Mini {Audiobook} Review: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Title: I'll Give You the Sun
Author: Jandy Nelson
Narrator: Julia Whelan, Jesse Bernstein
Series: n/a
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Source: Audio from Sync
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell.

Jude and her brother, Noah, are incredibly close twins. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude surfs and cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and divisive ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as an unpredictable new mentor. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant, fully alive, sometimes very funny novel from the critically acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

WHAT I LIKED:

- I liked everything. More than everything. From the first word to the last, I just absolutely adored this book. 

-The narrators were fabulous. Granted, I didn't like the voice Whelan did for grandma.. it reminded me too much The Sky is Everywhere. But at the same time, I don't think that narration would have been as good without grandmas annoying voice. If that makes sense? I really loved the narration for Noah. It was perfect. both of these narrators put so much into this story. especially at the emotional parts. And there are many. 

-The FEELINGS. OMG, the feelings. I literally finished this book hours ago, and I canceled the review I was going to post this Friday so I could blab my love for this one.  Like Noah and Jude's art, my love for this story bursting out of me. 

-The POV switches. I loved this because its not just a switch in points of view, Noah's parts take us back in time. Something devastating happens, and there is before and after. It's so nay things guys!!! And when it all comes together in the end.... I didn't know if I wanted to cry or cheer. 

-The characters. Every single one of them.. so unique and no where near perfect. And the relationships they have between each other. *sigh* I especially loved the connections Jude and Noah had. as well as the conflicts. Sibling rivalry is real.. and it's relevant here. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: 

-There isn't anything I didn't like. I will admit, I picked this one up and then shelved it because I couldn't get into it at the time. I'm a mood reader. If I'm not in the mood for it, I won't enjoy it. Sometimes it's just better to come back to it. Especially with works from Authors like Nelson. I remembered how emotional The Sky is Everywhere was and when I realized I'll Give You the Sun was just as deep a read/listen, I decided to come back to it when I was ready. 

So glad I did, because I would not have appreciated it as much had I pushed myself through it back then. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

-I have so much love for this story. Jandy Nelson's two books have blown my mind. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in the future. 

About the author:

Jandy Nelson, like her characters in I'll Give You the Sun, comes from a superstitious lot. She was tutored from a young age in the art of the four-leaf clover hunt; she knocks on wood, throws salt, and carries charms in her pockets. Her debut novel, The Sky is Everywhere, was on multiple Best Books of the Year lists, was a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, earned numerous starred reviews, and was named both a Publishers Weekly Flying Start and an Indie Next List Top Ten Pick. A former literary agent, she holds a BA from Cornell, an MFA in poetry from Brown, and another MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She now lives and writes in San Francisco, California—not far from the settings of her books.

Find Jandy:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

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Labels: all the feels, all-time favorites, Audiobook, i'll give you the sun, jandy nelson, reviews, the sky is everywhere

{Audiobook Review} Empowering and Genuine - DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Narrator(s): Eileen Stevens
Series: stand-alone
Length: 9 hrs 2 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: September 15, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss, purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Books set in Texas are my jam! Books set in Texas, written by Texas authors, and featuring Dolly Parton fanatics? Even better! I mean, seriously: "Go big or go home." Julie even mentioned Clay Dooley, a Ford dealership owner, as a pageant judge and I about died laughing. Because I'm assuming she's referencing Clay COOLEY, who owns about every type of car dealership imaginable in North Texas...except Ford. :P

I kind of loved this empowering little book about accepting yourself as you are. Maybe not as much as the rest of the blogging community, but I was definitely entertained. The thing is, I try not to hold fictional characters to standards that I myself cannot achieve, but it was hard with Willowdean. I think it was the whole fact that she didn't take the beauty pageant seriously that bugged me the most. I don't really buy into the beauty pageant thing either, but Will entered for all the wrong reasons. And then she has the nerve to tell her best friend -- the one who's supported her through thick and thin (no pun intended) -- that she shouldn't enter the pageant because she might actually win. What kind of friend does that?

