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Kiera Cass’s The Elite is a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction, fairy tales, and reality TV. This sequel to The Selection will enchant teens who love Divergent and The Bachelor.
In America Singer’s world, a bride is chosen for the prince through an elaborate televised competition. In the second book of the Selection series, America is one of only six girls left in the running. But is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—she wants? Or is it Aspen, her first love?
The Elite delivers the adventure, glamour, political intrigue, and romance readers of The Selection expect, and continues the love triangle that captivated them.
Kiera Cass is a graduate of Radford University and currently lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, with her family. She is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Selection and the self-published fantasy novel The Siren. Kiera has kissed approximately fourteen boys in her life. None of them were princes.
dear_prudence
Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I purchased this at midnight on my Nook. I told myself I was only going to read 50 pages or so and then go to sleep. I am now at work with a pounding headache and blurry eyes because of course 50 pages was not enough and I ended up reading the entire thing by 5am. It was so, so worth it though! I should start by saying that I am Team Maxon all the way, so all the little American/Maxon moments just made my heart flutter. I don't want to give away any details, so I'm not going to say much about what happened. I lot of interesting developments/twists. The only thing that bothered me is that I feel like there's so much we still don't know about the rebels and who they are or what their purpose is. Otherwise, I sincerely loved The Elite! Can't wait until the next book!
57 out of 59 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 16 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Super excited for the next novel! Hope she chooses Maxon...Aspen is so annoying
48 out of 60 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Parts of this book made me so frustrated, Kriss just comes out of nowhere adding more drama, I found my self sreaming at Maxon wodering what in the world he was he thinking, and now I have to wait for another book.
27 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins publishers and Netgalley.)
This is book 2 in the ‘The Selection’ series, and picks up where book 1 left off.
The 35 girls of ‘The Selection’ have been reduced to just 6, and it’s time for America to not only work to keep her place in the game, but to also make a decision as to who she really wants to be with – Prince Maxon, or her childhood sweetheart Aspen
The competition is also heating up, with some unexpected events, and more rebel action.
What do the rebels want? Who will be sent home next? And who will America choose?
Beautiful and captivating, this book had me from the very first page!
I loved ‘The Selection’, and I was so excited to finally have a copy of ‘The Elite’ to read, and I really was not disappointed. America continued to be not only the underdog of the competition, but also the one who truly seemed to have captivated the prince’s heart. Her heart seemed to be in the right place in that she was always doing what seemed right to her, even if the things she did endeared her more to the lower castes than the king.
The romance in this book was quite sweet, but I really wanted America to just make a decision and stick with it! It seemed obvious how America and Maxon felt about each other, so the fact that he was off flirting with the other 5 girls in the selection, and she was still making out with Aspen was a bit annoying! I really wanted Maxon to just propose, and send the other girls home instead of them constantly seeming to play games with each others feelings. America also wore something which linked her to Aspen which for me was a really stupid thing to do, and the way she kept asking for more time was irritating too!
I have to say that if America and Maxon don’t end up together by the end of this series I will be really annoyed!
I liked the storyline in this book, and although America was a little immature and indecisive at times I couldn’t help but love this story. I don’t know what it is about these books but I really love the way they are written, and I actually think that ‘The Elite’ was better than ‘The Selection’!
Overall; I really loved this book, and although America had her faults, I hated to put this down! Can’t wait for book 3!!! I want it now!!!
9 out of 10.
20 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Nov 26 00:00:00 EST 2012
First comment!!! And I am so excited to see hiw it ends.
19 out of 133 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Mar 13 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This is gonna be so good
15 out of 42 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
First of all, i will address the cover that so many seem to dismiss as subpar when held next to the cover of the selection. I strongly disagree however. The America portrayed on this cover is defiant in her one simple gaze that shows the fire burning inside her which is the characteristic that has made her so many admirers. While she is not a favorite of those brainwashed by the iron fist of King Clarkson, she hold the unwavering adoration and loyalty of those who are being shoved aside and those who see that sometimes defiance and boldness are the only ways to truly fix what must be changed.
