Review Wednesday: The Elite by Kiera Cass

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE SELECTION. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILER. If you want to read this series, read my review about The Selection by clicking on the link: Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)

Author: Kiera Cass
1st Date of Publication: April 23, 2013

ISBN: 9780062059963
# of Pages: 336

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society

Age Rating: 13

Buy it on Amazon

Book Description:
The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Setting: Illea (United States) in the future

Point of View: 1st person- America Singer

Goodreads Rating: 4.02

My Rating: 4.00

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: Another gorgeous picture. I love the color of the dress, but the style of the weird folds in the dress turns me off a bit. I like how tough and menacing America looks as if she is ready to kill to get what she wants.
View on Title: The title again is intriguing. We find out at the end the Elite are the top 10 remaining bachelorettes in the palace, but there are only 6. The title makes you feel like these girls have power. Or don't they?

Pros:

• It feels like Maxon was not with America as much in this book as he was in The Selection, but I think that was intentional in order to show America's growing (and sometimes stunted) character development. You get a better look at America's character. As she grows to become more independent from her family, she acts on feelings of justice in very gray areas. I feel that this book is a great representation of America's continuous struggle of the reasons behind why she is still in The Selection and her feelings for the two men fighting for her. I feel that her feelings and actions are very normal and justified despite being a naive seventeen-year-old young woman who comes from a rough past.
• Maxon continues to surprise me. His flaws show even more and you realize more that he is a victim of all that's going on as much as the girls that willingly or unwillingly stayed in the castle. With Maxon's character, I actually fell deeper in love with his character because you understand his world and environment better despite how America is viewing and struggling with the Selection process. In some sense, he is also struggling in similar ways that America is, such as staying to himself and what he believes in. Plus, who doesn't like a man who knows what he wants and goes straight for it?
• You also get a better view of Maxon's other relationships, but from America's side so you're obviously not seeing the bigger picture of things, but the series is about her journey as one of the Selected. You can see how America deals with all the relationships that affect her and her relationship with Maxon.
• The side characters actually get more characterization and I have grown to appreciate certain characters more than others.
• Then you also have the rebels to consider. You get a little more of a glimpse of what the rebels want and how far they'll go when terrorizing the people in the palace. Based on the events in The Elite, I know that'll they play a huge role in The One.

Cons:

• Again, the love triangle is what I like the least. America cannot decide who she wants: Maxon or Aspen. But, she always tends to lean toward the Maxon side.
• We can't forget about him even if we try. At the beginning of The Selection, I actually liked him until he was a complete manipulative jerk to her. I personally am perturbed every time he comes into the novel. I just want to grab onto America's shoulders and shake her while telling her, "Girl, he dumped you and he is totally manipulating you. Tell him to leave!" What Aspen does throughout this book is very wrong and could easily get her killed, especially with how deep Maxon's feelings are for America. His presence and actions come off as manipulative to me since he was the one who was selfish before she became one of the Selected and continues to be selfish while living and "protecting" her in the palace. Unfortunately, America doesn't see it.
• I felt that the Marlee situation was cruel and unnecessary, but I feel like this was the way Cass was trying to kill off one of your favorite characters without the actual killing.
• I'm also not a fan of King Clarkson, Maxon's father. He is very manipulative in a different extreme from Aspen. As you find out how he deals with everything from country to rebels to even his own son, you hate him even more.

Critics' Reviews:

"The Elite seems like a mix between The Bachelor, The Hunger Games, and Downton Abbey, but it is set in the future after the United States falls to China. Part of the plot involves learning how the United States became Illéa, a monarchy. Some parts of the story lack background information, but possibly the next book will answer these questions. There is a lot going on here, but readers can pick up with this book and, for the most part, make sense of it." --School Library Journal

"The plot moves more quickly in book two as rebel attacks intensify and the girls become more competitive, ratcheting up the tension. Some secrets of Illea's past are revealed—a history hidden behind castle walls that contradicts the oral history embraced by Illea's people. It is a welcome addition to the series, as details about the dystopian kingdom come to light that were only previously sketched out. America's character is more fully developed; in simple prose readers see the complicated feelings that can evolve when one feels love for two individuals—albeit a very different kind of love for each. Aspen is America's "one constant." He represents America's link to the past, and her inability to move forward. Prince Maxon, however, clearly has a hold on her heart, but that hold brings with it America's encroaching adulthood—adulthood she is not ready to embrace. The dystopian elements take a backseat to the romance, and because of this, public and school librarians may find this work appeals more to readers of romance writers like Sarah MacLean and Anna Godberson rather than to fans of The Hunger Games." --VOYA

Kiera Cass's Website:

http://www.kieracass.com/

Other Recommendations:

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Entwined by Heather Dixon

Review Wednesday: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection (The Selection #1)

Author: Kiera Cass
1st Date of Publication: April 24, 2012

ISBN: 9780062059949
# of Pages: 327

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society

Age Rating: 13

Buy it on Amazon

Book Description:
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 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 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.