I also didn't love the romantic elements, especially since there were two guys involved, but I did appreciate that she valued her dignity and ended things with one when the relationship got a little toxic. But rebounding with the sweetest mama's boy ever was the wrong choice. She was stringing him along, just like she had been, and that wasn't fair to either of them. But them's the breaks at that age...you live, you learn, you probably regret a little of it, but you (hopefully) come out a better person on the other side of things.

This book is funny. Especially Willowdean's personal brand of self-deprecating humor. But she also has this voice that commands your attention. You just have to take notice of her. But it's not just her. All the girls who enter the pageant with her bring something special to the table. I just loved watching their weird little friendships grow.

I haven't listened to much narrated by Eileen Stevens, but I thought she was a pretty good choice to narrate Dumpin'. She lets a hint of Southern drawl into her narration, especially when Willowdean's mama is around, but it's not overly twangy. I promise, we don't all have that twang, though if you ever heard my sister-in-law speak, I daresay you wouldn't believe me. ;0)

What I like best about Julie Murphy's books is that she's not afraid to have her characters be human, to make mistakes, even when those same choices might make the characters unlikable. It's the same reason I really enjoyed Side Effects May Vary. Her characters resonate with me because they are real and genuine...they remind me of myself at that age. Bad judgment and all.

GIF it to me straight:

\

About the author:

Julie lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Side Effects May Vary is Julie's debut novel.

Find Julie:

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Labels: all the feels, beautiful covers, contemporary, dumplin', favorites, harper-collins, julie murphy, must-read, reviews, tough subject, tx authors

{Audiobook} Thoughts Upon A Second Reading: What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

So, last month I participated in the "Blog Most Likely To..." promotion and mentioned that I'd be re-reading My Life Next Door by way of the audiobook. I did and it was awesome. But I expected nothing less. =) This month, we're re-reading What I Thought Was True in anticipation of Tim's story in the follow-up to My Life Next Door. The book isn't related to that companion series, but it's still an awesome Huntley Fitzpatrick novel and more than worthy of a re-read. I reviewed the book back in June of 2012 when I first read it, but I had some further thoughts to add to the conversation now that I'm done with my re-read, er, listen…


Title: What I Thought Was True
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Narrator(s): Erin Spencer
Series: stand-alone
Length: 12 hrs 51 mins
Publisher: Dial BFYR
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Source: purchased HC, borrowed audiobook from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-me-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti.

My original review can be found here, but below are some other thoughts I had upon my second reading of this fabulous book:

Gwen's crazy, mixed-up family is crazy awesome. Huntley likes to create these really diverse, chaotic family situations in her books and they just feel so genuine. I come from a small immediate family, but our family reunions kind of look something like the everyday for one of the families in her stories.

I love that Gwen is a real girl. She's 17 but she's by no means your simpering virginal waif. She's sarcastic and witty and cares deeply for her family and friends. Gwen doesn't hide from her mistakes, but she is learning from them through a little trial and error.

Even before we knew the big THING between them, I knew Cass was wrongfully cast as the bad guy from the beginning. He's just too sweet to her, too caring and protective, and he is just SO good with her little brother. Jase ranks very high among my book boyfriends, but Cass isn't trailing too far behind.

Huntley is not afraid to go there. Her characters have sex. They talk about having sex. They have serious and honest and open discussions about safe sex. Quite frankly, I haven't read too many novels, contemporary or otherwise, that I can say handle this subject as well as this author does.

The ending was kind of unexpected. Not for Gwen and Cass, but for other, equally important side characters. The author really likes to shake things up. :)

Erin Spencer was a great choice for narrator, and she even shares a name with one of the characters. She's got that Gwen's sarcasm down pat, and she reads with feeling to boot.

