Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme by Jill over atBreaking the Spineto showcase upcoming books. This week I’m simply in agony waiting for. . . Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger
Pub Date: March 5th 2013 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Summary (from Goodreads): Vane Weston should have died in the category five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past—except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She's swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real. Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs. When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, they start to realize the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them. Set amongst the desert airstreams of Coachella Valley in California, LET THE SKY FALL is about two teenagers broken by their pasts, divided by their futures, and bound by love. It’s no secret that I adored Messenger’s MG debut, Keeper of the Lost Cites.You can check out my review here. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that her YA debut it at the top of my to-read list. I’ve heard great things about Let the Sky Fall, and I can’t wait to read it! I don’t know what to do to distract myself until March. March, guys, MARCH.
I haven’t been blogging as much recently, but I promise there’s good stuff on the way! Giveaways, anyone? And of course, a multitude of reviews and recommendations. But first, here’s a rundown of what’s going on this month!
1. Camp Nanowrimo!
It’s basically the same thing as Nanowrimo, but in August! And there’s some super cool new features like cabins! It’s basically like a little group of alpha readers and/or cheerleaders. I’m stoked to get some words down this summer.
2. LeakyCon!
HOLY CRAP GUYS. I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED! LeakyCon is a Harry Potter convention. Everyone who goes loves it. And there’s a whole Lit Track with some of my favorite authors.
3. Contemporary month!
Since contemps are pretty much the perfect summer books Monica and I are going to be reading some for August! I can’t wait! :)
The Shade series is a fantastic book series that unfortunately is not widely enough known. But within those readers who know and love it, a group known as TeamKilt has grown. It started with the YA Crush Tourney last year, and against all odds we brought Zachary Moore, the fabulous Scot who stars in the trilogy, to the final. There were close calls, but through the strength of TeamKilt, the last seeded crush was boosted to the top. And although we didn’t win the final (the Cassie Clare fandom was just too large) we brought glory to Zachary and the series. In the process, TeamKilt was formed. Throughout the year that followed, new members joined in with the shenanigans. TeamKilt is a family for me, and I love participating in the fun. A few weeks ago, Zachary won his first match in the YA Crush Tourney. But we need all the help we can get going up against one of Cassie’s boys again. So please, vote for Zachary, the underdog we all love. The match starts at midnight tonight over at the YA Sisterhood. Don’t forget to vote!
Pub Date: September 4th, 2012 Publisher: HarperCollins Summary (from Goodreads): In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live. All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.
I got a galley of Carnival at ALA, and I was totally hyperventilating when I met Melissa Marr. She has been one of my favorite authors since Wicked Lovely was first published. It was a random encounter with the book in the store, but excuse me if I am ready to call it fate. I was completely enthralled and I read the series the whole way through many times. Her writing style speaks to me in a way that words can’t explain and her characters always draw me in. No matter what the content is, for me, her work will always shine. For me, she can do no wrong. So I had high expectations for this book. I’d been waiting, hoping for Melissa Marr to return to the YA scene, and she delivered this surprise novel. This year was supposed to pass without any new work being released by her, but thankfully that didn’t exactly pan out. Yay for unplanned books! Carnival is just as dark as the Wicked Lovely series. And it’s phenomenal. Between fights to the death and hot daimons, this book feeds to our darker sides. Between the mysteries and fights and twists and turns I found myself wholly enthralled. Everything there is to love about Melissa Marr’s writing style, great character development, perfect pacing, a rapturous plot, and wonderful characters each with elaborate backstories were to be seen in Carnival. But my favorite part of this book was the seeing pieces in this intricate puzzle being fit together with a satisfying “click.” But Marr left us with numerous puzzle pieces scattered across the table. And I, for one, cannot wait to see how it all fits together. I know for some, Wicked Lovely left something to be desired, but this book is vastly different. Even if you didn’t like Wicked Lovely, I urge you to give this a try. Carnival of Souls is not a book to overlook!
Pub Date: October 2, 2012 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Summary (from Goodreads): In this riveting debut, a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world--before the wrong person finds the answer first. Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She's skipped multiple grades and doesn't really connect with the older kids at school, but she's not comfortable with her family, either. And Sophie has a secret--she's a Telepath, someone who can read minds. But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she's not alone. He's a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well...she isn't. Fitz opens Sophie's eyes to a shocking truth, and almost instantly she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known. But Sophie still has secrets, and they're buried deep in her memory for good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high-demand. What is her true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean life or death--and time is running out.
