton of new details will emerge, and I'm anxious to refresh my memory as to which they are!
Love always,
Becca
As promised, here's that EPIC giveaway that was promised! Huge thanks to Good Choice Reading for putting together this read-along, and Macmillan for offering up all these goodies!
UGH! I might still jump up in the train if I can find my copy, but I've been rather nuts over here these past few days!
ReplyDeleteI started The Winner's Curse today for the first time, and I'm loving it so far! I totally understand what all the buzz is about now because it's SO GOOD.
ReplyDeleteI've had The Winner's Curse on my shelf for a little while, but this readalong gave me the push to finally start. And what a beginning that was! The first chapter was just pure gold, and the plot is so tightly paced I could barely put it down within the readalong parameters!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI haven't read these, but they sound good. Thanks for the tour, and the giveaway chance!
I read the Winner's Curse and loved it; can't wait to read The Winner's Crime. :)
ReplyDeleteHonestly I found the start of the story a little bit, I don't know cliché: Girl falls in love with slave. But the further I got the more layers are added and the characters and setting just become richer. Not to mention Rutkoski's beautiful writing. This all goes to show what a great writer she is; she can take something that would have been completely hokey in many other writer's hands and make it into something beautiful and compelling.
ReplyDeleteThings are still pretty slow at this point. Although we know Arin is up to something with Cheat that Kestrel doesn't realize. There are only hints of what may come at this point.
And just because ... Here's a portrait I drew of Arin from Chapter 1:
http://ms-digne.tumblr.com/post/95279815792/my-ya-illustrations-part-5-the-winners-curse-by