Review: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski

Published March 4th 2014 by Farrar Straus Giroux

Hardcover, 355 pages

Series: The Winner's Trilogy

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
Heat Rating: Kissing

Source:  I got a copy of this book from the publicist in exchange of an honest review.
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Summary 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.

Oh boy, where do I even start?

First I wanted to say was that I started this book as a buddy read with the wonderful Ali from My Guilty Obsession but due to a lot of things going on in my personal life I ended up finishing the book just today.

The Winner's Curse is about a privileged daughter of a general named Kestrel. She is a Valorian a group of people that have decided that they are better then everyone else and have taken over Herrani's cities and people as their slaves.

So Kestrel ends up accidentally winning a slave during an auction, and now she doesn't know what to do with him - because she doesn't really want to use him as a slave.

Her father wants her to become a soldier and it's not what Kestrel want's, she wants to play the piano - she doesn't feel she is good enough to be a soldier. So her father gives her a choice, she could either become a soldier or get married.

But what Kestrel doesn't know is that she invited trouble into the house and her entire perfect world is about to come crumbling down.

Eh... sounds familiar? I already read 2 other books that came out this year that sound so much like this plot that I am really starting to wonder if there was a special theme going on between the authors. It's like they said down and said. 'Oh hey... If we are going to write YA literature for 2014. Let's make sure it's set in the future, but with old world beliefs. The main character must be a female, who is troubled and questions everything. There are two different classes of people, and one of them must be captured to be their slaves. Sprinkle a little bit of disobedience on top of it, with a little bit of forbidden romance, and drama that piles all the way in the end. Volia!'

Ugh...

Seriously... think my brain hurts.

I wanted to like this book more, I really did, because so many other people did but it just missed it's calling for me.

I can let go of the fact that the plot sounded like two others that I read this year.

The thing that bothered me was well... the chapters.. what was that? Why was everything getting cut off so abruptly? Even the ending kind of fell of the cliff there for me. I was confused for a second wondering if I was missing any pages. But no, it was followed by an authors note right away. Unfinished conversations, cut off at chapters. Did not bring them back during the next chapter. I felt lost and confused and after a while downright annoyed. Conversations, actions, all ending so abruptly chapter after chapter was making me wonder. Oh and the odd lapses in time? One chapter skips months ahead and without warning has left me kind of scratching my head.

Why was it called The Winner's Curse? I don't think that was well explained.

There was romance? I kind of missed it. Did not feel any connection between the two love bird's what so ever.

I like Ronan and some of the plot in on itself was interesting. Arin did become somewhat likeable, but then in the end the position that he was offered in an adult world once again left me scratching my head.

Plus some backstabbing in this book did not seem justifiable.

Anyway. Don't get me wrong, this series has a lot of potential and I did somewhat enjoy it. Was it great? I don't know. But it wasn't amazing to me at all. Maybe it's the cynical side of me talking today, but I had a struggle with this one.

I gave it 3 stars because I am glad on the other hand that Ali made it all better :)