Review: The Elite (The Selection #2)

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Book: The Elite by Kiera Cass (The Selection #2)

Published: April 23rd 2013 by Harper Teen

My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE FIRST BOOK, THE SELECTION* If you would like to read my review for The Selection here.

Goodreads Summary:

"Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending"

So just after finishing this book, I looked at the publication date... I am so sad this book just came out because that means I have to wait a really long time for the last one in this trilogy, The One. I had a few small issues with this book, but all in all the story was great so I did my best to ignore my annoyance for the greater good of the story :) Here are the more specific reasons I enjoyed/got annoyed with this book:

Reasons I enjoyed it:

-I really enjoy the overall concept for this series. If you read my review of The Selection, then you know I fell in love with it. It is a dystopian romance, with more emphasis on the romance than the government. Usually in dystopians the main focus is the government, so I was really excited about this. The second book, The Elite has more about the government in it, but not to the point where I feel like we lost the original story. 

-We got to know a lot of the characters better in this book. In the first one, there were 35 girls, the maids, the royal family, and a bunch of other random people like Aspen and America's family. Too many people! In this book there were only 6 girls and we really got to know the main characters more than before. After reading this book I feel like I know the king and queen so much better. I know which girls I like and who I want to see fall in a puddle of mud on national television. *cough* Celeste *cough*. 

-The other thing I am really happy the author did when writing this, is she didn't leave some crazy huge cliff-hanger that leaves me feeling lost at the end of the book. There is enough suspense that I will definitely buy the last book because I really need to know what happens next, and waiting will be torture, but I don't feel so distressed about not having the book I can't function. I HATE that feeling. 

-There's more action in this book! This is what I felt the first book was lacking. And even though some of it is about the government, not all of it is so I really like it! I definitely feel like the first book was setting up this series, but it was really enjoyable so I am okay with it. And now that its picking up more, I love it even more!

Things that annoyed me:

-The characters. I know, I know.. above I mentioned how happy was I was that I got to get to know them all better. And in doing this, it kind of made me dislike some of them. It also made me love some of them, but this is not the point. I kept having to remind myself that most of them are 17 year olds who have no experience with relationships. (Which is totally cool, I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was 19). But now that I am in my mid-twenties, I think a little differently than them and I had to constantly remind myself. So back to the annoying characters.. I just want to smack them! 

--First, America. Make up your mind! You don't get to choose who you want forever, and you don't get both Aspen and Maxon so pick one! One moment she wants to marry him and the next she wants to go home with Aspen. Get you s*** together and decide already. I was constantly confused on who she loved. Indecisive temper-mental girl. 

--Maxon. If you say you want to marry a girl, don't go slut around with all the others. I understand spending time with them, and trying to pick a back up because America can't make up her mind. But if you already know who you want to marry, theres no reason to make out with all of them. Man whore. I get that the rules are a little different when you are basically dating 6 different girls, but still. UGH. 

--Aspen. GO AWAY. I still can't stand Aspen. He makes America join the Selection "for him," then breaks up with her, then tries to get her back and gets upset when she has a hard time choosing. YOU. BROKE. HER. HEART. Don't try to force her to be with you. And definitely don't do it by talking crap about the other guy. At least play fair. 

Overall: I really did enjoy this book and I can't wait for the final book, The One, to come out! Although I really can't stand the characters sometimes, the story is so great that I can overlook it. I just want America and Maxon to end up together!! :)

Did you read this book? What were your thoughts??

Review: The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Book: The Selection by Kiera Cass (The Selection #1)

Published: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

Goodreads Summary:

"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 a palace and compete for the heart of 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"

The Selecton by Kiera Cass is the first book in The Selection Trilogy. This book, to me, is a cross between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor. I actually saw this on goodreads and really agree with it. I know some readers do not like comparing this book to The Hunger Games, so let me explain...

