#YAMM Championship Round Voting!!!

The #YAMM March Madness tournament is almost to its finale! The final two have been chosen did your favorite make it through to the championship round?

The champion will be crowned after this final vote, so make sure you vote and spread the word for your favorite! *Ahem The Golden Lily* ;) You may vote once a day at any of the four blogs below but, remember the same poll is on all of our sites so your vote will only count once per site per day.

The championship round will run until Wednesday at 8 PM EST (5 PM PST)!

You can vote here OR at one of the hosts below:

Chick Loves Lit (Contemporary)
The Book Cellar (Fantasy)
Katies Book Blog (Paranormal) 

Get your votes in and make them count!

Champion Round
	The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
	Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
pollcode.com free polls

Cover Reveal- Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe and an Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

So I am super excited for this reveal for many reasons! Trisha is a dear friend of mine and I actually was one of the lucky ones who read got to beta read this book. And let me tell you peeps it is fantastic! You will love Kal and *swoon* over Caben!!!!

So without further ado check out the cover and the excerpt. Ooh and don’t forget to enter to enter the giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash!

Summary from Goodreads:

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena. 

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

Of Silver and Beasts (A Goddess Wars Novel)

by Trisha Wolfe

Release Date: June 1, 2013

Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy

Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound

Cover Designed by: Steven Novak

***Excerpt***

I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed me past the surface. But then, I have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone. “Caben…” I start, but still can’t find the right words. He lowers his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top.

“You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.” A hollow pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost, broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up with my racing heart. When he sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm.

“Caben, I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine, Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.”

“No, I’ve said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile, if not more so. He releases a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots.

“I honestly don’t think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into the water and sighs. Glancing at the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him, so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him. “Here,” he says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.

“I can remove my own—” 

“Have you never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them. But try to relax.”

“Is that the rumor in Perinya?”

“What?” I bite my lip, suddenly regretting my blurt.

“Nothing. Never mind.” From the corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying not to.

“Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well, there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s neck just for making an advance.”

My mouth drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.”

“All right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal. Don’t be offended.”

“Unattainable?” I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after being rejected.”

His eyes widen. “No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words, his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.”

I nod, many times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to the men of Perinya.”

Caben lets out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower, “while I stick mine in my mouth.”

Unexpectedly, I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it to your face?”

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

***GIVEAWAY***

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2013 #YAMM Final Four Voting Open Now!!!!!!!!!!!

Final Four voting opens today! And now it’s between the genres so I have Sci-Fi/Dystopian Insurgent by Veronica Roth going up against The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead hosted by the Paranormal Category over at Katie’sBookBlog! Decisions, decisions lol

Make sure to pick your favorite!! 

Winner The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead.

And make sure to go to either of these sites to cast you votes for the Fantasy/Contemporary battle! (Ahem go Shadow and Bone!!!!! Hehehe)

Fantasy- TheBook Cellar

Contemporary- Chick Loves Lit

Voting ends Saturday, March 30^th, 8pm EST!

Blog Tour- In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters and a Giveaway!

Eeeeeppppp!!! I’m soooooooo excited to be a part of this blog tour! I loved In the Shadow of Blackbirds so much click on the title to read my review! And I’m super happy to have THIS guest post because it’s about one of my favorite characters in the book! Stephen, the ghost I loved him so much!!! And make sure to enter the giveaway for a copy of the book!

Ok enough of my rambling check out the book and meet Stephen!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

Cat Winters

Hardcover: 400 pages

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books

ISBN-10: 141970530X

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

Check out the book website!

 Introducing Stephen Embers…

“I viewed a stunning boy who looked to be an older version of the Stephen I remembered, with hair a rich brown and deep, dark eyes that watched me with interest.”

In other blog posts and interviews, I’ve chatted quite a bit about my IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS protagonist, Mary Shelley Black. I’ve also frequently discussed my inspiration for the novel, as well as the book’s chilling 1918 setting, which involves both World War I and the deadly Spanish influenza.

But I haven’t yet said too much about the book’s ghost: Stephen Embers.

One of the reasons I’ve been keeping quiet about him is my nervousness about revealing some of the book’s secrets if I discuss his ghostly scenes. The fact that he dies in the novel isn’t technically a spoiler itself (the catalog synopsis for the book reveals this information, so I’m not ruining a carefully hidden plot point by mentioning it here). In fact, even though this post is your official introduction to Stephen, I’m still going to refrain from discussing what he’s like when he returns in spirit form. You’ll have to read the book to experience that side of him.

“They’re shipping us overseas soon, even though I’ve barely been in training. We’re needed in Europe something desperate, I guess.”

