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ngreads's review against another edition
3.0
Sigh…well, this is what I get for getting bored and getting a random romance hankering…I’ll be honest, I’ve been putting off this review, but here we go.
So…this is the epitome of a guilty pleasure. I struggle to look at this series with a critical eye because honestly? Look at it. It expects NOTHING from the audience. It screams: “I am here to be entertaining fluff, not much else. I don’t have much point, I’m not here to be deep, I am the bachelor in a post apocalyptic America. With a lead character named…America.”
It was exactly what I expected going in. Like eating a cheap cupcake, I knew it was going to be sweet, enjoyable, and ultimately not great, but fun enough that I might even go on to the others when I’m in the mood for it.
Also…I read this on ebook. And wasn’t paying attention to the page count. I’ve never had a climax abruptly sneak up on me the way it did in the first book before, so that was a surprise.
Couple other notes:
-really fast reads. Read all three over the course of a couple days.
-Maxon is a really cute love interest. I liked him.
-Aspen can die alone in a hole for all I care.
So…this is the epitome of a guilty pleasure. I struggle to look at this series with a critical eye because honestly? Look at it. It expects NOTHING from the audience. It screams: “I am here to be entertaining fluff, not much else. I don’t have much point, I’m not here to be deep, I am the bachelor in a post apocalyptic America. With a lead character named…America.”
It was exactly what I expected going in. Like eating a cheap cupcake, I knew it was going to be sweet, enjoyable, and ultimately not great, but fun enough that I might even go on to the others when I’m in the mood for it.
Also…I read this on ebook. And wasn’t paying attention to the page count. I’ve never had a climax abruptly sneak up on me the way it did in the first book before, so that was a surprise.
Couple other notes:
-really fast reads. Read all three over the course of a couple days.
-Maxon is a really cute love interest. I liked him.
-Aspen can die alone in a hole for all I care.
amchris's review against another edition
went through the audiobooks fairly quick. These were fine, not sure I'd recommend.
catschapters's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this series as a light romance read, I would describe the plot as a mix between the Bachelor and the Hunger Games. If you are looking for a fantasy read that is a guilty pleasure this series would be a good one. America Singer and Maxine Shrive frustrated me as a protagonists - I don' think I really related to her or him until the very end of the series but I was definitely intrigued by the history of their society and the caste system as well as the rebels.
I might pick up the companion reads that follow as a guilty pleasure read in the future.
I might pick up the companion reads that follow as a guilty pleasure read in the future.
hager87's review against another edition
4.0
There is no denying that Kiera Cass is talented gifted writer who has a way with words .. I finished these three books back to back ..
jordancsmith16's review against another edition
3.0
Yes, I reread the entire Selection original trilogy.
Yes, I slightly regret my choices.
I will say the positives of the Selection trilogy is that it does manage to suck me in even though it’s so, so frustrating. That’s a talent.
I will say the negatives is that overall, it’s a very imbalanced series. The third book has some of my favorite things (The contestants finally become friends! Celeste redemption arc! The rebels are real characters! America seems to finally know what she wants! The king dies!!) but it all happens so quickly that none of it is able to have an impact. The king and queen die off page, Aspen and Lucy’s relationship is thrown in there, Celeste is killed in the same book that she got her redemption arc in, and the happy ending is rushed in right after. None of it felt earned.
I appreciate the era that this original trilogy was published in, but I’m happy that more YA novels are stepping away from The Hunger Games model.
Yes, I slightly regret my choices.
I will say the positives of the Selection trilogy is that it does manage to suck me in even though it’s so, so frustrating. That’s a talent.
I will say the negatives is that overall, it’s a very imbalanced series. The third book has some of my favorite things (The contestants finally become friends! Celeste redemption arc! The rebels are real characters! America seems to finally know what she wants! The king dies!!) but it all happens so quickly that none of it is able to have an impact. The king and queen die off page, Aspen and Lucy’s relationship is thrown in there, Celeste is killed in the same book that she got her redemption arc in, and the happy ending is rushed in right after. None of it felt earned.