Setting: Illea (United States) in the future
Point of View: 1st person- America Singer

Goodreads Rating: 4.16

My Rating: 4.25

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The cover is what truly caught my eye. My favorite color is blue and I just want to be in that dress. Plus, the girl (America) is absolutely gorgeous in front of all the mirrors.
View on Title: The title was intriguing. Who is being selected? Why are they being selected?

Pros:

• First off, this is a response to pop culture, which I think is an excellent way to gain the attention of teenagers. The concept behind the book series is The Bachelor meets royalty. This shows a response to the popularity of the show The Bachelor along with the growing popularity of the marriage between Prince William and Duchess Kate in 2012.
• I love the main female character/protagonist, America. America is a very strong female protagonist with a strong sense of duty and morals while staying true to herself and love for her family. It's clear she isn't perfect, but she doesn't necessarily try to hide it. America's combination of natural beauty, confidence, and sassiness makes this book a fun adventure and a great getaway from everyday life.
• In my eyes, the only main male character is Maxon. He is your dreamy prince that you want to love and want to get to know better.
• This isn't your typical love story. America from the start isn't very nice and is only in the Selection to help her family get money for food. Maxon, though, is compassionate and continues to forgive her for all her mistakes. But, he also has flaws that add to their friendship/relationship with each other. It feels very normal.
• I feel like this book shows the true colors of competition when it comes to females, especially when it comes to a supposedly hot and rich bachelor.
• Many teenage girls and young women can relate to America. If you're an older sister and care for your family, you'll identify with America. If you're unsure about your feelings about the male species, you'll relate to America. If you felt the strains of financial struggle as a kid and a teenager, you will relate to America and her decision to doing something that isn't your cup of tea to ensure her family is taken care of at home.

Cons:

• This has a love triangle and I absolutely hate love triangles. I feel that they are unnecessary and only for plot purposes and to spice things up. I felt that the competition was enough drama to make the book interesting since America went to the palace already heartbroken. In the end, I felt that the love triangle was a little overwhelming if not annoying.
• As I continue to reread this series, I dislike Aspen more and more. I see him as this manipulative character who toys with America and makes her decisions and life so much more difficult.
• Some of the side characters seemed to be underdeveloped, but I feel like this is a specific technique to make you feel like you were in America's place of barely knowing her rivals and how quickly they leave.

Critics' Reviews:

“Cass’s immensely readable debut novel is a less drastic Hunger Games, with elaborate fashion and trappings. The fast-paced action will have readers gasping for the upcoming sequel.”--Booklist
"A cross between The Hunger Games (minus the bloodsport) and The Bachelor (minus the bloodsport), this trilogy launch employs multiple conventions of the dystopian romance genre—strong-willed heroine, heart-wrenching love triangle, far-future setting divided by class. That said, it’s a lot of fun. In a post WWIII U.S. divided by caste, teenage America Singer and her family are Fives, struggling musicians and artists. In love with a Six, America is headed for a life of servitude and hunger, until she is chosen for the Selection—a contest through which Prince Maxon will pick his princess. The Selection brings America instant notoriety and prestige, but also thrusts her into a ring of jealous, desperate girls all trying to win the prince’s heart. Cass (author of the self-published The Siren) deftly builds the chemistry between America and Maxon, while stoking the embers of America’s first, forbidden love. Headstrong and outspoken, America is an easy heroine to root for, and the scenes where she tries to fit in to her new royal life are charming. A TV drama based on the books is in production." --Publishers Weekly

Kiera Cass's Website:

http://www.kieracass.com/

Other Recommendations:

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Eve by Anna Carey
The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Anticipation Friday: The Crown by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Description
Twenty years have passed since the events of The One, and America and Maxon’s daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Princess Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you... and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

Preorder on Amazon

Other info
Expected Date of Publication: May 3, 2016
Stand-Alone or Series/Companion: Series- The Selection #5
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society

Why Am I Anticipating This Book?