Why I feel it is similar:

-It is a dystopian YA in a setting that was once the US
-The people are divided into different groups (known as castes in this series) based on wealth

-Each cast has a different job they are in charge of, for example: America, out leading lady, is a 5. They are the artists. 

-There is a group of young women drawn at random to represent different areas in the country

-Their competition is broadcast live for the country to watch 

How it is different:

-They are not physically fighting, so nobody dies

-They are competing to be the Princess, not for their lives (big difference)

-One based on romance, on has a romance story intertwined into the big story

-Entering the selection is an option, it's required in The Hunger Games

All in all they have similar basic qualities but the overall plot line is very different. These girls are not fighting for their lives, they are fighting for love. This is what really makes these too books different. 

Things I enjoyed about this book:

-Maxon. I just want to hug this kid! Well, most of the time. He does have one line in here that makes me want to punch him. I don't remember exactly what it was, and I didn't mark it so I cant find it, but It was something along the lines of "Did you forget you are talking to a prince?" Like bro, she's your friend, she can talk to you how ever she wants without you throwing your title in her face. But for real guys, he is one of my (many) book boyfriends... in my mind hes totally my age :)

-Princesses, hello! I am that girl, who always dressed up as a princess for halloween when I was younger. I love The Princess Diaries (the movie, I surprisingly never read the books... I should fix that), I love Disney princess movies, I want to be a princess. In the girly dress up and live in a castle kid of way. I get there is more to the job, but thats not really what I'm in love with here. And I know I'm not alone... How many of y'all wanted to be a princess??

-It's different, I like it. While there are lot of TV shows like this, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, etc. there really aren't a lot of books with this basic plot line where the girls are competing for the love of one guy. I enjoyed the different topic. It was nice and refreshing, and really enjoyable!

-Unlike other dystopian books, the Selection is actually the main plot of the book. In other dystopian novels that is only the first book. Then the main character realizes how wrong the government and proceed to overthrow it. When I first started reading dystopian nobels, I would go into so many books, such as The Hunger Games, expecting them to be based on the initial thing that brought them in, such as the games in The Hunger Games, or becoming a part of their faction in Divergent. Those books turned out to be so much more, and as much as I loved them, I am really enjoying just reading about the selection. I'm sure somewhere down the way, either in The Elite (The Selection #2) or in The One (The Selection #3), there will be something more to the plot but for now I am really enjoying this :) 

Things I didn't enjoy about the book:

-Aspen. I get that he is important to the story, and without him there would be nothing. But I am NOT a fan. All I can say, is what a d-bag. He makes America join enter The Selection for their future and then breaks up with her. So she does what she has to do to start getting over him. GO AWAY ASPEN. NOBODY LIKES YOU. 

-Other than that I didn't really have anything I didn't like. It ended sooner than I thought it would, but thats because I was expecting to read about the entire Selection. But now the title The Elite makes a lot of sense. (For those of you who have not read the book yet, once the prince narrows down the 35 girls to 10 they are called the Elite). But as mentioned above, I am really enjoying reading about the Selection and not some crazy need to overthrow the government. 

Did you read this book? What did you think about it??

Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

This book was recommended to me by a friend. She loved it and told me it was definitely a book for me! And when I first started it, I thought so too. The characters in this book were so funny! I would open it on my iPad in class and read (because my classes are BORING) and I would struggle not to burst out laughing. It was hysterical. But then I got halfway in and kept expecting some big twist or some kind of drama. And it just wasn't there, so I kept reading thinking there had to be some kind of conflict to keep the book as long as it is... and there wasn't. I had a really hard time rating this book because I loved the first half so much, and the second half was just ehhh..

Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Book: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
Published: November 25th 2012 Omnific Publishing
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads Summary:

"Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Each moan, spank, and–was that a meow?–punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.

Enter Simon Parker. (No, really, Simon, please enter.) When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick…

In her third novel, Alice Clayton returns to dish her trademark mix of silly and steamy. Banter, barbs, and strutting pussycats, plus the sexiest apple pie ever made, are dunked in a hot tub and set against the gorgeous San Francisco skyline in this hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight."

