First of all, if you haven’t read The Selection by Kiera Cass (or the first three books in the series, don’t read this review! There are spoilers everywhere! (This is the fourth book in the series.) I was really excited to get The Heir, and even more excited to meet Kiera Cass the day after it came out! 🙂

This… was… mildly stressing. At first, Eadlyn came off as a total brat. I’m just going to be honest here. She was whiny and controlling and everything everyone said she was. But under the pressures of the future queen and having to deal with 35 unwanted suitors, I gave her some grace. Besides, I felt the same way about her mother, and in the end, she came around. (:

Speaking of Eadlyn and America. They were similar in more ways than one, yet so very different. The Heir is Eadlyn’s story, not America’s, but I have to talk about the differences in the two girls. Eadlyn did come off kind of bratty, but I think part of the reason was she was guarded. Even though Eadlyn and America are very feisty, America wears her heart on her sleeve, and Eadlyn is a bit of a tin man when is comes to her heart. America is a more of a romantic, and in the beginning of The Selection, she’s already in love with someone. Eadlyn has no interest in love, and she had a lot more on her shoulders than America did.

The romance was iffy, but I’m sure it will get better in the fifth book. (Keep in mind that the novel is finished, but the story isn’t.) There’s 35 suitors. 35! Of course, as the book progresses Eadlyn eliminates most of them (well not literally!) (; and even then, 6 or 7 of them stand out. (Like in Maxon and America’s selection.) Even still, I found myself wishing Eadlyn would hang out with someone else! I was like “No, he’s not your soulmate! He is! Go, shoo, talk to HIM!” Although Eadlyn had no interest in marrying any of them!

Which brings me to the fact that she uses a few of them, and I really didn’t like that. She didn’t love them, and she had no intentions of anything but throwing them out once the 3 months was up, yet she would get romantically involved in one of them to “escape” from having to pretend that she’s romantically involved! It was all very… backwards. But of course, in doing that, in the end Eadlyn STARTS to come around… But we won’t know what happens for another year!

I really have no idea who will end up being Eadlyn’s true love. (Though I know who I’m rooting for!) Or do I?! Eadlyn’s right: there are SO many good choices! It was really cool being on the other end of the selection this time around. All of the boys are so sweet, cute, and funny. I feel for Eadlyn right now!

One relationship I loved was between Eadlyn and her family. They were so cute! They all clearly had a really strong bond. And I LOVED seeing how Max and Mer ended up. (Still just as in love as ever!) I also loved the little snippets of conversation and things that Eadlyn couldn’t understand about her parents’ past, but we, as the reader can. (Cause we were there!) But honestly, I was surprised at how much Eadlyn didn’t know. I understand certain things, but I wish Eadlyn knew more about her parents’ selection.

I was so so so happy to see that Marlee and Lucy were living in the palace with America! Again, I wish Eadlyn knew more about the previous selection, and “Miss Marlee.” Even Kile, Marlee and Carter’s son, didn’t know his parents’ story! Eadlyn grew up with her three brothers, Kile, and his sister Josie. But she was really a stranger to Kile, and Josie was bothersome to her. I hope that Josie and “Eaddy” can patch things up in the 5th book!

The ending… The ending ticked me off. I mean, it was a BIG surprise at the end! TWO big surprises! And here I was freaking out about surprise #1 and boom surprise #2 comes around and I’m freaking out and having a heart attack and I’ve got to wait a year to find out what happens next. Thanks a lot, Kiera.

So many things were packed into one book. Fantastic turn of events, no idea who’s winning the selection… Kiera Cass has done it again!

 

 

 

5 stars!

So tell me, everyone, have you read The Heir yet? Do you want to? And check out my post about meeting Kiera Cass here! 🙂