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??