Anxiously Awaiting (and a Cover Craving)...The Heir by Kiera Cass!

The Heir
by Kiera Cass
The Selection, book four

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought. (Description from EW announcement article)

I am SO EXCITED that Kiera Cass and her publisher decided to turn The Selection trilogy into a longer series. The Heir will also be followed by a fifth book, which I assume will also feature Princess Eadlyn, but there's no real information about it out yet.  For now, I'm just stoked to read the start of her story...May cannot come fast enough! 

ANd...don't you just love the covers for this series? I am a total sucker for a gorgeous gown on the front cover and I love the way they use the mirrored reflections... 

Gold Star Review: The One

The One 
by Kiera Cass
The Selection, book one

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. (description from goodreads.com) 

I devoured this book.  From the moment that I picked up the first book in the series, The Selection, I've been utterly hooked.  Cass created a great dystopian setting - a future where there is a rigid caste system holds the citizens of their kingdom hostage - a fabulous main character - a spirited girl who is also compassionate and brave in the face of adversity - and a heartbreaker of a prince... Maxon, *sigh*.  

I will fully admit that I love the many different aspects of this trilogy's story.  The precarious balance the royals find themselves in, trying desperately to save their way of life.  The drama of having many girls competing to catch the eye of just one man.  The romantic bits, the scary bits, the family bits... the romantic bits.  Oh wait, did I say that already?  Yes, yes I did.  It needed saying twice. 

I desperately needed to know how this series ended.  I thought I knew but I just had to find out for sure... and HOW they would get to that place.  The journey Kiera Cass took me on was well worth the wait.  I laughed, I cried, and I grinned along the way.  I had my heart broken several times, but in the end, I was truly, joyously happy with how things turned out.  

What I loved most about this ending was that while things ended in the happy way that I wanted, it was also messy. Very much like real life.  Things were not pat and easy and unbelievable.  There was sorrow right up until the final moments mixed in... 

While I would GLADLY read a follow-up book, perhaps one following the beginning of the fallout from the book (trying to be non-spoilery here), I am happy to report that I am also fully satisfied ending where this left off.

In fact, this ending earned a coveted GOLD STAR from me. 

 

Full disclosure: Purchased on my Nook (because I couldn't wait for the Library copy, LOL!) 

Gold Star Review - The Elite

The Elite 
by Kiera Cass
The Selection, book two

In America Singer’s world, a bride is chosen for the prince through an elaborate televised competition. In the second book of the Selection series, America is one of only six girls left in the running. But is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—she wants? Or is it Aspen, her first love? (Description from Amazon.com)

I have to admit that I was equal parts extremely excited and extremely nervous for this book. I really loved The Selection, a lot more than I had anticipated I would...it was a fast, easy read that drew me right in... (You can read my review here) I could not wait for the sequel, but I was terrified of "middle book syndrome, " you know, the middle book in a trilogy that really serves no purpose...the one that should just have never existed because the "trilogy" would have been better as a duet?  I was especially scared about this one because I knew it was going to focus so heavily on the romantic triangle in America's life.

I was so HAPPY when I read this book.  Yes, it focuses on the romantic issues, but it does so openly, honestly, without pretending to do anything else...AND, though I'm still a HUGE fan of Prince Maxon, I found myself wavering into Aspen's camp from time to time.  That *never* happens to me.  That means that Kiera Cass has basically written the MOST CONVINCING ROMANTIC TRIANGLE I think I've read to this point.  Super KUDOS to that... and a GOLD STAR!

Besides the romance and the interactions between the girls, which I continue to find fascinating (it's like watching ANTM, you know at some point there's going to be cat fights...they can't help it!), there was actually a lot more revealed about the politics and origin of America's world.  I loved how Cass revealed things through America's own education and felt that the world was really starting to come into focus around her.  I cannot wait to see how America faces the political prospects that face her in the next book...it should be *very* interesting... 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library 

This Week's Library Loot (13)

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire fromThe Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

My Library Loot:

The Elite 

by Kiera Cass

The Selection, book two 

School Spirits 

by Rachel Hawkins 

Hex Hall series, book four 

Mothership 

by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal 

So, that's what I picked up at my Library this week... did you swing by yours?

What's On My Hold List?

Welcome to the May 2013 edition

 

of

 

"What's on My Hold List?"

 

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

Boundless
by Cynthia Hand
Unearthly, book three



Charmed Vengeance
by Suzanne Lazear
The Aether Chronicles, book two



The Nightmare Affair
by Mindee Arnett



The Elite
by Kiera Cass
The Selection, book two

You can click on each title to go to their Amazon page for a description...

 

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??

Mini Reviews: The Prequel Novella Edition

Among the Nameless Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
Prequel to For Darkness Shows the Stars

Before Kai joined the Cloud Fleet, he wandered…
AMONG THE NAMELESS STARS

Four years before the events of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, the servant Kai left the North Estate, the only home he’d ever known, and Elliot North, the only girl he ever loved, in search of a better life. But the journey was not an easy one.

Featuring narrow escapes, thrilling boat races and at least one deadly volcanic wasteland. (description from Amazon.com) 

I loved getting to see things directly from Kai's perspective as he was taking himself out into the world.  Even though this novella is short, Peterfreund packs a lot of information about the world and Kai's situation into it, giving it a lot of depth.  Things are not easy...that's for sure. 

The Prince 

by Kiera Cass

Prequel to The Selection 

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection . . .
Before Aspen broke America’s heart . . .
There was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life. . . .

(description from Amazon.com) 

Another prequel from the guy's perspective! I love the idea of getting inside Maxon's head. I loved finding out that he really was intrigued by America from the start...not just because she was refreshing in her refusal to bow and scrape for him, but also because he really found her attractive inside and out... makes me SOOO anxious for The Elite! 

Full disclosure: Both novellas were purchased for my Nook