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