I appreciate the era that this original trilogy was published in, but I’m happy that more YA novels are stepping away from The Hunger Games model.
alinka_013's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lanie_bug1's review against another edition
3.0
These books are great to get into reading if you like YA, but there are some issues. These books are like The Bachelor and The Hunger Games mixed together, and you can definitely tell being as the main character and her two love interests are the Walmart versions of Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. The writing is mediocre, and I have a bone to pick with the character names. The protagonist is named America Singer. You may wonder, what does she do? She’s a singer. I’d say the series stays pretty consistent throughout, but the first one is definitely the best. Overall, they’re fun and I like most of the characters.
mischulicious's review against another edition
5.0
Ich liebe diese Reihe - da kommt das kleine Mädchen in mir durch. Es ist eine wunderschöne Prinzessinnengeschichte, wobei die Prinzessin keine sein will und das Aschenputtel-Thema ist immer wieder ein Klassiker, den man aufgreifen kann.
Und Kiera Cass macht das auf richtig tolle Weise (jaha, da kommt meine romantische Ader durch). America ist eine tolle Protagonistin und sie war zu jedem Zeitpunkt glaubwürdig - das ist etwas, was mir oft fehlt (und mir selbst nicht immer gelingt). Gut, das Love Triangle hätte jetzt nicht sein müssen, aber ich glaub, das gehört dazu ;) Die Umstände, in der America aufwächst, das Kastensystem, was aus Amerika geworden ist und wie die Welt dort aufgebaut ist und nach welchen Regeln sie spielt - ich liebe es. Es ist alles ineinander schlüssig, es ist stimmig, glaubhaft. Okay, vielleicht nicht ganz, wenn man die kurze Zeitspanne bedenkt, in der das alles passiert sein soll - dennoch Hut ab, ich war wirklich beeindruckt (und hab die Buchreihe schon als Weihnachtsgeschenk vorgemerkt).
Long Story short: wenn ich jemals ein Literaturbesprechungsvideo mach, ist diese Buchreihe definitiv meine erste Wahl :D
Und Kiera Cass macht das auf richtig tolle Weise (jaha, da kommt meine romantische Ader durch). America ist eine tolle Protagonistin und sie war zu jedem Zeitpunkt glaubwürdig - das ist etwas, was mir oft fehlt (und mir selbst nicht immer gelingt). Gut, das Love Triangle hätte jetzt nicht sein müssen, aber ich glaub, das gehört dazu ;) Die Umstände, in der America aufwächst, das Kastensystem, was aus Amerika geworden ist und wie die Welt dort aufgebaut ist und nach welchen Regeln sie spielt - ich liebe es. Es ist alles ineinander schlüssig, es ist stimmig, glaubhaft. Okay, vielleicht nicht ganz, wenn man die kurze Zeitspanne bedenkt, in der das alles passiert sein soll - dennoch Hut ab, ich war wirklich beeindruckt (und hab die Buchreihe schon als Weihnachtsgeschenk vorgemerkt).
Long Story short: wenn ich jemals ein Literaturbesprechungsvideo mach, ist diese Buchreihe definitiv meine erste Wahl :D
fandomchick's review against another edition
2.0
it has been a long time that I have read these books. I was like 13 years old at that time and I loved them as 13 years old. When I just busy scrolling through booktok, I saw a lot of recommendation for this bookserie. And I thought 'What do I remember of this bookserie.' So I have been thinking about what I remember and what I thought about it.
These books are really nice if you just wanna disappear from your own world. With a cup of tea under a blanket. These books give me hunger games/ bachelorette vibes. The girls have to compete with each other of the prince his heart. And there is a love triangle!!!
when I look back at this I was very annoyed at the Main character America. I was first so confused like 'Why do I see the name America every time to call this main character.' It took me 1/2 book to realise that it was her name. Then I just was so annoyed with her and Aspen and then with her and max. I was like 'girl can you just please choose!!' Soooo yeahhhh..... that is the love triangle. But let's put that away. It is a very nice bookserie to read. If you love just to disappear and hide from responsibilities.
These books are really nice if you just wanna disappear from your own world. With a cup of tea under a blanket. These books give me hunger games/ bachelorette vibes. The girls have to compete with each other of the prince his heart. And there is a love triangle!!!
when I look back at this I was very annoyed at the Main character America. I was first so confused like 'Why do I see the name America every time to call this main character.' It took me 1/2 book to realise that it was her name. Then I just was so annoyed with her and Aspen and then with her and max. I was like 'girl can you just please choose!!' Soooo yeahhhh..... that is the love triangle. But let's put that away. It is a very nice bookserie to read. If you love just to disappear and hide from responsibilities.