The Crown by Kiera Cass

Series: The Selection (bk. 4)

Genera(s): Dystopian sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: contests, love, royalty, politics, princes and princesses, kings and queens

Setting: Los Angeles, California (Angeles now)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Eadlyn Schreave

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 278 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $19.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

My Review:  The Crown is the 5^th and final book in the Selection series, or the 2^nd and final book of this Selection spinoff duology, depending on how you look at it. If you don’t recall, in The Heir, Maxon decides that holding the Selection would be a way to distract the people from other troubles. Getting rid of the caste system did not solve all the problem in Ilea. People are having trouble finding jobs because of post-caste discrimination, or skill level. The 35 suitors are anonymously picked and Eadlyn was making history being in the first female-ran selection. Eadlyn was highly against the Selection and tried to sabotage it from the start, sending boys home as quick as she could, but some were charming enough that she kept them for a while, dating some, doing things as a group sometimes.

Now in The Crown, Eadlyn has narrowed her Selection down to 6 Elites. The ones staying are Ean, Henri, Fox, Hale, Gunner, and Kile. Under the circumstances of her mother’s condition, she thought it was best to let everyone else go. Her mother’s heart attack is hard on her, but America is still alive and the doctors are doing what they can. Out of all the Elite boys, Kile’s the only one she truly loved, but he dreams of being an architect and she’s not sure if she want to put him in a royal position. She grew up with him, and they used to not like each other.

There’s also Henri’s translator, Erik, who Eadlyn starting to fall for, although he’s not part of the Selection. Erik’s family was from Swendway, like Henri is. Erik’s real first name is Eikko. He has dark hair and blue eye and is camera shy. Eadlyn really does love him, but she feels obligated to go though with the rules of the Selection. Also there’s Marid Illéa who want her to marry him to secure the royal blood line.

This was a really great finale. It was cute and enjoyable. I’m happy how it ended and kind of don’t want to spoil it for everyone else. I enjoyed all the romance, humor and drama in these books. If you looking for action, this is not that kind of book. It’s full of romance. It’s like a soap opera. I would not suggest reading this without having read all three of The Selection books before it.

Cover Art Review: I love this cover more than any other Selection covers. That dress is the most gorgeous cover dress yet. Those sparkles look like stars. I just love everything and wish it were metallic or glittery.

Cover Art Review: So gorgeous. I love the purple! The lavender dress is so pretty!

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Series: The Selection (bk. 4)

Genera(s): Dystopian sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: contests, love, royalty, politics, princes and princesses, kings and queens

Setting: Los Angeles, California (Angeles now)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Eadlyn Schreave

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 342 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.”

My Review:  After reading the Heir, I can tell you that Princess Eadlyn both very different and similar to her mother Queen America. She is strong-willed, independent and stubborn like America, but acts spoiled and bratty at times. Having the Selection was her father’s idea. Eadlyn is not interested in having a man hold her back. She doesn’t want to rush to get married. She rather wait until she finds the right one for her. Eadlyn has a twin brother Ahren, and two younger brothers: Kaden and Osten. She became the heir by only 7 minutes.

Maxon decides that holding the Selection would be a way to distract the people from other troubles. Getting rid of the caste system did not solve all the problem in Ilea. People are having trouble finding jobs because of post-caste discrimination, or skill level. Some people can’t afford education. Some of their problems are much like what we have today in America, and people always want to blame the government.

The candidates are anonymously picked (Maxon doesn’t select them the way his father did for him). 35 suitors. Eadlyn is making history being in the first female-ran selection. She’s also planning on sabotaging it and making the suitors fear her because she is not looking for a husband. She’s astounded when Kile, Lady Marlee’s son, is drawn as the Angeles candidate. How did that happen? Eadlyn doesn’t like Kile because he’s a bookwork and has an annoying little sister. Could she possibly grown to fall in love with him? Maybe he’s a much greater guy than he seems. I personally think he will be the one.

Nothing I said so far is a major spoiler. That’s just how the book begins. I’m really happy to see how the character from the previous book turned into adults with families and children. Marlee has two kids. Lucy and Aspen has been trying to have kids. America’s sister May appears in the book too. I wonder if any other character will make come-back. New character are great two. There are some interesting and unique suitors. Hale Garner seems nice and works as a tailor and adores Eadlyn’s sense of style. Baden plays guitar. Henri is originally from Swendway and needs a translator. Some suitors turn out to be bad though.

I enjoyed all the romance, humor and drama in this book. If you looking for action, this is not that kind of book. It’s full of romance. It’s like a soap opera. I would not suggest reading this without having read all three of The Selection books before it.

Cover Art Review: I love this cover more than any other Selection covers. That dress is the most gorgeous cover dress yet. Those sparkles look like stars. I just love everything and wish it were metallic or glittery.


Also, check out my watercolor painting of the cover!

Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Series: Fire & Flood (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Thriller

Subjects: survival, rainforests, deserts, animals, races, contests, adventure

Setting: Ocean & snowy mountains

POV/Tense: 1st person POV present tense: Tella Holloway

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 313 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Summary/ product description: “What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.”

My Review:  Salt & Stone is the exciting sequel to Fire & Flood. The first book was set in a rainforest and a desert. This book takes us across the sea and through the mountains. This is not the final book like I originally thought. There will be a third book. The series is thrilling and full of survival. The narrator, Tella, is funny and quirky. This book is Hunger Games meet Survivor meets Pokémon, but set in modern times instead of the future. The Pandoras are genetically engineered animal that can help the contenders survive. The Pandora are so much like Pokémon in that they came out of eggs and they have abilities. They can’t put their Pandoras away, though.

Tella now not only has Madox (a fox that shape-shifts), but a bear she calls Monster, and later gains a iguana. The whole point of this race (The Brimstone Bleed) is that the winner gets the cure to the disease infecting their loved one. Guy (what an odd name, unless you are Guy on the food network) is Tella’s love interest. His Pandora is a lion (M-4). Guy’s goal is to win and get invited to work for the Brimstone Bleed people and take down the race. Tella agrees to help is she wins.

 Now in the ocean ecosystem, Tella, Guy, Harper, Olivia, Braun, Jaxon and 3 newer characters board a pirate ship and set out on a course that it more difficult that the previous challenges.  Crossing the ocean has different survival challenges. There are storms and sharks and other dangers. Once in the mountain part of the race they get their first trues taste of what it truly means to be freezing. Victoria plays with worst-case scenarios, both the cliché and unthinkable ones. A few contenders even perish due to unforeseen events.

This book is both fun in scary. I enjoyed it much more than the Hungers Games. Tella is more relatable than Katniss since she’s a contemporary girl and like to throw in some pop-culture and acts more feminine. Although, she gave into the cliché acts of cutting her hair like most dystopian heroines (Katniss kept her hair in a braid atleast). Tella reminded me of Tris from Divergent at times to. She shows some selfless, reckless bravery even at times. She also seemed to have a deep connection to her Pandoras. Tella’s empathy may not be a superpower (even if I was hoping that she was special), but her faith in the Pandoras made them better companions.

I recommend this series to those who like Pokémon/Digimon/Yugio or other creature-battling animes, and survival books like The Hunger Games & Under The Never Sky, and books about games or contests.

Cover Art Review: This cover is not better that the previous cover. Sure, I love the blue but so many covers have eyes on them! I wish that put the animals on the cover.