Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 327
From Goodreads: "For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."
While this book has by far one of the worst endings I have ever read before- think Sophie Jordan's "Firelight" or Tera Lynn Childs' "Sweet Venom", where the story ends right at the most epic moment (seriously, the last line of this book reads "END OF BOOK ONE")- I still really enjoyed it (in fact, prior to reading this book I was in quite a book rut- being unsatisfied with the large majority of books I had been reading and this book was able to lift me out of said rut).
I think that one of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed this book is because it is quite unlike anything I have ever read before and because it was just so different from my typical go-to book (I mean, this book has been marketed as a book for fans of "The Bachelor" and I have never felt any inclination to watch "The Bachelor").
Both America and Prince Maxon were such fun characters to read about- America in all of her bluntness, honesty, and snark, and Maxon in all of his awkwardness, dryness, and just overall goodness. Furthermore, I also quite intrigued by the love triangle presented in this book (trust me, I am as shocked as you are as I typically loathe love triangles). I think that both Maxon and Aspen are quite swoon-worthy characters in their own rights and that they each bring out a different- and frankly better- side of America.
All in all, I do think that this is quite a strong debut from Kiera- I think that Kiersten White best describes this book when she states, "Charming, captivating, and filled with just the right amount of swoon". I am very much looking forward to seeing what Kiera has in store for us in the next book in this series (and I am entirely excited by the prospect that this book's television adaptation has been picked up by the CW network)!
Rating: 5/5
I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review.
Yay Avery! I really enjoyed this one too - I just had fun reading it and that's always a good thing. I agree the ending was definitely abrupt and left me thinking I was being punked and had maybe gotten a bad copy of the book where the ending didn't get printed, but overall I thought it was a great read!
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by this, I've heard mixed reviews so I'm not sure what to think. America sounds pretty awesome though, I do love a snarky heroine, and Maxon definitely sounds swoonworthy. I think I'll definitely watch the show even if I don't read the book!
ReplyDeleteThe Cait Files
Oh wow! Another highly praised review of this book. Makes me want it even more. I don't like the sound of the ending, but I still want to read it.
ReplyDeleteI more curious then ever about this book,I will most definitely be purchasing this one when it's released. Which is funny because I am not a fan of shows like The Bachelor at all and seeing how it's being advertised as such you think it would make me not want to read it.
ReplyDeleteUm yes, I am totally excited about the CW show, haha... I adore the casting they did for it. And yes, this book was just... I dunno, so good in this inexplicable way. The perfect book for the perfect time for me, I think.
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