Kiera Cass

Consistency, thy name is Kiera. My daughter and I loved Kiera's Selection trilogy and were looking forward to anything more that she might add to the series. It's one thing to keep the good times rolling through three consecutive books that fall in the same time line/setting etc. But to jump ahead 20 years and keep that same vibe, the same excitement when the times have changed? Not easy. In the first three books, America and Maxon are literally battling to survive the day when rebels are never far from storming into the castle and causing chaos. Without that tension, I wondered if Kiera could create an intense novel from peaceful times, the answer is a...

I believe readers have the best year because when you love to read it's like Christmas whenever a much anticipated book arrives in your hands. For me, I've got a few 'Christmases' to look forward to this year and May 1 when The One arrived was Christmas for me. I was so happy I didn't even spare a moment to actually perform my happy dance - I dashed off to pick my daughter up from an after-school practice and as soon as my feet hit home, I ran upstairs to my reading chair and submersed myself for four straight hours. Thank heavens for husbands who cook dinner! Kiera does a smash...

My worry with a second book - when I've completely loved the first in a series - is that the author changes something. Let's face it, when you've been an obscure hopeful there is something fresh and new about your storytelling. After the success of a first novel you have a team of people helping you 'improve' and 'grow' as a writer. I tend to feel a bit disappointed in second novels, BUT NOT THIS ONE! :) I loved Elite as much, if not more than The Selection. Woo hoo! My reaction to these books reminds me a bit of...

This book made me feel like a little girl/teenager again. Growing up, I LOVED princess stories. In fact, I wrote a princess story in grade two that made it into our school's year book. Princesses and happy endings were my bread and butter and The Selection was an entire loaf and stick of butter for me. It reminded me of why I loved those types of stories to begin with - struggling girl with a heart of gold who loves her family puts herself forth for the prince to marry to help their situation. She goes into it with preconceived notions and prejudices that get her in hot water and then slowly fizzle away until she realizes she is falling in love with the prince. What is NOT to love about that premise, people! Sigh, I couldn't...