Blog Tour - The Winner's Kiss

When I was offered a chance to send a series I love off in style I jumped at the chance to get involved. When I found out it also included me getting to share one of my favourite literary kisses, while I was even more excited to participate.

In order to celebrate The Winner's Kiss, which is the ending to the fantastic Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, a whole bunch of bloggers are talking kissing. Specifically the kissing that happens in our favourite books! If you've missed any of the previous stops along the tour, be sure to visit the main tour page on the Fierce Reads website.

Before I share what literary kiss I selected, here is a little about The Winner's Kiss (spoilers for those who may not have read the first two books in the series in the synopsis.

The Winner's Kiss

by Marie Rutkoski

On Sale March 29th, 2016

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.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

This series is incredible! If you haven't read the first books be sure to do so before the end of March when the finale releases. I've read it and it's a fantastic ending to an already amazing series. Be sure to add them to your Goodreads as well.

The Winner's Curse // The Winner's Crime // The Winner's Kiss

Now I get to share one of my most favourite literary kisses. I anticipate it may be a few other people's as well! This book is still one of my all time favourites.

What book is your favorite literary kiss in? Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Who is kissing? Anna Oliphant and Étienne St. Clair 

Why is it your favorite? You know how when you're reading a book and every single part of you just wishes you could make the characters kiss already? The author has built up this tension that you feel as desperate for the kiss to happen as the characters do? That moment that it happens? That dizzying, heart swelling moment? This scene is that. The lead up to this kiss is pure delicious torture but the kiss is so worth it.

Bonus Question: what kiss do you hope will occur in Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Kiss? The only obvious answer to that is Kestrel and Arin.

Etienne's dark eyes search mine. "What are we doing?" His voice is strained.
He's so beautiful, so perfect. I'm dizzy. My heart pounds, my pulse races. I tilt my face toward his, and he answers with an identical slow tilt toward mine. He closes his eyes. Our lips brush lightly.
"If you ask me to kiss you, I will," he says.
His fingers stroke the inside of my wrists, and I burst into flames.
"Kiss me," I say.
He does.

I love, love, love, love this scene, and this kiss. If you've read Anna and the French Kiss let me know if this is one of your favourites as well in the comments.

The people at Macmillan were also kind enough to allow us to...

I've chosen Emilie from Emilie's Book World to be introduced to this incredible series. I know she'll love the romance between Kestrel and Arin and I cannot wait to discuss it with her.

Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alan McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat.



Be sure to let me know in the comments what your own pick for best kiss would be! Have you read The Winner's Curse? If so let me know who you hope gets to kiss in the thrilling finale! Look out for my review of The Winner's Kiss this week on the blog!