The One by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s Summary: The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

My Take: OMG! I loved every bit of this book! Well, I’m actually quite upset with a death in this book, so I can’t say I loved EVERY bit of it (that death was extremely sudden) but, other than that, I loved it. This was one of those happy fairytale fluffy books…and I feel like I needed it! I think I had a smile on my face throughout the whole book, but I will admit that there were a few moments I had tears running down my face. And I can’t tell you how many times Jaime from Two Chicks on Books had to hear me giggling out loud while I was reading this book. Basically, I had a lot of emotions going on while reading this final book in The Selection trilogy.

One thing everyone wants to know about is the love triangle. Well I’m not going to spoil, but it’s pretty apparent right from the start who she’s going to choose. That’s one thing about this book; there are not a whole lot of surprises. So once you start to read, you’ll know.

My favorite thing about this book was how I was reminded that Cass is really good at character development. I think that is why so many people are invested in this series; it’s because you learn to love the characters. Well in this book I grew attached to a character that I never would have guessed would happen. And she ended up being one of my favorite characters. America really grows a strong independence and an understanding of how she can make a difference in the situation she is in. There are some decisions she makes that causes drama, but those all worked out perfectly in the end.

The end of The One was just insane! That ending happened extremely fast and tied up all the loose ends and I loved it! Kiera Cass did a fantastic job and I’m more than satisfied with this book and the series and I highly recommend them.

Impatiently Waiting! Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Expected publish date:
July 29, 2014

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Publisher’s summary: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

My take: This is one of those books that have an ending that makes the entire book so unbelievably worth it! That was a phenomenal ending, I tell ya, but it’s also one of those endings that makes you think, “That sucks!”

This book was so good that I read the entire book in one sitting, and I didn’t even feel like my day was consumed! I felt like it happened in a snap! Yep, it’s that good. (Full disclosure . . . I did start it a while ago and only read a few chapters before putting it aside. But when I picked it up this time, I started from the beginning and didn’t stop until I was finished. Well, I MIGHT have gotten up to go to the restroom once, but I know for sure that I definitely left a dent in my couch where I sat while reading!)

One of the things I loved about this book is that it was fantasy with absolutely no paranormal aspects to it. So the war and lifestyle portrayed in the book were completely foreign to me but so much fun.

I think my favorite character in this book is for sure Kestrel. She’s an independent thinker and does what she wants and she’s kick butt! I liked Arin too, but there were times where I was worried about Arin’s decisions even though I understood his actions.

The ending to this book has all the tables turned, with a completely different set –up from how the story started, and I’m so excited to see where Marie Rutkoski is going to take us. Even though I loved this book so much, I have a feeling it’s only an introduction to a phenomenal new trilogy and I’m more than eager to follow along!