The Winner's Trilogy (Book 2)

The Winner's Crime

Rating

5 stars+ 

Date Read

31/8/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

After reading the first book in a haze, falling in love with it and finishing it in under a day you'd think I would have done the same with the second. I almost did. But then I found out that last book isn't released until next year. And I didn't want it to be over.

In the long free hours of the last summer days, what little was left of the holidays, I filled the gaps with school work, revision and exercises. I fumbled with everythimg and anything, was more productive than normal, straining to keep my hands off the book and at the same time dying to see how the story ends.

And at last, long aftet midnight a few days before my birthday, mind restless and going through all my favourite books and chapters and music lyrics that reminded me of them, I got up, went to my desk and finished the last few terribly intense and painful chapters. And now I can sleep. But not before writing this:

General thoughts on the second book

She betrayed him to the emperor. Told on the Herrani rebellion and set everything into motion. Now she has to marry the emperor's son, if she is to save Arin's life...

Their relationship is falling apart even though they are both terribly in love with each other. But he doesn't know. He can't know. Not if he is to survive and keep his country's freedom. She has to pretend. Lie. Feign. Close her heart off and if that doesn't work rip it out of her chest. Become icy, cold, unreachable. To him.

Life in the palace is dangerous and Kestrel is walking a fine line between arguable motives and treason. Being in love with the Heranni governor while being groomed for the empiric throne will do that to a girl.

Reading between the lines, weaving double meanings into her words, trying to sidestep the emperor's wrath and hoping to keep her feelings concealed, that's a typical morning tea up on the hill in the palace's grand rooms.

And she's good at it. Hiding her heart. So good she fools Arin, even though he wants to ignore it to believe in her, to love her, to see into her soul and rediscover the playful witty intelligent and warm girl he once knew. But looking at her now, he only sees cold, she's distracted and uncaring and unatainable. Engaged to the heir of the throne, future ruler of the empire. So he falls for the trick. And she's lost inside of the shell that she has made herself, trying to make up for the lies by delivering information to Herrani's spymaster, making him promise her name as the source will never reach Arin, secretely hoping that he'll know anyway.

It was painful and intense, full of games and intrigues impossible to put down, unbearable to see it end. If you liked 1st book you're going to love the 2nd installment, no longer about innocent romance but more about lies and misunderstandings and treason and adventure and intrigue, trying to do what's right.

Verex

The young prince. Smart, innocent, simple, lovable. Reminded me a bit of Ignifex  from Cruel Beauty although I don't know why. He knows his father very well and despises the games he plays on other people's expence, which makes him an ally to Kestrel although still not a person she'd like to marry. Not that she has a choice on the matter... Does she?

All in All

It ends with a freaking cliffhanger! I don't know how I'll survive the waiting until the last book comes out!

XOXO

Aggie Pearson