The Selection by Kiera Cas

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 princess jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of 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 crow she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by 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.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I was expecting a really dull, boring read, but I was actually entertained through the entire thing.
It starts off with America Singer, a very well educated girl knowing French, Spanish, and English. She is also accomplished in the piano, violin, and guitar, but her main talent is singing. Apparently everyone in her caste has a special talent, and hers would be singing, her mother's is piano, her older brother's is painting, etc. I found this a bit odd, considering how incredibly undernourished and uneducated her caste was supposed to be, although I suppose she might've had help from others in her caste.

I found America a surprisingly likeable character, despite her blunt personality, she is just trying to care for her family. She is pressured into signing up for the Selection by her boyfriend, Aspen, and her mother. But when her name is selected out of thousands of girls to one of the top thirty-five, she is astounded and set on going home as soon as she can. But things change when her douchebag boyfriend breaks up with her, very effectively crushing her heart. But this is one of the things I like about America, she gets back on her feet and moves on with her life. Instead of moping around wanting Aspen back, she recovers fairly quickly for a heart broken girl and immediately starts concerning over her family again.

So she goes to the Selection and immediately humiliates herself in front of the prince. I laughed at this part, because no matter how little sense she made during this conversation he always tried his best to stay polite. I found this weird, because usually the love interests in books are jerks, possessive, or at least sarcastic. Never well-mannered gentlemen. I found Maxon a breath of fresh-air, a sweet loving guy who just wants to find someone to love in a world where everyone just wants to use him. (Screw Aspen, I'm on Team Maxon already)

Aspen was officially a first class jerk who I wanted to strangle for most of the book. So first he confesses his undying love for America, then he breaks up with her. Then he moves on with some random girl, right in front of America. Sixth class bastard right here. Then he pulls that stunt at the end, which I just think is a scam, personally.

Maxon was fabulous, what a sweet guy! He was always polite, even when he wasn't being formal, which he was almost always. He was constantly forgiving towards America, no matter what stupid mistake she made. And on top of that, he wasn't the stuck-up spoiled prince like most. He is yet another example of 'Why Can't This Story Character Be Real?'

I'd recommend this to whoever likes futuristic dystopian, fierce competitions, perfectly timed romance, and a pretty awesome heroine.

xxAvalon