There are so many things that go through my mind when I think of this book. I could go on and on about character development and pacing, but that’s not what the book is all about. Since this is one of the first MGs I’ve read in awhile, I can’t compare it to anything but what I remember of those experiences. But I will do my best to explain why this book is so freaking awesome.
I had more fun reading Keeper than I have reading a book in awhile. I probably looked like a crazy person when I was reading because I couldn’t stop smiling and giggling and squealing. Although this book does not have magic in it, there are awesome fantasy components like elves and powers. There’s mystery and wonderful adventures. I did not want to put this book down for even a second. One of the reasons I adored Keeper so much was because even though Sophie was just a few years younger than most YA protagonists, her experiences were drastically different. She’s still a just girl, and this was so refreshing for me. I read mostly YA, and the protagonists are often struggling with impending adulthood and decisions that shape their lives. In this book, Sophie was experiencing being a teenager for the first time, and was just learning about love and loss and heartbreak. I loved experiencing so many firsts that aren’t always included within the YA genre. I fell in love with every character. Each had their own endearing traits. I loved all three potential crushes. And although Keefe and Dex were fabulous boys, my heart belongs to Fitz. He and Sophie just had this connection which intrigues me and draws me to him. Each of the boys were totally different, and that’s what makes me so interested in the romantic developments in the sequel. The plot was amazing, it had elements of mystery and fantasy. I was completely thrown by every twist and turn, and it contains an element of surprise that was unpredictable. The pacing was perfect and fast; I found I couldn’t flip the pages quick enough. I really felt an emotional tie to everything about Keeper. I absolutely fell in love with this book. I’d recommend this to fantasy lovers, though it is unfortunate that I haven’t read many in that genre. I’d even dare to say that this book is for fans of Harry Potter and Rick Riordan’s books. Keeper ties together with an epic explosion that settles to reveal five stars. So yeah, if you didn’t catch that, I’m giving this book five stars. I’m so happy to say that this book has opened my eyes to not just one, but two genres I have yet to really explore. Although I’m not sure if anything can really hold a candle to Keeper of the Lost Cities, I am ready to test the waters! Mark your calendars, you do not want to miss Shannon Messenger’s marvelous MG debut!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Note: This is one of the ARCs I brought home from ALA.
Summary (from Goodreads): Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.
As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.
Time Between Us was a perfect summer read! It’s a contemporary novel with time travel thrown in with the romance. I picked up an ARC on the first day of ALA, and had read it in time for the Monday signing. It was so much fun to read! I liked the romance, but never being in love I find it often astonishing that the characters can just know they love each other so quickly. I felt that there wasn’t enough of a build up, and that’s how I feel with a lot of books. Besides that, I loved everything. The witty banter, the adorable kissing scenes. I would give Time Between Us to fans of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door, as well as fans of Timepiece who want to read more timeslip. Everything considered, I am giving Time Between Us 4 of 5 stars. And I honestly can’t wait for the companion :)
-Jill PS Comment to tell me what you’re enjoying this summer!
I saw the cover on Kimberly Derting’s website, and I had to share it. I haven’t posted anything recently, after all I was in California for ALA and VidCon and I only got back last night. Since I’m still recovering I decided to come back with an awesome cover reveal. New reviews will be up sometime this week. I know you probably just scrolled to see the cover. That’s what I’d do. ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting
Wow! That is one gorgeous cover. I love the contrast of the black and red and the light patterns in the flower. And I also love Kimberly Derting’s books, so I can’t wait to read this one!