As for the storyline, hearts are broken then mended and secrets are kept and spilled like any other book but this one is one where practically every page is like throwing another log into Kiera Cass's bonfire of brilliance. America's attitude is fully expressed with her true personality deeply investigated. Every obstacle in her path is a twist for the reader to enjoy and chance for this fiery redhead to prove that she has what it takes to be the best that she can be. Unlike the selection, this story finally delves into the mystery of the rebels and their attacks though nothing concrete is revealed just yet. However there are clues which the reader can use to paint up their own theory. There is also a much more realistic story of love depicted this time around. Real love contains the overwhelming pressure of your peers, the cutting fear that finds the smallest cracks in your defences and rips you to shreds, the greatest joy that gives you wings to soar above it all, and most of all life experience that changes you and leaves a deep imprint on your mind and soul. Cass shows how the selection is truly changing America for the worse and for the better. The heroine lashes out, loses her cool, and shows the people what it means to stick up for things despite the odds that you will undoubtedly lose. In this book, there is more at stake than just America's feelimgs of safety or her certainty of who to choose. Now this is more than just America's story. It is the story of an adventure that may change all of Illea for the better or tear the whole country apart. And America just may be the cause of either outcome.
12 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This book was sooo amazing don't get me wrong, but America is too indecisive and it seems like all she can do is be angry. Celeste isn't a big problem in this book, when it would have been more fun if she had. I love whatnhappened to Marlee, it made youbunderstand what was going on in the last book. Maxon needs to step up and say to America I'm keeping you until the end. Maxon always says he loves America, but he never really proves it throughout the book. Aspen is awesome as always.
12 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
The Selection has become a game within a game...Take the concept of a reality show and add a pinch of dystopian class structure and you have this series.
The Bachelor for teenagers.
It is written in a very simplistic manner.It lacks the gritty substance of a YA and is geared stylistically more towards young teens and indeed I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to readers age 13 plus.
It is filled with the fantasy of young girls. Pretty dresses and handsome boys vying for the heroines attention.
Unfortunately she seems to be just a tad on the fickle side and the content of the book is a long extended game of the following. Oh Maxon likes me, wait a minute Aspen is really kind of cute, Maxon likes me, oh no wait a minute no he doesn't, uhm Aspen is cute...errm Maxon might like me?
Fair enough younger readers and YA/Teen category lovers will probably adore it.
I think the author needs to be careful not to let the series become too predictable. The next book will eliminate two more girls and so on. Whatever essence of faux fantasy life attracted readers to the first book is slowly starting to dissipate in this second one.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.
12 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Great book!! This book will have your emotions going every which way. Your thoughts and feeling will completly change several times thoughout and by the end have you screaming for more! Great sequel but its exactly that.. a sequel so you must read the selection first.
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2013
I can not wait for this book! I'm sooo exited for the relaease in April! Go Kiera Cass!
10 out of 33 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This book was very poorly written there was not plot change from the first story it read like a filler novel it was short less then 300 and it took her a year to come out with it. I was disappoint as I love the selection so much but this did not live up to the expectations. I will simply finish the series if I remember it but I will not go out of my way for this author again as this book was a huge let down. I don't judge books that hardly on the plot lines that often but this book really had no meat to it.
For me this book is as plotless as the 50 shades of gray but at least the second books got better in that case where this one the first was amazing and the second was crap.
I am sorry that I am being so harsh but for me I have waited a year for this book to come out and I have never been so let down but an author in my life. Her writing sale changed she became much less discriptive and that was something that I like about her. She focused a lot on dialog which is good but it was so content that it was almost like a poorly written play. I know I am being harsh and I am sorry for that I really am but I want people to understand she has not plot change in this book there is not underlying suspense that you would like and it reads like a short story rather then a novel and that is diisappointing.
