The Winner's Kiss

The Winner's Kiss is the third and last book in The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski.

Summary and Tagline
''"Some kisses come at a price." ''

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn't forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that's what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they've done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

Quotes

 * "She had done everything she could. And he didn't even know."
 * "You don't need to be gifted with a blade. You are your own best weapon."
 * "Arin had been born in the year of the god of death, and he was finally glad of it."
 * "The shadow of her old self curled into the shadow of him."
 * "I tried so hard to live in your world, now it's your turn to live in mine."

Trivia

 * In this interview done by blogger lostinagreatbook, Marie Rutkoski would describe Kiss as Kestrel and Arin on their path to finding balance in their relationship. In a direct quote, she says, "They were equals as individuals, but their positions in society were not. That's something that needs to be addressed in books two and three."