Pages: Series: Hourglass Book 2 Summary (from Goodreads):A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking... Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results. Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough... The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts. If Timepiece were a dish served to me at a restaurant, I would order ten. And come back for more. This begin said, I was a bit wary of this book. I swear by Hourglass. It's undoubtably one of my favorite books of 2011. And I wasn’t completely sure the sequel could match the hope I had for it. In addition, I wasn’t sure about the shift in narrative. But when I finished Timepiece, all I felt was love. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll keep my fangirling brief. Kaleb is the sexiest guy narrator ever. I seriously fell in love with him. His development was clear and believable. And his humor! I was laughing at every turn of the page. The plot was simply amazing. The twists and turns were always unexpected. Each detail felt important and relevant to the story, and each character added something. And there’s a certain magic to the tale, something you just don’t see everyday. The pacing was perfect, and before I knew it I was finished with this wondrous creation. This review could be sprawling and filled with spoilers, but it still wouldn’t, couldn’t, be able to truly capture the true essence of Timepiece. To understand the AMAZING that is this book, you must read it. So with the highest recommendations, I’m giving Timepiece 5/5 stars. In all honesty, it deserves closer to 100. But alas. If you haven’t read Hourglass or Timepiece...What are you waiting for? Shoo. The clock’s ticking. -Jill
It’s my birthday, So I thought I’d do a little giveaway of 5 of my favorite books of the past year. In addition I will be giving away two swag packs. Today, some of my blogger friends and I will be tweeting under the hashtag #JillsBDayBash. If you participate in anyway you will be entered to win swag that I’ll be giving away throughout the day. The books being given away are: 1. Hourglass by Myra McEntire 2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
3. Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
4. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
5. Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
Thanks for making blogging so much fun! -Jill UPDATE: GIVEAWAY CLOSED.
I make a rule not to use as many exclamation points as I did in the title. But rules are made to be broken, and this is certainly a game changer... I am completely in love with this cover. I can’t stop staring at it. So gorgeously haunting. The eyes are so beautiful, and I love the way Laini Taylor’s name is in red to match. I can still remember when I fell in love with Daughter of Smoke and Bone almost a year ago. I sincerely hope Days of Blood & Starlight will meet my expectations. I can’t wait!
Summary (from Goodreads): In a city of daimons, the Carnival of Souls hosts a deadly competition. Once in a generation, every citizen can fight to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures—if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.
In our own world, Mallory knows that her father—and every other witch—fled the daimons’ city long ago. She trains to be lethal because it’s only a matter of time until the daimons catch up with them.
While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans there for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence that is the Carnival of Souls.
From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series, comes a brand-new tale of secrets, love, and the struggle to forge one’s own destiny. I am so freaking excited for Carnival of Souls. Melissa Marr is one of my favorite writers. I love her Wicked Lovely series. It’s the book that really got me hooked on YA literature, and thus the reason I’m a YA book blogger. I love the cover and title, which is a line from Five Finger Death Punch’s “Far From Home.” The premise sounds really cool, so I can’t wait to read it! -Jill UPDATED TO ADD: I forgot to mention, Melissa Marr is running a contest for an ARC of Carnival of Souls on her site here: http://melissa-writing.livejournal.com/416422.html
Warning: This post may or may not contain an extreme about of gushing. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Published: December 1, 2009 Series: The Caster Chronicles Book 1 Pages: 563 Summary (from Goodreads): There were no surprises in Gatlin County. We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. At least, that's what I thought. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a curse. There was a girl. And in the end, there was a grave. Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
This book is told from Ethan Wate’s perspective. Ethan is a mortal boy who begins the story as a popular basketball player living in small town. He dreams of leaving everything he knows behind. Lena Ducannes is ostracized by everyone at every single school she has gone to, until she meets Ethan. But her doomsday is impending. A midnight on her sixteenth birthday, she will be claimed by light or darkness, and her life could change forever. I started reading Beautiful Creatures this week after I’d bought it on my Nook. I found the beginning of the story to be a bit slow; it can be hard to write a solid debut novel with a fast paced beginning. Since it’s the beginning of a series, there needs to be world building as well as a solid base to set the stage for the book to come. So I can understand why the plot would start off a little slowly in order to introduce everything and everyone. But when the action and of course, romance began, I was under this book’s spell. I read it in every spare second I had, and it was agonizing when I had to go to class or do homework. I needed to know what happened next! The beginning aside, the plot was perfectly paced. I was so absorbed in the plot once I got into it, that I didn’t catch that there was a date above each chapter