The Winner’s Crime, by Marie Rutkoski

A nail-biting sequel to the first novel, this one separates our lovers through their own choices. Each of them are fighting their own way out of their respective cages, and each longs to share their own truth with the other, but neither is sure whether or not to trust their love. A ripping good page-turner, for 16 and up.

 

The Winner’s Curse, by Marie Rutkoski

Kestrel is a 17-year-old general’s daughter, and the path before her is clear. She can join the military or get married. And she doesn’t want to do either. So when she buys a slave, a native of their conquered land, she doesn’t expect to find a third path, but she does. And that choice changes everything, as her understanding of what it means to be conquered pulls her the opposite direction from her duty to her father.

This book did not go where I expected it to, instead, it pulled me in multiple directions as surely as the story does its lead character. This is not a stand-alone; it will propel you into the next book. For age 16 and up for now. (One of my pet peeves in when early books are appropriate for a certain age, then later books in that series are definitely NOT appropriate. Looking at you, Sarah J. Maas!)