[Review] The Selection by Kiera Cass

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.

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This was an good book( i.e. it wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing :-/) Most reviews that I've seen either love it or hate it but I fall somewhere in between o.O I guess I'm just special that way :P

I like the main character a lot. America was someone who wanted to live their life as they wanted it, not as society dictated it. However, she was somewhat confused and sometimes didn't know what should be done...like.. at all. Throughout the book she changed slowly and went from disliking Maxon because she thought he was a terrible person at first, to being good friends.

Here's my love interest paragraph that usually isn't necessary. Originally, America was "in love" with a boy named Aspen who was a caste lower than her and so more poor. He's the one that convinced her to apply for being Selected because the Selected get bumped up a lot of castes. Then he broke up with her T_T He's was really rude and annoying. Maxon on the other hand was sweet and kind (yes, I know stereotypical good boy, but really he's the prince so he has some problems on his hands as well). She, although she starts liking him, doesn't admit it to herself because she thinks she's still in love with Aspen. And then, at the palace, Aspen shows up as a palace guard because he got chosen to be one of them (immediately bumping him up to a high caste level as well). That was a little too convenient for my liking, but there has to be a love triangle somehow, right? T.T Really though. Love triangles are not always necessary..

The plot was pretty good but the ending was fail. The book went through how a bunch of girls got eliminated and America and Maxon falling in love with each other and Aspen showing up, and so you'd think they'd show who won the Selection, right? I was waiting for it and then... IT DIDN'T HAPPEN T___T No one got selected, the Selection wasn't over yet. Wow. Ok. So that unnecessariness kinda brought down my enjoyment level. I suppose it's an extreme cliff-hanger, so... maybe it was needed somewhat? -_-

Well due to the ending and the fact that the book itself was good, I guess I'll be reading the next book.

Incidentally, the 2nd book, The Elite, comes out sometime in 2013.

I assume it has something to do with the fact that America is now one of the elite (I think last 10, I forgot >.<)

Maybe it has more to do with the rebel attacks that were mentioned briefly in the book :O

That would be interesting...

3 stars out of 5