Sincerly
~Taren Lynn~
7 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I thought this book was a big step down from the Selection. The whole book had no purpose; nothing has changed. Maxon's still in love with America, America still hasn't made up her mind, and Aspen's still left hanging on. I would have said spoiler alert but you already knew all that from the Selextion: my point exactly. Not a lot of eventfulthings happened and whem somethimg did and I thought the plot would twist for sure, everything got straightened out right back to plain old boring. In the first book, America seemed so strong, but in this book if I had a dime for every time she broke dow crying, I'd be rich. I would have liked to read more about America's family. I'm not saying they disappeared, except for Gerad, just that I would have liked to known how the money America was sending helped the family. Also, the characters' personalities changed too. Examples: America is less strong and more whiny, Maxon is less caring, Marlee is less perky, and Celeste acts not threatening anymore but bored. Maybe it was suppose to be like that and have some deeper meaning, but I liked their personalities a lot better in book 1. Even though this book did not live ip to my, and probably your, expectations, I still recommend reading it because it is a good book just not nearly as good as the first. So ya, read this book just lower your expectations first so you can finish the series.
6 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013
First of all,when is the next book comming out?I hate Kriss so much she obviously wants America gone, in the first book she was nice but when she said "no wonder maxon LIKED you so much" In this book I lost it.And did maxon honestly think it was the best idea to hook up with Kriss right after what happened to marlee,that was seriusly the time when America needed him the most.I hate how maxon likes kriss just as much as america because of a stupid card.in the first book,maxon and america were so cute.what the heck happened?and as for Aspen,his atteps for america are just getting pathetic.I either want him to die in arebel attac or marrie lucy.Also I dont know what maxon was thinking on the whole making out with Celest thing,Id like to see maxons reaction to america making out with one of his worst animies,and by the way his excuse was the lamest thing ever,if you want to feel loved threw kissing go kiss america or even kriss but you DONT kiss celeste.over allid have to admit that in the next book im excited to see america actualy try to win maxons heart;)
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
So many twists and exciting moments! Could not put this book down! I've NEVER reviewed a book on here, but I just had to for this series. The ending was completely unexpected and thrilling at the same time! I need an advanced readers copy of book three please! Where do I sign up????
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2013
After just finishing this book about 5 minutes ago i would have to say that while slow at times the ending made the entire thing worth reading. At the beginning it felt like Cass was just trying to strech out the story to make it go onto three books but now it all makes sense and it was amazing, although it still feels like step back from the first book The Selection.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Kierra Cass needs to consider another job option. I found this book to be jerky, unrealistic, and full of things I couldn't really understand. Basically, I wasted a whole book on wondering if anything would ever happen. America is infuriating. In the previous book, it was easy to empathize with her. This book makes me want to kill her! The stoy doesn't further anything, and makes everything into a puddle of messy words I don't even eant to understand. This trilogy could easily be condensed into two, or even one sizable book. If you are desperate to read the book, get it from the library. It really isn't worth ten dollars for a whiny starlet who cannot make up her mind about which hunk she likes more.
-Peanut Butter Gal
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Book #2 is awesome! I think Aspen is a rebel incognito as a guard. Just read the description of how well he does his job. I was on the fence as to Maxon nice vs an ass. I like how she describes what he is going through / feels at the end. Makes me trust him more. So will we see Illea overthrown in book 3 or who is chosen as the princess? I am now routing for the rebels after we get a glimpse of the diarys. Can't wait for the next book.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
It's the book version of The Bachelor.
I'm not kidding. . . It's that bad.
If I could give it less stars, I would.
4 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I was so excited for this book to come out! I counted down the days because I loved the first book, but I hated this one. I hated all the character developements and just want it to end. Its makes alll he charac
4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Kiera Cass’s The Elite is a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction, fairy tales, and reality TV. This sequel to The Selection will enchant teens who love Divergent and The Bachelor.
In America Singer’s world, a bride is chosen for the prince through an elaborate televised competition. In the second book of the Selection series, America is one of only six girls left in...