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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Book 1 of the Selection series


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 basic plot of this book goes something like this: Our main character America Singer lives in the country of Illea, which is ruled by a King and Queen. Illea is made up of what use to be the United States, Canada, and I think Mexico. After the fall of the USA to China, the North America country bound together to get their country back. Illea was created and with it the people where divided into a caste system with the royal family as Ones all the way down to homeless people as Eights. America Singer is a Five, so she is on the lower end of the system but not as low as she could be. Depending on what caste you are, dictated what kind of job you can have. As a Five America and her family are musicians and artists.

America is secretly in love with a boy named Aspen who is a Six. Women being with a man from a longer caste is just not done so they have to keep their relationship a secret. Meanwhile at the palace Prince Maxon has come of age to be able to get married. He does not get to just meet someone and fall in love, he has to go through something called the Selection. This is where 35 girls from the different providences are picked and brought to the castle for a Bachelor like competition to become a princess and Maxon's wife.

America' mother pressures her to sign up for the Selection, unaware the she is in love with someone else. Her mother wants her to sign up because they could be raised up to a higher caste if she wins plus they will receive a payment for each week she is in the competition. Obliviously America doesn't want to join, but when she meets with Aspen he to wants her to try as well. He wants to give her the best life and knows that he can't give her that.  She finally agrees thinking that there is a very small chance she will get picked.

The night before they announce who is chosen for the Selection Aspen breaks up with America. She is brokenhearted as you would expect. The next day her name is called as one of the 35 girls. She sees this as her escape from Aspen and the pain she feels from losing him. When America meets Maxon she tells him that her hear belongs to someone else bu that she doesn't want to go home because they aren't together anymore. She offers Maxon a deal that is he lets her stay for awhile she will help him pick the right girl for her.

To see what happens next you are going to have to pick the book up for yourself.

I truly loved this book. Kiera's writing and storytelling pulled me in from page 1 and didn't let me go until the end. I did not want to put this book down. The day after I finished I rushed our to buy the next one in the series (The Elite). The characters were relatable and I felt like I was really getting to know them. The story moved at a good pace. The relationship (and I am not saying what kind of relationship it is) between Maxon and America felt genuine and not rushed. The details about the other characters were prefect to give you a good sense about them without being overly wordy.

I give this book a BIG OLD 5 STARS!! I would recommend it to anyone. Thank you Kiera for a great series and I can't wait to see what is in story for America next.

You can check out my YouTube review of this book here.

Until next time...Happy Reading!!!

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