As I said in my initial review: I really think Huntley Fitzpatrick has outdone herself in the realistic characters and relatable plot departments. I can't think of another novel that felt this genuine and true-to-life, while at the same time consisting of diverse characters that are far from stereotypical. The writing is spectacular and witty, but I'd expect nothing less from such a talented author. What I Thought Was True is raw and funny, sad and hopeful, and I think that most fans of her previous novel will really enjoy this second book from Fitzpatrick. Now I'm even more anxious for the follow-up to My Life Next Door, which is Tim's story, due out next month!

GIF it to me straight:

I devour Huntley Fitzpatrick books.

About the Author:

Huntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Find Huntley:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

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Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, audiobooks, contemporary, favorites, giveaways, huntley fitzpatrick, penguin, re-listens, re-reads, reviews, summer, what i thought was true

{Audiobook} Thoughts Upon A Second Reading: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

So, last week I participated in the "Blog Most Likely To..." promotion and mentioned that I'd be re-reading My Life Next Door by way of the audiobook. I did and it was awesome. But I expected nothing less. =) I reviewed the book back in June of 2012 when I first read it, but I had some further thoughts to add to the conversation now that I'm done with my re-read, er, listen...

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Narrator(s): Amy Rubinate
Series: My Life Next Door, book #1 (companion series)
Length: 10 hrs 39 mins
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: March 25, 2013
Source: purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

My original review can be found here, but below are some other thoughts I had upon my second reading of this fabulous book:

I really, really don't like Sam's mother. I didn't like her the first time I read this book, even in the beginning, but I liked her even less this time around. She didn't give her daughters a chance to be who they were and focused too much on her career and constituency. And I straight-up hated that smooth-talking boyfriend of hers. Slimy slimeballs are slimy.

I adore George to the nth degree. And if it weren't for Jase, he might just be my favorite Garrett. His sweet, childish fear of near-impossible things coming to pass -- black holes and air bubbles in IVs and eating Babe -- was so endearing. And the way he basically proposed to Sam, first on his own behalf and then on Jase's…*sigh*. He might just be the cutest secondary character ever.

Jase is one of the most swoon-worthy boys I've ever encountered in a YA novel. He's responsible. He's a family man. He's respectful of Sam and her boundaries. He's good with his hands, plays football, and has a knack for fixing things. And he's a car guy, rebuilding a classic Mustang on his own dime. YUM!

Sam and Jase are such responsible, drama-free characters and their relationship is one of my absolute favorites. Even after all the books I've read over the past three years. Theirs is not just a summer fling…it's the real deal, and it brings all the swoons and more than its share of feels. Jase works hard and looks to the future, especially where it concerns Sam. And they have frank discussions about things that matter. And when things got really tough, Jase gave Sam a chance to explain, and they worked through it instead of letting it ruin their relationship like so many characters before them.

I am more excited than ever to read Tim's story! I remember seeing such potential in his character when I read this book all those years ago, and it was even more pronounced this time around. He was practically begging for his own book, and I'm so glad the author decided to let his story see the light of day. From my original review: "Tim has substance abuse issues, a poor work ethic, and he’s driving his family crazy. But if you can endure his outlandish behavior and really see beneath the surface, he’s a really nice guy who just needs someone to take him under their wing and help him make some better decisions." And I stand by that 100%, knowing that Jase and his family have already paved the way for a better version of Tim to shine.

Amy Rubinate is a pretty talented audiobook narrator. I've listened to her narrate really sad novels and really uplifting novels, and though her voice doesn't really change, she owns the story with her performance. I loved listening to this book on audio as much as I loved reading it the first time.

GIF it to me straight:

About the Author:

Huntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Find Huntley:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

hosted by Penguin Teen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy reading!

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Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, audiobooks, contemporary, favorites, huntley fitzpatrick, my life next door, penguin, re-listens, re-reads, reviews, summer

Review: End of Days by Susan Ee

Title: End of Days
Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days, book #3
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Source: ARC and FC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

Penryn and the End of Days is by far one of my favorite series, and I am so glad that it ended on such a spectacular note. My expectations for this series finale were high, and not only were they met, but the author far exceeded what I had hoped for in this final installment. I loved this book -- and series! -- so much that I already pre-ordered the audio of End of Days so that I can listen to all three books back-to-back.