First off, the cover (like all the other covers) are beautiful and so aesthetically pleasing. Doesn't this cover make you want to be Eadlyn.

I also have loved the original trilogy about her mother and the first book to Eadlyn's duology so I am excited to see where Eadlyn's love will go. Based on the previous book, this has less of a love triangle than the first set of books.

I also love Eadlyn's character. She is strong, spunky, and stubborn like her mother but she knows the importance of running a country and finding the right man to become king to help her rule like her father.



My Interview About My Capstone/Thesis Paper

Here is the interview, which is from Marywood's English Department blog Read On. Write On.

Meet Marilyn Anderson (’16)

MARCH 24, 2016 / READONWRITEONMU

Profile by Maria Lawrence (’17)

Marilyn Anderson is a senior at Marywood University. She will graduate this fall as an English Literature major with a Writing minor. Her love of books prompted her to major in English. Marilyn has not only a passion for reading and writing, but also a love for discussing literature.

Inspirations

Marilyn is particularly fond of novels about young adult dystopian societies. This interest began when Marilyn was a teenager while she was forming her beliefs and discovering herself. She is attracted to these books mostly because “[they] can be a way to predict what the future may look like based on the recent past and today’s events and culture.” A few of Marilyn’s favorite authors are Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, and Suzanne Collins. She likes these authors for a number of reasons, but especially because their works are both enjoyable and relevant to others.

Marilyn’s Work

Marilyn’s favorite book is Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Marilyn feels that she can really relate to the character of Katniss Everdeen, and she loves how Collins portrays her as a strong, independent woman. For Marilyn’s senior capstone paper she will compare The Hunger Games to Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Her paper will focus on how radical the character of Katniss is because of her dominant masculine and feminine characteristics.

Memories

One of Marilyn’s fondest memories was in Dr. Conlogue’s English 180 class. The class had to do a creative writing assignment in pairs with each member writing a paragraph. This was Marilyn’s first time writing collaboratively with another person. Marilyn and her partner went on to expand their story together even after the class had ended. Marilyn’s confidence grew after this experience, and she learned how much she enjoys encouraging others to write.

Marilyn’s Future

After graduation, Marilyn’s goal is to pursue a career in writing and editing. She enjoys reading others’ works to see their personal perspectives on the world and giving them feedback. “It is our responsibility to become role models and influence the youth for the good of others.” What better way to do that than through literature!  Marilyn hopes to edit works she is passionate about and that her own writing will inspire others.

Advice

Marilyn’s advice to students is to get all of their ideas out on paper. If ever a student gets discouraged: walk away. She believes the best thing is to take a break and do something you love before returning to writing. For Marilyn a break may consist of listening to music or roller skating. “You never know when inspiration will spark!”

April 2016 Update

I am so very sorry that I have been on such a long hiatus from this blog. I have some very avid fans who have been telling me that I need to update them on this blog so that they don't feel cheated completely. But, I have been extremely busy and I wish that I have had time to actually write on this blog more regularly.

First of all, I want to say, "Happy Spring!," even though it doesn't feel like spring. Up here in Northeast Pennsylvania, it has been very wishy-washy. One day it'll be almost like summer with 70 degree weather and then a couple days later it snows and is cold. It's a little frustrating, but I know I won't be living in this area for my entire life. Once I finish my bachelor's degree, I have big plans that don't involve Scranton as much, but I'll let you all know later about this.

School has been one of two reasons why I have not posted anything since December, but I have thought about this blog very often. I'll be straight up: School has been everything but fun for the most. I am finally able to swim up the surface enough to write this update and maybe a few more posts this month before I will be back on after finals in the beginning-middle of May. I have actually deemed this semester as the "Semester from Hell" because I feel like every day is a struggle to get up and start my day. Enough of my little pity party.

I have been working really hard. I am taking 2 British literature courses, a young adult genre course (I really love this class), and a philosophy class called Ethics along with my Senior Seminar class. I do not find my Ethics class any fun, but the incentive I have is that I am getting paid to take notes for a student who can't. I do not know why but I at least am helping someone out. The British courses are alright, but it made me realize I'm not much of a fan of British literature except for Shakespeare. Young Adult is really fun and we went over my favorite book, "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, in the middle of the semester, which brings me to my Senior Seminar class.

