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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Not my typical go to book; however, after getting through the first few chapters I was really invested in the main character and her journey. I like the espionage aspect as well as the authors way of showing how a young girl coming into her own, fighting for what she thinks is right and just verses what could happen if she openly speaks her mind. I loved the action and the unexpected turns of the book. The ending left me wanting more, cant wait to see where this story goes in book 2.
3.5- it is basically one of my favorite series but all messed up...
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know what I expected this book to be like but boy was I wrong. I think the description really sounded like the selection to me, but when I read it the only similarity was the concept. The trials are run so differently, there’s so much deception, and violence going on. You don’t know who to trust and it’s just kinda wild. Gonna be honest I think the prince should’ve gotten a different name because Kevon just doesn’t do it for me, but that’s super minor. Other than that I like the characters and thought it was a solid book. I wouldn’t say I’m on the edge of my seat or obsessed with any characters or lines, but I do plan to keep reading through the series.
Unfortunately, I found myself marking a DNF. The main question I had with it was “why?” There was no real answer to the questions I had. Everyone seemed to do things for no reason, with no motives and had no real plot outcomes. There was no way to justify most of the characters actions, and it felt forced to get the plot moving. It was very messy and awkwardly paced. I struggled to follow it, and everything seemed to blur into one thing. They could be mourning someone and suddenly they’re ballroom dancing, and now they’re at a garden party and now they’re being interviewed. I couldn’t follow any of it.
Calling this ”Hunger Games X Selection” is an insult to those authors. I haven’t read The Selection, but though there were similarities between Princess Trials and Hunger Games, the Echleons are much sloppier, undefined versions of the Districts, and while in the Hunger Games, the 16 teens were forced to fight to the death, in the Princess Trials, they all signed up for the inhumane treatment!
The “not like the other girls” energy the main character gave off really annoyed me. It seemed that everyone in the entire bloody country wanted to marry the prince, and our main character, Corn-Corn Corn (that literally is the translation of her name) was the only one who didn’t care for him: at one point, everyone in the room except for Corn squealed at the mention of him, which really annoyed me. The author couldn’t’ve put even the slightest bit of personality into them?
Another thing is that the names are a mess. The main character was called Zea-Mays Calico, which means Corn-Corn Corn. There are some pretty fantasy names like Forelle and Lady Circi, but there’s also Berta and Kevon.
To conclude, this book was a sloppy, confusing mess of a read, with the worst cliches and awkward pacing. A shame, because I enjoyed the first part!
Calling this ”Hunger Games X Selection” is an insult to those authors. I haven’t read The Selection, but though there were similarities between Princess Trials and Hunger Games, the Echleons are much sloppier, undefined versions of the Districts, and while in the Hunger Games, the 16 teens were forced to fight to the death, in the Princess Trials, they all signed up for the inhumane treatment!
The “not like the other girls” energy the main character gave off really annoyed me. It seemed that everyone in the entire bloody country wanted to marry the prince, and our main character, Corn-Corn Corn (that literally is the translation of her name) was the only one who didn’t care for him: at one point, everyone in the room except for Corn squealed at the mention of him, which really annoyed me. The author couldn’t’ve put even the slightest bit of personality into them?
Another thing is that the names are a mess. The main character was called Zea-Mays Calico, which means Corn-Corn Corn. There are some pretty fantasy names like Forelle and Lady Circi, but there’s also Berta and Kevon.
To conclude, this book was a sloppy, confusing mess of a read, with the worst cliches and awkward pacing. A shame, because I enjoyed the first part!
I was hoping for a new version of the Hunger Games with a Selection series kind of twist, but this simply was not what I received.
The pacing of this book is so strange, there’s absolutely no sense to some of the events that occur - and believe me a whole lot happens in this nearly 500 page heap of rubbish.
There were SO many stories happening and so many names, I’m honestly struggling to comprehend what happened. I really liked the world building but the story just sort of ruined it for me.
Zea - the person supposed to be infiltrating the palace to start the revolution - was the biggest WET LETTUCE ever. She is PATHETIC. She’s naive, a snivelling wreck and is just severely unlikeable. Berta as a character also made me want to run over my own head, I wanted to set her on fire. Zea is also pining over someone back in her home town that absolutely is only showing an interest to make her complete her mission. Also his name is Ryce. RYCE. And her name literally means CORN CORN CORN.
One more thing, when you’re having people take part in a televised competition, you don’t TELL them they’re the scapegoat or the “bucking bronco” - that is so dumb. You don’t tell people the roles you want them to fulfil, it just doesn’t work. The end did pick up a bit for me, but the sequel needs some serious transforming for me to like it.
Did I enjoy this? No. Will I be considering buying the next book so I can hate read it? Yes.
The pacing of this book is so strange, there’s absolutely no sense to some of the events that occur - and believe me a whole lot happens in this nearly 500 page heap of rubbish.
There were SO many stories happening and so many names, I’m honestly struggling to comprehend what happened. I really liked the world building but the story just sort of ruined it for me.
Zea - the person supposed to be infiltrating the palace to start the revolution - was the biggest WET LETTUCE ever. She is PATHETIC. She’s naive, a snivelling wreck and is just severely unlikeable. Berta as a character also made me want to run over my own head, I wanted to set her on fire. Zea is also pining over someone back in her home town that absolutely is only showing an interest to make her complete her mission. Also his name is Ryce. RYCE. And her name literally means CORN CORN CORN.
One more thing, when you’re having people take part in a televised competition, you don’t TELL them they’re the scapegoat or the “bucking bronco” - that is so dumb. You don’t tell people the roles you want them to fulfil, it just doesn’t work. The end did pick up a bit for me, but the sequel needs some serious transforming for me to like it.
Did I enjoy this? No. Will I be considering buying the next book so I can hate read it? Yes.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, it’s my own fault for trusting booktok. I thought this book would be an easy read, just a simple pleasure really. Calling this a “combination of The Hunger Games and The Selection” is not entirely wrong but it’s also downright disrespectful to Suzanne Collins and Kiera Cass. Reading this book felt like reading the rough draft of a book I would have written in middle school after discovering fantasy dystopian romance. The only difference is that I wouldn’t have named the prince Kevon. Because in a fictional dystopian world where the main character names are Zea, Forelle, and Gemini why the fuck is the main guy we’re meant to be rooting for named Kevon??
Disclaimer: I don’t think Zea, Forelle, and Gemini are cool names either. It’s just that the distinction between those and Kevon is mind-boggling to me.
Disclaimer: I don’t think Zea, Forelle, and Gemini are cool names either. It’s just that the distinction between those and Kevon is mind-boggling to me.
A book this dumb cannot be this boring 😭😭😭