Kestrel is the daughter of a prestigious general, and has a choice to make in the coming months: marry, or join the army. She's content with neither, and spends her days prolonging a decision and indulging in music (an art her culture despises, as it was valued by the people they now enslave). One day at the market, Kestrel buys a slave--Arin--on a whim. The price of her purchase has people gossiping, and as Kestrel spends more time with Arin, she slowly begins to fall for him. But what she doesn't know is that Arin has his own dark secrets, and they could shatter everything she holds dear. 
 I can barely talk about this book coherently. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC and after about three chapters my chest was heaving because I knew it was going to be one of those books that stayed with me forever. It reminded me of Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief series--a fully realized fantasy world, but firmly rooted in reality, with no magic. I loved everything about this book. It's got a headstrong, nuanced heroine, and hard-hitting themes of class and social standing. It's full of politics and war and intrigue. There's action and violence and manipulation. And a slow burn, very believable romance that had me swooning like crazy. The ending is bittersweet, but necessary, and the wait for book two just might kill me. The Winner's Curse comes out on Tuesday (3/4), and if there is only one book you read this month, make it this one. 
 Originally reviewed here.