I have to say that my Senior Seminar class is my most exciting and rewarding class but exhausting and draining at the same time. In this class, I am writing my senior thesis (we call it "capstone" at Marywood University) which is a huge paper that has become a research project. In my paper, I am writing about "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" where I am concentrating heavily on different aspects of characterizations to explain why they are seen to be radical for this time period and why they have become so popular. This paper is the main reason why I have not written anything for you, but I am almost completely done with it. I plan to share it with you once I have presented it in front of a crowd of English majors and professors along with whoever we invite, which really scares me because I am someone who likes to be behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight. I will post the interview I got from another English student about my paper in the next post immediately following this.

Now for scheduling for the fall 2016 semester. I am in the top tier for scheduling so I got first pickings, which is nice for the most part but frustrating at first. I found out that I won't graduate next semester  (January 2017) since the last requirement is not being offered so I have to take an extra semester. I was a little distraught and upset, but I thought that I would add another minor but in business. I scheduled my classes while I was on break at work but only got half my classes I originally signed up for. So that day became "let's run around and see if I can get my schedule fixed before going back to work." Thankfully, I did manage. My first mission was to get off the waitlist for a writing class for my writing minor, which I managed to get a quick discussion and email to the English chair. I got put on the roster a couple days later. Next was my business classes, which is new for me. I met up with the business chair, which my wonderful boyfriend (he's a business double major) helped me go straight to him so that I don't have to make an extra step or two to find the chair. The business chair helped me fix my business class and I declared my minor in business a couple days later, too. So now I am taking a 2 writing courses, 3 business courses, and no literature courses.

That was pretty much everything for school. Work has been insane for me and the second reason why I have not been blogging. I am working split shifts at my job and work about 50 hours a week. I originally was scheduled about 44 hours a week when the semester started, but as the weeks went by my hours kept getting longer. I wake up almost every weekday morning at 4:30 and now Saturdays, too. Recently my Friday overnight shifts got changed to an early Saturday morning. I have not slept in or came into work late because my boyfriend is so awesome and calls me to wake me up because my phone alarm is not always the most reliable. Because my schedule is so odd and labor is low in both shifts I work, I work before and after classes, which makes many of my days be 15 hours straight of working and school together. I somewhat regret doing this because I am almost always tired and just manage to get all my schoolwork done on time, but I have no choice under certain circumstances which I will continue to explain later. The upside though is that my checks every week are fairly nice. I'm also pretty much a manager at my job but my boss is making sure himself that I fit the role.

My school's spring break wasn't the greatest for me. I worked my usual split shifts (which made absolutely no sense to me) and during the week I rushed to get all the things I wanted to get done. I got my hair cut and highlighted because I felt that I should treat myself since I have worked myself so hard for 8 weeks already (now it's been 12 weeks). And on the weekend rather than spending it for fun and myself, I went to my great-grandmother's memorial which is 3 months after her death. It was very hard for since I was close to her despite being so far away from her. Even though it was a somber event, it was nice but exhausting to see my huge family. I decided to count my actual "spring break" to be the following weekend. I took off work and had my first vacation in almost 4 years. My boyfriend and I went to Virginia Beach together so that I can meet his family while celebrating his little sister's birthday. I can see myself fitting well with them and really enjoyed meeting them.

My Prince Charming and I are doing well together. For Valentine's Day, he created a beautiful necklace that is the same image of my tattoo on my back. We spent every Saturday together when I was working Friday overnights, but now that I am working Saturday mornings we changed it to Sundays. That's because he travels an hour just to see me so I want to make every second count because he deserves that. We watch Once Upon a Time together and end up taking a nap every Sunday because I am always extremely exhausted and wiped from working so much. But, that won't be much of a problem anymore because he is moving a lot closer to me once school is over, which I think is pretty awesome. By the way, he is also an awesome cook, which I'm glad because I am almost inept at it (I do like to bake though).

So since I have been working so much, I have extra money which I have been stowing away for school and a new car. I love my car, Calypso, since she has been such a champ the last year and half that I have had her with almost 266,000 miles on her and covered in rust and dents. But, I have enough money to buy a new car (of course, used) and I found one that I almost fell in love with within my budget. I found a black 2008 Pontiac G6 that is a perfect fit for me. I just have to get the last bit of money and go through a couple loop holes in order to get it. Plus, I'll still be able to pay all the money I need for school.

That's pretty much all that happened. Sorry if it's so long, but I hope you enjoyed all the GIFs.