{Review} The Elite by Kiera Cass

First off, I would just like to mention that I've decided to change my review style a bit.  I think that now (when I feel like it) I will actually be discussing the book instead of just giving a vague review.  So there will be spoilers.  But I think that by discussing the book I can actually give you guys a better review, and for those of you who have read the books that I review you can talk about it with me too.  And don't worry you guys that haven't read the books I'll be reviewing.  I will clearly mark off where there are spoilers, set the spoiler text to white so there is NO chance you will read anything by accident, and if you want to read the spoiler you just have to highlight where the text is so you can see it!
I'm trying to make my blog more open to my followers so you guys will feel like you maybe know me a bit better and won't hesitate to leave your thoughts about a book (whether you agree with my opinion or not) so we can discuss it. :)

Ok now on with the review!! :)

The Elite
by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #2
Pages: 323
Release Date: April 23, 2013
by HarperTeen

Goodreads / Purchase

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selece Selection.
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.

This book is, by no means, a great work of literature that will forever be remembered.  But it IS a perfect summer read because it’s light, fluffy, but interesting at the same time.  I really enjoyed this story.  The writing was kind of meh in the beginning but then I started to really like it.  Sometimes the descriptions or events weren’t written very well, but I’ll cut Kiera Cass a bit of slack.  There was a ton of conflict and drama in this book and I couldn’t help but be completely riveted by it, even though I am STRONGLY Team Maxon (I despise Aspen).  I liked the twists and turns, and the staging, for the most part, even though there was one really bad event that was staged.  But, ignoring that, I thought the story line was really good.  [SPOILER: Also some of America’s decisions were really stupid (like the big one at the end where she proposes to eliminate the casts, which, honestly, I thought was a good idea) and then acts surprised when exactly what she wnted to happen happens.  Also I found it kind of annoying that every time America opened that diary and read it just HAPPENED to be something that helped the story line and the staging.]  To add to that, some of the things in this book weren’t exactly consistent.  Let me get this straight: America lives in a futuristic, dystopian world that has a king, queen, prince/princess, and you have to wear ball gowns and be eloquent…yet you have DJs.  I found that absolutely hilarious, but very interesting and cool at the same time because you don’t see that combination very often.  Or ever.  I absolutely LOVED the ending and how everything was cleared up love-triangle wise, and I have very high expectations for the final book.

[MINOR SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION: One thing that I noticed and felt like I had to mention was the similarity of this book to The Hunger Games.  You guys are probably thinking, “What the hell are you talking about?!  The Hunger Games is about 24 kids fighting to the death, and this book is about 35 girls trying to win a prince’s heart.”  But let me explain.

First off, both books are dystopians, and there is a love triangle.  There is a competition where people are eliminated (yes, in this book they’re just sent home, not killed).  But then you get more in depth.  In both books there is an uprising, and also there are Casts, otherwise known as Districts in The Hunger Games.  Then you have the Selected, otherwise known as Tributes (even though the methods for picking are different if I remember correctly).  Then you have the love triangle.  In The Selection, you have Maxon and Aspen.  In The Hunger Games, you have Peeta and Gale.  Maxon is basically Peeta, and Aspen is basically Gale.

Maxon and Peeta are both pampered, aren’t used to hard work, and have a better standing in society.  I also found both very weak and sometimes annoying (Peeta for all the Hunge Games books, but Maxon only for The Selection.  Also, Katniss didn’t really notice Peeta until the Hunger Games, just like America didn’t really notice Maxon until the Selection.

Aspen and Gale are both hard working, tough, and lower-standing people who Katniss/America knew before she/she went into the Hunger Games/Selection.

And then, for the grand finale (and I literally laughed at this one) there is a part of the world in The Elite that is called Panama, not at all to be confused with The Hunger Games setting, Panem.  Spelled differently, but pronounced basically the same way (minus the “aa” sound at the end).  I thought that was hilarious. ]

Now we get to the characters.  First off, let me just set the record straight.  I am 100000000% Team Maxon for life!  I hate Aspen with a passion (seriously, the dude’s a jerk) and I honestly don’t know why there is even any question which one America should pick.  But anyway.  [SPOILER: I don’t think there’s really going to be a love triangle with America, Maxon, and Aspen in the third book because the ending of this book kind of hinted that America was going to fight for Maxon.  So I’m guessing there’s going to be a love triangle between Maxon, America, Kriss, and possibly Celeste.  Interesting. ]  Just like in The Selection, I really liked America.  Usually that doesn’t really happen for me in love triangles, but I really liked her strength, spunk, and attitude.  [SPOILER: Plus, anytime I can feel myself kind of starting to dislike her I just think back to how she kneed Maxon in the groin in the first book and I love her again lol.  I like Maxon, I just think it was hilarious that she did that and Maxon still loves her. ]  I also like Maxon.  What should their ship name be?  Hmmm…maybe Amaxon.  Yes, I like that very much lol.  Anyway, Maxon really grew on me in this book.  I remember thinking he was weak and all in the first book, but after the ending of this book I really respected him and thought he was a strong character.  [SPOILER: Even though it really annoyed me that he was running around making out with all the other girls when he loved America.  And I know he had an excuse, but it was a really shitty one. ]  Should I even waste my time talking about Aspen?  After what he did to America in the first book I’ve despised him, and I have no intention of changing my mind.  I SHIP AMAXON FOREVER AND EVER!

Seriously, the endings of these books are killing me.  Both have been huge cliffhangers, but I think The Selection’s ending was more killer that this one.  This one made me really happy because I like the direction I would imagine it’s going.  GO AMAXON!

4 pink flowers

What did you guys think of this book?  Leave your thoughts in a comment and we'll have a discussion! :)