The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - ADVISABLE

Rutkoski, Marie  The Winner’s Curse, 355 pgs.  Farrar Straus Giroux, 2014.  $17.99 

Language: PG (6 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence; PG-13.  

Kestrel is the general’s daughter, so when she bids really high and wins a male slave, Arin, at auction, it doesn’t go unnoticed.  Although Kestrel comes from a prominent family she has two choices for her future, to join the army or to marry.  Kestrel dislikes the pressure of her future choices and would rather play the piano.  She starts to believe Arin a friend and their friendship becomes public leaving Kestrel in a compromising position, but the hands of power are shifting and Kestrel may be in the best position possible.  

I really enjoyed this book and am dying to get my hands on the next book in the series.  I thought the setting and plot were creative and original.  I liked the different plot twists and the uncertainty between some of the characters relationships.  I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put it down.  My only complaint is that it leaves the reader hanging.  Side note: the audio book reader did a great job.  

MS, HS-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.