Krista Reviews: Kiera Cass's - The Elite

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.

Hardcover, 323 pages  Published April 23rd 2013 by HarperTeen  ISBN  0062059963 (ISBN13: 9780062059963)

Now that the competition is down to just the 6 girls, America is having to fight to keep her spot. As she is the lowest caste member still in the race, she has to fight harder than the rest to show the world she deserves the title of Princess.

As the competition tightens, so does the drama. The girls are now down to the best of the competitors and it’s only slight differences that keep them in the running. America is still torn between the easy life she has always lived and striving to want to do more for her country, her family – and on top of that, she is falling for Maxon. We saw in book one, The Selection that Maxon was willing to give her time to think about what she wanted, to heal from her heartache. But now that the race is coming to an end, he must make a decision and the pressure to choose a wife quickly is causing stress in their relationship.

It is not only the drama that is amped up in this sequel, but the attacks on the castle as well. The raids have become more frequent and dangerous. The politics between countries are in a fragile state. Even as the competition is running, the country must still  be governed.

I am not a big fan of drama, especially the love-triangle kind but this series has more to offer than just the romantic aspect. The complicated life of the castle itself keeps the story intense and suspenseful. But lets face it, the romance and the relationships that Maxon holds with each of the 6 remaining competitors is the main focus of the story. A lot of jealousies and doubts arise in the girls as they all try to figure out how to win. After all, it is a competition.