The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

This month’s Saturday Spotlight theme is romance. This is the final post for this theme. The prior posts have been for This Time It’s Real, Opposite of Always, and For Darkness Shows the Stars. You can find these posts here, here, and here.

This week’s book is The Selection by Kiera Cass. This book is basically a royalty Bachelor. I love it!

It is a five-book series. The first three books are about America and the last two books are about her daughter. There is also a short story collection that takes place between the end of America’s story and the beginning of her daughter’s.

The order is:

1. The Selection
2. The Elite
3. The One
4. The Heir
5. The Crown

The short story collection is Happily Ever After.

These books are really quick, a day or two per book. It is a dystopian romance, though the dystopian aspects are pretty minimal. There is some political drama, too, which I love.

America is a very feisty main character, though Maxon (the prince) steals the show. He is such a wonderful character and so sweet. I absolutely love reading these books and I they are the perfect books for spring!

In this world, there are caste systems. The further down you go, the lesser you are in the eyes of society. America is in caste five. Every time the heir to the throne is old enough to marry, they hold a Selection. The Selections have eligible girls from every caste come and meet the heir, where they will compete for his heart. It’s just like the Bachelor!

America is selected for Prince Maxon’s selection, but she already has a lover. So, she is doing her best to leave the competition as soon as possible but things do not go as planned.

This is one of my favorite romance series. I absolutely love it, and it deals with some heavy things, but it is still manageable and not too heavy. It is also appropriate for younger teens, probably late middle school/early high school!

Summary:

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.

I am also going to be reading a lot of Kiera Cass’ books this April, so a more complete review of these books are coming.