title, until I was about halfway through. That definitely worked to my disadvantage, but I can only blame it on my own denseness and exhaustion. The characters were each special and all of them really contributed to the story. I felt like I got to know every single one of them and their motives. This is really important for me in really understanding everything that goes on. And the development of these characters was huge, but still believable. The main characters, Ethan and Lena both grew so much by the end; it was incredible. Throughout the course of the book, I really started to love them both. Ethan, because he’s funny, sweet, loyal, and really brave. He’d gone through the recent loss of his mother, yet hadn't drowned in the grief like his father. I also have a weakness for guys who love reading, and Ethan fit the bill. Lena, on the other hand, was quirky and cool. Despite her powers and quirks, however, she just wanted to be a regular girl. She wanted to go to school dances. But she also doubted herself, fearing that she was going dark and would have to leave her family on her sixteenth birthday forever. I loved that for once, the female was the strong, powerful paranormal of the couple. In most paranormal YA (there are exceptions, of course), it’s the guy who has the air of mystery, who’s mortality you question. My favorite character, though, was Marian Ashcroft. She was Ethan’s mother closest friend and is the town librarian. She dressed very fashionably and Ethan describes so beautiful, she could be on the covers of magazines. Part of my adoration is because her name was a reference to The Music Man (Marian the Librarian). She had a tendency to quote famous books, plays, and writers, as well as read to herself aloud. I admired her so much, even though she was not a major character in the book. My favorite thing about the book, overall, was the symbolism. There was so much, and I absolutely loved it. Everything, even the smallest, most trivial thing, could have hidden meaning. It kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I loved the end, even though I predicted parts of it. There was a major cliffhanger ending, so I can’t wait to read book 2, Beautiful Darkness. I absolutely fell in love with Beautiful Creatures, and I’d recommend it to anyone. My rating for Beautiful Creatures is 4/5 stars. -Jill
Summary (from Goodreads): Try as she might, Evie can’t seem to escape her not-so-normal past. And what was supposed to be a blissfully normal school break is ruined when a massive group of paranormals shows up at her house, claiming that Evie is the only one who can protect them from a mysterious, perilous fate.
The deadly war between the faerie courts looms ever closer. The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its future rests solely in Evie’s hands. So much for normal. With a perfect blend of humor and suspense, Endlessly is everything readers could dream of in a conclusion—and the unexpected twists will keep them guessing until the very last page.
I fully admit to be in love with the Paranormalcy trilogy. There’s wit and humor, mixed with drama and romance, and of course, paranormals. And look at the gorgeous cover! I can’t wait to read Evie’s final chapter, although I can’t help but wish it would never end.
The Elector Primo of the Republic has died, with his son assuming power over what’s left of the USA’s West Coast as it teeters on full-blown chaos. June and Day join up with Patriot rebels so they can rescue Day’s brother and head east for the Colonies. In order to help, though, the rebels want June and Day to kill the new Elector, who may pose an even greater threat than his father.
I know I'm not the only one dying to read the sequel to Legend. When I read Legend in January, I immediately loved it. I can't wait to see what Marie Lu has in store for us in Prodigy.
Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.
As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.
The Body Finder was the most original book that I’d read in a long while. But it took me awhile to pick up Desires of the Dead, because it wasn’t in stock in any of my local bookstores. I finally bought this on Kindle and finished it the day before I was to go to the Dark Days Tour which featured Kimberly Derting, Jill Hathaway (author of Slide), and Dan Hathaway (author of Partials and John Cleaver series.) I read this book very quickly; I simply could not get enough. I am finding myself addicted to this darker YA with serial killers and dead bodies. It’s a nice change for me to get away from Paranormal Romance. This could, technically be classified as such, but I find that these books focus much more on the mystery and suspense than the romance. The plot of the book was very entertaining. Kimberly Derting kept me guessing until the end, something that is hard to do. Although, my original prediction was correct, I contradicted it many times throughout the book. My favorite chapters were the ones that veered away from Violet’s perspective, and focused in on the bad guys. I was astonished when I put together that the titles of these chapters in this book were the Seven Deadly Sins. These chapters make the books for me. The character development was awesome. I could see how both Violet and the mystery bad guy changed. Violet’s feelings and instincts were very different at the end of the book that they were at the beginning. But seeing the bad guy's thoughts change so drastically change was amazing, and added so much to the book. The romance part of Desires of the Dead was excruciating. Jay and Violet’s relationship is so painful to read about at some points. They have such a rough time. I appreciate the fact that they were best friends for years before they got together, it makes their love seem more realistic. But when they fought my heart ached. I wanted them to work out so badly. Reading Desires of the Dead was so much fun for me. I didn’t automatically know what would happen, and I love to be surprised. I am giving this book 4/5 stars.
