The Elite

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA, dystopia
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I want to cry because of Maxon, but at the same time, I just want to dance and celebrate because of Aspen. I'm not sure how forthcoming I've been about who I ship with who in the series, so hopefully that statement confuses you. 
I can't even start explaining all the emotions this book put me through, at least not without spoiling something major which you need to not know until the very end so that you can enjoy the book. I can, however, say that I read this in one day - and I had a 3-hour meeting, too. I read walking to the station, on the train, on the tube, walking to my meeting, and all that again on the trip back. It's dangerous and I nearly missed my stop on the way back, I was so engrossed in the book. It might also have something to do with the fact that I was having my heart ripped to shreds on a bloody train, and had to fight back tears.

America... I can safely say I'd forgotten how incredibly girly she is. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but usually authors seem to have a need to sow their heroines as incredibly strong physically, and less girly - they don't giggle or gossip much. But America is very much like a real girl in the sense that she does all that, she worries about what she's wearing, and how she looks; but she also has an inner strength that can be surprising, if one only focuses on those traits, and dismisses her as an airhead. She's so far from that, but appearances can be deceiving. So when she delivers her punch, let me tell you, it hits hard. I did have a very hard time with her constant switching from Aspen to Maxon every time something went wrong with Maxon, but I've seen this happen so many times now, it hardly even bothers me for the right reasons (because she's stringing them both along to a certain extent... though, you know, so is Maxon, kind of. And Aspen... well. Spoilers.), but because I've already figured out who she's going to pick, and just get mad at her for not sticking with him and saving them both heartache. If book characters heard my yelled instructions, their lives would be SO much easier. Their loss ;)

Maxon... I have my reservations towards his character, just like Mer did at times. Which is a first in a situation like the one I found myself in after finishing the book. Still, I believe that, deep down, he's a good guy, and I mean, really... a worse king than his dad, he cannot be, so there's that. My reservations come mostly from the fact that, though he professes his love for Mer, he is still essentially seeing people on the side. I know it's not really his fault, but it does add a certain feeling of, shall we say... cheating. And that's just the tip of it, but I'm keeping quiet. Spoilers and all...

Aspen. Oh god. I can't stand him. Which is weird, cause I do have very strong feelings about who he should end up with (but then, the same goes to Maxon, so don't read too much into that statement... or maybe do! haha) I'm pretty sure he explained to Mer why he broke up with her before the Selection, but it must have been a piss-poor reason, cause I've already forgotten it. So I really dislike him. But I love the idea of him being with the person I have in mind. UGH. CONTRADICTIONS!


Anyway. Read, read, read. It's wonderful, and I need someone to discuss it with ;)