Everything that I loved about the previous books is still intact, but Susan Ee has done us a solid and kicked it all up a notch. Penryn is still her fabulous, angel-killer self, still coming to terms with her sister's situation and her mother's delusions and everything else the angels have unleashed upon the world. But she never turns her back on humanity, even though she's fallen for an angel of the highest order. Even though some humans are responsible for her sister's plight. Penryn has always made the hard choices, and they don't get any easier for her when the end of days arrives.

Truths about the angels' plans here on Earth finally come to light, and Raffe finds himself with some difficult decisions, as well. Don't expect him to take it easy on Penryn, though. The banter and tough love are still very much a part of this story. Both characters have shown tremendous growth, over the course of the series but most especially in this book: Penryn as a leader of her people and Raffe as a more forgiving hero.

There is so much working against them in this story that I was concerned I might not get the ending I was hoping for, at least where these two are concerned. But there are more tender scenes than I expected. Stolen kisses. Moments fraught with sexual tension. Steaminess that's unrivaled up to this point in the series, even if it left one or more parties feeling guilty, unsure, and completely angst-ridden. Not only do Penryn and Raffe have to come to terms with their feelings for each other, but they have to do it in a world where nothing is certain and there is little to no chance that their pairing will be accepted...by humans or by angels.

Getting the romance right, and having it come to fruition in just the right way, was key for this final book...at least for me. But I had faith that the author would do it justice, and she so did. She always manages to surprise me with her unusual plot lines, like that near-sentient sword and the humans-turned-locusts. So, it really shouldn't have caught me off guard that she coerced me into actually feeling sympathy toward one of the more vile characters in this series. More than sympathy, actually, but you'll see. And the method in which she makes this happens..it was incredibly unique, even for a fantasy novel.

Humans and angels battle it out in this finale -- and that is one epic last stand, let me tell you -- and I couldn't be more ecstatic about the outcome if I were to discover that Susan Ee still planned to write more in the series. I would be over the moon with that announcement, but alas, it is not to be. So I guess it's a good thing that End of Days was more than a satisfying conclusion to the series. If you haven't started this series yet, you absolutely must. And if you're already a fan, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this final book...it's everything we've been waiting for and more.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Susan Ee has eaten mezze in the old city of Jerusalem, surfed the warm waters of Costa Rica, and played her short film at a major festival. She has a life-long love of science fiction, fantasy and horror, especially if there's a touch of romance. She used to be a lawyer but loves being a writer because it allows her souped-up imagination to bust out and go feral.

Find Susan:

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Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, amazon children's publishing, angels, demons, favorites, must-read, penryn and the end of days, post-apocalyptic, reviews, susan ee

Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Title: Confess
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 10th, 2015
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

I have pretty much loved every book I've read by Colleen Hoover. With the exception of Never Never, that story just had a totally different feel for me. I'd be lying if that didn't make me nervous going into Confess, but there was no need.

Confess was like coming home. All of the feelings I'm so accustomed too in a Hoover novel, were there waiting for me. *happy sigh* 

There is just something about her characters. I fall madly in love with them. I think that was part of my issue with Never Never, because I hated those characters. But then again, she co wrote that, so the characters might not have really been her doing. 

Oh but Auburn Reed and Owen Gentry. They were perfect. Well, as perfect as they could be. I wasn't completely sold on Owen straight away, but he grew on me.. once I got to really know him. Auborn, while I loved her to death, I wanted to slap her at times. But I understood completely why she did the things she did. She didn't have much of a choice. There is always a choice, but in this instant... her motives were in the correct place. 

And guys, there is a dinger of a surprise in here. I was like... whoa! But I had some suspicions, that I shrugged off and ended up true. lol. 

