The Selection- Kiera Cass

I bought {& blogged about}The Selection by Kierra Cass yesterday. I started reading it around 9:30 pm and finished at 1:30 am. Needless to say, I really liked it!

I heard about this book through Read. Breathe. Relax. just two days ago, and just knew I would enjoy it. Like I've mentioned earlier, I feel like dystopian fictions are the new "it" genre. With The Hunger Games leading in the box office and topping the best sellers list, I can see that my students and even my friends enjoy this type of read as much as I do.

My description sans spoilers:
The Selection takes place in a future land called Illeya that is where The United States of America once was. After the 4th World War, China took over after years of us being indebited to them. The United States became The United States of China. Russia invaded, and then the people of what used to be the Americas revolted and became their own again. Not ever wanting the name we once had they named the country after George Illeya, the great leader, turned king, who started the revolt. Illeya is separated into castes or classes by number. One being the highest as royalty and eight being the lowest, poor, hungry, and jobless.

Prince Maxon is turning of age and is to begin The Selection Process. This public process happens when a prince comes of age and he is to begin choosing a wife. Any girl in between the ages on 16 and 20 can submit to be picked. One girl is picked from each area of the country and 36 total ge to move into the palace to comepete for his affections, or crown.

America Singer is a five who already found the love of her life, but sadly he is below her caste. Follow America as she endures The Selection with heart set on one man, while competing for the love of another.

Loved:

• Red-headed protagonist
• Chapters leave you hanging & wanting more
• Young forbidden love
• Caste system by numbers

Loathed {or more like disliked}:

• Hunger Games similarities (game show, selection, love triangle)
• Lack of true introduction of setting in the begininning
• Predictability

In the end I really enjoyed this book. I cannot wait for the next one in this series to come out! I hate this feeling, it's like the season of your favorite TV show. Since then I have picked up Kiera Cass' book called Siren. So far it's different, but it's keeping me interested!

Read on!

Cata

Dystopian is the new it genre

Ever since I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I've been really into dystopian books. Dystopian books are always based in a future nightmareish version of our world, where society has a big brother watching you. Think about Katniss, a young girl, having to fight for her life in the Hunger Games while the Capitol enjoys it as if it were the Olympics!

I follow Julie Fagan's blog Peanut Butter Fingers regularly, and yesterday I noticed she had a guest blogger. Her guest was Lisa, the author of Read. Breathe. Relax. {which are probably 3 of my favorite things to do} Her guest entry really caught my attention because she was recommending some books she recently read. Naturally I wandered over to her blog to check out what else she had to say. Her most recent entry is about The Selection by Kierra Cass. Lisa had this description posted:

“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.”

Immediately I thought, ummm let me get on my Kindle app and see how much this books costs on Amazon! Then I proceeded to do exactly that. It cost me $9.99 and now I can read it on my iPhone, iPad, Mac, and even PC at work.

What really caught my eye:

• The cover {don't judge me, but the cover reminds me of Narnia meets Hunger Games :)}
• Female protagonist
• Castes
• DYSTOPIAN
• There's a prince!
• Oh & did I mention its a trilogy?

I plan on starting this book pretty soon! I am a bit busy at this moment since I am currently reading Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. You may be familair with it because of the HBO series. I'll be sure to give you my insights on it this week!

Cata