That's for me!

One of my favorite things about this year is helping out with the Reading Olympics team.  After we talk about the books on the list, which if you are a loyal reader of this blog you will be familiar with, we spend the last few minutes discussing other books we have read that we thought were good.  One student held up Kiera Class's The Selection and described it as, "a mix between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor."  Immediately I held out my hand to take the book and said, "that's a book for me."  (I am a secret-not so secret now-reality TV fan).  

The Selection  did not disappoint.  From the first page I was hooked.  Plenty of intrigue, a sassy yet likable and relatable female lead, and just the right amount of romance (it doesn't overpower the story yet it doesn't leave you wanting more).  In this society princesses are married to princes of  other countries but the prince always marries someone from his home country to boost morale.  This society is caste based with the ones being the highest most elite class and eights are at the bottom, they are essentially homeless beggars.  When the prince comes of age there is a selection.  One girl form each part  of the country is selected to compete for the princes heart.  The prince chooses his wife and the future queen from this group of girls.  The catch is that the future princess can come from any caste which makes it especially exciting for those of low birth.  

This was the kind of book that you sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting because you just can't put it down and that is exactly what I did.  Except when I got to the end I realized it wasn't the end at all. Here I must apologize for waking up my poor husband as I screamed, "What!!??" when I realized this book is part of the series.  

The next morning I stormed into a fellow reading teachers classroom and demanded she give me the next book.  My dismay quickly turned to delight as I realized there was not one but two sequels and a companion novel is in the process of being written.  I am happy to say the next two books, The Elite, and The One were just as fantastic. 

Writing your own fairy tale...that's kids stuff. 

PS.  I realize this is the longest post I have written in awhile and I may have given a few more spoilers than I usually do, but I can't help it.  I LOVED these books.