The Selection Series

Hey guys! I have one more week of break until I go back to school, which means loads of free time to blog! Currently I am writing this post while binge-watching How I Met Your Mother on Netflix - HIMYM, by the way, is fantastic and the only reason I've watched it for 8 seasons straight is because of Barney Stinson (played by Neil Patrick Harris), who is HILARIOUS with his playboy antics. 

I read the Selection Series by Keira Cass over the summer - I actually also read it to my mother, and she enjoyed the series, so that's saying something. 

The story begins in a future, dystopian United States (which is now called Illea, and this country has a monarchy instead of a presidency) - everyone is separated by caste - from the 1s (royalty) to 8s (basically, disabled people and bums), the bottom of the food chain.  

King Clarkson has organized the traditional "Selection" for his son, Prince Maxon, who has come of age to find a wife. And to find this wife, girls ages 16-20 are randomly chosen from all over the country to compete for Maxon's heart - and a crown. America Singer (a 5 - an musician) is one of the girls chosen to compete in the Selection. However, she initially refuses to compete because she is in love with her childhood friend, Aspen, who is a 6 - a caste below hers. However, after family pressure, she goes to the palace. She becomes Maxon's friend, and tells him straight-up that she doesn't want to be in the competition, but wants to stay there for her family (who gets money as long as she's in the palace). I think you can see where this is going, but I won't spoil anything, so you'll have to read what happens for yourselves. 

I seriously recommend this book to anyone who is into gooey, dramatic romances. 

The first book is The Selection, then The Elite, and lastly, The One. The fourth novel, The Heir, comes out in May.