The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, and outside influences.

Title: The Elite

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen

Copyright Date: 2013

The end of the school year is quickly approaching. While I should be working feverishly to wrap up grading and all of the end of the school year activities I’ve found myself instead retreating into the beautifully crafted world of Illea once again. A few weeks ago I finished the book, The Selection, which is the first book in this phenomenal series by Kiera Cass. I’ve never  been one to fall head over heels for a series, but Cass has captured my interest and attention with her characters, setting, and intense plot. So instead of diving into all of the chaos of the end of the year I’m diving into a good series and finding myself relaxed by the familiarity of America Singer.

America was part of the Selection. Prince Maxon of Illea is in need of a bride and the custom of the nation is to host a Selection by which a member of each of the thirty-five  districts represents their caste and their home in the competition for the crown. By the end of the first book America Singer finds herself in the final six of the competition, also known as the Elite. The closer America gets to the finish the more she questions whether she has all it takes to become Illea’s next queen.

In this second installment to the series America is being tested and monitored more than ever before. Challenges are  created to help Maxon make his final decision. He has made it clear to America that he is in love with her, but she slows down the Selection process with her own self-doubt and confusion.

Before her trip to the capital America belonged to a lower caste and gave her heart to Aspen, a boy even worse off as far as castes were concerned. When Aspen re-enters her life he brings their past to the surface and causes even more uncertainty to fall on America’s shoulders. She finds herself caught between the life of a future queen and the life she had promised to Aspen. She finds her heart tangled up in a love triangle.

As the prince senses that things are changing between America and himself he begins to invest more time into the other members of the Selection. He begins to court the other girls leaving America with feelings of betrayal. But isn’t that what she was doing to the prince with Aspen?

At the end of this second book an ultimatum is given and an understanding reached. Will America continue to fight for the crown or will she settle down with Aspen, her first love?

Believe it or not I’ve been hooked by this series. There’s just something about the way that Kiera Cass writes that keeps me so engrossed in her books. I’m planning to finish reading this series throughout the summer. But for now, I should probably grade essays and get through my summer check-out list if I plan to be on summer vacation by the end of the week.

The Ameri Brit Mom