The Selection by Kiera Cass.
Oh. my. word.
I got 6 books for Christmas, I've read 3 of them, this one included, all three have sequels, and though I would die for Prodigy (The Legend sequel), this is the one I want the sequel to the most. I want it in my hands right now. Give it to me. Please?
The Selection was a little different from what I usually read, it wasn't overly exciting or action-packed, but I enjoyed even more than I expected to. The writing was awesome and the dialogue had me laughing out loud throughout the whole book, to the point where all I could think was "ASDFGHJK; MAXON AND GAH AND AMAZINGNESS SO FREAKING HAHAHAHAHA"
Really not an exaggeration.
If you don't know what The Selection is about, this is the basic synopsis from Wikipedia:
"The book follows America Singer, a teenage girl that is chosen to participate in a contest to pick the future queen and bride of the handsome Prince Maxon. Despite the glamour, wealth, and power that such a position offers, America isn't happy being chosen- especially as she hides a forbidden love for a boy named Aspen in a lower caste, the same person who urged her to enter the contest. As she participates in the contest, America finds herself drawn to both boys"
Now, without giving too much away, by the end of the book I was hitting my self in the head with it repeatedly going "Get. Over. Him."
For those of you haven't read the book, first, go pick up a copy of it right away because you SHOULD read the book, second, as much as I'd like to keep it to a minimum so that you can read as well, this next part may contain spoilers, read at your own risk.
Okay, first off, may I just say that my favorite part of the book is the way Maxon and America ease each other? It's just so real and sweet and adorable and had me giggling throughout the whole book, I mean really. #TeamMaxon
And when I say I'm Team Maxon, I mean that with every fiber of my being. Don't get me wrong, Aspen is sweet, he looks out for his family, and he must care about America or he wouldn't have made her sign up for The Selection. (confusing, but true.) I'm just not a fan of Aspen and America's relationship. If you didn't know this about me, I'm a hopeless romantic in all accounts, but it even made me gag. It was all touchy-feely blech. They literally did. not. speak. They had short conversations that had little or no value and then... ugh. no.
And don't even get me started on the "We've been in love for two years" crap. You were freaking 15 when you met. I am 14 now and I don't see myself "falling in love" in a year. And the "I've always been crazy about him, from the first time I looked at him" *gags*. Maybe I'm a failed hopeless romantic to say that no, I do not believe in love at first sight.
Because 1. "First sight" means you've never met the person, 2. You know absolutely nothing about them (they could be an ax murderer for all you know at "first sight") and 3. You're saying you're "in love" with them, based purely on their looks. Excuse me. No. Don't get me wrong, you could meet someone that you instantly feel attracted to and the after getting to know each other and spending a lot of time together, you could get married and live a long happy life together and good for you! But at "first sight", that was NOT love.
*rant over*
Along the same lines as what I said at first, Aspen and America's relationship disgusts me. Whereas Maxon... *swoon*. Maxon and America started as friends, the way you should, America didn't want the crown, or him, for that matter, so they spoke as friends, they teased each other, made fun of each other, and talked freely, and when a relationship did start to bloom, it was in a quiet way, that she still was trying to figure out her feelings for him.
And enter: Aspen. (All spoilers from here on out)
I actually got really mad when he showed up, I wanted to scream at America to tell Maxon who he was and kick him out, but nooooo, apparently she still loves him. And then America got mad at Maxon, which I thought was dumb in itself, what was he thinking!? That was the one time in the book that I got mad at Maxon, OBVIOUSLY Celeste was a brat with no redeeming qualities, and America could pretty much prove it, as I'm guessing her dress had yet to be fixed. I couldn't believe he was being so petty as to deny it and keep her around.
And because America was mad at Maxon, she got reckless. Okay, Maxon was being annoying, but she knew that what she was doing was practically treason and it took her way too long to decide she couldn't do that.
I did get annoyed at America in multiple parts of the book, as I mentioned before, the idea that she was "in love" with him since she was 15 (and he was 17 at that) made me sick. And Aspen broke up with her because he was petty, she'd been trying to get rid of her feelings for him and then he shows up and she still loves him. He begs her to take him back. blah blah blah. Honestly, I just thought she should get over it. Their "love" was all physical, and it was gross. Maybe she should actually try and talk to him. Or not. Okay. Meh.
I know this was all one big rant, but all-in-all, I LOVED The Selection, it was such an entertaining, fun, and hilariously sweet book. May I just say THANK YOU to the lovely Kenzie for introducing me to this wonderful book.
xoxo
Molly