The living version of Stephen, a budding young photographer, appears in the book via flashbacks and numerous letters written to his long-time friend and first love, Mary Shelley Black, whom he affectionately calls “Shell.” I didn’t want him to be just “the dead boy” in the book. Instead, I made him a major presence throughout the entire novel, from the first chapter to the last, and I explored his life from childhood to his final days.

“I’m going off to war, Shell…I need to get out of this house.”

Stephen’s biggest mistake is enlisting to fight in the war in Europe when he’s only seventeen years old. He’s grieving for his father, who recently died from heart failure, and he hates the fact that his older half-brother, Julius, claims to photograph the spirits of customers’ departed loved ones in the family’s home photography studio. Stephen and Mary Shelley have one last moment together before he leaves for the army, and it’s one of my favorite scenes from the book.

“You told me in your letter you wished you could have stopped me from leaving for the war when we were together in April. I was determined to go, and you know better than anyone else I can be as stubborn as you sometimes.”

Am I cruel for creating a handsome, artistic, loving boy and then killing him off early on in the novel? Perhaps so, but I wanted to show what can happen when innocence is trampled; when violence is allowed to obliterate gentleness. I needed readers to care about Stephen as much as Mary Shelley does so they’ll be invested in finding out why his spirit refuses to rest—and why he claims to be haunted by the titular blackbirds. (Ah, did you see what I just did there? I gave you a tiny hint about his ghost.)

I hope you enjoy learning more about Stephen Embers in the pages of IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS. If I did my job well enough, perhaps he’ll even haunt you after you’ve finished the final chapters.

*SWOONS* Right?!?!

Check out the trailer!

About Cat:

Cat Winters was born and raised in Southern California, near Disneyland, which may explain her love of haunted mansions, bygone eras, and fantasylands. She received degrees in drama and English from the University of California, Irvine, and formerly worked in publishing.

Her debut novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds—a YA ghost tale set during the World War I era—is coming April 2, 2013, from Amulet Books/ABRAMS. She currently lives outside of Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two kids.

Where you can find her:

Twitter/Website/Facebook

Enter to win a finished copy of In the Shadow of Blackbirds!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of the Tour Schedule:

25th- Recreate the cover contest @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf

26th- Interview @ Icey Books

27th- This or That @ Novels News & Notes

28th- Guest Blog @ Two Chicks on Books (HERE)

29th- Interview @Hobbitsies

30th- This or That @ Carina's Books

31st- Interview @ Book Whales

1st- Character Interview with Julius @ Read Write and Read Some More

2nd- Guest Blog @ Mundie Moms

3rd- This or That @ The Book Galaxy

4th- Guest Blog @ Teen Librarian

5th- Interview @ A.L. Davroe

6th- Character Interview with Mary Shelley @ IBTeens

Dying to Read (22)- The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White!!!!! I’m really looking forward to this one! I adored her Paranormalcy series and I’m hoping Isadora is going to be hilarious and snarky like Evie! I absolutely love Egyptian Mythology as well so I can’t wait to read this! 

The Chaos of Stars

Kiersten White

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062135929

Goodreads

Amazon/Barnes& Noble/The Book Depository

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

 So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

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2013 #YAMM Elite Eight Voting Starts Today!

Fourth round voting opens today! Make sure to pick your favorite!!

And go to the other sites to cast you votes for the other genres!

Paranormal- Katie’sBook Blog

Fantasy- The Book Cellar

Contemporary- Chick Loves Lit

Winner Insurgent by Veronica Roth!!!

Voting ends Wednesday, March 27th!

Movie Review- The Host

Once again I was lucky enough to get passes to a premiere screening this time it was for a movie I had been dying to see, Stephanie Meyer’s, The Host starring Saoirse Ronan, Jake Abel, Max Irons Diane Kruger, and William Hurt.

I loved Stephanie Meyer's book The Host even more than the Twilight series so when I heard that it was going to be a movie I had some concerns. But I shouldn't have! This movie was amazing from beginning to end! And I cried like a baby y’all know how I feel about stuff that makes me cry right? Crying=AWESOME!!!!!

I was so impressed with how close to the book they got! I mean there were things that got left out but they weren't even important enough to register on my radar.

I loved Saoirse as Melanie/Wanda. When she was cast I wasn't entirely convinced that she was right for the part but she did an amazing job! And how they used Melanie's memories as flashbacks was really cool! You could see Wanda feeling how Melanie felt! Oh and the love interests Ian and Jared? They were cast perfectly and the chemistry between Wanda/Ian and Melanie/Jared was spot on! And holy hell Jake Abel? Be still my heart he has a fan for life! And not because I was Team Ian in the book, but because he was brill! And OMG William Hurt was the perfect Jeb and Diane Kruger was as crazy as the Seeker was and I loved to hate her!

