March BOTM - Selection

[Julie]

Hey everyone.

The March BOTM for us to read is .

Obviously, you're not obligated to read this book in order to be a part of this group, but it will give us something to enjoy together and to discuss, if that's what interests you.

I'm looking forward to reading and taking part in our discussions :)

[Kay]

Oh wow you choose my book yay :)

[Julie]

Kay wrote: "Oh wow you choose my book yay :)"

Sure! You made a good point :) I look forward to voting with everyone for April's BOTM (since we'll have more time in which to do it).

Until then, hopefully this one will be a fun read. I've got the ebook now and I'll be getting started soon :)

[Amanda]

I'm going to read it, too! It will be fun to talk about it :)

[Kay]

Just finished and itching to read the next one. It was surprisingly more gritty then the front cover suggested but still a lovely light read. As always I'm pulling/rooting for mr constant. :)

[Kay]

I'm so sucked in just finished and jumping into .

[Julie]

Wow, Kay! I've only read the first 2 chapters. I need to polish off another book first (nearly done). By the time I finish The Selection, you'll be done the entire series. You weren't kidding when you said that you read a lot of books. Maybe we should have 2 books of the month. One for everyone, and an extra just to keep you busy ;)

I'm glad you liked it. I'm looking forward to really getting into it!

[Kay]

Julie wrote: "Wow, Kay! I've only read the first 2 chapters. I need to polish off another book first (nearly done). By the time I finish The Selection, you'll be done the entire series. You weren't kidding w..."

Lol. I promise not to reveal ahead, I dislike spoilers. :). Enjoy the treehouse :)

[Julie]

Kay wrote: "Lol. I promise not to reveal ahead, I dislike spoilers. :). Enjoy the treehouse :)"

Thanks, Kay. Respecting the spoilers is definitely appreciated ;) It'll be great to talk about it when we're all done, though!

[Amanda]

Kay wrote: "I'm so sucked in just finished and jumping into ."

Wow Kay you read fast! Guess that's a good sign for the book series. I hope I get as hooked :)

[Julie]

Just finished . Looking forward to gabbing about it when the month is done/everyone who wants to read it has read it.

You were right, Kay, I'm moving on to the second book now, too :)

[Amanda]

Julie wrote: "Just finished . Looking forward to gabbing about it when the month is done/everyone who wants to read it has read it.

You were right, Kay, I'm moving on to the..."

I'm still working my way through it but I'm also interested in discussing it :D

[Kay]

Maxon or aspen?

[J.M.]

Okay, hopefully I've waited long enough to bring this up (if not, my apologies), but did anyone else find that the first book The Selection is their favorite in the whole series? (assuming everyone else was sucked in just as my wife and I were!)

And, regarding the question: Maxon or Aspen? That's a tough one to answer depending on where you are at in the book series!

[Kay]

Too many wonderful scenes in the last book to agree. Like the rain! But the selection did move the fastest. I found the whole cast thing disturbing. How aspen could leave her in the tree house ahhh.

[Amanda]

Finished Interested in discussing it and finding out what everyone else thought :)

[Julie]

I hope everyone's finished The Selection. If not, consider this your SPOILERS warning!

Did anyone else find that this book had a bit of a slow start, but then when it caught you, it really caught you? I honestly didn't think that I was going to get into it. I didn't dislike it, but I wasn't "hooked" right from the get-go.

I think the moment that I got really wound up into the story was when America had that wave of panic and claustrophobia and ran outside. From that point on, I suddenly felt like she was more real, fun, and relatable. After that point, I barely put the book down.

Anyone else feel the same way?

[Kay]

Yes. Before then I was still annoyed at the whole Aspen thing (aspen you idiot!) and started thinking I'd chosen a crap book. But it really turned around in that garden scene. And by the time she kneed him in the Crown Jewels I was quite keen on Maxon.

[Julie]

I felt the same way, Kay! I was getting a very "cheesy" vibe from it at the start. But yup, the garden scene was where it turned around for me and now that you've said it, I can admit that I was sold on the story when the "Crown Jewels" moment happened. It's not that I wanted him to be hurt...but the scene was awesome haha.

I think it helped a lot that by then, I'd developed more of an understanding of the world. I felt like I was in the dark for the first half of the book, as though I had no idea what the world outside of America's immediate location looked like. Maybe if there were some better explanations earlier on, that might have helped...then again, that might have made the beginning even more rough.

[Amanda]

I also found The Selection to have a rather slow start and I have to admit that, on the whole, it wasn't really my favourite book. However, I found that it got more interesting once America was in the palace.

I definitely liked Maxon more than Aspen. In fact, I think Maxon was probably my favourite character and I found myself wondering what the story would have been like if it was told through his eyes.

So to answer your "Maxon or Aspen?" question Kay, definitely Maxon lol.

[Julie]

Oh ya! I meant to answer the "Maxon or Aspen" question Kay asked, too. Definitely Maxon. <3

[Kay]

Amanda wrote: "I also found The Selection to have a rather slow start and I have to admit that, on the whole, it wasn't really my favourite book. However, I found that it got more interesting once America was in ..."

I felt the same way. I wanted to know what it all felt like from maxon's perspective. I often find the POV from the male side more romantic.
Glad we all like the same bloke Amanda and Julie. No fighting now. :)

[Julie]

Kay wrote: "I felt the same way. I wanted to know what it all felt like from maxon's perspective. I often find the POV from the male side more romantic.
Glad we all like the same bloke Amanda and Julie. No fighting now. :)"

That's what's so great about fiction. Since it's in our minds, no cat-fights are necessary ;)

One part that I found stood out a bit in this book was the visit from the Queen's sister. Maybe it was setting up for something in the rest of the series, but I found that it was just this little side story that didn't seem to have much of a link to the rest of what was going on in this book. Did I miss the point? (won't be the first time haha)

[Kay]

The Queen's sister makes more sense later. :). Though I like her roughness in such a careful calculated setting. It was all getting too prim and propper for me. Someone please run amuck. Run down the halls screaming or play golf off the roof or something! Celeste is psychotic I really enjoyed her character development. And the maids. There's a fourth book I think I need to inhabit this world again. So many books. So little time (sigh).

[Amanda]

Kay wrote: "Amanda wrote: "I also found The Selection to have a rather slow start and I have to admit that, on the whole, it wasn't really my favourite book. However, I found that it got more interesting once ..."

Hahaha! We're all respectable and decent women I'm sure we can all "share" him ;)

And yes, Celeste is psychotic! I was genuinely shocked when she ordered America to strip and give her the red dress America was wearing on that interview night...and I really want to know what she said to Anne (I think it was Anne) to have made Anne hit her. I was always hoping Celeste get caught by Maxon and kicked out.