Hey, everyone! Today we have Miss Brooke visiting us from the comments section of your blog! She’s the sweetest blog follower around, and my favorite pen pal. (Though you probably already knew that, am I right? I just love talking about her!) After last week during our part one co-post discussing the Selection series by Kiera Cass, we just knew we had to do a part two: talking about Kiera’s newest release, Happily Ever After, which hit shelves on the 13th. The book has several novellas featuring Amberly, Maxon, Aspen, and for the first time, Marlee, Celeste, and Lucy! It also has a map of Illéa and some beautiful illustrations – and of course, a bonus epilogue of The One. (Wherein Kiera gives us more reasons to love Maxon & Mer.)

Whew! That was a long paragraph! I’ll turn it to you, Brooke. What did you like best about Happily? 😉

Brooke: Well first of all thank you for the flattering introduction. I am pretty awesome aren’t I *hair flip*.

Anyways I just loved Happily Ever After! Most of the illustrations were so gorgeous! (Except for Maxon….). I loved the map! My favorite story had to be the epilogue. American and Maxon are just so adorable! Though I, surprisingly, liked The Guard too. The Prince and The Queen were interesting. And it was so surprising to see some of Celeste’s thoughts.

Emily: Well you deserve it! Yes, yes you are. Just don’t let it go to your head. We certainly don’t need any more Celestes! 😉 I did adore the drawings. But I do have to say… Maxon just looked too stiff. I know that’s how America sees him at first, but I honestly didn’t like it so much. Aspen was super cute… But Carter’s drawing was my favorite!
I think so, too. The scenes with Maxon and America… *swoons* SO CUTE!
What did you think of The Queen? I could see how Amberly loved Clarkson… I was very confused about him. I both loved and hated him at once! The way she describes his small smiles… However, his reasons for liking Amberly?

Brooke: Lol. Yes! I will do my best not to turn into a Celeste.

Yes! Exactly! And I did not imagine Maxon as a blond at all.( I can’t remember what hair color the book said he had. Do you?) And he did look super stiff. Aspen was adorable. His drawings where how I imagined Maxon!

The Queen was so interesting! It was nice to see how Amberly could fall in love with a jerk like Clarkson because before I was so confused. I get how she could but I don’t think I ever could. I didn’t like Clarkson. With a different life I may have been able to like him but due to his stressful life I think something broke in him. I don’t think he ever really loved anyone. He had affection for Amberly and Maxon but not love. (Lol! I love grumpy cat!)

Emily: I do remember Maxon was said to be a blonde… But I imagined him with a darker honey-blondish/brown if that makes sense. But for Aspen I always imagined him with dark black hair – but the way they drew Aspen more loose and relaxed was how I wished they’d have drawn Maxon!

I understand what you mean. He definitely did not treat Amberly and Maxon well at all. I LOVED Amberly, though. She was so innocence  and loyal. She deserved way better than Clarkson.

What did you think of Celeste’s perspective? Can we talk about The Kiss scene, for a moment? While reading America’s perspective in the regular book, I at the very least thought Celeste cared for Maxon when she kissed him like that. But to be willing to sink so low to have the crown! I was so angry with Celeste! I did love the The Departure, though. She grew a lot by the end of the selection.

Brooke: Yeah…. Exactly! More of a dirty blond then a bleach blond. Yes! I imagined Maxon more like how Aspen was drawn except with lighter hair.
I loved reading from Celeste’s perspective. In the Selection we don’t get to really understand Celeste so I was really excited for it. I know! That kiss scene! I thought she at least liked Maxon but no she was trying to force him to marry her! I was surprised that even she could stoop so low. Celeste has some of the best character growth. She  really changes toward the end of the selection.

Emily: Me too. I am disappointed in how they drew Maxon. 🙁

Ah, well, I guess that leaves it up to our imagination! Cause in my head Mr. Schreave is smokin’. (And also mine.. Move over, America.) ?

I know! I was SO shocked! The whole thing was so disgusting, from both Maxon and Celeste’s ends. But how that I think about it — America AND Maxon were both basically dating other people the entire series! It’s a little weird when you really start thinking about it…
So what did you think of Marlee’s novella? And Lucy’s??

Brooke: I know! I don’t get how Maxon could get that far with her. Her actions where quite disgusting. I know! I felt like they where all sort of cheating on watching on each other in a way. It must have been so hard for Maxon.
I really liked Marlee’s novella. I liked seeing how she fell in love and how her life went after the canning. ( speaking of the canning my heart broke when Maxon was talking to them about it and he was suggesting things that would help because he went through the same things. ). I wish Lucy’s novella was longer. I felt that just as I was starting to really get and enjoy her story it ended.

Emily: Yes, absolutely. It was all totally gross!
I know; it was an odd situation. I’ve never read any other book where it’s pretty much okay that the couple is basically seeing other people. It definitely made for an interesting story, did it not? 🙂

I know, it was so sweet! I just love Maxon SO much!! And all this went on while America thought Maxon was being a jerk. 🙁 Too bad it had to take so long for Maxon to explain things to America. I know. He had his own beatings everyday from Clarkson. Poor baby!
I feel the same way about Lucy. I really wanted to see more moments with Aspen and Lucy! I liked seeing how/why Aspen needed to speak with America first thing the next day, before the announcement of the new princess though.
That’s about all the time (and room in this post!) we have time for today. 🙂 this was the coolest thing to do and I hope we can do more co-posts, Brooke!

