Book Review!

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Happy first day of June! It is finally summer, which means that I can finally go outside and read under a tree like a normal kid. The school year is always so chaotic that there is little time for pleasure reading. In this way, summer time is literally and metaphorically a breath of fresh air.
I love reading. I love the idea that we can just click mute on the Remote of Life and take a stroll into a whole new world. We can momentarily forget our troubles as we embark on an incredible adventure. We make fictional friends who we laugh with and cry for.

Reading is truly sensational.

For my first book of the summer, I decided to reread one of my old favorites: The Selection by Kiera Cass. The novel takes place in the kingdom of Illéa. Castes divide the citizens of Illéa; while Ones and Twos live in luxury, Fives are left to work in the arts for an unsteady income. Sixes have it bad, laboring away for others, but their misery is nothing compared to the Eights, who live in the gutter. America Singer, a Five, thinks she has her life all planned out. She will sing at parties forever, and marry the love of her life, Aspen Leger. The only problem is that Aspen is a six, a caste below her. America expects a life of being poor, but happily so. 

Then, the Selection comes into play. Handsome Prince Maxon Schreave, heir to the throne of Illéa, is ready to find his wife. The Selection is a tradition in the nation; eligible girls from across the provinces submit their information, praying to be selected in the lottery. If their name is drawn, they know that wonder is in store. A life of beautiful ball gowns and jewelry. Residing in the palace, and eating splendid food. Compensation for their families. But above all, the Selection is a chance to compete for the love of Prince Maxon. An opportunity to become the next princess of Illéa. 
When America is chosen for the Selection, she is horrified. She does not want to leave Aspen or her family for a stuffy prince she is sure she will despise. More than anything, she does not want the crown. But as the Selection progress, and the 35 girls are gradually eliminated, America becomes closer to Prince Maxon. America realizes that there is a spectacular person underneath the illusion of perfection. She discovers that perhaps this is the life she desires. 
The Selection is one whirlwind of a love triangle between Aspen, America, and Prince Maxon. However, it is also so much more. The characters within Kiera Cass' masterpiece are so alive, vivid, and relatable that I actually named one of my dogs after them. Aspen the Mutt is very proud indeed to be named after this series. Beyond the romance and competition within The Selection, Cass incorporates thrilling moments of rebellion and attacks. As the series, which consists of The Selection, The Elite, and The One, progresses, violence increases and shocking truths are revealed about characters we think we know so well. Cass constantly keeps the reader on their toes while playing with their heart strings. I have laughed out loud through my rereading of these fantastic novels, and I have cried a bit as well. The Selection is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone. In fact, I had my sister read it yesterday. Let me tell you how it went: she was curled up on the couch, next to Aspen the Mutt, drinking tea, and reading for the entire day. She finished The Selection. She also finished The Elite. I'm not sure how she did it exactly, but my friend, it is a sure sign that these stories are too amazing to put down. In the words of Publishers Weekly, the plot is "A cross between The Hunger Games (minus the bloodsport) and The Bachelor (minus the bloodsport)." 

 Did you like The Selection? Let me know how you felt about it in the comments below!

 Keep calm and read on!
-Maya

 Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic on Unsplash, Photo by Church of the King on Unsplash,
Photo by yan on Unsplash, Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

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