[Review] The Winner's Crime - Marie Rutkoski

Titel: The Winner's Crime

Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2

Author/Autor: Marie Rutkoski

Publisher/Verlag: Farrar Straus & Giroux

First Published/Erstveröffentlichung: 03.03.2015
Format:Kindle, 416, english

Synopsis/Inhalt: GoodReads

Review: 5*, GoodReads, LovelyBooks

TBR/Leseliste: x



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.
-->GoodReads 

I read the Winner's Kiss at the beginning of the year and I couldn't wait to start with the second book, as I loved the first so much!

This book really turned Kestrels world up side down and I loved how we never new what to expect, what would happen next. Getting a glimpse into the live at court and seeing more of the emperor was really interesting.

I enjoyed Kestrels development in this book, as she grew into her own and we got to see a new side to her, a side that seems quite new to her as well. 

Kestrels and Arins relationship really frustrates me here. I couldn't help but wish that they would just sit down and tell each other everything. But in this case the miscommunication wasn't borne of teenage angst and incredibly annoying but it happened in purpose and was vital for the plot.

I also really enjoyed the tension between them and the fact that their relationship wasn't set in stone kept things interesting.

It took a while for me to warm up to Verex, but after I got to really know him and he is one of my favorite side characters in this story. Considering who his father is he turned out really well and I think he has to be commended for believing in doing the right thing and not just accept everything his father does and tells him to do.

Overall I loved this book as much as the first one, if not more and I was so excited about it, I started the last book as soon as I finished this one.