Waiting on Wednesday: The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

I cannot BELIEVE I am posting this.  Does anyone remember my earlier binge on the first two books in this series? "Basically Hunger Games meets the Bachlorette."  

I am almost embarrassed but god damn I want to know who he picks. And the covers, still beautiful.

The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

From the very first page of The Selection, this #1 New York Times bestselling series has captured readers' hearts and swept them away on a captivating journey... Now, in The One, Kiera Cass delivers a satisfying and unforgettable conclusion that will keep readers sighing over this electrifying fairy-tale long after the final page is turned.

Publication- May 6th, 2014

What made your Waiting on Wednesday this week? As always, cheers to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting WoW.

Top Ten Tuesday: Must-read Sequels

It is Tuesday! Which means it is time to join The Broke and the Bookish in Top Ten Tuesday. This week's list is dedicated to "Top Ten Sequels We Can't Wait To Get Our Hands On." Share your list below. We probs forgot something epic and need to be reminded :-).

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer, the third in the Lunar Chronicles Series. These books are each  better than the last.

2 and 3. Rebel Heart and Raging Star, the second and third books in the Dust Lands Series, which I imagine will be as equally epic as Blood Red Road.

                   

4. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo, book three of the Grisha Series. This series reminds me of the Graceling books in the best way possible.

5. Ruins by Dan Wells. Book three of the Partials series!

6.The One by Kiera Glass, book three in The Selection series. A guilty pleasure read, but one Crazy Camper is really enjoying.

                                           

7. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs. Whhhhaaaaaattt!? So cool.

Top Ten Tuesday: Required Reading

YO PEOPLE. Today's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the fab The Broke and the Bookish was hard! We apparently are not budding lit professors. Nevertheless, here is what makes our list as teachable books. Cheers to all those TTT participants out there! share your ideas!

 
• The Book Thief- definitely appropriate for an American Studies class and a good comparison to Anne Frank's Diary of a young girl as it tells the story of a different but in many ways same young girl in WWII.
• And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. Not because everyone is all "we love the Kite Runner" but because of the interesting way the book floats around the narrators, it almost has a feeling of stream of consciousness.  I think someone smarter then me in this subject would have more to say.  (you could say Shatter Me was going for the stream of conscious thing, but not as well done, though I still enjoyed it. Can't say that book is worthy of school reading)
• David Leviathan's The Lovers Dictionary (which CC LOVED) for a creative writing class.  Many YA authors (forever side eye for the Fallen series...where I will now lump the Selection series as well)  out there could probably benefit from learning to show a character rather then tell a story.  This book almost broke my heart, in so few words, almost no context, ZERO world building, and just generally well chosen sentences.
• Connie Willis's To Say Nothing of the Dog- its such a smart book, I most likely missed half the literary puns/ historical references. Help would be great.
• Neil Gaiman Ananzi Boys, I like how he turns history/folk culture/myth on its head. You could read this in a modern lit class.

Crusin' Through a Series: The Selection and the Elite by Kiera Cass

 I was just making fun of some girlfriends who wanted to get together to watch the Bachelorette, and pish poshing the show... when I thought about The Selection and The Elite by Kiera Cass, basically Hunger Games meets the Bachlorette.  Here comes a double review because essentially these books are just chapters in one story, but if you are going to get all worked up about SPOLIERS...walk away now.

The Selection: 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

The Elite: Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

To be clear... NOTHING above is a spoiler- a 5 year old could have guessed a sequel was coming about 100 pages into The Selection.....

• Originality: 6/2.  Those 6 points are for the first part of the book, which had some very cool promise about castes, young love, and hardship in a  struggling world.... then it gets squelched as it turns into a beauty contest. 9-- the 100% predictability of America's feelings for the Prince, struggle with Aspen, and general love of pretty dresses.
• Absurdity: 9. Can the main character's mood swings be the basis for an absurdity rating?  Well, there is a first time for everything.  For crying out loud America, pull it TOGETHER.  She needs a tough friend with some tough love, not some maids who dote on her.
• Level of Paranormal Romance: 8.  High, only not higher because of an equal amount of love for the pretty clothes and fancy food.
• Level of Harry-Potterness: 3.  These books are not well written, though cool in concept (and with beautiful covers).  I still crushed these while in airports and at the beach...  I think the America you were beginning to like in book 1 is totally overwhlemed by petty-girl-fights for the Prince.  sigh.   Will I read the next one.  YES, but I promise there will be eye rolls....