Oh and the art through out the story was awesome. I love how Hoover incorporates the arts in her stories. It adds so much and I love it. 

The ending to this story was just wonderful. I was drunk of the perfection. It was just that good. Once again Hoover has stolen my heart with her words.. and I cannot wait until her next novel comes out. <3 

About the author:

Colleen Hoover is the New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, and This Girl. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

Find Colleen:

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Labels: all the feels, atria books, colleen hoover, confess, favorites, reviews

Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Crime
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Curse, book #2
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

The Winner's Curse was one of my favorite reads of 2014, and its sequel did not disappoint. This installment was as powerful and evocative as the first book but twice as heart-breaking. And so much darker than the first.

Rutkoski used this novel to explore her characters in more depth, to show us what makes them tick, and in doing so, she's made the series even stronger. The romance is on the back burner for now, putting the political intrigue and threat of war at the forefront, but that doesn't mean that Kestrel and Arin are separated for the entire novel. Though when they are together, there is so much tension between them that it's almost palpable. They speak sparingly, but what is said is purposeful. Yet, as is often the case with forbidden love such as theirs, their encounters often lead to misunderstandings and wounded pride and general agony -- for the characters and the reader.

Kestrel is ever the strategist, and just because she's accepted her role as fiancé to the emperor's son, doesn't mean she's stopped plotting and planning. But for all of her scheming and strategizing, she can't predict what Arin's going to do or what trouble he'll find himself in. It was pretty obvious in the first book that Arin was the more emotional of the pair, but it's even more apparent in The Winner's Crime. In this sequel, he spends a lot of time reflecting on his feelings toward Kestrel and analyzing her actions and how she might feel about him. And to be fair, Kestrel does send a lot of mixed (read: secret) messages, and Arin isn't as savvy with the subterfuge as Kestrel. Things happened rather quickly at the end of the last novel, and Kestrel was engaged to someone else before they ever got to discuss their feelings…not that it mattered much since Arin is Herrani and Kestrel is Valorian and a union between the two is next to impossible.

While a lot of their thoughts might be for each other, both Kestrel and Arin are determined to aide the Herrani people and keep the Valorian empire in check…separately and in their own ways, of course. The Emperor and General Trajan obviously have other ideas, and Kestrel does her best not to betray her own people while helping Arin's, but it is a very fine line she walks. And her soon-to-be father-in-law is a very suspicious man. Kestrel is under constant scrutiny and is forced to make some very difficult decisions, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Kestrel can only rely on herself, and it's mostly because of this that she keeps Arin at such a distance.

Betrayal seems imminent. Friendships are severed. Love does not conquer all. And that ending was pure torture! There is no guarantee of a happy ending here. Some stories you at least have an inkling that things will end well...maybe not for everyone, but on the whole, things will be alright. But I'm terrified of what Rutkoski will put us through in the next book. I expect it'll be the darkest book of all. Though I'm sure I'll love every torturous second of it because if nothing else, these books are absolutely captivating.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Marie Rutkoski is the author of several novels for children and young adults, including The Winner’s Curse (March 2014). She grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois as the oldest of four children and decided early on that she was Someone Who Loved Books.

After attending the University of Iowa and living in Moscow and Prague, she studied Shakespeare at Harvard University, where she honed her skill in referring to herself in the third person.

Marie is now a professor of English literature at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance drama, children’s literature, and fiction writing. New York City is her home, and she thinks there must be birds of prey living in Washington Square Park; she can see large, wheeling wings from the window where she sits and writes. Marie has two small sons who try very hard to make friends with the family cat, only to be snubbed for the dark quiet of a closet. Marie can tie a double figure-eight knot with her eyes closed. She’s learning how to play the violin. She’s a sucker for fancy tea, and her favorite dessert is crème brulée. Or maybe sticky toffee pudding. Tough call.

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Labels: all the feels, beautiful covers, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, historical fiction, macmillan, marie rutkoski, must-read, reviews, the winner's curse, the winner's trilogy