The Selection (The Selection #1)

                Hello happy readers!  First let me say sorry for being a bad blogger the last week as I fell off schedule and such.  I had a couple of trips out of town and transitioned from night shift to day shift and it just left me all sorts of confused as to what day it was.  Plus while driving I can audiobook it but I can’t write reviews very well.  Just shows I need to get ahead in my reviews but I find myself wanting to keep reading over taking the time to type.  Anywho I’m somewhat adjusting to my new shift, though I don’t like day shift as it’s much too early for me, and should be on track again now.  That said on my trips I managed to finish a couple of audiobooks, the first of which I’m reviewing today, The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass.  Also side note there are currently 13 hours left (ends 5/12/16 @ midnight) in my open giveaway for a SIGNED copy of The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi and you can enter here.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                The Selection is a story of thirty-five girls who are picked to be part of the Selection.  They will try to win the heart of the Prince, Maxon while living in the palace surrounded by the best of everything.  America didn’t want to be in the Selection, she entered at the request of others never expecting to be picked because she was in love with her secret boyfriend Aspen.  Secret because of the caste system they live in and him being below her.  Having her own ideas about what Maxon would be like she is thrown off guard when she meets him and all of her pre-conceived notions fall away.  While she questions her feelings for everything, Maxon, Aspen, the idea of the crown, and her world she must play the game and survive the politics, other girls, and the rebel attacks.

                This series has been out for a little while and I’ve had them on my shelf since 2014 at pre-YALLfest but had not picked them up yet.  I wanted to read the series this year for many reasons, one that they were waiting for me and I wanted to knock them out and two because the follow up was coming out so it seemed like a good time before I got spoiled.  If I’m honest one of the things that always made me pick up another book/series is that I’ve seen the MC America Singer on pretty much all of the lists for either annoying MC or some other such list and it made me nervous.  I have some issues with her through the books, as you have with almost any MC not doing what you think they should do but I didn’t get annoyed with her any more than any other character from other books.  So I would say go in without prejudices and just enjoy the story.

                That said I really liked it.  I don’t watch any of the dating shows currently but I did watch the first two or three seasons of the Bachelor.  This was described as a dystopian royal version of the Bachelor and I totally see it in some aspects.  There are thirty-five girls there in the hopes of being the chosen one, princess.  Our bachelor is Prince Maxon who has one chance to find a girl he will be spending the rest of his life both in marriage and ruling the country so it’s rather daunting.  I really liked him and his attitude towards the whole thing, he knows it’s unorthodox but he doesn’t have many options otherwise and this is how things are so he is making the best of it.  He also has good intentions which were endearing.  Wanting someone to love and someone to love him rather than his crown.  Oh and I knew early on I was Team Maxon, just saying.  Not finished with the series yet but I usually stick to my ships.

                America was also rather sweet.  She is in love and happy with things, content making the best of what she has.  I liked that.  Then when her heart is broken she is honest about it and wants to help everyone still.  Now as things go on she has some less than honest moments to say the least but I understand her confusion and mixed up emotions.  As I read I could understand how she would be confused about her feelings developing for Maxon.  She’s competing with several girls for his attention and affection, she didn’t plan on it being an issue because she didn’t think she would ever really be in the game so to find you have feelings for him and are in it not for your family but for him it could be hard to reconcile.  She makes plenty of mistakes but overall I enjoyed her character and how she looked after others from her family to her maids and fellow girls.  Side note one of my favorites is Marley! 

                This is romance heavy but there are also larger issues at play from the rebel attacks to everything happening within the palace and country itself.  There is a love triangle aspect to it which I know for some is an instant turn off but for me, the way it was put forth I can understand it.  Now as to the audiobook it was pretty much the perfect length to finish during my trip and the narrator was pleasing to listen to.  I’m still kind of new to audiobooks so maybe I’ll be pickier over time but I enjoyed it.  So much so I’ve already finished book two and 40% into book three so look for reviews from them to follow.  That’s all for today but I’d love to hear your thoughts and feels on this book/series.  Is anyone else only just now reading them too?  Which ship are you?

                Until next time…