The set was breathtaking as well! The cave set was my favorite but the alien upgrades to our planet were awesome and the way they transported the aliens to and from earth was beautiful!

I highly suggest that everyone go and see The Host! I will definitely be going again!

Oh and one more thing before I close. My mom who hates most sci-fi movies LOVED this one!!!!

Review- In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

Cat Winters

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Amulet Books

ISBN-10: 141970530XSource:

ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

Ok so for those that know me and know me well; they know that I’m very picky about historical fiction. I don’t read most of it because it honestly bores me to tears. But there are a few gems out there that I am a big cheerleader for. Now take a historical novel and throw some paranormal into it and I am instantly more attracted to that book! As it was with In the Shadow of Blackbirds! This book was simply beautifully written and it was amzazeballs! Hear that peeps?!?! IT WAS AMAZEBALLS!!!!! I loved it so much I begged to be on the blog tour so come back here on March 28^th for a post about Stephen!

I loved the haunting tale of Mary Shelley Black and her first love Stephen. Yep I fell... hard for a ghost. It was impossible not to. Also I love that Cat set this book in San Diego because it’s one of my favorite places in California and I know it so well that when she spoke of areas I felt like I was there. I could imagine myself in the VA hospital at Balboa Park and on Coronado Island. I loved Mary’s strength during such an honestly awful time. I mean if loved ones weren’t dying in the war; they had a huge possibility of dying of Spanish Influenza and from what I’ve read it’s a not a good way to go. But she was determined not to let either beat her and she was stubborn in her efforts to give Stephen the peace he so needed. The twists and turns in this story were so good and even though I kind of figured them out I didn’t care because I was so wrapped up in this!

If you love a good historical paranormal you will eat this up! I only have one complaint about this. It’s a standalone and I want more of this world she left it open enough to continue Mary’s story. Pleas Cat write another J J

I’ve chosen a passage between Mary and Stephen from the past because I loved it and it was when I first fell for Stephen.

I slid my fingers up the frame until I touched his hand. “Please stay safe. It’s not everyone who has the patience to photograph a butterfly.”

He gave me a smile that seemed bith grateful and sad.

I swallowed, and he continued to search my eyes with his own, as if her were trying to say something he couldn’t articulate with words. The space between us shrank. Our breathing accelerated until it became the only sound in the house. My heart pounded like I was about to leap off a cliff a hundred feet high.

Before I could say anything awkward to break the spell, he pulled my face toward his and kissed me. I lost my balance at first, but then I closed my eyes and held his smooth neck and enjoyed the warmth and hunger of his mouth. His hand moved to the small of my back and brought me closer. Our stomachs touched. Our chests pinned the photograph between us. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight against him, as though he were kissing me goodbye.

2013 #YAMM Sweet Sixteen Voting Opens Today!

Third round voting opens today! Make sure to pick your favorite!!

And go to the other sites to cast you votes for the other genres!

Paranormal- Katie’s BookBlog

Fantasy- The Book Cellar

Contemporary- Chick Love Lit

Pick Your Favorite!
	Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
	Cinder by Marissa Meyer
pollcode.com free polls

Pick Your Favorite!
	Insurgent by Veronica Roth
	Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
pollcode.com free polls

Voting ends Sunday, March 24th!

Dying to Read (21)- Descendant by Lesley Livingston

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is Descendant by Lesley Livingston!!!!! I’m seriously in need of this book! I am super in love with Fenn and I can’t wait to read more of his story and Mason’s especially after that killer ending Lesley left us with ugh! 

Descendant (Starling #2)

Lesley Livingston

Release Date: August 27, 2013

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062063103

Goodreads

Amazon/Barnes& Noble/The Book Depository

The last thing Mason Starling remembers is the train crossing a bridge. An explosion . . . a blinding light . . . then darkness. Now she is alone, stranded in Asgard—the realm of Norse legend—and the only way for her to get home is to find the Spear of Odin, a powerful relic left behind by vanished gods.

The Fennrys Wolf knows all about Asgard. He was once trapped there. And he’ll do whatever it takes to find the girl who’s stolen his heart and bring her back—even if it means a treacherous descent into the Underworld. But time is running out, and Fenn knows something Mason doesn’t: If she takes up the Spear, she’ll set in motion a terrible prophecy. And she won’t just return to her world . . . she’ll destroy it.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Starling, Lesley Livingston delivers another electrifying blend of nonstop action and undeniable romance that will leave readers breathless.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Review- The Ward by Jordana Frankel

The Ward

Jordana Frankel

Hardcover: 384 pages

Release Date: April 30, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper)

ISBN: 006209534X

Source: ARC From the Publisher

Rating: Kinda Liked

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/ The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.