The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye....
I read this book right after I finished Desires. I’m glad I did, because I had needed a little refresh to remember what happened in The Body Finder before I read Book 2. One thing that I love about this book--and the entire series--was that I was enthralled from the first sentence. Kimberly Derting really knows how to hook a reader in, and she doesn’t disappoint.
What really made this book stick out from the others was the fear factor. It was a whole other level of creepy, and I loved that. The connection between the color of the cover and one of the elements in the story gives me the heebie-jeebies. It’s the coolest.
What I also love about all the books is the minor characters. Although they don’t really change, they each have their own distinct personalities. They aren’t empty names.
I love the plot of this book. It was so unpredictable, except for some reason, I knew that one of the characters was just no good. And I was surprisingly right.
Violet was a badass like usual. And her relationship with Jay was as electric and strained as it was in the last book.
This book is a recent release so I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thought it was the best Body Finder book yet. I give it 5/5 stars. It was amazing!
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.
I was very intrigued by the book trailer, which is in part how I discovered this book.
I was so excited to read this book. Blogger friends were gushing about it, and this sounded like a fun read. On Goodreads, it has been negatively compared to “The Bachelor.” But it is so much more that. Yes, the premise sounds like the TV show. But although the book was centered around the competition, I felt that the entire book was about trust and friendship and loyalty.
I absolutely adored this book. The plot was well thought out. It wasn’t too predictable, and there were some great twists. There were some thoughtful moments and I appreciated the darker current lurking under the lighter tone. I liked this book, because it was a nice change from the paranormal or sci-fi characters I normally read about. And it wasn’t strictly dystopian. It wasn’t a hard book to get through, and I really enjoyed reading it. I spent most of the night reading, and I was up until 5 am because I could not put it down. My favorite part of the book were the characters.
America was a strong female character, although there were points when she completely failed to see the obvious. She was stubborn girl, struggling to forget the boy who broke her heart. But she still loves Aspen, and doesn’t want to marry the Prince. Instead, they become friends, and confidantes. I love how much her character develops in the course of 327 pages. I can’t elaborate for fear of spoilers, but the changes were tremendous. Also, on a side note, I love that she’s a redhead. I am biased, being a redhead, but I would love to see more strong redheaded females in YA.
In fact, all of the main and side characters were very well developed. I understood each character’s motive.
While I’m on characters, let’s discuss the two beaus of the book. The first love interest we meet is Aspen Leger. Aspen is a Six, a member of the serving caste. He’s America’s boyfriend in the beginning of the book. He was a likable character, hardworking and handsome, but then he breaks America’s heart, saying they could never work out. But America only wants him. And he doesn’t even try to make it work. When America gets chose for the Selection, she feels even worse, because Aspen is the one who helped her decision to enter. And at her departure, she sees Aspen with his arm around another girl. So much for a happily ever after.
Prince Maxon is not perfect. He is endearingly flawed, and he has although he is normally clam and can take a lot of criticism, his temper sometimes shows through. But he is extremely sweet, caring, and understanding. When America tells him she can’t love him when she still loves Aspen, he doesn’t force her to do something she’s not ready for. He is willing to let her stay in the competition to help her family, who needs the money, and in return she’ll help him from the inside. When she tells Maxon about the problems with the caste system and hunger, he sets up a program to give meals to those who can’t afford food. He listens to her when she needs to tell someone of her heartbreak. Maxon does everything he can for America, and trusts her with completely. He shows his trust by answering her questions about the rebel attacks, and telling her closely guarded secrets. Maxon is not a shallow Prince looking for someone to make him look good. He is looking for a girl who can help him with state issues, but also love him and guide him. He doesn’t want just a pretty face, he wants a wife whom he can trust. And that’s what makes him so amazing.
This book had all the elements of a good novel in my eyes, interesting plot, character development, and a good pace. I really enjoyed reading The Selection, and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for Book 2.
I give this book 4 stars, and I definitely recommend picking up a copy.
Thanks to Monica at Cover Analysis for recommending this book to me. You rock!
