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,