The Winner 's Curse is set in a dystopian world where one empire has defeated another in war, and has currently enslaved the defeated people while ruling them in their own country. Kestrel is the daughter of the general of the ruling class. She 's more skilled of mind than in weaponry, and is known for her talent in finding out deceits and lies. Yet she is unable to put her finger on the dilemma that is Arin, who is a slave she bought on impulse, and slowly finds herself falling in love with her slave, while both of them try to win the battle between love and loyalty. I had mixed feelings towards this book. Sure it had a lot of things I loved, but it lacked a "wow" factor that would 've blew my mind away. But still, this book also had a lot …show more content…
He came off as super arrogant - even as a slave - and too cold at first, but I started to warm up to him gradually, and by the end of the book I wanted to hug him so tightly! He became as vulnerable in the end as much as he was impossible in the beginning and I loved the transition. The romance. *sighs* One of the significant aspects this book promised was a great ship. I think it did do justice to that promise, but at the same time, I had a few minor problems with Arin and Kestrel 's romance. It was a slow burn, a forbidden romance but I expected more feels, more emotion. Most of all, I wanted more angst! I also should mention that the ending of The Winner 's Curse is amazing! I personally think that it uplifted the whole book for me! Especially since the book almost fell victim to the draggy-middle-part syndrome:) Overall, The Winner 's Curse is a great read. Did I love it? No. But would I read the sequel? Of course yes! There was a sneak peek by the end of this book, and I am already half in love with The Winner 's Crime. Is this book worth reading? I would say yes. If you ask me, The Winner 's Curse might not be a terrific read itself, but I have a feeling that it 's a stepping stone for a series which is bound to be awesome - a lot like Throne of Glass, which itself was a mediocre book, but things escalated