Brooke: Thanks for having me Emily! I hope we can do more someday too! Speaking of which

would you guys like to see more co-posts?

Hi everyone! Exciting day tomorrow… What’s that? What FOR?! Well if you really didn’t know… Kiera Cass’ new book, Happily Ever After, will be published! Whaaaat?! There will be several scenes from other characters’ perspectives in The Selection series (like Celeste, Marlee, Queen Amberly – and we cannot forget the true stars of the books – Aspen and Maxon!) not to mention a map of Illéa and other exciting tidbits!

So, in honor of this new debut, one of my best bookish friends & pen pal, Brooke, will be joining me today to discuss The Selection series! Brooke, where should we start? There’s so much to discuss!

Brooke: Yay! So excited for Happily Ever After. I know. So much to discuss. Well, maybe we can start with my least favorite characters, Aspen and Celeste.

Emily: Okay, let’s! I have to admit, they WERE my least favorite characters while reading the books. But then they both came around. In the bonus epilogue of The One (side note, have you read that?) Aspen is SO cute with Lucy I wanted to cry. And you know Celeste turned out being so sweet to Mer… While reading The Selection and The Elite, I thought I’d never say that!

Brooke: Yeah. My thoughts exactly! Until the One I thoroughly disliked both of them. I hated Aspen and America’s relationship from the first page. But I think Aspen and Lucy are adorable! (I have not read the epilogue). Yes! I’m so excited for Celeste’s POV in Happily Ever After! She has so much room for character growth. However by the end of the One I ended up liking Aspen and Celeste.Emily: Hmm… Well, I have to disagree with you there. At first, I loved Aspen and America! That is, till Maxon came along. *swoon* Aspen is more rugged and confident with America, but with Maxon he was so dorky and awkward at first. It was adorable! As for Celeste, I definitely want to know more about her. Every mean girl in a story has a reason for being that way. Celeste’s reasons are revealed a bit in The One, but she’s such a fun character that my interest is definitely piqued. I feel like she would be fun to write, from Kiera’s perspective – or if I were the writer of Celeste myself. She has that “I’m better than you” air about her right off the bat – it doesn’t help that she is two “castes” (is that correct? Is she a three?) higher than America. What did you think about the world in the book, as far as the setting and time period (some few hundred years in the future) and flowing well with the story?

Brooke: Yeah. I guess I just didn’t like Aspen with America. They didn’t seem like a good fit for me. Disagree to agree! Yeah. Maxon was just so… Cute! He didn’t really know how to deal with girls either (which was ironic since he would be surrounded by girls till the end of the selection). Yeah! Celeste would be such a great perspective to write from. (I have no idea what cast she’s from??!! I’ll look it up in a sec).
I think Kiera did such a great job at coming up with the modern world. (Though at times I wondered where technology was.) It just felt right for this story. I think if she set it in any other time or world it wouldn’t have connected as well with me.
(Lol. Yeah. Feel free to cut some of my stuff if it gets to long). (Celeste is a 2.)

Emily: So Celeste is not two, but three casts higher than America! Good to know. I completely agree. I’m not a sci-fi/futuristic person, so originally I was a little wary about the story being set in the future. However, it still felt very modern except for the countries (apparently China took over the US! Whaaa?) and the technology – or lack thereof- was explained. With the caste system, people couldn’t afford too much technology – and didn’t Gregory Illéa eliminate a good part of it? Or was it banned? Ugh, can’t remember.

Brooke: Lol. I’m pretty much the opposite. I’m a sci-fi/futuristic person but I was wary about the romance.
Yeah. It felt very modern ( I know! I was so surprised!) ugh can’t remember either. I can’t wait to read All the short stories and see all the illustrations! I haven’t read The Prince, The Guard, or The Queen so I can’t wait to finally read those!

Emily: Hey, opposites go great together, right? We make a great bookish duo. 🙂 I eat up the romance. Can I just…. Please have a Maxon for Christmas?! XD You’re in for a treat! I have read The Prince & The Guard (Maxon and Aspen’s scenes) and The Queen (Amberly’s story with Maxon’s father.) I’ll probably re-read them, but I’m also stoked for a Marlee and Celeste party. Marlee and Carter are MORE FANGIRLING! I’d say they’re so cute but I’ve already said that a dozen times in this post! Eep!

Brooke: We make a perfect bookish duo! I’ll see what I can do :). I seriously can’t wait!! I can’t wait to learn more about Marlee and Carter! We never really learn much about their relationship in the Selection…. They are just so adorable though.

Emily: You’d be my favorite person EVER if you got me a Maxon. Just sayin’.
I know! How romantic their story must be. Marlee, who is supposed to be competing for Prince Maxon… Falling in love with the guard instead?! LOVE. I was so not expecting that, but it makes sense. I have a feeling I would like Carter just as much as Maxon. And when they got the caning… And they were still saying “I love you” … OMG THE FEELS. 🙂 I was fixing to track down Kiera Cass and give her a piece of my mind!

That looks like all the time we have for today. 🙁 there’s stil SO MUCH TO SAY! I could talk about the selection series forever. I would love to do a part two to this, though. Maybe after we read Happily Ever After? 😉

Brooke: Yes!! This was so much fun! Thanks for having me :). And hopefully I’ll be back for a part two in a little while.

are you excited for happily ever after? thoughts on anything we discussed from the selection? so excited! can’t wait to hear from you all,