The Elite

The Selection was a wonderful book, just the right mixture of fairy tale and Hunger Games and as a result I couldn't wait to start book 2 in the trilogy The Elite.

In book 2 we find 6 girls left competing for Maxon and the crown. America and Maxon still have a wonderful relationship but there are many things to stand in the way of true love.

This was a book of 2 halves, the first mirrored book 1 in that it was light and frothy and full of romance and girly friendships and backstabbing between The Elite. The second half is much darker, we start to see a different side to Maxon and his family which suggests all is not well and darker forces are at work that are in charge of who might win the prince's hand in marriage.

I found this book more frustrating, the love triangle between America, Maxon and Aspen began to grate on my nerves a little. I'm finding Aspen difficult to like as a character. I want to give America a shake and tell her to stop sabotaging herself and realise that she's not being very discreet. The warnings are clear in this book about what book 3 could hold in store.

With no sign of book 3 any time soon that's a little annoying as I'd like to know the conclusion but I'm hoping Cass will not fall into the Hunger Games trap and give us a wonderful first book, build the tension with rising revolts in book 2 only to have a disappointing and war filled third. Please restore some romance and meaningful relationship between America & Maxon in book 3 and don't turn our prince into a fickle man.

Not as bad as the first book. The focus shifts slightly from dresses and boys to politics and history. There are actually scenes that make you want to keep going until the conflict is resolved, which never happened in the first book. The cast has shrunk considerably so the other girls actually get some characterization beyond “sweet” or “Asian” or “slutty.” It's still not great but it's improved enough that I'll stick it out to the end.

With tighter writing and editing, this trilogy could easily have been one good book but everything has to be at least a trilogy to get published these days.

I started reading this book with even lower expectations than I had the The Selection. I don't generally love second (or third) books. I just haven't had good luck with them maybe, especially when it comes to YA dystopia. Thankfully, this book was no worse than the first in the series. Although, I don't think it was any better either.

I actually debated not posting a review for this book because I could say the same thing I said about The Selection. I didn't love the story or the characters. I honestly hated America more in this one. To keep it spoiler free, I'll just say the first half of the book and on and off throughout, she is infuriating. While reading, I exclaimed “Are you kidding me?!” out loud multiple times. Despite that, I kept reading. There really isn't much to the story. It's kind of a fluffy series, one that echoes the plot of all other YA dystopia.

In fact, I couldn't probably tell you how the series ends right now. But for some reason beyond me, I haven't given up yet. I plan to keep reading. I believe (although this is all of her work I've read) that Kiera Cass is a good writer. I do appreciate her writing style, otherwise, I would have given up long ago. All in all, the book was okay, but nothing I'd reread.

No Spoiler Review:

Nope. Just nope.
I found this sequel very frustrating. The pacing was slow. I can't believe how little was accomplished. I wanted to know how the series ends but I find it very unlikely I will finish the books now. The frustration is real.

Spoilery Review: Beware:

I can't believe only 2 girls got eliminated in this book. Only 2? Are you kidding? We still have the selection going? Seriously? America acted like an idiot, but she finally got around to seeming to care about something but she was completely stupid about how she did it. Maxon went from the amazing romantic lead of the first to a complete idiot with how he treated her. Let me constantly keep secrets and tell lies but expect you to trust me. And Aspen.
Aspen!

I just can't.

As much as I love Maxon and America, I've hated them almost the whole book. America for being so undecided and Maxon for the things he said but didn't do. Besides that, I've hated America for getting to Aspen over and over again. Keep your feelings together and use them, FFS! Besides that, the book was pretty good. I love the story and the characters (not the things named above) and I love May for just being May. Also, Lucy, Mary and Anne are fantastic and I like them so much. I hated Kriss for being so bossy and jealous. Yes, she's a good and strong character, but I wouldn't mind if she just left a long time ago. I thought I would hate Celeste more than Kriss, but I definitely don't. Jesus, I really hate Kriss.

Review soon on http://afterdawnbooksblog.wordpress.com
( also the review for The Selection (book #1)

I was so happy when America got over Maxon, however it was only for a short time :(
The stress America faced also made ME feel stressed, which is actually a good thing; it means the author's skills are amazing.
I hate the king. I feel really bad for America, and I hate her situation.
HOWEVER. I won't deny that this book was a real page turner. I look forward to seeing how America makes her comeback.

Didnt enjoy this as much as [b:The Selection 10507293 The Selection (The Selection, #1) Kiera Cass https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322103400l/10507293.SY75.jpg 15413183] coz of America. SHE WAS PISSING ME OFF. Whenever she got mad w Maxon she went behind Aspen and when Aspen wasnt there she acted like she was this whole saint and was like nobody wants me always freaking complaining!! Honestly I wish Marlee had been chosen. I love Marlee shes a sweetheart. Ughh America is a whiny foolllll soo freaking annoyingggg:( other than this I loved the book:)

I thought that the second installment in The Selection series was more of the same. It didn't offer that much more than the first one did, except that now America wasn't just focused on her “maybe” feelings for Prince Maxon but also whether or not she would be good at leading the country.

However, I was confused because in a part of the book it seemed that American's indecisiveness, which I found extremely irritating after a while, now not only extended into her feelings for Maxon but also into her feelings about being a princess. At one point her judgement clouded her emotions so badly that she was more focused on the ruling aspect of The Selection as opposed to the being married to a prince part. It was as if all her priorities shifted and she no longer even cared about the way she felt about Maxon in the first place or what had made her stay there so long after she'd thought it would be best for her to leave.

I think in this book my opinion of America changed, from someone who took control of her own life and didn't let anyone walk over her to someone who was very indecisive and it seemed that she lost some of her backbone in this one as well.

Although we finally are introduced to a more serious and pressing issue in this book, towards the end, I felt that this wasn't really fit smoothly into the story and because of this it made it quite choppy. It went from a fairy tale type of Romance novel to a darker/abusive one. It seemed that the three books could have been compacted into two which would have made for a smoother and more intense read in the long run. The first one was fluff and the second book had much worse things happening so it felt out of balance.

I was actually kind of rooting for America to be sent home, just because she was getting on my nerves with the whole indecisiveness and stuff so when that almost happened, I was kind of excited and thought that something exciting would take place but alas, no such luck. Of course, she was asked to stay by Maxon himself and then it made her realize that she can definitely rule alongside him, especially because Maxon believes in her, even though Aspen doesn't. Aspen wasn't very prominent in this book and it seemed to me that she had already distanced herself from him at that point, which didn't sit very well with me, especially since I've always wanted her to end up with him.

I did think that it was good that America finally pissed Maxon of in one way or another because he just always seemed so overly in love with her from the beginning that he didn't find any fault in her whatsoever, although she has a lot. Finally, he realized that she was a human being with faults of her own and not just a girl he was blinded who couldn't do anything wrong.

Again, this book is for the younger generation, in my opinion, and also those people who are really into fairy tales and “happily ever after”. I myself prefer darker and more twisted plots. I might read the next book in the series but it's definitely not up there on my “to read” list whatsoever.

In book 2 Lady America is one of 6 girls left In “the selection”. She had managed to stay in the competition despite her not being completely sure she wants to be with Prince Maxon. Prince Maxon sees something special in Lady America, but the question is does she see he same in Maxon? Caught between her ever revolving feeling for Prince Maxon and her ex Aspen, Lady America must decide what she wants soon. With all the emotions Lady America is dealing with she must also decide if she can truly be the Queen.