{Review} The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite

by Kiera Cass

Series: The Selection #2

Release Date: April 23, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 323

Source: borrowed

Stars: 2.5/5

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Thirty five girls came to the place to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princessof Illea. America still isn't sure where her heart lies. When she's with Maxon, she's swept up in htheir new and breathless romance, and can't dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over--and time is running out for America to decide. Just when America is sure she's made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she's struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

**NOTE: To view the spoiler, highlight the blank space (I have put the spoiler in white text so that it doesn't appear on my blog unless you highlight it with your mouse)

For some reason, I thought that this series was only going to be two books, but by the ending of this one, I'm almost positive there is going to be a third. And even though I'm going to read it, I don't think I enjoy this series as much as I did after reading the first book. This book was just ok, but I don't have the heart to give it less than 2 stars, even though I'm tempted to. 

I tried to like this book, I really did. I wanted to like this book so much. Pretty cover, dystopian princess story... I came into this book beyond excited. However, I feel that I need to be honest with what I disliked so much about this book.

First, America. Oh my God, I HATED HER. In the first book I tolerated her--I did find her obnoxious and full of herself, and she seemed cold and not easy to connect to. Well, in this book she was much, much worse. As were the other characters. America couldn't make up her mind about literally anything. One day she was parading around with Maxon, trying to make the other Elite jealous, and the next she was making out with Aspen. No just NO.  Maxon was horrid in this book as well. He was romantically conflicted just like America, and he made me so mad when he took Celeste in as his stupid sex buddy and claimed he was in love with Kriss! One bad love triangle is enough, Kiera Cass. I DON'T NEED TWO OR MORE!!! 

In the first book I actually adored Maxon. He seemed really nice and just CUTE and awkward in an adorable way. Some people complained that he seeemed stiff, etc. I have to prove them right, because in this book he was the epitome of stiff. Even though America deserved his rudeness.

The love triangle (s!!) made me so mad, as I said before. In the first book I didn't mind the love triangle at all because it seemed perfect and just the way a love triangle should be written, although obviously the love triangle outline is a complete copy of The Hunger Games, but whatever. I was ok with it. But in this book it just fell apart. America just could not make up her mind. I get that the love triangle is hard to write, but this is NOT the way things work in love! You can't love 2 guys at once like that. It leads me to believe that America didn't actually love either of them, she was just weighing what would be better for her future. And as for her jealousy--get over it, America! You're cheating on Maxon, just like he's "cheating" on you! He's the freaking prince and this is the freaking Selection! Even though I really didn't appreciate what he was doing with Celeste and Kriss behind Americas back, I did think America was overreacting and being a TOTAL HYPOCRITE. 

[[Spoiler]]What happened to Marlee was horrible, just horrible, and I wasn't expecting something so ominous and dark to happen between the pages of a book like this (girly and princessy). ]] This book was actually a lot different from the first book. There was more fear, emotion, and Cass wasn't afraid to venture into the dark side of things. That was actually what I liked about the book. It was more action-packed than its predecessor. And I finished this book in a flash, less than 12 hours. So at least she kept me reading. Even if her writing got 10 times worse than in The Selection.

So even though The Elite was kind of a disappointment, I have to say that Kiera Cass has thought up a pretty interesting dystopian concept, and I'm intrigued by Illea, even if the protagonist is an idiot and I seriously don't like either of the love interests anymore. I hope that if others read this, then they'll enjoy it more than I did.