However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.

Jordana Frankel’s ambitious debut novel and the first in a two-book series, The Ward is arresting, cinematic, and thrilling—perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld or Ann Aguirre.

This book was good but, it could have been great! The cover is absolutely gorgeous and yes I did judge the book by the cover and by the blurb which from that it sounds awesome! I was really, really looking forward to reading this one and I was kind of let down. And while it didn't live up to all of my hopes I will be reading the next one.

One thing that bothered me was the racing scenes. I am a HUGE racing fan but the overly worded and overly descriptive racing scenes left me scratching my head. They were just too much and would have been better if they had been toned down.

Also I liked the MC Ren, but sometimes her language bothered me; it was like one minute she said words like "ain't" and then she would say "bum" or "smarted" like she couldn't choose whether she was a Brit or a street kid.

And I didn't like the love interest at all! I'm hoping she'll get wise and end up with the doctor.

I did like the story idea though and if you're a fan of Dystopian/Sci-Fi you'll probably find it an enjoyable read if you can get pass the overly descriptive scenes.

I didn’t choose a passage to share since I didn’t use a single post-it (which is strange for me) in this book.

2013 #YAMM Second Round Opens Today!

Second round voting opens today! Make sure to pick your favorite!!

And go to the other sites to cast you votes for the other genres!

Paranormal- Katie’s BookBlog

Fantasy- The Book Cellar

Contemporary- Chick Loves Lit

Pick Your Favorite!
	Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
	The Selection by Kiera Cass
pollcode.com free polls

Pick Your Favorite!
	Cinder by Marissa Meyer
	A Million Suns by Beth Revis
pollcode.com free polls

Pick Your Favorite!
	Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
	Insurgent by Veronica Roth
pollcode.com free polls

Pick Your Favorite!
	Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
	Altered by Jennifer Rush
pollcode.com free polls

Voting ends Wednesday, March 20^th!

Review- The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite

Kiera Cass

Release Date: April 23, 2013

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN:  0062059963

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Loved!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their 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.

Ok. So I liked The Selection it was a fast light read and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Elite. What I didn’t expect was that I’d love this book so much more than the first! Kiera took what she did in The Selection and made it so much more! Yes there’s still the Bachelor-esque moments that made me cringe like they did in the first book but not as many. This one delves more into the politics of the world and if America thinks she can be a queen.

It also has the love triangle that many people moan and groan about but, I think she’s done a great job with it. There were many places in this book that I flipped flopped between Maxon and Aspen. I was fully Team Aspen in book 1 and I was actually angry that she made me start to feel something for Maxon. I will tell you that by the end of the book I was fully back on Aspen’s side though. There’s something that happens…that in my mind can’t be forgiven.

As for the story it’s darker which I really loved and we get to meet new characters some who could be great allies and some great enemies and I can’t wait to read book 3 to see if my sneaking suspicions come true!

And because I didn’t want to make Aspen or Maxon lovers angry I’ve chosen two small passages to share with you!

Maxon and America.

I sighed trying to keep my voice steady. “I don’t want to leave all of this.”

“If I remember correctly, the first time we met, you said it was like a cage.” He smiled. “It does grow on you, though, doesn’t it?”

I gave my head a small shake. “Sometimes you can be so stupid.” A weak laugh pushed through my choked-up throat.

Maxon let me pull away just enough so I could look into his brown eyes.

“Not the palace, Maxon. I could care less about the clothes or my bed or, believe it or not, the food”

Maxon Laughed. It had been no secret how excited I had been about the extravagant meals here.

“It’s you,” I said. “I don’t want to leave you”

“Me?”

I nodded.

“You want me?”

I giggled at his bewildered expression. “That’s what I’m saying.”

He paused for a moment. “How--But—What did I do?”

Aspen and America.

I sighed and went to get a cup of water. Aspen followed me while the rest of the girls left.

“So,” he started. I did a sweep of the room to make sure no one was watching. “I have to assume that if you’re not worried about me, you’re worried about him.”

I lowered my eyes and blushed. How well he knew me.

“Not that I’m cheering for him or anything, but if he can’t see how amazing you are, he’s an idiot.”

I smiled, continuing to study the floor.

“And if you don’t get to be princess then, so what? That doesn’t make you any less incredible. And you know…you know…” He couldn’t get out what he wanted to say, and I risked looking at his face.

In Aspen’s eyes I saw a thousand different endings to that sentence, all of them connecting him to me. That he was still waiting for me. That he knew me better than anyone. That we were the same. That a few months at the palace couldn’t erase two years. No matter what, Aspen would always be there for me.

“I know, Aspen. I do”