Things I enjoyed about this book:

- The characters had me literally laughing out loud. I mean this guys, I would be sitting with my boyfriend (who will be known as BF from now on) reading while he was watching baseball or whatever other sport is on TV. And I would just bust out laughing. BF kept asking me what was so funny, wanting in on the fun, and I would just say "nothing." Finally he got so frustrated, I was like "It's my book! You won't care." Then he lost interest. 

But for real guys, these characters are so witty and straightforward that pretty much everything out of their mouth (or in their thoughts) is hysterical! This what really pulled me into the book. 

-There is so much sexual tension, I could feel it. From the second Caroline and Simon meet you can feel the pull between them. You are constantly rooting for them because you can tell how badly they want each other. The whole first half of the book they are making all these sassy, smart ass comments to each other that really build up the tension. I loved it!

- Unlike some romance novels, they don't just jump right into bed with each other. They actually take the time to build a relationship. This is so uncommon (at least with the books I have read) and I wish it was not. I love building the relationship because it really helps me connect with the characters. You see them move from hating each other, to building a friendship and more. It actually felt authentic. 

Reasons I only like, not love, this book:

-As much as I hate to say this, I got bored. I never would have thought I would based on how funny and entertaining the first half of this book was. I felt like there was so much going on in the beginning and it was so well thought out and the second half was just thrown together so the book would have an ending. I'm still not sure if it was me or the book, but it was just mehhh. There was so much exciting tension in the first half and I expected the second half to have some kind of big drama, but it was not there. I don't know how else to say it without really telling you the whole book so I'll leave it at that. 

-The other thing that got me was how in the beginning there were so many different characters and once we got to the second half of the book, they kind of fell off the face of the Earth. Eventually they were mentioned, but they seemed so important, and then once I loved all the characters they were gone. 

Overall: I know I had a lot of negative to say about this, but I loved Caroline and Simon and their witty banter so much that I can't dislike this book, but I can't say I loved it as a whole either. Which really makes me sad, because I want to. If I have not completely turned you away from the book, please read it! Even thought it kind of dragged out in the end, I think its worth it. And maybe I'm the crazy one and everyone else loved it! If you read it let me know your thoughts!!

Did you read this book?? What did you think??

Review: The Goddess Inheritance

You guys, I need summer break NOW. I have been so busy with school, that I couldn't even remember if I had done this review or not. I can't wait for school to be out. Anyway, here is my review for The Goddess Inheritance!

*DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS*

Book: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #3)
Published: February 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary: 

"Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity."

Alright guys I LOVED this book! Heres why:

-KATE IS PREGNANT! (This is in the summary so I'm not ruining anything :) And usually I can't stand it when younger characters get pregnant and we have to read about all the changes (like in Breaking Dawn, world's worst book ever). This book is not about her being young and pregnant or her struggle through her pregnancy. It's about her struggle to save her family. Which has pretty much been the same story from the beginning, it just evolved. But I usually don't like pregnancies in books, I'm not sure why, I just don't. But I did not have a problem with this book. I loved it!

-It, like the others in this series, kept me guessing! I cannot predict what Aimee Carter is going to write next, and I love that! I don't mind predictable books as long as they are entertaining but I get really excited when I read one that I cannot predict. It keeps me guessing and I can't put it down!!

The reason I gave if 4 and not 5 stars:

-This is the only problem I had with the book, but I am so tired of Kate sacrificing herself. This part was pretty predictable  but other than that I couldn't guess anything! But come on Kate, talk to your husband and try to solve things, not just giving yourself over to the enemy. Annoying. 

Overall: I really enjoyed this series. I am sad it is over, but really happy at the same time with how it ended. These books sent me on a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end I loved it :) You guys should read this if you have not!

Have you read this book? What did you think?