The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Book Description:
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. 

My Thoughts:
Oh the FEELS!!! Wow. Just. Wow. If you have read book one which is The Winner's Curse then you need to stop reading this, right now, pick up book one and read these 2 books. They are a MUST OWN, A MUST READ. You want a book that has everything? then look no further because this is it. AND THEY ARE CLEAN! There is romance to swoon for, adventure, political intrigue, lies, truths, heart breaks (reader and character), an amazing cast of characters that you just want to kill of and root for!

The story carries on with the engagement of Lady Kestrel to the Valoria's crown prince who you aren't sure if you want to like or just hate. The engagement itself is a problem yet to save those she loves Kestrel cannot tell anyone of the reason behind her engagement for fear of too many people's lives. Yes Kestrel thinks she can play a serious game between life or death for her and those she's trying to protect. When things spin out of control, Kestrel finds herself utterly alone. This book gets zoo utterly twisted you can't put it down!

I LOVE Kestrel's character even though you want to yell at her, you also cheer her own, ache with her, and hope she knows what she is doing. While surrounded by the gorgeous beauty of a palace and the balls and gowns, Kestrel has to constantly wear different facades in order to protect the ones she loves and herself, yet for how long is she able to uphold it all up and still try to save a people other deem not worth saving?

Arin...Arin, Arin. You....kinda bothered me in this book. You seemed a little whinny and I wanted to slap you across the head at times, yet I understand what you were trying to do. You just FEEL for Arin throughout this whole book. UGH! Why must life be so complicated!

New characters come into play and it's mesmerizing to see how they all play in the game that Marie Rutkoski sets up and how you aren't sure if some of them are good or bad.

This book is different from book one with all the political intrigue that has your mind spinning.

Overall I loved it and I couldn't put it down, it tugged on my heartstrings and is a must own.